It was a slick piece of tech-- truth be told, he wasn't entirely sure what to make of it himself. He didn't have the knowledge to know quite how it worked, and the only way he knew what it could and couldn't do was testing its limits himself. On one hand, the neuro-interface and nanites made it easy to hide and go into civilian mode, as well as allowing him to activate or create almost any weapon or tool he needed or could think off... but at the same time, the neuro-blowback from pushing the suits limits too far was a total and utter bitch. He remembered the first time it happened, he was curled up on his bed in unimaginable pain for more than a day, not even able to get up to get painkillers. Of course, it'd be quite useful if he had someone to help him know how to push it even farther, figure out abilities it had he hadn't thought of yet, and even improve it...
But he was hardly thinking about that now. No... for now his mind was on her, and on the game.
"Fair enough. Me, though? I like a challenge."
Probably why he was playing this game with her, more than anything. Of course, he didn't really need any of it, so maybe he'd let her keep even what he could take from her, but, for now... Well, they were going to have a little fun now that they had picked the room clean of the good stuff.
Moving now towards the center of the room, the thief extended a hand to her, expression as playful as a skull mask can get.
"Shall we dance?"
After all... it would be all too fun to see what they could steal from each other... aside from just gems and jewelry.
The blonde thief was only giving part of her mind towards the game now. He-as a person-was much more interesting. She knew nothing of his background, had no idea what he looked like. They were, in essence, polar opposites who just happened to share the same goal. This, more than anything, intrigued her to the point where she knew she had no other choice but to learn.
But right now, it didn't seem as if he would give her a chance to study; he was already breaking the pattern, moving closer to her.
Then he stopped and she smiled, making a mental note that with charm like that, he must be rich. Or had been, at one point. The young thief paused, seeming to consider his request-not that she was thinking of denying. Such a thing was completely out of the question at this point. This was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Not only would she get to prove her skill (or at least match his), but she would get closer to that suit.
And every centimeter counted.
Rikku easily sauntered towards him, flexing her gloved fingers before gripping his hand with her own, a brilliant smile on her lips. She could look straight into his filtered eyes. They were nearly the same height; he probably had a quarter of an inch over her. "But of course." She took half a step closer, resting her free hand on his shoulder and letting her body press almost flush to his. "Your lead."
Even though X liked danger, liked risk, in a lot of ways, Rikku was much more of a daredevil than he was... running around unmasked-- virtually unclad, for that matter, not that he was complaining-- and more or less without any special tools, while also maintaining a fairly public profile as a mechanic, and, to top it all off, stealing from the families... He wasn't lying when he said she had guts. And that made her all the more attractive.
Even from this close, though, it was impossible to tell that they were made of nanites-- the only way anyone would ever know was if they had a superhuman sense of touch, or sight, or had seen the suit in it's nanite form, retreating from his body.
Letting his free hand fall to just above her waist, just a little behind her, he let the fingertips of the gloves brush teasingly, lightly against her tanned skin as, with effortless, playful grace, he launched them into a swirling Viennese waltz.
Had he asked why she allowed herself to be a public figure, she would have laughed. Not many people paid attention to people like her-people who believed different things from the norm, who didn't play by the rules of acceptable society. Living a double life, having the ability to be a normal person as well as a top-profile thief, was invigorating for her. And it was easy, after she had spent a year perfecting her lifestyle. She wasn't one to venture out of the garage much-if she did, she always made sure to disguise her eyes. They were too noticeable, with their abnormal swirls. Everything else was just a matter of wardrobe. People who came to her garage were blessed with the sight of her in considerably less clothing than those who glimpsed her in the streets.
Most wouldn't know, but Rikku did indeed know how to dance. She actually had a whole list of skills that not many people would expect. The girl had, more or less, been raised for life as a sort of secret debutant. She had been considered royalty in her community-her entire upbringing had been centered on that.
And it all showed as she kept pace perfectly, letting the half-familiar steps slowly renew her memory. She hadn't danced like this in a long time, but it would be good for her, she knew. Maybe she would invite him over a time or two, just for a refresher course on a couple of the more complicated rhythms.
But at the moment, she had other things to worry about. Namely, letting the bare skin at her waist tell her how many pouches were on that belt of his and their exact locations. She couldn't be sure that was where he had stowed the gems, but they seemed to be a likely enough place. In the meantime, she hummed lowly, keeping time with the dance through almost inaudible vibrations.
Interesting. So, she knew how to waltz, despite being a thief, and, of all things, a mechanic. Perhaps they weren't so different after all... While he may have hidden his secrets behind a mask, though, she, cunning girl, was hiding all of her secrets in plain sight... Quite the little mystery, what did show hinting teasingly at what didn't... One he wouldn't mind unraveling in the least.
