He wasn't known to be inelegant, no. Most found him quite charming, honestly. Most people his age or maybe a little younger. A lot of people from his father's generation, though, found that playboy act to be quite tiresome. But he had an excuse. What did you expect from a child raised by his butler? Surely, the help didn't give the boy any rules or boundaries. Stepping on toes would have been expected. But, Bruce - the one with Steve right now - worked hard not to be that kind of man.
At least not while dancing.
He smiles as Steve's hands settle in place and his find good spots on Steve. He's sure there's someone around snapping a picture, but the smile is a little more genuine than camera-ready. He smiles because this is a good fit. And because of the way Steve's eyes light up.
He doesn't notice in many people, because often he's not attached enough to do so. But it's the first thing he notices here.
The second is how well Steve moves with the music that Bruce doesn't feel like he has to offer an impromptu dance lesson right here. Sometimes he's had to because his partner's a little too enthusiastic or a little too inebriated. He doesn't feel like he's doing all of the work. It feels like something they are doing together.
"This is nice." Which is probably about as much genuine sentiment Steve will get while they're here and a thousand eyes are on them. The rest can come when they're alone again.
I swore I replied to this. If it's been too long just ignore
Steve's pretty sincerely and openly happy, and gets more so - including a broader, warmer, smile - when Bruce is less practiced. That Bruce is willing to say anything in front of an audience, even something as mild as calling this nice, is the high point for Steve, though.
"It is. I like it."
A lot of those pictures are going to be enough to rouse some speculation, and not just because they're on a date.
There's going to be at least one photographer who gets something else, though, because they're standing just a little too close for the flash to be expected or comfortable. That guy is going to get Steve's smile turning into a faint grimace and Steve ducking to press his forehead against Bruce's temple.
"Ow." He nearly laughs when he says it, but - ow. "I don't know how you're not half blinded by this crap."
It's Steve's earnest kind of sincerity that sticks with Bruce. Maybe it was his paranoia, maybe it was a lot of personal experience, but Bruce never expects any kind of sincerity from anyone. If there's an offer to shake his hand, it's always because they want something - to be seen with him, to do business with him, to party with him. But it's so rare a thing to have someone who wanted to be with him without any of the benefit his company brought.
But there was Steve, smile warm and eyes bright. He didn't doubt Steve's sincerity. He'd be a pretty bad liar, even if Bruce hadn't trained himself to read people.
The flash does creep across his vision for how close it is and he grimaces and turns away from the light. Then he turns to the photographer and he gives him a look that might have been more Batman than Bruce. "Do you mind?"
As Steve brings his head down to rest against Bruce, Bruce stops them just long enough to check in with him. "Are you okay?"
Steve appreciates Bruce for Bruce - and more so when he sees those moments that there's... more than one facet? of him on display. Quiet moments, private settings and in a lot of ways?
What just happened when that near Batman glare for the too close photographer was followed by checking in with Steve. There was a lot of Bruce, as Steve understood him, in there.
"Yeah." There's still some smile in his voice, and more than some warmth. Some strain, too, but less of that. "Thought I was mostly giving you an out with the headache, but I probably actually should get out of here before it becomes a problem, though. I'm out of practice." Out of practice handling this degree of... sensory onslaught, he means.
Probably the best thing he's heard all night. It is very much the out Bruce needs to excuse himself. In the morning, someone will call him a gentleman for whisking his date away from the intrusive photographer. Someone will definitely question if the party boy's finally ready to settle down. And in the end it'll accomplish what he needed it to.
He's not shy about linking his hand with Steve's so he can weave them through the crowd and through the speculation that'll follow. And when they're outside again, he doesn't let it go immediately either.
"Probably a bad choice for a first date. Have to pick somewhere quieter for number two."
He weaves his fingers through Bruce's once the have the slightest bit of contact, and maintains a warm, solid grip. It's maybe a bit tighter than on the way in, but not oppressive.
