Ma Belle Peche [Arlette, Alastair]

It certainly was not common that Arlette was put onto delivery duty, especially given her employer's firm attachment to her own safety. Of course, there was enough currently happening that Claudia's primary focus was keeping tabs on the major organizations of the world. The Vandenreich had been left to Arlette, and she knew all too well that it was on account of Claudia and Eliane's personal amusement at the situation.

Well, that was not her concern. If anything, she would simply go out of her way not to feed into their unnecessary needling of the young man she was visiting. With flowers in hand, she made her way into the hospital room housing her assigned target.

"Mr. Eisfluch. Claudia regrets being unable to visit you personally, but hopes you find yourself well soon."

Turning at the sound of the door, Alastair caught his breath at the sight of an all too familiar shock of white hair and pale features garbed in a formal suit. His eyebrows sprung upwards a little, nostrils flaring before he got a hold of himself and found what little composure a crippled man in a hospital could manage. Sliding to his feet from the bed, his left arm still very much in both a cast and sling though the rest of his injuries had faded to light scarring and the occasional bruise.

"Ah, Ms. Ovide. You do not need to apologise, I expect Lady Duvalier has plenty more pressing matters to attend to on any one day than a single injured Vandenreich soldier. I am honoured that she even assigned such a trivial task to yourself."

He made a poor show of a formal greeting, leaning forwards until his sling made to shift upwards from around his neck and he was forced to stand up straight again before the slightest of smiles graced his lips. Arlette had been the most genuine of the trio that he had spent a considerable amount of time with during his trip to Vastime, and had taken the lead on much of the sightseeing that he had been roped into following his visit to the Duvalier headquarters. She remained generally disinterested in him, which was a blessing in disguise compared to her counterpart, but that did not stop them from holding a pleasant conversation.

"It is.. Nice to see you again. I trust all is well? And do excuse my lust for company, but these four walls are awfully imprisoning."

Seeing Alastair move in such a, frankly, pathetic state aroused something resembling pity in the back of Arlette's mind. Not necessarily in any sense that she wished to help him, per se, but simply in the same way that one might see a helpless animal outside one's immediate ability to save. She held out a hand as if to stop him, not wishing to see him needlessly strain himself any further.

"Please don't consider it a trivial task. Even if you're just a single Vandenreich soldier, you're also one of the most major liaisons between the Vandenreich of the Duvalier Group."

That was, technically speaking, not something Arlette should have said openly, but it was also something that was so transparent that she doubted Alastair was unaware of it. Besides, she was perfectly willing to undermine Claudia's intentions solely on the grounds that this was all needlessly convoluted.

"I'm well, yes. Better than you are, I'd say. I imagine whatever happened to you is classified, hm?"

He was used to that look of pity already, it had been a mainstay of most of his visitors since he had been conscious enough to remember them. It chipped away at him all the same, but he had not lost his stoicism and would continue to strain against his limits. Waving away her hand with his own, a jolt shot up his back and he snapped firmly to attention.

"Of course, I am flattered to be considered as such. Perhaps there will be more time to travel to Vastime whilst I am prohibited from combat deployments."

Introductions given, Alastair returned to perch upon the edge of his bed and motioned idly for Arlette to take a seat of her own. There were ones that she could pull around from the other side of the room to face him, or there was plenty of room at his side further down the length of the bed. Honestly, it was a welcome change of pace that she was content to be straight with him regardless of the situation.

"For the most part, it is pending investigation from the Todgestalten and not yet public knowledge. Fortunately, our losses were minimal and most of the injured will be back on our feet in good time if not already."

Her enquiry did imply that she wanted more or at least was probing the waters to see what he might say. But he was not inclined to divulge Organisation business so easily. The Duvalier Group were probably able to track where they had deployed to and slowly deduce what had happened anyway, so a vague detail here or there was hardly a cause for concern that he might leak something they did not already know.

Arlette's eyes flicked briefly to the seat that had been offered to her, and despite not actually having any reason to stay, she took a seat to join him in a bit of conversation. What else did she have to do here? Nothing, besides a nebulous request to keep an eye on their operations. Arlette knew what that meant, of course, and she had already requested reports regarding all of the equipment she suspected might be used for any treks into America.

But she was perfectly willing to just do something else in the meantime.

"I'm sure Eliane would be thrilled to know you're willing to come back. You might be better off staying here, really."

Was that intended to be a joke? It was actually remarkably hard to tell, considering Arlette's typical tone of voice, but her lips turned up just the faintest bit, as if some sort of small grin at the idea of Eliane pining after someone.

"Being in here probably means you've gotten some attention from your girlfriend, at least. I've noticed men tend to enjoy that part of being injured."

