[ At first the present tense doesn't register. There's enough going on that'd drive about anyone to drink, really, and because of that: sure, it makes sense Claude's sitting at an empty bar by himself in a not-thought-through-at-all attempt to avoid people. Attempt being the operative word there, since, well. He's already mentioned the part where last time around people tended to congregate where they're seated, so he lifts his drink with a shrug of one shoulder while sitting back upright. ]

It was bad enough without having others witness it on top of all of - that. That definitely didn't improve the experience.

[ And - hold on. Something clicks, he thinks, and while he takes a drink Claude eyes Sylvain sideways from behind his glass. Not subtly either; now the gears are turning. Setting the glass back down gives him a second to shuffle those thoughts in order. And, well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say. ]

Are you having nightmares?

[ Normally that's the kind of thing he'd work on teasing out of someone with more prying over time, with a little bit of sensitivity involved first rather than this relatively blunt approach. Even with all of the strange things going on, this is the first he's heard of any of them now. Assuming that they're even related, or that he hasn't rushed to fill in a blank which doesn't exist. Maybe he's overthinking it. Wouldn't be the first time. ]