#rp:tbd

[pavedpath]

continued from here @hoshizorax

Exhaling a sigh of relief when the other end of the line picked up, Lazard hummed in affirmation. "Indeed. I'm at Yoyogi Park-- near the Harajuku stati--" The sound of loud barking nearly had Lazard jump out of his skin, considering it most certainly did not originate from Mibasyou. He only had split seconds to act, and so he scooped up the little fluffy thing just before she could flee from the charge of another, much larger dog. Unfortunately, in the commotion, his cellphone clattered to the ground, the line disconnecting.

[aslcved]

To say this was unexpected, was such an understatement. Sonyada followed Arabella's movement out the door, mouth slightly open, and it was a split second before she snapped back to the moment. To the handsome stranger sitting across from her. And in horror realized how he might have perceived the situation.

"Oh my god, I hope you did not think.. I swear I was not in on this," she gestured vaguely, " whatever this is. I was.." Her words collide with his. "No," she replied, "Oh dear, no idea whatsoever. She asked me to come here, said she had just received an urgent order and needed my help sorting it out.. I wouldn't.." She gave a rather breathless laugh. "I would never just crashed into some random people's event, or the likes."

"Ada," she nodded, trying to smile casually, "It's nice to meet you then, Alex, but really, I know you were not expecting me here, so.." Her eyes darted toward the entrance, "I probably should just go? I'm sure you have other plans.."

aslcved​:

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Sonyada smiled at the stranger’s invitation, albeit hesitantly. “That’s really kind of you, but I wouldn’t want to int–”

“Oh, no no no, ma cherie!” Arabella grinned, cutting her mid-sentence. “If anything, I should be the one apologizing, aren’t I?” She stood up quickly, ushering the young woman to take her place. “Ada, this is Raphael, my nephew–ah, sort of–I’m too young to be his actual aunt, don’t you think? Raph, this is Sonyada–Ada, she works with me in the shop.” The shop in which Arabella was the owner, more of a high-end boutique, which made Sonyada her employee, but she didn’t try to correct her, merely smiling politely at the man.

“Well, yesss, I am truly, deeply sorry, Raphael. Work just.. does that, sometimes.” Arabella waved her hand about, adding a sigh for good measure. “Fear not, however, I at least will not leave you lonesome for the night.” She snatched her purse, blew him a kiss, then quickly turned on her heels. “Dinner’s on me. Have fun, you two!” And just like that, she disappeared out the front door.

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Alex was well-used to Arabella’s often frantic rhytms, but even so, this sudden reaction of hers took him by surprise. He all but stared at her, the girl-Ada- clearly as thunderstruck as the thief himself was as she was all but pushed into the redhead’s seat across from him.

Arabella, true to type, did not linger, moving like the whirlwind she was, racing out the front door before either of them could utter so much as a question.

The thief shook his head with a chuckle, giving the girl across from him a smile as well. “I hope you’ve been working with her long enough to be used to that sort of thing,” he sighed amusedly, the drinks and appetizers Arabelle had ordered a few minutes ago arriving as if on cue. “Any idea what that was even about?” he asked. He was getting an inkling-having known Arabella for the biggest part of his life-but he wasn’t quite ready to put his suspicions into words. “Ada, was it?” he asked instead, instinctively reacting to put the girl at her ease. “Please go with Alex; no one but my mother and Bella ever use Raphael,” he laughed.

[unforestalledreturn-a]

continued from here @blackwinged-silversolace Humming warmly, Genesis allowed his gaze to lazily survey the wide spectrum of onlookers and their varied responses to his silver-haired companion. Unlike Genesis, Sephiroth stood out. There were few people with as distinct hair as the elite, and none who bore those fierce, feline eyes either. Some looked in awe, others in mixed bewilderment and disbelief. Some outright left the bar, others kept a wary eye.  ”Oh, you’ve no idea the power you have.” Slowly shaking his head, Genesis immediately spied the unattended glass, and with a devilish grin, curled his fingers around it in blatant theft. He sipped at the remnants of the amber liquid. “I’m something of a regular here-- but if I commanded the room like you...” He bit his bottom lip at the thought.  His gaze flickered up to meet Sephiroth’s own. Within, his eyes glittered in a sordid delight as he leaned closer.  ”Ho? Daresay you are eager. Never thought you were a glutton for punishment, Sephiroth. And here you are saying you don’t like to ‘socialize’“

[aslcved-archived]

@ask-the-hidden-thief || closed.

     Would the blue feather earrings do, or should I go with the simple pearls? Hmmm.. Arabella tried both of them on, one on each ear, and tilted her head this way and that, watching her vanity mirror. This occasion was not for her, really, but it was never an excuse to go lazy on accessories. She was getting ahead of herself, however. With a little tsk, a small chide at herself, she picked up her phone and dialed a number, saved into her contacts with the name Raphael De'Nuit.

[blackwinged-silversolace]

That question. It catches the silver fiend off of his carefully laiden guard. Tire? He hadn't even considered the prospect, or any idea close to it in... well, whenever he had thought on it last was something he couldn't recall. "She has always been with me." Eyes cut sharply away from the haunted blues below and he stares forward, stating his response curtly. He had long abandoned distinguishing between the two, their coexistence was not only their bond...but his only purpose.

