#but underneath that is a sweetheart as i think we've seen with daisuke who will not hesitate to lay her safety down to secure someone's goo

[brawlqueen]

her lips subconsciously twitch in a semblance of rare gentleness . it's not even something she's self-aware of , crinkling eyes and a ghost of a curled mouth. that fondness sinking and rising above the tumultuous currents of the detective's previously stony demeanor . despite the light in her left eye, ( aiba ? aiba ! . . . no signal. it's just me . . ) mizuki's expression seems to momentarily defrost into something that seems far more true than before.

" . . . she's a huge part of me, that's for sure . usually she'd be right in front of your eyes . she's the most i have left of vision at this point . and . . she's my partner. she's -- . . " a pause , emotions subconsciously spilling - after all , silence and separation made the heart fonder ; right?

( and more open . )

" -- important. " to stupid date, to me. she's more than i could ever tell her without her getting a bigger ego . . !

there's a long pause as mizuki sizes him up. the wings? longer teeth? pupiled eyes slit like? yeah , something was up , but in her eighteen years she had seen lifetimes. maybe not in the way his eyes felt so boyish and young and old and piercing all at once but.... mizuki has enough perception and wisdom from a child buried long ago to understand that her usual bold approaches won't do her any favors . the smile slowly slips ; twisting faintly not in discomfort, hardly fear, a word rarely applicable . . . and listens.

" . . . honestly ? i never planned to fight you . i barged in here, remember ? evennnn if didn't mean to. so . . it's kinda my bad. if anything , this place . . . " it's lonely. like a somnium, it's full . . of feelings as much as that emptiness i woke up to .

" yeah , we got on a bad foot. it's inconvenient and probably not the best idea . especially if i'm trespassing . . .though to be honest , it looks lonely here . if this is a dream, maybe not what i'm familiar with . . . or just a space, then - i think you could spruce it up . " she awkwardly shifts a black shoe around her adjacent heel from behind.

" . . not the paintings though . they're really pretty. " an offhand. " so, to make up for the misunderstandings, bad footing, yadda yadda . . how about i give you my name? " a slow blink, lashes ghosting her cheeks and contemplative expression before raising her head to him; a black glove brushing blue strands from the woman's face.

" mizuki . and don't be too weirded out by the attitude change . if i did something wrong, i'm going to do something about it . it doesn't feel right intruding like this . . . even if i would give some parts minus all the pretty art: a touch up; y'know, dust-cleaning ? is this like, your home? you're very protective of it. "

" . . . whoa whoa whoa - phantom thief? what, like that one guy in fiction or something ? dark ? uhhh . . . " she keeps her sharp tongue, both blade and balm, shut. "that's a first. well you definitely stand out on that one. dark , huh ? might take me a bit but sure . but i don't know anything about a phantom thief . and i'd know about something like that . " it's cryptic; the last bit before mizuki's mouth curls in something between a humored breath of a laugh and bewilderment.

" magic ? uhhhh . . .excuse me ? again , no dice on that one. magic. well, you have wings... " a brief point that is surprisingly, akin to the majority might, non-judgmental .

" . . . look , whatever you call it, magic, whatever, didn't we say we weren't gonna fight ? i told you essentially that i'm sorry. " though he kinda looks lonely here. really recycling the lonely part huh , mizuki ?

" so , dark, " she begins ; mouth curling slightly at how skittish he was around her. it was both amusing and kinda . . endearing? stupid ? both ?

what a weirdo !

" i'm gonna need your help. you up for that? if i'm here , then my body probably isn't awake . no, it's definitely not . and i need to get back to her, and some idiot . " date , i better not be in a coma . . geez . why i am worried about him ? i should kinda be worried about me . . .

mizuki places a hand on her hip; one brow raised and her smile turning into a harmless smirk. " c'mon , not like you want me around here longer, right ? "

a brow raises --- and cautiously , dark's posture shifts . no sudden movements , no aggressive instincts , nothing more than the set of an elbow onto practically the only thing separating the two of them in the gloomy space of the dream , his head supported by a grooveless palm , brilliant black wings unfolding and fluttering . silent as it should have been , it wasn't difficult for his ears to pick up her bits and pieces .

' ... phew . ' he can't help but sigh . a study of her expression alone seems to impart enough , and it's only now that he finally leaves the meager sanctuary he had situated for himself , maintaining a safe distance for them both while his arms push themselves into a tight cross . he doesn't growl , grin or jeer at her , his own expression still and difficult to read --- if she was mature , then he was ancient .

' ... what , you usually do this sort of thing with a close partner ? ' too , he might have added . ' are you going to be alright , then ? look , we might have gotten off to a rough start , but it hurts to be separated from a part of yourself . personally , i still don't have any interest in fighting you , especially if you're feeling disoriented at all . ' in the underbelly of his gently-pronounced , carelessly-spoken statement , his own subtle promise remained , in that he wouldn't somehow attempt to further kick and wound her should she have already been considered down in this place .

--- the rest comes merely as a surprise .

it's a strange feeling , too --- to seem scolded . of course he was here . when was he not ? when the world opened up , and he was free , just for a little bit ? enough to take and admire just one more work of art , adding it to the mass of this hollow dimension . he doesn't understand how anybody could cut to the very center of himself in a way like this , but if there's any effect , he hurries to hide it : both his existential feebleness , and his own monstrous quality as a thing --- how funny , how sad , how lonely , to be mistaken for someone . once again , dark's tongue clicks . he clears his throat ; adjusts himself with no shortage of accused grumpiness .

' yeah , well --- obviously . ' it's a curt response to her point and intensity . no matter his own impatience , surely if he waited in this place , daisuke too would someday , over and over again , find and call out for him . even if there was nothing else here , he alone existed . ' ... 'scuze me for assuming that you weren't exactly eager for my company . ' he veils and curtains what he can . a taste of his own medicine , she says --- well , he's certainly never gotten one in any way like this , so that made two of them .

' --- and who the hell's being dramatic ?! you know i could probably just send you right out and back with a little magic , right ?! do you even know who you're talking to ?! ' probably not , asking all sorts of questions ! ' right now , you're having a conversation with the one and only phantom thief dark ! who the hell are you even supposed to be in the first place ?! i hate nosy people , you know ! why should i be telling you anything about what's in here ? maybe you should be the one getting lost ! '