The three of them fell into silence, and he analysed his own words. Aside from the physical aspect of things — it wasn't a hard task to be attracted to someone who looked like Salma for fuck's sake — everything else fit. Sure her personality, especially towards him, had been peculiar but fun nevertheless, and he'd enjoyed all the time they'd spent together so far. Then of course, now that he'd seen another side of her, a very personal one, he felt like they could perhaps grow closer. They weren't only two strangers wasting time with each other anymore.
He reached to grab a cushion and fiddle with the fabric on the corner. "It might not seem like it, I'm aware, but she's not that mean." He continued, as though he had to defend his growing feelings for the model. "I see myself having something like this with her." He gestured at Charles and Aurora.
His friend had an arm wrapped around the sofa, right where Aurora was sitting. She was unconsciously leaning against Charles, it came naturally because it was normal for them to be that close and act that way. Then there were other stuff that maybe they didn't do intentionally, but Pierre had spent enough time with them as a couple and separately to notice it. Like the way Charles always had to pay full attention whenever Aurora spoke, even if it was just a short sentence, or how Aurora smiled from ear to ear every time Charles walked into the room. All of those details.
Was it insane for him to think he could have something like that with Salma? Too unrealistic? He wondered if the idea had passed through her mind as well.
"Is this kind of like your not-so-silent crush on Sloane?" Aurora asked, to make sure she was understanding his feelings.
He shook his head and scoffed. "No. Come on, yeah I did mention and imply that Sloane is nice to look at...multiple times ever since I discovered her existence, but I never really liked her the same way..." Pierre bit his tongue, deciding to choose his words wisely. "The same way Max ended up liking her for example." He offered and Aurora blinked. "It's different with Salma."
Neither of them said a thing, they looked at each other and then Charles fixed his gaze on him. Who would've thought he would be getting all analysed after taking the piss with Charles for how fucked up his romantic life had been in the past three years? Now he was the one having his own confessions and putting feelings in the open.
"Holy fuck, he seriously likes her," Charles concluded after a couple of minutes of silence. His immediate reaction to this was to throw the cushion at him. Very easy to dodge anyway.
Aurora, taking the cushion previously thrown and guarding it on her side under her arm, eyed him with kindness. A typical Aurora way of being comprehensible and caring. "Do you think she feels the same about you? Now that you've spent more time together."
He remembered the little kiss and the hug and smiled more for himself than his companions. Surely the vulnerability of those circumstances had influenced the moments shared but if he also thought about their visit to the atelier and previous dates, he could perhaps come to the conclusion that she was truly growing fond of him. It wasn't only a joke that could be thrown to annoy her.
"You should ask her that," He joked.
The Italian pursed her lips down to indicate that wouldn't be a good idea. "I'm not sure she'd answer to me in particular."
"If you want my advice," Charles proceeded to say, letting his words linger as if expecting a reaction that allowed him to go on. Pierre gave him the go-ahead with a brief nod. Sure Charles wasn't actually pretty good at giving that type of advice and he basically had to point out the right way for him on more than one occasion when the Monegasque was getting into his many romantic issues but he could listen to his point of view. "You should fully go for it," Encouragement. That was nice. "As you said, it's the least complicated scenery that's come out from all this so why not, right?"
chapter 10 | another one bites the dust
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