forum A Gentleman? // OxO // Closed

Started December 09, 2019 by @ElderGod-Icefire

tune

(kk)

Jack was standing just a little closer to Jules than would be considered proper as they walked, his hand brushing against the French boy's or touching his arm, a faint smile on his lips whenever he looked at Jules. Elizabeth stoically ignored her brother, but paid attention as Jules guided them around the museum that the city kept, which contained art, history, and other things all in the same beautiful building. They would go to the opera next.

Francis walked beside Elizabeth, staying a proper distance away from her, even if he did cast several glances in her direction. For the most part, he watched Jack and Jules curiously. Was Jules returning any interest? When he wasn’t watching Jack or glancing at Elizabeth, he scanned the walls of the museum. His mouth was agape, amazed at the beauty of the building and the history.

Jules treated Jack politely, if a little shyly. The French boy didn't seem to know quite what to make of Jack's flirtatiousness. Jack was undeterred, admiring the art and the boy beside him in the same breath. Although the admiration for Jules was spoken far, far quieter than everything else he said.

Francis ignored the Jack’s comment of admiration, unsure of what he really heard or not. He fixed his attention on an artwork he found particularly admirable. He very lightly touched Elizabeth’s shoulder to point it out to her. “I like style of painting,” he murmured with a smile. He clasped his hands behind his back again after gesturing to the painting.

Elizabeth blinked, looking at the painting and tipping her head a little. "Yes. It's lovely." She agreed with a faint smile.

Jules looked over. "Ah! That one was painted by a…how do you say it? Un artiste local? Oh! Local artist! An artist from this area." His French accent softened the vowels of his words as he spoke.

“Oh! How wonderful,” Francis smiled, taking a few more moments to admire the painting. “Local artists are far more talented than they’re often given credit for,” he noted. “Even the ones in England aren’t talked about very much. All the popularity is in foreign, some centuries old paintings. Which are very admirable, but the more local paintings are just as breathtaking.”

Jules gave a quick smile. "Of course. We are only a small city, so we have not the access Paris has to paintings. More of our paintings are local than in Paris." he replied in his gentle, soft voice. "Gives more opportunity for the artists, non?" he examined the painting.

Jack nodded a little, examining the painting. "It is rather pretty." he agreed with a faint smile.

Francis nodded too, “I think that’s very admirable.” He thought of his brother again, and how he was so talented with the arts. He seemed to understand human anatomy more than anything else, and he could create a portrait of someone down to the very details of their expression. To emanate the person’s very being from the charcoal sketch or painting. Francis thought his work would always do well to be in a museum.

Jack nodded a little bit. "Yeah. It's pretty neat." he agreed quietly. He sighed softly, and ran a hand through his hair.

Jules pointed out another painting. "That one over there was painted by my grandfather." he said. "Our family donated it here when the museum was just being built."

Francis looked over at the painting Jules pointed to. “Wow! That’s impressive,” he smiled. “So your family has history here,” he assumed. “Have you lived where you are now for your whole life?” He knew that many noblemen and there families stayed in one place for many decades, even centuries for continuous generations, while others owned many houses across the country, and used them all.

Jules nodded. "I have spent a few summers in Paris before, but most of my life has been spent here." He replied, looking at the painting for a moment, then over at Francis with a small smile. "It is nice here, though some find it too small and provincial for them."

Jack shrugged. "I mean…it is small. No offense meant at all, Jules. It's small, though. Just a little. It's nice, too, but…I think I'm more of a big city guy than country."

Francis returned the smile. “I’ve lived in big cities most of my life, but I prefer the smaller towns like this one. It feels more intimate.” He glanced over at Elizabeth now, wondering what her input was. Did she share the same apinion as her brother?

Elizabeth shrugged a little bit, but remained quiet. She, as a lady, was supposed to be seen and not heard. Besides that, her corset had been pulled so tightly that breathing had become an issue. Then again, it always was, with corsets.

Jack sighed. "Intimate, yes. But…not as many diversions. Not quite as fun." He replied, running a hand through his hair and shaking his head.

Jules raised an eyebrow. "There are plenty of diversions and fun as there are out there."

