"No, no," he protests softly and reaches to pet wherever he knows her head is. "I mean that. Bless you because you're doing this. No other meaning meant." There's no way he'd imagine anyone doing this single-handedly. Claire needed Santino's help way back when. A lack of blood and trauma do make this easier for both parties.

Super fit is usually appreciated with no clothes and a different kind of physical activity. This is a more involved feat. He still admires her for what she can do.

Listening to the familiar sounds around them below the new record are soothing. Rustle of fabric and Verity's footsteps and steady heart. Everything's going to be okay for sure if there was any remaining doubt before. (There wasn't.) Matt stills when she comes back. Again he reaches for her to touch her shoulder, her arm. "Thank you, honey. I'm still dizzy. Do my feet look different? Maybe it's an allergy?"