⚘ bar

@⚘ : levi c 。 "well, you asked to be praise so that's what i did." charlie said with a raise and fail of his shoulders, though he has to admit that it wasn't like him at all — for him to give out a compliment just like that along with a tone he doesn't usually use on the other, so clearly, he understands if levi was weirded out by it. "but you deserved it as well, you helped those in need and that's a big attribute to society. better than those who are in a higher position." it's true, that the thief's doing a greater deed than those with wealth among them to which they only use for their own pleasure and satisfaction when they could have given some to the poor other than wasting it on themselves. "it's nice to know that despite you being a criminal, you're still doing something good." unlike me who did nothing but unethical doings,that's what he wanted in the end but he doesn't want levi to know that he's an ex-convict let alone know what crimes that he had done in the past.

the bartender realized on how much he had rambled to the thief, he wasn't the kind to share his thoughts and opinions to other people yet he did so with levi but... it was something that the other needed to know, as an assurance, he guesses — as to say that he did a great work though charlie just knew that even though what levi is doing is a good thing, it's still not the right way to do it, but he kept the thought to himself.

the way levi was behaving tonight though, was something the charlie paid close attention to. the thief's been acting strangely, his laughs sounded forced and his mind seems to be elsewhere — what is he thinking about? charlie doesn't know and he has no plans in finding it out, it's none of his business but he kinda had an inkling of it when he looked outside and the rain just started to pour. his gaze went back to look at levi, his countenance softens.

"don't worry about me! it's nothing i'm not used to,"

levi's words didn't even helped, charlie couldn't help but worry about him and he just wishes he could help but he couldn't if the other just refuses to ask for it.

"let's stop talking about me—what have you been up to during the time i was gone?"

what has charlie been up to when levi was gone? that's quite a good question right there. he thought about it before answering, "nothing new actually, same routine that i follow everyday." there was no lies in his words, he still did what he usually does but it's just that... he started thinking more about levi after what happened back in charlie's apartment, the time where levi showed how vulnerable he can be and the time that he just disappeared, when did charlie gotten so low like this? "but seems the customers became more annoying and bolder." he place one of his hands on the countertop and his pointer finger tapped on the wood, gesturing towards the stab marks that gives the wooden furnish its flaw. now that right there is the lie, the customers, specifically males, did not became like how he described them but rather his tolerance level towards them just plummeted.

@⚘ : charlie k 。 the soft smile on kyran's face caught levi off-guard. he hadn't seen the other smile at him too often, if at all, and the softness of it was even more shocking than the smile itself. his eyes widened slightly as he stared at the older man, lips parting, momentarily stunned as he struggled to find the right words to say — what was he supposed to say again? he hadn't expected the compliment, even the smile. he thought charlie would have been mad. levi had run off again, after all, disappearing yet again without so much as a warning. the reason why he'd gone ahead and taken on more heists from the black market dealers was so that he could distract himself from his thoughts; so that he could escape his problems for a little bit, even if the means to doing so were even more dangerous than facing them.

what could he say? he was a coward.

he clenched and eased his fists in between his thighs, hidden from the bartender's sight, as he forced out a laugh. what was the conclusion he'd arrived at after all those heists were done? "wow, i... i didn't expect you'd actually compliment me." in that tone, too. what did that mean? what was that supposed to be? was the bartender softening up to him now, after that weak episode of levi's back before he disappeared for a whole month? he bit the inside of his lower lip as charlie bent down, and for a moment, shadows covered the upper half of levi's face using his bangs, and he looked down at his hands, uncertain of what move he was to take then. why had he come back here, anyway? when he could have easily just run away, escape once again like he'd always done? staying longer than necessary meant that he was starting to become a constant in charlie's life once more — and oh god, what would charlie feel if he knew that levi was robin, the boy from his childhood? what would charlie feel, if he learned hat levi had attempted to leave his life once again, had actually wanted to do so?

he had once promised cherry that he wouldn't leave the older behind — but here he was, on the verge of running away again.

