He’s silent and still as Loki examines him; stares straight ahead. He’s long past any squirming or complaints or tears. Abner is a quicker learner than his mother ever gave him credit for, and he was quick to learn showing pain and looking for comfort would not get him anywhere. This is not to say that comfort isn’t something he yearns for.

“Oh. Great,” he replies flatly. That’s worse than he was expecting, but it makes sense. His gaze does flick down to the glimmer, which he watches with interest. A little of the tension starts to go out of his shoulders.

“That feels…” he murmurs, before glancing up at Loki, looking slightly startled. “You, um, rather like me?”

Abner has so little experience being liked at all, that he isn’t sure how to take that.