For a moment he looked shocked--a brilliant display of emotion, really, that he typically kept to himself. Technically... yes, he could talk that way. He didn't like to (the only one he'd done that with was Magnus), but he didn't have to. This definitely qualified as an emergency. It would be infinitely easier, at the least, so he dropped his hands.

He almost apologized, even, but didn't. He hadn't done anything he should have been sorry for, but old habits and all.

Yes. What's going on? Where is this?