β ah, what fun. β
β Iβm sorry---? βΒ
His brow had creased with a pleasant, bemused sort of furrow, and he cocked his head to one side, the corners of his mouth tugging upwards to form a smile---squinting a bit, appearing rather genuinely confused for a moment.Β
Then---seeming to grasp the situation, his eyebrows lifted visibly higher.Β
β Oh, yes---yes, now I see---making fun of me, are you? So thatβs how the land lies. β
His smile twisted, deepening---becoming altogether more wry, more humorous---and somewhat chiding of the other man.Β Β
He blew out an audible breath---narrowing his eyes---pausing to fix Valentine with an amused, crinkled sort of look.Β
Feigning some moderate affront.Β
β Godβs my life---can a man not live down the unhappy tendencies of his youth? Surely Iβve done more than enough to repent! β
He shook his head and glanced off.Β