"—you be resting though? you're more exhausted than usual," were the only words that registered in levi's mind as he snapped out of his reverie. slowly, he moved his gaze from his hands to the glass of water in front of him. he faltered for a few moments, his mind hazy and light and his sight becoming slightly blurry. he blinked repeatedly, before he laughed once again — forced, like before — and he carefully held the glass in between his palms, pulling it a little closer to him. "don't worry about me!" he said, lifting his eyes from the glass to meet charlie's gaze, and he widened his smile into a grin, showing his pearly whites before he tilted his head slightly to the side. "it's nothing i'm not used to," he added, and he gripped onto the glass just slightly harder. "let's stop talking about me—what have you been up to during the time i was gone?"

@⚘ : levi c 。 pushing down the gratuitous feeling that's been pooling within himself, charlie resumed to his task in cleaning each and every glass before putting them in their proper places. he then goes to arrange the bottles by the shelves, replacing those that needed to be replaced and arranging those that needed to be arrange according by their content. as he does this, he heard the door open behind him but he didn't bothered in turning around to see who it is (a few weeks ago, he would always turn and look at the person that enters by the door, unconsciously hoping that it'll be levi) 一 it's probably another customer who wants a drink for whatever reason it would be but what he didn't expected was for him to hear an oh-so familiar voice that made him halt from all movements. at first, he was skeptical 一 he didn't trusted it, he thought it was his mind playing tricks on him again but this... this voice was so loud and clear that he doubts that it's a work of his imagination and that's why he dared himself to turn around and look, to confirm it. see of it really is levi and not some illusion that he was still having.

the bartender took a deep breathe and turned his head along with his upper body, twisting until he sees the person behind and through his fringe that almost covers up his eyes, he sees levi right there 一 all in flesh and in a solid state, as in being real. "sorry, sorry, i got a little busy, buuut! guess who managed to feed three orphanages recently? yes, it's me, sir!" so that's why he disappeared, huh? turns out, charlie was overthinking over nothing, great. yet... he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief taking over him, glad that the other was alright 一 he's just so very glad but he won't be admitting nor will he be telling that to the thief himself anytime soon. "i did a good job, right? so you should praise me for doing a good job, kiki!" a soft simper appeared on charlie's lips, that's something that one (specifically a male) doesn't see everyday, a rare sight to see yet he offered it so easily to levi.

"good job kid, i'm proud of you." he said without any usual tones that he uses on levi, as a matter of fact, the tone used was quite mellow that indicates sincerity within his words, an actual praise towards the prince of thieves. the bartender bends down just to get a tall glass before filling it up with a glass of water then serves it to the younger lad. "here, drink up. you look tired." he pointed out. of course levi's tired, managing to collect some stash to turn it into cash and give it to a total of three orphanages sounds like a lot of work to do 一 something charlie should have done with the cash he used to get from robbing, stealing and selling drugs though he doesn't think that anyone would appreciate taking the money given by him once they learned that blood and dirt got involved just to earn it and he can't even blame them if that had happened, he wouldn't accept it either. "shouldn't you be resting though? you're more exhausted than usual."

@⚘ : charlie k 。 levi truly didn't like the rain.

once upon a time, though, he'd loved it. he loved the smell of the earth after the rain, the rainbows that would come after the sky shower, loved that it would feel cool and the sound of water hitting any surface would lull him to sleep, much like the voice of his adopted mother would. but now all it did was make his heart ache — with each raindrop came one memory rushing out of the deepest dams of his mind, and as much as he would like not to think of such memories anymore, he couldn't. he simply couldn't, for the rain was everywhere and its presence was all too big for him to try and ignore when he was in his empty apartment. his habit of staying outside had worsened when the rainy season came, and soon enough, he supposed it was going to be winter. winter — the cold days that came after that tragic autumn of his life.

he didn't want to remember them. he didn't want to keep thinking back to those days, and feel his heart ache in so much longing. he didn't want to wish to go back to a place he could never go back to anymore. but the rain was out of his control — he couldn't help it if the world wanted to remind him of everything he had lost; of everything that he desired. but see, the world wasn't so nice that they would let him get what he wanted. they were dead, after all.

