He does lift his head, properly meet Nadine's gaze at New Hampshire. "I was just in New Hampshire," he says, words just coming out. She made note of the lacking technology, magic isn't really a thing for her, she's from somewhere he actually kinda knows.

"Well, just leaving. Before, you know. The well," he clarifies. And, "Magic isn't a thing where I'm from, either."

Nadine might be inadvertently pushing his mind in directions he'd really rather not go in, but there's also something encouraging about talking to someone here he's actually got some things in common with. Someone who might have similar values. He's getting more comfortable with her presence, at least. There's a part of him that was giving up, but there's a part of him that's relaxing, too.

And then she mentions first graders. And.

"You're a teacher?" he asks, expression opening up a little. As much as it does for him, at least, which still isn't a whole lot, but. She's got his attention.

Yeah, Nadine's probably someone to trust, as much as anyone can be trusted here. Even though he doesn't exactly have a lot of options, she seems like a good one, regardless of circumstance. Just gonna keep that in mind.