[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/EJqBY0V.png[/img]          [img]https://i.imgur.com/SWuKAAn.png[/img]
[h2][color 4169e1]Vitus[/color] & [color be4238]Liv[/color][/h2][/center]
[center][color=silver][hr]𝓝𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓻 𝟕𝓽𝓱, 𝟏𝟑𝟐𝟕   / /   𝓐𝓾𝓼𝓯𝓮𝓵𝓭   / /   𝓒𝓪𝓻𝓻𝓲𝓭𝓪𝓷'𝓼 𝓔𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓮   / /  𝓔𝓿𝓮𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰[hr][/color][/center]
"[color 4169e1]Well, they certainly seemed the lively sort![/color]" Vitus said, standing in front of the vanity mirror in their room. Dinner had progressed about as well as could be expected; he was sated but had not been overindulgent, and had savored every bite with the appreciation that such a meal deserved. Even if he had eaten a similar meal naught but a week ago - but it couldn't be helped; variety with the influence of strangers was impossible to plan around, of course.

He'd wasted no time in escorting Liv back to their room, half because he didn't want to be around some of that rabble, and half because he didn't want Liv besmirching his name in front of the more respectable patrons. Truth be told, however, the entire display had left him a little apprehensive. Most of the people at the dinner didn't seem to be aware of the standing such an honor would place them in, and a few otehrs simply didn't seem like they were in the right gathering. Sure, Liv herself was nothing more than a theiving ragamuffin, but she had him to thank for pulling her towards greatness. Some of the others; well...they wouldn't know greatness if it dusted their collars for them.

"[color=be4238]Wouldn' wanna be stuck 'round 'em long,[/color]" Liv muttered, eyes darting briefly to the mirror as she pulled at the sleeve of the fabric contraption that she'd been confined to through the dinner. The movement was habitual, an action to try and loosen the cloth to no success. Finding no real satisfaction in her observation, the thief returned her attention to expertly dismantling the sleeve of her gown, the task made significantly easier upon receiving her undivided focus. Stitches came apart with soft ripping sounds, fibers splitting with the girl's administrations. 

She should have done that ages ago. 

"[color=be4238]Dunno 'bout that fancy noble stuff, but some'f them seem real..uh...[/color]" Liv paused. What was the word? Her expression faltered, her actions pausing at the same time. "[color=be4238]...'s the word?[/color]"

"[color 4169e1]Unfit? Ill-mannered? Eccentric?[/color]" Vitus offered, not removing his gaze from his own reflection as he undid the buttons on the front of his outift, attempting to get out of his clothing with far more care than his cohort was. Her situation was one that caused him no end of annoyance, and he rolled his eyes at the sound of popping seams. 

"[color 4169ea]Must you destroy it? Did finery issue a slight against you at one point without my knowlege?[/color]" Vitus said dismissively. He made no move to assist her in her egress from the cruel machinations of the dress; after all, it wasn't his property that was being marred this time. 

"[color=be4238]Ec...Exsentric?[/color]" The word didn't roll off the tongue easily, and the lack of any other indications to its meaning made wild guessing a non-starter. Liv instead took satisfaction in the feeling of half of the sleeve coming off her dress. "[color=be4238]'sat mean wordy?[/color]"

Her fingers went to work at trying to dispatch the remainder of the fine stitches, working with more speed after the mild amount of practice that she had managed to eke from the first step of her "work". 

"[color=be4238]I don' like it. I told ya already,[/color]" Liv muttered, a low growl creeping into her voice despite her best efforts. It betrayed little irritation, but would have done its job on most. "[color=be4238]Shitty thing jus' gets in th' way.[/color]"

"[color 4169ea]Unconven-[/color]" Vitus started, giving an irritated sigh as he realized [i]that[/i] explanation would do no good either. He finished undoing his buttons and slid his overshirt off, laying it on top of the vanity and folding it neatly. "[color 4169ea]Strange. It means strange.[/color]"

He turned to watch with mild amusement as Liv struggled against the fabric. If he had known it would be this simple to trap (or at least hinder) the little devil, he might have considered it as an obstacle long ago. But how would it work? Hmm...

Things to think about for later.

"[color 4169ea]Do you need assistance, or would you rather satisfy yourself with tearing through it like a feral animal?[/color]"

"[color be4238]I [i]don'[/i] need help.[/color]" As if to punctuate the slight surge of irritation, the rest of the sleeve came off with a resounding tearing noise, the stitches torn this time through force instead of Liv's usual finesse. With her arm less confined, the thief visibly relaxed, but didn't bother to keep herself from moving on to the next sleeve. 

It was weird, wasn't it? Weird. She didn't feel in place at the table at all during their meal. Everyone [i]else[/i] had seemed at least somewhat at ease with their [i]bond[/i] or whatever the hell was happening. Not understanding was one thing, not fitting in was another, but seeming to be the [i]only[/i] one that failed to do both was infuriating.

The girl pulled more fervently at the sleeve.

