"It used to belong to someone." His tone drops. "Someone who isn't here anymore and I don't have a lot left over from him, so I'd kind of like that back. I can get you a new one if you need it."

He wouldn't make this a thing if it was from anyone else, if it was any other object, but -

But it was Brian's.

It belonged to him. It's how he communicated. It was his paper and his pen and the thought that it might just be lost the same way Brian was, it's not a new sort of hurt but he's not about to relive it if he can help it. Not again.

"People have tried to. Nothing's stuck."