❛   You can see plenty of smiles,  ❜   Hakuno notes as she leans against the balcony's railing,   ❛   even from this distance.  ❜   That's what she sees, anyway. The slight tilt of her head suggests a secondary thought, too fleeting to directly voice — what does he see ?

 of course she would run into the King of Heroes himself in her foray into this particular biome and of course she would be subjected to hours of....well, him. an easy enough thing to avoid and she cared little for whether or not he intended to continue assissting her or not. this was merely a test of skill-- a way to ensure she has not grown lax in her knowledge and capability. the enemies and treasure were nothing more than fodder to that. 

             still. she could do without Gilgamesh’s incessant laughing.

     “ Skeletons care little for your insults. Surely you can make yourself useful for more than just standing back and offering your commentary.”

most of her evening has been spent to the wayside, observing as others took the floor to sway to the music beneath the night skies. festivities were never quite her thing, though she could hardly deny the years spent in this city, and a little more, has managed to open her up to them ever so slightly. so she remains, indulging in the snacks they have to offer and the company it sometimes gives.

until amethyst eyes are quick to spot a familiar visage on the outskirts—

were she to be honest, she would have thought him to be more involved. that is until she remembers the ego he holds, surmounting beyond his more larger than life personality. she had seen a glimpse of it briefly when the summer festivities were in bloom, high atop that floating isle. he had not wanted to admit it, yet surely he had simply wished to enjoy himself at that water park. perhaps, even now, it was something in a similar vein hidden beneath his more judgmental surface. for now, she would choose to approach him, at least for the moment.

❝ I had not thought to find a golden wallflower adorning the waysides tonight. ❞ not that he didn’t have his moments of being docile, given the situation. ❝ I take none have asked for your hand to dance, then? ❞ maybe, in this moment, she could poke a little fun at the king who’d surely feel so entitled to something as that...

Though her memories of the Moon Cell were a recent unearthing, she understood them enough to know this shouldn't be happening. Her mission in SE.RA.PH would indeed have her cross swords with the King of Heroes, a bout against he and the King of Conquerors from which she would emerge victorious on her way to restoring order. Yet here she was, wounded in defeat while the gold-plated Servant boasted his supremacy.

It did not add up... these discrepancies in their memories. When he questioned her regarding the Fifth Holy Grail War, he recalled her being the one to smite him — though she had achieved no such fear in either War they'd participated. And now this... Upon her injury she pressed down, attempting, far sooner than would be advisable, to pull herself up. "what's... going on? This isn't right..."

“ Is this guy that big enough of a deal that ya had t’ interrupt my scheduled nap? Y’all should’ve just let Yor handle this. She’s good with people. Ugh. Alright, let me handle things from here. You nerds just do whatever it is you were doing. ”

“ Yo! How’s it goin’? I heard from my people that ya wanted t’ see me for something in particular? I’d be more than happy to answer any and all questions regarding GANG✩STAR and our line of work. ”

⚔️ //  “i  believe  you  and  i  are  meant  to  be  sharing  living  accommodations,”  byleth  stated  ,  glancing  up  towards  the  new  face  she  had  yet  to  meet  before  now.  (hence  why  she  had  situated  herself  on  the  ground  floor  where  ,  when  he  had  any  reason  to  pass  through  ,  a  meeting  would  be  inevitable.

      and  inevitable  it  was  indeed.  she  made  a  scrawling  note  of  it  in  her  new  journal  before  meeting  gilgamesh’s  eyes  with  an  even  stare.

        “i  am  byleth  eisner.  you?”

   “ You have a serious case of updog....”

no sense in getting riled up over the past over some stranger.

hands place themselves on her hips as her head tilts in obvious question, foot tapping against the pavement. " You've been staring at me for awhile now. Is there something I can help you with?"