[ The shove is comforting, if only because it means they're back to some kind of normal in that this is a response she's given him many a time before for a joke, a tease, anything else he'd done to invoke it. As for how he feels about it being normal after what was said in the last few moments, well - that part remains to be seen since it feels like a confirmation of some of his suspicions when she doesn't answer anything past it. And that? That means it'll be a while yet before he broaches that particular topic again. ]
No? Not even when arguing with Teach about how much better you'd do sitting on the sidelines during training? Because I remember those nearly coming to blows.
[ There was no such thing, of course, given that it was mostly Hilda's pleading while Teach stood there in his stoic Teach way, unblinking and unmoved by her plight. But those are fond memories he treasures; the first time he'd witnessed it was one of the many reasons he'd looked closer at Hilda in the first place and wondered if they weren't, in some ways, so far off from each other. It was enough for curiosity, and then that led to everything else.
Everything else including what she asks because he hears the rest of what's beneath it loud and clear. A fleeting thought crosses his mind he could not tell her, as if that'd spare her anything at all and Claude pushes it away. He's made that mistake enough. No more. ]
Petra knew I'm from Almyra and who my parents are because she asked. Wanda knows my name is Khalid because of the nightmares last summer. But as for the rest of who's here or not? [ A slow shrug of one shoulder and a wry smile, both which fade after each confirming what will be said aloud before he finishes the thought. ] I guess Teach counts too because I partially told why he had to lead Fodlan and not me. But you're the only one who knows everything.
[ A moment of consideration goes by as Claude absently lets his thumb trace over the back of her hand over skin he knows well and has come to memorize. There's more to add as he weighs it carefully before looking back up to meet her gaze. ]
I was never going to not tell you, Hilda. Even if I wasn't going to tell anyone else or so I thought at first, you were still always going to know.
no subject
No? Not even when arguing with Teach about how much better you'd do sitting on the sidelines during training? Because I remember those nearly coming to blows.
[ There was no such thing, of course, given that it was mostly Hilda's pleading while Teach stood there in his stoic Teach way, unblinking and unmoved by her plight. But those are fond memories he treasures; the first time he'd witnessed it was one of the many reasons he'd looked closer at Hilda in the first place and wondered if they weren't, in some ways, so far off from each other. It was enough for curiosity, and then that led to everything else.
Everything else including what she asks because he hears the rest of what's beneath it loud and clear. A fleeting thought crosses his mind he could not tell her, as if that'd spare her anything at all and Claude pushes it away. He's made that mistake enough. No more. ]
Petra knew I'm from Almyra and who my parents are because she asked. Wanda knows my name is Khalid because of the nightmares last summer. But as for the rest of who's here or not? [ A slow shrug of one shoulder and a wry smile, both which fade after each confirming what will be said aloud before he finishes the thought. ] I guess Teach counts too because I partially told why he had to lead Fodlan and not me. But you're the only one who knows everything.
[ A moment of consideration goes by as Claude absently lets his thumb trace over the back of her hand over skin he knows well and has come to memorize. There's more to add as he weighs it carefully before looking back up to meet her gaze. ]
I was never going to not tell you, Hilda. Even if I wasn't going to tell anyone else or so I thought at first, you were still always going to know.