"Ah, you are not incorrect. I would not wish to further inconvenience Miss Eliane, if she finds my presence distracting."

Just as her lips turned ever so slightly, so did Alastair mimic the expression at the shared joke at Eliane's expense. It was unexpected for Arlette to even crack such a loose comment, but he welcomed that brief moment of insincerity in this strange relationship. That was more than enough colour to see them through for a while to come.

"I was rather happy with the attention I was receiving from Miss Geisleitt before this all occurred. In fact, I find the disruption to her schedule that having her visit me causes to be frustrating. I am somewhat limited in what I can provide to a relationship whilst confined here."

There was a cutting truth to his words, perhaps a shade more real than he had intended when he began to speak, but it somehow felt easier to talk to Arlette than most of his peers. He did not expect her to judge him for it, in fact, he was rather more inclined to believe that she would give him a more levelled response than anyone else who had visited.

Alastair went to speak again but found the words catching in the back of his mouth. Clearing his throat with a hacking cough, he looked around for something to alleviate his ailment.

"Don't beat yourself up over something like that. You're injured in the line of duty, after all. I think anyone should be pretty understanding about that. If they aren't, that's their problem."

Arlette was all too willing to meet his cutting truth with her own, a simple appraisal of the situation from a woman born and bred to be completely pragmatic. In her eyes, his situation wasn't just inevitable, it was entirely respectable. She wasn't so socially inept as to cast any direct aspersions upon his lover, of course, but that was simply because it wasn't really necessary to do so.

"Unless you're being outright abusive, I think you're doing fine just by merit of providing anything to the relationship."

Standing up again, Arlette removed her suit jacket and laid it across the chair, as if to simply indicate she wasn't leaving just yet.

"I'll get you a drink."

And off she went.

And there was the cold logic that he respected more than most of the usual pleasantries. Though perhaps it had been a lacking response on his own part that cast Sophie in a negative light, when he had not meant to send any ill will in her direction. Still, he was socially inept enough not to think to course correct now before it tumbled a little more out of hand.

"Thank you, I needed to hear that. But I think I am the one with the most problem being here, out of anyone."

He saw her get up, having removed her jacket, and thought to stop her at first. She should not have to trouble herself on his behalf, being a burden like he was, yet the words simply did not come. Perhaps Arlette was also fancying a drink for herself too. He cleared his throat again, not to make a point of the whole thing but it did rather drive it home.

"Oh, there should be a machine just outside."

Arlette already knew the machine outside simply from it having entered her peripheral vision when she first came to the hospital. It was, after all, one of the myriad pieces of technology owned by a Duvalier Group subsidiary. Many likely would have presumed that she would simply pick whatever button was closest, but that was not in fact the case. The woman was a pragmatist, but that did not mean she wholly lacked preferences. Two of the same can, of her preferred drink, and Arlette returned in little time.

"Here. Don't drink too fast, it'll make the cough worse."

In all likelihood, it was a drink that Alastair might not have ever even had. A tremendously sweet beverage, with an eclectic mix of fruit juices, all followed up by a strange tartness. It was one of the least popular drinks in the wide lineup, and by all accounts, it sold poorly enough that it should have been discontinued. The can was a plain silver, with a remarkably simple name in plain font; "FRUITS."

Being one of the de facto heads of the Duvalier Group had its perks.

Alastair span the can in his hand, a little dexterity making the task easier than it should have been for a cripple. Rusty-orange eyes studied the label with a genuine intrigue before he raised it to his lips. He was not exactly a fan of sugary drinks and confections, they were a luxury that he had not been raised on and paid little attention to. 'FRUITS' sounded innocent enough, as far as these addictive substances went, but he could not recall ever even hearing about it before.

The liquid hit his tongue and it was like another shockwave went through his wholly unprepared body. A tang the likes of which he had never before experienced before puckered his lips as he slowly took in the different flavours that were collectively assaulting his senses. His urge was to immediately cough it back up and, had he taken more than the tiniest of sips at Arlette's recommendation, then he might well have. Instead, his face just contorted sharply as he swallowed. It was probably the most animated that she had ever seen the young man react, more emotional than he had been throughout his entire meeting with Claudia, and yet when he was done a genuine smile rested upon his lips. Not like the political ones that he had worn for most of that aforementioned evening, not exaggerated in any way, just alarmingly pleasant for a few short moments.

"Interesting. Not quite what I had in mind. "

He was taking a second sip before his mind even registered it, the can pressing against his bottom lip as he let the alarming sweet fluid tip into his mouth again. He was just thirsty, he rationalised quickly. This was not a pleasant experience, but why did he enjoy the momentary rush?

"Is this a favourite of yours? I cannot say it is a typical choice."