"̴N̴o̴w̸ ̴i̸f̴ ̴I̴ ̴w̴e̶r̴e̷ ̷a̸ ̴r̴i̶c̴h̵ ̸b̷a̷s̶t̸a̴r̵d̸ ̴h̷a̶v̶i̵n̸g̸ ̵m̴y̵ ̶p̴a̷r̵t̵y̴ ̴c̵r̸a̴s̵h̶e̵d̶ ̸b̸y̷ ̸s̸o̵m̶e̴ ̷l̸o̸n̴e̵l̴y̴ ̵y̴e̷t̴ ̵p̵o̷w̷e̷r̴f̴u̸l̸ ̸v̷i̴r̶g̷i̷n̶ R̸e̵d̴d̴i̷t̷o̵r̶,̷ ̵w̸h̷e̵r̴e̴ ̸w̸o̸u̵l̴d̷ ̷I̴ ̵h̷i̴d̶e̴?̴"̷ Odile muttered to herself as she walked through the doors of the lounge. Narrowing her eyes, she scanned the low lit room, looking for any sign of mingling. Or life in general. The only rich bastard she knew well was Clovis, and Clovis would most likely hang out in a place that had a lot of books, or a lot of booze. And the place with a lot of booze was empty. So this was her next stop.
It ended up being the lucky one, because she caught sight of the man in question. With Clovis 2.0--sorry,
sTEvEn--and Aggron. Surely they wouldn't mind a third body with them, would they? And if they did, well. Tough shit. She was trying to be amicable and no motherfucker was gonna stop her. She wasn't above taking anybody's kneecaps today, even if she was trying to be what one would call a "model citizen."
"̷H̶i̸y̸a̷,̷"̴ she greeted when she got close enough.
"̶S̴o̴r̸r̴y̵ ̷t̵o̴ ̷b̴o̴t̶h̴e̸r̴ ̶y̷o̶u̶-̸-̶"̸ even though she wasn't really, that just seemed to be what people said when they interrupted a conversation,
"̶-̴-̶b̶u̶t̴ ̴I̶ ̶w̴a̴n̶t̸e̵d̸ ̸t̴o̶ ̴b̴r̸i̸n̴g̵ ̵y̷o̶u̶ ̴s̸o̵m̸e̵t̷h̸i̶n̶g̶,̴ ̸M̵r̸.̵ ̷S̴i̵r̸.̵ ̶W̸e̵l̸l̵,̶ ̴m̶y̵ ̵t̵r̵a̴i̶n̸e̵r̴ ̴a̶n̴d̶ ̶I̶ ̷d̴i̷d̷,̷ ̵b̸u̸t̶ ̸s̶h̴e̶'̸s̶ ̸i̵n̷d̸i̷s̴p̷o̶s̶e̸d̸ ̷r̵i̴g̷h̵t̸ ̴n̸o̶w̵ ̴a̶n̵d̶ ̷t̸o̴l̴d̶ ̷m̷e̷ ̸t̴o̴ ̷b̷e̶g̶o̶n̵e̷ ̷s̷o̷ ̶I̵'̴m̸ ̸h̵e̴r̸e̶ ̷o̸n̶ ̸h̴e̸r̴ ̸b̸e̷h̵a̴l̴f̶,̸ ̵i̵f̶ ̶t̵h̷a̶t̵'̴s̸ ̷a̶l̸r̸i̶g̵h̷t̵.̵"̶
She looked down toward the drinks in her hands, realizing she'd accidentally brought the latte along. She guessed it didn't matter.
"̶S̸o̶,̷ ̶w̶e̴ ̷w̵e̵r̸e̵n̴'̷t̸ ̸s̷u̶r̸e̶ ̷w̴h̷a̶t̵ ̵y̴o̸u̵ ̴l̷i̷k̸e̵d̵ ̷t̶o̶ ̸d̶r̴i̴n̶k̶,̸ ̶b̵u̶t̴ ̴m̶y̴ ̶t̴r̶a̷i̶n̸e̵r̴-̶-̶h̸e̸r̷ ̴n̵a̸m̷e̷ ̸i̵s̶ ̵O̴d̶e̵t̷t̶e̴.̵"̷ ̷She paused abruptly, averting her eyes up to the ceiling in quick thought.
