[ she can tell when his thoughts drift away from the children and their quest, and suddenly it doesn't seem quite so fun anymore. try as he may to hide it, wilhelm wears his emotions on his sleeve, and there are always dark clouds that linger just above him even when he otherwise seems to be in good spirits.

river understands. well - she doesn't, not really. the world has torn her apart from simon more than once, leaving her with the despair of thinking she might never see him again, but she at least has the comfort of knowing that he's ( theoretically ) still alive out there somewhere in the 'verse.

rather, what she understands is the way that grief wrings wilhelm's heart until it feels like it may never beat again. it dulls his vision, shadows cast over an empty world without erik in it.

they've never talked about it. perhaps they ought to, someday. as it is, river's hand lowers slowly, her tone and expression falling to something more neutral even as her eyes remain on the children, distantly curious. ]

Yes. They whisper nonsense and disobey the light. The doll has one too. They're doing mischief - they're mischievous.

[ slowly, her gaze slides back to wilhelm and she weakly offers: ]

Maybe it's just "kids will be kids" instead of ghosts. Seems like they're having fun.