There was a moment of pause where Fendros ran his hand through his hair and looked up to a corner of the ceiling. His face was still tense with frustration, the kind where he wanted to burst out and raise his voice. He didn't because he knew he shouldn't. He ended up leaning his elbow on his leg and pinching the bridge of his nose with his eyes shut.

"Alright," Fendros finally opened his eyes and gestured forward with the hand that was on his nose, his tone levelled, "I had a different understanding of how tonight might go. Your family seemed nice, and they were ultimately glad to see you. I'm...disappointed. However, I understand why it has to be this way."

Had Ahnasha's justification for lying been different, Fendros might not have been so understanding, but he could understand traditional values prohibiting difficult truths. His own parent's wouldn't react well either, he had to admit to himself that much.

Despite his anger, Fendros knew that this wasn't all about his feelings. Now that he was somewhat mollified, he looked at Ahnasha and put a hand on her shoulder. His face softened. "Still, I'm glad you were able to learn that your family cared after all. I can't fault your bravery for coming in the first place. How are you feeling about all of this?"