week two | dates

[marriagebroker]

Kiss the girl~!

Or guy.

Or person.

Or Messmer's snake.

Comments

[researcherstory]

[ ...............

Fine, she'll ask when they're following after another frankly confusing (to her) painting. ]

Seeking escape routes already?

[phenomerom]

Hm? Oh, no. Why would I want to cut a date short when I can spend my time with someone so wonderful?

[ His languid delivery, not a beat different from his usual way of speaking, probably makes it hard to tell if he's just talking bullshit or not. Especially not when he follows it up with: ]

It's just, you'd be surprised which pieces spirits will fixate on, and which they seem completely disinterested in. It's really not a pattern you'd expect!

[researcherstory]

[ Well, they both agreed to go out, so. Not bullshitting this time. Probably. ]

Is that so? Have we any tagging along now?

[phenomerom]

Oh?

[ Annoyingly: ]

And to think you were so certain just a few minutes ago that ghosts don't exist ... And they say that people grow more stubborn with age. It's a sign of your sharpness that you're so willing to accept new truths, Miss Odile!

[researcherstory]

[ She stares at him, then turns back forward. ]

I'm humoring you, nothing more.

[phenomerom]

[ Undeterred, Rom only gives a brief laugh, before trotting forward to walk by her side once more. Making sure to lean into her field of vision as he speaks. ]

Please rest assured. I'll protect you from anything dangerous that might lurk in these halls.

[researcherstory]

[ She's rolling up this pamphlet a little and smacking his face with it. ]

May their first bite of you poison them. [ Dryly. ] Does your showmanship pay for itself?

[phenomerom]

[ Ah ... and he was being serious ................. Rom barely flinches at the face-smack, though his usual Cheshire grin does fall a millimeter or two. ]

... I suppose you can consider it an occupational hazard. A hard habit to break? It's hard running a business alone, you know. I might as well take advantage of every opportunity for PR that I can.

[researcherstory]

You haven't thought to take on a partner?

[ ... Not like. She is one to talk. But she does clock the fall and unroll the pamphlet, carefully tearing off a strip and then halving that. A neat square. ]

[phenomerom]

[ A tactful person would just nicely answer that question.

Rom is not tactful. ]

Ahaha. You're one to talk, Miss Odile! Have you given any thoughts towards picking a partner for yourself?

[researcherstory]

How about you answer mine, and I'll answer yours?

[ Nope, no getting out of it. ]

[phenomerom]

[ Cheap ... Rom blinks, owlish, but is impressively quick to find his rhythm once more to respond: ]

No, not particularly. I don't think I'd do well with a work partner. [ Immediately followed by -- ] So have you considered picking a partner in this game for yourself?

[researcherstory]

I have.

[ ...

Did he want to know? Too bad. The tour guide seems... nervous... wanting to talk about the next piece, if-- it's okay if they're not done but-- ]

[phenomerom]

[ Sorry to the poor tour guide, but Rom has zero compunctions about manners when he has a goal in mind. And currently his goal is to pester more information out of Odile. ]

And~? Surely, you aren't doing something as cheap as lying and saying 'yes' just to avoid the question!

[researcherstory]

[ This is the tour guide's worst day ever. ]

I am an honest person. I haven't yet expressed my interest, but I will. It is none of your business otherwise.