[ She had not been watching him get ready because she had some sense of dignity and also she can already tell he's going to spend the vast majority of the time in some way of nakedness and she's trying to preserve her sanity. It's hard for her.
But then he's speaking to her and she can't pretend to be focusing on her sketchbook any longer. Besides, he asks a question that's super juicy so she's immediately throwing paper and pencil down to grin at him. ] You have a date? Who with? Oh my god is it tonight? Why haven't you put your cufflinks on yet? Where are you shoes?
[ All things considered, that's not the answer he was hoping for. That's more like twenty questions instead, Clary, and he's none the wiser. In fact it might be fair to say that he's less the wiser, and now he's turning around trying to find shoes ad cufflinks and could we focus for a minute, here?! ]
Wh - look, never mind all that!
[ He steps forward, deliberately sitting on the end of her bunk so that he can't be expected to locate the pins that go through these shirtsleeves (also - what's the point of those?). ]
I asked Rikki if she wanted to go to the barbecue with me and she asked if it was a date.
Um. [ Honestly, it's kind of cute. She'd thought she'd messed up her friendship with him a while back and now he's here with his puppy dog face she feels the same rush of affection she'd had before. It's like when she told him he was hot. ]
A date's when you take someone you're interested in out. Like romantically. [ Wriggling her eyebrows a little. ] Like, you guys used to have dances and things, right? So would you go with one person because you liked them? Because that's probably how she sees it.
Well, it's not like you can just get flowers and chocolates around here.[ She knows that far too well. ] I don't know, dance with her a lot? Compliment her! Tell her she's pretty. Look at her with your bedroom eyes. I bet that'll work.
[ Leaning forward on her elbows to grin at him. ] Just be yourself. You've totally got this. If anyone's going to be romance-y around here it's definitely gotta be you.
Hey. [ She pauses for a minute, not sure how to progress now that he's looking like that. ] You could tell her? If you don't want it to be a date-date. If you just want to hang out?
[ Because complicated love lives seem to be a thing around here. At least she can tune in on that. ]
No, hey. Maybe it's just a modern thing. Just be nice, have fun. You don't have to do anything you don't want to.
[ It would seem like even charming and fancy French men have a habit of getting nervous about dating. She shouldn't find it as endearing as she does. ]
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But then he's speaking to her and she can't pretend to be focusing on her sketchbook any longer. Besides, he asks a question that's super juicy so she's immediately throwing paper and pencil down to grin at him. ] You have a date? Who with? Oh my god is it tonight? Why haven't you put your cufflinks on yet? Where are you shoes?
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Wh - look, never mind all that!
[ He steps forward, deliberately sitting on the end of her bunk so that he can't be expected to locate the pins that go through these shirtsleeves (also - what's the point of those?). ]
I asked Rikki if she wanted to go to the barbecue with me and she asked if it was a date.
[ A pause. ]
I said we'd be partners. Was that wrong?
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A date's when you take someone you're interested in out. Like romantically. [ Wriggling her eyebrows a little. ] Like, you guys used to have dances and things, right? So would you go with one person because you liked them? Because that's probably how she sees it.
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Like courting.
[ Oh.
Oh. And the penny drops. ]
Well, what will she expect? I think she's from your time, or close to it. What would you expect?
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Well, it's not like you can just get flowers and chocolates around here.[ She knows that far too well. ] I don't know, dance with her a lot? Compliment her! Tell her she's pretty. Look at her with your bedroom eyes. I bet that'll work.
[ Leaning forward on her elbows to grin at him. ] Just be yourself. You've totally got this. If anyone's going to be romance-y around here it's definitely gotta be you.
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[ Well, he understands, at least. But he slides off her bunk, an uncertainty hidden behind his smile. ]
It's not what I meant. She's my friend, and -
[ And there's someone else. He can never be with her, she's married she's not even in this world. But she's still his someone else. ]
Thanks, Clary. That's what I needed to know.
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[ Because complicated love lives seem to be a thing around here. At least she can tune in on that. ]
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Yes. That's what I want.
I've done everything wrong, haven't I. I knew I had.
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[ It would seem like even charming and fancy French men have a habit of getting nervous about dating. She shouldn't find it as endearing as she does. ]
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I know that. I should have taken more care with my words.
I will in future. Thank you, Clary.
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Good luck! I'll see you later, okay?
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At the barbecue. I know you're going.
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[ She yells that him as he leaves, laughter underneath her words. She will definitely have to check him out later. Maybe spy on his date. ]