victory_road | [Closed]

It's not your fault, Felix. [Claude says this perfectly calmly as they walk, his pace unhurried but his stride slightly longer than usual - as though he's eager to put a lot of distance between himself and the others, as soon as possible.] I didn't expect that, either. But I'll be fine; you guys don't need to fuss over me.

It's not like I mind him cutting things off. It was only ever a casual arrangement, and I'm happy with you guys, and he's now happy with Geralt. It was just a lot more sudden and tactless than I expected.

[This is an understatement, but Claude's not really trying to hide that he was caught off-guard. He doesn't really want to get into it, especially right now - certainly nowhere he's within eyeshot of Jaskier - but there are some lies no one could successfully tell. So he doesn't try to pretend nothing just happened, especially when it's clear that even Felix recognizes, independently, that Jaskier was just inexplicably and thoroughly inconsiderate. If Felix can see it, Claude pretending he didn't notice or have an opinion about it would be ludicrous.]

I don't really want to make an issue out of it, though. Especially here. Whatever he was trying to accomplish by saying all that, I'd rather not look as though the effect was me needing fussing over...if you follow what I'm saying.

[Read: he wants to look unfazed, not as though he's in desperate need of comfort. And having his boyfriends chase after him in clear - and admittedly understandable - worry does make that illusion harder to maintain.

Of course, by saying this much...Claude's subtly admitting he thinks Jaskier was trying to hurt him, and that he's actively trying to deny him the satisfaction of believing he may have succeeded. It's an even more subtle admission that he is hurting, or he wouldn't really need to so carefully curate the act he's putting on. If he was genuinely unconcerned, he wouldn't have to worry about whether or not he looked it; it'd come naturally. He also probably wouldn't care so much about what impression Jaskier might get.]

Can we talk about this later? I was figuring I'd let you and Dimitri have your turns fighting Geralt first in any case. [While he settles himself.]

[At first, Felix's face falls into a frustrated and almost severe look--is Claude seriously going to pretend this didn't upset him? Really? After that little display back there? Is he going to shut Felix out yet again? He's ready to call bullshit, but Claude keeps talking.

Felix may not be the best at picking up (or caring about) most social cues, but putting up a front to avoid looking vulnerable in front of others, he understands. He and Claude do it in different ways, but they both do it, and Felix certainly wouldn't want to seem upset in front of Jaskier either. Or Geralt, for that matter. (Or even Grant if he could help it, although that tipsy conversation they had during prom sort of makes that a little less possible.)

And then he mostly relaxes. Claude is willing to talk to him, he just wants to do it in private. Which Felix also understands. He nods and stops walking.]

All right. ...we all have our Gears, so...just don't go vanishing into the woods without telling anyone.

[Sudden and tactless. That's sure a way of putting it, and Grant doesn't think he truly buys Claude's nonchalance any more than Felix does.

But he also understands the urge not to make a huge deal out of that distress - which, okay, yes, he and Felix have probably at least partially demolished that plan. But Grant stops, as well, fingers worrying at his rolled-up sleeve for lack of anything else to do.]

...Yeah. What Felix said.

Relax, I'm not even leaving the field. I'm just going to spend some more time with Mori and Wyvern. I'll lose them again after this weekend, after all, so I might as well make the most of my time with them, right?

[Claude's calm, but not unbothered; hostility or rudeness from Geralt is one thing, and can be upsetting enough in its own way. But from someone he trusts, who had claimed to like him...it cuts a whole lot deeper. To say nothing of all the interplay of Claude's own issues and the ways Jaskier had chosen to lash out at him - ways Claude had, in trust, essentially handed to him. Claude can't entirely emotionally detach himself from this the way he could with what happened with Geralt. His control doesn't go bone-deep.

But for now, he's stable enough. And that's all he really feels he needs.]

Thanks for worrying about me. But I'll be fine until later, and now's really not the time to get into it. So the best thing you guys could do for me right now is to go back and have Felix and Dimitri fight Geralt as planned. [He shoots them both a quick, small smile. Whatever else he's feeling, there's genuine fondness in it.]

[Felix nods.]

Understood. Though I hope you don't expect me to be nice to the bard.

[Grant... can't help a quiet snort at Felix's statement, because... well, that's surprisingly relatable right now. He's got no intention of starting shit, not when Claude doesn't want this to be a big deal, but still.]

Got it. Long as you're looking after yourself.

