I Wanna Say [Liltotto/Dorian]

The blonde was a little lost in thought as she was finishing cleaning up the general area, sweeping a broom along the floor to get together any fallen trash or particles. She had recently started taking up volunteer shifts again - even if she felt she had good reason to be away, she felt bad for suddenly taking a long pause like that; by no means did she think she was any more special or of note than anyone else who decided to help, but she knew how busy the place could get and being one less hand in the equation was something to feel a bit guilty about.

Finishing her duties, she’d come to the back and help out with anything going on, throw in a few conversations with those she recognized, and of course relieving her hunger with some leftovers, a slight smile on Liltotto’s face as she’d go on to look for and spot her other, a slight feeling of affectionate mischief possessing her as she’d come up from behind him and suddenly place a hand on his back,

“Hey,” Her typically rather flat tone took up an edge of fondness, her smile seeming a bit brighter despite her tired eyes. She ensured her display of physical affection wasn’t too obvious or loud; it felt too embarrassing and probably inappropriate to be too expressive of that stuff at work, “Things’re just about wrapped up.”

There were a few things on her mind, but now definitely wasn’t the place to say so, “You wanna go together after we close up shop?”

"So it seems, hm?"

Dorian's expression lightened at the sound of Liltotto's voice, though he was still visibly a bit tired from all of his work. A far cry, still, from how exhausted he had been months prior, and while she might have felt it inappropriate to show much affection in public, Dorian mostly found her reserved nature endearing. Cute, even.

"With you, my dear? I'd be absolutely delighted."

He flowered his language just a bit more when speaking with her, a sort of French that one would only ever find in books of old poetry and literature. Of course, it was more a sort of playful teasing than earnest effort to be romantic, as Dorian was hardly much of one for fanciful things in his personal life.

His word choice was extremely apparent to the older woman, her neutral expression tinting a bit red with her eyes averting, stifling a laugh and giving him a firm but obviously friendly swat on the shoulder with the back of her hand, letting out a soft puff instead, her tongue changing quickly from her standard language, though her voice kept soft,

"You're so embarrassing. Hurry so we can get to it, then," Uttering an amicable vulgar word or two as she'd stiffly part to finish helping in closing, her smile visible as she turned away. Soon, she was out in the cold night air, smelling the sea salt and taking in the coming silence of the moonlight-colored streets, coming by Dorian's side, nudging him, and clasping a hand around his. Despite the movement and darkness, her pale face was a shade warmer and her gaze was a little uncertain.

"Hey... Mind if I come with you to your place tonight? I don't care how the place looks."

"My, my, so pushy."

Laughing at her demeanor, Dorian walked with Liltotto through the cool autumn air. It had taken a few years for him to acclimate to the southern hemisphere, but now it was more or less natural for him. Her question was one that caught him a bit off guard, and he looked out toward the sea for a moment before he turned his attention back to her.

"Of course. It's in perfectly good shape though, I'll have you know. It's easy to do when I don't spend much time there."

Her droopy gaze looked to him for his reaction, a brief tickled laugh escaping her with a slight bounce to her shoulders, "You say that like you're proud of it," she'd tease him gently, "Now all i'm going to expect is dust on everything."

The cool night air wasn't a bother on her spirits, not even the typical weights on her mind felt as heavy as she walked with and spoke to him. Holding such a relationship with someone was always a major subject of worry to her, but she felt such worries vanish when they spent time together, reminded to leave the future be when the present was right in front of her, "Where are you even sleeping? I hope not at your desk or something, you'll ruin your back."

Though, not long after she would have a brief take of realization, "Oh, I forgot to ask. How's the research going?" Genuine curiosity crossed her as she recalled the work he took on recently, "Anything interesting turn up yet?"

"Isn't it a point of pride to always be too busy for your own home? I think it is."

