[REG] The Die Has Been Cast (Seth + Vasilisa)

[Xaki]

Tonight was a snowy night within the walls of Destiny city where people chose to remain inside their homes for the night with a cup of hot coca within their hands. A light flurry of snow continued to fall, creating a picture perfect night that you would frequently see on a christmas card. Predictably, Lt. Raite had been out for a negaverse outing to test out the new energy collection methods. It wasn't his preferred method, tedious in its efforts to retrieve. The young male preferred the quick and easier method, raking his hands through his black locks.

However, it had become necessary. Seth had powered down to his civilian form shortly after, leaving as soon as he was finished. The black jacket hanging off his form had protected him from most of the cold, although his hair was damp from being out during the snow fall. It clung to his face, Seth's expression was of a person who didn't particular care about his circumstances other then being annoyed at the inconvenience of it all. He had parked his motorbike within the parking lot, and while taking the elevator to his floor, he had already begun his list of matters to take care of. His first priority was a hot cup of coffee, and second would be dropping off the orb of power to General Obsidian.

He had just stepped into the living room, and his hands reached up to remove the black hood from his face. He filled the coffee maker with the necessary ingredients and waited for it to finish.

Seth didn't particularly like the cold but the weather reminded him of Italy within the winter months. Italy had been similarly cold in winter as well. And with that, other memories had surfaced as well. His gray eyes were unreadable as he tossed his jacket carelessly on the couch.
 

[cibarium]

There was a note next to the coffee maker.

It was definitely strange, that that was the place that he'd found it; noticed it at a second glance, and picked it up: it was kind of out of the way, tucked neatly out of sight. Normally a note would be left where they'd be spotted right away. One would expect to see one taped to the door, or on the desk or table, not in the shadow of a kitchen appliance. It was almost as if whoever had left it there knew that, right when he got home, he'd head straight for the kitchen and use that appliance, ensuring that a message left for him there would not be overlooked.

Someone had been in his house... but he'd locked his door, and had to unlock it to come in -- someone had snuck in here, and left him a note --

The handwriting was jarringly familiar.

It said he was to be expecting a visitor... about three minutes before he had walked in the door.  

[Xaki]

Ding! The coffee machine rang, the light switching from red to green notifying Seth of its completion. He poured himself a steaming mug of coffee, taking it as it was, black and bitter as hell. That was when his eyes caught notice of the neatly folded piece of paper. He picked up the note, unfolding it to see the achingly familiar delicate handwriting. He had merely lifted the cup to his mouth, intending to take a large swallow of the dark liquid when he skimmed the first few lines of the note.

"......"

"................"

Needless to say, the expression on his face was quite amusing for the normally reserved male.

"Kn..!" It was not the scalding heat or bitter taste of the coffee that had him spitting out the concoction, but the note that soon fluttered to the ground. After some violent coughing, Seth looked around quickly, and strode to the hallway, throwing open the doors to his closet, bathroom, and even his bedroom.

That person had come back. Seth didn't even want to bother with how they had gotten in, or even obtained his address. "Where exactly..." On Seth's face was a reluctant, somewhat forced smile that didn't even want to think about the details. They were here, weren't they? Even if Seth wanted to, he couldn't doubt that fact. And as usual, there was no advance notice.  

[cibarium]

"Ciao, Seth."

And there she was, a familiar slightly diminutive form standing at the entrance to his hallway. She had her hands clasped at her front in her normal, formal fashion; her large mint-colored corkscrews of hair wound down over her shoulders. As always, she was wearing that placid porcelain-doll smile that did nothing to tell him about what she was thinking... and as always, her demure appearance and small stature was in direct contrast to the power and influence she actually had. He had met and befriended her in Italy: a linguist and interpreter by the name of Vasilisa Navazhdeneva.

Nowadays, however, he also knew her as General-Queen Laurelite.

"I hope this isn't a bad time to stop by for a visit," she started. "When I remembered that you would be settled down in Destiny City by now, I'm afraid I just couldn't resist looking you up as soon as I had the chance."  