You don't have to be friendly with him, but don't fight any of my battles for me, either. That usually just complicates things. Besides, I don't know what's going on, so I don't want anyone to decide for me how to handle things. [By now, Claude's paused as well, head half-turned.] What I do know is that when you see that much smoke, there's a fire somewhere. That wasn't just him waking up on the wrong side of the bed. I hadn't thought I'd been as offensive to Jaskier as that, but...maybe I was. Picking a fight with him on my behalf will only make it worse.

So just...let me figure out what I'm going to do.

I never said I was going to pick a fight. But unless the first thing out of his mouth when we go back is an apology, I won't be giving him the benefit of the doubt either. I know this was absolutely worse for you, but you're not the only one he's apparently held a grudge against all this time, and his actions here do affect all of us. I won't speak for you, but I have no intention of holding back on my own behalf if he picks a fight with me.

I'm not trying to control what you do on your own account. I'm just asking you not to jump into anything on mine.

[He glances fully at Felix.] ...he moved on from it too fast and I wound up not calling him on it, but he had no right to call you a bitch. It'd be one thing if it was teasing, but that's not what his teasing sounds like. [His eyes narrow, in the first and only flicker of visual anger that's shown itself since he yelled at Geralt earlier.] It feels like...you somehow got caught up in his hostility towards me. [His lips quirk, a bit wryly.] Which feels a little backwards, considering. No offense.

So he does owe an apology to you. It was uncalled for, and frankly I'm angrier he used something about me as a platform to insult you in front of me than about anything he said to me. Both because he used me to do it, but also because it feels like...you were just some target of convenience. He had the chance to hurt you while he was lashing out at me, so he did. Like insulting you was some kind of bonus he could snag on his way past.

Just don't demand he apologize to you about the stuff he said to me. Like I said, that's between me and him. An apology from him, on my behalf, to you, wouldn't do me a whole lot of good anyway. [He pauses for a long moment while he considers, analyzes for hypocrisy.] ...although I guess you and Grant both have the right to demand an apology for mistreating someone you care about right in front of your face. If I ever end up sitting down with him, he'll definitely be hearing about that comment to Felix from me, so...

Ha. None taken. It is backwards.

[Felix folds his arms.]

Mm. I don't care what he calls me. But...tch. I thought he'd moved past that nonsense after the masquerade. I suppose he was only being civil until I'd done what he wanted for Geralt's sake. Ugh. Can't believe I let him manipulate me.

[It had been nice to be able to have a normal conversation with Jaskier about his music or Geralt, and not have to put up with a bunch of obnoxious posturing and mockery for literally no reason. So much for that.

Felix shakes his head.]

Like I said. I won't speak for you. If I talk to him at all, the only opinions he'll hear are mine.

[His brow furrows.]

We'd better go back. But promise me you'll talk to us later.

[Grant nods, trying to keep his nervous fidgeting from getting too much more obvious.] ...Really sucks.

[That's all he's really got to add, because... it does. It sucks.]

Yeah-- seconding that. [They shouldn't hang around much longer, but... Grant really doesn't want this to be the extent of Claude's talking about his own feelings on it all.]

[Claude smiles slightly.] I thought I'd already promised that. But if you need to hear the words - I promise.

[Felix nods. He...supposes he did need to hear the words. Pathetic, maybe, but...he needs to know that Claude respects and trusts him enough to let him do this. That he's not going to stay up in the sky, or whatever fool thing he said to Grant that night at prom.]

Good.

[Jaskier forces his body to move quickly, even if his mood isn't into it. Can't let anyone think he's here out of obligation and, more importantly, can't let Felix run him out before he's said his piece.

He's nervous, but he also -and he surprises himself by thinking this- doesn't want to disappoint Dimitri. So he makes sure to look at all three men in the eye when he speaks, no matter how much he wants to look away.]

Allow me to apologize for what just happened. An annoyance I thought I had under control finally snapped at the worst of times. It wasn't my intention to drag any of you into this, but I'd be lying if I said I had good control of my emotions. [He takes a deep breath.] May I have a moment with Claude?

[Felix's first thought when he spots Jaskier on his way over is that he should have let Claude go instead of continuing the conversation, because now the bard is going to force the issue before Claude is ready, and it's Felix's fault.

So along with his general anger and upset over all this, there's that in the mix too when he turns to glare at Jaskier.

