"There's always a choice," Severus murmurs, looking off and away. "Sometimes the options are terrible, or hiding." He takes a moment to decide how willing he is to get punched or his hand broken, and curls the latter around the back of Rodolphus's larger, tense hand, very gently. "Right now I have a palliative, and a few ideas. Will you help me improve, or do you want to keep out of this fight?" He knows how much Rus hates even talking about them, but... this is how he fights.
"There's something to be said for bending... useful stuff, straw."
Severus wheels on him with a look that has reduced stronger spines than his to piles of quivering chalk dust. "Thank you," he says, in tones to etch unwaxed steel. "No further illustration of the effect of the educational budget was required, but the contribution is appreciated as an earnest of your intent."
"Oh, I'll take the lion's share</i>" Severus returns, as quietly, with a feral grin, between coughs and careful sips.
NUUUUUUU!!!!! (cuddles) Hm, I should go see if Lolcats is less compelling when I'm not cat-deprived. Heh. (scritches) I have a slight preference for the omg I am TORTURED WITH idiots as opposed to the are you really this dumb yes you are well okay then good god (headdesk) expressions, but he does carry them both off well. :D