genessia | Chance

The source, in question, was refiling books returned during the day shift back into Fiction.

The human certainly didn't look remarkable in any way. He was shorter, wore a soft turtleneck in a soft green, dark pants, boring-looking shoes. Apparently absorbed with looking at the book spines and the empty slots they belonged in, the man murmured to himself while he was taking books off of the return cart and finding their homes.

In actuality.

Takumi sensed something approaching. At first, he would have sworn it was a ghost, and this made him reach out his senses using the Force, searching, probing. He just wanted to look, after all, he wasn't trying to catch their attention, or invite any aggression. But, no. When he examined whatever it was more closely, it wasn't a ghost.

But what was it?

With years of experience keeping a good mask up despite danger, Takumi waited. With how this being felt, they'd likely come to him.

And, if he felt them move away? He'd use some excuse to at least track them through the library.

At the moment, though, he'd wait, and see if they came to him.

He'd be correct in his guessing, given that she could tell whoever this source was was aware of her existing, at least. It was dangerous, she knew that much, but her curiosity was far more powerful than that particular worry. Besides, she could always deal with the source if it turned out to be something bad for her, after all.

Once she's finding the area she's sure that's coming from, she's examining him from one end of the rows of books, head tilted in question. He seemed... human, but that feeling was absolutely not something she'd seen from any human in her life or unlife.

"Who are you?" She's speaking up first, slowly making her way closer, trying to look casual but failing in that department seeing as she looks tense despite her clear attempts to not give away the fact she'd come here in the first place.

At least she didn't seem aggressive, more ready to bolt or defend herself at a moment's notice.

Curiosity was Takumi's weakness, too. Not letting on, he noticed the tall elf peering at him from around the corner. Well, she looked alive? She might not be, in truth, but if she wasn't - that meant she had the ability to hide her appearance, didn't it?

But, he turned to look at her, as if noticing her for the first time, when she asked her question. The strange woman didn't seem threatening, illusions or not. Takumi didn't feel like he was in danger at all. Confident, he tilted his head in confusion, smiling politely, charming.

"Uh, I'm the librarian?" Takumi said, innocently. Looked at her up and down, just once, grinned a little. "Sorry, that was a little cheeky. My name's Takumi Terasu."

Harmless, so harmless, wasn't he?

"Can I help you find anything?"

The cheeky comment was blown off by her, she could deal with something on that level. Though she's visibly calming down as he's speaking, having determined he's... really not a threat to her despite whatever it is that's drawing her towards him. One hand is pulling down the bottom of her skirt before she's moving just a few steps closer, lips pursing before she finds the words she means to use.

"Mm. Well, I was merely looking for information on this place that's more... detailed than what is first given. My own bits of knowledge, I suppose, and to see if there was anything that might catch my interest otherwise." Why she's dropping her line of questioning is anyone's guess, though she's seeming distracted for a brief moment as she glances to the side through an opening in the book cases.

Sorry, Takumi, she's taking her moment to take that negative emotion into her own self. Which he might find interesting as she may just be trying to blow it off by looking at her nails as it collects in her hand.

"But... yes, that's my reasoning for being here."

Which is why, clearly, the stranger was looking in the fiction section? Takumi raised his eyebrows, inwardly amused. Whatever this being was, she was trying to play the usual game. He wasn't sure she was as good at this as he was, but. The smile on his face was genuinely playful. This could be fun.

"Well, we've a lot of information here, but I'm not sure how useful this section would be for you," Takumi said, his tone teasing a little. "Unless you need some dashing adventure stories or gripping tales of romance that your world might lack."

There was a trail of black smoke which seemed to come from someone, in the distance, trailing up and into the woman's mouth. She did cover by examining her hands, but - was Takumi not supposed to be able to see, that?

Since his senses were still extended, feeling with the Force - those were emotions she was feeding on. So-called "negative" emotions.

He put the last book currently in his hand away, and turned more fully toward her. "I could try to direct you to a more useful section, if you'd like."

Edited 2017-12-02 22:29 (UTC)

Oh clearly. Though she doesn't seem to notice that he does or doesn't see what she did, even as she lets out a soft, pleasant sigh and is turning her attention fully back to him. Negative emotions were by far more pleasant than anything else she'd fed on before, but either way she's finding this trip far more pleasant than she'd expected for it to be.