"̵H̵i̸,̵ ̴I̵'̷m̷ ̵O̵d̷i̷l̵e̶.̴"̴
There, introductions out of the way; now she could get to the point.
̸"̶A̸n̴y̶w̷a̴y̷,̵ ̴m̸y̶ ̶t̸r̶a̶i̷n̵e̴r̶ ̷s̸a̴i̴d̴ ̴y̷o̸u̷ ̴l̵o̷o̴k̵e̷d̴ ̷a̸ ̴l̸i̷t̸t̷l̴e̷ ̷s̷l̶e̷e̶p̸y̷ ̶t̷h̶i̵s̷ ̸m̷o̶r̵n̸i̴n̶g̶ ̸a̶n̵d̶ ̸t̸h̵o̵u̷g̶h̸t̸ ̸i̸t̶ ̸w̷o̸u̷l̸d̵ ̴b̸e̸ ̴n̶i̸c̵e̶ ̷t̵o̵ ̴b̶r̴i̸n̶g̶ ̷y̴o̶u̴ ̶a̸ ̴p̷i̷c̶k̸-̷m̵e̶-̵u̶p̷,̷ ̷b̸u̸t̸ ̵w̸e̴ ̵w̸e̴r̷e̷n̸'̶t̶ ̸s̵u̷r̸e̸ ̷w̷h̶a̶t̷ ̸y̴o̴u̴ ̵l̷i̴k̵e̸d̵ ̷t̸o̷ ̷d̸r̶i̴n̶k̴.̶ ̶I̶ ̶s̷a̸i̶d̵ ̷i̸t̵ ̸s̷h̸o̵u̷l̷d̷ ̵b̴e̸ ̵a̴ ̷m̵i̷l̷k̶s̶h̴a̴k̷e̵,̸ ̴b̴e̵c̶a̷u̴s̸e̸ ̷e̷v̶e̵r̶y̸o̴n̵e̸ ̶l̵i̸k̴e̵s̷ ̷m̸i̸l̸k̵s̸h̸a̷k̸e̸s̸,̵ ̶b̸u̴t̶ ̶a̸p̷p̶a̷r̴e̷n̸t̴l̷y̸ ̵l̴a̵c̷t̴o̸s̵e̷ ̷i̵n̶t̶o̴l̶e̷r̶a̸n̸c̸e̴ ̴i̵s̴ ̴a̸ ̶t̷h̶i̸n̷g̷,̴ ̵s̸o̷ ̸s̶h̷e̶ ̴t̵o̶l̸d̵ ̸m̷e̵ ̸t̸h̶a̷t̵ ̵w̸a̸s̶ ̸a̶ ̶b̸a̴d̴ ̵i̴d̵e̶a̵.̵ ̷S̵h̸e̵ ̵w̶a̷n̷t̵e̴d̶ ̶t̷o̶ ̸b̶r̵i̶n̴g̷ ̶y̶o̸u̷ ̵s̵o̷m̴e̷ ̶w̷a̵t̷e̵r̸,̵ ̶b̷u̵t̷ ̴I̶ ̷s̵a̶i̶d̶ ̵y̵o̴u̶ ̵c̴o̷u̸l̷d̷ ̷l̷i̴t̴e̵r̵a̴l̶l̴y̵ ̵g̴e̴t̸ ̵t̶h̸a̸t̶ ̶o̴u̸t̷ ̵o̵f̷ ̸a̷ ̶f̶a̶u̸c̵e̴t̶,̷ ̴s̶o̷ ̸t̶h̴a̵t̶ ̸d̸i̴d̸n̵'̵t̵ ̵w̴o̶r̵k̵ ̷e̸i̴t̶h̷e̶r̶.̸ ̷S̵o̶,̵ ̶w̷e̴ ̶d̶e̷c̶i̶d̵e̸d̴ ̴o̸n̸ ̴a̴ ̶h̵a̴p̷p̵y̶ ̶l̶a̷r̷g̷e̴.̶ ̷W̸a̶i̷t̷,̷ ̸n̵o̶.̴ ̴M̵e̴d̶i̸u̴m̶.̶ ̷T̸h̶e̵ ̷d̵r̵i̵n̸k̶ ̵i̵s̴ ̸l̵a̴r̷g̷e̴,̶ ̵b̷u̶t̴ ̷I̶ ̵m̶e̸a̶n̴t̵ ̸h̶a̷p̷p̴y̵ ̷m̵e̸d̷i̷u̷m̷.̴"̴
She held out the hot coffee cup before setting it on the table in front of Xavian.
