[ It's not perfectly photo-realistic; a half-memory, a little illusion with leaves moving in a breeze, a bird, a butterfly. It'll last for a day or so then begin to fade back to numbers and diamonds.
Pity makes him rankle and sympathy is just as bad. He has to steel himself against her words, knowing her intent is probably harmless but being unused to it. He's never needed anyone to defend him or protect him and he feels insulted by the implication that he does - at least she isn't stepping in anywhere. While Severus feels poorly about the fact that he and Ilde are still at odds, he isn't sorry for being angry at her about what she did. It crossed a line he can't deal with. ]
Better than I am.
[ This is-- too much. To talk about. All of it. Severus sits forward and slides his feet to the floor. ]
I need to go back to the labs and find something to do.
[ She curls the card down into her palm, caught between two fingers, and then sets it aside, outside of the rest of the deck as she begins to gather the cards back up. Maybe one day they'll finish the game and be able to sit in some sort of cohesive silence that isn't rankled with one or the other of them not knowing what to do or how to react. Claire isn't altogether sure why she wants it or him around half as much as she does, but if it came too easy, she would question it just as much, if not more.
He makes a good point, anyway, about leaving. Someone should look in on Nathan, and Peter doesn't have to be the one to do it when he's not working. The cards catch on the sides of the box they come in as she puts them away - down one ace of spades - but she doesn't get up even as he moves to do so. ]
If you're offended by my ability to teach you to play poker, you don't have to make excuses. I won't take it personally.
[ He's on his feet and near the door when she makes the poker remark - he's sort of running away, but he's not hiding; he's exposed enough of himself here to be absolved of hiding from anything. Severus just needs to recharge. Desperately, at this point.
He looks over his shoulder. ]
Alright, you're shite at cards.
[ Door opens. Severus steps out. If he smiles she can barely catch it before it closes again, and he Disapparates. ]
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no subject
Pity makes him rankle and sympathy is just as bad. He has to steel himself against her words, knowing her intent is probably harmless but being unused to it. He's never needed anyone to defend him or protect him and he feels insulted by the implication that he does - at least she isn't stepping in anywhere. While Severus feels poorly about the fact that he and Ilde are still at odds, he isn't sorry for being angry at her about what she did. It crossed a line he can't deal with. ]
Better than I am.
[ This is-- too much. To talk about. All of it. Severus sits forward and slides his feet to the floor. ]
I need to go back to the labs and find something to do.
no subject
[ She curls the card down into her palm, caught between two fingers, and then sets it aside, outside of the rest of the deck as she begins to gather the cards back up. Maybe one day they'll finish the game and be able to sit in some sort of cohesive silence that isn't rankled with one or the other of them not knowing what to do or how to react. Claire isn't altogether sure why she wants it or him around half as much as she does, but if it came too easy, she would question it just as much, if not more.
He makes a good point, anyway, about leaving. Someone should look in on Nathan, and Peter doesn't have to be the one to do it when he's not working. The cards catch on the sides of the box they come in as she puts them away - down one ace of spades - but she doesn't get up even as he moves to do so. ]
If you're offended by my ability to teach you to play poker, you don't have to make excuses. I won't take it personally.
no subject
He looks over his shoulder. ]
Alright, you're shite at cards.
[ Door opens. Severus steps out. If he smiles she can barely catch it before it closes again, and he Disapparates. ]