Sprezzatura

[ex_garroter234]

Who: Micheletto, Lucrezia, and open
What: Reading a book, it's very exciting
When: 10/January, early evening
Where: Lobby...
Rating: PG wow boring

Ordinarily he'd be doing this outdoors, but the weather just isn't for it, so Micheletto has taken up in the lobby, leaning against a pillar and casually thumbing through a book. He doesn't seem particularly enthused in the material, which begs the question as to why he's reading it -- but that could just be the constant expression of disinterest he wears rather than a reflection of how he feels about the content.

The book looks to be old, but in very good shape, and the words on the binding are in Italian. Occasionally he'll glance up and look around, as if he's waiting for someone, but then he goes right back to reading.

Comments

[heloise]

Her brother's personal assistant is certainly no proper cortegiano, which is precisely the problem. It would not do at all, especially since she discovered his lack of hiding skill. At least here. Lucrezia makes her appearance known, stepping out from behind a pillar to watch him as she slowly circles round.

"Is my brother otherwise occupied?" That is, too busy to help you read that, manservant?

[ex_garroter234]

If Micheletto is surprised by Lucrezia, he doesn't let it show. He simply looks up from his reading and regards her steadily, not moving from his pillar.

"I am waiting for him," he says mildly, which explains why he keeps glancing around. Maybe. He's pretty shifty to begin with, so it could just be that. Either way, he's pointedly ignoring her unspoken question.

[heloise]

Lucrezia tips her head to one side, betraying her irritation for a moment. But only for a moment. She wonders if he takes pleasure in it and would not wish to indulge him.

"Never mind that," she takes a seat at a nearby couch and smiles ever so sweetly instead. "I shall help you."

[ex_garroter234]

It's then that Micheletto realises she thinks he cannot read.

He's not really insulted, because it's a perfectly fine conclusion to draw given his ambiguous status, but he is mildly puzzled. Does she think this because he's a servant, or because she doesn't like him? If she knew just what kind of servant he is, would she have a different opinion? Though he suspects she knows what kind already, or at least has an inkling.

He decides on humoring her, just to see what kind of game she's playing, and carefully takes a seat next to her.

"And for what reason are you doing this, my lady? If I may ask."

[heloise]

Mind you, it's a perfectly fine conclusion given the state of his dress though even Lucrezia must admit that he is more finely spoken than many commoners. One wonders. She holds out her hand for the book, the smile still like a mask on her face.

"You may," she relishes her words. "Because you are my brother's."

[ex_garroter234]

Micheletto hands the book over, careful to remember the page he's on. Even if he wasn't completely absorbed in the text, he doesn't want to lose his place in case she decides to start from the beginning.

He seems placated by that answer, or at least can't think of a suitably neutral response. In truth, he wonders if she pays this much attention to her own servants, but decides that her words have just answered that.

"I am sure Cardinal Borgia will appreciate your kindness."

He's not sure about that at all.

[heloise]

Lucrezia at least tries to open it back to his last page, glancing his way with some amusement. She pays enough attention to her servants when she wishes to glean information about her own family.

"The question is, will you?" But she allows that one to be a rhetorical one. Now, about sprezzatura. "Do you know how to dance?"

[ex_garroter234]

His Eminence probably wouldn't want Micheletto to be interacting this familiarly with his sister, he realises. But really, what was his other option? She instigated it. It's not like he could tell her to fuck off or anything.

"To dance? No," he says evenly; whether he was playing the role of servant or assassin, dancing wasn't a very useful skill.

[heloise]

She flips through the pages to find the relevant page, smiling with amusement to herself before looking up at him with a measure of feigned pity. Look at her new shiny toy, unable yet to dance.

"Sparring is a kind of dancing, is it not?" She curbs her grin. "Would you like to learn?"

[ex_garroter234]

Micheletto glances down at the book when she flips through pages thus, a little curious. Is there actually something about dancing in here? Dear God, nobility focussed on the most frivolous things.

"To what purpose, my lady? I will never dance."