...but to his surprise, the first thing out of Jaskier's mouth is an apology. To Claude, anyway. Which is the important thing. The bard never wanted anything to do with Felix in the first place and already got what he wanted out of him, so whatever. It wasn't my intention to drag any of you into this is probably true, at least, because Grant and Dimitri are nice people and he probably would have preferred if Felix hadn't been here at all. And Felix shouldn't care.

He can relate to the other things the bard says; he certainly knows what it's like to lose control of his emotions and snap at people when he doesn't want to. That's pretty much the only reason he doesn't say no and tell Jaskier to back off.

But he can't keep the anger out of his gaze.]

That's up to Claude. Not us. You're not asking because you give half a damn about our opinions, anyway. You just want to play nice in front of Claude.

[He turns a questioning look Claude's way. Does he want to talk to Jaskier?]

[Grant's smile at Claude's promise fades a bit at Jaskier's approach, as worries kick up immediately. He wants to talk already? Is this gonna be too soon for Claude to deal with?

The apology is a relief, genuine as it seems to be - even if it's not enough to keep that concern from tightening in Grant's chest.

He doubts Felix's response helps much either, but there's not much to be done for that.

So he keeps quiet, and looks to Claude as well.]

[The straightforward answers are that no, Claude absolutely doesn't want to talk to Jaskier right now, and yes, this is too soon. But at the same time, Claude is so accustomed to simply doing what's required - or demanded - of him that when he notices Jaskier coming over...he does tense, but he also resigns himself. He's not going to have the chance to compose himself, or think on this and what he wants to do. That's just how it is. He has to cope.

He doesn't turn towards Jaskier, and in fact turns a bit further away from him to instead reach out and begin idly caressing Mori's scaly head. The wyvern watches Jaskier, somewhat inscrutably.] Felix, there's no reason to believe he's just trying to play nice in front of me right now. [Considering that Jaskier was, as of a handful of minutes previously, either unwilling or incapable of playing nice for or to Claude at all. If he's trying to look good in front of anyone right now, Claude doubts it's him. Geralt, perhaps, although Claude wonders if Geralt would particularly care about any of this, no matter how it goes. (He's actually unaware of Jaskier's growing fondness for Dimitri, so wanting to look good in front of Dimitri doesn't cross his mind.)]

Jaskier can really only have one of these conversations at a time. So if you're going to jump into the conversation you need to have with him before letting him talk to me, I don't know if you're actually letting it be as much my choice as you want it to be. He can't answer that accusation of yours without getting sidetracked. [He rubs his thumb along Mori's brow ridge.] The talks can happen in any order, as far as I'm concerned. So the question seems to come down to whether or not you'll let Jaskier talk to me first.

[And Felix gets glared at in return - for fuck's sake.] If I didn't care I wouldn't have started by apologizing to everyone--

[Thankfully Claude cuts in before Jaskier ends up snipping again at Felix, which would've probably made things a thousand times worse. And that is saying a lot, considering how bad they already are.]

I wasn't asking for literal permission, I was using bloody manners to try to make this interaction as smooth as possible.

[Which has obviously failed spectacularly, because apparently not even this educated lord understands that question means you're politely asking someone to get lost because you need a moment with the third party. Grant seems to have gotten it, though, and Jaskier once again feels really bad for having involved the poor bloke in all this.]

If you want to spit at me, [He tells Felix.] -you can do it later. Claude is my priority right now, which should be bloody obvious why. If he doesn't want to have this conversation then I'll turn around and leave, but it's his decision to make.

You shouldn't be surprised if a display of manners doesn't go over well with people you've insulted first, Jaskier. That makes any pleasantries come off a little hollow.

[Claude doesn't turn around, and his voice isn't angry, but there's a distinct edge of coolness to the words.]

And I promise you, your intentions are a lot less obvious than you seem to think. Don't act as though Felix should be able to interpret you when you yourself don't seem to quite understand what you do or don't mean to do right now. Nothing about your actions here make sense to me, and I know you a lot better than Felix does.

If you're actually apologetic for having done something wrong or offensive, then people being angry with you about it shouldn't immediately set you snapping. What kind of reaction were you expecting?

[Oh. At first, Claude’s chastising him and he isn’t sure how to react to that. He wasn’t trying to have a conversation with Jaskier, he just...figured Claude would send him and Grant away, and didn’t actually think Jaskier would talk to him, so he had to get his feelings on the matter out right then.

And then Jaskier is predictably yelling at him, and still Felix doesn’t say anything, because he’s struggling to decide whether he wants to yell back or just walk away. After what Claude said, both seem like the wrong answer...

