chilled air kisses rosy skin as she tugs her scarf up, slightly, in an attempt to fend off the breeze. [break][break]

but she smiles, feeling the frigid air as she gazes out to the lights illuminating the night. it's certainly a view that she's missed, and one that she's never taken the time to enjoy fully. it still surprises her that she was invited out tonight, but she still wears a smile to her lips as her cheeks raise. [break][break]

at his words, she glances over and shakes her head, no matter how much a lie it might be (she's used to warmer weathers, where the flowers bloom and sway in the wind, ready to be pollinated for their nectar). "not too cold, don't worry~" she pumps one fist in front of her, a gesture to reassure him. she tries to keep the attention off her. [break][break]

"the view is really stunning, tonight~."

Dante Telos [break]
mission: vacation time

☉

He couldn’t help but smile more upon noting the gesture offered towards him, and with a chuckle and a shake of the head, he shifted his gaze towards the skies above them, once more. ”...Can’t say I entirely believe you,” he started off, ”but if you say so, I guess.”[break][break]

With his eyes still looming upon the perfectly aligned expanse of stars above them, he gestured idly towards the fire before them.[break][break]

”...Wouldn’t hurt to get a bit closer, though. I’m just saying~.”

mielle [break]
mission: vacation time

☉

a lie is a lie, and he's keen enough to see through it. [break][break]

she hoped that he wouldn't be able to, but he's sharp as ever. still, she's stubborn, and tries to maintain her gaze upon the full moon that illuminates the blanket of twilight. a hum escapes her lips as she weighs the options, and her eyes lower to the flame before them. it's warm, and it's comforting, and it reminds her a bit of a home she had before rocket. [break][break]

"mmn.." her lips press together, and she smiles as she loosens the scarf around her neck. with a casual hum and persisting smile she gently places the scarf over his shoulders, and stretches it until it can loop around her neck. mielle is content, leaning her head against his arm as the fire warms her from in front. [break][break]

and she smiles, nuzzling against his arm so casually, even when she knows they're only friends. [break][break]

but she can hope, just for one night, right?

Dante Telos [break]
mission: vacation time

☉

...There had been some sort of familiarity in all that followed. From the way he offered a smile and gaze towards the neighboring woman, as well as the manner in which she handled her own scarf around him so gently, there had been a sense of ongoing nostalgia imbued within his soul. Although he merely offered her a sparing glance prior to gazing towards the stars once more (not quite minding the closeness, and truthfully welcoming it, to a degree), his smile remained continuous as a result of the occurrences, altogether.[break][break]

He knew, though. He knew while remaining unknowing.[break]
In some other, distantly parallel world, he likely would’ve been there with another.[break]
In another, nothing would have changed, to begin with.[break][break]

But those worlds were their respective ones, and the given as the given- and for a small while more, the Dante of that universe eyed the heavens above for a while longer before humming softly. ”...Glad to see you took the offer so willingly~,” he mused, tilting his head faintly.

mielle [break]
mission: vacation time

☉

it's hard to believe that someone so sweet was a criminal. [break][break]

they're both in the same boat, and it's some sort of sick irony that they're both involved in this sort of work (it makes it impossible for them to lead a normal life - not one apart from their civilian moniker - but she very damn well tries). the woman smiles, softly, gazing out to the stars. there's something about this silence and unspoken comfort that feels nostalgic. something that washes her with nostalgia. [break][break]

the memories hurt. it puts a smile to her lips as she remembers, but the chill will always strike colder than the last. [break][break]

she raises her chin to give him a glance, then gives him the same, honey-filled smile as she nuzzles her cheek against his arm. he's warm. he's a friend, and though she knows they share the sheets on occasion, she hasn't felt this warm in a while. she'll tell herself to move away and to stop getting so attached, but it wouldn't hurt to revel and entertain the thoughts when he does push her away, right? [break][break]

"because you're warm~" she smiles, burying the lower half of her face against the scarf. "if i'm stepping over any bounds, do let me know~.."

