synflux | OPEN / CLOSED

[ The mission is a simple one, sure. Infiltrate the auction, do whatever's necessary to interrupt it, capture the specimens and the auction holders, and bring back anything that seems relevant for the investigation. And, of course, coordinate with a partner to better implement the plan. It'd be too suspicious to go in alone, after all!

That's the plan. Simple. She's carried out numerous assassinations before following a similar plan, so normally she'd have no issues. It's good timing too since she's gotten a tailor to fashion a dress near identical to the one she typically wears when assassinating targets. Gloves, shawl, and all. Everything should go smoothly. That is, except for the partner part. But with other members of LILITH as partners, it should be fine, right? Hypothetically.

The biggest snag in this simple mission is that Toji is her designated "date" for the auction. The man she shoved to the ground to make his nose bleed and whose back she swore she broke at their first meeting. The silence between them has been polite on her end but endlessly terse as they entered the auction hall, and not even a full meal laid out in front of them has been able to lighten her mood.

She traces her fingertip over the rim of her wine glass, eyeing Toji with uncertainty. She hasn't touched her own meal yet in favor of just...sipping at her wine. It'd be a shame to waste it, she tells herself. When else would she get to try filet mignon with all expenses paid?! ]

Is the steak alright, Mr. Fushiguro?

_{[ It’s been odd since he and Yor have spoken. Toji hadn’t messaged her since their little … actual date got interrupted and he really thought it was for the best. She’s such a happy and positive person even if she’s rough on herself; he feels like someone with his gruff demeanor and negative outlook deserves nobody, really. It’s not like he even felt any feelings for her, right? Toji really didn’t know, because while she’s just “another girl” for him to try and distract himself with, he couldn’t help but feel really bothered that they hadn’t gotten time to properly get to know one another.

Needless to say, he also feels awkward when he finds out they have to be paired together and.. act like a couple. He’s not really good at playing a part like that. He had been taking the lead while coming here, dressed in a simple suit with some futuristic flair to it, but for the most part it looked like an average formal attire even if he wanted to take off the tie that was around his dense neck. It was killing him having to be proper like this; it reminded him too much of the Zen’in estate.

He’s not said a word to her this whole time, but finally, he gives in and turns to her. ]}

Don’t “Mr. Fushiguro” at me. It’s Toji. Toji.

_{[ … why does he feel bad like.. right away. ]}

It’s fine. It’s free, so it’s the best kind.

[ Only in the dead of winter has the air around her felt so icy cold. She's certainly glad she brought the shawl to cover her shoulders, or else the chill that runs over her shoulders and down her spine would be impossible to hide.

Yor doesn't meet his gaze right away but she does nod slowly. ]

Right. Sorry, Mis- Toji.

[ Why is it harder to call him that now than it used to be? She really needs to get it together. They're on a mission! If something goes wrong because she couldn't keep herself focused... ]

That's good to hear though. [ She finally smiles, though faintly. ] Did you want to order anything else before the event starts? We still have time.

_{[ Of all the people he could get paired with, he gets paired with her. It reminds Toji painfully that they were supposed to have some real kind of date-- something that he was actually looking forward to considering it was involving looking at weapons. There's things about Yor that keep surprising him.

Little does he know that she will be further surprising him tonight once she gets enough alcohol in her system to cause a scene.

She's right, though. It's free, so he should order more. ]}

Another steak and dessert. And whatever else you want... dear.

_{[ He's so bad at this. It sounds like he is having a horrible time. Toji's style of assassinating very rarely involved infiltrating by masquerade like this. ]}

[ To her, that "dear" might as well have been a slap to the face. Despite seeming to enjoy himself, he's so...is he still mad about before? That must be why he's been so terse. He hasn't spoken to her unless it's necessary, as if just looking at her rubs his nerves raw.

He must truly hate her. More than she ever thought. ]

Of course. I'll flag the waiter.

[ Another steak and another dessert. She can't think of anything else she could want, though. Her own dish didn't taste very good with the general atmosphere going sour from the first minute. What she does order, however, is a whole other bottle of wine. He didn't seem to like alcohol, so with the still mostly full bottle she's got, that should help things. Maybe. Or at least she'll remember less of the in-between of this moment and whenever the auction starts. ]

[ Once the second bottle is set on the table, the first goes right into her glass and...well, right into her mouth. It's a wonder she didn't just drink it straight from the bottle itself, but she has some semblance of manners even when tipsy. Sort of.

Another long sip, and her cheeks are a brighter shade of red as she swallows and takes a breath.

Ah, that's better. The sudden warm wash of alcohol, melting away the tension. ]

Meg'mi is a nice boy. Must be proud of 'im.

