#lollipop-bribes

[katabatiic]

🎨 sorry i'm fashionably late

heya, sticky fingers (and sticky purse...why do you keep candy literally everywhere...??)

[amatsuken]

Gaius doesn't know why, of all people, he remembers her name. They'd barely ever even spoken; they covered each other's backs in battle a few times, but Gaius could say that about quite a few people whose names haven't stuck in his mind.

But he knows her instantly.

"Say'ri!" He tosses her a friendly little wave. "Good to see a friendly face 'round here. You just settling in? Just want you to know that your ol' pal Gaius is here if you ever want someone to show you around."

In contrast to him, there are few faces that she forgets. For every warrior that brandishes their blade against her, and for every ally that remains bold enough to stand beside her-- his face is clear within her memory, and the smile she offers him is nothing short of welcoming. His talent never did go unnoticed by her, as he is one who taught her the lesson that perhaps there truly is "honor among thieves".

"Gaius! Aye, I've not been here long." Say'ri bows her head to him slightly as a greeting, now wondering who else she'll have the luxury of running into it. "It pleases me to see you in good health. I pray your travels have treated you kindly?" His "sticky fingers" no doubt led him to plenty of scuffles, but he seems no worse the wear for it. "I may take you up on such an offer. My knowledge of Garreg Mach is quite limited, and it seems that the maps are currently... quite useless." No doubt a reference to the state of disrepair that the grounds are in, a frown stretching across her face.

[cutestrival]

"I heard it was a lovely lady's birthday today." Gaius slots in beside Selena and hands her a tulip bouquet from the marketplace. He's even sacrificing a couple of his nicest chocolate hearts for the occasion.

Peeking over the flowers, his brows knit together. "Hmm. You look awfully familiar. Aren't you Stumbles' kid?"

First, she’s met with the misfortune of a man proposing a bouquet of flowers. But, the implication that this orange-haired fool knows one of her parents? 

Oh, this guy’s really gonna get it.

Selena purses her lips, and accepts the man’s gifts. She’d like nothing more than to simply yell at him, kick him real hard in the shins, and run away, but…it was her birthday after all. Surely she could offer something a bit more mature, right?

“Um, thank you for the gifts,” she begins, eyeing the chocolates in particular. “But I’m sorry, I don’t swing that way.” Alright, the easy part’s down. Selena clears her throat before continuing.

“I… don’t know how you can know one of my parents, but you should know I’m not exactly keen on talking about them, mister. Who exactly is ‘Stumbles’, anyway?” She does admit, it would be funny were it to end up being a name for Cordelia, of all people.