arsonist's lullaby

" noemie is great for when you need a quick quality check on an item. remember the time when you accidentally knocked over my perfume bottle? " she laughs as she remembers how her room reeked of miss dior for months. she still couldn't stand the scent today.

❝ YOU'RE MAKING ME sound so clumsy. ❞ stating both cases were accidental wouldn't help her at all. ❝ i promise you don't have to worry about yourself or your possessions' safety near me. ❞ she turned to the japanese duke. ❝ and, just between the two of us, the perfume thing was on purpose. too sweet a scent. ❞ a joke to lighten the mood. she didn't even remember what it smelt like. ❝ are you sure ? i really do not mind paying for the damage. ❞ / @dvisckc

he couldn't help but smile just a tad, "it's alright, your grace," could he call her your grace, he supposed he would simply out of sympathy. "I don't care for the watch." daisuke glanced at the princess and then back at the duchess, toning teasing, "it'll take your word on the perfume. though they are very fragile. my daughter nearly broken one the other day." @dvrias

❝ IS THIS YOURS ? i accidentally stepped on it. and it looks like this now. ❞ in countless pieces. she prayed it wasn't a family heirloom. ❝ i can buy you a new one. ❞ / @hshqstarters

“hm,” it had been a watch, though clearly not a very good one. he felt his wrist before he looked at it. “it seems it was.” he shook his head at the woman, “there’s no need. it clearly wasn’t worth what i paid for it if it fell off so easily.”

daisuke watched him closely. he seemed like a smug bastard (literally), and he couldn't tell if he was the sort of smug daisuke liked or not. "i like to keep up with the people in the program. always looking for good investments. i'm a businessman, after all." he raised an eyebrow. "are you really? well, it's one of the best in the world. i'm sure i can offer assistance. i helped expand the train line in wakayama. the strength of our train system is, of course, the speed."

well, well -- maybe the duke wasn't useless beyond his scandals, after all. in truth, art had stopped paying attention to these connections: an oversight, on his part. "how fortuitous, then. i'd love to pick your mind about it. i hope you're not too busy with... other commitments. the child must've been a surprise." of course, he didn't even sound even half interested about the consequences of daisuke's romance, planned or not. still, he could fake a smile well enough as any other politician, even those who fell short of a picnic. "think of this as more of a partnership than an investment on your part. i'm not in the business of making unilateral arrangements."

“very,” he was replied, as if there was such a think as a coincedence. not that daisuke had planned this but he’d hardly approached arthur for the pleasure of his company. “i’m sure we can arrange something when we return to the casablanca.” he raised an eyebrow, it wasn’t a particularly polite question no matter the tone or smile the prince put it on it. “childern are often a suprise and always a blessing,” he sounded like some platitude from his father and frankly it was. “naturally. you have a government behind you, can’t make unilateral moves. i am simply offering free advice with the understanding that no advice is every free.”

"delightful." not many were pleased to meet art in person, but at the same time, he didn't make a habit of asking many people their opinion of him. those who made their displeasure obvious probably knew him better than any old duke from nowhere. "i do -- i'm surprised you know about it." it pleased him, more like. "my grandfather's been very supportive. i've actually been quite intrigued by the japanese train system. i don't suppose you have any insight to share about your train fleet?"

daisuke watched him closely. he seemed like a smug bastard (literally), and he couldn't tell if he was the sort of smug daisuke liked or not. "i like to keep up with the people in the program. always looking for good investments. i'm a businessman, after all." he raised an eyebrow. "are you really? well, it's one of the best in the world. i'm sure i can offer assistance. i helped expand the train line in wakayama. the strength of our train system is, of course, the speed."

"then i came at the wrong time. perhaps it's best if i return when the italians fall short on their security measures --," he realised, then, who he'd been talking to -- a man he'd not had the pleasure of meeting, but heard plenty enough about to know the basics. he wasn't blind on social media, after all. "i don't think we've been properly introduced, sir." he held his hand out in greeting. "in all the time you've been here, it's a shame we haven't met sooner. how's hafiz, after the... ah..." bastard child-- "after everything?"

"well, that does seem to be what they're good at." he glanced at the prince. he knew the man well enough by reputation. the shuffle from england to mexico was interesting. he wondered how he manged it. daisuke shook the man's hand, "no, i don't believe so, your highness. it's a pleasure to meet you. minamoto daisuke, duke of kansai." in exile he did not feel the need to add. he didn't react to the question, just kept his expression even. "she's doing better. thank you for asking. how is..." well, the girl he left at the alter, "i hear you had a new project."

"better late than never, i suppose. i didn't miss any grand speeches, did i?"

"just some no-name duke. i'm sure they're saving the best for last. the way everyone is talking, i keep thinking this is going to get interesting soon."

"Our daughter has officially declared war with me," and my sleep schedule. "Close that door slowly, please and thank you." @dvisckc

he paused and then carefully shut the door. "we will find a way to bring her to the table for peace talks, darling." he said, leaning over the back of the couch to look at hafiz.

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