[ Though he'd reached again for his drink to turn it in place to burn off a bit of restlessness, Claude stops to pause afterwards to add some other nonsense line about something or other. What that really means is he catches that shadow passing over Sylvain's face even though it's artfully swept away like it was never there at all and a grin's tugged into place over top of it. Maybe it'd fool most people, but he's had several months to absorb the ways Sylvain conceals something. Well - over a year now, since that's the point of being here.

It's possible he's poked at something he didn't mean to when Fodlan feels so distant even in the ways it continues to place weight over all of them. It's yet another thread in the tapestry comprising everything that makes up the man sitting across from him, but one he'll trace through the bigger picture some other time. That next proclamation which has one corner of his mouth twitching in a suppressed amused smile. ]

Is this the part where I'm supposed to say thank you?

[ Even if Sylvain had already prompted past that, it's close enough. Enough for Claude to sit up from his chair to lean forward like he's contemplating leaning across the table in slow motion. He could, but instead he stops where he is when halfway there. ]

I suppose you might have a point about it in there. Something along the lines of what you said, since I can't argue with that. For now, since we'll see if that holds out over the night.

[ One might almost think he was simply trying to wind Sylvain up a bit from how casually that's said. Maybe that's all it would be, if it wasn't for also being a convenient way to hide a truth within the words. ]