̴"̶T̸h̴i̵s̸ ̶i̸s̴ ̶a̵ ̴r̴e̸g̴u̸l̵a̴r̴ ̶c̴o̸f̵f̵e̸e̸ ̷w̸i̴t̵h̴ ̵t̸h̸r̵e̸e̷ ̶s̶u̷g̷a̷r̷s̷,̸ ̸b̵e̵c̵a̵u̸s̵e̵ ̵t̶h̴a̷t̷'̵s̶ ̵t̵h̴e̶ ̴a̷v̸e̷r̶a̷g̶e̶,̴ ̴a̴n̵d̶ ̴a̴ ̷n̵o̴n̷-̵d̴a̷i̵r̶y̷ ̷c̶r̷e̴a̸m̶e̵r̶.̷ ̵B̵e̵c̴a̸u̷s̷e̷ ̶l̶a̵c̴t̴o̵s̶e̸ ̵i̴n̵t̷o̷l̷e̴r̴a̵n̶c̸e̵.̴"̷ ̶She made a gesture toward the coffee, as if presenting him with a prestigious prize. After letting him behold it for a little bit, she held up her free hand reassuringly.
"̶B̷u̷t̴ ̸i̸f̷ ̴t̷h̴a̴t̵'̸s̸ ̶n̵o̵t̸ ̷y̶o̶u̶r̵ ̸c̷u̷p̷ ̸o̷f̷ ̵t̵e̷a̸,̶ ̷I̸ ̶a̵l̶s̷o̵ ̵h̸a̴v̴e̷ ̶a̷ ̵l̵i̸t̶e̸r̵a̸l̷ ̵c̷u̷p̶ ̴o̶f̵ ̶t̸e̶a̵.̷"̸
Another dramatic gesture, this time to the iced drink she was still carrying. ̷
"̴T̴h̵i̷s̶ ̴i̵s̶ ̴a̷n̴ ̶I̸c̵e̴d̵ ̴G̴a̵l̴a̶r̴i̸a̵n̵ ̶f̶o̷g̸ ̵l̵a̸t̴t̴e̵-̵-̸b̸a̴s̴i̵c̴a̸l̶l̸y̸ ̶j̵u̴s̷t̶ ̷s̵o̵m̵e̵ ̷s̵t̸u̵p̶i̶d̸ ̶a̵s̴ ̷s̷h̵i̷t̶ ̵f̴a̷n̸c̵y̵ ̶n̵a̴m̴e̵ ̴f̷o̵r̶ ̶a̸n̷ ̴i̸c̶e̶d̶ ̸E̴a̵r̶l̷ ̵G̵r̴e̴y̵ ̷t̵e̸a̶ ̸w̶i̵t̶h̵ ̴v̵a̷n̷i̵l̴l̴a̷ ̴s̵y̵r̸u̸p̵ ̴a̸n̷d̷ ̵m̶i̶l̸k̶.̶ ̴I̴t̵ ̸w̶a̶s̴ ̴s̴u̷p̶p̶o̴s̴e̵d̶ ̸t̸o̷ ̷b̵e̶ ̶f̷o̶r̷ ̸O̵d̴e̶t̸t̵e̵ ̷b̵u̵t̷ ̵s̴h̷e̶ ̶w̸a̶n̸t̷e̷d̵ ̸t̴o̷ ̴o̷f̵f̴e̵r̸ ̵i̸t̶ ̷t̵o̵ ̶y̸o̵u̶ ̵f̸i̴r̴s̵t̴ ̵b̷e̵c̷a̶u̴s̴e̷ ̷s̷h̶e̵'̴s̸ ̶w̵o̷r̸r̷i̶e̸d̵ ̸a̷b̷o̴u̵t̴ ̷y̸o̵u̷.̵ ̴I̸ ̸a̸m̷ ̴t̴o̸o̵,̸ ̷w̵h̸i̵c̸h̶ ̴i̸s̶ ̷w̴h̸y̶ ̵I̷'̷m̸ ̷h̷e̵r̴e̸,̴ ̴d̷u̸h̸.̶"̵
She set that one down next to the coffee.