wasn't that the reason why he avoided any sort of relationship at all costs? so he didn't have anything to leave behind, like he did with cherry? so no one would leave his grasp, like his parents had done?

so why did he find himself walking toward the familiar road to a place he hadn't been for a while now? the rain had ended hours ago, but its remnants were still everywhere. he avoided stepping on the puddle, avoided looking at his reflection in the water, and here he was again, in front of the bar that he hadn't touched in so long. he wondered — what would the bartender say, now that levi came back after a month of not showing up? how long could levi pretend that he didn't know who the bartender was? that he already knew that the older was his childhood friend, the one whom he had broken his promise to?

yeah. levi didn't want to find out.

but he couldn't stop himself as he opened the door, and he would forever blame the chills he felt, the warmth that he felt despite the cold temperature, for this dumb action. but he walked inside, cheeks slightly flushed from the warmth of his body, a grin on his face once more that could only be described as too carefree as he approached the bar where cherry stood. levi was getting ready to pretend, but his body felt heavy, feeling even warmer by the second. but he ignored all of those, and proceeded to sit down on a stool. "kikiii! it's been a while, isn't it?" he said, swaying his body a little side to side. his voice took on a more singsong tone, a little too light than normal, but he didn't give it any attention. "sorry, sorry, i got a little busy, buuut! guess who managed to feed three orphanages recently? yes, it's me, sir!" he laughed and made a messy salute. "i did a good job, right? so you should praise me for doing a good job, kiki!"

@⚘ : levi c 。 a month passes by and after that occurrence in charlie's apartment, levi was never seen again. it was as if he never existed, like a fragment of charlie's thought 一 as if it was all a dream but it wasn't, it really happened and levi isn't a piece of his imagination, no, he's real especially when they were acquainted with each other for three months now yet, why all of the sudden, he just disappeared like that? sure, this isn't the first time that he disappeared but compared to the last, this disappearing act went own for a whole damn month. at first, charlie didn't think too much of it 一 well, tries to. he tried not to think too much about levi but he couldn't help it, not after what happened on the night before he disappeared. the night where charlie did a lot of first times in his life, the first time he lets in someone in his apartment with him inviting them on his own, the first time he sang for someone and the first time he puts bits of his trust onto someone who wasn't lavinia nor his boss, but yes, that someone is levi. but another reason for him to not help but think about the other was the assumption he had made and it's that levi is robin, his childhood friend, the only person next to lavinia that he cherished the most but that thought has no concrete evidence, it might just be a coincidence.

yeah... a mere coincidence.

"you don't seem like yourself lately, i've noticed." charlie snaps out from his thoughts when gilbert, his boss 一 a man in his early forties, said that to him after sitting on one of the many stools by the bar while the bartender's cleaning out a few glasses. "what do you mean?" charlie asked with a lifted eyebrow directed to gilbert. "well, you seem a bit gloomier than usual." was he? he didn't noticed though he has to admit that his level of irritation increased to the point that his tolerance towards to flirty men was little to none, which explains the multiple stab marks on the wooden counter.

"how so?" he has act like he knows nothing, that he wasn't aware but knowing gilbert, the older man would do anything for charlie to speak the truth. "this," the boss then taps his finger onto the counter which prompted charlie to look down. "and what am i supposed to be looking at?" still up on his act, he's as stubborn as a mule can be. "stop pretending, it's already obvious that something's bothering." charlie looked up and saw the way gilbert's eyes were showing signs of worry, he had to look away almost immediately and continue to what he was doing. "it's nothing." he says in a rather stern tone which gave himself away. "let me guess on what's bothering you." gilbert rested his chin on the palm of his hand, a mischievous grin splits upon his lips 一 charlie doesn't like that, he doesn't like what gilbert had in mind.

