Heart to Heart Part I

[Tokoz]

 Along the rooftops of Water 7, a figure slipped from building to building, traversing the skyways as pedestrians moved past on the byways below. Once again, people tended to fail to look up, and this benefited the tired Agent currently making her way to the apartment she had visited several times before. 

As she slid down a roof and rolled to break her fall onto the next, she muttered to herself. "Right, gotta make sure I disable the bell I installed on the window before opening it..." She had taken to breaking into his apartment when they met, and then putting a defensive measure in against whatever method she used to break in.

Call her protective, but you didn't get to where she was by NOT being somewhat paranoid. Hooking herself onto the edge of a roof over an alley, she did a quick glance around to make sure there wasn't anyone watching, then lowered herself down on a cloth rope, deft fingers trembling slightly as she bumped one of the stitched together areas. 

A slight hiss escaping her lip, she winced away the pain and forged onwards, disabling the hidden alarms and traps (all nonlethal, she wasn't an idiot), before sliding inside and re-arming the window. Turning around, she considered the area. Simon was clearly out... she could cook something, but... maybe sit down a bit first....

She hadn't wanted to be later than she already had been, but she had only managed to argue herself out of the hospital earlier that day. 

When Simon returned, he'd find the large form of Lassa folded into a chair, dozing, with a bandage over one eye, the tell-tale bump more in several places, and visible bruises yellowed but fading in various spots. She clearly wasn't in IMMEDIATE danger, but had been through hell at some point not long ago. 

[Bobbie]

Simon’s new job was in full swing as a private eye, which he was quite enjoying. There was a lot less action involved than he expected, but that didn’t bother him - the simplest jobs sometimes left the greatest impacts. Returning lost items was rewarding, especially when, on one instance, little Blubel was reunited with a young girl who was delighted to see her kitten again. It warmed his heart. Catching cheating spouses was less up his alley, but people deserved to know the truth…

On most occasions, he wore his protective suit underneath the formal attire that he generally dressed in now, replacing his police uniform. Apart from the fingerless gloves, it was barely noticeable and provided excellent protection against scrapes and bruises, and he figured it would always be better to be safe than sorry. If he learnt anything from his time with Annika, it was that a threat could leap out at any moment and catch him off guard. This way, he was prepared.

As Simon returned home, he came in through the front door and picked up his mail. He had been out all day and the envelopes had been sitting there a while. He let out a sigh as he recognised the handwriting on one of them - it was his landlord, sending a reminder about his rent. He had been struggling with expenses since losing his job. It wasn’t because he didn’t have any money saved up from his old job, but it was because of the manner in which he handled being fired… he had gone on a shopping spree and spent every last penny in his account as a rather foolish act of protest toward the police force that rewarded him with that very same money for his hard work. Corrupt money. Thanks to Annika and Miguel, he had managed to return some items and get refunds, but his salary wouldn’t be in for a while, so he had to be a bit stingy with the money he had until then. Chris was a reasonable man, the rent would have to wait.

Dropping the letter on the first piece of furniture he passed, his limbs felt heavy as he dragged his feet through the corridor and made his way to the kitchen. He hadn't realised how hungry he was until the opportunity to eat something presented itself right now. Entering the kitchen to put something simple together, he was suddenly met with a dark silhouette of a figure in one the chairs at the kitchen table.

Naturally, Simon’s first instinct was to scream and nearly trip in his own feet, getting enough of a fright to jump on the spot before he frantically fumbled with a gas lamp to light it and get a better look at what he just saw - or thought he saw.

Sure enough, it was a person. It was Lassa. This initially prompted him to relax and pat his chest with his free hand as a smile was already starting the grow, but that quickly faded when he noticed the condition that Lassa was in.

“Lassa?” Putting the gas lamp down on the table as he got closer, he removed his sunglasses which he often wore, even at night, and tilted his head to look at the bandage over her eye.

“What happened to you? Are you okay?” He asked in a concerned tone and placed a hand on her shoulder, which he almost immediately withdrew in fear of there being any other injuries that he didn’t spot immediately. “How did you… never mind. Who did this to you?” His question was quickly followed up before any response could be given, and Simon left the kitchen in a hurry, shouting "wait here" as he moved. Shortly after, he would return with a small first aid box that had fresh bandages, disinfectants, and some other medical supplies in it. 