"̸O̵r̷ ̷i̷f̶ ̴y̷o̵u̸'̷r̸e̴ ̷r̶e̵a̸l̴l̶y̶ ̶t̷h̸i̴r̷s̶t̶y̸,̶ ̵y̷o̴u̷ ̸c̸a̶n̶ ̵h̷a̷v̴e̵ ̶b̴o̶t̴h̵.̷ ̶I̴ ̷d̸o̷n̶'̵t̵ ̵m̴i̸n̷d̸.̸ ̵O̵h̷!̴ ̸A̷n̷d̸ ̴I̸ ̸h̷a̷v̵e̵ ̴t̶h̵i̷s̴.̶"̴
An excited hand traveled down to the pocket of her joggers, where she managed to fish out a small potted cactus. It was a big pocket, so she had no issue stuffing it in there for the walk over. She excitedly set it next to the drinks, beaming at Xavian as she did.
"̶T̶h̵a̷t̴ ̷w̸a̴s̴ ̵m̵y̸ ̷i̶d̴e̶a̷.̶ ̴I̸ ̵w̷a̴n̴t̷e̵d̸ ̵t̷o̷ ̶m̴a̶k̷e̶ ̸a̶ ̶c̶a̸c̴t̵u̵s̴ ̶b̷o̴u̸q̴u̴e̴t̶ ̶b̶u̶t̷ ̵t̸h̶e̶r̷e̵'̷s̸ ̸l̴i̵t̴e̷r̸a̵l̷l̷y̶ ̶n̶o̷ ̸c̴a̷c̵t̵i̵ ̷h̶e̷r̵e̴-̴-̵y̷o̸u̷ ̶s̵h̶o̷u̷l̸d̵ ̶c̶h̸a̵n̸g̸e̴ ̵t̷h̸a̷t̵ ̸b̴y̷ ̴t̷h̴e̵ ̸w̵a̵y̵,̴ ̷b̶u̴t̸ ̸I̸ ̷w̸o̸n̶'̵t̸ ̸t̸e̶l̸l̵ ̶y̷o̸u̶ ̸h̵o̵w̸ ̴t̷o̸ ̷r̴u̵n̵ ̸y̴o̴u̶r̴ ̴i̴s̷l̶a̸n̸d̸-̴-̸s̸o̸ ̴I̶ ̸j̷u̷s̵t̵ ̸w̵e̵n̵t̴ ̸t̸o̵ ̵t̶h̶e̷ ̸s̸h̶o̷p̶ ̴a̴n̶d̶ ̸g̴o̵t̷ ̷t̶h̸a̵t̸ ̸g̶u̴y̸.̴ ̷I̶ ̷k̶n̶o̴w̴ ̸y̸o̵u̵'̸r̸e̷ ̴t̶i̶r̵e̵d̶ ̵r̵i̴g̶h̸t̴ ̵n̵o̵w̶,̶ ̸s̴o̴ ̷y̴o̶u̴ ̵d̷o̸n̸'̵t̶ ̵e̷v̴e̸n̸ ̸h̷a̷v̶e̶ ̸t̸o̴ ̷w̷a̸t̷e̷r̷ ̸h̶i̶m̶.̵ ̷H̷e̴'̷l̵l̵ ̸j̶u̵s̴t̴ ̵s̵i̸t̷ ̷t̸h̶e̴r̴e̷ ̶a̷n̷d̴ ̷s̵m̸i̶l̴e̵ ̴a̵t̶ ̴y̶o̷u̷ ̴b̵e̸c̸a̸u̵s̵e̸ ̶I̷ ̷f̴e̴e̸l̸ ̷l̵i̴k̸e̶ ̸a̴l̷l̸ ̵c̸a̵c̷t̵i̶ ̷a̷r̸e̵ ̷s̷m̸i̸l̸i̶n̵g̴ ̴s̶o̴m̴e̵h̸o̴w̶.̸"
