[ His steps stumble in an uncharacteristic moment of clumsiness, and were it not for their fingers still entwined and the fact that Claude was still walking, he might have stopped right there on the boardwalk to gape at him in shock. ]

Wait, you thought I was gonna kill you?! [ He is so… very confused right now. ] For a whole month?!

…Man. I really need to rethink my flirting technique with you entirely, don’t I?