[His voice startles her, causing her shoulders to sharply jump in surprise as she whips around to look at him with her tea mug still covering her lips.
When things were normal (in a manner of speaking) between them, Iona's usual reaction towards Claude Aubert would have been a perk in expression, a light in her eyes, a smile, and an impudently cheerful greeting to spar with his snideness and self-loathing. Instead, she regards him with an uncharacteristic reservedness with averted eyes and a pout.
("What am I going to say? How am I going to say it? It feels like it'll hurt, I don't want to be hurt, I don't want to hurt him, I don't want to let go, I don't...")]
I've seen worse, but I think being involved with a citywide catastrophe is a first for me.
[She's still young. There are so many ways to screw up badly as her years march on as a witch.]
...
[A pause hangs between them when it's usually filled with the witch being insistent on his company. It's awkward. She coughs and pats an empty spot next to her.]
no subject
When things were normal (in a manner of speaking) between them, Iona's usual reaction towards Claude Aubert would have been a perk in expression, a light in her eyes, a smile, and an impudently cheerful greeting to spar with his snideness and self-loathing. Instead, she regards him with an uncharacteristic reservedness with averted eyes and a pout.
("What am I going to say? How am I going to say it? It feels like it'll hurt, I don't want to be hurt, I don't want to hurt him, I don't want to let go, I don't...")]
I've seen worse, but I think being involved with a citywide catastrophe is a first for me.
[She's still young. There are so many ways to screw up badly as her years march on as a witch.]
...
[A pause hangs between them when it's usually filled with the witch being insistent on his company. It's awkward. She coughs and pats an empty spot next to her.]
Can you sit with me?
[She asks this time, undemanding.]