[What a line. What a terrible line. Because it's Cassidy, and because Freddie's grounds for mockery are somewhat diminished while his lips are painted red and his dress clings halfway down his thighs, he laughs instead of sneers. He does feel faintly vulnerable like this - under a different facade than the one he's built for himself - not that it would show to anyone who hadn't studied him long enough to learn to read the things under his skin.
He laughs, and he looks up and-
Fuck. It's some time since he's looked at Cassidy the way he did when he was first stormwashed up on Eudio's shores. Some time, too, since Cassidy looked at Freddie like a challenge to be overcome.
And that is, after all, the identity that Freddie fits best. Something to be reached for and never quite possessed, not unless he can be tricked into letting himself get stolen somehow. Of all people, a pirate should know something about that. Since Cassidy's been back, Freddie's let them fall into companionship - a kind of close-distance where Freddie can sleep with his head on Cassidy's chest and not be asked for his thoughts.
Companionship is all very well, if you're looking for calm waters. But Freddie's always thrived best in a tempest.
He goes to catch Cassidy's wrist, a quick snare.]
That would be very familiar, if I wasn't. [The voice is all Freddie and, in proper light, the angles of his face are too. Take them at one slant and he's a boy again. A tilt the other way and his cheekbones mark out a framework as delicate as a girl. It's not new as such, just more striking in this context.
He can pull off the same sharp grin with either of his faces.]
Jesus, do you even know where you've walked into? You're going to have to try so much harder if you want to be 'familiar' tonight.
[Case in point: Freddie's spoken and already gone, turning to slip, laughing, into the dancing crowds. Cassidy's left at the bar - the tender (a girl - once you look twice at her, past the designer stubble and hair curled into a 50's quiff) leaning over to ask if she can get him anything.]
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He laughs, and he looks up and-
Fuck. It's some time since he's looked at Cassidy the way he did when he was first stormwashed up on Eudio's shores. Some time, too, since Cassidy looked at Freddie like a challenge to be overcome.
And that is, after all, the identity that Freddie fits best. Something to be reached for and never quite possessed, not unless he can be tricked into letting himself get stolen somehow. Of all people, a pirate should know something about that. Since Cassidy's been back, Freddie's let them fall into companionship - a kind of close-distance where Freddie can sleep with his head on Cassidy's chest and not be asked for his thoughts.
Companionship is all very well, if you're looking for calm waters. But Freddie's always thrived best in a tempest.
He goes to catch Cassidy's wrist, a quick snare.]
That would be very familiar, if I wasn't. [The voice is all Freddie and, in proper light, the angles of his face are too. Take them at one slant and he's a boy again. A tilt the other way and his cheekbones mark out a framework as delicate as a girl. It's not new as such, just more striking in this context.
He can pull off the same sharp grin with either of his faces.]
Jesus, do you even know where you've walked into? You're going to have to try so much harder if you want to be 'familiar' tonight.
[Case in point: Freddie's spoken and already gone, turning to slip, laughing, into the dancing crowds. Cassidy's left at the bar - the tender (a girl - once you look twice at her, past the designer stubble and hair curled into a 50's quiff) leaning over to ask if she can get him anything.]