"[color=be4238]I don' see why I got some stupid in...inv...[/color]" She fumbled over the word again, gave up with a soft huff of frustration, and proceeded to unceremoniously tear half her other sleeve out of place. The fabric hung limply, attached by only a handful of stitches that stubbornly clung to their place. "[color=be4238]Just don' see why 'm here 'n not yer snooty servants.[/color]"

Vitus rolled his eyes again, although it wasn't at the sound of more ripping stitches this time, but something else. "[color 4169ea]Mere men cannot speak for the whims of gods, and gods cannot predict the influence of men.[/color]" he said, reciting a verse he'd read once before and chuckling as though he'd just told a joke.

"[color 4169ea]If I could have chosen one of my staff over a skunk-haired brat, a brat that [i]I might add[/i] has done nothing but steal my cutlery and my mints, I would have. As it stands, we've been hand-picked for greatness, whether we care for it or otherwise. We're stuck together, you and I; irregardless of what such a pairing entails.[/color]"

For such a from-the-heart statement, it was quickly overshadowed by Vitus's demeanor as he continued. "[color 4169ea]But I certainly should have asked about bringing some of my personal staff, yes. Especially knowing that [i]you[/i] weren't going to ferry any luggage.[/color]"

None of that made any sense. 

"[color=be4238]Don' think I get it,[/color]" Liv muttered while turning the explanation over in her head. Words that she didn't understand aside, it felt more like a long-winded "who knows why" than anything else. Her attention seemed to occupy itself with picking apart the final remaining stitches, though she did little more than gently pluck at loose threads. "[color=be4238]Other'n bein' stuck with yer haughty arse. I got that.[/color]"

The rogue gave a rough smirk, finally sending her gaze back to the noble. She still didn't understand, and to say that she wasn't still frustrated would have been a lie, but that was easy to overlook. "[color=be4238]'n I brought [i]some[/i] 'f yer stuff. Didn' check me or anythin' when we got here.[/color]"

"[color 4169ea]You should be grateful, my dear Liv; there are trollops and vagabonds that would be [i]honored[/i] to be by my side.[/color]" Vitus said proudly, puffing up slightly as he said that. How many ladies would the servants have to turn away while he was out on this adventure, he wondered. A sad pittance, truly.

"[color 4169ea]And frankly, child, you can keep whatever you brought along. All I need to get by is my coinage - after all, what luxuries can wealth not purchase?[/color]" he pulled a small pouch out of his trouser pocket as he spoke, hefting it in his hands and listening to the soft clink of the coins inside. Although...

...he could have sworn it was heavier before he left. Odd.

"[color=be4238]I can name a few things,[/color]" Liv retorted, evidently finally content with how far she had decimated her clothing. "[color=be4238]'n I took a few 'f those. Jus' 'n case.[/color]"

The thief failed to mention that Vitus was right in some regard. Plenty of rats would have killed to be in Liv's position, and plenty more would have done worse than that. There were more than a few skeletons in the closet in that respect. No need to bring it up if he [i]really[/i] thought that his staff was competent enough to stop [i]every[/i] unsavory guest that had ever come to call.

"[color=be4238]Thought ye just had t' ask for somethin' and they'd give it.[/color]"

"[color 4169ea]Well, yes...[/color]" Vitus said, clearly preoccupied with opening his coin purse and looking inside. Had he not brought as much money as he thought he had? There was no reason to bring the entire Ayolous fortune, of course, but he could have sworn this pouch had more in it before he left. 

Hmph. Something to worry about at a later time.

"[color 4169ea]Well yes, but what if something were to happen? I never put my full faith in the capability of strangers, my dear Liv. After all, incompetency lurks around every corner, and one must be vigilant! And this coin purse will solve all our...[i]my[/i]...problems if any missteps like that were to occur![/color]" he said, his pride evident in every word that spewed out of his mouth.

"[color=be4238]Hmmm, wonder 'f there's a reason for incompunets 'round ya,[/color]" Liv claimed, the taunt clear in her words. "[color=be4238]Don' think that li'l purse'll have 'nough coin t' solve [i]all[/i] yer problems.[/color]"

Her eyes trailed over the pouch in question, mind trying to work out how many coins were [i]in[/i] it to begin with. She could lighten the load by a little bit without any real issue...

"[color=be4238]Though I can lif' a few more 'f ya need 'em.[/color]"

"[color 4169e1]Even if it doesn't, we should have no issues![/color]" Vitus said. "[color 4169e1]After all, not only am I Vitus Ayolous, but we're guests of The Church. People will [i]want[/i] to help us, of course![/color]"

It was only at that moment that Vitus acknowleged the rest of Liv's statement.

"[color 4169e1]And I think not. You keep your grubby little hands out of my...wait. Did you say 'more'?[/color]"

Liv didn't bother hiding the smirk that played across her face. 

"[color=be4238]I thought leavin' ya [i]somethin'[/i] was nicer'n usual.[/color]"