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Thoughts of food and wine had now rather drifted out of Bereck's mind; he still wasn't used to eating terribly much, and he had more engaging things to focus on. Snuggles. He had missed her snuggles, hadn't noticed most of the time over the last twenty years due to extreme busyness but had felt the odd pang on an evening when he felt run down and his weyr seemed horribly empty. Now though he wondered that he hadn't missed them more, hadn't missed her more. He supposed practicality as well as busyness had kept him from that; what use was somebody who just lay around feeling maudlin?

"Mmmh," Bereck agreed vaguely to her comment about tunnelsnakes, his fingers squeezing her hand in return. "That would be a help," he elaborated with a sigh, "and I'm not suggesting pushing. Just give him time. He seems to be getting on here alright at least; he's made a couple of friends." Even if he didn't entirely approve of one of them it was a relief that Aleck had people his own age to socialise with now. No matter how much he might want to it was wrong to try to keep his boy by his side forever; Aleck was a young man now after all and deserved his own life and space. If Aleck growing up and expanding his social circle meant that he had less time for his father... well that was just natural.

The gentle motion of her fingers against his wrist started to ease some of the residual, near ever-present tension in his body; Bereck just wasn't a man that was very good at relaxing. This was working though, slowly but surely, and somehow he suspected he was going to end up taking a nap here before he attempted the somewhat arduous walk back to the infirmary. A few more days and he would be out of there, could have his own weyr again. It would pale in comparison to his lovely rocky home back at Malvren but it would be private and that would be enough.

"Yes," Bereck agreed slightly absently, leaning his cheek on the top of Alina's head. "Yes I think that's a good idea. Give some time and then set the offer out for him to take up when he wants to." He wanted to believe it would be a when not an if. Even with Aleck's insistence that he do what made him happy he would be happier if Aleck and Alina could become at least amicable towards one another. "He has though, yes, and I have somewhat in recent weeks. The better I've got the more willing he has been to step out for a few hours, most of a day, whatever the day seems to call for." It was with a bit of a pang that he encouraged this; even knowing it was right and good it wasn't easy to let go. He had been enjoying the long rambling conversations they'd been able to hold as he became lucid, and awake more and more of the day. He'd had Alina to fill the gaps lately though so he hadn't been lonely... but there was still that tinge of regret. Still, you couldn't have everything in life.

"I suppose it does," Bereck agreed with a tiny shrug. He could understand Aleck's feelings, he just hoped they would change. "I have to be, he's not a baby anymore," he went on, voice neutral but hints of tension creeping back into his thin frame. "I'm glad he's making friends... they're good to him so far as I can tell and I like Rochelle even if she is a ruffian. It'll do him good to expand his social circle. It would be wrong of me to try to tether him to me his whole life. He's his own person not just my boy and whatever best for him, whatever makes him happy is what I want for him. We'll always be close, I'm certain of that... I just wish he hadn't grown up quite so fast."

He was incredibly proud of the young man his little boy had become, and enjoyed the fact that they could converse freely on an equal intellectual footing. That didn't mean he didn't sometimes miss his exuberant six year old standing on a stool to see the work bench, looking up at him with huge eyes waiting for the world to be explained to him. Aleck still needed him but not like he once had and frankly he feared that everything that had happened recently had damaged his son's willingness to rely on him. He hated the thought that Aleck might hesitate to turn to him because the boy worried was about him.

During his little speech and subsequent thought process Bereck had somehow managed to simultaneous shrink in on himself a bit and tense up more again.

"I know," Bereck responded simply; his tones were gruff but he snuggled more against Alina at the same time. "It's just nostalgia, a bit of longing for times long gone; you know how I like to be... required," he went on in the same gruff tones, willing to explain to her as he wouldn't be to anyone else. he wouldn't even let anyone else catch an inkling of this. "I love him as he is now, very much, and I wouldn't want him to be little again if I could snap my fingers and make it happen. That doesn't mean part of me doesn't miss the old times."

Bereck made a grumbling noise that meant 'yes'. He did want to be able to answer every question, right every wrong of the present as easily as he had been able to solve most of Aleck's problems when he'd been half his current age. Even then there had been things he couldn't remedy or alter, but there had been fewer of them.

"You did?" he queried eventually, shifting slightly, sounding faintly hopeful. A moment later he made a scoffing noise and shook his head, firmly rejecting the comfort seeking behaviour. "I am being ridiculous," he muttered rather crossly. That niggling worry still remained though, that Aleck might want to ask for his help with something but decide not to because of what had happened. Had seeing him delirious with fever and insensible with fellis changed how Aleck though of him?

That nasty 'yes but' still floated around in his mind but he decided not to vocalize it; he was already sounding whiny to himself. Instead of going on about himself more therefore he squeezed Alina and kissed her hair. "I... I'm sorry for your loss." Another squeeze. "I'm sorry I didn't know her better too." If it was that innate and spanned so many turns then perhaps Aleck's willingness to come to him would return, if of course it had gone in the first place; he was fearing the worst on that score for no solid reason.

"I'll take your word for it then," he continued after a moment, trying to settle back into his relaxed state. It would be alright; Aleck did still need him and would still count on him, once he was properly back on his feet in any case. It would be fine; Alina believed that, and he would do his best to do the same.

He let her lift his hand to her lips without protest, shifted against her when she pressed her lips to his skin and then settled again, slightly more relaxed than he had been before. "Well then she has my gratitude, and I shall try to stop worrying so foolishly," he said with a little ghost of a warm smile, his eyes creasing slightly with the expression too.

Outside he felt Berath stir slightly from her nap; the green sent him a feeling of sleepy approval, shifted position, and dozed off again.

After a few moments it occurred to Bereck to ask; "What does an' I told you so' dance look like?"