Tensions were high between them and Cliff wanted nothing more than to bare his teeth at her and tear her down, to make her feel tiny, but instead he pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth and ignored her. He wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea (anyone’s, really, because it was only a matter of time before Algernon dumped him to hang out with better people) and that suited him just fine - he’d be out of Ida’s hair before either of them realized it and then they’d never have to see each other again.

The anger seeped from his body and Clifford deflated as she took the paper and seemed to study it; giving Ida his address made him feel vulnerable in ways he hadn’t felt. He didn’t like visitors or people showing up out of the blue; they turned their nose up at his lifestyle as if he had any say of the cards life had dealt him. The farm was gross. Trees were gross. Dirt was gross. People tended to imply he should get a real job, as if he didn't spends hours on end working his ass off. Plus he’d threatened Ida. She said he didn’t owe her, but now she had his address to collect a favor he wouldn’t be able to refuse. Clifford hated it and he reached forward to snatch the parchment from her hands -

They’ll be taken care of if anything happens to you.

And then let his arm fall loosely to his side. Cliff would have hugged her if he wasn’t mostly naked. (Ida would probably slap him hard or scream or do something else he didn’t want to imagine.) Nodding his head at her, his expression softened; words couldn’t even begin to describe how thankful he felt, and not being one for words - he’d already spoken more to Ida than he had some people who’d been in his life for years - he didn’t say anything. His siblings would be confused but they'd have each other, and in the long run they probably wouldn't miss him too much, once they'd moved on. They deserved a world he couldn't give them, although if he lived he'd spend his whole life trying.

Not wanting to dwell on the thought he tugged the wand from behind his ear and offered it to her, only to snatch it back from her reach once she held her hand out fit. Then, with a laugh, Cliff offered it to Ida for real. “Let’s get me the hell out of here.” He parroted as he shuffled back from her, not sure if he needed room? Cliff had never even attempted animagus and well, he wasn’t sure he remembered anything about Transfiguration outside of the word itself. Was it going to hurt? Tickle? Or would he not even realize what was happening until he was already a dog? He held his breath.

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