---

Post: 1
Simon: #d2ce2f

[Tokoz]

 Blinking slightly as a scream pierced the air, Lassa internally cursed as she realized she had been sleeping deeply enough to not react to Simon coming in. That, or she had subconsciously realized he wasn't a threat. Still, there was nothing preventing someone having a Devil Fruit which transformed them to appear like others. That was no excuse. 

Straightening up, she rubbed her face to restore some wakefulness as Simon settled, apparently recognizing her as well. 

"Hey Simon" She waved at him laconically, stretching out over the table as she chuckled ruefully. "Well, uh... short answer, ran into someone who was planning a terrorist attack on a city. He was another Devil Fruit user, and turns out having pointy rocks thrown at you? Really really hurts." She had to be careful not to say "Jade." Even years later, the Jade Emperor Selethen might draw the memory of some. 

He had ruled an entire island, and a major one at that. Saying she fought a terrorist was one thing, saying she had defeated a rogue former Ruler was another. That was more than just some police agent's job. 

She wasn't sure how much Simon knew or suspected about the level of job she worked, but... there wasn't much benefit she could see to clarifying that point for sure. 

"I uh... well. He was planning to kill a lot of people. Me included for finding him. I managed to stop him, but it... took a lot out of me." Carefully removing the bandage to replace it with a fresh one from Simon's first aid kit, it revealed a nasty gash which had been stitched closed, passing just over the eye ridge. It probably wouldn't leave a serious scar, but if it had been further down... Lassa wouldn't have had an eye.

"Sooo...." Trying desperately to pretend like it wasn't that bad, Lassa tilted her head. "How's work going?"

[Bobbie]

As Lassa gave her explanation, Simon stared at her in disbelief. He knew there were things about her work that she couldn’t tell him, or wouldn’t, so he assumed that her narration of events was heavily watered down.

Nonetheless, he listened to what she said, nodding as he did, until she removed the bandage and he couldn’t maintain his poker face anymore. He inhaled sharply through his teeth as he looked at the stitched up wound that so narrowly missed her eye. Luckily, he managed to stop himself from recoiling too severely and he let his gaze meet Lassa’s for a moment, only to have it shift back to the wound again as his eyes narrowed and his lips were pressed together to suppress another reaction.

“I mean… it’s not that bad?” His statement came out as more of a question, his voice rising in pitch, before he let out a sigh and took the fresh bandages from her. “Let me help you… do you need to…” he gestured toward the wound again, seeming to be lost for words for a short moment. “You know… clean that, or something?”

Shaking his head, he began to dig in the box and brought out a bottle, trying to see what was written on it in the light that was offered by the lamp.

“Taking on a terrorist… and a Devil Fruit user, what were you thinking?” he muttered, partly annoyed and partly just relieved that she was still alive. He knew it was a job and Lassa didn’t have much choice - it was like she said, he was planning to kill a lot of people. Finally opening the bottle to pour some of the saline solution onto a little ball of cotton wool, he continued while he gently dabbed the wound with it.

“I hope you weren’t alone at least? Up against a… rock-throwing, Devil-Fruit using terrorist.” The absurdity of that sentence made Simon sigh once more as he proceeded to dress the most serious-looking wound that he could see on her face.

“My work? It’s been fine… pretty standard stuff, nothing life-threatening…” he replied with a hint of bitterness in his tone as Lassa successfully changed the subject.

---

Post: 2
Simon: #d2ce2f

[Tokoz]

  Tilting the lamp closer so Simon could see, Lassa let him help. Technically she was supposed to be cleaning the wounds often for optimal healing, so this was actually quite useful. "It definitely could have been worse. I was pushed... pretty hard, to be honest. Harder than I ever have been before." 

It hurt a bit to admit that, but... Selethen had been strong. If he had dedicated himself more, or had prepared for the possibility of someone breaking through his armor better, Lassa might not have won that fight. 

"I mean... originally, I was thinking 'oh shit, I don't want to let this guy kill people.' Then people changed to 'me', then it kind of changed to-" She cut herself off for a moment, remembering... that roar. That feeling of her heart, thundering. 

Red Rebis... the rampaging body of an Alchemicist's Child. 

"Well. Suffice to say I won, and... no. I wasn't. Had a partner with me, don't worry. New guy, but he really held his own. Managed to give me the opening I needed to end things. Seemed he was keeping an ace up his sleeve."

