expiationlogs | 🎆 Closed

Who: Aerith, Saito
Where: Some tavern in Aldrip, nighttime
What: Aerith witnesses firsthand the true nature of Mizuki's (supposed) father figure.
Warnings: Super vague mention of animal death (hunting) and prospect of murder. Also, some AI spoilers. Will add as necessary.

[The hunt with Mizuki was a success in all senses of the word. Although it was not in the dosage Saito would've liked, he still got to experience the sweet ecstasy each moment he drew life out of their preys. The money the duo received for their efforts was more than he'd hoped for, too. And last, but not least, he even got back at that brat for what she did to him, under the guise of an accident.

In the end, the tenderness he still feels in his shoulder and wrist paid off. With a good night's sleep, his body should be able to get rid of most of it. But before that could happen, he had unfinished business to tend to. He waited until his newly acquired hunting tool crashed in her bed, to head out of the room and leave the inn without a single concern in the back of his mind.

His streak of good luck seems to have finally taken a turn for the worse, when, after he'd already paid up and received his altered parchment, the unscrupulous merchant discloses a crucial detail that was never once brought up during negotiations.

More than the slightly elevated inflection of Saito's voice or the muffled sound of a gloved fist hitting wood, what draws the attention of those nearby is the shattering of glass. An unfortunate coincidence that resulted from the latter, as one empty shot glass fell off the table and hit the floor.]

What do you mean, it's temporary? You never said anything about that.

[It's yet due to another stroke of bad luck that the man who just cozened him manages to escape certain death. With those many eyes on him, he can't just put a bullet through the bastard's brain and then flee the scene unnoticed. Instead, he sits back down, but not without pulling a slim object from his coat, and placing it on the table; leaning forward and using his opposite elbow as if to create a defensive posture to hide the object in his hand from any prying eyes.

Tension seems to die down as the conman puts his hands up in an apologetic gesture while fumbling for words. But even the dim lighting in the interior of the tavern can't completely hide from any watchful eyes near the duo, that the object in Saito's hand is, in fact, a gun. Even if he's doing a decent job at being low profile about it.

The origin of the argument itself is also laid out on the table, entirely visible to any curious (or brave) passerby who might pay their table a little visit. At the very top of the innocent piece of paper reads the name: Kaname Date.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Semantics. The point that remains is that Saito's words are a lot more measured than hers. And, also unlike hers, more often than not used to cause harm rather than good.

He cocks an eyebrow at her warning, not intimidated by it in the slightest. As it stands, he only has a reason to take her warning seriously if she can somehow "be good with a chair" using a single hand. So, fingers tighten around her wrist instead. The last few times he had to deal with feisty women, there was little point in holding back, so the grip might start to feel less than appropriate for a friendly conversation.]

I'd take back your offer if I were you. Unless you're interested in seeing whether a chair makes a better weapon than a gun. I think neither of us would like to see that, here.

[He won't add he'd love to see that under circumstances where he would be able to actually get away with shooting her, though.]

Won't you reconsider my invitation? I promise, I just want to talk some more. In private.

[He must take her seriously on some level because when his hold tightens, she understands it’s simply to make it more difficult for her to use anything to her disposal. Aerith has other tricks up her sleeve, however, though she’d not really wanted to have to use any of them. If she has to, that’s a matter entirely different, isn’t it? The last thing she needs, or anyone else needs, is to hear that one of the Chosen are at the centre of an altercation. She’s already been looked at strangely for having a bodyguard. If anyone finds out she’s involved in something like this, the same people might just start believing that she is important.

What’s more important is hiding who and what she is. Giving Cloud fewer reasons to worry about her, not additional ones.

As she’s weighing her options, she’s carefully tugging against him, testing the hold and keeping subtle tabs on what’s available to her around them.]

I think you need a better outlet. [She replies, perhaps more even than she genuinely feels that she is.] I’m good right here. If you keep holding me like this, people are gonna think you’re my boyfriend or something.

[And that they’re having a lovers’ spat or something.]

[Is she starting to run out of words here? Because that's what her excuse sounds like to him. She should know by now Saito doesn't care about what people think of him. And this will become even clearer now; as he mimics her tugging in the opposite direction, and leans in closer.

