Life in City Streets [Solomon/Violet]

Violet gripped the pocket she hid his money in, the guilt increasing as he said more. She lowered her head only slightly, trying to keep a straight face as a tinge of sadness leaked into her eyes. This was getting worse; he was a member of the Vandenreich? She really failed at picking a target this time, didn't she?

"I was..." Violet hesitated as she conjured a convincing lie. "... looking for a job. A girl can't live in the city without being able to put a roof over her head."

Uncurling her arm from his, Violet stopped walking. She slid her hand into her pocket, gripped every bit of money she had tighter, and then suddenly turned on her heel to run away. Violet darted off, fully sprinting back to the alley she had thrown his wallet away in. When she arrived, she began looking where she threw it. When she didn't find it, she started panicking and looking around the floor of the alley.

"Oh? A job?"

Adding two and two together, Solomon could certainly understand the necessity for a job. He was a man who came from a family that never ached for money, but that didn't mean his point of view was any less pertinent. Part of him wondered why she simply didn't request a job to begin with, avoiding the danger that came with pickpocketing altogether. Under a different circumstance, he would have found her a job without hesitation. Of course, such a realization also afforded him with the reality of knowing not everyone was so generous compared to himself.

"I understand. If at all possible, I could certainly assist in helping you find a job. All it takes is putting in a good word and---"

Before he could finish his genuine offer, he recognized the woman backtracking as she darted off in the direction he had observed prior. Uh-oh. That definitely wasn't good. She was already off at such a quick pace that he sort of lost sight of her, but Hirenkyaku kept him from losing pace. If she was moving back where she thought he was, then that... well that could backfire.

Think, Solomon. Think. Turning to a random soldat over, he quickly explained the situation, and requested him to play along with an idea. It was in the spur of the moment, but hopefully, he could emerge from this without having to reveal his hand. After catching up to her, he'd tilt his head, feigning a nervous expression.

"Is everything alright, Violet?"

When Solomon caught up, Violet was kicking trash to the side and then looking under the dumpster. She groaned in frustration, her calm demeanor fading when she couldn't find the thing she was looking for. Her head snapped around to face him, the nervousness in his eyes tugging on the guilt chord before she looked away. She clenched her fists, staring at the floor as she tried thinking of something to say.

"This is so stupid..." she muttered under her breath. She flipped the dumpster lid up again and leaned into the top to get a better look. She was going to find the damn thing whether the universe liked it or not. "I'm... looking for something."

"Mr.Richter! I was clearing out the trash and I happened to chance across your wallet of all things! You must have thrown it away on accident. Really, you're a member of the Vandenreich. You really need to be more careful, and take care of your personal belongings."

The soldat, wearing the clothes of your run-of-the-mill trashman, rolling up on a trash truck, hopped off to hand Solomon's wallet(which he already retrieved, but for the sake of his elaborate big brain strategy, exchanged with the Soldat), ruffling his hair to playfully chastise him. Waving the two of them goodbye, he leapt back otn onto the truck. Solomon sighing softly, playing the role of the oblivious man shocked by losing his wallet, turned back to Violet with a bashful smile, a sheepish chuckle dancing from his lips.

"How embarrassing... Anyway, sorry about that. What are you looking for, though, Violet? Did you lose something?"

When you grow up under constant judgement, you get good at telling what is really behind someone's motives. The "trash man" was a decent actor, but not the best. Violet noticed the awkwardness in his voice, and had never in her life met a trashman that goes through the trash before tossing it into his truck. Either this city was filled with over-achieving kiss-asses, or there was something going on here. Violet wasn't paranoid, but she wasn't an idiot and she did not trust people.

Violet stared off, waiting for the so-called trash guy to leave. Once he was gone, after ignoring Solomon for a few seconds, she turned back and stared at him, her gaze hard and difficult to read. He knew. That was not a coincidence.

"So, what the hell was the point of asking me out on a date?" Violet said, crossing her arms. "Was this whole thing a huge guilt trip where you'd trick me into fucking admitting I stole your wallet? Like some rich boy, Vandenrech asshole can't come up with a little extra cash in a couple of hours. Nice humiliating me. I'll remember it." Violet grabbed the cash in her pocket and threw it at him. As it scattered in the air, she turned and stomped away from him. However, if he looked real closely and was the observant type, he'd see the gloss in her eyes indicating incoming tears.

