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I doubt he'll apologise, but he knows he cocked up.

I don't need an apology. You all right?

I'm a big boy, Claire.

[ he was embarrassed, yeah, angry with Freddie's decision to stamp his muddy boots all over the carpet, ready to cut sharp for his choice of words, but that's nothing new and didn't exactly get any better as the whole thing progressed.

she was perfectly entitled to step in. but John's fine, had been fine, and would probably have continued to be fine with or without Claire's help.

arguably they'd have all got off a little lighter - Freddie listens to him, sometimes. ]

I know. [He's (hopefully) not one to be bullied by a young man that looks like he's barely 18 in Claire's eyes.] I didn't mean to belittle you.

[His privacy's been stomped on enough, with the whole fictional account thing.]

You didn't. It's alright. Freddie was being a prick, you had every right. [ to get involved, tell him to back down since she was just as much in the line of fire as John - not Freddie's intention, no doubt, but his result. perhaps taking up arms in John's defence wasn't quite called for, but he knows where her heart was. and after Freddie fell into offensive defence, he'd earned every precise parry she struck.

but he's had enough of serious. can't carry it without risking creeping notes, uninvited undertones left unfiltered. so, a light aside: ] Remind me not to get on your bad side.

[Despite the expectation of intimacy, it'd been slightly jarring to be spoken about openly, without any thought. But it's been handled, and Claire's as happy to move on as John is.]

You've said I reminded you of your grandmother and I still like you. You'll have to actively try to get on my bad side to get there.

Good to know you have faith in my ability to rub people up the wrong way with a bit of extra effort.

There was a compliment in there somewhere.

I'll take it.

As you should.

Anyway, I just wanted to be sure we're all right. I think we are.

[Her disapproval is just for Freddie.]

[ it's - incredibly straightforward. he's not used to forthright conversation, not really, so it takes him just a bit longer than usual to reply. time spent figuring out it really is just as simple as an easy confirmation. ]

Fine as far as I'm concerned.

[Claire's still fairly new to this texting business, but the delay is noted. He could have had to answer the door or another message or a hundred other different things. Still, she asks.]

You're sure?