forum One-on-one// (Open)

Started July 20, 2019 by @payten_the_coffee_addict

tune

Thanks! Would you mind starting?

sure!

Korbin walks into the pub down the street from his office building and nods to the employee waiting to seat customers. He walks past and sits at a bar stool and orders his regular, a burger with fries and a beer. After placing his order he props his elbows up on the bar and watches the cooks in the back through the window.

Kiriti fingered the simple necklace around her neck, which was enchanted to put an illusion around her ears and tail to prevent people from seeing them. She'd have to avoid any sort of mirror, or else people would see through the illusion, and letting her guard down wasn't an option either.

She found a pub and looked down at her stomach, sighing. She was running low on money already, but what choice did she have? Food was a necessity, and it wouldn't hurt to get some to go for later. She hiked up her travel bag and walked in, keeping her steps light and her head down to avoid as much attention as possible.

Korbin's beer had arrived and his favorite server had struck up a conversation with him as per usual. She asked about his day and work and he gave her his usual answer, "it was long, but it was fine. Just needed a good meal after the long days work."

Kiriti approached the bar with silent feet, curling her tail around the stool she slipped onto to prevent anyone from tripping over or stepping on it. Her ears flattened against her head to block out the clammer, the noise heightened by her sensitive hearing. She just wanted a simple meal and to be here and gone. She hardly noticed the stranger to her left talking to one of the servers.

Korbin looked to his right noticing a girl and went back to talking to the server. His food arrived and he motioned for the server to go back to work and he turned to his food, his hand a knocking his half full cup of beer over and it spilling all over himself and the girl next to him. "Shoot im so sorry." he said reaching for the napkin holder in front of them yanking out a bunch of napkins.

Kiriti yelped when she felt a liquid being spilled on her, and she instantly shied away from the small puddle of liquid on the counter. The reflection would show her ears, and that's the last thing she needed at the moment. "Oh, no, that's quite alright," she reassured the man, helping him clean up the spilled drink with a small smile shot his way. "Accidents happen."

"Yeah, im uhh… a little clumsy sometimes to say the least." he said pushing away the memory from his past. "Is there anything i can do?" he said piling up wet napkins on the counter.

She flapped her hand dismissively. "Oh, you don't have to bother. It's really not a big deal." She gestured to her slightly worn and dust-covered clothes. "I'm not exactly the neatest at the moment. I'm just passing through here and stopped for some food."

"Do you mind my asking where you're going?" He asked curiously. A bartender aproached and asked if he'd like another drink and scooping up the napkins into a bucket and wiping dry the counter. "Just a water would be great. Anything for you?" Korbin asked, turning to the girl.

"Just something simple to eat. I'm running low on money," she said, tugging at some loose strands of hair framing her face. The brand on her wrist was relatively hidden by her clothing, but the cloth was at risk of moving just just to reveal it. "And I'm looking for someone. Someone that has a debt to me and mine."

"Surprise us" He said to the bartender and turned to the girl. "Ahh well im Korbin, and you are?" He held out his hand to her.

She smiled sweetly and took his hand, shaking it. "Kiriti. It's nice to meet you." He couldn't see her ears, but they were perked up in curiosity and joy at being able to talk to someone. It's been pretty lonely on her own.

"That's a really pretty name." He said with a smile. "So who are you looking for all alone? Most people dont come through here with a group of people."

Kitriti messed with her sleeves, looking down. "A friend of mine was killed, so I'm looking for the man that did it. I don't know his name, but he goes by Blake." She shook her head and looked up at Korbin. "You wouldn't happen to know where he is, would you? I'm terribly lost and have no idea where I'm even supposed to go."

As she was speaking he listened intently. When she said that name, his name, his breath hitched. He managed to compose himself before she looked at him. "u-uh yeah, yeah i know him. He's a um close friend for mine. I can take you to him, but tomorrow. I need to make a few calls before we leave. uhh, do you have somewhere to umm stay?" He was nervous as ever. He'd never thought about it that way before. That there was a family, and friends. That he not only hurt them, but also their friends and family.

Kiriti cocked her head to the side, catching his nervousness but assuming it was because of the fact she was looking for his close friend that she accused of murdering her friend. She bit her lip and pulled her hair over her shoulder to pet out of a nervous habit. "I'm sorry. I can go if you'd like. I didn't realize he was your friend." She suddenly felt bad. She was never one for confrontation, save for this rare instance where she was planning to kill this Blake, who happened to be this lovely man's friend; she didn't like the position she just put herself into.

Korbin pulled him self together and took a deep breath. "No, please stay. I, um, I dont really agree with the things hes done either." He managed a small smile and attempted to put her attention elsewhere for the moment. "Do you need somewhere to spend the night? You seem a little tired."

Kiriti's ears twisted this way and that, nervous and conflicted. On one hand, she was tired—exhausted, even. On the other, however, it was the friend of her target. She wouldn't feel right, making him spend any more time with her than needed. In the end, though, a large yawn surprised her, and the need to sleep outweighed the other option. She reached up to cover her mouth as she yawned, forgetting about the kitsune band around her wrist. "Very, and no, I don't," she murmured against her hand, her thumb brushing over her lips with her nerves.

"You're more than welcome to borrow my guest bedroom." He offered with a smile, his attention drawn to the waitress who appeared across the bar with their food. "Would you mind putting that in to-go boxes for me sweetheart, and the check please." he said with a charming smile. The waitress noded and went off to do the things he asked.

Kiriti opened and closed her mouth multiple times, trying to say no, that it was okay, but her voice wasn't cooperating. She eventually sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, carefully avoiding her ears. "If you don't mind, I'd like that," she said quietly, glancing over at the waitress as she approached and left after Korbin asked for to-go boxes.

“I wouldn’t mind at all.” He smiled at her and the waitress came back with empty boxes and the check. He hands Kiriti a box and slides $30 into the waitresses hand and tells her to keep the change. as she walks away korbin boxes up his food.

Kiriti let out a small breath that might've been a sigh of disappointment or a sigh of relief as she boxed up her food. Even she wasn't sure—maybe both? She had kinda wanted him to say that he'd rather she not, and she wouldn't have to worry about spending the night with the friend of the person she was about to… She cringed at that thought, already hating herself for being on this quest in the first place.

“are you ready to go?” he asked, looking up from his food and got off the stool he had been sitting on.