But the comment about fiction immediately throws her off her groove, which she's quick to recover from, coughing softly and glancing off to the side again. "... Yes, well. Can you blame me for not knowing the layout of this place? Honestly..." She actually is a bit more flustered than she'd ever care to let on, one hand moving to play with the end of her high ponytail out of nervous fidget than anything else.

"That'd be great, it'd be more useful than some trashy romance novel, after all..." And allow her to get him a little more secluded to see if she could figure out what his whole ordeal really was.

Yes. Getting this strange woman to somewhere less visible would be ideal. So far, she wasn't acting like those Force ghosts whom he'd encountered before - but she also had been drawn to him, came over to investigate. Takumi didn't feel like she was a threat -

- but didn't want to defend himself and incapacitate her in front of others, either.

He smiled, brightly, and offered, "I can get you one of the study rooms - a lot of them are open at this hour, most students are in bed, after all."

"Is there a particular subject which interests you? History of Genessia? Studies on the barriers, the spirits?"

So far he'd proven to be the most interesting thing about this place, not that she'd ever admit that aloud. Details, honestly. She'd be calm, refrain from being aggressive, unless he proved she had reason to believe otherwise.

"That'd... be great, actually. Not that I have an issue with noise elsewhere." She's shrugging, but is giving him a bit of a lazy smile of her own. "Any, all, really. I'd prefer to know all that I can about this place just in case something ends up happening. ... Not that I'm too keen on leaving, like others seem to be." Being alive is better than being dead, after all.

This was quite a different encounter than he'd had thus far in Genessia as well - he wasn't certain it was more interesting, per se. It was certainly the first time Takumi felt he might have even the slightest need to defend himself.

Honestly, most people here were so peaceful, it made him alarmed to consider what would happen when someone less trustworthy woke in the Bay.

"It is pretty quiet here this evening, isn't it?" Takumi remarked, conversationally. "I certainly haven't seen many visitors since I started working here. I mean. Part of it is the late hour. I guess most people have, heh, more entertaining spots to visit."

Slowly, he began to lead her through the stacks of books, toward the nonfiction section. Non-fiction, of course, being substantially larger, taking up most of the building. The outer part of the first stacks were lined with tables, single desks in cubicles, and then - yes, the doors to private study rooms.

As Takumi opened the door, he gave another charming smile - but this one, he added a touch of bashfulness to it. Like he was a bit shy. "Definitely, a ... um. Well. Somebody like you, I'd expect would have plans usually at this time."

He coughed, then grinned. Entered the room after her. "This room isn't set up with a mirofilm reader, but there are some down the hall, if this doesn't work for you."

Mind you he'd bet about 50K in credits that she didn't know what microfilm was. He certainly didn't, before working here.

Edited 2017-12-03 01:36 (UTC)

Thank you, Takumi, for all of this. Because she's been rather quiet on this whole ordeal until they're in that room and she's rounding on him. Not vicious, not angry, but knowing that they're in a place no one else is going to bother trying to get their attention or overhear them at.

"Close the door and cut the shit, what are you?" She's not mad, really, her tone is a little more irritated than anything, though it's more that she still can't put her finger on all of it.

"I haven't been this drawn to someone in the history of... ever... and it's concerning and I can't say I know how to deal with any of it. Spill."

As if she wasn't alarmed, as if he wasn't concerned at all, Takumi shut the door behind them, and turned.

His posture was different. Takumi would never be tall, and he wasn't hunching before. But, the way he stood at this moment - it was with an expectation of command, of power, of being listened to and obeyed.

Likewise, his expression - it stayed polite and smiling, but it wasn't soft and easy-going. It was charismatic, but not harmless or even flirting.

It was as if the subtle power around him, that was spread out, was coalescing.

"I am terribly sorry for alarming you," Takumi said softly, voice a little silky, political and soothing rather than light and bubbly.

He tilted his head, and it was less a cute, curious expression - and more predatory. "You had made that post, soon after that anonymous transmission, about undead rights?"

Takumi paused, and put this out there. "And I had just spoken, to a litch, who was asking about the same rights. Who said, when I'd asked, that they could look like anything, anything at all."

That demeanor switched on what felt like a dime and she's... honestly concerned now. He doesn't seem to be threatening her, not yet, but there's just something that is not making her feel particularly safe in this situation. What's she supposed to really do when she's pinned in this room, more or less? Try and worm her way out of it, when it came down to it, she never was much of a fighter outside of magic and in an enclosed space was a terrible idea.

Though those last words has her pausing and turning the words over in her mind, this must be... ah, that one. Perhaps this wasn't as bad as she initially thought it was, then.

