[ Severus gives her a look that's both challenging and bemused, because-- what's she going to do, throw herself on him to stop him? But also because the buddy system isn't exactly effective, down there. He has a feeling the idea to set out in groups was pointless, as much as he'd like to think otherwise.
And then he smiles, humorless and lopsided. ] Let me know when you go to sleep.
[ Maybe then he will, is the implication? Who are you fooling, Claire. ]
[ Do you really doubt her that? She's very good at throwing herself in front of things. Just watch the video tapes.
As for a response, Claire just narrows her eyes. Not unpleasantly, but with an amplification of stubbornness not totally uncommon with her. I probably don't need to sleep, she thinks, but doesn't say, because she's sure he'd have a response for that, too. Not to mention how exhausted she feels herself. ]
Will you let me give a crap about you and actually, you know, show it, for longer than five seconds, just this once?
[ She does know that he's kidding. Sort of. Which is why she doesn't haul off and smack him across the face, even though she kind of wants to. Caring about him on any level is something like driving her head repeatedly into a brick wall: it doesn't really hurt and it seems really stupid and insane to keep doing it, but there's always the belief that maybe one of these days her skull is going to be thick enough to make a dent.
Instead, she shoves him, palm hard and flat on his shoulder. Her face is full of agitated, tired frustration. ]
[ Severus lets himself be wobbled back a little, and he reaches out to snag her arm - lightly - to balance himself. At a loss, he leaves his hand there.
[ That's better than nothing. Although if Claire is being honest with herself, she's been getting less and less nothing from him over the months - months? - that she's known him. Maybe she's been making a dent after all. She tries not too look to pleased with herself all the same, which isn't difficult under his scrutiny.
She doesn't say anything either. Just takes a deep breath and lets it out again.
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And then he smiles, humorless and lopsided. ] Let me know when you go to sleep.
[ Maybe then he will, is the implication? Who are you fooling, Claire. ]
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As for a response, Claire just narrows her eyes. Not unpleasantly, but with an amplification of stubbornness not totally uncommon with her. I probably don't need to sleep, she thinks, but doesn't say, because she's sure he'd have a response for that, too. Not to mention how exhausted she feels herself. ]
Will you let me give a crap about you and actually, you know, show it, for longer than five seconds, just this once?
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Look, he's bad at this. ]
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Instead, she shoves him, palm hard and flat on his shoulder. Her face is full of agitated, tired frustration. ]
Too bad.
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Instead of talking he just looks at her.
All right. ]
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She doesn't say anything either. Just takes a deep breath and lets it out again.
Better. ]