Twilight Island

[pryatama aphrodite]

Cause she wanted to!!

She slipped back into her chair and snagged another bite. "So, how do you like my ratty shack?"

[Wicked Basket]

"It's a lot nicer than mine was," Anzio replied. "A lot less crowded too."

Anzio began shoveling food into his face. Having been an orphan and thief, eating fast was essential. It kept others from taking your food, and got rid of any evidence.

[pryatama aphrodite]

"Jesus, Anzio, slow down. No one's taking your meal." She paused, spoon midway to her parted lips.

[Wicked Basket]

Anzio froze, spoon halfway to his mouth.

"Sorry," he said lowering the spoon. "I don't really get the chance to sit down and actually enjoy the meal very often."

[pryatama aphrodite]

"Don't apologize. It's something you did in the past. But god forbid you got a stomach ache." Yes, she is religious. "Just remember, when you're here, with me, none of that is required of you. You don't need to steal, or speed eat, or hide away. I promise."

She then turned to eat, mouth pressed into a line.

[Wicked Basket]

You could get a stomach ache from eating too fast? That had never happened to him before, but that be because he had never eaten enough to get one. He wasn't sure how to respond, so he just kept eating; slower this time. The food really was good, but he had completely forgotten about the wine in his quest to stuff his face.

[pryatama aphrodite]

A door opened, and closed. The front one. "Excuse me," she said to Anzio before parting. As she crossed the foyer barefoot, her eyes widened and she beamed.

She ran the rest of the way, and was soon picked up and spun playfully. "Oh my god! You actually came back!"

"Well, yeah. Couldn't die just yet," he said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "How's my little rajkumary doing, hmm?"

"Oh shut up, Alagan."S She punched his bicep and he chuckled warmly. "Forget me. How's Kishan?"

"Quite stubbornly fine." He frowned at the mention of his brother but quickly smiled again.

"Well, hope you survived the kintets."

"I did."

He saw her face turn pained, and he brought her face up to his, cobalt blue iris's narrowing, studying.

"Nothin..." she said, and pulled away from him.

[Wicked Basket]

Anzio was curious as to who had arrived and wanted to see for himself. He made a point to put his mask back on first before investigating. He walked into the foyer and saw the strange man.

"Who's this," he asked casually, but he couldn't help but be protective. He had a tendency to not trust people.

[pryatama aphrodite]

Ren turned and looked Anzio. His face suddenly stone cold and pale. "Mar," he said, voice low, "who is this?"

She looked to Ren, eyes wide as she followed his line of sight. "Ah. Oh. This is Anzio. Anzio, this is Dhiren-"

"Ren," he amended.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes. Ren. Indian prince of the Mujullain empire."

Ren's body was tense, his eyes narrow. He didn't loosen when she explained what she and Anzio had done since their first meeting. Making note to avoid the kissing and all that. "So, there you have it."

Ren hadn't altered a single bit in her explanation. In fact, he'd been growing considerably pale.

"Ren?"

"I'm going upstairs." Ren then advanced to the stairwell stiffly, disappearing at the top.

She looked after him for a minute, and blinked. Oh no. She cleared her throat. "Well, shall we continue dining?"

[Wicked Basket]

"I don't like him," Anzio said simply. "There's something not right about him."

Anzio then returned to the table to continue eating, making sure to keep his mask close by so that he could quickly put it back on should the man come back downstairs.

"Why is he here?"

[pryatama aphrodite]

"He doesn't appear to like you much either," she said. Sitting down again, but casting a glance at the stairwell. She'd talk to him later.

"He was originally suppose to be with his brother, Kishan, in mumbai. Apparently, they were conversing about inhereting the money from the company, or keep it running." She swallowed a bite before continueing. "Lokesh-" she saw Anzio's confusion, and sighed. "A bad guy came back from hiding, and Ren was sent to fight him down. He either won, or dispatched for healing."

[Wicked Basket]

"What bad guy hides himself," Anzio asked. "That isn't any fun. I sure don't hide. I love playing with the law enforcement officials."

[pryatama aphrodite]

She looked at Anzio's mask, then his eyes, raising her eyebrows as if to say 'really?'

[Wicked Basket]

"What? Don't you believe me," Anzio asked with feigned indignity. "Why else would I where such a gaudy outfit if not to be seen?"

[pryatama aphrodite]

"Why hide such a flawless face behind a mask?" she asked, proving a point.

[Wicked Basket]

"I'm not hiding my face," Anzio replied. "I'm hiding myself, preventing others from seeing who and what I truly am. You're the only person who has ever seen my face since I ran away from the orphanage and got this scar."

[pryatama aphrodite]

She lifted a hand to lightly touch the scar, but dropped it back in her lap. Looking to her food. "Precisely. Lokesh wasn't hiding his wrongs from the authoraties. He was hiding what they connected to be. The actual picture behind his sceme."

[Wicked Basket]

"What picture? I've always just stolen stuff. I've never had any pictures or schemes behind it. What's he even trying to do?"

[pryatama aphrodite]

"We don't know. But whatever it is, he isn't gonna stop until Ren and Kishan are dead. Maybe me. But he kidnapped me once for the soul purpous of alluring my two tigers." She expelled a breath silently, eyes closing. "Sometimes it's hard here without Kishan. Without his charms. His yet-to-be enticing flirtatious behavior, ya know?"

[Wicked Basket]

"No, I don't know," Anzio replied. "Wait. Did you just say he was after you too?"