It was easy to get lost in the glamorous city lights when you were out on the town with a loved one. Sadly, this wasn't the case for her, but Sora still took pleasure in watching her friends enjoy themselves as they explored what Lungmen had to offer on their way to dinner. Croissant and Bison kept sharing glances whenever a particularly good venue came into view, chatting amicably about sales and fees. Texas and Lappland seemed to have their own silent conversations going on. There would be the tiniest of hand gestures from Texas followed by a wag of Lappland's long tail. Even Exusiai, Mostima and Suffering seemed in a relatively pleasant mood, but every glance in their direction had her stomach coming up in knots with the memory of that kiss. So she kept observant till they finally reached their location at last: a rooftop bar appropriately named La Luna Lantern.
"Wow! You weren't kidding when you said this was a rooftop location." Lappland gaped at the sight before them.
Texas chuckled. "Well, I did tell you the restaurant had a view of all the other building tops, I don't think I could've meant anything else."
The pair of Lupos had remained closer than arms length the entire journey here, so she was unsurprised to see their hands clasped together now. Unconsciously, her eyes traveled down the slim figure Texas was made up of. Her toned form, while not the biggest reason for her fatal attraction had been among the many things that made the silent wolf so hard to resist. As if sensing her lingering gaze, Texas turned to look at her with a questioning frown. It took Sora a moment to realize she was mouthing words.
"The reservation is under your name right? Since you know the owner?"
Jolted from her reverie, Sora nodded. "Yes, yes, I'll go handle it."
"Hah, looks like someone got a little lost in thought," Mostima said to her in passing as she scrambled over to the host at his podium.
Her cheeks flamed as she begrudgingly moved forward at least I'm not unfaithful to my girlfriend. When she got there, the man in question was dressed like she imagined many butlers would: weird monocle and finely pressed suit with coattails flapping out the back. It was all too easy to spot his comb over amidst the fraying gray hair of his scalp.
"How may I help you miss?" He asked.
"Uh, I called with reservations." Sora told him, fingers digging into the wood as she looked up at him. The circular engraving on the middle plank of wood depicted a crescent moon. A star sat on the inside of it, made more prominent with its five points. It was not dissimilar to a star on trees during the holiday season. And below it was a lantern, a light socket fit into it letting off a pleasant golden hue.
"Name."
"Oh. Uh, Sora."
The man tapped the page of the reservation book in front of him, flipping it before tsking in resolution. "Ah yes. Sora from that one company. With the strange Penguin in charge."
She supposed strange was a relatively decent term to describe Emperor with, especially compared to the many slanderous things she had heard him called in the past by the many, many enemies he accumulated over the years. Though he'd prefer unique or eccentric. He takes it in stride so easily. It was one thing she doubted herself able to replicate: that unflinching boldness in the face of adversity.
"Penguin Logistics. Yes."
"Alright then, corral your friends and I'll get you to your table."
*****
"Why is everything here so tiny?" Lappland asked, eyeing the small plate of shelled things in front of her. After being seated at their table appetizers had been brought over. These small, seemingly food related things had went untouched despite her rumbling stomach. The trays of meat being carried over to the other tables served to make her stomach more demanding as her mouth watered.
Texas scooped up the small pinkish lump from a shell. "They're appetizers. You don't have to have any if you don't want to." The poised way in which she put it in her mouth and swallowed it like it was completely fine and normal and not weird at all.
Lappland pushed the plate aside. "Then I won't."
Texas shrugged, pulling Lappland's plate across the table and piling those shells up. "Might as well not let them go to waste." She explained briefly.
Croissant, who had been busy making that lovey dovey expression at Bison for the last who knew how long —Lappland wasn't keeping track— grinned at her, giving a light sidearm to her ribs. "Can't blame ya. I don't like 'em either. Too gooey for my tastes. Surprised you like them Bison."
The sole male of their little party shrugged. "I don't particularly think much of them, but after all those business meetings my Father took me to as a kid I kinda had to get used to them. Benefits of being the heir to a large corporation." His admission had her interest peeked.
"I didn't realize that. What made you work here then?"
Bison took a sip of his sparkling water; he had lost the game of Rock Paper Scissors. As the designated driver (not that any of them were driving, they just wanted someone to be sober for the walk home) he'd been eyeing their glasses of champagne and bottles of beer with mild jealousy. You snooze you lose. Never should have picked scissors. Though, to be fair, the fact that some of the members chose 'gun' and 'sword' as an option sort of rigged the odds against him.
"Well. I guess I it's mainly because I found the experience exhilarating." He told her. "I'd been rather reclusive for so long . . . getting out there seemed like the right choice."
"I know how that feels." Sora piped in.
The blonde's placing between Mostima and Texas has arguably been to prevent the dark wolf from tearing the bluenette a new one. At least, that had been her excuse whenever a surge of jealousy threatened to spill out of her. As it was, Lappland was sitting across from Texas. There knees knocked underneath the tabletop. The drinks were brought out. Hers was a dark bubbling soda. Alcohol, while pleasant in its burn, was not something she enjoyed. Being in control was so important, especially now.
Texas's abstaining was likely a similar gesture for slightly different reasons.
Now it was her turn to be curious. "How so?"
Sora fiddled with her napkin. "Where I'm from everything was so routine. My parents had a role they expected me to fill, and I'd had every plan to for awhile. It wasn't until I got into music that everything started to shift. And then I met Texas and . . ." Her voice dwindled off. Lappland noted the pink dusting the blonde's cheeks.
