Asra's Route

Introduction- The Hierophant

He's lucky I am, too.

"Besides... shouldn't you be afraid of being seen?" I ask, leaning to whisper in his ear.

He flounders under my gaze, eyes darting this way and that. "Er, well, I suppose that's true.."

I make a show of slowly running my hands over his hips, fingertips catching in the fabric as I side over his pockets. I stop, an unexpected hard edge poking out at me.

I glance at him, raising an eyebrow.

Julian only looks away, his face growing even redder. "Ah, that, don't worry about that."

I slip my hand inside, fingers closing around it and pulling it out.

It's a knife. Hidden in his pocket.

I roll my eyes.

His own lift up to look at me from underneath his heavy brow, another shameless grin on his lips. "But I am happy to see you. I can show you, if you like."

Was he really initiating right now?

Right now, after breaking into my own home?

He's incorrigible, but I can feel him nervously shifting his weight.

Good. Maybe he'd learn, then.

I walk back around to his front, lazily trailing one hand over his hip as I move. He sways in my direction, desperate to follow, but holds himself still with visible effort.

I turn to face him completely, bending so we're face to face. "Tell me what you were really looking for."

Julian blinks up at me, his lips parting, then closing. Slowly, he licks his lips before answering.

"You're.. Very persistent, aren't you? And..." He  hums thoughtfully, raking his gaze over me. "Thorough."

My eyebrows rise, unimpressed.

Julian's gaze immediately drops, his throat bobbing as he swallows, hard, letting out a slow, shaky sigh. "I... I was looking for answers."

His face falls, the previous playfulness gone from his tone. Replaced with a helpless, hollow expression. "But I didn't find any. Not the ones I wanted."

My eyes scan over him for a long moment before I straighten up. "Alright." I step back. "I believe you."

"Huh?" His eye lifts back to me, shining with surprise. "I, ah. Wait. Really?"

"Really."

"That's a terrible idea." Julian's gaze hardens as he stands straight. "You shouldn't take anyone at their word, least of all me." He hesitates, looking away. There's a thoughtful silence that fills the air as he pulls his gloves back up his arms. "But.. er.. Well, I do hope you're satisfied."

A soft smile flits across his face, much different than the suggestive one he wore not too long ago. "I would just hate to disappoint you." He retrieves his overcoat with a showy flourish and slips it back on. "Well, I'm sure you have things to do, so I'll be getting out of your way." He takes a wide step, contorting his long form around me to pass. I can only stare.

His broad grin only takes a second to fade before shock takes over his features. I follow his gaze, carefully looking over my shoulder.

A stout little woman with a familiar head of bright red curls stands down the street, frozen in shock, her blue eyes wide and jaw slack.

Portia.

She must have come to find me, but pays me no attention at all. All of her focus, the suspended disbelief in her wide eyes, is on the man beside me.