Simon would not get why that was funny, so she didn't laugh. Barely. Feeling the cool touch of bandages sliding over her face, she sobered up a bit. 

"Well, I'm glad of that, at least. I...." She sighed. 

"I know you don't like seeing me like this. But it was either show up looking like this, or not see you for at least another few weeks, if not longer. I already showed up later than I wanted to. I figured a slightly battered package was better than none at all." 

She bit her lip, then continued. "You know I'm not putting myself in danger for no reason, right? Someone has to deal with the people like the one I stopped. I'm..."

 Red Red RED RED REDREDREDRED

"I don't know if I was built to live peacefully. So at the very least, I can leave peace behind me when I go."

[Bobbie]

Simon was focussed on Lassa’s wound while he listened to her words, pure concentration on his face as he was trying to be careful so as not to add any pain to what he assumed she was already feeling. He would pause on occasion as he processed her words.

“Well…” he grew quiet as he considered the nature of her job. He knew things were going to be like this. Lassa being away for so long and the dangers of what she did. The thought of her heading out on a job one day and never making it back occurred to him on multiple occasions, and the knowledge that it was a very realistic possibility made his heart just want to crumble in his chest. It was worth it, though - it had to be. If this was the only way he could have Lassa, then he’d suck it up and have faith that she will always find a way to return, in one state or another.

“I’m just glad you’re okay.” He finally finished his sentence as the bandages were gently applied and he was done playing doctor on… well, a doctor.

With a smile, he added, “and that you came. Battered or not, I’m always happy to see you.” Simon’s smile widened slightly as he chuckled, “Slightly battered though? You call this slightly? I could sue the postal services for delivering a package like this!” He joked as he stood up, but her next question caught him off guard and his smile faded.

Did he know that it’s all not for ‘no reason’? Yes, he knew that. He was aware that Lassa’s job is very important and the safety of a vast number of people depended on it… but would he have liked for somebody else to be doing it instead? Very much so.

Leaning on the back of the chair he had been sitting on as he pushed it in under the table, he looked down at his hands in silence as Lassa went on and a slight frown formed on his features.

This was harder than he initially thought it would be.

“Lassa… I know you feel you have to do this, and I back you entirely if this is what you want to do, but there is a place for you here… with me. Not every hero throws themselves off rooftops and fights rock-throwing terrorists with Devil Fruit abilities, you can make a difference without risking your life like this…” Simon didn’t fully understand what Lassa meant about not being built to live peacefully, but if she was ready to challenge that statement, he wanted to be there by her side as she did.

If she wasn't… he wanted to be by Lassa’s side anyway.

“Do you want anything to eat or drink? A fresh set of clothes, maybe? Well… I mean, you don’t need me to give you any, but I’m offering anyway.” A faint smile reappeared on Simon’s face.

---

Post: 3
Simon: #d2ce2f

[Tokoz]

 Watching as Simon frowned, Lassa's heart broke a little bit. 

No, not like that. The strain from using Red Rebis had healed, but it was definitely a potential threat. Unless she learned to stabilize the technique... well, the heart was a fragile thing in many ways. Overstressing it was a good way to risk something she couldn't come back from. 

Although... there was that technique... perhaps...

Focusing on Simon again as he began speaking, she hummed for a moment, not answering. When he mentioned the fresh clothes, she smiled a bit. "Yeah, I think I left some here last time. I can make my own, but... fresh clean clothes I didn't have to make myself always feel better. And some water would be great." 

Waiting to change, she considered for a minute. Should she... 

He didn't seem to fully understand the position she was in. It wasn't like she was some footsoldier, someone replaceable. She wasn't anywhere near the strongest, but even so. In Paradise especially, there were not many of her caliber. The New World devoured all the strong people it could grasp, leaving Paradise to people like her. With the final words of Whitebeard, there were so many new Rookie pirates.... The Big Sis Pirates the worst of them all. 

As new clothes were offered, she paused, then looked Simon in the eyes. Pulling off her shirt, she spoke quietly. "Simon... I need you to understand what I meant. I'm not just... throwing myself into danger because I can, or because I feel some obligation." Her chest was wrapped in bandages, these ones of the style used by many martial artists to 'secure' things.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

She held out a hand, and took a deep breath. 

Thump. Thump. Thump.

"I'm doing it because there are vanishingly few people who can take my place." 