Immediately she's calming herself, perching on the edge of the desk in the middle of the small room, legs crossed delicately and hands clutching the edge. Her expression has switched from irritated concern to an easy smirk, calm and collected. Poised and very clearly practiced in her many, many years.

"You caught me, not that I made it difficult~" She's cooing, tone light and teasing despite everything right about now. "Which would make you... the interesting one with the lightning then, hm?"

For a moment, Takumi almost starts to feel a little guilty, for pinning her down in here. But, she was an unknown threat who - apparently - had noticed he was different, and just leaving her alone would have her ask unwanted questions (with more quasi-subtly) which was just dangerous.

But then, she recovered - perhaps not particularly gracefully, but she gained her poise, her confidence, and her teasing tone back. Which pleased him. He was curious, after all, not angry.

Takumi only wanted to make certain he had the upper hand if everything went south.

"If this is still a secret between you and I?" And that was a good thing to bet on, considering how the woman disguised herself. He held up a hand, and built up a tiny bit of Force Lightning there, before letting it disperse harmlessly.

He smirked. "I'm the one with the lightning - it's up to you if you find me interesting."

Not her most graceful moment, no, but she wasn't usually caught out alone by herself, it took some readjusting. But either way she's keeping to her position, carefully watching him and seeming pleased enough at seeing what she'd been promised, even on a smaller scale.

"This is indeed a secret between you and I, darling, I'm not keen on giving away to everyone what I am. At least not yet. I'm sure you can guess why." After finding out about the undead fiasco, it's pretty clear as to why she'd continue her disguise in this place.

But for the moment she's satisfied with this, head tilting to the side at the latter comment. "You certainly are interesting, so far, given whatever that attraction thing was. As I said previously, that's not something I've encountered before." With that she's turning her attention to her nails for a brief moment, making sure of something before her attention is back on him.

"I take it you want answers?"

Dryly, he acknowledged, "I did get a small idea of what people like you have gone through, here."

Though he smiled when he said that, he frowned a moment after. "It's a bit ... disappointing, seeing that kind of prejudice here, where there isn't even tradition driving it."

But the displeased expression vanished soon after, and Takumi had that smooth and politic expression again. Like he was sitting with his fellow Darth Lords, rather than standing in the library. "I have a unique ... pull among ghosts, it's been said. I really hadn't any idea if other undead would be able to tell."

His smile grew wider. "You're not reacting quite as they do, but then? I realize you're no ghost. So, yes, I do have some questions I'd like the answer to."

Takumi began with, "I'd first like to know your name, if you could be so kind."

Perhaps speaking on better things is best to dwell on and she's certainly more than happy to answer his questions and get some answers in return. Particularly the one she just got. "... Huh. I guess us undead aren't entirely different when it comes to certain things."

Oh, her name, she hadn't bothered with that, had she? Oops, how rude.

"Lydia, simple enough, isn't it?" She's lightly teasing him for even asking that sort of question, though it's all in good fun right about now. "And like I said, I'm a lich, which I thought was a common knowledge thing, but I guuuuuess not. This place continues to surprise me, not entirely in the fun ways." Mostly she hates describing what her kind is over and over as it's never a good reason for their existences.

Takumi nodded his head in agreement, adding wryly, "So it seems."

It remained to be seen if she could be subdued and bound with the Force Walk ritual - but he had no desire to, presently. Takumi certainly didn't need any more power in this place - compared to what he'd seen and what few threats there were, there was nothing here he needed such extraordinary measures against. Plus, even with a threat which required such power? He doubted it'd work the same with a litch than a ghost.

After all, she wasn't incorporeal. It's not as if he could absorb her into himself, he mused.

"It's not all bad, is it?" Takumi teased back, and made an expressive gesture with his hands. "I've been able to learn all sorts of things about other worlds so far - different magic, different creatures, different technology - and I've hardly been here long at all."

This sort of charm wasn't the harmless one from before - but it was still in good fun, indeed. "I think there's much we can learn from each other, Lydia."

At least he couldn't absorb her in that sort of method, at least. But those other methods were entirely not related to this what-so-ever, really.

"I didn't say all of it was bad. Just that not all of it is good, either." Oh my goodness, Takumi. "How much do you know about different magic and creatures, then? Given you had never heard of a lich or something like my kind. Those books seem to be lacking." That's far too much of a jab at all of the information than anything else, given she's smiling lightly and making a small flame from her fingertip before getting rid of it again. "Even the most basic of spells can't be learned by everyone, after all." At least the way she knows of things.

