Eventually, their shoulders touch while they whisper back and forth.

"Why would she be scared?"

Someone behind them makes a noise of irritation at their chatting.

"Wasn't she working for that guy? That's why dhes there."

URIAH BLACK

At first protective of the popcorn, especially as every time his hand dives, it dives lower and lower, Suzume eventually finds she tilts the bag toward him to make his life easier. Begrudgingly, of course. She is mindful not to leave her hand in there too long, and to pull it out whenever he came fishing.

She too appears to be locked into the movie. Unlike Uriah, however, she is not the best moviegoer. Something puzzles her endlessly that she cannot shake, and she leans toward him to whisper next to his cheek.

"Why didn't she just run? Why did she just stand there and get shot at? There were like.. ten escapes."

URIAH BLACK

Lost? What was she, seven? She didn't get lost.

Indignation flares across the bridge of her nose, red-hot and embarrassed. Who the hell was this guy?

And once again he smiles, and she can't help but notice that there is an easiness to it that she hadn't seen when he had been dealing with strangers. His 'all-business' smile sorely lacked whatever it was that this one he gives her now has.

She follows after him quietly, sitting back down into the comfortable seats. Suzu clutches the bag he's given her against her chest, carefully removing one piece at a time, clearly savoring it. Her eyes are glued to the movie screen, mildly wincing at how loud the sound effects are.

URIAH BLACK

The line is non-existent, as either no one else had the sense to go to the washroom early, or they didn't have to go at all. It is only a few minutes before she reappears. She takes her time, taking in the rows of movie posters and memorabilia.

Her attention falls over the carrot-topped young man waiting outside of their theatre. The woman's wide-eyed wonder quickly returns to a note of suspicion and narrowed eyebrows.

"What are you doing?"

Inside, the movie is starting without them.

URIAH BLACK

Suzu sets down in her seat, though is automatically and visibly bewildered by the fact they are side by side. One quick glance around points out to her that most people are if they're in groups.

How inconvenient. Didn't people want personal space? Or was that just her?

"Hmm..."

Indecision comes swiftly, her face a perpetual frown. She shifts in her seat, uncomfortable. Surely it was rude to stand up in the middle of the movie to rush to the washroom later. But did she really have to go now?

In the end, Suzume rises and moves past him, snatching more popcorn on the way.

URIAH BLACK

Her focus is on her feet against the carpeted ground, on measuring each breath to still the uncomfortable pressure in her chest. The sound of her name brings her to a halt and she glances up, spotting the sign for the romantic movie poster. She frowns, turning around to come right back.

They make their way inside, and on occasion she sneaks another piece or two of the popcorn. This time, however, she keeps her expression under control. Butter coats her fingertips and she absently licks it off given she doesn't have a napkin.

It appears they are just in time, as by the time they sit down, the trailers for other movies have begun. This, too, confuses her, as is expressed openly on her face.

URIAH BLACK

Suzu catches the widening of his smile, the trail of his eyes as they settle on her face. Her brows twitch and her smile falters and falls to pieces. She swallows, retreating to hold only his gaze a moment longer before that, too, pulls away.

"It's good. Come on, what are you waiting for?"

Why is he staring at me? And why does it make me so uncomfortable?

Frustrated, Suzume moves off in a direction. Ultimately, however, the girl will walk straight past the theatre they're meant to be in, a dark cloud hanging over her head and making it difficult to think.

URIAH BLACK

Butter.

Suzu tucks that knowledge away for later. She's like to stop off and pick up butter on her way home - or extra, anyway.

Her attention scans up and down on the movie poster, picking up on the plotline as best she can. With a shrug, she glances over her shoulder and then does a hungry double-take as Uriah approaches with bags of popcorn.

"Hm? Oh- what about that one?"

With her thumb, she gestures to the action adventure movie. Without waiting a second more, Suzume plucks a piece from the top of the bag, popping it into her mouth. A small, genuine smile peeks at the edges of her lips.

URIAH BLACK

The young man behind the counter simultaneously looks Suzu up and down with equal parts interest and unease, attention lingering on the scar smeared across her face. She is oblivious or willing to overlook it to peer past and into the popcorn machine.

Uriah approaches at her side and she glances at him subtly, chin tilted toward him for only a second.

"Yes - but don't you smell that? Why does it smell so good?"

Suzu's diet was boring, so most likely the popcorn she's had were plain, maybe just a bit of salt or something. She turns to look at him fully this time, her brown eyes are warm with intrigue. But she quickly catches herself and catches the lingering stare of the man behind the counter.

It promptly pulls her out of her awe and she pulls away from both boys to look at the movie posters. Like Uriah, she is drawn to the action one.

URIAH BLACK

Suzume steps delicately into the theatre entrance, eyes narrowed, suspicion and unease written all over her face. Normally she would have scoped out the whole place before entering, searched for exits, mapped out her route.

But she was blind, here, hovering at the arm of a boy she barely knew.

The woman turns to glance at him, but her attention spans over the popcorn bar. The warm, buttery smell of popcorn strikes hard, and she inhales deeply, eyes widening.

"That... that smells amazing."

Suzume abandons Uriah where he stands by the display, unthinking as she approaches the counter.

URIAH BLACK

Perhaps that wasn't what he wanted to hear. Suzu remains quiet, ignoring the flashing red light at the back of her mind. His response is clipped, uncomfortably patient, and it makes her nervous.

"Mmm.."

She responds respectfully to his comment on his son. Had he not sent her to his house once before to follow him? Evidently, he did know where the kid lives. It didn't occur to her that Uriah wished to not be found. He should do a better job in hiding.

Gabe reaches into his pocket and she glances down toward it, gaze lifting back to meet his gaze whether he met hers in return or not. She is calm.

"No, sir."

Did he want her to do so before delivering letters? Surely not. This was another test.

Fortunately, she hadn't been stupid enough to read it herself.

GABRIEL BLACK

"What?"

She blurts that out loud, a thought she'd preferred to keep to herself.

'Then prove it,' he said. He was challenging her, begging her to step up and fight. What was she supposed to do, back down? Let him win?

Absolutely not.

"Fine. You're buying."

He's busy cleaning up the cookies and she plucks from one of the ones he lifted, pressing nearer to him on her way past. She lifts the cookie to her mouth, hiding her flustered expression behind a mouthful of chocolate.

URIAH BLACK