Thump. Thump. Thump Thump Thumpthumpthumpthumthumthumthumthumthum

Their skin was dyed a deep crimson, and her veins bulged. A humming vibration seemed to resonate off her skin, and their eyes seemed to gleam in the half-light of the room. A strange androgyny of sorts, but still recognizably Lassa. 

Without a word, they reached into their coat pocket, and withdrew a steel scalpel. With a flick, they tossed it across the room, and then blurred. Opening their hand, they revealed the scalpel, having been caught... and crumpled like paper. 

Then, with a wince, the stattaco drumbeat of their heart slowed, and they sat down in a chair.

Lassa coughed slightly. "Oooof, that's always exhausting. But it proves my point. I'm... Simon, I would love that. But I couldn't spend every day passing the bounty posters on the street, the stories on the paper stands, and the leering faces in the shadows knowing that I walked away from that." 

It might have been stupid to show just what level of power she was operating on, but... She needed him to understand. 
            

[Bobbie]

Nodding to her request, Simon first went to fetch the clothes that she was referring to, very familiar with whatever items Lassa left behind in his apartment. They had been sitting there for a while, but were neatly folded and taken care of. As he returned, he set them down on the table for her, expecting her to take them and go change in the bathroom or the bedroom, but to his surprise, she simply removed her shirt right in front of him.

His cheeks immediately reddening, he flinched and hurried to turn his head as the most guaranteed way to prevent his eyes from wandering. Moving to the counter, he brought out a glass to fill it with water and busy himself, but as she spoke to him, he faced her once more.

Glass of water in hand, his gaze strayed but once to spot the bandages wrapped around her chest before locking eyes with Lassa and he focussed on what she was saying and doing. He frowned again, but this time out of confusion as he tried to understand - if it wasn’t out of some kind of obligation or loyalty to something bigger, then what was it that was more important than...

Simon looked down at Lassa’s hand for a moment, as he could hear a thumping in the air that seemed to be coming from… Lassa? His mouth was left partly open as he was about to say something, but decided to wait for whatever explanation or demonstration was about to come first.

As the thumping got louder and faster, however, Simon was left staring in complete shock of what he was seeing. He could feel his own heartbeat quicken as it seemed to attempt to keep up with Lassa’s, a tightening feeling in his chest causing enough discomfort to want Lassa to stop, and at one point, it looked like he was about to ask her to, until he saw the bulging veins on Lassa’s body and he could feel the vibrations in the air.

He was speechless. He had no idea what was happening or what effect this would have on Lassa - if it was bothering him, an onlooker, he could only imagine the kind of toll it would take on the person causing it.

Again, he considering telling Lassa to stop, that none of this was necessary, whether he truly understood or not, yet he was curious and he wanted to know more about the person currently standing in his apartment with him so late into the evening. There weren’t many questions that Simon could ask that would guarantee a full answer from her, so this seemed like the next best thing that he was going to get, at least for now. Continuing to watch, Simon looked at the steel scalpel, a knot forming in his stomach in fear of what crazy display would come next with that dangerous item.

Faster then his eye could even track, however, the item was tossed across the room and retrieved in an instant, the solid material crumpled like paper in Lassa’s hand.

CRASH

His eyes wide, Simon lost his grip on the glass of water he had been holding, and it exploded into many tiny pieces with a loud pop, water spreading everywhere.

The man jumped, the loud noise giving him a fright as his already rapidly beating heart nearly leapt out of his chest. Ignoring the crunching glass under his shoes, he stepped closer to Lassa as she fell into the chair again. His hand instinctively moved to her cheek in some gesture to see that she was okay, but was quickly withdrawn before it made contact and was raised to cover his mouth instead. Grabbing another chair and pulling it out for himself, he sat down and leaned on the table, watching her.

“Okay… point made…”

What else was there to say? Lassa was doing incredible things with her body, functioning under immense stress to do extraordinary things for the good of mankind...

---

Post: 4
Simon: #d2ce2f

[Tokoz]

 Wincing slightly as Simon's hand fell away from her cheek, Lassa gave a somewhat embarassed half-smile. "If it helps... I've only had to do that once. It's... I'll be honest, I didn't know I COULD do that until I had to. Usually I'm much less... well. Reckless, let's be honest. I could see the look on your face, I know you can tell that's not.. healthy."

