bakerstreet | Taking you to court

[Never in his years did The 31st of China, Toah Genjo Sanzo, ever think he was to end up in this situation. He was a Buddhist monk, after all! This situation was entirely against tradition!

Well, he was never really one to follow tradition, as seen from his not bald head and the unlit cigarette dangling from his lips. But still, he did not like it-- Not one bit.

And yet it seemed he had been sent here by the gods themselves! Betrothed in some ridiculous demand by the Merciful Goddess themselves for some reason!? Did this have anything to do with his journey to save the world?

He was staring, deadpan and silent, across the table, his arms crossed within the large baggy sleeves of his monks' robes. The tall, lanky blond man merely glared down at the silver-haired girl across the table from him. Not breaking eye contact, as if in a challenge.]

( f/m. )

((OOC:An angry tsundere Buddhist monk with no interest in relationships whatsoever. Come and melt his murderous heart and prove him wrong. Oh, and avoid his gun. ~~Or don't. That's up to you.~~))

[Dot had always had a soft spot for prickly sorts. A little vitriol made a relationship interesting, as far as she was concerned. So it was no surprise that she’d gravitated to the grumpiest and most put upon looking man in the room at the rather dull and stuffy gathering. For as disinterested and dour as his expression was, he was plenty handsome, too, which was always a plus. Maybe there was hope to save this boring evening yet!

She approaches with a slightly coy smile.]

Forgive me if I’m being too forward, but would you care to go out for a drink? The atmosphere here leaves a lot to be desired for the both of us, it would seem.

[Sanzo hated these sorts of affairs. For one, he was not a people person, not by a long shot. Official affairs like this always meant he had to put on heirs and pretend to be the proper priest, but he wasn't. Give the good samaritan nod, make discussions about donations to the local temples, offer prayers for those who needed: it was all frankly absolute bullshit. Even worse, he was the center of attention for some vital meet-up the temple had set him up for.

So when Dot approached Sanzo casually as he finished his usual formal routine, he had practically melted into the idea of a way to escape.]

Let's get the fuck out of here.

[Sanzo had barely acknowledged Dot's offer, but as quickly as she had spoken, he was happy to fold his arms into his sleeves, walk past her, and make his way for the door.]

( voice testing, m/f preferred. )

( okay, what do you have for me!!!!!!! )

(typically in most situations a man like neuvillette would be a prize. a prize and something worthy of the pursuits of others in a more serious fashion; that is if he wasn't impossibly hard to track down by would be suitors every time. the hydro sovereign never had been one to stay amongst the crowds no matter how his feelings toward humanity itself changed. even now after the death of focolors he finds it easier to continue his habit in which he would avoid those seeking him out for something on terms of romantics.

however, there was one he displayed affection and care toward. even if things had changed greatly: neuvillette doubts that he could ever stop himself. the way his smiles grow fonder and he couldn't quite help himself in the end from having a much more warmer conversation with the former archon and false goddess herself, furina. the centuries had caused him to grow closer to her though he knew not the secrets she carried at time.

which is why recently, in a rather unusual turn neuvillette had begun to notice their meetings atmosphere and exchanges had taken a different tone. a rather confusing one. whereas neuvillette may not know what courting is in its full extent; it would seem in those tender moments he hardly minded furina taking initiative to show him more of what it is she might be after. there is that sense of comfort that remains and trust, but the most recent meeting this time was at her home.

during the evening.

normally one and their lover would have some sort of expectations from how this plays out, but that was not neuvillette who was in the midst of drinking tea and near wondering if furina was hiding something. he almost does in his keen gaze believe that she seems a little nervous. the what and how is something that would take time from him to learn as he starts to frown; his lips curled downward as that handsome face and sharp eyes never leave her.)

Is everything alright, Mi-.... (he had to catch himself, that's always been a habit to calling her by "miss furina". it seems at least as part of it he was making an attempt at not saying it, likely at her request even as internally he starts to wonder if he must be doing something wrong.)

Furina, pardon me for the slip of the tongue.

(but it does little to hide the concern edging into the softness of his voice as they sit together. tones which are not easily obtained and whispers given unto one person with a gentle look from his normally impassive face.)

( how embarrassing, quite so! as furina is unable to keep her cool, or whatever it is that she has during these meetings as of late. she wonders if she's overreacting, that she's doing way too much despite her insistence from before to keep distance between one another because she was learning how to be a human who took care of herself.

now lately due to their constant meet-ups, it's not hard to hear people gossip— the water carries emotions, false promises, and pleas of those who cry. at first, she could never hear them quite well, instead, she would allow her tears to fall into fontaine's water and taint the source. now that she has a vision, one not connected to the true hydro archon, but now the hydro sovereign, it's made her notice things.

like a fontanian drinking from their tea, only for the liquid to shudder, and words despite how faint that points out how often neuvillette and furina have been seeing each other. it wasn't just one person, there was another, and another... and another, and another, and someone else and she was close to chucking her vision out the window from these claims if not for mademoiselle crabaletta calming her down.

even she sits here with him sharing tea, her hands are already shaking, and she's trying very hard not to have a massive breakdown. how can someone say that things seem different between them, or maybe furina has fell into a routine she hadn't noticed herself. she's already grabbing at her two-toned hair, eyes closing shut as she makes a whining noise while tapping her feet against the floor. )

...! Um! Oh, ignore that! Don't say a thing!

( it's not like she's been doing anything wrong, right? if she wants to go out and do these things with neuvillette on her own time then that's fine, right? is she taking advantage of their kindness, has she done something out of the ordinary, she should have really stayed to herself?

she thinks she might go insane. )

I-- aha! I do this to... calm myself down, ahaha! Yes, yes.