[heloise]

There is something about grace of movement and speech in there, which are practiced best in a dance. Lucrezia closes the book and sets it down on the sofa, so that she can stand and offer him a hand.

"I say you will."

[ex_garroter234]

He looks at her hand for a moment, considering, but doesn't take it. But he doesn't wish to insult her (mostly because he fears retaliation from Cardinal Borgia, but also because she's being relatively civil to him and it's a nice change of pace), so he stands on his own, ducking his head a little in a very informal, semi-apologetic bow. It wouldn't be proper to take her hand, see! That's all that means. Really.

His head still lowered, he looks up at her from under his browbone, curious. "And if I refuse? What then?"

[heloise]

Lucrezia takes back her hand when he stands and bows, watching him warily.

"Then I would be displeased," though it pleases her to see his head lowered still. She stares him down, tries to read through him, then gives up. She has a few guesses as to who this man is to her brother but nothing in their Rome is ever as they appear. One never knows.

"There are other ways to amend it."

[assassino]

Ezio is just passing through, as he usually is: en route to somewhere, and then en route back. But it's hard to just walk past someone who is connected to your enemy, and that is precisely what slows his gait as he passes. He stops, even, some distance away, with a smirk.

"A scholar now, are you?"

[ex_garroter234]

Ezio is a rude dick. But at least he isn't insinuating he's illiterate...

Micheletto simply looks up from the book, expression neutral, if not a little on the bored side. "If you have a better way to pass the time, I'm listening."

[assassino]

His tone is a touch goading.

"Spar with me. That will pass some time."

[ex_garroter234]

Sparring isn't something Micheletto particularly likes to do; it's too revealing of his capabilities. If Ezio continues to hold the impression that Micheletto fights like a man disoriented from being unceremoniously thrown into a duck pond via magic castle, it's better for him.

He pauses, quiet, very pointedly looking Ezio over. Then he shrugs and goes back to reading, resolutely turning a page.

"Not enough time."

[assassino]

Ezio knows that look, that appraising one where you take a potential enemy up for size and judge your odds. He does it all the time, doesn't he?

"You must not have much stamina, then."

[ex_garroter234]

"On the contrary," he says, still keeping his eyes on the book. He's not really reading it; he doesn't care about what's in its pages. But it's a good prop.

"My worry is for yours."

[assassino]

"That is no concern at all to me," he smiles.

[ex_garroter234]

"Then you must the sort who exerts himself to the point of exhaustion. It's a fine quality in some. But stupid, yes?"

Never mind that Micheletto holds this quality himself.

[assassino]

Ezio starts circling, just to keep moving about.

"Only when there is real need of it. A crisis, if you will. When sparring for sport, however, what would the point be?"

[ex_garroter234]

Micheletto stays where he is, feigning indifference, though his muscles are coiling. Something in the way this man keeps pushing the matter and moving about is unnerving, so being prepared for anything probably won't hurt. He stops pretending to read the book at this point though, deciding he needed all his senses right about now.

"It is dangerous to ever think of something as just sport. Men who allow themselves to be lulled by such things find their throats cut. Their purses stolen."

[assassino]

Ezio chuckles.

"I never said 'just', did I?" He draws a little closer, just because he can. "And I have never had my throat cut or my purse stolen in my entire life... why would I begin now?"

Except the purse. He has had his purse stolen, but Micheletto doesn't need to know that.

[ex_garroter234]

What he wants to say is because you've never met me before, but he has very little reason to do so. Thus far, this man hasn't done anything grievously offensive to Micheletto, apart from being taunting and aggressive in a way that doesn't even do anything for him, so he has no reason to resort to such direct threats.

Besides, this is not Rome. There are less than two hundred people living in this community, by his estimate -- more if the people living in the city were included, but it seemed as though they didn't matter to those stranded here -- and as such it would be harder to conceal a murder. More difficult to hide a body.

"Perhaps you have not spent long enough around the right people," he says instead, staying leaned up against the pillar and quietly shelving the idea of throttling him to death.