"you miss levi," charlie's eyes widen and his head turned far too quickly, he let's go of the glass, letting it settle on the table as he slams his hands on the counter. "no, i don't." he gritted through his teeth, the way his boss' expression changed made charlie aware of his action. his own countenance changing as he moved back, taking his hands off from the counter. "i一 i'm sorry." he muttered, voice almost inaudible but gilbert still heard it. "no, it's fine. /i'm/ sorry for prying, just一 yeah... i'll just let you be." and the boss went off, going to the far corner where the stairs are, he climbs up and he's gone, out of sight while charlie stared down by the ground, deep in his thoughts.

after a few seconds, he realized something that made him snap his head to where gilbert had went. how did he know about levi's name? he recalled that he never once mentioned levi's name nor did he ever talked about him to his boss, so why and how? he doesn't know but that'll be a talk with gilbert for some other time to come. but what needs to be given attention was what gilbert had said, 'you miss levi,' does he though? the way he acts seems like it, the way that he's visibly upset afterwards tells a lot but he doesn't want to admit it, doesn't want to admit that he's that attached to the thief that he started having this feeling called 'longing' for the other but in his defense, he got used with the younger's company, got used with levi's talkative self that the silence felt foreign to him but he once got used to it after levi stopped showing himself to charlie. but in all honesty, he just couldn't help it, he's... worried about levi, worried on what could have happened to him because last time, he returned with an injury but now that's it's been a month, could it be... no, he shouldn't be thinking such a thing, the thought of levi being dead is just...

he doesn't want to think about it anymore.

@⚘ : seraphine n 。 another typical day, the bartender thought to himself 一 it felt like his days are on repeat, in an endless loop where it's going to be the same happenings one way or another yet one person manage to break into the routine, a thief but he wasn't just any thief but rather he was entitled as the prince of thieves. sounds intriguing isn't it? yeah, he thought so too not until he got to know the guy better. for what he thought would be a master thief turns out to be a child trapped inside a grown man's body, it sounds like exaggeration but it isn't not until people gets to meet the guy himself but of course, his identity is vital for it to be shared around. he still doesn't understand the trust that he puts up to charlie who was a complete stranger at those times, a mere bartender by the bar who charged the thief to give payment for the alcohol he wasted. but on the topic of trust 一 charlie doesn't know why strangers trust him with such information that they spew from their mouth to him, information that are deemed personal then again, they were in the state of intoxication so he couldn't really blame them, a lot gets spilled once alcohol is involved and all he can do was listen to them as they ramble, keeping his opinions and thoughts to himself.

the most common ones that he heard are about heartbreaks and regrets, he wouldn't relate much with the first one but the other? very much, he hold too much regret in his life, regrets of what he had done in the past that's now buried beneath the ground along with charlie kim since his name had changed to charlie kyran (he couldn't bear to change his first name since lavinia was the one who named him). a symbol of a new life that had begun as for his past is gone, he thinks, well not thoroughly 一 it still lurks within and resurfaces whenever he's triggered. but yeah, he understand them thoroughly, those who have regrets in their lives and there's another set of people that spills when drunk and those people boasts a lot with whatever success they had achieved and charlie doesn't care, he's just going to do his job and that's it, he'll turn a deaf ear on those kind of people but one certain customer was someone who took much of his attention whenever she boasts after doing a job well done, what was her name again? seraphine, yeah that was the name that she slurred out without him asking about her name, she simply introduced herself then proceeds to blabber.

at first it was tolerable but as he listened more and more, he found himself getting annoyed and it's not from the way how talkative she is but instead, it was about the way she talked about herself. from the way he made it out with all her ramblings, he gotten the impression of her just using her job to wring out money from people in a manner that he could tell that it was about being unfair 一 those who are guilty are presented to be innocent with the right amount of cash and those who are truly innocent are drained out of it, they're considered guilty right away if a lawyer wasn't present to defend them and that just shows injustice. just the thought of it makes him clench his jaw in annoyance, she's just taking advantage of people for their money yet she wanted more appreciation? bull, he thought. and speaking of her, she's currently by the bar once again, her visits aren't that frequent for it to be describe that she goes by a faily but perhaps it's a weekly? he doesn't know, not like he was tracking. "what can i get you for tonight? the usual? or are you planning to have something new?" charlie said with the usual monotone in voice, eyes not even looking at the lady in front of him as he cleas out a tall glass with use of a piece of cloth.

