He managed a smile in return, but it was the same, slightly off one he’d thrown her way before.

It was the best that he could do, at the moment.

Malachi looked back to the food on the table once his niece had left. He picked at it some, ate what he could – which was not much, but he tried. It was not long after that he wound up on the bed anyway, lured over by the draw of sleep.

He curled in on himself on his side, lying atop all of the blankets and covers, and slept.