( taking the hint and the cue, athénaïs hums as she slips out of the booth they’d taken up, gathering her cloak and shrugging it back about her shoulders. it’s something of a process as she moves out of his way, hauling all of her hair over one shoulder and out of the way so she can attach the cloakpin closures to her coat beneath without strangling herself in the process— )

I promise it looks better than the disaster area I left behind, ( she says, warmly, glancing up mid-manoeuvre. ) Would it help if I promised to have only eyes for you and not your housekeeping?

( because it’s likely that was going to be the case anyway. )