[Bruno sees the curling of Polnareff's fingers at his side out of the corner of his eye. If the halting way Polnareff is speaking now wasn't already a solid indication of anxiety, that certainly was. Bruno comes close to saying that he doesn't have to do this if he's really that uncomfortable with it. Bruno certainly wouldn't see any fault in it. Everyone went through their own varying degrees of discomfort with the Stand until they got use to him. But a comment like that could be seen as patronizing or insulting, so Bruno doesn't say any of it. He trusts that if this is something Polnareff really doesn't want to do, he'll say so in the end.]
[Bruno folds his arms loosely and once Sticky Fingers has loaded itself with as much as it can carry at once, it drifts over to Bruno.]
[All right. That's-- okay. He has to just stop thinking about it, right? Don't think about the fact that several lengths of wood are about to go in your chest, near your heart and lungs, near a lot of vital organs that you absolutely need. Think of it as . . . as a pocket. A chest-pocket. Except it's not in fabric, it's in your skin, and it's in your skin, and eurgh--
But he doesn't say anything. He could, and he thinks he knows Bruno well enough to say he wouldn't be mocked for balking-- but there's a stubborn part of him that wants to see this through. There are reasons for that, beyond sheer stubbornness, but that's for later examination.]
[Bruno still leaves a wide enough window that Polnareff could turn this around immediately. Sticky Fingers moves across the short distance between Polnareff and Bruno, but makes no motion to create a zipper until Bruno is within reach of Polnareff. Truthfully, Bruno doesn't know whether it will help or make it worse, but he raises his hand and Sticky Finger does the same, the Stand's hand disappears into Bruno's by the time either one of them make contact with Polnareff. He thinks it might help that it seems to be Bruno rather than Sticky Fingers creating the zipper even if it's only in a brief touch. In barely a fraction of a second where Bruno's fingertips touch, a slider appears in Bruno's hand.]
[When it comes to his zippers, Bruno is often quick to pull them open, but not right now. He's a little more careful and delicate in the way he pulls the slider along the chain of teeth, Sticky Fingers taking back its hand from Bruno's along the way. He's even more careful when he pulls the flap he's created back — he didn't mention it, but there is a chance for tearing if he's not careful with that part — as although the zipper itself results in no feeling, but the movement of skin could still very well have a strange sensation like being under a local anesthesia.]
[Sticky Fingers moves closer to start putting the wood in, but stops short as Bruno looks up at Polnareff.]
[He just doesn't look down into it. That would be a mistake. Because whatever he sees-- if it's blackness or his guts or what-- he's not gonna like. So best to just keep staring at Bruno, analyzing him really hard, than to think there's a hollow space within his chest. If he thinks about it-- and he's not, focusing all his attention and energy on memorizing the kind of barrettes Bruno uses in his hair-- he can feel things shifting along his chest, skin and muscle, painless but most definitely there.
It helps, actually, that it was Bruno and not Sticky Fingers who did it. He's not stupid, he knows who it really was-- but it was a far sight easier to have Bruno's fingers pressing against him than Sticky Fingers.
God, the things he'll do for laziness. Actually-- and he finally exhales-- now that nothing is happening, it isn't so bad. He's still definitely not looking down, but-- just standing here, with that in him, isn't the worst thing in the world. It's better than it had been when they were stuck together.
[Bruno nods and wordlessly moves a little aside for Sticky Fingers to start loading Polnareff up. He glances at Polnareff thinking that maybe he should make light conversation of some sort to serve as a distraction, but nothing particularly comes to mind to say, so he remains silent. Once Sticky Fingers has unloaded its arms, Bruno moves to press the flap closed for the moment while his Stand gathers up the remaining pieces of wood. It's only once Sticky Fingers is back with the rest of the wood that Bruno steps out of his Stand's way and pulls back the flap. Just as before, Sticky Fingers is quick and efficient in stacking the wood. When the task is complete, Bruno calls Sticky Fingers back, the Stand disappearing as it meets with Bruno.]
[This time, Bruno is a little more expedient with the zipper and seals the hole back up. When he lets go of the slider, both it and the track of teeth disappear as though they never were.]
All done, mio amico.
[At least for now. The boards will obviously have to come out.]
[He brushes his fingers against his chest, but there's nothing there. His breathing is normal, his heartbeat is steady, and there's no sudden heaviness in his chest. Everything appears normal, and Polnareff isn't certain if he likes that better or worse than some kind of indication he was carrying several boards within him.]
Not even a scar, huh . . .
