she'd  been  carefully  working  when  she  got  the  call.  five.  five  was  calling  her,  panic-stricken  and  wracked  with  complete  fear  as  she  answered  the  phone.  unable  to  articulate  what  it  was  that  made  him  so  scared  despite  her  best  efforts  to  calm  him,  a  hand  grabs  her  jacket  and  slips  it  on  while  he's  on  the  phone,  and  she  finds  herself  rushing  out  the  door,  down  through  the  tower  of  memories  and  into  the  streets  of  honaru  city,  rushing  off  onto  the  back  of  blazer  once  more  and  speeding  towards  port  sparrow  as  she  continues  to  attempt  to  calm  him  over  the  phone.  nothing  she's  doing  is  working,  and  she  feels  his  true  fear  through  the  phone,  hears  the  tears  rolling  down  his  cheeks.  it'd  been  a  long  time  since  she'd  seen  him  like  this.  long  ago  since  she'd  pulled  him  nearly  dead  from  the  cave  of  spirits.  it  made  her  heart  race,  it  made  the  world  shake  and  tremble  around  her. 

in  time,  she  reaches  him,  she  consoles  and  speaks  to  him,  holds  his  face  in  her  hands  gently  as  she  hears  his  plight  in  that  little  hotel  room  she  rented  for  him  all  these  years.  he  tells  a  story,  a  story  full  of  worry  and  doubt.  the  story  of  a  boy  who  felt  indebted  to  help.  who  just  wanted  to  take  over  the  payments  of  the  hotel  and  show  six  how  much  it  meant  to  him.  that  he  was  a  big  kid  and  could  do  this  on  his  own.  her  heart  aches  for  him  as  she  listens  to  his  plight,  listens  to  how  he  found  someone  who  would  loan  him  the  money  to  get  started,  how  he  didn't  realize  how  deep  in  it  he'd  gotten.  how  he  couldn't  pay  it  back  fast  enough.  how  the  man  who  loaned  him  the  money  was  going  to  come  looking,  and  he  was  afraid  he'd  made  a  terrible  mistake.  and  so  she  listened,  she  listened  and  held  him  close  to  her,  letting  him  shed  his  tears.  no  anger  or  hatred  towards  him.  just  pure  feelings  of  comfort.  she  would  take  care  of  this,  she'd  told  him,  she  would  make  it  all  better. 

all  those  memories  and  feelings  rush  to  her  head  as  she  approaches  the  building  before  her,  it's  black  brick  and  zen  gardens  a  deep  contrast  to  the  city  of  lumiose  around  her.  she  wasn't  expected,  and  yet  she  was  allowed  to  proceed  forward  after  telling  the  grunts  and  the  others  that  she  was  here  about  a  debt.  and  so  she  pushed  forward,  wearing  different  garb  than  usual.  after  all,  she  didn't  want  to  walk  anywhere  near  this  building  blatantly  looking  like  a  champion.  and  so  further  she  wandered,  her  shoes  clicking  against  the  beautiful  flooring  of  the  lobby  as  she  headed  to  the  elevator  to  see  the  man  responsible  for  this  loan.  dressed  in  a  cream  colored  suit  with  a  black  undershirt  and  a  soft  pink  tie,  she  covered  her  face  with  as  much  of  a  mask  as  possible,  an  attempt  to  hide  her  identity.

finally,  she  finds  herself  before  the  man,  standing  before  his  desk.  the  sight  of  the  room  striking  her.  from  gold  statues  to  priceless  items  that  lay  as  a  display,  and  a  giant  indoor  zen  garden  that  lay  just  beyond  him.  she  eyes  him  up  and  down,  standing  before  him  and  letting  him  make  his  statement  before  replying  with  her  own.  a  squint  forms  as  her  brow  furrows,  as  if  she's  studying  the  leader  of  the  place.         ❝   i'm  here  for  a  debt.   ❞         a  folder  in  her  hand  tosses  a  printed  out  version  of  the  loan  agreement  five  had  signed  onto  his  desk  with  all  the  intention  in  the  world,  allowing  it  to  spin  and  land  squarely  in  front  of  him.         ❝   clear  it.   ❞

aaaw you really think that???

his hand goes past her back, resting on her side; gesture so casual while he speaks to an investor, one could even say protective, but there's a hint of tenderness as his fingers brush, caressing ever so slightly her hip. maybe it meant nothing, just another slimy move of his to see what he can get away with. maybe that's just what it was.

Vera finds herself holding in a gasp, looking down at his hand on her hip with wide, surprised eyes. She was called over to help with... she wasn't sure. Something regarding an investment, or something. Something she had no preparation for, but that she agreed to partecipate to because, at this point, she knows better than saying no to him. Or anyone, for the matter. Most of the people she met lately didn't really take that answer particularly well.

A favor, in a way. One that would be fulfilled by just standing there and be pretty, as far as she's concerned. Quite objectifying in one hand, easy enough and with the added chance to request a favor of her own in the future to make her willing to accept.

...there's the hint of a smirk as her eyes remain on that damned hand, then, quiet but suddenly more relaxed. She just smiles, return to look up at the man in front of them.

⚠ yea [ lift herrr ; ACCEPTING]

She let out a soft gasp when he actually managed to pick her up. Not like she didn't believe he could do it - he practically threatened her he was going to, after she pushed the right buttons! -, but...

...but, come on. That's still surprising!

“If you mean recently, then yes,” L says, “But if you mean the person I was before, if I recall those encounters — I am deeply sorry.”

It's not that he hasn't tried — in fact, since first seeing Corbeau in the ballroom some time ago, he's had that familiar itch in the back of his mind that tells him there's history there. With how young he is, L cannot assume they were something like colleagues; he feels too familiar for that, anyway. 

do you think she's cuuuute ; ACCEPTING

[ girl bingo ; ACCEPTING ]

"Well... as long as you don't get too pushy~"

...did she clear her throat reading that? blush a bit? maybe. what of it.