Dante Telos [break]
mission: vacation time

☉

Upon hearing those words, he gave an immediate, yet softer shake of the head. ”No, you’re fine. Promise~.” The words held a rather lackadaisical, yet amused and passive tone to them; the claims in themselves met in tandem with a lingering hum that simply acted as a means of emphasizing as such. ”...Wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t fine with it, anyways.”[break][break]

And following that? A span of silence and thought, alike. The manner in which she’d nestled herself ever closer hadn’t been lost on him, and although he hadn’t quite voiced it, the gesture in itself had been more than welcomed, even if he’d been the one to extend the invitation, beforehand. There was something odd about the touch, though. Familiar. He didn’t have to look at her in order to picture the rosy skin within his mind, all due to the actions and aforementioned invitations taken.[break][break]

...He knew, though. He knew the familiarity of it.[break]
He knew why it was familiar.[break][break]

It may as well have been a rift within his mind, but at the very least, he remembered the feeling, and as he sat there, gazing upon the stars, he couldn’t help but think to himself.

mielle [break]
mission: vacation time

☉

she's done this before. [break][break]

looking at the stars, clinging onto the arm of a once-ler she loved so dearly. the chill of the winter is the same, as is the rosy red to her cheeks as she rests the side of her face against the coat sleeve of the man next to her. though the memories are distant and obscure, they're warm. they're sweet, and smooth as the honey she handles day to day. she only wishes they didn't sting her heart like the beedrill's nest when she thought too hard. [break][break]

not that thinking was ever her strong suit. [break][break]

"so you say~.." mielle isn't dumb, even though she's portrayed herself as such (and even though her cluelessness and oblivious nature may make others think the other way), she's isn't oblivious to the uncomfortable gazes shot her way when she starts to nestle too close to someone else, or when she starts getting too touchy with a friend and is mistaken for something else. he tells her that she's fine, and that he's fine with her affection, and there's a burning desire to believe it.[break][break]

a soft sigh, and her eyes turn back to the stars, aligned so beautifully in the sky. the silence is always so blissful, despite her always breaking it when something turns up in her mind - but for once, she keeps it shut in favour of enjoying the view, just for a little longer. There was something in that silence - something so warm, and comforting, and cherished - she'd feel a loss for breaking, but her curiosity really gets the better of her. [break][break]

".. you say that it's fine, but you seem quite lost in thought~" she chimes, glancing to his person from the corner of her eye.
"is something on your mind, dante?~"

Dante Telos [break]
mission: vacation time

☉

Peace amidst awareness. Peace that overtook awareness. There had been a sort of silence that he found himself fallen into as the time progressed, and as the night grew deeper within its embrace. Despite the weight and knowledge of another pressed against him, his own form remained relaxed as he sat as he was; the flicker and sparks of the flame set ablaze radiating a comforting heat as it dwindled before the two of them, and illuminating the closest part of his face (scars and all) as he gazed towards it with eyes both functional and not, alike.[break][break]

The words pierced the night as they came, however.[break][break]

In tandem with the words, his head turned faintly more than it normally would within past days in order to catch sight of their source; one eye opting to shut as the remaining, illuminated spark of azure directed itself towards the woman by his side. ”Mmn..? Ah. It’s…nothing, really~,” the words came calmly, and ultimately truthfully for the most part. He offered her an apologetic smile as if in attempted dismissal of his dwindling, shaking his head before glancing back towards the fires nearby. ”Absentminded thought and nothing more~. …Just a recollection of everything that’s happened until now, in general…”

mielle [break]
mission: vacation time

☉

if you told her years ago that she'd be here with someone else, she wouldn't believe it. [break]
if you told her that she'd become a criminal one day, she'd believe it even less. [break][break]

it's funny how it works, funny how the unexpected comes around, and how fiction distorts the view of reality when you grow up so closely with it. she remembers, vividly, when the last time she saw the stars so clearly was. she remembers the smoke from the barbecue, remembers the family that gathers around, remembers the arm she holds at a later time, and remembers how it was only ever one arm she hung on to despite her now nightly ventures. [break][break]

when did she become so promiscuous? to a point where she almost forgot what the cloudless night sky looked like? when she almost forgot what the clutter of city lights looked like? (ah, mielle, you truly are a lost cause.) she knows how straight forward he is, and knows he isn't lying to her when he says he doesn't mind her holding on, and doesn't mind the affection she gives so sparingly, as though it's something to be tossed and about. [break][break]

she'll close her eyes, reflecting on what he says, focusing on his voice (and away from the voice in her own head; the voice of her doubts) and hums in response. "you know, i've always wanted to ask~.." she starts, then lifting her head to keep a soft, green gaze ".. what brought you into rocket?~"

Dante Telos [break]
mission: vacation time

☉

…Even this in itself felt nostalgic.[break][break]

There had been another piece missing— he’d been fully aware it was the case, given that he’d been cast aside by said piece. Though he hadn’t quite remembered the context, there had always been the inkling of the feeling of another. Though he hadn’t quite remembered the context, there had always been traces of…familiarity. Curiosity. Longing.[break][break]

…All things shared with another, yet not the slightest bit out of place where he had been of recent days.[break][break]

