“ don’t look at me like that. ” / claud uvu
“Why? Do I make you uncomfortable?” – she wasn’t truly surprised with these words; Nunnally couldn’t deny her blue eyes were locked on the man – who was currently saying these words – for a few longer moments. Her gaze was probably curious, if not prying, although she meant no harm. Since she started to be a regular guest in this establishment, Claudius was always the one who was catching her attention. Indeed, he was perhaps the reason why she kept returning (as it wasn’t the place she found herself fitting into too well). Nor she was comfortable here as well. Nunnally didn’t mean any harm (true) but she was hoping (and trying) not to make her presence visible. And disturbing. Was she failing (miserably)? Or was the fact that he had noticed her today just a coincidence…?
Nunnally didn’t know. Nunnally didn’t care. He wouldn’t hurt her, would he?
Worse come to worst, she wouldn’t come back here ever again. But Nunnally didn’t think it would be the case; she didn’t find his words having an annoyed tone into them. Nor did he seem nervous or irritated with her. Yet, if she were to be honest with herself (and that was not a common thing for Nunnally), she was not sure what Claudius wanted to communicate with this statement.
Was it an invitation? Or was it a warning? Or yet something else?
But she was curious, and she couldn’t deny it. So, perhaps somewhat naively, she decided to consider these words a beginning of a conversation. She left her table in a far corner, which she previously considered a good observing spot (and by ‘good’ she meant offering a neat hiding place with little light), and joined Claudius. Taking a sip of her red wine, she was looking at him with some hesitation of what she should tell next: --
“I would imagine you are used to curious eyes… And perhaps uncomfortable questions.” – she finally spoke; her demeanour calm; her voice mostly serious but clearly laced with some playfulness in it. She found Claudius and her similar, although she expected the man to disagree. If she spelled it out clearly.
So similar and yet so different; that would be more correct; she imagined. Taking another sip of her wine, she felt she was getting tipsy. It was her second glass of wine, and Nunnally knew she wasn’t an avid drinker. But sipping wine now was helping to hide her confusion and keep her confidence. She laughed: --
“So, what is it that you dislike about my gaze?” – that was a valid assumption considering that he had requested her to stop – “Are you afraid I could look though your soul?” – she couldn’t. She wasn’t sure she even believed she (and he) had one. But it sounded so nice and fitting the purpose that Nunnally couldn’t resist to actually use it. Another soft laugh and another sip, and her glass was almost empty.
“Should I risk another drink in your company?” – she wasn’t sure what urged her to ask this question – “Oh, don’t look at me like that.” – Nunnally mirrored Claudius’s own words from the beginning of their conversation – “I am only joking.”
Source // no longer accepting
