"You are your own person," Ossie soothes, "you needn't be anyone but that, whoever that is. In my home, certainly, at least."

He rests his hand on Dimitri's shoulder, trying to be a comforting weight and not simply something else he must bear.

"I certainly expect nothing more of you than your manners and excellent company. And you've exceeded my expectations on that. I hold no pretenses about what and who you ought to be."