#intelligenceunseen

She drew her hand back as soon as Jay expressed his distress. His hands were still tied but she forced herself to look him in the eye. One problem at a time.

“I... asked Nerifes. You know, the same way we found Grune last time.”

That was a difficult subject for Jay - perhaps more than any of them, but she needed him to understand how  much his friends had worried for him. Because they were friends.

It didn’t have to end it tears this time.

@intelligenceunseen from x

"I was starting to think you'd stood me up," Shirley decides putting her hands on her hips won't quite work here seeing as 1. Jay is supposed to be her date not a friend she regularly teases and 2. The Orerines garb makes that rather difficult to do; why were their dresses made like that?

Instead, she bites her lower lip in a small pout - which means she'll have to reapply her lipstick, but ah well, Jay was best at that in any case.

Jay felt his shoulders heave with the deep breath that hissed out through his nose. They were all so forgiving. Every last one of them. Why? He didn't deserve it. The blood on his hands, the trust he'd broken. Why did they keep being so kind and gentle with him? Jay looked back over his shoulder at the marine, violet eyes narrowed and a little glassy with held-back tears. "Will you?"

Considering Jay had been more or less a loner even after they'd met, he couldn't blame the hesitation. Senel had been that way too before he got more familiar with people on the Legacy. Over and over, he had insisted they wouldn't be here long; that he and Shirley would be leaving soon. Insistence led to pushing others away and shutting himself out from friendships, and that led to, well... a whole lot of trouble. Just because Jay hadn't been there for it didn't mean he could wave it off like it hadn't happened.

"Why wouldn't I? Haven't you always been there for me? A bit rough around the edges about it sometimes, but I can't say I was any better when I first got here." The incident with Solon was really the only time "anything" had happened, and Senel was more than okay with giving that a pass. All of them knew where the fault lie in that situation.

Send in 🎁 + an item to give my muse a Christmas present! (belated!)

The first gift was unwrapped, and Chloe's eyes lit up. She'd been talking maybe a month or so ago with one of the others about how her old whetstone had worn down. A swordsman couldn't do their duty if their sword was dull. And the sword oil was an equally useful gift! She couldn't even claim to be too surprised, given the gift giver. Jay was known as the info broker of the Legacy, after all.

"Thank you, Jay. I'm sure to get a lot of use out of these," she said. She hadn't forgotten the other box. Curious, she picked it up and opened it. Chocolates! Chocolates that looked like...

A small squeak escaped her, but she did her best to cover it up. They were so cute!"

Today's stock holder meeting dragged on forever. Investors expected them to somehow cut a deal with Helioborg for exclusive rights to sell despite the <99% success rate Spirius products promised. Eventually he smoothed the problems over with promises Spirius had a healthy relationship with Head Researcher Balan, but yeesh. Going home from work never felt better.

There's almost no hustle and bustle on the walkway in spite of being peak rush hour. Did the police force people to evacuate for something....? Whatever the reason, he'd rush through to avoid causing any trouble--

"LUDGER KRESNIK!" A shout turns his head. A big mistake; when he turns back, multiple Exodus agents, guns ready, block his way. "Your continued support for a bi-national workforce is destroying this country! You'll be--!"

In an instant, the Exodus agent's demands stop, each of them falling forward with several cuts along their backs. What... just happened? How'd anyone respond this quick? I didn't request backup!

His original intention was just to ask Jay to turn down the music. It was far too loud, and he couldn’t quite nap with it booming. So as soon as he pushed open the door to Jay cleaning, he wasn’t expecting to hear him singing. It was rather... Surprising.

He knew Jay was capable of dancing, and was able to do it well, but he believed he hadn’t heard him sing before.

I had to belay the sleep signoff just to agree here. Zelos would be that one customer that practically works there, considering how much time he spends in the shop anyway. He is also the reason why there are now only male baristas at this location