"Hello."
“Hello to you too.“ Marius answered in kind, giving the subtlest of smiles. “You look beautiful tonight.“
Armand issued a short little hum of response -- an acknowledging Mm -- before skirting his eyes away. "That's all?"
“You expect much of me,“ Marius replied calmly, blue eyes fixed on the youth. “Yet give me so little time to satisfy.“ he added pressingly.
The Elder made a simple hand gesture for Armand to come closer.
He almost cut back, and to the quick -- but that last bit added and the gesturing hand stilled him, heeled him to a soft -- brooding -- frown. With a little flicker of a glance and lifted chin as if to say, I move of my own volition, not because you want me to, Armand drifted over to stand nearer to the other's elbow, crossing his own arms with the limp, wax-soft confidence worn so often.
"How are you tonight, Marius?"
That defiant vibe radiating off of Armand came as no surprise to Marius and so it did not affect him. Only the minor detail of his fledgling calling him by his name rather than his sentimental title. Armand closed the distance between them and his familiar scent welcomed Marius’ appreciation.
“I am well.“ Marius said mildly distracted. He could not help lift his hand to brush a lock of auburn hair out of Armand’s face, admiring the soft curve of the brow, the length of his fledgling’s lashes... “Did you merely come to check on my wellbeing, ragazzo?“
