don't get the shotgun

Ulric smiled softly and nodded with a bit of relief when Lillith responded that she was feeling well, not really catching the implications of what she could have meant until she quickly elaborated that her headache was gone and she no longer felt trampled. He chuckled a little and cleared his throat with a bit of embarrassment, nodding again as he glanced away awkwardly. "Good! Good, I'm... I'm glad you're feeling better," he insisted. No matter how strange and awkward it might be he did genuinely want to know that she was feeling better after the wild night and drinking she had done. No matter her ailments he was always most concerned about her well being and how she was feeling—even if that ailment was a hang over.

He didn't really know what else to say and was about to start leading them out for the patrol when Lillith stopped him with an apology, making him look back to her with a bit of surprise. He didn't think there was anything to apologize for, but he could see the remorse on her expression as she expressed how sorry she was for sneaking out, worrying him, and everything else that was left unsaid. His ears flicked with a slight smile. He knew this was just as strange for her as it was for him, but he didn't want her to think he was mad about any of it. He wasn't even disappointed. It was just the hard reality of his little girl growing up that he was suddenly having to accept that hit him the hardest.

Ulric stepped closer and gently pressed his nose reassuringly to her cheek. "You don't need to apologize, Lil. It's fine," he insisted, his silver gaze finding hers again as he pulled back a bit. "You're an adult now. You can make your own choices, you can have fun in whatever way you see fit. I want you to live and enjoy your life and have the free spirited fun I never got to have." He gave her a sad but loving smile as he told her, "I've just got to get used to you being an adult, that's all. I know you're smart, I know you wouldn't do something you didn't want to do."

"Speech"