Thank you, @eveningart! It's a part of a wider narrative around Derek's character that I've been building up in my head for a while, and I think that is a key ingredient when telling any story: know your characters well, and that will come across to the reader. A pet peeve of mine is when I read a story with characters who seem undeveloped or one dimensional. Thank you again for your kind words. Oh yes, when Curie comes along and upvotes a post, I feel as though I've won the lottery! Haha