[ Byerly's face looks a little guilty. Like he's been caught doing something naughty - or, more than that, even, because By usually has no self-consciousness whatsoever about naughtiness. So - what does he say? He can't ignore Bastien - Maker, no - to answer Lexie's question. But if he doesn't answer, Lexie will think he's dodging the question. Which, to be altogether fair, he is - because he has no good answer to it whatsoever. So in a way, this interruption is also beyond welcome.
He wants to stay silent and let Lexie handle the situation. No doubt she'll have the perfect, poised welcome for Bastien. But he knows in his heart that that is not the right thing to do: Bastien is his, and he's responsible in some way for mediating the two of them. Even if he'd really prefer that they both just take care of everything and let him simply lay back and enjoy them, he is responsible.
And so he blurts, the joke strained - ]
Happy birthday.
[ And then, even more strained, he says - ]
We're having a bit of a go of it because I think we were both driven mad by bad dreams.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2021-02-14 01:25 am (UTC)Ah.
[ Byerly's face looks a little guilty. Like he's been caught doing something naughty - or, more than that, even, because By usually has no self-consciousness whatsoever about naughtiness. So - what does he say? He can't ignore Bastien - Maker, no - to answer Lexie's question. But if he doesn't answer, Lexie will think he's dodging the question. Which, to be altogether fair, he is - because he has no good answer to it whatsoever. So in a way, this interruption is also beyond welcome.
He wants to stay silent and let Lexie handle the situation. No doubt she'll have the perfect, poised welcome for Bastien. But he knows in his heart that that is not the right thing to do: Bastien is his, and he's responsible in some way for mediating the two of them. Even if he'd really prefer that they both just take care of everything and let him simply lay back and enjoy them, he is responsible.
And so he blurts, the joke strained - ]
Happy birthday.
[ And then, even more strained, he says - ]
We're having a bit of a go of it because I think we were both driven mad by bad dreams.