𝙴𝚊𝚝, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎.

The blink the thief gives is… slow. It’s not surprise or shock that paints their features but more… confusion. If anything, when the stranger just — out of nowhere — begins speaking to them, it takes them a moment or two for them to realize that he is indeed speaking to them. That he is addressing them and commenting on their reading of choice that day cannot go ignored. They listen to him ramble and ease into the quiet space they’d established as though he’d been invited to it by their acknowledgment. He even sits and continues to talk with no input from them whatsoever…but yes — they suppose that they could call this “behaving”.

Barely, they’d say, but behaved.

And so, Mikah closes their book and draws it back towards themself. It’s not pulled off the table completely — still in view of the stranger but out of reach.

“...Guess.” they hum, a smile stretching across their lips, “Since ya seem so… eager t’talk, y’can tell me what it is ‘m readin’. Y’get three—” They lift three fingers. “—whole guesses. If y’can’t guess, then I suppose y’can just live without that knowledge, yeah?”

Oh, he was excited.

" Hm, I'll start with the first guess, aha! " He lifted one finger from his unoccupied hand, that intimidating grin of his never leaving. " Tragedy, maybe? Somethin' real heavy. You look like the type that likes a little bit of pain. " He looked at them, trying to search for any type of confirmation before lifting the second finger. " Second. Maybe there's a thief in it. Someone who thinks they're smarter than everybody else, but not really. You like those, don't you? " His voice dipped, playful, needling as he lifted the third finger. " Third. Oh - hoho, my last chance! How exciting! " He leaned in again, closer, more personal. " Maybe it's not the story you're really interested in. Maybe you're reading it again because of the ending. Or wondering if reading this book is worth the trouble. "

“Is that so?” Such trivial matter is embarrassingly simple, had he been more honest to express his own wanton desires. “If you really want me to sit on your face or see my tits so badly, why don’t you just say it out loud? Not very hard to do, isn't it?” He — practically just did. Although it was obvious that he was somewhat still making an attempt to hold back; to be respectfully courteous ( even if she’d caught him stealing glances at her breasts for more than once ). Thus, she’d be willing to reward him for giving his best effort.

“Heh…” a smirk settles unto her expression, glinting golden eyes suggesting a wanton mischief. “You’re not going to malfunction on me just because of that, are you?”

Ugh.

His cooling fans began to spin faster beneath synthetic skin." I-I ain't falling for it! " The protest came out much less smoothly than he would have liked, his voice processor glitching ever so slightly near the last word. Tsuyuko knew how to get under his skin, didn't she? Or, well, knew how to rile him up. Now, he was a man ( synthetic components or not ), so of course, he was always looking ; anyone with working optics would look. She was a gorgeous woman, one that his internal systems couldn't help imagining in multiple compromising positions ⸻ no, no. Bad. " I feel like all this teasing is going to leave me high and dry, even if I say what's on my mind. " He's had plenty of encounters like that ; women loved to see him beg ( and he did, every single time ).

⠀⠀⠀﹛ ♰ ﹜ — ❝ CHILD . . . ? I assure you father , I am a full grown WOMAN . ❞

⠀⠀⠀Despite knowing how he meant it , she couldn't help but feel PATRONIZED by the term ; subtle heat of her words that had initially been unintended left for him to interpret as another inhale is pulled from the cigarette between slender digits . Ever observant , gaze notices the slight twitch of his brow with every drag , a soft chuckle bathed in fumes followed by her placing the unfinished smoke on the step they sat upon before stomping it out with her heel .

⠀⠀⠀❝ Do you ALWAYS make such offers to strangers ? For all you know , I could be DANGEROUS , don't let my appearance fool you . ❞

⠀⠀⠀Less an act of GOD , and more an effort of those who believed in him to a FAULT , she couldn't blame this man for finding comfort in something meant to bring ease ; a REASON for suffering much less depressing than pain being NEEDLESS . AGONY endured since childhood never had a reason within her own eyes , those who held the scalpels likely seeing it from a different point of view ; Marceline unable to help but wonder how HE'D view what was done to her , the question of how devout this man truly was causing her to accept his offer .

⠀⠀⠀❝ I'd be HONORED , but I offer the same - will you have ME ? ❞

She was older... not an uncommon clientele that prowls the city, but still a trait he noticed immediately. Her face was moody and serious - and Botan can't help but think this woman isn't his type at all. She must be lonely, a widow? divorced? Or worse? Was she chronically single until this age? Botan smiles warmly and turns for one more glance at his portrait, and grimaces next to her toward it. "You think so? It's funny when it's your own face..." A finger pokes next to his beauty mark, and he turns his face toward her - "Do you find it to be a good feature?"

He laughs lightly before shaking his head. "Don't answer that, it'd embarrass me, is all."

A light explodes around him as he shines for her. He bows humbly and reaches for the mature woman's palm in his careful grip. "A miss who knows my position? I'm so glad." Lifting up, he shows teeth in a grin. "You're a very self-assured customer asking for my company outside of the club!"

She glanced at him a few times, but didn't truly look at him. Handsome, but far too young. If she could wince, she would. But right now, she needed to keep such thoughts to herself. " Yes. I do. Beauty marks are all the rage, aren't they? " She answered despite his words, examining the poster once again as she tilted her head slightly. " You have a nice side profile. You should take a photograph that enhances all your features, though it appears that the person who took the photographs was an amateur. It's not the only photo that I've seen with issues. "

Finally, her head turned, gaze fixed on him. There was a slight twitch of her eyebrows as he took her hand. Irritation, but one that she kept a tight rein on. Pluma didn't enjoy being touched, let alone by men she barely knew ( and one who could be her daughter's age! ). " I'm interested, that's all. " She said, her tone monotone, bereft of all emotion. Charming, that's the thought she had. Ugh. Her daughter would love this. " Well, you're here, are you not? I might as well take my chances. " Not that she had much to offer. Pluma was an overall boring woman. But. . . he's the entertainer, so she thought she didn't have to worry about such details.