[i didn't expected it to get longer tbh 一 but it's fine if you don't mirror, there's no need! just write as much as you need.]

@⚘ : charlie k 。 another client satisfied meant another mound of money cashed into her bank account. however, rounds of celebration for the man now free of his guilt merely meant. . . rounds of drinks for the lady. seraphine made her way to the usually spot by the bar, slinking onto the high chair still clad in her work clothes. she'd the first few buttons on her blouse but one could easily tell she just got out of work-- whatever it is, she does. and despite the celebratory occasion, there was a frown set upon her lips, fingers tapping along the surface of the counter as she awaited to be tended to. or at least, until her 'friend' appeared. it was quite hilarious, really, how she manages to avoid any and all intimate relationships - intimacy with the inclusion of exposing her inner thoughts and feelings. hence, the lack of friends and social groups. but strangers; sometimes they offer the best company. and that was really all it was in the beginning; seraphine as a customer, kyran (at least, that's what he goes by the last time she asked) a bartender.

he was merely doing his job, but a tad too many drinks had the lawyer spilling her constraint train of thoughts onto the tabletop, boasting about how hard she worked in a grandiose and loud manner on how she deserved more appreciation than what she actually received. the next morning, of course, was met with pure horror once she realizes how trusting she had been with a complete stranger. but eventually, the idea didn't seem so bad. he didn't know her on a personal level, she didn't know his background. to seraphine, kyran was a blank sheet of paper and her words were invisible ink. everything she spoke off eventually dissipated into thin air. or, that's how she perceived it. and so, she returns. case after successful case. a tradition of hers to celebrate with rows of whiskey, occasional scotch, hard liquor that sleazy men would try to about only to be met with rejection. she found solace in the bartender who didn't share much, nor asked much. he was just the embodiment of her. . . diary. in some sense. with her elbow perched against the edge of the counter, palm cradling her cheek, seraphine glances across the foreign figures loitering about, mind contemplating over what drink would suffice for the first one tonight.

@⚘ : charlie k 。 "22," levi repeated. definitely not that older than him. he had just turned 20 recently — in fact, he'd almost forgotten his birthday. it wasn't something he celebrated. it was just a day to mark another year of his life, another year... wasted, perhaps, but that wasn't something that anyone needed to know. besides, celebrating a birthday on one's own was just kinda sad, wasn't it? "you feel much more mature than your age," he continued quietly. he wondered, what kind of things would kyran have had to experience to mature at such an age? younger people were given the luxury of making mistakes and learning from them, but because they still had quite an amount of time ahead of them, there was no need to rush maturing. though he couldn't say the same for himself, he could tell that kyran might have gone through things worse than levi had undergone too, and that thought didn't sit well with the thief. no children should have had to experience anything worse than that — but what could he have done then? levi was powerless — he was just a mere thief attempting to change a vast world.

what could a thief like him possibly do?

"you just... studied how to tie cherry knots because you were bored..." levi repeated slowly, as though in disbelief. what kind of free time did kyran have to be able to learn it? granted, kyran might have had more time than levi ever would, but would one just study that out of mere boredom? people were weird, he decided. and this reminded him so much of the past. his heart ached at the thought. he, however, blinked in surprise when the other suddenly said words that levi never thought he'd hear directed him. "w-w-what—" he was thankful that the other had withdrawn immediately, because he wouldn't have been able to explain the way his cheeks flushed in embarrassment. see, levi might be a criminal — a notorious thief — but he had never dabbled in any missions that involved seduction or anything of the sort.

he hid his face using his free hand, before he leaned down to casually sip from the straw of his drink. when the other custoner had sat down by the stool near him, he couldn't help but cringe at the flirting attempts directed at kyran. it was obvious that the bartender didn't like it, but the customer wasn't stopping until— levi flinched at the sound of blade sinking into the wooden counter, and he looked at his side through the corner of his eyes. dangerous, he thought to himself. this confirmed his suspicions even more, and levi would have to wonder why kyran hadn't told on him yet, when the amount of money placed on his head was probably good enough to betray someone else's trust. he leaned back carefully and smiled apologetically. "yeah, yeah, i saw nothing — be careful though! don't stab anyone no matter how much they annoy you!" he said, and then he stood from his seat, leaving on top of the counter money enough to pay what... he should be paying for, anyway. "but... yeah, i got to go for now. i still have work early tomorrow." he almost cringed at the thought of having to work early the next day, but he only heaved a sigh. "i'll see you tomorrow then! if i don't die from work, that is."

