[center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjg4LmU4YmZmNy5TMkY2ZFd0cC4w/scathing-brush-demo.regular.png[/img][/center][hr][hr][indent] Kazuki wasn't entirely sure why he was so calm at the moment. He was so sure he was going to lose any and all his composure the second he had laid eyes on Luci, but even now as they awaited Graves, he was fine. Not perfect--he could feel his guilt already trying to climb up his throat--but he didn't want to leave. No, even that was a lie, he wished he could have turned right around, but he had a sneaking suspicion the umbrella toting witch would have just as easy dragging him back, if not outright had turned him back to face his fears. Seele was truly dangerous indeed, swaying him so. Still, as much as he would have liked to slip back into comfortable fears, an entirely new one had come out. What the hell was he supposed to actually [i]say[/i] to Graves? Seele had suggested friendship, but was he even capable of giving such a thing? Would Graves be receptive? Would he get laughed at? It was more likely he'd just get chewed out or finally get that punch he had been anticipating anytime he spoke to him, but he had no idea. He figured at the very least that whatever he came up with should be direct and to the point with no excuses or attempts at flimsy reasoning. Now, if he could think of what he would actually say, that'd be amazing. Unfortunately, the Japanese man wasn't able to think of anything by the time Graves showed up. He was just going to have to improvise and hope it didn't come off as complete bullshit. He would have liked to think he could fall back on Seele if he messed up, but truthfully, he didn't feel it was wise to expect other people to clean up his messes. On the plus side, Graves didn't seem as angry, even if it was obvious he didn't look too happy to see him. Whatever, he wasn't exactly happy to be here of all places either, but if he could suck it up and be here, then he could talk to the guy. [color=plum]"Hello. I'm here to ask you to reconsider,"[/color] Kazuki said as plainly as possible. [color=plum]"Things escalated quicker than expected and although I won't go making any excuses for my brother's actions, he isn't normally like...that."[/color] Actually, he was like that a lot according to his mother, but he wasn't about to backtrack right now. [color=plum]"Regardless of anything that was said in the tavern, this world is changing, and whether we want to admit it or not, separating like this isn't the best idea. At the very least everyone could come together for a plan or something."[/color] 'Or something'. Why couldn't he come up with anything better than that? Letting out a sigh, Kazuki nearly turned around but stopped himself from looking back at Seele even if he felt like he was floundering. Should he try to get sympathy? Maybe he could lie about something that sounds like him being vulnerable to elicit a reaction. No, that wasn't the way to go. But he couldn't leave things like that. Leave? Actually, he did think of something that could tip the conversation in his favor. [color=plum]"At the very least return for their sake--for Alex, for Alja, and everyone else. If you really can't stand the sight of me, then I'll go my own way if it would get you to help them,"[/color] He offered. [color=plum]"They're in need of someone of your skill to look out for them."[/color] [/indent][hr][hr]