[ Bastien isn’t surprised by the implication of question, exactly—of course Byerly and Alexandrie wouldn’t be sleeping only with each other, that’s absurd for multiple reasons—so much as the timing, and the asking. Out loud and everything. So he raises his eyebrows again, mid-drink, and takes his time with the swallow.
His thoughts don’t have to start from scratch. He’s been over it already, in his room. Byerly loves Alexandrie. Presented with the possibility that someone could love two people, Byerly said he wasn’t sure he was even strong enough to love one. Ergo. Bastien knew the score when he climbed into bed with him. All that’s been extinguished today was a stupid little hope that shouldn’t have existed.
So would he want to continue?
He tries to imagine it, in the fraction of a second he has for imagining anything before the pause gets long and awkward. Being in a room with them, someday—maybe playing, maybe talking, the way they used to when they were younger, but this time hoping for Byerly to look past her, with her laugh like the songs that pour out of the windows in Val Royeaux, to smile at him.
It’s— ]
Will you?
[ Casual, free hand coming up to hold his chin on the table. It’s not usually his way to turn questions back on people, instead of talking to keep them comfortable. But he needs a moment. ]
no subject
His thoughts don’t have to start from scratch. He’s been over it already, in his room. Byerly loves Alexandrie. Presented with the possibility that someone could love two people, Byerly said he wasn’t sure he was even strong enough to love one. Ergo. Bastien knew the score when he climbed into bed with him. All that’s been extinguished today was a stupid little hope that shouldn’t have existed.
So would he want to continue?
He tries to imagine it, in the fraction of a second he has for imagining anything before the pause gets long and awkward. Being in a room with them, someday—maybe playing, maybe talking, the way they used to when they were younger, but this time hoping for Byerly to look past her, with her laugh like the songs that pour out of the windows in Val Royeaux, to smile at him.
It’s— ]
Will you?
[ Casual, free hand coming up to hold his chin on the table. It’s not usually his way to turn questions back on people, instead of talking to keep them comfortable. But he needs a moment. ]