[He's sort of glad that Royce isn't falling all over himself with sympathetic words. Sometimes, he's received condolences from others when he reveals the almost tragic accident of his childhood, but it's always seemed too fake, too simple for Howard to really appreciate. What happened, happened. Of course, it's terrible, but he likes the fact that a select few just acknowledge it and move on.]

[His attention moves back to Royce, his hollow stare now boring holes into the other man's green pair of eyes.]

You make it sound like it's an ability worth having. [He lets out a low chuckle, though the unreadable expression of his eyes doesn't change.] Not as if I do have such a skill...but if I did, I would wonder just how much sanity I'd have left rolling around in my head. Such things come with a steep price, you know.