There was another soft smile for the pride that was evident in Shane's voice, and the smallest of somewhat wistful sighs for the fact that he couldn't better appreciate other telltale signs that went with it: the look on his face, the carriage of his posture, a certain light in his eyes. He'd have to make due with memories, and ones that were far more faded than he would have liked, and therein, that odd sort of...doubt started to creep back up on him again, which he tried to put aside.

"I don't exactly celebrate it, either," he pointed out, "but I also couldn't turn down a convenient excuse to put it to good use in the kitchen."