His smile softens a little as he nods his understanding. Knowing oneself is complicated and difficult, especially when it's something you often go out of your way to avoid, like Sylvain does. He breathes out of his nose something that dreamed of being a laugh, and combs hair away from his face with his fingers.
"I've lied to myself for worse reasons," he admits, the self-effacement clearly meant in humor. He's been poor at allowing himself hope before, as well. Seeing the same sense of near given-up in her that he's felt in himself makes him all the more determined to grasp onto hope. Funny, how it's always been others who motivated the best (and the worst) out of him.
"Been a long time since I've surprised someone in a positive way. I could get used to the feeling." He winks, this time in a conspiratorial way rather than an empty flirt. "It would be my pleasure," he agrees, offering his elbow like a gentleman, but fully prepared to be turned down.
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sforzinda
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Date: 2021-09-30 05:33 pm (UTC)His smile softens a little as he nods his understanding. Knowing oneself is complicated and difficult, especially when it's something you often go out of your way to avoid, like Sylvain does. He breathes out of his nose something that dreamed of being a laugh, and combs hair away from his face with his fingers.
"I've lied to myself for worse reasons," he admits, the self-effacement clearly meant in humor. He's been poor at allowing himself hope before, as well. Seeing the same sense of near given-up in her that he's felt in himself makes him all the more determined to grasp onto hope. Funny, how it's always been others who motivated the best (and the worst) out of him.
"Been a long time since I've surprised someone in a positive way. I could get used to the feeling." He winks, this time in a conspiratorial way rather than an empty flirt. "It would be my pleasure," he agrees, offering his elbow like a gentleman, but fully prepared to be turned down.