"Tell him to grow up? Tell him the world does not revolve around his soft, easily wounded emotions, that the world is colder and more cruel and not all of us GOT warm stables with dogs to sleep in and that, perhaps, terrible things can still happen when men that are supposed to take care of children do terrible things instead." He grumbles into his palm. "I would like to handcuff the two of you together and make you deal with one another, but that will solve nothing."

Or would it?

"I wish him to be more serious, but not too serious. I wish him to think, perhaps, beyond himself, the wardens, and me. Everything else falls to the wayside because he does not care and, unfortunately? That seems to have included you and that is not fair. I wish I could simply slap the childish petulance out of him- but then he would likely never trust me again." Which is a terrible thought, honestly. "He is not so bad, is Alistair. But there are times when I want to wring his neck."