Of course, that was just the way he'd been raised. Or, more accurately, the way he hadn't, but it wasn't as if he was ignorant of that fact. Most people probably would have rather liked to spend time in their nice home in a city so picturesque as the City of Lights, but it reminded Dorian a bit too much of Paris for his own liking.

"We have a few leads here and there, but the difficulty of being a small task force is that we don't have many resources to throw around at anything that we think might get results. We're still looking for something certain, or at least something close to it."

He wanted a cigarette, but he made it a point not to smoke around Liltotto.

"Psh, I don't even have to rest as much as the rest of you, and even I like crashing at home after a bunch of hard work."

With enough food and willing, Liltotto likely could go at a task for days at a time without needing to stop very long or sleep, something often put to use during patrols along with her other skills that helped in monitoring, tracking, or containing an area, but as soon as she was back in the city it was straight to bundling on the couch and playing games or something unrelated to work. She couldn't imagine pushing her unique state to it's limits for her own sanity, but Dorian most certainly would be using such inhumane energy levels to work nonstop for his charitable goals. As much as his intent in doing so is admirable and kind in her eyes, may he never be cursed with that reality.

Her head would tilt to the side with his explanation, her brows scrunched a bit, "Ah, gotcha. Wish I could be of more help. All I had was being raised on the outskirts of other Quincy before... Stuff happened." Her gaze lowered, though she went on to redirect, "Most i've had back then were just teachers who didn't agree with leaving me out entirely. Don't really know if my parents even had any extended family, either... Not that i'd even know who they were."

"That's the nature of working with food. Always chasing perfection of the craft. No different from any other art."

Dorian's hold on Liltotto's hand tightened just a touch as she spoke about her family, her younger days. It certainly resonated with him, though he wasn't really the sort of man who liked to make things about himself. Besides, he was hardly the only man in the City of Lights to have grown up in less than pleasant circumstances.

"Don't feel bad about that, my dear. There aren't many Quincy old enough to know much about it, and a lot of the history... Well, a lot of it's a little hard to follow, more than anything. A lot of bloodlines didn't keep records that far back, and not many people would be around from those days."

A small, reassuring smile was given to him in response to the sensation of his grip, nodding with his words, "Ah, yeah, no worries it's not eating me alive or anything. I knew a share of families that refused to share what their customs or skills were and only passed it down through their kids. Always thought that was a bit arrogant of a practice, but who am I to tell people what to do. Hell, I couldn't even do that back then," Chuckling accompanied her words.

On their way, she'd spot a convenience store, deciding she might as well get some snacks - she'd rather not clean out Dorian's place after all, "Oh, i'm getting stuff to eat, you want anything?"

Either way, she'd briefly go in the store, coming out a few minutes later with a bag full of snacks, the speed of which she got it done being somewhat bizarre, coming back to his side and holding his hand with her free one so they may progress.

"So, have you had an opportunity to do any bow training?" A question would slip from her soon after they continued, "I'm still at mine, my weapon's.. Weird, to figure out," A slight look of embarrassment crossed her face when she would admit that.

"Ah, no, thank you dear."

The few minutes of Liltotto's absence gave Dorian a bit of time to think, and he could feel a familiar, looming sense that he'd not felt in quite a long while. Inadequacy, insufficiency. The deep need to chase perfection. Her return took him away from those thoughts, at least for a moment, but her question drew them back to the surface, and as he spoke in response, his gaze was focused elsewhere, and his voice was certainly not the cool, relaxed tone that he so often had.

"I have, though not as much as I'd have liked, and I haven't seen any progress. It's still only a bow. If something happens again, it wouldn't be worth calling it at all."

It was the harsh voice of Chef Demoiselle, offering criticism toward his own work. Stress ate at the man regularly, but that was nothing new for him. No, what was new was the fact that his shortcomings were no longer simply something he could throw himself into blindly, until he collapsed or succeeded. Others would depend on him, on his succeeding, but those same people would worry after him if he simply let himself work to exhaustion.

That was far harder for him to grow used to than any difficulties he'd faced in his youth.