"Glad you agree, 'cause I'm pretty sure I'm talkin' out my ass." He was still stupidly tired and the mood was a bit too soft for laughing, so a quick little lopsided smile was going to have to do.

"Anyway, kid... what don't kill you makes you stronger. You and Marie both. Everything's kinda lookin' shit right now, but..." He was reluctant to actually say that they'd maybe taken a step forward, in case if saying it out loud would jinx it, or some other new calamity would pop up five minutes later to ruin their progress. He settled for a twitch of the shoulders, almost a shrug. "You get what I'm sayin'."