"My individuality is none of your concern, nor is it mine. I chose this path."

To try and pry his mind from hers, there perhaps, he would find a source of exhaustion.

Even if he could he would not. If she wasn't there... then, wouldnt he have nothing? What a grave thought that is. A being never meant to exist, listlessly adrift for no purpose but to anguish on why it came to be at all.

A small smile lifts his serpentine lips, one might even call it a somewhat soft expression on one as cruel as the silver nightmare. For he saw the irony even then.

Is Cloud no different in this way? Without meaning if not to fight or follow?

After a long pause, slitted eyes cast to the floor below, Sephiroth barely whispers, "Besides that, we all have our ...strings."

But the softness dies with the grit of his teeth. Something clawing deep into the marrow of his mind. Heavy.

Perhaps, if Sephiroth dared to delve deep enough, could find that he prefers it this way. For what peace would be found in the silence?

None. There, lay whispers of creature's pathetic pleas for-- to be something, dreadfully normal, to be human. There cried the ghosts, the hauntings of memories he put to rest long ago.

Waving the other off, he swallows the bile in his throat, and continues his stride. Coldness returns in his voice as it bites the air with indifference ...so contrary to his spiraling mind when there, she protests loudly again for his inner conflict. "Come, we are wasting time."

@blackwinged-silversolace​ liked for a starter

“Don’t you ever get tired, Sephiroth…?” 

The question is voiced out of context, a sudden vocal musing of a dark, curious mind. But it takes a while for Cloud to lift his head, so heavy on the end of his neck to even brave the eye contact. It wasn’t like he knew this man… not anymore at least, but there was a breech in consciousness that allowed himself the freedom to speak. 

Less a fear now, than it was an irritating uncertainty. 

“Her voice is so grating, so loud… how can you be okay with that? How can you be okay with having your independence just…” he trails off, recalling in that moment exactly what he was and why he was even here… a puppet and little more. He needed to remember his place in this delicate food chain. 

“… never mind… forget I said anything.” 

[aslcved]

@ask-the-hidden-thief || continued.

Alex snorted on the phone. “Well, I’ve been the subject of her wrath more  than I’ve been a witness; between us, I can’t really blame her,” he added conspiratotrially. “My mom is a darlin’ woman…till you piss her off enough.”

“Well, I do work strange hours, you know,” he deflected the question quickly enough before Arabella decided she would rather catch up in person- and he had to agree with that, admittedly.”I’d rather talk more in person too, yeah,” he agreed quickly.

“An’ yes, I am aware of  that, but can’t I treat my favorite aunt?” he asked with a smile at her question.

⊱.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡⋅.

     Arabella tapped the side of her nose--though of course the gesture was lost on the other end of the line--and grinned. "Now that must be one of the most accurate definitions of Helena I've ever heard! She should've come with a warning if you ask me. 'Try me and that will be the last thing you do.'"

     "Mmm excuses, excuses. But come, darling, we'll argue all about it later, yes? Should we meet in an hour or so.. at La Reine?"

.⋅ﾟ+..｡*ﾟ+ .⊰

[aslcved-archived]

     "All the more reason for someone to use the rarely used name, no? But I’m listening.. Hm.“ Interesting proposal. "Okay, then. Alex.” Arabella immediately frowned, that did not sound right at all. Who was this Alex now, she had never met him ever. “Ugh, no, never mind. Very well, keep the ‘aunt’.”

     "Amazing..“ she laughed, "have you so little faith in me?” Truth be told, indeed she was not the type to call someone without a certain occasion in mind. For Arabella, catching up was best done face to face, not through a phone call. “Alright, of course something’s up, it’s just not a bad thing, you know? I take it you’re well, also? And are you free this evening?”

aslcved:

     There was a slight pause after Alex’s greeting, in which Arabella raised her brows–though sadly it could not be seen from the other end of the line–then laughed lightly. 

     “Isn’t calling me ‘Aunt Arabella’ quite a mouthful? I mean, every time, Raph? But hush, we’ll circle back to that later. Yes, yes, everything’s fine and dandy, I’m fine–hang on, scratch that–honestly I’m aghast. Must you presume something’s gone wrong just because I’m calling you?”

The thief laughed at that question. She wasn’t that much older  than him, to be sure, and not really his aunt, either, but old habits died very hard, indeed; calling her just ‘Arabella’ felt very wrong.But he wasn’t the only one at fault here, was he?

“An’ doesn’ Alex sound better for you as well?I rarely use Raphael, you know,” he accused her amusedly, laughter in his voice. “Tell you what, I’ll drop the ‘aunt’ if you drop “Raph”; how about it?”He was smirking, though she couldn’t of course see him.

He broke out laughing at her next words, which was probably a rude thing to do, but he couldn’t help himself. “Sorry but you have to admit, somethin’ usually is up when you call out of the blue. Glad you’re alright,” he nodded for his own benefit. If she had, in fact, had the chat with Helena, she wouldn’t be wasting time in pleasantries, he was sure.