DTI2: Because when he sings, even the birds stop to listen.

[Basil Benson]

"Just one." He replied, and began to play for her.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette swayed from side to side with her eyes closed, humming along to the tune.

[Basil Benson]

When she began to hum, Basil decided to allow her to enjoy the music quietly and did not sing along.

When he finished, he remained thoughtfully silent.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette opened one eye as she swayed, once things had been quiet for some time.

"You are thinking about pennies?" She asked before she frowned. "No, zat is not ze phrase..."

[Basil Benson]

Basil made a snorting sound, but whether that was him trying to hold in the giggles at Colette's flub or 'sucking it up' was indeterminable.

" My current thoughts aren't worth the copper and steel they're minted from, love."

To distract himself from his thoughts, he put his hands out and started to play again. It was familiar, though he seemed to be 'mucking about' a bit while he found it.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette softly swayed to the music again.

"Please do not be so down on yourself, Basil."

[Basil Benson]

"I wasn't thinking of myself, for once. Shocking, isn't it?" He joked.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette gave Basil a sort of "you're doing it again" look before she softened up. "Someone special?"

[Basil Benson]

Basil didn't give Colette any looks back. Because invisible.

"I thought so once."

Basil paused trying to decide how much he wanted to tell Colette about this, still playing the same song in a loop.

"When I was a boy she came to stay with my family, and from the moment I saw her I was convinced I was going to grow up and marry her, despite the fact my parents would obviously disapprove." He laughed. " She was much older than I though, so at first she wanted nothing to do with me.

So when she wasn't around, it was out of sight, out of mind. I was such a capricious little snake."

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette gave Basil a little smile.

"All of my crushes growing up were for fictional characters. So at least yours was a little more attainable."

[Basil Benson]

"Only slightly." He joked back.

In truth, his mind was working on something else too while he spoke, and once he was finally done riddling out what he was doing with the song, he started singing.

"She keeps her Moët et Chandon
In her pretty cabinet
"Let them eat cake" she says
Just like Marie Antoinette
A built-in remedy
For foreign hostilities
At anytime an invitation
You can't decline
Crème anglaise and Crepe Suzette
Well versed in etiquette
Extraordinarily nice

She's a killer queen
Gunpowder, gelatine
Dynamite with a laser beam
Guaranteed to blow your mind
Anytime
Ooh, recommended at the price
Insatiable an appetite
Wanna try?

To avoid complications
She never kept the same address
In conversation
She spoke just like a baroness
Met a man from China
Went down to Geisha Minah
Then again incidentally
If you're that way inclined
Wardrobe came naturally from Paris
For cars she couldn't care less
Fastidious and precise-"

The rest of the song remained the same, being that no changes were necessary to make it sound like it was Colette he was singing about.

Was he flirting with her?

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette's face managed to flush, which was pretty surprising given her already pink hue.

"Wow. Zat is... quite appropriate, yes? Did you... zink about zis ahead of time?"

[Basil Benson]

He shrugged. "No, just while you were sitting here. You seemed not overly concerned about vehicles, so long as they were pretty. The nonchalance made me think of the line ' for cars she couldn't care less'.

I had Queen on the brain already, so while I was playing that other song for you I started making connections in my mind noticing how eerily similar it seemed, with a few tweaks. 'Cavier and cigarettes' doesn't seem quite your fancy based off our previous conversations for example."

In truth, he had done it to distract himself from thinking about the girl he'd mentioned, but Colette had let that slip by and he was not inclined to go back to it at this time.

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette reached up and, after a moment's hesitation, managed to press her finger to Basil's nose. It was to the side instead of the tip, but it was pretty close all things considered.

"More of zat, and fewer games, and I zink zings will be just fine."

[Basil Benson]

It was at that exact moment that Basil decided to be self confident. Which was probably a bad idea on his part.

"Trust me, I know what I am doing." He said in a mock serious tone, reaching out and taking Colette's wrist to guide her extended finger to the end of his nose.

"Also the boop button is there."

[Colette Rosenhof]

"Boop." And a pink-toothed smile.

[Basil Benson]

Basil's arm began to move, and Colette would feel a light pressure at the end of her own nose.

"Boop."

A moment later, his phone started to blare something obnoxiously loud. In an instant his left hand was to the phone to get it to shut up.

"Sorry! Sorry!"

[Colette Rosenhof]

The tip of Colette's nose sunk inward slightly around the invisible digit, which made for an interesting image since it appeared to do so on it's own; just barely, from the pressure applied. She jumped slightly at the startling noise and the rapidity of Basil's movements.

"Please, don't mind me." She did not object to him taking a call. They were just talking after all.

[Basil Benson]

Basil managed to silence the overly dramatic music quickly, shoving the phone back in his bag. "It's not a call. My phone's informing me one of my programs is on, but I'm sure I've seen it before." Basil states, trying to not make it seem like TV was more important than talking to her. He had actually kind of forgotten what time it was, and forgetting didn't so much bother him, strangely.

[Colette Rosenhof]

"Well, why do we not go watch it?" She asked.

[Basil Benson]

"Alright!" He stated jovial enough.

For all of Colette's downsides, it seemed to him she was decent enough company at least. Picking up his bag, Basil's collar tilted as his head rolled to look at her.

"After you."

[Colette Rosenhof]

Colette hopped onto her feet and straightened out her skirt, bouncing toward the door.

[Basil Benson]

"I just... if you're easily offended this is your warning. I only dress like a professional. I am not and my interests reflect that." He stated as they left.

[Colette Rosenhof]

"It is not as zough ze show was made only for you, it cannot be zat bad."

[Basil Benson]

"Well... you are French. Offensive is probably culturally relevant." He laughed.