_{[ his staring is interrupted by coughing from the ash and also surreptitiously using extremely stupidly complicated magic to keep any of it from getting on his clothes. you think those sleeves stay white by luck? no. ]}

..right. _cough. Patches... really gave it everything he had this time, didn't he...? But where's he gone off to now? I thought there would be at least a smudge.