You were a lot less threatening before you used the word "nonthreatening," you know.

[Alex likes to think he's genre savvy, all right? Let's just say he's had enough of vaguely skeletal and/or emaciated things in his sights to last him a lifetime.

And on second and third look, it's kind of a ridiculous presumption. Look at this skeleguy. Not one for the intimidating department right now, that's for sure.]

That isn't some sorta costume, is it?

[He's still nourishing a faint, feeble hope that this might be the case.]