Normally, he might have thrown in some comment trying to pry a little into her life, but the little tune she was humming was pretty, and so was she, and she wouldn't be hard to find at all, from all appearances. Close as they were right now, and enjoyable as this was... questions could wait.
Of course, while they danced, she wasn't the only one trying to figure out where the pouches where on her dance partner's belt and what they held. One of the fun things about the neuro-interface... he could look at one place and seem like he was looking at another.
And there it was; she could feel an abnormally-shaped object in one of the bags near his side. And perfect timing--literally. There was a spin coming up in the waltz, at least the version she knew. Idly, she wondered if he knew the same one; for such a simple dance, there were certainly enough versions of it.
During the initial spin, she flicked the clasp on the pouch and picked out the first thing her fingers touched, hiding it in her palm. Then she was out, holding on to his hand with hers as the other went across her body and then out, ending in a perfect straight line that ran from the base of her neck all the way down to her fingers. She smiled charmingly before spinning back towards him.
On the second turn, while her back was to him, she slipped it into her own bag. None of this too longer than a half second, and she reentered the dance as smoothly as she had exited.
She was good-- dancing, stealing, and looking damn good doing it. Okay, so, maybe he wasn't warming up quite the way he expected to. But it was definitely worth it. After all, this was the most serious-- and most dangerous-- job he had taken on in a while. If he couldn't steal a kiss from a pretty girl before he rushed off into danger, a dance and a game with one who was good at both certainly wasn't a bad deal.
Of course, it wouldn't be a game if he let her have all of the fun. No, the trick wasn't for him in plucking items from her pockets or her pouches, for both targets were too obvious. No, he knew the sort of thief she was, not being one so very different himself, given how flashy they both were. The challenge would be in stealing away the lovelies she had hidden away in those sleeves of hers.
As they ended the spin and she brought her arm back, he slipped his under hers, this time in a more formal waltzing position, nothing hinting at how he had palmed something hidden in the ruffles of her sleeves and slipped it into the wrist of his glove just before his fingertips brushed her back. This was too fun.
Appearance had only been half the battle on her way to becoming a thief. Her own brothers had never paid much attention to her-Keyakku had taught her how to fight out of necessity and Brother had schooled her in engineering because Cid hadn't been prepared to. Neither of them had taken much interest in her as a person until she had turned fourteen and gotten her first boyfriend; then they couldn't bug her enough. Only after a few spars, in which she proved that she could take care of herself, did they back off.
Not by much, of course-she had suddenly become their baby sister again, and nobody was good enough. She wondered where Cid had been through all that, but had never commented. He was the maytan-he’d had enough on his plate. And once Keyakku had died, Brother had suddenly distanced himself as well. So it had just been Rikku, only Rikku, with Gippal in tow sometimes. Taking care of herself had become first nature, and she doubted anything would ever change that.
The change in posture caught her eye, but she just continued to smile and hum. After all, a dip was just a few seconds away, and she needed to ready herself. One-two-three, and she felt his arm tighten around her waist before she leaned back towards the floor. The blonde girl moved her arm from his shoulder and reached towards the floor as if to steady herself, but slipped her fingers into his boot, snatching a small gem and tucking it up her sleeve before actually pressing her fingers to the ground. As they straightened, she gave a planned sheepish smile and returned her gloved hand to his shoulder, continuing the step without missing a beat.
Okay, so maybe she was the smallest bit out of practice, or she had just made a mistake, like all the best do, or that had been calculated to distract him from thieving hands elsewhere. Whatever it was, he had to admit, it was cute, as was the sheepish grin.
He had to admit, without the guild around, it had been far too long since he had played the game, and he had missed playing it.
Not missing a step, the thief glided across the room with her, pocketing in his swirling cape the "trinket" he palmed from her back pocket while dipping her. He had to admit, he was almost tempted to check to see whether the scarf was concealing any little gems, aside from her neck. Well, he was also tempted by a lot of things about her. Tempted to do a lot of things that would be highly unprofessional. Especially in this setting. Part of what made the thought so attractive.
But, knowing how public a figure she was, he also knew he'd have no problem arranging another such meeting as this, and extending the play longer. It would be a terrible waste to spoil all the fun just in the name of instant gratification. Besides, she seemed the kind of girl who would tease, but wouldn't give so much as a kiss until she was good and ready.
Lulling marks into a false sense of security with her ditzy façade had more or less kept her in business for the year she'd been in the city. A lot of people-especially those that were exceptionally wealthy-didn’t bother to look beneath the bubbly blonde's outside. They saw a cute call girl sort of person, while there was usually so much calculation and scheming going on behind that smile that even Rin would be proud. After all, he was pretty much the master of masquerading as someone he wasn’t.