She rubbed her face. "Hopefully it will be something that doesn't get needed again. But better wrecked than possibly dead. Triage is always uncomfortable." 

Back on the floor, spools of cloth began to roll across the floor and clean up the glass and water. As she kept a bit of attention on that task, she turned back to Simon. It hurt, worrying him like this. She also didn't want to crush him, but... 

She wanted him to understand, even just a little bit. Understand, not just what she did, but that it was for a good reason. That it was the reason he shouldn't get too connected to the Stratanovskis as well. Although...

Having met his new "boss", she was increasingly convinced that she might have jumped the gun there. Sure, the uh... interestingly adorned young woman had technically broken into a police station, but she really couldn't throw stones there. 

"... I missed you, you know." She said quietly, as she pulled on the fresh shirt, then leaned forwards to hug Simon. Suddenly, she really needed a hug. 

The Revolutionaries, Underworld Lords, and Pirates could wait till tomorrow. Tonight, she was taking a break. Simon didn't need to shoulder all this too. But, she hoped, he might understand a little better. 

If he decided it was too much... Well, she would deal with that when she came to it. 

A loud growl came from her stomach, and her face flushed suddenly. "Oh. And uh... I guess I need to eat too. Want to go somewhere? My treat. I can pull a hat down enough to cover the bandage, or just.. put an eyepatch on. Wouldn't be that uncommon around here. Or if you wanted to cook, I can grab some additional groceries. I uh... don't want to wipe out your larder" 

[Bobbie]

Simon watched her as she tried to console him about the frequency of her using this ability of hers, and he let out a sigh. Nodding, he felt a bit guilty for not masking his true response to what he just witnessed in his facial expression and he looked away, thus even betraying that sentiment. 

“Yeah, I hope not, it… it didn’t look great.” Turning back to face Lassa again, he chuckled nervously, though his smile was short lived. This was no laughing matter… yet somehow watching Lassa, now that things calmed down, still brought a hint of that smile right back.

Before he realised what she was doing, Lassa leaned forward to hug him, her arms wrapped around him. His cheeks warming, he wasted no time and promptly rose to his feet, stepping round the table to close the gap between them and wrapping his arms around her body.

Taking a second to just be there with her, he let himself sink into her taller frame, his arms squeezing her as this was a moment he had been waiting for for a long time. To say he missed Lassa was an understatement, and he would hold onto her forever if he were given the chance - but a loud growl that came from her stomach interrupted the moment and Simon pulled away with a big grin.

It was nice to see that he wasn’t the only one who was quite hungry, and quite refreshing to note that it wasn’t Simon who had the embarrassing moment - if one could call a growling stomach truly embarrassing.

The blush on her face was truly the cherry on top of the cake as it was enough to wash away all of Simon’s concerns.

Momentarily.

His smile diminished as he glanced toward his cupboards, silently weighing the options. Eating out would be cheaper since she offered it to be her treat, but as he recalled, their last meal at a restaurant together was also paid by her. He couldn't accept her paying again.

Turning to her once more, dimples casting shadows on his cheeks, he shrugged, “Tell me what you want to eat and I’ll make it. I’ll put a quick list together for things to buy from the store.” Then he rubbed his hands together and moved to stand in a pose as if he was about to face an attack head on, gesturing with one hand for Lassa to give it her best shot. “I can do better than brownies and toast, come on… anything at all, let’s hear it.” While he was confident in his cooking skills, there was only one concern at the back of his mind… and that was setting the other sleeve on fire.

---

Post: 5
Simon: #d2ce2f

[Tokoz]

 She shouldn't be surprised, frankly. Simon was quite strong-willed and stubborn when he wanted to be, and food seemed to be a point of pride for him. Still, she didn't want to eat him out of house and home, and he seemed to be angling to treat her this time. Glancing over at his kitchen, and making a few guesses based on what she had seen before... Rice was common enough, as was various simple cuts of meat.... 

"What about Black Pepper Chicken? I have a bit of a fondness for it, used to eat it after training when I was younger." It was a dish easily made in large quantities, and had been a favorite for years. It was definitely a dish which wouldn't break the bank too much, but would require a little bit of shopping. Lassa wasn't above taking advantage of the differences in speed to at least contribute something to the meal, especially given the amount of food she'd probably need. 