And when Claude speaks up again, Felix expects him to agree at least with the last thing the bard said - even if that was what Felix was trying to say in the first place! But instead, Claude says that he has every right to be upset - or something close to it, anyway - and maybe it’s ironic that Felix actually feels a little calmer as a result. He’s not just screaming into a void, as he often feels like he is. Claude heard him, like he always does.

And calming a little lets him think. Jaskier said that if he didn’t care, he wouldn’t have started by apologizing to everyone - which means it was supposed to be for all of them. And Felix remembers that once, he’d thought Jaskier’s smiles were false, like Sylvain’s when he’s at his worst, but Jaskier said they never are.

So...maybe that blowup just now wasn’t an indication that the apology wasn’t genuine, but just...Jaskier losing control over his frustration. Felix thinks he might have done the same in the bard’s place. Hmm.]

Claude’s right, I don’t know what else you were expecting. ...I do believe you meant the apology. But you’re still...it’s like you’re on fire, and the embers are still there, so it’s hard not to let them ignite again. You need to wait to talk to Claude until the embers go out, or you’ll end up burning him again whether you mean to or not.

Edited 2021-07-06 02:28 (UTC)

[There is a lot to unpack from what they both have to say, and Jaskier doesn't know where to begin. Trying to be nice didn't work, so what do they want from him? How else is he supposed to fix things?

One thing stands out above all others, though - and that's the fact Mr Chessmaster can't even begin to guess what set Jaskier off. And that can be enough to kill any hope Dimitri could've put in them. If there isn't any hope, should he be even trying?

So in the end, he decides to keep it simple. After glancing at Felix just to acknowledge what he said, he turns to Claude. Not that it makes much of a difference, considering he still hasn't turned around.]

Claude - should I stay or should I go?

[He meant it when he said it's Claude's choice to make. So it's pointless to be here, having a circular argument, if nothing will be happening anyway.]

[Claude eyes Jaskier briefly, weighing the options. Felix's advice is actually quite good, and his observation sharp - just as Claude isn't ready to talk yet, Jaskier doesn't seem ready to actually apologize at all. Even the apology he's given thus far - such as it was - was borderline meaningless.

Mostly, he'd apologized for dragging 'any of them' into this, but Claude's able to filter down to the real meaning; he didn't mean to drag anyone but Claude into this. There was, after all, no way for him to do any of what he just did, say any of what he just said, without involving Claude. His stated annoyance, too, is clearly with Claude. Claude was always involved. And Jaskier's actions had been, specifically, to go after Claude as a result of his annoyance. Whatever Jaskier thinks he's said, or thinks he means, the fact that his losing control of himself led to lashing out at Claude means that some part of him wanted to. Perhaps, at best, it was a subconscious desire he regrets letting overpower him...but it's not like he was possessed. The part of Jaskier that was looking for an excuse to lay Claude's secrets out in public, that casually dumped him as though Claude was an irritating weight to let fall off his shoulders rather than someone whose company had ever meant anything to him...that part of Jaskier is still Jaskier. And the intent that drove those actions is still part of him, too.

Jaskier can contextualize them, he can apologize for them, he can do many things with them...but what Claude won't accept is a denial of them. Or, worse, a justification.

A justification Claude very much believes is coming. Jaskier is going to tell him why he was upset; it's essentially inevitable. Claude, for his part, thinks he's quite clever enough to know why, if only because they've had very few points of contention between them...but he'd also never dreamed that the contention they did have was as serious as to prompt this level of petty, thoughtless revenge from Jaskier. He knows he'd refused to accept Jaskier's assertions that Geralt didn't and couldn't love him, and had encouraged him to believe it was possible - at least once when Jaskier had asked him directly not to, fearing the idea of having any hope for it. He knows he'd teased Jaskier about it, though he'd always thought that was in the way friends did - certainly never in mean spirit, and he never got the impression Jaskier took it as such. He knows he'd used some of the details Jaskier had given him about his relationship with Geralt to underline to how intimate that relationship already was, to highlight how Jaskier must certainly have a chance with Geralt and that it was ludicrous to chain himself to the belief that he couldn't. Claude knows all of that. But at best, he'd never thought - he'd never even gotten the impression - that it was more than a minor annoyance; something for Jaskier to roll his eyes at. Claude had rarely been that forceful, backing off if he'd sensed anything approaching genuine annoyance or distress except perhaps for that very first time, and the subject hasn't even come up for quite some time.