The waltz was drawing to a close, though she was positive she could snag one more jewel before she completely ran out of time. In the last few steps, she slid her hand around his neck, pulling him closer as she dipped her fingers into a pocket on his cape just behind his right shoulder, slipping the gem into the folds of the bows tied up her arms. There was no mistake this time, just a smooth transition from one position to the next.
The last couple bars were hummed before she came to a stop at the exact same time as her fellow thief, spiraled verdant eyes fixated on the undoubtedly one-way material that covered his. If she ever got into a tight spot, she might have to invest in finding some of that. The most brilliant smile was on her lips, and she continued to hold his hand, fingers resting lightly on his neck, staying in the waltzing pose. "We should do this more often," she chimed. Whether she was referring to the game or the dancing was completely up to him, though in reality she meant both.
Oh, he noticed that one. He noticed most of the moves, for that matter. But they were subtle enough that he couldn't stop them without being obvious about it, and, he was sure, it was the same for her. Still... he had invited her to the dance, and, from the sound of things, she needed it more than he did. After all, to him, it was just supposed to be a warm up. Wouldn't hurt to let the lady have the last say, especially if she was down on her luck. X was no Robin Hood, but he was never one to steal from those who couldn't afford it, either.
"We will."
He'd find her soon enough, or they'd run into each other, he knew, and they would dance and thieve and flirt relentlessly again. But, for now, he didn't want to pull away just yet, and so he held the pose, too, waiting for her to make the next move as they entered the endgame.
Waiting. She had never liked the sound of that word, or the action-rather, lack thereof-that followed it. There was just too much to do, too much to see to keep waiting. Waiting was the one thing no Al Bhed was good at. And anybody who knew Rikku at all was well aware that moving was just a part of her. From place to place, room to room, or just while she was standing. Fidgeting was a natural instinct, one that had been drilled into her head since birth.
So remaining motionless for more than a few seconds obviously didn't sit well with her. Action was imminent.
The hand hooked around the back of his neck smoothly moved, and she slipped her fingers beneath the edge of his mask. She felt skin there, warmth, even through the thin material of her gloves. The pads of her fingers rested over his pulse, and she felt it beating there, almost in time to the song they'd been dancing to. Her smile softened, became warmer. Waited. "I can't leave without giving a proper thank you."
But he was hardly thinking about that now. No... for now his mind was on her, and on the game.
"Fair enough. Me, though? I like a challenge."
Probably why he was playing this game with her, more than anything. Of course, he didn't really need any of it, so maybe he'd let her keep even what he could take from her, but, for now... Well, they were going to have a little fun now that they had picked the room clean of the good stuff.
Moving now towards the center of the room, the thief extended a hand to her, expression as playful as a skull mask can get.
"Shall we dance?"
After all... it would be all too fun to see what they could steal from each other... aside from just gems and jewelry.
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But right now, it didn't seem as if he would give her a chance to study; he was already breaking the pattern, moving closer to her.
Then he stopped and she smiled, making a mental note that with charm like that, he must be rich. Or had been, at one point. The young thief paused, seeming to consider his request-not that she was thinking of denying. Such a thing was completely out of the question at this point. This was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Not only would she get to prove her skill (or at least match his), but she would get closer to that suit.
And every centimeter counted.
Rikku easily sauntered towards him, flexing her gloved fingers before gripping his hand with her own, a brilliant smile on her lips. She could look straight into his filtered eyes. They were nearly the same height; he probably had a quarter of an inch over her. "But of course." She took half a step closer, resting her free hand on his shoulder and letting her body press almost flush to his. "Your lead."
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Even from this close, though, it was impossible to tell that they were made of nanites-- the only way anyone would ever know was if they had a superhuman sense of touch, or sight, or had seen the suit in it's nanite form, retreating from his body.
Letting his free hand fall to just above her waist, just a little behind her, he let the fingertips of the gloves brush teasingly, lightly against her tanned skin as, with effortless, playful grace, he launched them into a swirling Viennese waltz.
Reply
Most wouldn't know, but Rikku did indeed know how to dance. She actually had a whole list of skills that not many people would expect. The girl had, more or less, been raised for life as a sort of secret debutant. She had been considered royalty in her community-her entire upbringing had been centered on that.
And it all showed as she kept pace perfectly, letting the half-familiar steps slowly renew her memory. She hadn't danced like this in a long time, but it would be good for her, she knew. Maybe she would invite him over a time or two, just for a refresher course on a couple of the more complicated rhythms.
But at the moment, she had other things to worry about. Namely, letting the bare skin at her waist tell her how many pouches were on that belt of his and their exact locations. She couldn't be sure that was where he had stowed the gems, but they seemed to be a likely enough place. In the meantime, she hummed lowly, keeping time with the dance through almost inaudible vibrations.