Surprised she was able to fool anyone for long. So obvious. She could relate in an admiration for Texas. She could. But only she was allowed to love Texas in the romantic sense. Something she made very clear with her past actions and now, as her hand reached across the table to grab at Texas's. The other wolf interlocked their fingers as if she sensed the brief discomfort. But it was gone with a passing wave as Exusiai ushered the conversation onto something else.
"So . . . What's everyone ordering?"
*****
They were halfway through the main course when Mostima's attention was suddenly taken elsewhere. Exusiai saw it happen in slow motion, her attention never straying from the bluenette on the often rare occasion they were together. It used to be because of how little they got together. Now she found it was for a different reason. But either way, her amber eyes picked up the lit screen in a pocket, ears noting the humming buzz of a phone.
And Mostima wasn't the only one.
Suffering yanked her phone out with little preamble. Her narrowed gaze scanned over whatever caller identification had popped up. The small grunt she made gave nothing away about how she felt. And neither did her "I need to take this." that was followed by her abrupt rising from her seat and walking off.
The bluenette made to follow Suffering, gaze distant. "I'll be right back."
Her thoughts flickered back to all those other times Mostima had said the same thing. Not once had it been true since they had joined Penguin Logistics. Compulsively, her hand snagged at Mostima's jacket sleeve. Conversation stopped, the table growing silent as Mostima whirled to face her. The expectant look she wore suggested there was no time for this; she needed to leave. Exusiai felt her heart sink further.
"Will you really?" Was all she dared ask, her voice hoarse.
A growl rumbled. She didn't need to take a guess as to who it was from. Texas was getting that scrunched up look from the corner of her eye, lips peeling back in the beginning of a a sharp retort no doubt. If Mostima noticed —or cared— she did nothing to indicate it.
"I can't make any promises." Was all she was told before the sleeve was yanked away. Sora bit her lip and Croissant was frowning. Bison just fiddled with the stem of his glass while Lappland cut into the bread she was holding a bit harder than necessary.
Not for the first time in her life Mostima was walking out yet again.
Maybe I'm better off.
*****
"This was a good choice Sora." Texas commended quietly after the waiter dropped off their check. Suffering's early exodus with Mostima in tow had done wonders in improving the mood of most everyone at the table. The angry cloud brewing inside of her dissipated the second the bluenette disappeared, though Exusiai's saddened sigh did not escape her attention.
It's a shame.
"Thanks. I thought it would please everyone. It's got a lot of variety and the theme is good."
"And we thank ya for it. Right Bison?" Croissant had her arm slung over Bison's shoulder, well on her way to being drunk at this point if the champagne bottles surrounding her polished off plates were anything to go by.
"Yup. And we haven't even done the biggest attraction here yet."
"Attraction?" Lappland frowned. "What attraction?"
Texas resisted rolling her eyes. Despite how observant Lappland was, when it came to social outings and the like there was still plenty she failed to piece together on her own. "The name of the restaurant revolves around the idea of night lanterns."
"And that means . . . ?"
"It means that this restaurant's whole gimmick is that the customers get to release lanterns into the night air. The atmosphere is supposed to be romantic and enchanting." Exusiai told them all quietly. Texas gave a small nod in the angel's direction. The pinkette's somber look was yet another reminder of what could have been.
I'll kill Mostima later. This can't keep happening. All these let downs will just break her spirit.
"Releasing lanterns huh? Not sure how good I'll be at it, but I'd like to try." Bison spoke up.
"Me too." Croissant agreed, sharing a smile with her boyfriend.
Sora hummed, pushing aside her plate of polished off salmon and shrimp scampi. Forks and knives clattered on other patrons plates as they continued to eat. She wondered how late the place was open for, and what it would take to finally have everyone in their little group happy during an outing. Lappland's warmth, her comforting presence, gave her confidence it was possible. She was so caught up in her machinations she almost missed what Sora said.
"I'll call the waiter over then. There's a certain platform here you all have to see."
*******
The phone call began as soon as they were out of earshot.
"Hello." Suffering was cordial as ever.
"What is it this time?" Mostima was hardly in the mood for niceties, that deep rooted disappointment on Exusiai's face producing a feeling she rarely felt. Though even it did not overcome the level of guilt she had felt before. With her.
"Is that anyway to talk to me?" Was snapped over the line, indignant.
Suffering scowled at her from across the phone. "I'm sorry sir. She's incorrigible."
"Why am I not surprised."
"Is there something going on?" Mostima asked, counting the numbers on the photo ID. They changed almost every time, but the person on the other line was a constant she rather not have. These people were a source of ire; there was pain in the past. A smiling face came to find, quickly replaced by an anguished one. A crying girl sobbing over a casket. There was no coming back from death, despite what Laterano preached.
"Yes. I wouldn't call otherwise."
"And that would be . . . ?" Suffering trailed off. Figuring she would get answers quicker if Suffering handled things Mostima kept quiet, caught off guard by those next words.
"You haven't happened to run into any wolves lately, have you?"
*******
A/N: Due to unforeseen pet sitting I've been very busy lately. So the double update will be popping up next week. Hoping for at least one long chapter amongst the two. Let me know what y'all think in the comments and don't forget to vote! Would also love to hear everyone's thoughts on the newest contingency contract. I personally liked the art of the blade music better than the new lobby theme, but that's just my preference. Until next time!