@⚘ : levi c 。 "i can't even disagree," it was either levi was far too young or that charlie was far too old but it's a bit exaggerated when it's said like that. their age aren't sof far off from each other, he supposes. "22, not so young and not too old." he's quite young, younger than most people who come by the bar every night, much younger than those who he hooked up with but he was well aware that he gave off a vibe that made him older than what he actually is, the maturity that he possess but he guess that it's all because of the experiences he had in life. it's quite a rollercoaster ride if one would ask him to describe it.

the bartender shrugged his shoulders as a non-verbal response to the thief. "i get bored too, y'know? so that's all what i did when i first got the job. just trying to knot cherry stems." it's all what can do and using a phone on the job is something prohibited though he wouldn't exactly know what to do if he was even allowed to use his smartphone. "some says that if you're good at cherry knotting, there's a high chance that you're a good kisser." he said sounding as if he was boasting about the skill though in reality, he isn't. "yeah, plenty." charlie replied as he rested his chin over the palm of his hand, leaning towards the other before he absent-mindedly says, "want to add up to the list?" and it surprised himself as well, he didn't think that he'll end up saying that. "i'm kidding," he stood up straight, his attention immediately being taken by a new customer who just arrived.

"what can i help you with, sir?" the customer replied with his order that charlie had started right away 一 a margarita, it was easy to make so within a few minutes he was almost done, he just needs to cut the lime and garnish it up. the customer started flirting with him as he made the drink, he ignored his attempts of course but it got too annoying that charlie couldn't help but raise his hand that was holding the knife and stabs down on the wooden counter that was merely millimeters away from the guy's hand. having the fakest smile ever on the bartender's face, he said, "pardon me sir, but would you let me do my job? you're starting to become annoying." his true nature now triggered. it was evident that he scared the guy from the way he trembled before him, charlie took the knife off from the counter and placed it near the chopping board, he place the lime by the rim of the margarita glass then serves it to the customer who was a bit hesitant in drinking it. the bartender then turned to levi whom he almost forgot was still here, "you saw nothing."

@⚘ : charlie k 。 "listen, i'm just really young! or maybe you're just too old," levi retorted, and he almost crossed his arms — only for him to remember that one of his arms was unusable for the meantime, and he stopped his other arm midair, before he let it settle on top of the counter. "how old are you anyway?" he said. he'd only assumed that the other was older than him — kyran felt and acted like it, but how could he say exactly, when everyone seemed to act older than the young thief was? but what if kyran was actually younger than he was... levi squinted at the bartender. well, kyran still seemed young, but the aura he gave off... was definitely more mature than the men their age, he supposed.

levi blinked, and he watched in both amazement and annoyance. his eyes were only focused on the bartender's lips, eyebrows furrowing. he initially didn't believe that kyran would be able to do it — first of all, it was really hard to do, but as seconds passed by, his thoughts immediately changed. when the other was done, all he could do was stare at the stems, which was now knotted together, and his shoulders fell when the other threw it to the trash bin. "how..." he muttered, before his eyes moved to glare at the cherries. "why would you even want to learn that? what kind of skill is this supposed to be? would it even help with anything?" as soon as he asked that, he remembered something — good kissers were supposedly skilled at this. he blinked, and he turned to look at the bartender. "have you kissed a lot of people, kiki?

