"I'm glad to hear of it. It took a while for me not to take such things at face value," he says, taking in the room of friends. It's extraordinary they still do this, they still make connections after knowing that they will continue to lose each other.

"People are very resilient," he murmurs. "Dean, I think, is also allowing himself to enjoy this as much as he can. That he makes any effort is what makes me proud. Proud of all you, really."