[ She probably would have spent a great deal of time thinking of it as some manner of trap, only to be baffled because there was nothing she could offer him now, no possible advantage he could have from trying to sway her in his favor. ]
[Oh. That, it seems, catches him off-guard. He recovers quickly enough--he isn't so tactless as to stare at her in his surprise--but he looks... not shy, not from him, but... off-kilter, perhaps. Contemplative, just a touch sheepish about it.
Because... it's complicated, isn't it? Anything more than what they've shared this evening. He'd asked because he'd expected a lighthearted quip; to get a serious answer puts them on untrodden ground, no matter what his heart does in response to her words.
And... at the end of the day, Childe has a very bad habit of failing the people who care about him. He's still not used to the fact that they exist in the first place. Hearing that she might've come for him even if he'd been a little more honest, even if he'd let himself think a little more about how much he missed her--it's as if he'd tossed her a broken shard and gotten seaglass in return.]
...I'll keep that in mind for next time, then.
[A delayed response--but it's no less genuine for the lightness in his tone.]
[ She's in her own sleepwear when she moves back to the bedroom, to locate the brush he mentioned and maneuver it through her not inconsiderable and thick amount of hair. But she passes him a glance that reveals nothing. A polite interest, perhaps. Vague curiosity. She's aware that what she said caught him off-guard, but she can't claim to know him well enough to understand why, except to apply her own experience to the situation.
Which would be that he probably hadn't expected such candor from her. An honest reply. Teasing is safe, sincerity is not, and she hums a little in response. ]
So you're considering a next time. You must truly enjoy playing with fire.
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And if I had?
[Would she have agreed to come, if he'd phrased it as anything more significant than an entreaty for a few hours of her company?]
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I would have considered it.
[ She probably would have spent a great deal of time thinking of it as some manner of trap, only to be baffled because there was nothing she could offer him now, no possible advantage he could have from trying to sway her in his favor. ]
no subject
Because... it's complicated, isn't it? Anything more than what they've shared this evening. He'd asked because he'd expected a lighthearted quip; to get a serious answer puts them on untrodden ground, no matter what his heart does in response to her words.
And... at the end of the day, Childe has a very bad habit of failing the people who care about him. He's still not used to the fact that they exist in the first place. Hearing that she might've come for him even if he'd been a little more honest, even if he'd let himself think a little more about how much he missed her--it's as if he'd tossed her a broken shard and gotten seaglass in return.]
...I'll keep that in mind for next time, then.
[A delayed response--but it's no less genuine for the lightness in his tone.]
no subject
Which would be that he probably hadn't expected such candor from her. An honest reply. Teasing is safe, sincerity is not, and she hums a little in response. ]
So you're considering a next time. You must truly enjoy playing with fire.
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Well, I did have an excellent teacher. [DON'T MAKE WAXPLAY JOKES WHEN YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU WERE GETTING INTO, CHILDE]
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[ SO VERY DRY. ]
Perhaps I should increase the intensity next time?
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I can handle it.
[How definitely not at all predictable]
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[ Sir. ]
It's not whether you can handle it, but whether you would find it enjoyable.