She's quiet for a moment, watching him carefully before moving her hands back on the table so she can lean back just a bit. "You're probably right, darling. If we're going to be stuck here, may as learn what we can. Not that it'd help me if I ever ended back home."

Fair point, and Takumi smiled, bowing his head a little, conceding it. "I admit, my attention has been a bit taken of late, with magitek and dreadful little experiments which - to be entirely honest - have me inclined towards giant balls of lightning, just as the Everglade situation does."

For a moment, he loses some of that politic, and looks genuinely wistful. "There is indeed just so much knowledge here. You can end up down one wormhole, end up deep within that corner of space, and forget to look at the rest of the galaxy."

But Takumi's eyes were then sharp once more. "I would have to disagree. I might not be able to perform the magic I read about - or replicate the technology I see - but I know history."

"And history, is always the key, my dear, to learning and preventing mistakes, avoiding pitfalls, and circumventing an early oblivion. Even if it's not your own that you're learning from."

Oh dear, she's unable to bite back that light laugh as she merely contemplates him. She hadn't meant to upset him, but the fact that he's that defensive over all of this is actually a little hilarious to her.

"Wasn't meant to offend, even if you kind of showed yourself to be a giant nerd." There's all the fondness in that last part, that ridiculous insult. But she's carefully contemplating her next words, pushing herself back up to sit properly and tilt her head once again. History is interesting, she supposes, but it sounds like such a mortal concept.

"I'd normally agree. But I'm already dead and already going to face oblivion if this place ever decided to send me back. There's little for me to learn in order to stop such a thing from happening again. All I can do is learn how to survive here and perhaps stop another from making my mistakes, but that's highly situational."

Takumi isn't offended - in fact, he chuckles a bit, genuinely amused.

"Giant nerd is one way to put it," he said, but then added, "Or, if you'd like- Head of the Pyramid of Ancient Knowledge; keeper the mystical knowledge of the Sith, guardian of the secrets of our order."

Once again, there's that air of power. He was a Darth, ruler of the Sith with the others on the Council, answering only to them and the Emperor himself.

But, his expression definitely became more somber as she continued to speak. At the end, he was entirely serious - the charismatic smile was gone.

"I had already promised, to someone who couldn't even guess at my power, that'd I'd research a way to keep those who'd died or were going to die, from their fates."

Inclining his head, he continued, "Such oblivion I'd consider the same, undead or not, Lydia. I'm working now to find a way to keep you, at least, from returning, if there's no way to prevent it."

Why. That's all she can think of right now, why would he even bother with such a thing? She's sliding off the desk to pace the bits she can, not seeming to have a problem even in the ridiculous heels she's currently wearing. Though she seems to be lost in her thoughts for a moment.

No one had... really bothered ever saying that sort of thing to her and it's not something she knows how to really deal with. The only person she had before all of this that cared about her existence was her brother and... well.

She's finally stopping to look at him again, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "Why."

Watching her carefully - a little concerned he'd end up with another person who had panic attacks, honestly - Takumi stood his ground, and waited her out. Her thoughts, her feelings, were things she'd needed to work out on her own.

At the same time, though, Takumi was ready. If ... whatever the bloodline of Kallig meant, agitating ghosts and possibly the undead ... he had to be ready for an attack. He didn't want to be, but it was only sensible to be prepared.

The question, when it came, made a lot of sense to him. His expression was still grave.

"It is one thing, perhaps a mortal thing, to expect and be prepared for death. Even I - with all of my power - am more prepared to accept it, than find ways to cheat it."

"But it's another thing, to have death or oblivion waiting for you. An unmovable fate, an inescapable cage. Something without choice - just a blade, for you to run headlong into, with a hand on your back, pushing you against it."

"We should not be caged by fate, we have our choices. No-one deserves to be imprisoned by such a thing - to be trapped here against their will, knowing that at any time, if they leave, they are gone."

Takumi's eyes sparked with passion, now. "I do not accept chains of any kind, Lydia. Either people will be free to live out their lives here - or they will be free of a death sentence when they return. Those are the only acceptable options to me."

Normally she would agree on such a thing, but she's honestly just staring at him after that before taking a seat on the desk again and rubbing a hand down her face with a small irritated noise. Ugh.

"Here's the thing, the oblivion I would face if I went home was my doing, my choice. If I went home and did not face it, then I'd be left on that plane alone and I'm not keen on doing that. I'd rather be gone forever."

