194 Julius' competitiveness

"Huff, Huff." Julius' ragged breath echoed in his room as he worriedly scrutinised the darkening sky, wondering if Shepard's smokey form would appear. But his big brother's words calmed and made him drop his guard.

"Relax, he won't chase us," Adam said before turning grave and resuming their earlier conversation, "I know I seldom express gratitude, but I always repay it."

"I know," Julius answered with a soft smile, remembering how much Adam insulted Theodore, only to help him brew medicine and clean the shop most of the time. Still, despite his actions, he never heard the words 'thank you' going out of his mouth. Being the first to whom those words were directed surprised him enough to cause him to doubt Adam's identity momentarily.