Just because I started it didn't mean you had to take it that far.

[ Her huffy little retort has the hint of a laugh in it, one that would be a difficult thing to disguise so she doesn't bother. Continuing on this way between the pair of them makes it feel like the shadow birds and the talk that they'd had on the balcony are light years away. And so long as she pretends things are fine then why wouldn't they be? Isn't that how things always were with them?

With the spice mix as good as it can be she pulls some of the oil towards her, patting a little bit on the portioned meat before proceeding to coat it in her spice mixture. ]

He's built a little bit of tolerance. [ A little is still not being as generous as she could be, but that's mostly out of habit. How else would she keep him humble even from a whole other world away? ] Now it takes a little more teasing than what you remember to get him to do that.

[ She lapses into a silence as she continues her work and after a moment, there's a tinge more fondness that finds its way into her voice. ]

Lorenz has grown a lot. I think you might have actually gotten along with him now.