[ He's young, it's obvious. From the heat in his gaze to the way he scratches the back of his neck, awkwardly. I didn't mean to make it awkward for you, he'd told Elio needlessly, he won't make the same mistake again. Michel passes the car part between his hands, a slow evening of the weight of it, smooth movements from hand to hand, as he feels the weight of it. It's heavy. As some things are, like the feelings in Anakin's eyes.
He saw that movie, didn't he? With Denis. They saw it together when Denis was just a kid himself and everything was different then. How much it has all changed. Part of him wants to call him, just to tell him, I met a young man today named Anakin, like Skywalker, do you remember? But Denis would want to know whether he'd slept with him and hang up, before Michel could even say, I wanted to.
This time, if things have to be different, Michel must make them so. ]
Rather too kind than not kind enough. Kindness can cost you, certainly, but the lack of it -- ah, it costs more, even if not for the person in question.
[ That's the thing about mothers, rather one who'd call her son Anakin to please a friend, than a mother who refused to call him Léon because it would please his father. And keep the memory alive.
Michel has begun wondering, after Elio left, whether his father would have opened up to him more, had he truly carried that name. ]
I'm Michel, Anakin. I would be happy if you'd fix my car with whatever spare parts you have. [ A smile, smaller, but genuine. He gestures between the car and the lemonade with his free hand, then passes the spare part back in place there, saying - as naturally as if it was breath, ] And then I'd be happier still if you'd come back in a week's time and have dinner with me.
[ It's not the bistro. It's not the waiters who have seen him with increasingly younger men. It's not the table that's reserved in his name or the well-cooked fish. It's none of that, it's something else. For some reason, that's important. ]
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He saw that movie, didn't he? With Denis. They saw it together when Denis was just a kid himself and everything was different then. How much it has all changed. Part of him wants to call him, just to tell him, I met a young man today named Anakin, like Skywalker, do you remember? But Denis would want to know whether he'd slept with him and hang up, before Michel could even say, I wanted to.
This time, if things have to be different, Michel must make them so. ]
Rather too kind than not kind enough. Kindness can cost you, certainly, but the lack of it -- ah, it costs more, even if not for the person in question.
[ That's the thing about mothers, rather one who'd call her son Anakin to please a friend, than a mother who refused to call him Léon because it would please his father. And keep the memory alive.
Michel has begun wondering, after Elio left, whether his father would have opened up to him more, had he truly carried that name. ]
I'm Michel, Anakin. I would be happy if you'd fix my car with whatever spare parts you have. [ A smile, smaller, but genuine. He gestures between the car and the lemonade with his free hand, then passes the spare part back in place there, saying - as naturally as if it was breath, ] And then I'd be happier still if you'd come back in a week's time and have dinner with me.
[ It's not the bistro. It's not the waiters who have seen him with increasingly younger men. It's not the table that's reserved in his name or the well-cooked fish. It's none of that, it's something else. For some reason, that's important. ]