@⚘ : levi c 。 "it's fine, i understood that well." he does, he actually does 一 despite being a bartender himself, charlie doesn't drink anymore. not even a drop of alcohol would ever invade his senses, though back then he drank as if there was no tomorrow. it was a bad habit of his that needed to stop but even if he stopped from one habit, another one stayed and that's smoking. he doesn't smoke a lot, just occasionally especially when he's stressed. "yeah, yeah. i'll stop calling you that if you stopped acting like one. sometimes i wonder if you're just a kid stuck in an adult's body, that would explain a lot." of course he was just kidding but somehow, there was a piece of truth within it, the way he is just makes charlie wonder over and over if this is actually the greatest thief out there who was entitled as the prince of thieves. but once again, he might just be seeing the tip of the ice berg with him, he hasn't seen him yet when on the job.

"... i give up."

"what?" the bartender was slightly confused to what levi was giving up on for but he then gets reminded by the cherries when he looked down on the bowl. "were you trying to tie a knot a cherry stem?" that's the only possible action he was doing right then when it involves with cherries. "first time trying to do it, aren't you?" he knew how to do it, the cherry knot thing since he remembers practicing when he was bored on the first few weeks into the job that he has today. "this is how you do it, kid." he breaks off the stem from a cherry, he first chew on the stem until it was soft enough then he pops it into his mouth as his tongue moved around. stem pressed against his teeth to get stability then he try to make a loop with the use of his tongue, pushing the loop until he couldn't push in anymore. he slightly lowered his jaw for him to push out the knotted stem that's now in between his teeth. with a raise of his hand he slightly pull on one end to make the knot a little tighter before he completely pulls out the knotted stem to show it to levi. a total of 30 seconds was the duration for him tk make the knot, supposed to be one of the fastest record when it comes to cherry knotting. "looks easy but it took me a while to learn it." he then throws the the stem into the trash bin below him.

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@⚘ : charlie k 。 "i don't like the taste of alcohol, nor do i enjoy the state of being drunk," levi replied, visage relaxing. he did understand, however, why it was that the people loved drinking so much. they would say it was a chance to forget, to escape a life that they were most familiar with — a break, basically, but levi had never felt exhausted enough to take a break. perhaps it was because he still had... the mental age of a child, but he would often just sleep it away. wasn't it just that simple? if one was tired, they would just sleep enough until they'd recovered — sleep was a good way of escaping reality, he would say to those who drank a lot.

but maybe it was the nightmares that prevented them from sleeping. he, too, had understood how that felt.

"stop calling me a brat," he said, or was supposed to say, but his words were muffled as he tried his best to tie the cherry stems into a knot. he was trying his best — but he was failing rather miserably. but in his defense, he'd never thought he would be curious enough to try this. maybe he should have listened when one of the night raid members wanted to teach him for fun. after a few moments, he gave up, and just ate the cherries — without the stem, of course — and huffed his cheeks. "... i give up."

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@⚘ : levi c 。 "right," charlie drawls, he doesn't know whether to trust the thief or not but from the way he gave information and even gave permission to use the employees only room already gave an impression that he has trust in him, maybe he does. "kinda? but looks can be deceiving, simply by the bar you don't even order anything alcoholic even though it's only thing we offer around here so i guess i shouldn't be surprised that you don't like being at nightclubs." he understood his distaste towards such institution because charlie does too, he never liked being at clubs 一 they're too loud and there's too many flirty people all over the area. "but same, i don't like them as well." that's something they have in common so far.

"no it doesn't, you're just a whiny brat." he took a piece of cloth and started cleaning out the counter after the customer is done drinking. "have a great night sir, please come again." charlie said as the customer leaves after gaving his payment then he took the empty glass, putting it by the sink and cleans out the counter. he saw levi taking a cherry or two by the bowl and glared at him, "i'm going to charge you per cherry, you know?"