"In terms of ingredients... chicken, obviously. A few peppers, some onions, broccoli, carrots, pepper, Crescent Moon Peppercorn, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, cornstartch, oyster sauce and a bit of rice wine." A lot of those were fairly common ingredients, thankfully, so he might have most of it. The actual chicken and vegetables would probably be the main thing, maybe some of the sauce or seasoning. 

As she spoke, she fiddled with her hands, creating a flatcap and pulling it down at an angle. Removing the bandage covering the eye, she got some medical tape and held the pad in place, now concealed beneath the flatcap. 

She was tempted to down a vial here, but shifting too much while injured would just exacerbate the wounds so she left it for now. Looking over at Simon, once he was done taking inventory, she smiled. "So, shopping trip?" 

[Bobbie]

“Black Pepper Chicken…” Simon repeated her suggestion back to her as he thought about it. Not something he's never made before, though it had been a while - should be easy enough and wouldn't take very long to prepare either. It brought a smile to his face to know that this meal had special meaning to her, motivating him to make extra sure that it turned out right.

As he turned to his cupboards, he was about to start considering ingredients, but Lassa gave a pretty decent list herself, so all he had to do was cross check all ingredients that she mentioned with items that he had lying about in this cupboard or that. He didn’t really need to check for most of them, but there were a few that he second guessed and wanted to have a quick look to be sure.

“We’re good on the chicken, onions, broccoli, carrots and pepper, garlic and soy sauce too, but - oh, and rice wine, I’ve got that…” he muttered as he took out his work flipbook notepad and opened it on empty sheet before he started writing. “I’d say two peppers, Crescent Moon Peppercorn...?" Simon paused at that with a slight frown and slowly turned around to look at her with confusion written all over his face. He was trying to determine if this was a joke or if she was trying to tell him something else. "Is that... like regular... peppercorn? You'll have to show me where to find that." He asked in an uncertain tone and almost feeling stupid for asking it, but he had never heard of that as a type of pepper or a brand. Just in case, he moved on. "Sesame oil… out of corn starch, and I do not have any oyster sauce left.” Once his list was done, he let out a sigh, puffing out his cheeks as he exhaled and ran through the list once more, before turning to Lassa.

Reaching over to the table, picking up his sunglasses. “Shopping trip.” He agreed with a grin that revealed a row of his very well taken care of teeth. He then offered the sunglasses to her, “Do you want to wear these?”

His other hand patted his pockets for his keys and wallet that hadn’t even been brought out yet since he arrived home, and he was all set to go.

---

Post: 6
Simon: #d2ce2f

[Tokoz]

 "Oh! It's uh..." Lassa fumbled for a second, trying to describe it. "It's also called Hua Jiao? It's a sort of... reddish-peppercorn like spice, more spicy than peppery... I can point it out. It's not mandatory, just gives it a little kick." Standing up, she looked over as something was offered to her. 

Sunglasses, huh? Yeah, that wasn't a bad idea. Slipping them on, she adjusted them and the hat slightly, before giving Simon a pair of finger guns and laughing a bit. Heading out of the apartment, she waited till they were downstairs and took Simon's hand, humming a bit as she let him lead towards the shops to pick up the extra ingredients. 

As they moved through the crowd, Lassa glanced around, keeping an eye on the various people as a matter of course. It wouldn't do to get mugged or something. Breaking the silence, she glanced down at Simon. "So, you said work's been fine. Anything particularly interesting? I uh... " She coughed. 

Okay, she could not tell Simon about the details, but....

"I did run into your uh... 'boss'. She recognized me, but I wasn't... exactly expecting her... outfit." 

She mimed a mask across the face for a moment, reminiscent of Anarchy Blue's disguise. It wasn't a fantastic disguise, but then again, she was a very suspicious and observent person. Maybe it fooled the average passerby? She was shocked how often a change of clothes threw people off in her case, after all.

Although, this did rather beg the question. If Annika was dressing up...

"Do you have a superhero outfit too, Simon?" She asked, trying desperately not to let the amusement color her voice. She didn't want to embarrass him, but she was actually rather curious. Anarchy Red, perhaps? Although she had a hard time imagining Simon as wearing that outfit in crimson. 

[Bobbie]

Simon shook his head as she suggested it wasn’t mandatory for their dinner, but he wanted it to be as close to whatever she wanted it to be, if not hit the exact right spot. “We’ll find it, we’ll find it. Just point it out to me”

Once the sunglasses were taken, a goofy gesture and a chuckle were made and had, they were off!

