[ It's said with another laugh, louder, honest and just a tad surprised. They don't talk about emotional stuff very often, they save those things for other people, not each other. Still, Jean Louis is asking him, sounding truly interested and Claude honestly doesn't know what to answer. He could be completely honest, completely straightforward, but also venture into the forbidden grey zone that they keep between them. Or he could make a joke of it, pass it off. He puts his glass down on the small coffee table to the side, leans back a little, mirroring the other man as he seats himself with his back against the exposed bricks. Claude draws his legs up into a cross-legged position, balancing himself against the wall at the same time. Ballet powers!
Finally, he decides to strike a middle ground. Aims for something not too serious, not too cheap. ]
Of course I do, but I'm not going to start a relationship based on initial gut feelings. [ They have failed him one time too many, haven't they? ] I need to get to know these people.
[ He doesn't continue along the lines of until I meet the one. Although Claude is by most accounts a romantic, an idealist, he is the first to recognize that there rarely is anything predestined in how relationships take off the ground. Either you click or you don't and if you're lucky, those you click with treat you nicely and make you feel loved and all will be good. That's really just all he's asking. For once. Clearing his throat, he reaches for his glass again, shrugging a bit apologetically. Trying to make light of it doesn't necessarily make it sound great, but it's meant well. Hopefully Jean Louis will recognize it for what it is. He's usually good at that type of thing. ]
For the time being, you're the best match I've got and I'm very, very grateful.
no subject
[ It's said with another laugh, louder, honest and just a tad surprised. They don't talk about emotional stuff very often, they save those things for other people, not each other. Still, Jean Louis is asking him, sounding truly interested and Claude honestly doesn't know what to answer. He could be completely honest, completely straightforward, but also venture into the forbidden grey zone that they keep between them. Or he could make a joke of it, pass it off. He puts his glass down on the small coffee table to the side, leans back a little, mirroring the other man as he seats himself with his back against the exposed bricks. Claude draws his legs up into a cross-legged position, balancing himself against the wall at the same time. Ballet powers!
Finally, he decides to strike a middle ground. Aims for something not too serious, not too cheap. ]
Of course I do, but I'm not going to start a relationship based on initial gut feelings. [ They have failed him one time too many, haven't they? ] I need to get to know these people.
[ He doesn't continue along the lines of until I meet the one. Although Claude is by most accounts a romantic, an idealist, he is the first to recognize that there rarely is anything predestined in how relationships take off the ground. Either you click or you don't and if you're lucky, those you click with treat you nicely and make you feel loved and all will be good. That's really just all he's asking. For once. Clearing his throat, he reaches for his glass again, shrugging a bit apologetically. Trying to make light of it doesn't necessarily make it sound great, but it's meant well. Hopefully Jean Louis will recognize it for what it is. He's usually good at that type of thing. ]
For the time being, you're the best match I've got and I'm very, very grateful.