While he took a sip of the bourbon-based drink, Gaultier shot a sideways glance at the women who entered the establishment with their own little entourage of Combee. The drink itself definitely fell much stronger than the typical red wine he chose to treat himself to on most occasions. It burned as it went down his throat, but by no means did he find disgust in the drink itself. If anything, it was a perfect blend. The berry syrup helped level it out a grand deal. Though before he could set the drink down, one of the rambunctious Combee slammed itself into the back of his head, which caused some of his drink to go up his nose and dribble down his chin, but most of it landing on his jacket and the tabletop.

How thankful he was that his typical fashion choice was mostly darks. At least he didn't have to worry about a noticeable stain, but he was quick to remove his jacket so it didn't soak through. A shame he couldn't finish his drink, but perhaps he could simply allow bygones to be bygones. Perhaps the pokemon was just having a good time and didn't realize where it was going. It wasn't until he felt its little teeth sink into his shoulder to perform a Bug Bite.

"Ah...! Filthy thing!" he scolded it as he attempted to bat it away. "I wish I could say the same, mon chou, but this one seems to want to pick a fight."

For now, at the very least, the Combee fluttered off to go terrorize some other patrons. He took the opportunity to breathe easy and feel his shoulder where the Combee had bitten. Thankfully it seemed there wasn't much damage, it just stung a little. Gaultier sat his emptied cup aside before he sighed and offered Esmee a serene smile.

"Although the circumstances were unfortunate, I must admit that I feel grateful to have met you. Tu es la lune à mes étoiles. (You are the moon to my stars.)"

⚰︎ divider made by milky!

@esmee

As she touched delicately along his previously injured shoulder, he carefully took hold of her wrist and planted a chaste kiss against the underside of it in a way to reassure her that he had no regrets whatsoever. It had grown to something much more than a means to cope, perhaps the comfort they found in one another had progressed into a relationship. The more he contemplated on that word, the more it felt right to say. Did his lover feel the same way? He could only hope that the new year allowed them to put a definitive title on what their unusual partnership was. Before he spoke, he flashed the Kadabra a sweet smile and mouthed a quiet 'thank you' to the poor creature that served as no more than a butler to Esmee.

"I have no regrets," he began. "At first, I was fearful. You are--were--my sister's lover before her unfortunate passing. It feels wrong to take you all for myself, but perhaps wrong for others is doing right by ourselves."

In a sense, he felt the partnership he had with Esmee was necessary, it was right. There was a strong sense of comfort to it that he hadn't quite felt before, and upon finding such comfort, he knew he needed to keep it all to himself. The notion in that made him grip just a little tighter on the blonde's wrist. Such a gesture felt almost possessive, that he didn't dare wish to let her go. Esmee may have been a black widow before meeting Gaultier, but he'd make sure to ensnare her in her own web when it came down to it. She was his and his alone. With the seed of possession well-rooted into his mind, he couldn't help but crave every bit of his lover.

"Then shall we take care of this infestation? I don't want them to interrupt our date."

He was the first to make the bold proclamation as to what their outing was. Gaultier had no shame in such. But that was neither here nor there, his focus fell on the rambunctious Combee that seemed to disturb not only them, but others as well. Truly, he hated the idea of such a special time together being ruined by an infestation, ergo it was better to destroy it at the source. Maybe it wasn't the time nor the place, but he made quick work to let his Aggron out of its pokeball. The Combee seemed momentarily intimidated, but it wasn't long before they began to swarm towards their position.

⚰︎ divider made by milky!

@esmee