featherduster | ( sheep ) ic inbox

[ O RIGHT UNDER IT ]

Hmmm, maybe I should've added conditions...

[takes the other corner X beneath it]

Afraid of what I might come up with?

[ Drops an O right next to that one too. His strategy does not seem to be any attempt to win, just an attempt to thwart ]

Yes. Your mind is formidable.

[puts an X in one of the dwindling openings left. he's not trying THAT hard]

What a compliment.

[ Good. No Thinking Allowed. ]

It is, actually. You should be flattered.

[looking him full on in the face, in his quiet way]

I usually am.

[ Blinking owlishly at him ]

"Usually"?

...

One shouldn't let oneself be flattered without first taking the other's measure.

[there's not much to read from his expression, but his shoulders have relaxed a little too.]

It sounds like you're just depriving yourself of opportunities to feel smug.

Life's short, let your ego inflate a little.

My ego is in perfectly healthy shape, thank you.

[musing, though not upset; just honest]

...it's a little hard to feel smug at the moment, also. It doesn't feel like we've won any particular victories lately.

Everyone's alive and here with us, aren't they?

That's the ideal status quo. We claw it back, but it's not the same as progress.

[a tiny breath out, looking at the game board, then shakes his head]

Sorry. Just a strange few days. Our binding breaks tonight, doesn't it?

[ Tiredly ] Not losing anything is an incredible accomplishment. Give yourself some more credit.

Not getting each other killed for a few weeks has also been an impressive accomplishment.

[puts the pen aside a sec, and just wraps both his hands around Minuet's flesh one, hearing that tone in his voice]

I will try.

Is it strange that the tie has been, in its way, reassuring?