"I'm glad there's going to be a second date." That's just the absolute truth. He'll care about Bruce, regardless, but the potential for something a little quieter, and the mention of a second are... nice. More than nice. "Maybe getting all the public reaction out of the way now will make for a nice distraction from anything else either of us get up to. My phone's gonna blow up when those pictures get published, though." Just fair warning.
Not like he's been talking to his people about this.
It will make things easier, once the speculation's done. They stop looking so closely then and move on to the next flavor of the week and that suits Bruce fine. It's work to present an image to be scrutinized. Maybe for once there's something legitimate in what had been seen with him and Steve.
Maybe it's why he's not totally dismissed a chance at date number two. Even if it'll be a little while before they get there, because for Bruce there's work to be done and that'd always come first. But they would get there. That's something he wanted to see through if he could.
"You are a nice distraction, Mr. Rogers. One I don't particularly mind."
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At least not while dancing.
He smiles as Steve's hands settle in place and his find good spots on Steve. He's sure there's someone around snapping a picture, but the smile is a little more genuine than camera-ready. He smiles because this is a good fit. And because of the way Steve's eyes light up.
He doesn't notice in many people, because often he's not attached enough to do so. But it's the first thing he notices here.
The second is how well Steve moves with the music that Bruce doesn't feel like he has to offer an impromptu dance lesson right here. Sometimes he's had to because his partner's a little too enthusiastic or a little too inebriated. He doesn't feel like he's doing all of the work. It feels like something they are doing together.
"This is nice." Which is probably about as much genuine sentiment Steve will get while they're here and a thousand eyes are on them. The rest can come when they're alone again.
I swore I replied to this. If it's been too long just ignore
"It is. I like it."
A lot of those pictures are going to be enough to rouse some speculation, and not just because they're on a date.
There's going to be at least one photographer who gets something else, though, because they're standing just a little too close for the flash to be expected or comfortable. That guy is going to get Steve's smile turning into a faint grimace and Steve ducking to press his forehead against Bruce's temple.
"Ow." He nearly laughs when he says it, but - ow. "I don't know how you're not half blinded by this crap."
Not at all! I'm always good to backtag
But there was Steve, smile warm and eyes bright. He didn't doubt Steve's sincerity. He'd be a pretty bad liar, even if Bruce hadn't trained himself to read people.
The flash does creep across his vision for how close it is and he grimaces and turns away from the light. Then he turns to the photographer and he gives him a look that might have been more Batman than Bruce. "Do you mind?"
As Steve brings his head down to rest against Bruce, Bruce stops them just long enough to check in with him. "Are you okay?"
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What just happened when that near Batman glare for the too close photographer was followed by checking in with Steve. There was a lot of Bruce, as Steve understood him, in there.
"Yeah." There's still some smile in his voice, and more than some warmth. Some strain, too, but less of that. "Thought I was mostly giving you an out with the headache, but I probably actually should get out of here before it becomes a problem, though. I'm out of practice." Out of practice handling this degree of... sensory onslaught, he means.
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He's not shy about linking his hand with Steve's so he can weave them through the crowd and through the speculation that'll follow. And when they're outside again, he doesn't let it go immediately either.
"Probably a bad choice for a first date. Have to pick somewhere quieter for number two."
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"I'm glad there's going to be a second date." That's just the absolute truth. He'll care about Bruce, regardless, but the potential for something a little quieter, and the mention of a second are... nice. More than nice. "Maybe getting all the public reaction out of the way now will make for a nice distraction from anything else either of us get up to. My phone's gonna blow up when those pictures get published, though." Just fair warning.
Not like he's been talking to his people about this.
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Maybe it's why he's not totally dismissed a chance at date number two. Even if it'll be a little while before they get there, because for Bruce there's work to be done and that'd always come first. But they would get there. That's something he wanted to see through if he could.
"You are a nice distraction, Mr. Rogers. One I don't particularly mind."