Unlike warm sweet-nothings any loving boyfriend would whisper in her ear, his tone and the words enlaced by it are snide and cold. Purposely crafted to cause discomfort.]

Is that really what you're worried about? People never stopped giving us weird looks from the moment you stuck your nose in my business. Look around you.

[True enough, while most of the patrons have returned to minding their own businesses by now, the wariest of them never completely tore their attention away from the pair. Watching him, especially — and her by association, perhaps even looking out for her safety. Who knows.]

All the more reason for us to take this outside, wouldn't you agree?

[Aerith shifts only a touch when he leans closer to her. She understands that he’s doing it to be inconspicuous. Yet she’s never been the type to give into cowardice. She could cause a spectacle, she’s sure. But that would also bring her attention as much as it would bring her very close companion the same.]

Not especially.

[Her initial response leaves her after a breath or two of thought. For her, it’s a topic to stall. Something to give her just enough of an opportunity on how to handle this without creating more of a spectacle that he’s already created.]

They probably thought that the moment I came to join you.

[As she’s looking around at his urging, she locks eyes with a patron or two, not particularly sharp or firm, but almost a means of wordlessly implying that eyes might need to be kept on this guy in question.]

I don’t think you’ll get very far if you do that. That said, if you just wanna scold me, I don’t see any reason why you don’t just do that. I’m not ashamed of it. This is definitely not the first time I’ve meddled in something.

[And it sure won’t be the last, despite the idea that sometimes meddling just causes more problems for Aerith than she should want to throw herself into.]

[Not the type to buckle under some thinly-veiled threat, is she? Perhaps Saito underestimated her cunning (some would call it stupidity) and stubbornness. In fact, each time she talks back with an excuse not to head outside as per his polite request, she reminds him more and more of the brat who's waiting for him to return to the inn. Maybe it's time to stop beating around the bush. Not that he expects her attitude to change, anyway.

But maybe he can still get her to repay his loss somehow.]

Who said anything about scolding you? Just consider yourself lucky enough to get away without a bullet in that empty but hard head of yours.

[After the most measured whisper he can manage, he releases her arm, and sits back down on the same chair he was before she interfered.]

You don't have any idea what your bad habit of meddling ruined this time, do you?

Ah, a compliment!

[In truth, Aerith's head is really anything but empty, but it's very, very important that she portray herself in a way that makes it seem precisely the way that he's interpreting her. It has saved her in more ways than one several times before. She suspects that there's probably more at play for this specific situation. If he's letting her go, he likely has his own reasons.

Who knows when she'll figure out what those are. Assuming she does at all.

When he frees her arm, she wastes no time in folding her hands together thoughtfully.]

I don't, actually. Was I supposed to ask before I started meddling? Kind of defeats the purpose of meddling. I just heard what sounded like it could be a problem and I wanted to distract away from that if I could.

[The compliment comment only earns her a deeper furrowing of his eyebrows. She really isn't taking neither him nor this situation very seriously, is she.]

Well, just so you know, your meddling created a big problem for me.

[Leaning back into the chair and crossing his legs, he gestures at the chair across him.]

Ah, don't just stand there. Have a seat so we can settle our differences your way.

[If he can't vent his anger out his preferred way outside, at least there might be something she can do...]

[No. No, she's not. Welcome to the World of Aerith, where it's easier and sometimes better to just not take things seriously. Or at least seem like things aren't being taken seriously.]

I got that impression given your reaction. That's not to say that I haven't upset people before. I definitely have.

[His invitation is not one that she's expecting and for a moment, that surprise shows in her expression. Aerith doesn't really think this is coming out of her charms working on him. In truth, she doesn't expect he's the kind of person to react to that. But after a beat of consideration, she decides to play along.

What more can possibly go wrong, after all.

So she sits across from him, leaned forward in her chair, perhaps a touch juvenile.]

So we're gonna... talk? Or have tea or something...?

🎆 Closed

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never gonna give you up... ♪

♫ If too old, please feel free to drop. Sorry for the wait!

I'm never dropping unless you are uwu (also, sorry for the lateness!)

NEVER

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