At least he was still eating. That was a good sign for the conversation, he thought.

Richard might not have been good at this, not really, but he was drawing on the kinds of things that he would have wanted to be told when he was Tony's age and not even going through half the shit he was. What would have have done, then, to have someone tell him that they were proud of him?

"Don't mention it," he replied quietly, gently hugging him closer. "Just want you to believe I mean it, okay?"