What she means by that is anyone's guess right now, but her attention is flicking to the floor, teeth lightly worrying at her lip as she tries to figure out just how much to actually reveal to him right now.

"To be fair, I deserve it."

Takumi crossed his arms, listening, but not judging. Or, at least, his expression was free of censure. He waited her out.

Loneliness, and even a trace of guilt - though perhaps only trace. More of an acceptance, a realistic look at her past actions. He didn't know what she'd gone through, but through the general, broad brush of those sorts of feelings she was expressing - well, how could he not relate to them, considering his own past?

"Perhaps," He walked a little closer, and said, quieter, "This is a rare chance, for many of us. Would you invoke the same consequences, here, as you had in your own world?"

It was almost worse that he was quiet through all of her words, though as he's stepping forward, she's looking up once again to search his face for something that would make him seem anything but genuine. But she's failing that easily enough and is instead listening to his words, turning them over and seeing what could possibly be wrong with them.

Her brother wasn't here, he probably never would be, and she had no control over this world. And given how high strung people had been about her kind before, was it really worth trying to continue living as she had before? No, not really.

Did she feel guilt over what she did? Not particularly, more guilt that all that had led to her choices in the first place hadn't worked and had left her in her truly dying moments in pain and by herself.

A shudder ran her spine for but a moment, hands clutching tighter to the desk edge until her knuckles were white. "No. All of the catalysts for it are gone here."

"Then, despite your past choices," Takumi pointed out, "you still have a chance, a choice, to make your own fate in a new world."

He reached forward, hand hovering by her face - not quite touching, not making that presumption. Almost, but not quite, intruding on her boundaries. Implying that he would, but awaiting permission. As he watched, prepared for a backlash, hoped one would never come.

"You do not have to take oblivion for granted, Lydia." His voice was compelling, not commanding, but still powerful. "Why not thrive, in this world, instead?"

Is his hand really near her face? She's watching that carefully before deciding that it was better to just act instead of give some sort of permission, thus she's just going to press her cheek into his hand like a gigantic nerd. Oddly enough she does have something akin to warmth that should be present with skin, but that's possibly just another part of her illusion nonsense.

"I suppose that's true. While it will be... odd... to act without my brother, I don't really have a choice in that matter." Which is absolutely true to her, not that she had been terribly interested in speaking about her brother before now for whatever odd reason.

His touch was gentle, his hands soft despite the past couple of years - after all, gloves were the usual thing. They kept his hands as smooth and unblemished as his former mistress would have required of her slaves. Takumi gently lifted her gaze, so their eyes would meet.

To attempt to gain her trust, to attempt to persuade her to have hope again, to have her listen without any touch of his abilities in the Force - it was a heady sensation. Takumi let that pride fill him, bolster his confidence.

"Your choices will lie elsewhere, my dear," he reassured her, "as difficult as it may be for us both, to act alone, without those we cared for in our own worlds."

Takumi's grey eyes were steady. "Let me know what you need - and I will do my best to help you. In return, as I try to keep you here, away from meeting oblivion - I hope you can aid me, if I have need of any of your skills."

Perhaps it was for the best that he hadn't used any of his Force abilities on her, this being something more... natural than anything else. But she's quiet as she listens, letting him turn her gaze back up to him, attention piqued and focused on him versus anything else in this damn place right now.

"I never did properly explain how liches... survive, have I?" That's at least more information than she'd given previously. "We keep our sanity based on using strong emotions, tending to be different for each lich, I've... learned to live on suffering." At least she's come clean with it for the most part. "I have a place I've recently set up to help me in such an endeavor, but so far no takers..."

Living on suffering. Takumi could only imagine what that place would involve, then, and - yes, the Wonderland. He remembered watching that video. Some reality entertainment. Part of him recoiled. His poker face, however - honed from years as surviving as the sort of slave he had been - didn't falter.

"There so much suffering here already," Takumi said, making his voice contemplative, not disapproving, or even criticizing. Like he was talking about the weather. "Yet you need more?"

Inwardly, his mind was racing. This would be like Khem Val all over again, wasn't it? Except it was easy enough to keep his companion fed, at home. Everyone seemed to throw themselves in their path to attack them, especially Force-users.

Here, in a peaceful world? Finding Lydia what she needed may be more ... challenging.

Reality entertainment, it had been something she was doing legitimately, but behind the scenes was a whole lot worse when she wasn't putting on such shows. Either way, she seems complacent enough even while he questions her need for more of it.