Though he hadn’t voiced it for subtle fear of letting another good thing go, there had always been a sense of home to be felt in the presence of the one with him— and it was then when she voiced herself that he drifted swiftly away from his own thoughts and musings in favor of peering down at her. A single hue of azure met those of viridian with the simplest, faintest of glances as he offered her a small smile while perking up and properly accounting for the inquiry bestowed upon him.[break][break]

”...Ah. You’re curious about that~?” he hummed with a soft chuckle, his cheeks raising gently to offer a view of both smiling eyes and lips, alike. His eye lingered upon her for a small while longer prior to shifting towards the vast heavens strewn before them once more. He gave an idle sigh while shrugging. ”...From what I’ve been told, it was really just a natural thing~. My family is of a mafia background—stereotypes be damned, I know—and so both their paths and my path simply ended up crossing naturally~.”[break][break]

He gave another, chuckling hum under his breath before giving her side eyed glance yet again.[break][break]

”...Did you think it to be more complex and nefarious than that~?”

mielle [break]
mission: vacation time

☉

there was a part of her that thought it would be; the possibility that he was a horrible man, the possibility that he was forced into rocket work, the possibility that he was here for his own, "nefarious" reasons. there were many people in rocket who came from different walks of life, although the one thing they shared (since the new and changed leadership in rocket) was their loyalty to the crime, to the organization, in order to rule hoenn to spread fear. [break][break]

the thought churned her heart, a little. [break][break]

when she's asked, she only hums, tilting her head back, though not without nestling the side of her face against his arm. it was warmer this way, after all "perhaps~" she responds, with a chime and a smile. "after all, people of all walks of life find their way into rocket, and crime." she's no different in that crowd, although she has to wonder what portion of the crowd is she to return to the place she desperately once wished to leave. [break][break]

but there's a nagging question in the back of her mind, something that she's always been curious, about criminals who do their work (she has to wonder where the compassion goes, what drives them, what makes it click). "it's just that.." she hums, quieting down. he's too kind, and too much of a sweetheart, from what she's seen. and there's something in the back of her mind that asks "... why do you stay with it?"

Dante Telos

☉

Though the responses had been shorter and simple enough, there had absolutely been truth to them, and in light of such acknowledgments, he simply nodded and hummed in agreement as she spoke; an agreement that he’d truly thought to have led into a thoughtful period of silence in the midst of the words. Some time into the response, he’d shifted his gaze towards the waters afar, once more, and opted to simply watch the moonlight ripple upon its surfaces.[break][break]

The inquiry she posed a small time after caught him off guard due to the assumption.[break][break]

For a little while longer, he gazed afar, though with a subtle idleness within his eye as he allowed the question to properly process, and as he allowed himself the time to begin gathering his wits. Slightly, the smile upon his lips faltered (whether in thought or in dismay), and a second, lower hum escaped his lips.[break][break]

”...Mmn… The honest answer?”[break][break]

He furrowed his brows slightly, glancing towards her once more as she rested herself against his arm.[break][break]

”...It’s all I know, and it’s all I have,” he said simply, his tone vaguely pensive for once. ”I’m aware I have my family, and I’m aware I have other connections from my past, but they’re…people that I don’t know, simply put. I love them, instinctively, but…aside from that, this life is really all I know.”

mielle [break]
mission: vacation time

☉

doesn't that sound familiar, mielle? [break][break]

frighteningly so, with enough silence to fill in the gaps of her own thought. he's similar, to her. two people who've no where else to go; where the man can no longer remember what paths would be open to who he is, - who he was, - and the woman is caught doing what's familiar, and secure to her. yes, mielle is kind, and dumb, and not the smartest or sharpest knife on the drawer - but with age does come some degree of wisdom. [break][break]

the wisdom to understand and sympathize, and the patience that comes with it. [break][break]

"i see~.." the hum and chime dull near the end of her words, and there was a time where she knew that she'd be disgusted with the deeds of rocket (and maybe, somewhere deep in her heart, she is). how surprised would sweet, innocent mielle be if she knew that this is where she would end up?[break][break]

amnesia, perhaps? it's the inkling that she has when he speaks, even if it's vaguely. what she lacks in awareness and intelligence she makes up for in cues, and noticing the minute details of someone she focuses on. the vagueness won't save him from her prying, but her sympathy will restrain her. [break][break]

instead, she hums, softly, her hold loosening but never leaving "perhaps i'm in no position to say this," mielle's gaze lowers, and her grip upon his arm loosens but never falls. she can't judge him for what he's done, or what he will do. it'll make her a hypocrite "but if you love them, and don't remember why you love them," she starts again, taking in a deep breath of air ".. then you can develop a new love for them.

Dante Telos

☉