had he been there, had he not stayed, would the dragons had been any better off? would he have been there when they took fiona, he would have had a choice and he would like to believe it impossible, but it wouldn't have been. 

he'd have died for his aunt and for all that she gave him, painted as much of the present with red to stain her past. maybe she would have preferred him a memory. 

maybe she prefers that still.

he spares her a withering look and tucks his tongue in his cheek. 

"and perhaps," he says, "you would be dead."

Lulu Flint

☉

profit margins are as slim as they come. tell any investor your next venture is a restaurant and they'll laugh in your face, but nikkari listens to her wants and sets them in a neat mental checklist, levying any connections to contractors he may be able to reach out to on her behalf.

they go to cross the street and a small car zips by. his hand darts out to grace the small of her back in warning, but he thinks nothing of it, sparing a glare at the receding brake lights. 

"let's scope out the competition, hm?" he says and leads them down another street. a cute bistro advertises lunch specials and an escape from the heat. their small patio is adorned with umbrellas offering ample shade. fruity cocktails and sweating glasses of sangria rest in the palms of most every guest. 

"a table for two."

"we currently have an hour long wait. would you like to be put on the list?"

"are the bar seats available while we wait?"

"yes, sir."

he leaves the name of their party - hect - and walks assuredly to the bar, cutting off another waiting patron on their way to the two remaining open seats. he puts his back to them, draws yumi's seat out for her, and smiles impishly.

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

he steps neatly around the area, hands folded politely behind his back. while the landlord shows them all of the essentials - gas hookups, kitchen flow, and the like - he meanders over to the windows. the glass panes have gathered grime; power-washing could fix them, but one look at the inset and he's sure they'd be better off replaced to offset energy costs.

it's a hot day and the sun stretches over their part of the sidewalk. people cross the street to avoid the hot tarmac and he hmms. 

"decent location," he agrees. he rolls up the sleeves to his linen shirt and curses the hoenn humidity for the umpteenth time. "it's a bit out of the restaurant district, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but we'll need to keep in mind a larger marketing budget to compensate, especially in those first few months.

"did it have all the bells and whistles you wanted?"

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

the thousands'-dollar bottles of wine and hundreds' by the shot liquor pay well enough where starlight can certainly afford to offer its water for free. nikkari reaches for his coat and bids the table a wordless farewell. they're happy to see him leave, palming the chips he'd coughed up. 

"you didn't happen to be looking for me, hm?" he asks nonchalantly as they walk. 

they hadn't talked after the rescue, only shared a fleeting frenzied stare, voices chasing after them. he still finds it difficult to extrapolate what was a conjuration and what was reality that day. 

"ah, actually, just a gimlet for me for now. and whatever she wants. yes, keep it open. thank you, anton," he says. 

Mitsuru Kagami

☉

his mouth goes dry. the shadows fold in on themselves and in their place is a man, daunting and worthless. shuffling cards, drunken murmurs, a haze of cigar smoke, all the familiar sights and sounds of just another night, with just the same people, her figure still in the back, watching through his eyes. 

he cannot admit to it. he cannot admit to never fully grasping her in all of her complexities. how he lay awake for years, wondering after where she went, why and how she left them all behind. 

"i am not her," he seethes. he was her arm, he was her eyes, he was her blood, and he has never not taken pride in that. 

Lulu Flint

☉

he's an opportunist, at his core. he'd told her roommate as such. there's no cause to feel remorse as she blinks sleepily through the request, granting admission without a second thought. her ambition can be funneled into brilliance, empire made stronger with his help. he hadn't been lying to mei about that either - he has no ill intents, no reason to see her sabotaged.

"the pleasure's all mine," he nearly purrs to her thanks. 

"you have my word. no steps taken without your approval." she drifts from him. he doesn't want to overstay his welcome, but he doesn't like the idea of leaving her alone without mei to look after her. 

so he makes himself useful, tidying where he can, not allowing himself to stray too deeply into her belongings. eventually, with little to read save a johtonian poetry book on the coffee table, he nestles into his chair and catches up on the news over his phone.

every once in a while, he gently presses the back of his hand to her forehead, feeling for a fever.

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

"i'm here now," he says, looking over his glass of water and at her as she takes a sip. "and i've already cleared my schedule." in truth, he hadn't, but it wouldn't take more than a couple of text and a few emails to ensure things kept running smoothly. 

"oh? well, then allow me to insist. you know how many properties i manage. i'm sure i can find a proper realtor and a more than generous contract."

he props a leg up, ankle over knee, and sets his water down beside him so he can temple his fingers together. 

"all the more reason to relax and focus on your health." he quirks a smile. "it might surprise you to know this," surely not, "but i've wanted to invest in you for quite some time, miss hasegawa, so allow me the courtesy of this favor."

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

while he's no stranger to home remedies, she seems too worse for wear to simply ride it out. but then again, he knows little of her symptoms and if she insists it's just a nasty bug, then it must be so. 

he crouches down to pick up the larger pieces of the broken bowl, pausing when she mentions her expansion into slateport. a smile flashes over his face and then disappears by the time he's standing and rooting around for her trash can to dispose of the mess. 

"ah, i've read some reports about those. thought the news was blowing it out of proportion until we saw some of our grunts bringing in word from the field. it could be toxic exposure and if that's the case, i'd recommend seeing one of our physicians." he helps himself to a glass of water and sits on the couch opposite her, making himself comfortable.

"as for slateport, allow me to help."

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

no matter how tall he stood, he could never impose a larger shadow than the woman that haunts lulu. the amorous sounds of their bleeding hearts die all at once and in its place is the soft murmur of better, and worse, times. he reaches - slowly, gently, but her fingers have already curled in warning and her face has already twisted. 

he sees a challenge, not finality, in her stare and his own eyes go dark and cold.

"i know you," he says. "i know your fears and your desires and i know why it's easier for you to make me out a villain."

the shadow splits, warps - that intimidating figure of a broad, mean woman becomes leaner. sharper. fingers like needles and teeth like daggers - sapphire eyes glimmer in the dark. alecto cackles.

Lulu Flint

☉

he watches carefully played winnings swirl down the proverbial drain and hmms in response, waving a hand when the dealer starts again. he grabs what's left of his chips, excuses himself, and is standing beside his chair by the time she approaches him. 

silence and silence and silence and hi. 

amusement glimmers in his eyes and he says, "you're looking well. better than i last saw you. fancy a drink? i'm afraid my luck's gone dry."

Mitsuru Kagami

☉

she is fretfully unlike herself, which is troubling. at the very least, he's glad she doesn't put up much of a fuss to his touch; he helps her down, adjusts the pillows and blankets for her comfort, and then ensures her water is well within reach before sticking his nose in the pantry to find a broom.

"have you seen a physician?" he asks. he fetches another bowl and steps around the mess for the time being. 

"eat," he commands as he sets the steaming bowl in front of her, chopsticks and spoon arranged neatly beside it. he moves off to tidy; meanwhile, crown makes herself at home by leaping up onto her couch and curling against her, fluff providing body heat.

Yumi Hasegawa

☉