[Oh, right. There are more people, a whole gaggle of them, all descending to swoop Yu up and out of here just like this, unaware of the passenger he's smuggling into their midst. Their bond is so easy, the lived years together so obvious in the familiarity of their bodies, Chatterclock feels more like a voyeur than a participant in Operation Bring Him Home.

He answers Yu's reassurance with a wordless affirmative, silent acknowledgement and agreement--but it's half distracted. Yes, yes, now shh, bud, let him think a sec.

After said sec, he offers just this warning:]

Don't let him drop you.

[--and switches to the audible channel known as speech.]

Hell, you two. Get a room.

[His voice takes on the cadence of whining without the pitch, all weary drawl, but Chatterclock means none of it. He is the essence of "act natural," while really, he's bracing himself for a screechstorm.]

Yu, you didn't tell me you were married. Is this gonna complicate custody of me or what? I gotta sign something to join the household? 'Cause, I mean, I know my way around a contract but my penmanship's gonna be a problem.

[Like me, like me, please accept me.

If he can't introduce himself to one of Yu's friends, he'll never manage it in a group.]