[Would he have earned that teasing a month ago? He doubts it. He doubts he'd have even gotten to see such a smile, because Bruno isn't the type to simply give them out like that. You have to earn them, and so it's all the more thrilling each time Polnareff manages to get one.
He abandons his empty wine glass on the bed in favor of pressing a hand to his chest, innocent as anything.]
French is the language of love, mon ami-- no one would blame you for preferring it. But! Your secret is safe with me.
[A few seconds-- and then, okay, he has to finish the lesson, so:]
Right. So now you've gotten them back to your place, you've told them what you want-- so, afterwards, you say: C'etait formidable-- a la meme heure demain?
[Bruno gives Polnareff a teasingly suspicious look at the promise to keep the secret, but he says nothing to the contrary, focusing instead on this little lesson. This one is one Bruno can guess at the meaning better than with the others, provided he's right and "tomorrow" occupies the end of that sentence. Bruno's smile grows a little momentarily.]
[It is, actually-- yeah, some of the pronunciation is a little off, there's that Italian accent coloring everything, but Bruno had echoed the words quite well. And no matter the accent, the words are French, and god, but he's missed hearing that.]
You're a nice guy, so of course you gotta tell her that it was amazing-- and then you asked if she wanted to do it at the same time tomorrow?
[And his stupid mouth keeps running, as it always does, so he cheerfully adds:]
So there you go-- you wanna pick somebody up in French, now you've got pretty much all you need.
Edited (wait i had more to say ) 2016-07-10 19:57 (UTC)
And you're not even doing that good a job of it-- you're the one in my room, you know.
[But quickly, he adds:]
Besides, who knows what's happen tomorrow? Maybe whoever runs this place'll bring some pretty French girl-- and then you'll be able to impress her in two languages.
Mm, maybe not if she shows up tomorrow since I'm not doing a good job now. But if she takes a while to show up... [He shrugs a slim shoulder.] I'll just have to practice on you in the meantime, won't I?
He realizes that at a distance, as if he's looking out at himself from a vantage. They're sitting very close, legs pressed together. He usually sits close to people, but not like this, not unless he's good friends with them -- but here they are, sitting together, and god, he thinks, but they're close enough that he could lean in without any real effort and--
Things don't get better when Bruno leans back-- no, if anything, that makes things worse, because leaning back like that, Polnareff can really take in Bruno. Skinny, he'd teased earlier, but that's not quite the right word for what he is. Slender, maybe, or lean-- because he's smaller than Polnareff, yeah, but it's not as if he doesn't have muscles there. There's a gracefulness to both his demeanor and figure, something softer but no less powerful than Polnareff's own physique. You'd think he'd have noticed it before, working on that stupid boat, but somehow it's only hitting him just now.
He notices all that very distantly, taking in each reaction without much thought beyond it, and absolutely does not think about why Bruno's words have triggered such thoughts. It's a conscious effort, a very firm not right now to whatever conclusions his brain wants to come to. Not right now, I can't deal with this, later, I'll think about it later.]
[He doesn't, fortunately, show most of this on his face. There's a flicker of expression, a jump of something-- and then it's back to smirking, confident and a little superior, because if there's one thing Polnareff knows how to do, it's act like he's the best.]
You're gonna have to step up your game. Think you're ready for that?
[Bruno notices the flicker of an expression, but doesn't attribute much to it. If he was sober — well, if he was sober, he probably wouldn't have made the comment in the first place, but he might have had his attention held a little longer by that brief shift in his expression. As it is, he just shakes his head a little at the challenge.]
For all you know, I've been holding back, Polnareff. [Bruno raises an eyebrow with a small, amused hum.] Forse non ho voglia di sopraffare.
[He laughs softly, as he sits up and then leans in a little closer as he picks up Polnareff's discarded, empty wine glass.]
Io dirò mai. [Transferring the glass to his other hand with his own empty glass, Bruno shifts to put both feet back on the floor. He sighs and sounds tired, but content.] It's starting to get late. I should head back to my room.
