[Vulnerability does suck. It's so much easier to just slip back into that campy evil-boy-genius persona the first chance he gets, then to respond to her request to keep this between them with any comforting sincerity. The mischievous smile is second nature, almost compulsive, but there's at least some genuine affability there.]

Please. Like anyone here would believe my word over yours.

[And that's not exactly a return of that metaphorical knife. More of a pocketing of it and a vague insinuation that he won't use it. But he's not plunging it into her chest or holding it to her throat, and unfortunately, that's about the best she can hope to get from him.

Her last question get's her a slightly confused look. Unsure what that had to do with her and Adora.]

Yeah, this place hasn't managed to beat that out of me. Why?