The sad look in his eyes settled just a bit when a bit of the suspicion went away, and his smile began to creep back up as he held the sandwich halves out a little longer, waiting to see if he would choose one. When instead, he seemed to open up just a bit more, he used the time he was talking to take a bite of one of the wedges, chewing on it while gesturing over at him with the other.

So. The kid was trying to find a job? He was a bit young to have to be worrying about that, but...it wasn't unheard of for kids to help out around the house, in smaller communities, and if he'd come here with the rest of the refugees, it would make sense that he, and anyone he'd come with, would be in need of some kind of income to make ends meet while everything was sorted.

"Things are a bit tough right now, yeah. There are so many adults who'll be looking for jobs, it'll be harder for someone your age to find one. What about your parents? Family? Or...are you by yourself?"

That little thought crept back up into his head despite him trying to push it down. December hadn't been one of the places as heavily hit by the time the survivors had been taken to Octovern. Maybe he was mishearing the cadence in his voice, but it sounded so familiar.

And he'd already met people from vastly different points in time than himself. Maybe-...

No. He really needed to stop looking for the people he was missing in the faces of people he met. It wasn't healthy, or helpful.