intimidate.

is this. . .for him? holy shit. sebastian’s quite sure he’s never seen something so viscerally horrifying in his entire life- and yes, he is including that garbodor burst he’d fought in a tournament a while back. it takes a moment, but he finally tears his eyes away from that thing in her hands, flashes lucius his most charming smile. but he still doesn’t take the gift, not yet. god, he doesn’t want to touch it.

          ❛ this is the most. . .interesting valentine’s gift i’ve ever gotten, ❜ he remarks with a light laugh, ❛ thank you for thinking of me, lucius. i’m flattered. ❜ there’s a slight hesitance before he reaches out and takes the thing, still not looking directly at it as he tucks it under his arm, terrifying expression facing away from him.

          ❛ hey, you should let me take you out today! ❜ always the coquette, never passing up the chance for a date. ❛ consider it thanks for the gift- we’ll go somewhere nice, yeah? ❜ maybe he can find a way to get rid of it without offending her.

oh, best friends. something he never had, and didn’t really need. just friends were fine.

yuuki completely missed the lilt to his voice that would have clued him into the bigger picture. it didn’t matter, though. this was just one of those scenes from a drama, right? the type where the best friend is also the second man in the story…

“it’s polite to offer yours first when asking,” yuuki pointed out in return. “i just potentially helped you find your bff, after all. when’s the last time you’ve seen her, anyway? two years ago?”

what sort of best friend didn’t update each other on things.

this was why he never dabbled in the business of close friends.

well, seb’s opinion of this guy is quickly shifting from ‘ he seems alright ’ to ‘ actually, fuck this dude ’.   

          ❛ where the hell are you pulling that number from? it’s been a few months, only because we live in different regions now, asshole. ❜ he’s well aware he shouldn’t be picking a fight, especially since this is his best lead to finding luka. but the implication that he’d seriously go two years without seeing her, even if it’s just a baseless guess, sticks in his mind and wriggles about like a worm in an apple, impossible to just ignore.

what was that sudden smile? yuuki couldn’t read minds or tell emotions, but that sudden change of mood was something he could note with ease.

there wasn’t anything wrong with answering a question, though. even if it was kind of a tough question to answer. she’d gotten a leaf out of his hair or something, and that was it?

“… she helped me out once,” said yuuki, “plucked a leaf out of my hair. and you?” right, the lockscreen wallpaper. “i don’t suppose you two are either one of those friends who go way back.”

          ❛ that’s a good guess- we’ve been best friends since we were kids. ❜ there’s a certain smugness to the way he says that, a haughty twinge of superiority in his voice. is he really competing over this with a veritable stranger?

absolutely.

well, that confirmation was it. 

it was luka this guy was looking for, but as to why he never said her name in the first place … well, that was strange. searching for someone without a name was like looking for a missing pup based on its appearance and personality.

yuuki pulled his head back from the glare of the screen, and looked at him.

“yeah?”

          ❛ yeah? ❜ in an instant, his demeanor shifts and he grins, pulling the phone back and sticking it in his pocket.

          his coquettish demeanor is intentionally dismissed in favour of a desire for food and food alone ( an appeased appetite supplied at no cost to her? of course she was willing to). 

❛ Its Lucius.  ❜ She responds quickly, sharply, the thought of free coffee and pastries occupying her thoughts, and its the only thing that does until they reach the threshold of the coffee shop. She turns to him, the precious supplier of sustenance, gazing down at him with a tilt of her head. ❛  I can have anything, right? Well then, I’ll have two cinnamon rolls, two blueberry muffins, three chocolate eclairs, two strawberry cream puffs, a bagel with cream cheese and a double shot espresso. thats all… ❜   She huffs. She wanted a bit more, but maybe that would be pushing it a little. But was that a still bit too much for now? Oh well, he offered. A girls gotta eat.

          ❛ lucius? how unusual. . .it’s lovely. it suits you. i’m sebastian- it’s so nice to meet you, lucius. ❜ 

he doesn’t mind that they spend the rest of the walk in relative silence. in fact, he’s quite content until they reach the shop and she orders. . .and orders. . .and keeps ordering. 

well, he did say anything, didn’t he? he’s well aware that she’s taking advantage of him and while he’s a little annoyed, he has no intention of going back on his promise.

          ❛ is that all? ❜ he jibes good-naturedly, ❛ there’s no need to hold back on my behalf. ❜ but he’s quick to enter the building and walk up to the counter before she can add on anything else- he’s not sure that his wallet can handle much more of her appetite. now, was that two strawberry puffs, or three. . .he settles with three and rattles the list off to the overwhelmed cashier, throwing on a latte for himself as well. god, he can almost hear his bank account shrieking in agony as he hands his card over.

yuuki peered down at the phone, trying to focus on the girl and not the other 65% of the screen that held this guy who was looking for her.

“uh,” he mumbled, thinking. was it luka? probably, if it involved pigtails and sleeping…

“uhhh.” did luka want to be found by this guy? he sure hadn’t thought of this when he’d answered the question.

“i think so? did she have this strange … obsession with hair treatments?”

well, this guy sure likes taking his sweet damn time, doesn’t he? though seb likes to think of himself as a patient man ( he’s not, really ) he’s quickly growing impatient and irritated, and this guy’s weird question certainly doesn’t help.

“right now i don’t even know if you’re talking about the same person as i am, so,” said yuuki, shrugging. “have you got a photo or something?”

          ❛ fair enough. hang on a sec. . . ❜ he doesn’t have to fiddle with his phone for long- she’s right there on his home screen, they both are, with sebastian’s arm slung ‘round her shoulders and a wide smile on both their faces.

“Did she have any pokémon with her, by any chance…”

          “  ——EHHHHH?! ”

oh- 

she's so short, he hadn’t even noticed her there at first. but it seems she’s under the impression his invitation was for her, and the intended recipient has already wandered off. a shame, but he’s not bothered much, and his oh-so charming smile slips back on as easily as throwing on a coat. 

❛ ……so your treat then? is so, then I see no issue in obliging….  ❜

          ❛ of course- i did ask you, y’know. anything you like, on me. ❜ his hands rest casually in his back pockets- he’s all easy smiles and laid-back charm as he gestures for the woman to follow him. 

⊰ ⊗ ⊱

                     "A flood?? There’s a flood coming?? What makes you say that?? The weather looks clear for the rest of the week…”

          ❛ where’s the flood, dude? ❜