Oh. Oh dear. Well that plan backfired considerably. He had attempted to turn this into a situation where all parties could walk away cleanly, without any compromised feelings on either side, yet here he found himself with a fistful of dollars being thrown into his face along the wind. Part of him knew that this was clearly the wrong way about going about things, trifling with a woman's feelings - especially regarding something as sacred as romance - was no laughing matter, even if his intent was to show her the error of her ways. Foolish. Idiot. Idiot. Idiot. Solomon didn't even pay any attention to the money, pursuing the woman as he slid his wallet back into his pocket, nothing the building emotion of hurt in her eyes.

"Yes. That was my initial intent. I won't deny that. I had been tailing you for a while, and admittedly, I was frustrated that you so casually threw my wallet into the trash after robbing me blind, when this rich vandenreich asshole would have offered any amount you requested if you asked. Of course, I shouldn't have pursued such a convoluted method to prove a point. It was a grave error on my part, I understand that."

Stepping into her path, Solomon sighed softly as he lifted a hand forward to get her to stop in her tracks. The next part would be crucial. Voicing his next thoughts with genuine clarity, and a firm expression, he continued on, expressing himself without any degree of acting to be seen.

"Even so, some part of me believes you are better than pickpocketing every person you step across. Guilt does not guide my words when I say this, but you are an attractive woman. Someone who is capable of so much more than this. The fact you showed guilt and came racing back to look for my wallet is proof enough of that. If you would allow me to do so, allow me to make up for it. I recognize that I was wrong."

Violet could hear him following her, but she was trying to make it to the end of the alley. Before she did, he hurried in front of her and blocked her way. She glared, but stopped in her tracks and watched him as he lectured her. His words were kind, but hit wrong. Violet could not take compliments right now, maybe not ever again.

"Don't fucking compliment me!" Violet shouted at him. "Yeah, sorry I robbed you and took your money and threw your damn wallet away, but... but that... that is small in comparison to... Agh!" Violet was annoyed at her own words, so she couldn't finish the thought. Robbing him was definitely worse. "Don't compliment me. I've been worthless my entire life. A few kind words from a stranger might have made me feel a bit better for like, ten minutes, but I am not falling for it again... not ever!"

"We both did wrong. I'd argue trifling with a woman's feelings is aggressively worse, though. My peers would probably slap me over the head themselves if they saw what I wrapped myself into today. Still... I'd like to help. I'd like to support you."

Solomon took a moment to listen to reflect on her words. He was not privy to whatever she experienced in her life, but he could tell that whatever he had done had struck a chord that truly hurt her at her core. Compared to his arguably foolish antics, this was no laughing matter. He recognized that he had to approach this a little differently than he was accustomed to.

"It's not a compliment. It's a genuine acknowledgment. I don't know what happened to you in the past, but I assure you that you are not worthless. No one is. To be honest, it would be foolish to shower you with cliches considering what I've done. None of that can wash away the past, but there is the present to prove your worth. I won't compliment you, but I will remind you of that worth. If no one else has done so up until this point, then I will. I will acknowledge you. Don't let my foolish actions or those of the past tell you any differently."

"Has your rich boy environment gone to your head?" Violet asked. "You don't even know me. The only thing you know about me is I snatched your wallet, so I'm a thief. Why would you support me? Why would you want to help me in any way?"

That's when it clicked, and Violet's eyes widened. He kept calling her beautiful and being this "sweet," knight-in-shining armor type. What exactly did he want from her in return for his so-called support? There was no way he was just a nice guy, right? She wrapped her arms around herself, hiding what she could.

"And what exactly do you want from me if I go along with this?" Violet asked, turning her body away and watching him closely. She wondered if she should run...

"On the contrary. My "Rich-boy environment" has worn me out time and again. I come from a family that demands everything of me to a point that the pressure bothers me every day. Part of it built me into the warrior that I am today, but I often wonder if it was worth the cost in the end."

Stating those words bluntly, Solomon wasn't displeased with his life of great fortune, but thinking on his own past and the fractures in his own family at the moment, he tended to wonder how things would have been if he lived a life less... lavish. A life without the the weight of a long-standing quincy family on his shoulders. His gaze met with her own as he dismissively shook his head. There was nothing he wanted in return. He simply wished to be of assistance and help someone along in their own life. That was all there was to it. Genuine intent from the bottom of his heart that asked for nothing in exchange except a beaming smile on the faces of those he assisted.

"Nothing. I don't want anything. I would want to help you because I genuinely think you are capable of so much more than living the life of a mere thief. Why not enjoy days where you can operate freely in this city without worry? You aren't wrong. I don't know you. Yet, I can tell your hurt. You were hurt by my actions, and you seem hurt by something from your past. I want to present a path where you can move past that. No stipulations. Nothing in return. Simply genuine help from the bottom of my heart."