[Not that he really expected one. There hadn't been one the first time, after all. Polnareff finally glances down, peering at himself for a few seconds before giving Bruno a smile. It's a genuine one, despite his nervousness-- because hey, this isn't so bad!]
Least if we ever get a movie theater around here, you and I have a way to sneak in snacks.
Bottom. You start by building it upside down and work on the outside first. Then you flip it over, [he says with a small gesture of his hand, turning his palm up and cupping his hand slightly before letting it fall back to his side,] and work on the inside.
[He still has no idea how you get flat boards to curve into a suitable boat-y shape, but he's not really here to do the thinking. There's a way, and Bruno will tell him when the time comes.]
You've got . . . let's call it til the end of this project to come up with a clever name for this ship, by the way. Don't disappoint me.
Well, anything that makes me laugh. I'd say a pun, but since English isn't either of our first languages that's a little unfair. Something that isn't just straightforward, like Destiny or Freedom or The Ship We Made Because Polnareff Was Bored, junk like that.
Mi dispiace. [Bruno holds his hands up in mock surrender.] I don't know though, it's your first boat. Don't you think you should be the one to name it?
[Ah. Right. The conclusion. That happy warm feeling that had suffused his chest is now gone, replaced by-- well. Not dread, exactly. Just a bit of nervousness. At least he's calmer than he was going in; that's worth noting.]
All right. Have at me, I guess.
[God, this is weird if he thinks about it. But he is, and so the inevitable question comes up:]
Hey, what if you forget where exactly you zipped it the first time? Like, what if you unzipped a slightly different spot, is it just empty space?
[Bruno is just about to unzip him once again when the question comes up and his hand hesitates there in the space between them as he asks the question. And then it's straight back to unzipping.]
It doesn't have to be the exact same spot, no. [Sticky Fingers appears again as Bruno pulls the flap back open and begins piling the wood back into its arms.] I couldn't get to this spot if I tried unzipping your back, but I don't need to start the zipper from the same exact point on your front to get to this wood.
Still, if I intend to leave something long-term, I try to make sure it's something a little easier to remember. For example, Polpo asked me to hide away six billion lira-worth of treasure. So I put it in a urinal on Capri.
How is that memorable! What if you forgot which urinal it was? What if you forgot which bathroom it was? Oh, urgh--
[Whether that's to the thought of so much wealth being placed into a urinal (and why oh why does it always come back to bathrooms) or the fact that he's slowly having four trees worth of wood being pulled out of him is anyone's guess. Polnareff finally dares to glance down, because it's either that or stare too closely at Bruno-- and hey, what do you know. Having a gaping black hole in your chest still isn't all that great to look at.
Back to staring up at Bruno. Much safer territory there.]
Polnareff, why would I forget which bathroom I stashed six billion of anything in?
[Bruno shakes his head a little.]
There's not that many public restrooms on Capri anyway. Even if I somehow managed to forget, it wouldn't be that hard to narrow it down and pick the right urinal. The only person who should have been concerned about that much money being at stake was Polpo because he was relying on both my loyalty and my survival.
[It's okay, Polnareff. Sticky Fingers is almost done.]
Polpo had been the one to oversee me since I joined the gang and helped me climb in the ranks. He considered me to be the one officer he could trust absolutely out of all the ones who answered to him. And Sticky Fingers is more secure than any bank. I'm the only one who can access the spaces Sticky Fingers creates. But anyone could waltz into a bank and bullshit their way into a safety deposit box if they were clever enough.
Besides, most of what he was hiding away was stolen anyway.
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[Bruno folds his arms loosely and once Sticky Fingers has loaded itself with as much as it can carry at once, it drifts over to Bruno.]
That's the easiest, yes.
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But he doesn't say anything. He could, and he thinks he knows Bruno well enough to say he wouldn't be mocked for balking-- but there's a stubborn part of him that wants to see this through. There are reasons for that, beyond sheer stubbornness, but that's for later examination.]
All right.
[He cocks his head, arms at his side.]
Go on.
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[When it comes to his zippers, Bruno is often quick to pull them open, but not right now. He's a little more careful and delicate in the way he pulls the slider along the chain of teeth, Sticky Fingers taking back its hand from Bruno's along the way. He's even more careful when he pulls the flap he's created back — he didn't mention it, but there is a chance for tearing if he's not careful with that part — as although the zipper itself results in no feeling, but the movement of skin could still very well have a strange sensation like being under a local anesthesia.]
[Sticky Fingers moves closer to start putting the wood in, but stops short as Bruno looks up at Polnareff.]
