It is fortunate for Suzume that she's heard that line before. Her line of work, on occasion, put her in the lap and at the whim of men with pickup lines similar if not worse than that.

So she blinks, brows pull forward into a confused, questioning expression, one she's mastered.

"How unfortunate for you."

URIAH BLACK

[attr="class","uriah"]"...yeah."

the lack of a reaction is annoying, but he shrugs it off and shifts his attention elsewhere.

he ignores the next person that approaches, leaving them in the capable hands of suzu.

when they leave, he asks:

"when does this end?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Suzume Amemiya

His flat answer speaks volumes. He doesn't grovel, gasp, attempt to win her favor. He's almost worse than other men; he genuinely never meant a word of it.

Suzu refocuses on the next curious face that stops by. She is efficient and smooth, explaining details and pulling heartstrings where necessary. With the signature on paper and the person making their leave, Suzu glances at Uriah again.

"In an hour or more. Why? Sick of me already?"

URIAH BLACK

[attr="class","uriah"]still, his gaze remains elsewhere; cast off to the side at the other booths, perhaps.

he shakes his head, scoffing.

"i just don't know why he wants me here. it's not like i'm doing the family any favors."

[attr="class","noodles"]Suzume Amemiya

This time, Suzu keeps her attention on him, bold where he is aloof and irritated.

"You are, Uriah. The people see your face, the face of a son who cares about his fathers company and it brings them peace of mind. Even if you don't care at all, they think you do. And it shows Mr. Black that you care, too."

And evidently, a small part of him did care. Otherwise he wouldn't be here and he wouldn't be questioning the reason why.

If he didn't care, he'd already be with another woman similar to the one who's number is in his pocket, or out with friends partying until he couldn't remember his name.

URIAH BLACK

[attr="class","uriah"]"he knows i don't care."

but he does care, even if his pride refuses to let him show it.

he tilts his head back, meeting her gaze.

"you probably care more than i do."

[attr="class","noodles"]Suzume Amemiya

She doesn't believe that to be true, but it isnt her place to say that, nor does she care enough to comfort him.

"I just work for him. I don't have the same bond; I'm not family."

She was an outsider pretending to play nice, really.

URIAH BLACK

[attr="class","uriah"]the only thing that bound him to GABRIEL BLACK is their surname; nothing more.

or at least that's what he tells himself.

"right."

surprisingly, he takes the initiative with the next patron and does his best to mingle, socializing with a somewhat trained ease. it's clear that if he puts the effort in, he could potentially be the heir his father has always wanted him to be.

he sits back down once they leave, sighing.

"any plans for when this is done?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Suzume Amemiya

Suzu moves to stand, but is ultimately interrupted when Uriah rises in her stead. It surprises her, impresses her, and she hesitates while he socializes.

In that window, she can see a younger version of Gabriel, confident and capable.

Suzu purses her lips and offers an indifferent shrug. She's sat back down by now.

"Check in with your father and do what I normally do: wait for him to ask me to do something else."

She is a caged bird, waiting for Gabe's beck and call.

URIAH BLACK

[attr="class","uriah"]"that sounds dreadful."

to constantly check-in, to wait for orders; in a way, he's thankful for being in the military. at least he has a plausible excuse whenever he wanted to get out of doing something.

"doesn't he give you any time off?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Suzume Amemiya

"That's my job as your fathers assistant. He's counting on me, relying on me."

Suzu frowns a bit at his question. One of the cookies calls to her and she reaches for it, bringing it beneath her nose to smell.

"Once in a while, maybe. But there isn't much else for me to do, so I don't mind."

Gabriel had also set her up in a guest house nearby his own. She was quite literally living in the lap of luxury. What more could she possibly ask for?

URIAH BLACK

[attr="class","uriah"]"yeah, you and like three others."

it must be nice to have so many assistants.

he reaches for a cookie not long after she does, biting into it before speaking.

"don't you want to, i dunno, do something fun? or something you like? like what are some of your hobbies?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Suzume Amemiya

Three others, but she was the one on his speed dial, she's sure.

"This... isn't fun?"

She supposes it isn't. But she's lived an entire life of having little to no time for herself, with a new task constantly onto the next, onto the next. It had never bothered her before and she'd never experienced a need or desire to do anything differently. She had never felt envy, in the sense that he was suggesting.


"Like what? What's a hobby?"

URIAH BLACK