In the silence that followed, Mathus ignored the awkward twist in the bottom of his belly, grinning through it as the woman stared at him. It wouldn't have been the first time a joke didn't quite land--or perhaps she didn't hear him over the crowd, or couldn't understand him. Either way, it wasn't the end of the world, and he'd move on, but first was getting through the moment.
Fortunately, a moment later, she smiled, and the awkwardness of his cold open was replaced with quiet relief. He'd lowered his hand by now, slipping it back in his pocket, as he chuckled slightly and nodded. It wasn't a funny joke, and he didn't pretend it was (in fairness, his reply wasn't funny either), but he remained at a friendly distance. Absently, the werewolf noted that she looked particularly tired too, with dark circles under her eyes and other marks of ill-health.
“Good. But you are feeling okay?” he checked in, more soberly. “I can find you water.”
Fortunately, a moment later, she smiled, and the awkwardness of his cold open was replaced with quiet relief. He'd lowered his hand by now, slipping it back in his pocket, as he chuckled slightly and nodded. It wasn't a funny joke, and he didn't pretend it was (in fairness, his reply wasn't funny either), but he remained at a friendly distance. Absently, the werewolf noted that she looked particularly tired too, with dark circles under her eyes and other marks of ill-health.
“Good. But you are feeling okay?” he checked in, more soberly. “I can find you water.”