[hr][color=B2BEB5][sup][h1]
[center][img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/6109ef03399b34a5dac8e905d99ba04a/tumblr_omvlrhipoN1qejma3o2_r1_250.gifv[/img][img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/9db04dd804c1550df0491570f9e0221a/tumblr_omvlrhipoN1qejma3o1_r2_250.gifv[/img][/center]
[b][center][color=B2BEB5]XOLOTL[/color][/center][/b]
[/h1][/sup][/color][indent][sub][COLOR=B2BEB5][b]𝙱𝙴𝙰𝚄𝙵𝙾𝚁𝚃 & 𝙼𝙴𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙴𝚁 𝙻𝙻𝙿[/b][/COLOR][/sub][/indent][indent][sup][right][COLOR=B2BEB5][b]𝙷𝙾𝚄𝙽𝙳 𝙾𝙵 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙴𝚅𝙴𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁[/b][/color][/right][/sup][/indent][hr]
[indent][indent]At Beaufort & Messier, everything runs like clockwork, a well-oiled machine of three-piece suits and penetrating minds; but work isn’t the only thing they see fit to direct their efforts towards. Civil lawsuits are, more often than not, a long, tedious process —– monotonous at the best of times, and downright [i]hellish[/i] at the worst. The mountains of paperwork involved are nothing compared to the evasive maneuvers of bureaucracy. So every won case, every hard-earned victory is met with celebration.

And that’s why the office, full of glass walls and ultra-modern fittings, has tonight grown abuzz with the beginnings of festivity. Gone is the atmosphere of single-minded focus that had suffused the firm that very morning. Instead, bottles of wine have been uncorked, ties loosened, and jackets carelessly cast aside.

Xolotl, however, has other matters on his mind.

He’s distracted, just a little, though an attentive eye would likely be able to see past his veil of responsiveness. Unfortunately, the junior associate currently chattering away to his left seems to lack such a degree of observation. Xolotl feels thirsty just listening to him speak, words tumbling from his lips like machine gun fire.

Murmuring a bland acknowledgment in response, he drains the last dregs of [i]Moët & Chandon[/i] from his glass. It goes down easy, almost [i]too[/i] easy.

[b]“You know, Mr. Ochoa, I’ve really learned a lot from you these past few months. This whole case… it’s been eye-opening, to say the least.”[/b]

[color=B2BEB5][b]“I’m glad you feel that way,”[/b][/color] Xolotl says, a wry smile on his lips. He’s only been half-listening. Not like it matters. Every time he spoke, the kid hung onto his every word like they were gospel. [color=B2BEB5][b]“Not every case is going to be like this, though. Most of the time, you’re dealing with workplace injuries and unpaid overtime. Not exactly exciting stuff, but I think you knew that already.”[/b][/color]

The junior associate laughs, then for a brief, blessed moment, falls silent. Xolotl uses it as an opportunity to put an impromptu end to the conversation, telling him to enjoy himself before clapping a hand against his shoulder and standing up.

He leaves his now-empty glass on the edge of someone’s desk and reaches into his pocket for his phone, unlocking it with a practiced sequence of taps. Somewhere behind him, a chorus of cackles rings out, no doubt the result of some off-colour joke someone made. Xolotl ignores it in favour of scrolling through his contacts. Most of them are clients, associates, then Tlazōlteōtl and Xōchipilli, his siblings, listed under their human aliases. Truth be told, he doesn’t have much of a life outside of work, but he doesn’t mind, really. He enjoys having something to do, something to occupy his time, and being a lawyer of his caliber had its perks.

Money. Contacts. Influence. All well and good, but there’s something… [i]missing[/i]. A heaviness in his chest which left him adrift, tangled up in the seductive pull of the past.

Without even fully realizing it, Xolotl finds himself stopped at a certain name in his contacts, his thumb ghosting over the surface of the screen.

[i]Freya[/i].

He’s not sure what he’s hoping to gain from this, or [i]why[/i] he’s even doing it in the first place —– a misguided longing for comfort? Understanding? Whatever it is, Xolotl knows it’s a foolish endeavor, but his fingers are moving of their own accord, typing out a message to the Norse goddess before he can even think to regret it.

[quote]To: [color=BF225D]Freya[/color]
If you’re not too busy, let’s get a drink.[/quote]
Xolotl stares at the words for a moment longer before hitting [i]‘send’[/i], slipping his phone back into his pocket. His coworkers beckon him to join them, and he lets one of them push a new glass of wine into his hand after a cursory protest.

[right][color=gray][sub][b]INTERACTIONS:[/b][@Venus][/sub][/color][/right][/indent][/indent]