[Xaki]

"Salve, Vasilisa." He wanted to say he knew her, yet he didn't.

Mixed emotions rose to the surface, but the predominant emotion expressed itself in a long drawn out sigh. He had long given up on her entrances, finding it easier to accept their meetings the way that they were. But still, it was an .. odd habit. Seth ended up leaning against a doorframe, one hand raked through his black locks while his head tilted up, while gray eyes stared from his peripheral vision at her. "As usual." A relieved smile, if only for a moment, crossed his face. But that wouldn't last for long. The memory of the recent negaverse meeting, and even events preceding that were still strong within his mind.

He straightened himself, ".. Long time no see."

"...Or should I call you General Queen Laurelite?" Seth advanced on her, one hand on the wall next to her as if to cover her escape. One might have smiled at Seth's rare attempt at formality if it wasn't for the circumstances. Seth looked down, an easy feat considering that Seth was taller then the demure superior. It was neither a romantic not defensive gesture to avoid her escape. Rather, it was filled with suspicion, and distrust. It wasn't a matter of her superior rank that she had hidden from him. He might have always known intuitively that she wasn't at the same rank as him. It had never been blatantly discussed, but there had always been a feeling.

It was a different matter.

But he moved aside, taking a seat on the couch in the living room. He didn't invite his superior, but as always, her seat would always be open to her.

"Tea or Coffee?"  

[cibarium]

"Of course. I wouldn't have expected to escape your notice during all those introductions," Vasilisa mused with a small, almost girlish tip of her head. Her giant curls bobbed and bounced beneath her head as she followed Seth quietly out of the hallway and back into his living room. "Different situations call for different approaches. Though I imagine this wasn't too much of a surprise." Her English was almost immaculate, with only the faintest trace of an accent filtering through some of the vowels and consonants. She had, however, introduced herself in Italy as an interpreter and a linguist -- so her knack for languages was one thing she hadn't lied about, at least.

Without another word, or even waiting for an invitation, she settled down on the other side of the same couch, tilting her body on the edge of the seat to face Seth in a personable fashion that was equal parts odd and familiar. "No need to busy yourself when you already have something ready," she answered. "Coffee will do just fine. I'd rather see your face than have you milling around the kitchen while we're trying to talk." Vasilisa's features broadened to a warm smile, and her eyes would prove to follow her host as he fetched a cup for her.

Almost like a renuion with a nearly-forgotten sweetheart.

Certainly nothing like having one of his superiors dropping by his home should have been.  

[Xaki]

Indeed, she hadn't lied about that particular fact. Wasn't that how they had first met? In Italy. Seth was often found at the Foreign Affairs Office in Italy, thanks to his father and Shinra's influence in having frequent jobs and tasks that dealt with the government branch. Seth was useful in that he was fluent in both English, Italian, and several other languages. However, he held no interest in the government and by extension -- the people there. Once, Seth and Vasilisa had been no more then passing strangers to each other at the time. But now... the passage of time allowed for strange things, didn't it?

Seth poured the strong brew into a unused mug, delivering the cup into Vasilisa's open hands, prepared the way that she preferred it. He then took up his original seat, taking a drink of his own coffee. ".. Should I watch the doors or windows next time?" Although that was a futile question, he doubted that he could ever keep his superior from her .. appearances.

Seth, at the moment, seem to conflicted as evidenced from his facial expression. To somebody that didn't know him, he merely looked irate. But to Vasilisa, it was clear that it was more then simple irritation. Unfamiliar emotions, not for the first time since he had met Vasilisa, such as unease and suspicion. And yet, Seth didn't want to feel this way towards Vasilisa. It wasn't in his nature to be bothered -- If he wanted to do something, he did. If he didn't want to, he didn't. But even now, Vasilisa's familiar smile tortured him. He certainly wasn't unaffected by her.

Even now, Seth wasn't sure that she meant those words or it was simply her manners. "Don't say things that you don't mean."

But to direct their interactions to the first order of business, "Will you need me while here in Destiny City?"