And Jaskier, for his part, had engaged in very similar behavior when Claude had problems believing the same things of the men Claude eventually wound up in relationships with. He'd called Claude a hypocrite. How can he even do that, without acknowledging he and Claude had stood in the same place doing similar things? And why would Jaskier do what Claude did if he found Claude's actions so distressing? Claude had accepted Jaskier's hassling about Felix and Dimitri as he'd always viewed his own - as a friend wanting the best for someone they cared about, and pushing them to take a chance to reach for what they wanted.

And yet, the source of Jaskier's annoyance has to be this. They haven't really disagreed on anything else. What's more, Jaskier's hiding his budding relationship with Geralt from everyone, and then immediately snapping at Claude not to say anything upon its reveal - it's obvious where his thoughts on the matter had immediately gone. For Jaskier to give context to what just happened, he'll end up telling Claude exactly why he was so upset. And even assuming his feelings don't get the better of him, again, while he puffs himself up with his indignation again - a stretch, from everything Claude knows of Jaskier - can Jaskier really explain without justifying? That's a tough tightrope to walk for anyone, in any situation...and even Felix can see Jaskier is in no state of mind to walk it. Jaskier is going to explain to Claude, to his face, why he wanted to hurt him.

And the simple fact is that no explanation for that desire will be good enough for Claude. Even at the utmost levels of his own feelings of anger, or frustration, or betrayal - even when Mori had crashed out of the sky with Dimitri's spear in his side, taking Claude with him; when Claude had looked across the field of Gronder to Edelgard, the woman who'd betrayed him and his classmates in favor of starting a war and would have killed them if she could; when his own people, even his own brothers, wanted him dead and tried to make it happen - even at their absolute extremes, he's never wanted to hurt someone he once (much less currently) cared about. Yell at them, perhaps, demand answers from them, hold them accountable in some way, but never hurt them. Claude's been hurt and betrayed by those he cares about, but wanting to hurt them in exchange is foreign to him. When a relationship goes sour, he doesn't want to cause further damage - he wants to fix it.

The fact that Jaskier could, on any level, so casually hurt him - and must have on some level wanted to - over something as well-intentioned (no matter how poorly executed) as Claude trying to encourage him towards something that would make Jaskier happy...for so little to cause so much makes him question how much he ever meant to Jaskier. It should take a lot to make someone willing - never mind spitefully eager - to hurt their friend.

Perhaps Jaskier genuinely perceived it as being that much. Claude knows that what he did, and how Jaskier felt about it, isn't necessarily a 1:1 relationship. Perhaps it was exponentially worse than Claude ever dreamed. But that really just introduces its own problems. If Claude can upset Jaskier to the point where the bard will lash out at him like this, and Claude has no way of knowing and Jaskier is unwilling (or unable) to offer any warning that it's happening until it's already far too late...then this will inevitably happen again. Perhaps Claude will even upset Jaskier worse, and then who knows how vicious the man's backlash will be? An apology could, at best, patch the boat. It won't do anything to make future shoals easier to avoid - and now that Claude knows they're there, and he'll get no warning of them, he's disinclined to trust the waters no matter how gentle Jaskier promises him they are.

And Claude feels - setting aside everything else - how little an apology will do for him. His trust is rare coin, and of the few he's ever given it to while appreciating its worth(and that number is very few; in fact, almost everyone who can count themselves among that number is currently standing in this field), none have ever tossed it away so casually as Jaskier. Even if Claude forgives, he'll never be able to forget. He can't imagine how he'll share things privately with Jaskier, trust him to understand the importance of either the things he tells him or the spirit he shares them in, ever again. Not while knowing, as he does now, that if he finds some way to make Jaskier spiteful enough - even by accident - then Jaskier can and will weaponize those things.

Add to that the inherent dishonesty of Jaskier's apology - where Jaskier "didn't want" to drag any of them into this, but his 'not wanting to' had involved him divulging secrets that directly involved every man present, in a way calculated to put Claude's relationships with all of them in an awkward position at the very least - and Claude cannot begin to see how an apology could improve anything here. He doesn't even have faith (or any evidence) that Jaskier knows what it actually is he should really be apologizing for. It certainly isn't having dragged any of them into something that doesn't concern them. It's having been so lost in his own bitterness - however justified he believed it to be, or even might genuinely be - that he ceased either considering or caring about the consequences of his actions on any of them.

