Jake has a bad habit of leaping to conclusions and assuming the worst, so perhaps it's a good thing that Cougar is trying so hard to choose the right words. On the other hand, the long pauses aren't doing anything for the nerves that have suddenly tied his stomach in knots, so it's more of a 'six of one, half a dozen of the other' kind of situation.

This is important, though. He bites his tongue to keep himself from blurting out anything stupid, and watches as Cougar searches for the words to speak his mind.

"We talk," he protests, his eyes wide behind his lenses as Cougar lifts his hand. "Well, I talk and you grunt, but it's the same thing."