"It's not just for sanity's sake, either. Other than illusions, the majority of things I can create uses it as well. Thus the need for... more of it." That's not even the entire case, but it's not stopping her from trying to nuzzle further into his hand like some sort of cat. "I suppose I became dependent on a higher amount of it, Wonderland at home drew in so many people for us to use lifetime after lifetime, of course. Now it... feels as if I'm in the desert with no water to be found."

"We must be cautious, my dear," Takumi pointed out, though it was said with a hint of apology, rather than with the hint of admonishment that he was actually thinking. "There are many people here, as you have likely seen, who would object to the suffering of innocents."

And there was the key, wasn't it? Because what the litch was suggesting was basically torture, and he wouldn't abide by innocent people suffering. Not if he could help prevent it. Still, she was just trying to survive, and he refused to bind and chain her, enslave her, to make her comply, either.

Regret in his tone, "We may need to help you wean down, until your present Wonderland acquires more interest."

Then, contemplative, "And, perhaps, we can retool the Wonderland to fit more in line with the ... shall we say ... values of the powerful in this world."

Caution was never really her forte, but she's frowning immediately at the comment on innocents. "The way it was, is, designed is that it only attracts the attention of those greedy enough to want whatever their hearts could desire. Thus I would never call them innocents." She's not completely in accurate in the end there, of course.

Nor does she seem terribly keen on the idea of weaning herself from the amount she was used to, a small, annoyed sigh slipping past her lips but not more than that. "I suppose so, darling, but it's a hard thing to do when you've survived like that for centuries. And if it leads to my grasp on sanity being shaky..." She's trailing off immediately there, letting him speak further without any extra comment from there.

She's really not sure how that would work out, but what choice does she really have?

"I understand," the Sith soothed, even if, being on the light, it was only an intellectual understanding. "But we need to be mindful of where we are. I wouldn't want you to meet oblivion here, or worse, considering people apparently do not die in Genessia."

Takumi stressed, "I'm thinking of your survival, and your sanity as well. I don't want to think if the Guardians arrest you, deprive you of what you need, what that could do to you."

"How are you doing now?" and this question had genuine concern.

The fact he's not wrong is what's getting under her skin, not really wanting to confront that sort of thing. But if they found out about what she'd been doing, it wouldn't matter if they were innocent or not, would it? Just the fact that she'd done what she had and there was no excuse for that or whatever other ridiculous human morality could be pressed upon it.

Once he's asking that question, that tone, she's frowning at him once more. "Like I said, it feels like I'm in the desert and can't find water. I'm still... sane, but other than that it'd be comparable to exhaustion."

Mind going round and round - considering the resources, and tools, and people Takumi had at his disposal - he kept coming upon one thing. Currently, after all, he didn't have much. He'd perhaps gained a tentative ally of Captain Andor, or at least he didn't gain his suspicion. Same went with Captain Solo. He'd gained a close friend in Prompto, but there, he could have nothing for the litch. He refused.

So, when he came right down to the bare bones of it, the only thing he had was himself.

... It would have to be enough.

"I think I have a ... temporary solution, my dear Lydia." He drew his hand away, letting the fingertips trail across her cheek as he did. To keep her attention drawn to him. "But I believe the suffering you require invites a more ... private venue, shall we say."

His eyebrow raised, and he said, teasing, "My place or yours?"

As should be expected, she was immediately letting out a complaining little whine as he pulled his hand away, attention predictably still focused on him. Her hands have moved to rest gently in her lap, a brow raised as she listens to those words of his.

A private venue? A temporary solution? At this point she'd take anything to sate her thirst.

Until that last comment and she's fighting back the pink crawling to her cheeks, rude. "All I have is Wonderland, darling, but it's at least a building and situated away from everyone else. But it's your choice..."

The little whine, the blush, were gratifying to see. After all, that kind of charm was how he managed to survive the first twenty years of his life. Clearly it hadn't gone to waste.

Takumi gestured toward the door. "My place, then. If you'll follow me."

For the sake of surrounding eyes, he softened his pose, again, and so - he seemed smaller somehow, once more. The green turtleneck suited him like that, all soft corners and blunted edges.

But she knew, and his tone hadn't changed, for her ears only. "You'll need to forgive my present accommodations. I'm in the Commons yet, so it's perhaps ... not to my usual standards."

Of course, he was happy living out of his ship, but she didn't know that.

Chance | Log

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