"...I can," he confirms. It works really well. It's probably the thing he's best at, which makes the fact he's managed to do it wrong anyway all the sadder.

He squeezes Indrik gently around the neck, who finally turns and bumps his head against Rex instead. The very second it happens there's a burst of genuine, irrepressible love. Perfectly mirrored between them both, exactly symmetrical. He definitely doesn't hate Indrik. All Rex really wants is someone to rely on him without feeling bad about it. "And... Thanks."

You're wrong, but thanks, is the way it comes out.