[You are getting such a look, Pierce. What is this, one-up-manship on pure horrible?]

That was painful. Physically painful. Jesus Christ, you really are a grandpa. Did you raise your kids to be manipulative bastards, too?

[He doesn't actually know when the next 'round' starts or when this one ends, so he just doesn't reply to that. A part of him hopes the answer is 'never,' but he's realistic enough to know it's 'sooner rather than later.']