[ It's not his immediate instinct to joke back, when By looks so miserable. His immediate instinct—indulged in—is to touch him, a hand grazing over his shoulder and up to give his ear lobe a little tug.
But for the sake of not jostling him about too much with affection, when he sounds like that, Bastien musters up an equally formal, ]
I suppose, if it stays between us, and if I can clear my schedule—
[ A long pause. ]
—ah. Cleared. D'accord.
[ He holds a hand out to pull him up and lead him. The bed in the adjacent room is now an option, and maybe better suited to By's long legs, but he chooses the couch all the same. It's where By kissed him, the first time he was the one to start it. Where he said of course I love you. The desk he might light on fire someday, but Bastien's very fond of the couch. ]
no subject
But for the sake of not jostling him about too much with affection, when he sounds like that, Bastien musters up an equally formal, ]
I suppose, if it stays between us, and if I can clear my schedule—
[ A long pause. ]
—ah. Cleared. D'accord.
[ He holds a hand out to pull him up and lead him. The bed in the adjacent room is now an option, and maybe better suited to By's long legs, but he chooses the couch all the same. It's where By kissed him, the first time he was the one to start it. Where he said of course I love you. The desk he might light on fire someday, but Bastien's very fond of the couch. ]