Noctium: TDM Overflow

[bottomless_bowl]

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[bottomless_bowl]

[Well congratulations Ashe. This time he's winding down from his anxiety attack over Edelgard's mere presence. So asking about Bernadetta gets him to pause, head cocked for a moment, trying to follow the logic that would have lead Ashe to-

His gaze cuts to the side as though he can actually look at the little tassel that's given him away and this time his cheeks flush darkly.]

She- uh... she's fine. As far as I know.

[shootyourshot]

[Oh. Oh ho ho. How rare it is already for Claude to be blushing, but about Bernadetta? What a tell, Claude. What. A. Tell.

Ashe is so delighted.]

When did you two get so close?

[bottomless_bowl]

[And somewhere in the days before this conversation he had his hands on her ass. Yeah uh he's blushing okay. Hush, Ashe. You'll scare him away before he lets something slip.]

L-like I said, it's... sort of an agreement. Not- Whatever you're thinking it is.

[shootyourshot]

Not whatever I think it is, huh? And what do you suppose I'm thinking of?

[bottomless_bowl]

[ASHE you're not supposed to corner him like this!? What is he supposed to say to that??

Books! Right! HAH]

Probably something chivalrous and knightly out of some fairytale. I promise you it's just a form of collateral.

[shootyourshot]

Huh. That's a pretty cruel way to describe someone. Does Bernadetta know that?

[bottomless_bowl]

I meant the earring not-

[Ah but he can't meet Ashe's eyes and say her name at the same time.]

Not Bernadetta.

[shootyourshot]

Hmm, interesting.

[His arms are folded now and he's VERY curious.]

So collateral for what?

[bottomless_bowl]

Information. And if you want that information you need to give me something just as important to you for collateral.

[He's bluffing so goddamn hard but no matter what Ashe offers it's not going to be enough so it doesn't matter.... right?]

[shootyourshot]

[Information? What could Bernadetta possibly provide to Claude? Then again, he doesn't know, and... sadly, he does not have anything to offer him anyway. Ashe isn't sure he believes him completely, but he does shrug helplessly.]

I don't have much, even if I wanted to offer you something. Okay, I won't press on it.

[FOR NOW]

[bottomless_bowl]

[SAFE]

You come up with something good and maybe someday I'll tell you~

[He's just going to sip his coffee and walk away because goddamn that was too close.]