lusi | (no subject)

Cuffing a stranger to a tree is unreasonable.

[Except Suzaku isn't a stranger, but Julieta doesn't know that. She doesn't need to know that either. Shifting his footing, Suzaku tugs on the handcuffs.]

My intention was to take a walk around the city at night. [He isn't wrong, technically.] Is that truly a crime worthy of arresting me over?

But why the mask? I'd have let you be if not for how suspicious you come off walking around like that.

[ She peers at it but there doesn't seem to be any angle that she can get a look at his face. If she wants to do that it seems she has no choice but to take it off herself. She crosses her arms. This never seems to go the way she wants when she tries. There must be a trick to it. ]

[She's thinking about removing his mask, isn't she? Of course she is. Suzaku recognizes that look on her face because he'd seen it before when she tried to make a grab for his gun. He shakes his head.]

Don't try anything you'll regret.

[Certainly don't come within kicking range.]

Your secret is safe with me.

[ She approaches slowly. Her hands are at her sides. As much as she wants to go for that mask, she doesn't want to provoke him. Surely that will work. She just doesn't seem to learn. ]

[That will work about as well as sticking a hand on a hot stove and expecting not to come away from it with a burn. To Suzaku's credit, he doesn't kick Julieta hard. He lifts his leg with alarming speed and knees her in the side with just enough force to knock her to the ground.]

Don't interfere. If you're going to make demands of me, then at least be reasonable.

[In other words, don't take off his mask?! He'll do Julieta a favor in exchange for letting him go and not breathing a word of their encounter to anyone, but he won't heed any crazy orders.]

[ She picks herself up quickly, brushing herself off. It didn't quite knock the wind out of her. Now she's just irritated. So much for being nice. This time when she moves toward him she has her gun pointed at his legs. ]

Who are you?

[Yikes. Please don't shoot him in the legs. Suzaku needs those for kicking people, like Julieta.]

I am Zero.

[ His response seems to calm her down. Since he gave her a name she'll lower her weapon. That seems fair. She's still keeping it in case he intends to attack her again. At this point she's committed. ]

I could understand if you told me you have enemies here. I do too.

Then you could understand why I can't reveal myself to you. I have good reason to wear this mask.

[Oh, more than he'll have her know. In an effort to assuage Julieta's nerves, Suzaku speaks to her softly, calmly.]

So please, let me go. I'm willing to repay your kindness if you won't speak a word of our encounter to anyone. We both have our enemies, don't we?

Are you offering an alliance?

[ That might interest her. It's not too much to ask that she keep this to herself. He seems physically capable enough. She does need more people like that on her side. It might be a good thing to know more about his enemies though. ]

[Had Suzaku not spent enough time with Julieta to gauge her character, this is where he would have declined. Instead, he doesn't hesitate to nod. It helps to have allies, especially in a dangerous and unfamiliar environment.]

So long as our values are in line with one another's, I would have no issue fighting at your side.

[Shackled to a tree is not where Suzaku wants to be during an important conversation like this, but you won't hear him complaining. At least he no longer has a gun sitting level with his dick.]

Tell me what kind of world you desire.

Nothing means more to me than defending the ones I care about.

[ So sometimes she's just gotta capture a guy to make sure he's not going to be a threat. If she has that kind of reputation then maybe people won't mess with her. That or she'll accumulate more enemies. ]

That's why you handcuffed me to this tree?

[Reasonable enough, but a gun to the head would've worked just as well, not that Suzaku's looking for a repeat of their adventures in Julieta's gundam. He'd extend his hand to Julieta – an open palm – if he could, but in place of that, Suzaku tips his head down in acknowledgement.]

Very well. From hereon, I won't consider you my enemy, provided you don't cuff me to anything else. Does that sound reasonable?

Not unless you want me to.

[ Just an offhand remark at first but maybe she does mean it to some extent. Seeing him like this she can't help but let her mind wander. ]

Hah. Maybe that's why you cuffed me to this tree.

[Tease him and he'll tease back. Had it not been for Suzaku's prior knowledge of Julieta, this conversation wouldn't have taken anything like a pleasant turn, even if the current situation is still far from ideal.

He should be able to remedy that, Suzaku thinks, knowing something of Julieta's preferences. Can he successfully schmooze his way out of this situation? It's time to find out.]

I've told you my name. May I ask for yours?

That would only be fair. I'm Julieta.

[ Maybe he's alright. She moves in closer. This was all a misunderstanding. For times like this it isn't such a bad thing to be proven wrong. She just has issues trusting people to begin with. Put her in an environment like this and it's even worse. ]

Pleasure to meet you, Julieta.

[Suzaku makes no move to kick or otherwise harm Julieta as she steps closer. There's no need to, not like there had been before. Demonstrating how perfectly able he is of kicking her ass, literally, was enough of a show of force. Suzaku happens to know that she isn't an inherently violent person, and that works in his favor.]

It's alright to come closer. I'm not going to harm you... though I must insist that you don't touch my mask.

[ If he does try to harm her he should be aware of where her gun is going to be pointed. She still wants to get at his mask. But that's not the best idea so she'll try to resist. Hands are off the mask. Instead she reaches for his chest. ]

What about here?

There is fine.

[His chest is fair game to Julieta and her pretty, deceptively delicate hands, which Suzaku is still rather fond of. That part of his fascination with her didn't diminish alongside the passion fruit's effects.]

As I've said, my mask is off limits, but you're welcome to the rest of me.

[Wink wink. When he'd called Julieta cute before, beautiful before, he'd very much meant it.]

[ Now this she doesn't mind. There had been a certain tension between them that's all too obvious now. She can no longer deny her interest. Her hands roam over him seeking to slip under his clothes. ]

Is this how you usually form alliances?

[Thank goodness Suzaku's body isn't covered in massive scars or any otherwise distinguishing features. He has the odd scar here and there, but his body isn't all that unique. Provided Julieta doesn't recognize his dick or something similarly absurd, Suzaku has no reason to fear her touch or the downward trajectory of her gaze.]

This is usually how I spend my days off.

[Since coming here, at least.]

What can you tell me about your enemy?

[ Definitely necessary that she feels around to check for weapons. Yes, that's her reasoning. She's quite thorough, particularly down his pants. ]

I have many enemies. My enemies are all those who would oppose– [A pregnant pause.] justice.

[Believe him, Suzaku would gladly launch into a spiel on the nature of justice if not for the hands scouring his pants. Thorough indeed. Um.]

...that isn’t a gun, if that’s what you’re feeling around for.

[ It may not be a gun but it is what she's looking for. Her fingers curl around him as they move. Just feeling his cock is enough to bring color to her cheeks. But her expression is otherwise calm. She finds his answer awfully vague. ]

Anyone in particular I should know about?

[For all he'll have Julieta know, they're perfect strangers, but his body remembers her hands. They're surprisingly soft and her touch is a lot more welcome than that of her allies. No offense to those two, but if the half-erection throbbing in Julieta's grip is any indicator, Suzaku's preference is cute girls.]

Not presently. If that changes, you'll know.

[Found that hidden weapon yet, Julieta?]