I didn't say anything about scorpions this time. Sheesh.

[ An important clarification! Easier to think about continuing to be difficult than the look Sylvain's giving him right now with his chin still in his hand, even if there's nothing behind it. All clinical, that concern, those questions. None of it tied to bets, massages, banter. All things he shouldn't be thinking about in the middle of a desert so Claude shoves them away to glance at his leg since it's the actual topic. ]

It's fine, Sylvain. It'll take a lot more than a scorpion of any size to keep me from being in one piece.

[ This, at least, is genuine and not an act since his leg does feel fine. There'll probably be some residual pain appearing later on if this poison's anything like other ones he's dealt with but it's nothing worse than, say, being hit with Thoron. He'll take this over that any day.

It's finally enough for him to let go of Sylvain's chin - with some reluctance - as he sits up, leans back on his perch on the rock, and shifts his gaze back to the scorpion carnage around them. If Sylvain reads that as sliding a veil back into place, he wouldn't be wrong. ]

We're certainly going to be paid well for this, so that's doubly worth it.