There are so many arguments against doing this right here, right now. And that's just covering the Jaskier-based reasons against it. That Claude, himself, isn't ready or willing for this to happen is certainly against it as well. Claude may not be willing to make that argument on his own behalf, but he recognizes it is yet another reason to put this off.

And yet...against all of this, two facts stand firm. One is that Jaskier clearly wants to do this now. Claude isn't necessarily considering what Jaskier wants when he accepts this as a refuting point; rather, the way he sees it, he suspects refusing Jaskier here will probably make the bard angry and spiteful. If not immediately, then the longer he has to stew in it - Jaskier's shown that he can turn a grain of even the most well-meaning irritant into quite the large pearl of discord. As Claude no longer feels he can trust anything else about Jaskier, he doesn't feel he can trust an offer from him to honor Claude's wishes...or his temper, if Claude chooses an option he doesn't want him to choose.

The other fact is this: Claude doesn't see this getting any better if this stagnates. At most, Claude thinks he personally would be on a little more of an even keel. But he really doesn't need that to function; today's proven that more than once. But for this contention to sit and ripen between everyone else, for the strain to sit on the bonds between all of them for days or weeks, for none of them to really be settled in how they act around each other...because this affects a lot more than just him and Jaskier.

Claude simply can't see a better outcome to that than just letting this be put to bed right here and right now. At worst, he has to endure some more battering; he knows how to take that. And, of course, his and Jaskier's relationship might be permanently fractured. Claude's not sure if that part is avoidable in any case. At best...maybe things will get better. He can't see a way to that, but anything's possible, and even at his most hurt Claude always clings to hope. The worst that can happen if he puts this off, though...it could stress the bones of more relationships than just one to the point of breaking.

He rests his forehead briefly against Mori's for a moment, with a slow exhale. Then he turns to face Jaskier.]

Stay. But for the record - none of this is what I want. I'm just calculating the best possible outcome when none of my options seem good.

[He glances at Grant and Felix.] Can you guys leave us to talk? My promise still stands.

Edited 2021-07-06 07:18 (UTC)

[As much as Grant may wish Felix hadn't gone right to snapping at Jaskier, Jaskier's response still has him tensing, his eye flicking toward him and his lips pressing together. It's sort of a relief Claude speaks up so quickly; Grant's not a huge fan of being the one to call people on things, but he was about ready to say something all the same. He may be basically inclined toward giving Jaskier the benefit of the doubt, but he's pretty sure he doesn't have much room to be indignant that people are upset with him right now, no matter how politely he may approach.

But Claude does respond, and, finally, a decision is made. Grant nods slightly, hoping the movement doesn't betray too much of the tension that still remains in his shoulders. He almost starts to raise a hand, wanting to touch Claude's shoulder or... or something, but... he remembers what Claude is trying to do here. Stay composed, look unbothered, probably doubly so now that Jaskier is here so much sooner than he was ready for, and having a boyfriend visibly trying to comfort him probably wouldn't help with that.

So Grant just nods again, and shoves his hands in his pockets.] ...Yeah. Okay.

[He'll start back to where Geralt and Dimitri are waiting - though he keeps his eye on the others for as long as he can, halfway just... making sure Felix is actually going to follow. He's pretty sure he will, with Claude having asked outright, but he doesn't want to get halfway across the field before realizing plans have changed somehow.]

[Claude's eventual response doesn't surprise Felix much. At least he's not pretending he's totally fine with talking to Jaskier right now. (Jaskier, and not them. But he said it was a calculated decision, so Claude must have good reasons.)

For the same reason Grant refrains from touching Claude, Felix does the same, keeping his arms folded rather than hug him the way he'd like to. He just nods instead, then glances sidelong at Jaskier as he moves past him to follow Grant; it's not friendly, but it's not hostile, either. Wary, perhaps, or measuring.

Soon enough, he catches up to Grant, looking no less tense or worried than he was. Quietly, he says,]

You didn't say much.

[It's not an accusation; it sounds more like a question.]

Edited 2021-07-06 07:54 (UTC)

[Claude watches Felix and Grant go before turning back to Jaskier. Somehow, oddly, he feels more settled now - or, perhaps, at least more resigned.]

Before you say anything, there's something I'd like to say. May I?

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One parsley leaf of action on the world's biggest pile of prose

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Claude and Jaskier can split off from here!

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oops all talking

sorry he says so little in return

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