More capacity for humor.[break]
Good sign, good sign…[break][break]

”Compliment, one hundred percent,” he reassured her, though not without a toothy, playful touch to the smile he bore as the words left his lips. ”Take it as you will, but I mean well by it. Pinky promise, scout’s honor~.”[break][break]

A bit dramatic to prove the point, but regardless of impressions, there was genuine intent within his words. Paying the end interpretation little mind, however, he merely moved along with the conversation, tilting his head within the face of her later murmurings. The grin upon his lips faltered faintly as a glimmer of equal parts curiosity and confusion entered his gaze, tilting his head softly.[break][break]

”...Huh. That so, though?”[break][break] he hummed idly.[break][break]

A brief silence overtook him before he shrugged.[break][break]

”I dunno. Sounds like everyone that said that’s outta their fuckin’ minds, if ya ask me.”

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: sleepless in slateport

☉

He listened for a while, but upon hearing her later words, that selfsame smile of his only proved to beam wider as a laugh left his lips.[break][break]

”Worth a million dollars, right~?”[break][break]

Jested so leisurely, yet confidently all the same, truly. With a shine within his eyes that rivaled the very heavens themselves, he tilted his head within a faint, yet instinctive sense of amusement as he nodded her way.[break][break]

”I dunno, though. Sometimes, forced is more endearin’— just means you’re at least tryna make the effort.” He lifted one of his hands, tracing the tips of his thumb and index finger, alike, to trace the form of his lips before holding them upon the corners of his lips.[break][break]

A gestured smile atop his own.[break][break]

”A forced smile ain’t inherently bad— just means it needs to be polished~. Bet it’d look even prettier when it is, though~.”

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: sleepless in slateport

☉

”Nahhh, nah— I’m good at tellin’ the truth, is all,” he shot back with a faint, amusement-induced intonation within his words. ”Just call the shots how I see ‘em. No more, no less~.”[break][break]

For a while longer, he considered her with a spark of both amusement and curiosity, alike, within his eyes before leaning forward slightly for the simple sake of gaining a better view of his menu. Hues of emerald skimmed the texts with a calm leisure as he flipped through the pages—once, twice—before ultimately settling on a rather common go-to of his. Seemingly impeccable timing, as well, as he found himself meeting eyes with their waiter for the night once he’d finally closed his own menu.[break][break]

He handed it off to their caretaker while ordering a Unovan strip steak for himself— though not without sides of salad and garlic parmesan roasted potatoes to go alongside it.[break][break]

”...For the record, though, I ain’t joking~,” he added before long, trailing a gaze after the waiter as they departed before looking towards the woman seated across from him once more. ”I consider honesty charming. It’s just real easy to get along with people that speak their mind honestly and confidently, ain’t it~? Don’t gotta worry about stuff to hide.”

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: sleepless in slateport

☉