Resilience is a necessary life skill where they're from. It doesn't hurt any less, the loss, but they bounce back, they function, they put it aside. He had his moment of grief; the smugness is half bravado, mostly because it makes her smile. But he's in better shape already. Has to be.

His smile fades a little, not because he's displeased exactly, it's just how he is.

"Mmn," he murmurs with a slight shake of his head. It's a joke, he knows, but he hates the idea of owing or being owed, especially with Carol. (Besides, she does so much for him. More maybe than she realizes.) Whatever they are, it can't be transactional, or he can't trust it.

But he does, he trusts her, so they can joke.

"I'll put it on your tab."