so I guess this takes place a little before bentley and evan run into locke and weiler!

[aphelionix]

The downtime after their mission in Raufner left Bentley unsure what to do. He hadn't been in Erclesse in... Wow, how long had he been with the Circle? Just over half a year? The thought left him feeling a little forlorn. He hadn't been home in a long time.

He separated from Evan, who had some things to finish up for the mission that didn't require the doctor. They were to meet up in a couple hours in the Lower Districts. (Which, yes, kind of overwhelmed him some. He hadn't heard good things about Raufner slums.) He was wandering the middle area of town for a place to eat - working really gave one an appetite. Everywhere looked good about now...

Just as Bentley had just about settled on a place - a little cafe on the corner - he spotted a familiarly stylish head of hair and expensive shoes, headed down the sidewalk. Bentley jogged a couple steps to catch up. Danny had been on the mission, too - though with less to do, being a gunman, he supposed. Evan had a load of information to report.

"Hey, Danny," he said upon approaching. "Don't have anything to do either?"

Comments

have a deep broment

[aphelionix]

This was actually something Bentley had been thinking about for a long time. Nowhere was really safe for him, technically, but just because his own home wasn't safe didn't mean it made another place his new home. But he had genuinely begun to like the Circle. (Sometimes he worried that it was Stockholm Syndrome.) It troubled him. Crime wasn't his way of life

"I don't know, actually," he said, a hand circling around his water. "Admittedly, it was excellent timing that I was brought in. Once I realized the Circle was a safe place for me to go, I stopped resisting. It was a little funny. I don't think Evan and Viana were used to cooperative hostages." He smiled, pausing to sip his water. "I miss home, but... some days, it's a little sad to imagine ever leaving the Circle."

Bentley you kawaii baby

[kobacake]

"That's because we're a family," Danny stated simply with a slight shrug, as if kidnapping people and consequently gaining their loyalty was the most natural thing in the world. Then again, for Danny it probably was natural. He hardly knew how life outside the Circle even worked. "You fit in pretty good."

:')

[aphelionix]

"Really?" He clearly looked skeptical. At the station, he usually felt as though he stuck out like a black eye. (Of course, he tended to be paranoid.)

[kobacake]

"I mean, everyone likes you right?" Danny nodded. Clearly he wasn't including Viana in his count, but she didn't matter as far as he was concerned.

[aphelionix]

"T-they do?"

[kobacake]

Danny narrowed his eyes and his mouth flattened into a line, an expression that clearly read, 'isn't that obvious?' "Viana doesn't count."

[aphelionix]

"Oh." Bentley eased with a sigh. "Well, yeah, the only person she likes to Evan, so..."

[kobacake]

"Ugh, I don't even wanna talk about her," Danny groaned, shoulders slumping slightly.

[aphelionix]

"Y-yeah, let's not." While their entrees weren't quite ready yet, they were served some complimentary small side dishes; mostly vegetables and a little bowl of really spicy sauce. They were namely for adding into your dish. Bentley stared at them, not entirely sure what their purpose was.

[kobacake]

"You can eat it instead of just staring at it, you know." Danny watched as Bentley bored holes into the little dishes. "It won't kill you."

[aphelionix]

Bentley picked up a fork, poking at an unfamiliar piece of... something. "Are you... sure?"

[kobacake]

"Unless you're allergic or something, I guess..."

[aphelionix]

"I don't think I am," he said, cautious as he stabbed the sliced up vegetable with a crunch, inspecting it at the end of his fork. It was purple and pale yellow. This was completely unfamiliar. He gave it a sniff. It was definitely pickled, whatever it was. "What is this?"

[kobacake]

"Xignia," Danny said. "It's kind of like cabbage but the taste is different."

[aphelionix]

"Well, here goes nothing," he said slowly, and he stuck the bite in his mouth. Bentley rolled it around his tongue first, afraid to bite right into it, but after affirming the tastes wasn't bad (like an onion meets pickles and something else he couldn't place) he chewed. With a small nod he gave his approval. "It's not bad, actually. Strong, though."

[kobacake]

"Yeah, Alzerian food is pretty flavorful," Danny agreed. He reached out and jabbed his fork through something that looked like a dark purple potato in another one of the dishes and popped it into his mouth. After swallowing he said, "Try these. They're kinda sweet and spicy, but not too spicy."

HIIIIII KOBAAAAA

[aphelionix]

Bentley stuck a small piece onto his fork, examining this one like he did the last vegetable. He wasn't a big fan of spicy, but maybe with sweet it'd be tolerable... he went ahead and ate it.

He made a face, but to his credit, he swallowed it down like a champ. Bentley took a polite sip of water, trying not to make a big show of his distaste.

"What was that one called?" he asked, likely so he could avoid future encounters with it.

YOOOO KELS about to leave for my town don't know when i'll have net again

[kobacake]

"It's called keldora." Danny raised a brow, the corner of his mouth quirking up just slightly at the sight of Bentley's face. If Bentley thought that was spicy, hopefully he'd be okay with his meal. (The A-6 was a bit more mild, but Bentley didn't seem to be able to handle spicy things very well at all.) "You really think that's spicy?"

aww well we'll see you when we see youuu and HAVE A GOOD TRIP THERE (ﾉ´3`)ﾉ♡♥*

[aphelionix]

"It's, um," he struggled to sound polite in the way he phrased it, "the flavor itself, I think. I-I can handle some spicy things. Usually if they're a bit saltier."