He should probably be more resistant to the idea of being attacked by his friends for the purposes of a violent interrogation... But it is oddly touching to see the effort the two of them went through for him.

"What a sweetheart you are," he says. He's trying to be playfully flippant, but it maybe is a little more sincere than that. It doesn't matter. Skulduggery is positive Max will never bring any of this up again, out of both professional and personal courtesy.

The answer to Ava's question is unlikely to be as easily forgotten. So much so that he hesitates to answer. "They... usually enjoyed the chase and the catch in equal measure," he admits, his every joint feeling momentarily weak and easily separated. "As I am... especially resilient, they were allowed more creativity in their torture."

He holds up one hand in the air for them both to see. "I've had to put this exact hand back together... hm. Three-hundred-thirty times, now. I misplaced the lunate for three weeks straight. It was a complete miracle that I found it again."

Because, you know, that totally answers all of their questions.