“Lbh. Ih,” Kai says thickly, and similar things in that vein, staring with those bluish eyes pale babies so often have. He also flails his free arm and manages to smack Guts in the chest.

Vena risks a glance around. Just as planned. People like seeing Guts being semicompetent with a baby. It’s not enough to sway everyone but there are a lot more smiles and the speculative looks have a different cast. They’re also not worried-glancing at Vena as much, to either see if she’s safe or take their cue from how she’s acting. I am a genius, she thinks.

“Maybe! I don’t know yet!” While she’s shepherding him around she can’t do a lot of them, unless he’s watching or doing them too, after all. “Stick out your tongue at him. Or smile if that doesn’t hurt. Just make a face, anyway.”