Oh, that dismissive look in her eyes as he complimented her… and that sudden amused, almost cocky smile when he stumbled upon his words. Gods, she was hell-bent on making everything harder for him! How was he supposed to pretend, to disguise himself as a mere civilian when she was challenging him with her behavior? He bit his tongue to stop himself from grinning like a madman, doing his best to stay in character.
“…To be fair, you are most commonly associated with battle… otherwise you would be getting much more attention, of that I’m sure.” He explained with a small grin, albeit not quite confident as before. “…Now don’t misunderstand me, that doesn’t stop you from looking… um, elegant.”
He tugged the collar of his shirt, avoiding her gaze for an instant. “The name is Liam Kendrick, Although I doubt it rings any bells. I’m just a… fan of yours.” He chuckled softly, tilting his hat down as if trying to regain his composure.
“Actually… now that I think about it, we might have met before.”
Ridley was right to feel insulted. As far as Samus knew, he was just another dweeb with his tongue on the floor, the kind of guy she crushed under her heel at bars all the time. It was only because he was acting so meek now that she still had the mercy not to dismiss him entirely. “Of course. Avoiding more attention is exactly what I’m trying to do. Imagine what a pain it’d be to have a whole swarm of guys bothering me.” She took another sip of her drink, closing her eyes to very intentionally look away from him for a moment. “Despite my job, I still know how to clean myself up for an event like this.”
She listened as he gave his name, that same sort of bored look still in her eyes. “Well, Mr. Kendrick, I had no doubt you were a fan of mine.” Just what type of fan was the question. Was he the sort who idolized her as a hero, a legend, or was he the sort to spend his nights alone in his bed, jacking off to thoughts of her whenever a new picture of her was released to the public.
The last thing he said, however, made her quirk her eyebrow curiously before she shrugged. “Maybe. I’ve met a lot of people over the years. I’m afraid you didn’t quite stick to my memory though. Maybe you can give me a little reminder.”
Clearly she knew. To think that such a battle machine retained this elegance. Like a diamond personified, the hardest of gems and yet the one that shined the brightest too, breaking the nails of every hand that dared touch her. And it all made her even more valuable in the eyes of a pirate.
“…I didn’t stick to your memory…” He repeated those words pensatively, eyes still looking down and covered by the peculiar wide-brimmed hat. He knew that the only reason she hadn’t recognized him already was that he was disguised, but those words stabbed into him, reminding him of something else. Another soft chuckle left his breath. “How sad.”
He felt a tingling sensation in his fingers, his breathing becoming shaky and his heart beating faster. He could not bear it any longer. “…Oh, please, don’t look. I- I just have something in my eyes…”
He covered his face, his thumb and index finger pressed carefully against his own eyes, only to uncover them immediately. The next time he raised his gaze, however, her eyes would be met by his. That golden iris burning with excitement, surrounded by its unsettling black sclera. Grinning madly, he spoke from the heart.
“…You have not left my mind for one second.”
