Welcome to Gaia! ::

Summertime meant freedom for those still in school but for the rest of the adult world, summer meant heading in to the office or job site while combating the growing heat wave overtaking Destiny City. Luckily for some, their schedules could be arranged accordingly, should the need arise to take an afternoon off.

Just.

Like.

Today.

Fingers fumbled with the button on his wrist, the extra fabric of his still-slightly-loose dress shirt irking him as the well dressed man made his way into the shitty looking apartment complex. He probably could have gone home and changed, in theory, but he wanted to maximize his time and take advantage of this golden opportunity.

He'd gotten the text earlier in the day and rescheduled all of his afternoon appointments for later on during the week. Back to back jobs would keep the frugal Russian busy for the next several hours, leaving his ward home alone back at the apartment. Who knew when a moment like this would come available again?

Resisting the urge to fidget further, he took a deep breath and returned one arm to his side as expensive loafers paused in front of the apartment in question. The other rose up, knuckles wrapping on the worn out looking door as hazel eyes cast a glance up and down the hallway he lingered in.

The door swinging open came as no surprise; the baseball bat, however, had eyes growing wide in alarm until he was convinced she wasn't intending to use the homemade weapon on him. It was Mory - he wouldn't be surprised at anything the teenager did at this point.

Without her stony-gazed guardian lurking around, Rob was easily able to slip into his normal work mode personality, ala bullshitting extraordinaire.

"Babysitting? You? Don't be silly, Mordred, you're more grown up than most of the grown ups that I know, you don't need babysitting."

Granted they both knew that if Kavinsky had asked it of him, he'd have been over in a flash to do just that. As luck would have it, the Russian was unaware that the lawyer was anywhere but in his law office that afternoon. If Rob had his way, he would never know of this little excursion either.

"I came to visit you, Miss Pendragon."

His smile was broad as he continued, "I was hoping that maybe I could borrow you for an afternoon - if you're not too busy, of course - as I am in need of your assistance."

"We wouldn't want you to get any stitches now, would we?"

He glanced at his watch, mindful of the time. They had a few hours to burn, maybe even enough time for a late lunch, provided she keep it under wraps from her guardian if she suddenly lost her appetite for whatever Russian chicken gruel he made as an attempt for their dinner.

"I have it on good authority that Mr. Kavinsky's birthday is coming up within a few weeks and I---" How did he even phrase this? "---prefer to get my friends something more personal than gift cards but your guardian is a tricky one to buy for."

Hazel eyes kept themselves focused on a stray strand of hair on the teenager's head, lest his gaze meet hers and he find himself faltering from his smooth delivery. "You know him and have probably better taste when it comes to shopping, so I was hoping to utilize your expertise in this... predicament."

Her request had his brows lifting before a matching grin spread across his face. "How about Burger King and I help finance a gift from you as well?"

One hand outstretched itself, as if he were finalizing a deal with a client.

"What do you say, Miss Pendragon?"

The grown man swallowed hard at the teenager’s finger guns as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Her implication behind the words be friendly didn't go unnoticed, making the lawyer figuratively sweat beneath his pristine, starched and pressed collar.

His back and shoulders straightened up at her insinuation at him getting nervous (Nervous? He didn't get nervous!) but the gesture that caught him most off guard was her spit-shake, the young woman's seal of approval. Bank’s smile remained forced into place though a knowing twitch at the corner of his mouth gave away his displeasure at the thought of… well, that. There was an unspoken look of horror in his gaze but he said nothing as his grip matched hers to finish the shake. The lawyer was doing his best to remember why he was there and why he was making a deal with a devil to get what he needed out of their “bargain”.

“He doesn't get to know that you've spoiled your dinner - or that we've done this. Remember: snitches get stitches.”

The deal had indeed "been sealed" and Robert Banks could only hope he'd made the right decision.