I do, but I like it a whole lot more when there's a chance I can tip the odds in my favor.
[ An important difference, and one he points out to Sylvain with a sharp half-smile more familiar from their academy days. The mention of Dimitri he lets pass by without any further comment; considering that it was jarring enough for the Deer to see Dimitri as he was, that's still no comparison to how the Lions would've felt. Or Sylvain, more specifically, given what he recalls of the other's friendship with the prince. Even if they're here and away from Gronder, endless war, all those years stretching out in between: Claude has no interest in pressing on bruises just to see what reaction he might get.
The agreement about Teach gets a less brittle smile from him, at least, because while it doesn't sate his curiosity (not that anything ever does, truly) it's enough of a balm that though they each knew a different professor that there's consistency. Something which matters more to Claude than he would've thought, and he shifts to people watch while considering something else. That it's reassuring that Sylvain also seems to match up with his memories even if they're dated ones, that time and conflict haven't warped all they've touched.
Speaking of time, though.
At that mention of a promise, Claude's gaze is back to Sylvain in an instant. Something that sounds all too familiar, he thinks, and once again actual shock has him sitting with lips parted slightly in surprise as he listens to what's too close to what happened in his memories. Again. ]
What's it called when you feel like you've had too much to drink and not enough at the same time? [ This, apparently. ] We promised the same thing, only I didn't think anyone would actually show up. It'd been so long by then and the Alliance went through a lot. It was just me and Teach there until the sun started to set. Well, and the bandits. I was more worried he was rusty after that supposed nap so we went down to clear them out. Then the rest of the Deer came after all, and--
[ Claude stops mid-sentence as another thought occurs to him and he fixes a level gaze on Sylvain. What he has to ask - it doesn't even feel like much of a guess at this point, but more and more like he's tracing along things they somehow both know eerily enough but shouldn't. ]
Next you're going to tell me that you used Garreg Mach as your base after that, aren't you?
SAME there is Much Potential here
[ An important difference, and one he points out to Sylvain with a sharp half-smile more familiar from their academy days. The mention of Dimitri he lets pass by without any further comment; considering that it was jarring enough for the Deer to see Dimitri as he was, that's still no comparison to how the Lions would've felt. Or Sylvain, more specifically, given what he recalls of the other's friendship with the prince. Even if they're here and away from Gronder, endless war, all those years stretching out in between: Claude has no interest in pressing on bruises just to see what reaction he might get.
The agreement about Teach gets a less brittle smile from him, at least, because while it doesn't sate his curiosity (not that anything ever does, truly) it's enough of a balm that though they each knew a different professor that there's consistency. Something which matters more to Claude than he would've thought, and he shifts to people watch while considering something else. That it's reassuring that Sylvain also seems to match up with his memories even if they're dated ones, that time and conflict haven't warped all they've touched.
Speaking of time, though.
At that mention of a promise, Claude's gaze is back to Sylvain in an instant. Something that sounds all too familiar, he thinks, and once again actual shock has him sitting with lips parted slightly in surprise as he listens to what's too close to what happened in his memories. Again. ]
What's it called when you feel like you've had too much to drink and not enough at the same time? [ This, apparently. ] We promised the same thing, only I didn't think anyone would actually show up. It'd been so long by then and the Alliance went through a lot. It was just me and Teach there until the sun started to set. Well, and the bandits. I was more worried he was rusty after that supposed nap so we went down to clear them out. Then the rest of the Deer came after all, and--
[ Claude stops mid-sentence as another thought occurs to him and he fixes a level gaze on Sylvain. What he has to ask - it doesn't even feel like much of a guess at this point, but more and more like he's tracing along things they somehow both know eerily enough but shouldn't. ]
Next you're going to tell me that you used Garreg Mach as your base after that, aren't you?