❝ promise i don't disappear. ❞

was it okay ? a part of dia screams no ; that she isn't safe, that none of this is safe & is all part of some elaborate scheme to coax away her defensive guard. yet, ever so tired emeralds fall to their entwined fingers to see that has already happened. it feels nice. it feels wrong. the overwhelming contradiction of thoughts & emotions is just too much ...

lydia vibrates at an extra level of nervous energy — more so than usual, it seems, which isn't hard to believe when her life had just been threatened over something she hadn't even done. of course, she's not entirely innocent in this whole situation, but that's beyond the point for the time being. she looks at jesse, tall but not quite as imposing as the others; there's something about him that gives off an almost stray dog sort of energy.

"happy birthday, bruno. i hope today treats you well," she quietly says, a small smile on her face.

bruno is not a man who necessarily expects gifts to be given to him (whether on his birthday or just in general), and especially not from individuals who he doesn't feel he knows as well as he should -- but he's still glad all the same to receive them.

the gift bag is carefully taken, a mixture of surprise and amusement in his expression as he peeks within, and even still as he turns his attention back to lydia, a thought in the back of his mind pointing out that he might've just made himself look his age. (then again, he can't wholly bring himself to care if it made him look a little silly, a little childish; it's a miracle he's still alive at all! of course he'll take delight in something that serves further proof of that. and if his suspicions are correct, the woman before him would definitely understand.)

"grazie, miss lydia." he begins, his voice a little softer than its usual volume. as terribly curious as he may be (and as shown by how he sets the bag atop a nearby table before retrieving the wrapped package from within), it's still very.. humbling, perhaps, to have people who only desire to give you things, especially when from the kindness of their heart and without some kind of strings or conditions attached.

when the paper is removed, he first catches the card and silently reads over it, then carefully closes it and slips it into a pocket for safekeeping. but then the rest of the painting is revealed, and he holds it before himself to admire it properly, his eyes opening wider to better take in the beauty of it.

it's charming, it's lovely, it's--

"--incredible!"

and that is his honest opinion, for he already knows exactly where he'll put it in his home, somewhere it will be safe but it can constantly be admired as it deserves.

with great care, he returns it to the giftbag for ease of carrying later. in the moment, he can't resist the impulse to reach out and grasp one of her hands with both of his own and giving a gentle squeeze.

this house was a place of peace & safety. a sanctuary opened to them little more than a year ago, which as weeks progressed into months, became a home of their own ... one where there was no need to tread carefully throughout the day, nor hide during the night ... & they could wear all the pretty colourful clothes & makeup they'd like ! that's what s' had been doing aaaall morning with their friend, kiira ; painting each others nails, & the nails of dinosaur figures. giving them funky painted patterns all over, too. toys which now laid scattered about the living room floor as the two of them were now playing a game kiira called hide & seek ...

with kiira counting in the hallway, s' quickly sneaks away with a little giggle to find the perfect hiding spot ... they were good at hiding, although nowadays they found it difficult to squeeze into tight places ( which wasn't fair ! i know ... ) after padding up the stairs & pausing with a pout ( under the bed was too obvious, so was in a closet ) they decide to risk hiding in lydia's room. she wasn't home, & they weren't going to make any mess ... they don't want to think about what would happen if she did find out ( she means no harm, it's okay. )

upon hearing kiira shout out she was on the search, s' quickly slips into the walk-in closet & finds a wardrobe to squeeze into, oblivious to a shirt slipping free, but they manage to close the door from the inside.

lydia's eyebrows furrow at the sight of a familiar someone in her closet — that's not where she expected them to be. their phrasing leads to more confusion; she isn't certain who it is that's fronting, and she doesn't always think to ask. right now, it seems like... doppio?

"punish you?" she repeats, head tilted and tone of voice hushed and soft. lydia handles this with discretion and gentleness, to the best of her effort. even without trying, though, it's clear that she cares by her disposition around the other. "now, why would i do something so silly? i'm just glad to hear that you and kiira are getting along so well."

a warm smile shows upon her face. "kiira told me the two of you were playing hide-and-seek. sorry to spoil your hiding spot." she eyes the other curiously. something seems different about their mannerisms, but lydia doesn't want to presume anything.

YOU THINK THIS IS SOMETHING? YOU THINK THIS IS BAD? THIS … THIS CHICANERY?

lwyrsdghtr. an original character made for the breaking bad / better call saul universe. independent and selective. penned by marie.

he's actually delighted by the returned handshake as well as her initial response; though it obviously is not her mother tongue, he still finds it to be charming and (relatively) confidently spoken, and that in itself can make a world of difference in his book.

"either-or. my associates tend to shift between whichever feels correct in the moment; you may do so as well, if you wish."

allowing his hand to return to his side then, he briefly raises his eyebrows at being informed of others holding his official position speaking well of him.

"oh?" he asks, unable to entirely hide a vaguely amused smirk for just a moment before he cocks his head just-so to one side. "they're an interesting bunch. much of my focus has been in napoli, admittedly, before.. new management, if you will -- but i do try to keep good relations with those i work alongside."

is that too much? does it come across as some half-hearted attempt at intimidation? it's not his intent, of course, but he'd be a fool to think that everyone takes every action and word from his to be friendly and harmless.

"the same to you, miss lydia -- if i may call you that. and yes, i have been a part of passione for about.. ah, eight or nine years so far, give or take a bit. what about yourself?"

"of course, you may call me that. i suppose it's been about that many years since i myself joined," she replies with a slight tilt of her head. "i joined passione in the early ninenties, after moving from the states. i... worked a job in logistics before then, so it was a natural career to slot into. people will always need things sent from point A to point B, mafiosi included—"

oh, dear. she's rambling about the mundanities of her work. lydia shakes her head, making a little dismissive gesture as if to say, anyways...

"i can respect wanting to have good relations with the people you work with. you seem like you have a good head on your shoulders." a pause, as curiosity gets the better of her. socializing has never been lydia's strongest point, but she does her best to keep things fresh.