( she's at home and can do anything she wants and it'll make sense to her, she doubts he'll speak against it. )

(while she seems to be shaking, he almost believes her. but, could it be so wrong of him to think or doubt her? the way he stares is not the gaze of a man that accepts that answer, though he doesn't say it or voice it. he doesn't press her to admit anything she holds no desire to say even if there is a moment his glove covered hand reaches a little tentatively, perhaps awkwardly knowing he does not quite give physical affection with ease; to settle on top of one of hers. the coolness of his skin underneath as he makes some sort of effort toward calming her nerves.

his hand is gentle, like he's afraid of unintentionally hurting her with the way it sits there. he's calm, he needs to be. of them it was oftentimes neuvillette who acted as the pillar and anchor to let her have something to ground herself with, it only wasn't until now that it edged into something different slowly. with his hand which treats her like fine porcelain and his gaze which is considerate, silent, as he begins to wonder if he shouldn't have done that.

there's no secret that he never was good at this. he never could have been whenever his fingers are careful about the way they hold her hand. something like him shouldn't express such emotions, shouldn't even feel the way he does at times even after his world had started changing. his silence might be frightening too. it's hard to say whenever he tries to articulate what his response could be. if not this touch he did being more than enough to convey the words he struggles to find, the questions that are there from worry.

she did say not to say a thing in the end.

that didn't however stop him from this much with his tea set aside and attention on her. unfortunately, were this any other person they may have listened fully and carried on none-the-wiser. that never was neuvillette. the centuries had taught him she expresses things differently; that it is easier said than done for her to say what ails her or whatever it could be that remains on her mind that stays gnawing at her. ages of secrets could do that even if he didn't know until recent times.

whatever sort of crisis she is having, it seems that the hydro sovereign took it upon himself to attempt a display of support and worry. especially in how his fingertips start to delicately trace along her palm through fabric, a sense of curiosity in him about if it would be better were they to bare their hands instead. maybe it would have been better: that is a thought he has even if he doesn't let go of her hand for now.)

....you're shaking.

(it's a simple comment. an observation from just sitting there; he doesn't quite know where the thought came from of their bare hands clasped together, he doesn't know if he could ever tell. that was something he must not feel.

oh, how truly difficult that is. when seeing her like this causes his heart to sting, causes his mind to wonder if he had overstepped himself. if he must have done something in the end without knowing how she felt, was it his fault? did he make a mistake? did he, hurt the person he seems to care more about amongst humans? he isn't certain even as his thoughts are taking a turn, as saddening as the thought is that he didn't understand the depths of his own feelings for her.)

Edited 2024-06-29 04:54 (UTC)

That's normal! You know — human things normal! Ahaha...!

( oh, she was, it's the stress which she isn't lying to him when she says that it's a normal human thing. it happens, she finds herself just a little stressed of where she is in her life, and this must be what it's like to have a mid-life crisis. at one point, she would say she's far too young for them, but now she's old and susceptible to true age that she wonders if it's catching up with her.

furina calms down by his touch, her odd-eyes falling upon him before blinking slow then glancing off to the side.

how terrible, what should she do? )

I understand that it must be a sight to see me so frazzled, but... this is just how it is! Maybe I should have rescheduled...

( would it have been better if she did so? it almost feels like she brought him out for no reason, and when she thought she didn't mind what people said about her, the last thing she wants to do is tarnish his reputation.

what to do? she can't run out her own house, right?

or this is just not the right day, meticulous planning down the drain where she finds herself so worried that everything's going wrong. he's even worried about her which wasn't part of the script in her head, oh, she was supposed to do something else! furina is taking back her hand, holding them up before resting them back onto her lap. )

Have you ever been nervous before?

( probably not. )

(normal....stress is something he's seen her experience in different shapes and forms. none of which had her gripping upon her hair like she was about to start tearing it out and screaming. his thoughts are mixed with concern and wonder if he had been the root cause. then again, he didn't know what sort of reasoning she may have to invite him during a more intimate time to her home. normally their meetings are in the day. places that were more private, calmer, than just being about the streets of fair fontaine.

their beautiful home which had near fallen to pieces after the things they had gone through. neuvillette who was the center of this plan even whenever he notes she did calm down after he held on to her hand. he didn't seem to know much and yet, he was still being that man which would never stop caring for her no matter what differences there is between them.

she is human now, he isn't. how sorrowful a thing that must be in itself as he tries to not think about it; he only hadn't stopped staring at her because he did seem concerned enough. she is right that it is a sight, though he shakes his head at her rescheduling comment. he likely would have found out even with that knowing just how he is when it comes to furina.)

I don't believe I have been. Or maybe I hadn't realized I was, nerves are something foreign to me....

(his reputation however, had he known she was concerned about that would have at least made him frown thoughtfully. he didn't want furina to assume that he cared more about that than he did her. his thoughts were more toward her currently as he does make an attempt to wonder if anything could make him nervous before he decides it likely would have to do with her.

she was the one that can be considered his weakness.

the script she might have planned out may have changed, but it would seem after she withdrew his hand that he almost feels the contact was too brief. the foreign feelings are there of what this could be. his heart which never had felt such sentiments as deep as they are is slowly beginning to ease its pounding. maybe he did worry a little too much about this. that was the difficult part of these things with emotions which he was not used to expressing.

and, if she did run out of her own house he likely would have chased her down. causing a bigger scene without the intentions of doing so. not a good look for either of them even if neuvillette would have been more concerned about furina than that.)

I didn't unintentionally cause it, did I?

(it's only natural for him to wonder. he can wonder if he came off too strong in whatever feelings she is gradually edging him into.)