Downstairs, Simon smiled as Lassa took his gloved hand and he gave hers a bit of a squeeze in return as they walked. His mind wandered to all sorts of places, some more serious than others. First, he thought about how glad he was to have her by his side again, which naturally led him to wonder how much longer beyond this night he would have her… then his mind went back to the finger guns she made upstairs as he realised that even someone as serious as Lassa had her moments… it was quite endearing and seemed like such a genuine moment, that it brought another smile to his face. Then he started to wish he brought a second pair of sunglasses down with him, his eyes feeling so exposed without them. He had bought quite a couple while on his spending spree, but then again, maybe it was for the best if Lassa didn't find out about that.

That was when the silence was broken and Simon looked up at her. “Anything particularly interesting?” He echoed her question and looked forward again before he made a face with a light shrug as he seemed to struggle to think of something specific. It was all rewarding, but something in particular that stood out as ‘interesting’ was difficult to pinpoint.

When Lassa mentioned Annika, he let out a laugh, “You met Ann- Anarchy Blue?” he quickly corrected himself with a nervous stutter, “Yes, her outfit is something, but it is crazy how much it suits her! She’s grown right into it, it’s amazing… she has an incredible eye for fashion and style, she gave Miguel such a hard time for his uniform a while back.” Memories with Annika were always fond to Simon as he really did consider her a very dear friend first, and then a boss.

The next question caught him off guard, as he slowed down for a moment, considering her words. “You mean the whole hood and mask thing?” he asked, reaching up to rub the back of his head. “No, just sunglasses and a regular…” his voice trailed off as his gloved palm brushing against his hair reminded him of a different suit that he wore. Clearing his throat, he lowered his hand, adjusting the collar of his shirt on its way down to ensure the wet suit beneath it was hidden. “And a regular suit! Nothing fancy!” he finished his sentence in a slightly higher pitch as he stuffed one gloved hand into his pocket, but he had no way of hiding the other one that was holding Lassa’s - and he didn’t want to let go.

He wasn’t really sure why he was so embarrassed about it, perhaps it was just that it was so different from his usual attire, and what most people would wear, even though it was always worn underneath his clothes. Maybe it was the fact that he needed armour to protect him from his clumsy mishaps, or even the embarrassing story of how he got it custom made to fit him perfectly. Maybe, and perhaps most likely, it was simply the show of interest from Lassa that just made his heart flutter and his face compete with the next street lantern with how red it had become.

---

Post: 7
Simon: #d2ce2f

[Tokoz]

Snorting at the idea of Miguel getting lambasted, Lassa nodded. "Well, that makes sense." She kept listening as Simon denied the semi-accusation of a full super hero costume, raising an eyebrow for a moment as he stumbled over his last few words. 

"Oh. A Regular Suit, huh?" A skeptical 'hmmmm', and she looked directly down at him, lips pursed. 

"Just a regular suit? No spandex, bright colors, logos, armor, gadgets, or other superhero accoutrement? Totally normal suit." She held the gaze for a long moment, then....

"Oh, okay then. I guess it doesn't run in the workplace. After all, who am I to judge. I do some of my best work in suits." Granted, hers were... probably not quite the same. After all, the black suits of a World Government agent were not worn by most people for a reason. Getting mistaken for one, or worse, being seen to be impersonating one was a surefire way to a bad time. Didn't stop some bold or stupid people from trying to cover up crimes by throwing a suit on and claiming 'official business'. 

Apparently Codex had been mugged by a pair of people claiming to be agents doing an inspection once. Said he hadn't laughed so hard in ages, and he even left them alive! Technically. 

As they approached an open shop, Lassa began to look around, grabbing a basket from near the door and looking for ingredients. Her first target was found quickly enough, and she wiggled the crimson peppercorns at Simon before popping them into the basket. 

"Anything else you need to pick up while we're here?" She asked, as she began searching for the next thing on the list. As she reached up to the higher shelves, however, a sudden pain shot through the left side of her chest, and she reflexively winced and brought a hand to her chest before cursing. Dammit, she had used Rebis for too long the first time. Her body hadn't had time to adjust to it yet, and using it again had probably stressed the heart again. Time to take more medicine. 

Quietly opening a bottle in her pocket, she withdrew a pair of pills and swallowed them.