[ Bastien snorts quietly at the compliment, but it’s more laugh than derision, and he doesn’t argue. Even if it’s only love talking—no, especially if it’s only love talking—he’ll take it.
Anyway. ]
Le sens charnel. Yes.
[ It’s relatively new, to feel a little ashamed of himself over it. He watches Byerly—who’s done the same, who tangled and tripped in trying to be sure it bore no resemblance to what he’s doing with Alexandrie. He thinks of what he could try say to make it sound more palatable, if he wanted Byerly to think better of him instead of to know him. Blame the Game. Shift the light and the angles to make twenty-one more child than adult. He didn’t know how else to be. He had to eat. She was older, she reached first— ]
Or, well, [ is what he says instead, ] I am not sure now. The way she turned, she might have known all along. But I believed I was taking advantage while I did it. That is what matters, don’t you think?
no subject
Anyway. ]
Le sens charnel. Yes.
[ It’s relatively new, to feel a little ashamed of himself over it. He watches Byerly—who’s done the same, who tangled and tripped in trying to be sure it bore no resemblance to what he’s doing with Alexandrie. He thinks of what he could try say to make it sound more palatable, if he wanted Byerly to think better of him instead of to know him. Blame the Game. Shift the light and the angles to make twenty-one more child than adult. He didn’t know how else to be. He had to eat. She was older, she reached first— ]
Or, well, [ is what he says instead, ] I am not sure now. The way she turned, she might have known all along. But I believed I was taking advantage while I did it. That is what matters, don’t you think?