_{[ It's times like these that Toji really wishes he could get drunk. He hates alcohol mostly because he can't, so what is the point? There's not judgment when Yor orders more to drink and he continues eating his second entree. He's nearly finished and heading for the dessert when his body senses.. a little more warmth coming from Yor now.

What she says next.. it doesn't surprise him (after all, it makes sense Yor would meet Megumi since he's also here) but it just.. catches him off guard. ]}

Haaaa, what for? What did he do?

_{[ Seriously. What did he do? Toji barely knows anything about Megumi. _]}

[ She's not quite hiccuping just yet, but already her tongue isn't moving right when she talks. ]

Alwaysh real nice, helpful. Shurprised me tho...he looksh just like you. Didn' notish before.

[ Another drink, and her train of thought just abandons Megumi at the proverbial station. ]

Do you hate me, Toshiguro?

_{[ Toji has never experienced the bliss of being drunk, but he knows it when he sees it. He hadn’t expected Yor to even really be a drinker, but she really keeps him guessing with all these surprises.

The question she asks, though, causes something in his chest to twinge. It shouldn’t matter. He shouldn’t care. It’s for the best that she thinks that he hates her because that way they can go their separate ways and he can stop thinking about her because he knows he’s not good for her; just like he said.

But he has a hard time just out right saying, “yes, I hate you.” Because it’s not true. He doesn’t hate her. He hates the fact he’s feeling this sort of way and deflecting it onto Yor is the easiest.

It doesn’t color on his face, but he can feel a little bit of heat reaching his cheeks. He cannot remember the last time he felt that. ]}

You’re drunk. Don’t ask stuff like that when you’re drunk.

[ He does. He absolutely does. Why else would he avoid the question like this? They're on a mission and she shouldn't be asking anyway! She must look so ridiculous. ]

M'shorry.

[ Her voice lowers some. She'll just...have to complete this mission. Once it's over, she'll just have to be more professional. Stick to her routine before becoming a Forger, she supposes. Just working her cover, completing LILITH's jobs assigned to her, then going home. Repeating it all over and over and over again. Nothing extra to her coworkers except a weapon who occasionally greets them pleasantly. ]

Yuri 'n Loid alwaysh forgave me, but...'m just good't kil- [ She hiccups, her whole body swaying from the effort. She doesn't look right at him either but instead just watches her wine swirl in her glass. ] 'm no good at normal thingsh. Can't be a good shister, good mother, good anything. Jusht...Thorn Princessh.

Edited 2024-03-03 19:33 (UTC)

_{[ Oh my god. She is sad drunk rambling. This cannot be good.

Toji has already established in his head he is going to have to handle all of this himself. After all, if she’s this drunk, how much of use is she going to be? He even considers just leaving, but he can’t leave her like this, right? He would have to take her with him.

The way she talks about herself, though. It reminds him of himself in ways. His clan always has such high expectations for all of their family members, and Toji could never meet them with his lack of cursed energy. Who was Yuri? And Loid? But most importantly.. ]}

Thorn Princess?

[ Oddly, hearing him say "Thorn Princess" seems to jolt her at least a little bit back into the same world as everyone else. He's not her usual handler, but he's her partner for this mission, isn't he? Different situation, similar effect. The business side of her understands that much, at least. ]

My title. When I gotta take care'f a "client."

[ Another glass of wine, this one from the second bottle. Her eyes seem both alert yet not. Impaired, yet focused on the stage where the auctioneers are slowly filtering in. ]

Ah...the auction'sh'tarting.

Yeah. I've got one of those too.

_{[ "Sorcerer Killer" or whatever. It's not like Toji really cared about it. The auction is starting and Toji tries to pay attention to it, but something seems a little... off about Yor right now. He can sense it. ]}

You're not going to have another sip of that, Yor.

[ A pout purses her lips the moment he gives that order. Her hands tighten their grip on both the bottle and her wine glass, and she tears her attention away from the stage to instead fix him with a betrayed look. ]

Hmmm? Why not? Ish'mine.

_{[ If Toji was someone to get drunk, he would have definitely joined her in drinking and honestly slack off on the job, but since he can’t, he has no choice but to try and act responsible; like he actually wants to do this job that sounds like it’s not going to have any extra benefits or pay from.

His voice lowers as the auction starts. ]}

How are you going to work feeling like that, huh?

_{[ wow, Toji acting like he gives a damn about work. ]}

[ Yor pouts at him and grumbles under her breath. She's already formulating a plan on how to cause a distraction despite her increasingly inebriated state. As the auction continues on, her eyes dart around to take in the exits, the people she recognizes from base, and the security staff who are clearly packing weapons more dangerous than tasers in their coats. ]

You don' know me, Toguro. Dunno what I can do.

[ And, well, there she goes. Just chugging the rest of that bottle before he can stop her. She slams the empty bottle on the table and fights back a hiccup. ]

Yer alwaysh tryin' to pick a fight with me now. 'N' I apologized!

