He is comforted by it, and smiles at Nova to communicate that.

"Fine by me. Nova?"

Nova shrugs awkwardly, half-nods.

"Okay. I am Steven Rydel-Hackett, please call me Steve. Aaren is my younger half-brother. I am, as he has doubtless told you, a psychologist and therapist. I specialise in PTSD, but have a broad amount of experience in other areas. I have two wonderful kids who you've met, but that I probably shouldn't wax lyrical about."

Zev nods. "I'm Zev. This is Nova." 

He figures Steve heard that earlier, when he introduced himself to Ant, but didn't hurt to do it again. 

"Ant and Ira seem great."

Nova manages a tiny wave with his free hand.

"Very pleased to meet you both," Steve nods. "They are rather. Ant's jumped a grade since we got em back in school, and Ira's managed to get herself a job at a garage who can apparently barely function without her now. If the calls I keep getting asking if she can work her days off are anything to go by..."

Zev smiles. He sounds so proud of them. It's not hard to see that he's related to Aaren.

"How old is Ira?"

"She turned eighteen just over a month ago now." His eyes go briefly sad. "Thought I was going to throw her out when that happened, as though I hadn't adopted them both..."

Zev insides go cold at that. He feels for Ira, that's something awful to think.

But now the idea's in his head. How soon is it until he turned eighteen? It can't be that far away. How long was it they'd left? What was gonna happen to them if Zev did have to go?

He managed to hold back from showing it, but couldn't help the way his jaw tightened.

He is facing a therapist, who's been dealing with someone who's idea of a grin a tiny uptick at one corner of her mouth.

"Not that I'd have thrown her out any way." Or maybe he's just continuing his train of thought? "Quite beside the fact Ant would've sulked for weeks, I made a promise to them. That they'd always have a place with me. And if there's one thing our parents drummed into me and Aaren it's to never say something we don't mean."

He's meeting Zev's eyes, serious and certain.

Zev can see that Steve understands. And maybe that should make him feel more centred. He didn’t think Aaren would force him to leave, the sad look in his eyes every time he reminded them that they didn’t have to stay told Zev that, but-

It was an irrational fear, born of knowing Nova needs a permanent safe place, and Zev not being the one to provide it. His biggest worry is what he’s supposed to do when Nova doesn’t need him anymore. 

“Aaren has been very welcoming. We’ve appreciated everything he’s done, especially since he didn’t have to do anything.” Zev will never not be grateful for that. 

"I think you underestimate how much Aaren's managed to end up with Angelique and Drex's need to help every creature that needs it. But you're right, he didn't. The simple fact of that matter is: no-one is obligated to help anyone. We do it because we want to."

Zev nods. He’s right, no one is obligated to do anything, and before Aaren, people seemed to do even less. 

"Now, I don't doubt that you both have a lot of stuff to untangle, from how you've been treated, and I'm here if you need me. I'm a good listener, and a good sounding board. I have a lot of experience as a rubber duck."

“A what?” 

It actually startles a laugh out of Zev. 

Good. "A rubber duck. It's a thing people apparently float in a bath?" he produces a smartphone and taps away with perhaps surprising adeptness, before turning it to show them an image. "And they talk out their problems to it, and in doing so, it helps them get things set straight in their head, or work out a solution."

“Yes, it looks like a capable listener,” Zev says, unable to stop the grin. 

"Maybe I'll buy you one," Steve teases with a light grin.

“I’m, ah, working on speaking to people,” he says, with a look at Nova. “I’m getting better at it. I think.”

He laughs once. “No offence to the duck, of course.”

"Well, practice does make things easier. Besides which, we can give you the duck as a fall back."

Pauses, looks towards the kitchen door, taps away on his phone again. "Now, don't tell her I told you this, but, Ira's very good friends with this rubber duck." And he turns his phone around again.

Zev snorts. Then gasps with dismay and covers his mouth with his and Nova’s joined hands. 

“I have never snorted in my life.”

It gets a tiny smile from Nova as well. He rests his head on Zev's shoulder.

"I'm a Dad, trust me, I have experience making my kids snort. Surely you've seen Aaren make Lan and 'Chelle snort?"

“That, and the reverse. He’s teaching them well.”

"I'll admit I have a hand in some of that," Steve says. "Now, is there anything you want to ask me? Anything at all?"