Reply
Normally, he might have thrown in some comment trying to pry a little into her life, but the little tune she was humming was pretty, and so was she, and she wouldn't be hard to find at all, from all appearances. Close as they were right now, and enjoyable as this was... questions could wait.
Of course, while they danced, she wasn't the only one trying to figure out where the pouches where on her dance partner's belt and what they held. One of the fun things about the neuro-interface... he could look at one place and seem like he was looking at another.
Reply
During the initial spin, she flicked the clasp on the pouch and picked out the first thing her fingers touched, hiding it in her palm. Then she was out, holding on to his hand with hers as the other went across her body and then out, ending in a perfect straight line that ran from the base of her neck all the way down to her fingers. She smiled charmingly before spinning back towards him.
On the second turn, while her back was to him, she slipped it into her own bag. None of this too longer than a half second, and she reentered the dance as smoothly as she had exited.
Reply
Of course, it wouldn't be a game if he let her have all of the fun. No, the trick wasn't for him in plucking items from her pockets or her pouches, for both targets were too obvious. No, he knew the sort of thief she was, not being one so very different himself, given how flashy they both were. The challenge would be in stealing away the lovelies she had hidden away in those sleeves of hers.
As they ended the spin and she brought her arm back, he slipped his under hers, this time in a more formal waltzing position, nothing hinting at how he had palmed something hidden in the ruffles of her sleeves and slipped it into the wrist of his glove just before his fingertips brushed her back. This was too fun.
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Not by much, of course-she had suddenly become their baby sister again, and nobody was good enough. She wondered where Cid had been through all that, but had never commented. He was the maytan-he’d had enough on his plate. And once Keyakku had died, Brother had suddenly distanced himself as well. So it had just been Rikku, only Rikku, with Gippal in tow sometimes. Taking care of herself had become first nature, and she doubted anything would ever change that.
The change in posture caught her eye, but she just continued to smile and hum. After all, a dip was just a few seconds away, and she needed to ready herself. One-two-three, and she felt his arm tighten around her waist before she leaned back towards the floor. The blonde girl moved her arm from his shoulder and reached towards the floor as if to steady herself, but slipped her fingers into his boot, snatching a small gem and tucking it up her sleeve before actually pressing her fingers to the ground. As they straightened, she gave a planned sheepish smile and returned her gloved hand to his shoulder, continuing the step without missing a beat.
Reply
He had to admit, without the guild around, it had been far too long since he had played the game, and he had missed playing it.
Not missing a step, the thief glided across the room with her, pocketing in his swirling cape the "trinket" he palmed from her back pocket while dipping her. He had to admit, he was almost tempted to check to see whether the scarf was concealing any little gems, aside from her neck. Well, he was also tempted by a lot of things about her. Tempted to do a lot of things that would be highly unprofessional. Especially in this setting. Part of what made the thought so attractive.
But, knowing how public a figure she was, he also knew he'd have no problem arranging another such meeting as this, and extending the play longer. It would be a terrible waste to spoil all the fun just in the name of instant gratification. Besides, she seemed the kind of girl who would tease, but wouldn't give so much as a kiss until she was good and ready.
Reply
The waltz was drawing to a close, though she was positive she could snag one more jewel before she completely ran out of time. In the last few steps, she slid her hand around his neck, pulling him closer as she dipped her fingers into a pocket on his cape just behind his right shoulder, slipping the gem into the folds of the bows tied up her arms. There was no mistake this time, just a smooth transition from one position to the next.
The last couple bars were hummed before she came to a stop at the exact same time as her fellow thief, spiraled verdant eyes fixated on the undoubtedly one-way material that covered his. If she ever got into a tight spot, she might have to invest in finding some of that. The most brilliant smile was on her lips, and she continued to hold his hand, fingers resting lightly on his neck, staying in the waltzing pose. "We should do this more often," she chimed. Whether she was referring to the game or the dancing was completely up to him, though in reality she meant both.
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"We will."
He'd find her soon enough, or they'd run into each other, he knew, and they would dance and thieve and flirt relentlessly again. But, for now, he didn't want to pull away just yet, and so he held the pose, too, waiting for her to make the next move as they entered the endgame.
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So remaining motionless for more than a few seconds obviously didn't sit well with her. Action was imminent.
The hand hooked around the back of his neck smoothly moved, and she slipped her fingers beneath the edge of his mask. She felt skin there, warmth, even through the thin material of her gloves. The pads of her fingers rested over his pulse, and she felt it beating there, almost in time to the song they'd been dancing to. Her smile softened, became warmer. Waited. "I can't leave without giving a proper thank you."
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