Are you doing alright?
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[He just doesn't look down into it. That would be a mistake. Because whatever he sees-- if it's blackness or his guts or what-- he's not gonna like. So best to just keep staring at Bruno, analyzing him really hard, than to think there's a hollow space within his chest. If he thinks about it-- and he's not, focusing all his attention and energy on memorizing the kind of barrettes Bruno uses in his hair-- he can feel things shifting along his chest, skin and muscle, painless but most definitely there.
It helps, actually, that it was Bruno and not Sticky Fingers who did it. He's not stupid, he knows who it really was-- but it was a far sight easier to have Bruno's fingers pressing against him than Sticky Fingers.
God, the things he'll do for laziness. Actually-- and he finally exhales-- now that nothing is happening, it isn't so bad. He's still definitely not looking down, but-- just standing here, with that in him, isn't the worst thing in the world. It's better than it had been when they were stuck together.
He jerks his head, a go on kind of gesture.]
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[This time, Bruno is a little more expedient with the zipper and seals the hole back up. When he lets go of the slider, both it and the track of teeth disappear as though they never were.]
All done, mio amico.
[At least for now. The boards will obviously have to come out.]
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Not even a scar, huh . . .
[Not that he really expected one. There hadn't been one the first time, after all. Polnareff finally glances down, peering at himself for a few seconds before giving Bruno a smile. It's a genuine one, despite his nervousness-- because hey, this isn't so bad!]
Least if we ever get a movie theater around here, you and I have a way to sneak in snacks.
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It's not as bad as you were expecting then?
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[He settles in next to Bruno, hands back in his pockets, pleased to have earned that laugh again.]
But no, not so bad. I dunno, I expected I'd feel it more-- like a weight or something, you know? I mean, it's a lot of wood. So--
[And he ducks his head, meeting his eyes.]
Do you start on the bottom or the sides, building this? I mean, after you get all the wood cleaned up and all that.
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[He still has no idea how you get flat boards to curve into a suitable boat-y shape, but he's not really here to do the thinking. There's a way, and Bruno will tell him when the time comes.]
You've got . . . let's call it til the end of this project to come up with a clever name for this ship, by the way. Don't disappoint me.
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And what counts as clever for you?
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I hope those aren't names you thought I'd come up with.
[Because they are terrible.]
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Suit yourself. Just remember this when it comes time to set sail, all right-- you trust me, with all that implies.
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[Bruno comes to a stop as they've reached the back of the mansion, brushing some of his hair behind his ear.]
I think this will be a good spot to leave the wood.
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All right. Have at me, I guess.
[God, this is weird if he thinks about it. But he is, and so the inevitable question comes up:]
Hey, what if you forget where exactly you zipped it the first time? Like, what if you unzipped a slightly different spot, is it just empty space?
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It doesn't have to be the exact same spot, no. [Sticky Fingers appears again as Bruno pulls the flap back open and begins piling the wood back into its arms.] I couldn't get to this spot if I tried unzipping your back, but I don't need to start the zipper from the same exact point on your front to get to this wood.
Still, if I intend to leave something long-term, I try to make sure it's something a little easier to remember. For example, Polpo asked me to hide away six billion lira-worth of treasure. So I put it in a urinal on Capri.
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[Whether that's to the thought of so much wealth being placed into a urinal (and why oh why does it always come back to bathrooms) or the fact that he's slowly having four trees worth of wood being pulled out of him is anyone's guess. Polnareff finally dares to glance down, because it's either that or stare too closely at Bruno-- and hey, what do you know. Having a gaping black hole in your chest still isn't all that great to look at.
Back to staring up at Bruno. Much safer territory there.]
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[Bruno shakes his head a little.]
There's not that many public restrooms on Capri anyway. Even if I somehow managed to forget, it wouldn't be that hard to narrow it down and pick the right urinal. The only person who should have been concerned about that much money being at stake was Polpo because he was relying on both my loyalty and my survival.
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[He shifts his weight, pointedly not seeing how much wood is left, thanks.]
So was it a test, or did the guy just really not trust banks?
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Polpo had been the one to oversee me since I joined the gang and helped me climb in the ranks. He considered me to be the one officer he could trust absolutely out of all the ones who answered to him. And Sticky Fingers is more secure than any bank. I'm the only one who can access the spaces Sticky Fingers creates. But anyone could waltz into a bank and bullshit their way into a safety deposit box if they were clever enough.
Besides, most of what he was hiding away was stolen anyway.
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