[Or more accurately, he's probably going to want to lie down before much longer and he'll end up sleeping in here instead. Bruno pats Polnareff's knee again, but this time his hand stays for a little while longer as he looks at Polnareff.]
[As he stands up, Bruno's hand puts a little more pressure on Polnareff's knee before leaving it. He pauses just for a few seconds once he's standing for a small stretch before moving to see himself out.]
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no subject
He abandons his empty wine glass on the bed in favor of pressing a hand to his chest, innocent as anything.]
French is the language of love, mon ami-- no one would blame you for preferring it. But! Your secret is safe with me.
[A few seconds-- and then, okay, he has to finish the lesson, so:]
Right. So now you've gotten them back to your place, you've told them what you want-- so, afterwards, you say: C'etait formidable-- a la meme heure demain?
no subject
C'etait formidable — a la meme heure demain?
no subject
[It is, actually-- yeah, some of the pronunciation is a little off, there's that Italian accent coloring everything, but Bruno had echoed the words quite well. And no matter the accent, the words are French, and god, but he's missed hearing that.]
You're a nice guy, so of course you gotta tell her that it was amazing-- and then you asked if she wanted to do it at the same time tomorrow?
[And his stupid mouth keeps running, as it always does, so he cheerfully adds:]
So there you go-- you wanna pick somebody up in French, now you've got pretty much all you need.
no subject
Right now the only person I could pick up in French is you.
no subject
[But quickly, he adds:]
Besides, who knows what's happen tomorrow? Maybe whoever runs this place'll bring some pretty French girl-- and then you'll be able to impress her in two languages.
no subject
Mm, maybe not if she shows up tomorrow since I'm not doing a good job now. But if she takes a while to show up... [He shrugs a slim shoulder.] I'll just have to practice on you in the meantime, won't I?
1/2
He realizes that at a distance, as if he's looking out at himself from a vantage. They're sitting very close, legs pressed together. He usually sits close to people, but not like this, not unless he's good friends with them -- but here they are, sitting together, and god, he thinks, but they're close enough that he could lean in without any real effort and--
Things don't get better when Bruno leans back-- no, if anything, that makes things worse, because leaning back like that, Polnareff can really take in Bruno. Skinny, he'd teased earlier, but that's not quite the right word for what he is. Slender, maybe, or lean-- because he's smaller than Polnareff, yeah, but it's not as if he doesn't have muscles there. There's a gracefulness to both his demeanor and figure, something softer but no less powerful than Polnareff's own physique. You'd think he'd have noticed it before, working on that stupid boat, but somehow it's only hitting him just now.
He notices all that very distantly, taking in each reaction without much thought beyond it, and absolutely does not think about why Bruno's words have triggered such thoughts. It's a conscious effort, a very firm not right now to whatever conclusions his brain wants to come to. Not right now, I can't deal with this, later, I'll think about it later.]
no subject
You're gonna have to step up your game. Think you're ready for that?
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For all you know, I've been holding back, Polnareff. [Bruno raises an eyebrow with a small, amused hum.] Forse non ho voglia di sopraffare.
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[So scathing-- and it's like nothing's wrong, because nothing is wrong, because he's not thinking about it. So.]
no subject
Io dirò mai. [Transferring the glass to his other hand with his own empty glass, Bruno shifts to put both feet back on the floor. He sighs and sounds tired, but content.] It's starting to get late. I should head back to my room.
[Or more accurately, he's probably going to want to lie down before much longer and he'll end up sleeping in here instead. Bruno pats Polnareff's knee again, but this time his hand stays for a little while longer as he looks at Polnareff.]
Grazie amico mio. For tonight.
no subject
[He offers a slight smile. Bruno's hand on his knee is warm, he notices in that same distant way. It's a nice weight.]
My pleasure. I'll, uh-- if you actually want to learn French, I'll draw you up some stuff-- basic words, stuff like that.
no subject
[As he stands up, Bruno's hand puts a little more pressure on Polnareff's knee before leaving it. He pauses just for a few seconds once he's standing for a small stretch before moving to see himself out.]
Buona notte, Polnareff.