Ah, it had been some time since he had caught her off guard, and he allowed himself a momentary victory to the surprise on her face. Had she not realized that his normal reclusiveness was much worse when she wasn't around? He had sought out moments of conversation knowing that she would bring a perspective that he may not have considered in some time or at all.
The questions paraded across her expression even as she finished setting up the board, but then he noted that she seemed to refrain from too much more. He was curious about what she was thinking about and if it was more than the implication of temptation. He knew her well enough to know what she craved after all.
He wondered if she had considered his own abilities to manipulate a situation for his own gain. The sister queens could be problematic, and securing one of them - their 'weak' link - allowed an easy win into their coalition. He had no interest in such things, but Lenore was smart and capable. She might have a dangerous past but so did he, long ago that it may be.
He raised an eyebrow at her careful question, not surprised by it but intrigued that she decided to set upon that path. He half expected her to take time to consider, to ponder the possibilities. He bought himself a few seconds of ponderance by setting down his wine glass next to the chess board and turned in his seat so that he was half facing her.
"Does the endless possibilities of what could be behind polite interest excite you?" He could show her many things beyond what he already had, but the crux of it was how much of themselves were they potentially willing to give into vulnerability? "As for who I am, that is a layered question. Perhaps you'll find a monster. Perhaps you'll find a gentleman. Perhaps nothing more than a man. Or all those and more. Just, as I expect, is the same as you."
no subject
The questions paraded across her expression even as she finished setting up the board, but then he noted that she seemed to refrain from too much more. He was curious about what she was thinking about and if it was more than the implication of temptation. He knew her well enough to know what she craved after all.
He wondered if she had considered his own abilities to manipulate a situation for his own gain. The sister queens could be problematic, and securing one of them - their 'weak' link - allowed an easy win into their coalition. He had no interest in such things, but Lenore was smart and capable. She might have a dangerous past but so did he, long ago that it may be.
He raised an eyebrow at her careful question, not surprised by it but intrigued that she decided to set upon that path. He half expected her to take time to consider, to ponder the possibilities. He bought himself a few seconds of ponderance by setting down his wine glass next to the chess board and turned in his seat so that he was half facing her.
"Does the endless possibilities of what could be behind polite interest excite you?" He could show her many things beyond what he already had, but the crux of it was how much of themselves were they potentially willing to give into vulnerability? "As for who I am, that is a layered question. Perhaps you'll find a monster. Perhaps you'll find a gentleman. Perhaps nothing more than a man. Or all those and more. Just, as I expect, is the same as you."