The touch on Steve's back was a brief one. Charles was good at reading people even without reading their minds, he could tell Steve wasn't exactly comfortable with physical contact. So he put a little bit of a breathing space between them without making a big deal out of it, as if it had been a logical conclusion of everything going on.
"We do not give our gratitude enough to those who served," he says with a bit of regret. "I'm not sure which time you come from and looking at the style of your clothes, I'm guessing not my decades, but I was nine when Pearl Harbour was attacked. It's not something you forget even after decades of peace."
He couldn't help but snort out a bark of laughter at Steve's cheek, though. "You mistake me for an Englishman but I suppose you are correct, a bit of an stiff upper lip has stayed with me since ending my education in Oxford." He shook his head, mirth dancing in his blue eyes as he looked up at Steve. "I live in Westchester, my friend, New York."
His chuckle was quite high pitched and obviously amused as he ducked his head and shook it again. "Unfortunately you might think a little too highly of me. Except for the hair, I suppose I do have plenty of it." For now, Charles, for now. "Finding company and charming a lady to pay attention to me definitely isn't the problem." Oh, he wishes, Steve, to keep that mental image you have, but unfortunately the truth is not quite as respectable. "I'm merely used to keeping these matters very private. And..." He sobers up a little, a thoughtful look in his eyes and a tilt to his head, not quite sure what to think about this. "The attention I'm receiving from the same sex has been quite new and... " He struggles to find a word, but in the end settles with: "Fascinating."
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"We do not give our gratitude enough to those who served," he says with a bit of regret. "I'm not sure which time you come from and looking at the style of your clothes, I'm guessing not my decades, but I was nine when Pearl Harbour was attacked. It's not something you forget even after decades of peace."
He couldn't help but snort out a bark of laughter at Steve's cheek, though. "You mistake me for an Englishman but I suppose you are correct, a bit of an stiff upper lip has stayed with me since ending my education in Oxford." He shook his head, mirth dancing in his blue eyes as he looked up at Steve. "I live in Westchester, my friend, New York."
His chuckle was quite high pitched and obviously amused as he ducked his head and shook it again. "Unfortunately you might think a little too highly of me. Except for the hair, I suppose I do have plenty of it." For now, Charles, for now. "Finding company and charming a lady to pay attention to me definitely isn't the problem." Oh, he wishes, Steve, to keep that mental image you have, but unfortunately the truth is not quite as respectable. "I'm merely used to keeping these matters very private. And..." He sobers up a little, a thoughtful look in his eyes and a tilt to his head, not quite sure what to think about this. "The attention I'm receiving from the same sex has been quite new and... " He struggles to find a word, but in the end settles with: "Fascinating."