Yeah?

_{[ Toji's eyes wander to the bottle that she just chugged and he can't help but wonder what on Earth happened with this woman to make her such a hot mess.

It's kind of refreshing. ]}

I'm not. You're just being ridiculous. Listen to yourself. You can't even talk straight. If you are so confident in yourself, prove it.

_{[ He moves in towards her, almost about a breath away. There's a small smile on his face, but he mostly looks exasperated. ]}

Show me what you can do, Thorn Princess.

[ Hurp.

Close. Too close. He's much, much, much, much too close. And big. Like some kind of bear in human form. Or a tiger. Definitely a tiger with his overall musculature.

Were his eyes always so green? She never noticed. And that scar there...how did he get that? It must've hurt so much to be so deep even now. ]

[ UGH, nothing about how he looks should be distracting right now! He's challenging her! Clearly!!

Is that why he's been so harsh? It can't just be because of her using her strength on him. She's already apologized for that! Unless he's just that into keeping grudges. This must be for the mission, then. He doubts her, wants to see her skills in action, and who is she to just fold over?

Her hand crosses that brief distance between them to lay flat against his chest. A frown sits deep on her lips as she leans in and pushes on his chest. Pushes him back further, further, leaning over him more, more, more. ]

Stay down, "Darling."

[ He wants to see what she can do? LILITH wants a disruption? Well...

They get it. ]

[ With Toji out of the way, Yor kicks the dining table up into the air. She follows it by jumping up herself and kicking it again, launching it broadside toward the stage. The table flies too quickly for security to do much other than react to the crash.

Unfortunately for them, Yor's off like a shot to follow up. She slams into the approaching security detail, taking down one with one kick, another with a stab from her needle, another with a punch to the jaw. All in fluid movements no different than reaching for a glass or brushing away a pesky fly. ]

_{[ why the fuck is this so sexy... ]}

_{[ Like.. he saw her fight the Shachimon and he's been a direct recipient of her strength, but he didn't expect to see her act so.. gracefully while being intoxicated. He stands suddenly as she acts quickly and he's unsure if he needs to intervene or --

... Okay, it looks like she has got it? But how. He almost forgets to breathe for a moment. Despite how sweet and innocent she is, he has a hard time remembering that she knows how to fight, but he doesn't know how she learned to.

It's at that moment that some more security are springing into action, and Toji is.. incredibly fast. He follows up with some punching and kicking of his own and one poor guy get his face banged into the nearest vertical surface. ]}

_{[ He takes a pause in his fighting for a moment to glance over at Yor and can tell she looks a little light headed.. like maybe she's about to faint? If that's the case, it's probably best that they head out without completing the mission, but maybe all of this diversion will give some lingering LILITH team mates the distraction they need.

With a quick step, he basically vanishes from his speed, enough to catch Yor in his arms before she hits anything. ]}

[ The Shachimon made her question her suitability for fighting the kaiju. Briefly. Before she became more comfortable with other weapons. Now that she's got her needles in hand, though, she's so much more at home. This is how she's meant to fight, isn't it? Dodging blow after blow with ease, piercing a vital for a quick and painless demise before her opponent knows what hit them, using a guard as a shield until another's out of bullets and has no defense against a jab to the neck; she doesn't even have to think to pull any of it off.

It's just cleaning up the filth. Scrubbing away the scum. No different than usual.

Unfortunately for Yor, her consciousness is already waning by the time she dispatches what she's certain is maybe the twelfth or thirteenth guard to come at her. The fog of alcohol doesn't make her strikes any less precise, but she's teetering after one too many a kick.

Teetering, wavering, falling-

She makes another "hurp" of a groan as Toji catches her. Her stomach does a hell of a flip from the sudden vertigo, and stars dot her vision as her head swims. ]

Tojuro?

Toji! It’s Toji! Oi!

_{[ Whether she’s prepared for it or not, Toji dips down and picks her up in his arms. He looks.. really angry about all of this.. and he probably is. However, deep down, he’s kind of glad this is an excuse to evacuate.

He should just leave her here. He shouldn’t care. He never does. But during the tsunami here, he was also quick to act and save Megumi who also was unconscious. Toji is realizing, in this moment, that he wants to protect Yor. He wants to protect both Yor and Megumi but the feeling is so strange, Toji hates it. ]}

We are leaving. You’re too much.

_{[ Toji doesn’t specify what he means by that as he makes a dash for the nearest exit. Something about being distracted by all of this is making his high senses fuller than usual and he doesn’t notice another enemy coming after them both near the exit. They have a pistol of some kind.

If Yor is unconscious by the time this happens, Toji is just going to have to take them out one handed. ]}

OPEN / CLOSED

@assassinsgreed | Sapphire Room (03/05)

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