[There's something near his throat that feels warm at the soft, matter-of-fact acceptance--not that he wasn't expecting it, to a degree, but it's still a relief to hear, especially since he hasn't seen his actual parents in more than a year.]

I'm going to ask him if he'd like to meet you. I'm pretty sure he'll say no, but he surprises me sometimes. [There's a part of him that wants to hide under his blanket--his face is so hot he feels like he could cook an egg, but there's also a part of him that feels strangely giddy. Happy, in a way, to be talking about it with someone.]

But, um. I get the feeling he's been through a lot, so I try not to push him too hard, you know? I think he's still getting used to the idea that I like him as he is and don't expect him to be something he isn't. I'd shout from the rooftops how much I care about him, but I'm a lot more of a people person than he is, so I guess I'm letting him take the lead for now.