Francis rubbed the back of his neck. “Some of the best people I’ve met have been from smaller towns like this one, and they’re pretty fun.” He agreed with Jules. However, other than the theater, he hadn’t heard of any wild, chaotic places like taverns in the city. He assumed that some of the things he found fun wouldn’t be the fun Jack was referring to.

Jack sighed. "Not my kind of fun." he replied with a faint smirk. His golden hair was rumpled and messy, as always, and stuck up all over his head in messy tufts.

Jules cocked his head a little, the young man obviously confused by Jack's comment. "And…what sort of fun would you prefer then, monsieur?" he asked.

Jack smirked wider. "Do you really want to know?" he asked, stepping closer to Jules and studying him. His eyes flicked to the other boy's mouth, then back to Jules' eyes. "Because I'd be happy to show you later."

Francis let out an audible sigh from his nose, and he crinkled his face into a taut, disgusted frown. Did Jack have to do that here? He resolved to change the subject. “What other places are you planning to show us, Jules?” He ran his hand across his neatly combed hair—which he had attempted to style this morning, curling the ends and edges of his hair with a wig curler. The curls had fallen in the matter of fifteen minutes, but at least his hair had a slight wave to it now.

Jules blinked. He looked away from Jack, over to Francis, blinking slowly. "Right. Ah…I was thinking of the opera next, non?" he asked. "Would that be of enjoyment?" he cocked his head a little, adjusting his shirt.

Jack shrugged. "Sure sure, the opera. Do they serve any drinks?"

"Champagne." Jules replied easily, glancing from Jack to Francis.

Francis shook his head quickly. “If they only serve champagne, I’ll pass on any drinks.” He let his hand fall back to his side. “Are there any operas playing?” Not that he wanted to go see one today—they were always so expensive and busy, filled with too many people. He didn’t even know if anyone understood the operas’ plot. He’d always had trouble, especially when he was a boy.

"Wine is also served. Both are only upon request, though." Jules explained. "And yes, there are. If you would like to see one? Of course, the building itself is really half the attraction. It is one of the grandest buildings in our city."

Jack nodded a little bit at Jules explanation. "Ah. Makes sense."

Francis wrinkled his nose. Wine was even worse, so when they did go there, he decided he would pass, particularly if they only served alcohol. “Ah, thank you for the offer, but I’m more of a fan of plays rather than operas.” He relaxed his expression again and offered a polite smile. “I am very interested in seeing the building, however.” Architecture was among one of his favorite things.

Jules nodded. He wrinkled his own nose at the mention of plays. "I see. Perhaps it is different in England, but here, plays and theaters are a den for sodomy and debauchery. They are not places a gentleman should frequent."

Jack smirked. "Why, they sound exactly like my sort of place, then." he replied with a laugh.

“It depends on the theaters,” Francis replied after a moment. He had heard of some theaters that were dens for such activities, but he had always avoided those. “Some owners maintain very high expectations for their guests. I’ve only been the those theaters.”

Jules stared at Jack for a moment, then returned his attention to Francis, looking mildly scandalized by Jack's words. He nodded. "I see. Here, we go to the opera if we wish to see a thing on a stage. I am sure that when you get to Paris, you will see the Paris Opera-house. It is famous."

Jack shrugged a little, and didn't say anything, sticking his hands in his pockets.

He nodded eagerly. “I am looking forward to seeing it again,” his expression brightened. “The building is absolutely stunning. I haven’t seen it in years, though.” He wondered how much would have changed, if at all. He clasped his hands in front of himself.

Jules raised his eyebrows inquisitively. "You have been? Then you know what of it's like!" his words became a little jumbled in his excitement, his accent even stronger. "Francis, c'est incroyable! Je ne suis allé à l'Opéra de Paris qu'une seule fois dans ma vie et je veux tellement y retourner." he blinked. "I-I mean…my apologies. But that is amazing1 I had not expected any of you to have been before."

Francis shook his head a little bit while he tried to translate what Jules had said. He didn’t catch everything, but he understood enough. He’d learned French too long ago. His expression brightened even more, “Ah, oui!” he chuckled, “I remember visiting it with my family several years ago. I’ve been wanting to go back too.” He remembered his brother shared his dislike of operas, and he often excused himself from his seat for most of the show, returning only for the last few minutes. Francis stayed in his seat, however, and preferred to look around the auditorium, admiring the intricacies in the walls and architecture.