@⚘ : charlie k 。 levi blinked at the sudden rush of words that fell out of kyran's lips. he was about to answer the question, not really knowing why the older would ask, but to say that he was shocked when he heard how knowledgeable kyran seemingly was regarding this kind of things wasn't an exaggeration. he had always had his suspicions — of course, there would be no 'normal' people that would be so calm and unyielding when it came to obviously dangerous situations, but he had never actually expanded on that thought. but now that he was hearing all of this — all of which, he was already quite aware of; it just so happened that he was outnumbered, and they were more resilient and smarter than he gave them credit for — it more or less already confirmed his thoughts. "you seem to know a lot," he said nonchalantly. "is it experience?" he asked, blinking innocently, as though he was genuinely curious — which he was. he heard nothing about the lad's past or anything else other than the fact that his name was kyran and that he worked at the bar at most times of the day, but kyran already knew far too much about the younger.

there was always a chance of kyran betraying him, and levi didn't know why he kept dancing around that risk instead of trying to avoid it.

his eyes moved toward the door kyran had just pointed to. should he go there? was this kyran's way of chasing him away? probably, but levi felt as though moving toward there felt more like a chore than something natural, so he stayed in his place for a moment, deciding that he'd go there if the noise became too much for his exhausted self to handle. "i won't steal anything," he said, and he let out a soft yawn. "it's not like there's anything here that i can sell to them anyway." by 'them,' he meant the black market, but he didn't want to risk revealing even a semblance of a connection toward it in such an open place. he raised an eyebrow at the other. "do i look like i hang around at nightclubs often?" he hated going there too much — too much unnecessary skinship, music that was too loud it almost rang in his ears. perhaps he was sensitive, but he had never liked going in nightclubs.

his shoulders flinched when kyran flicked his forehead. "ow!" he puffed his cheeks, and shot the other a playful glare. "that hurts!" even though it didn't as much — but still, he just wanted to say that. his eyes fell on the bowl of cherries by the side. without even saying a word, he took two of the cherries and plopped them into his mouth. a sudden idea had popped into his mind — he wondered if he could tie the stems into a knot. there were some people that could do that, right? he wondered how.

@⚘ : levi c 。 "true, but what do you use? a gun?" it's a genuine question since he's about to give the other some advice, he doesn't why he was doing it but it was best to share something he knew about, it's for safety. "whether it's a gun or a bat and a crowbar, always aim for the pelvis or the anterior crest of the tibia. one critical hit on those areas would be enough to immobolize your enemies but not enough to be fatal on their part, the pain would be but they won't die from it." this is something he learned about back when he was in jet ammo, it's what one of the members told him to do when the situation calls for it and from all those hot pursuit with the police, he only managed to do it once and it was effective but he wants them dead that's why his favorite place to shoot them were by the head, easy kill. "if you want them to not be able to use a gun, you hit two parts. the shoulder and the forearm, pay attention which hand they use the most to know which part to shoot." charlie said, not caring if he was giving the idea to levi that he knows a lot when it comes to hitting critical parts of the body to be able to stop the enemy as one would run off from.

they're both criminals anyway, well he used to be and has no plans on going back to that life of his. but seems like levi have better intentions to why he commit the crimes.

"stay still or i'll those said methods on you." he threatens but of course, he wouldn't. "if you want, you can stay by the employee's only room over there." he nodded to his left side where a door could be found just a few meters away from them. "there's a couch there, you can lay down for a bit and it's quieter there compared to here. just don't try to steal anything, i'll cut those hands of yours." he turned around and noticed how some bottles were almost empty 一 that midnight to early morning shift bartender didn't bothered restocking, huh? what a lazy . "you're not fond of nightclubs?" charlie turned his head just enough to look back at the other, "you sure don't look like it," he looked away and reach for the three bottles, two on one hand and one on another as he crouched down, putting them down on the ground before he opened the cabinet that revealed a stock of alcohol and opening another that has empty bottles in it. he placed the bottle inside the other cabinet and took full ones from anither before closing them both and standing up to place them on the shelves. he turned and snorted at levi, "dirty play, huh? you got me there but still, i don't." he flicked the younger's forehead, enough to make him flinch but not to hurt.

@⚘ : charlie k 。 what kyran spoke of was the truth. this was something that levi should have already expected, but he hadn't thought it would come so early in the game. that nearly costed him his life, simply because he refused to kill the lives of his pursuers when he could have easily done so. "you're right," he uttered quietly, before he placed his lips around the straw, drinking as he watched the liquid climb up into his mouth. leaning back, he let go of the straw and sighed. "but you know, it's really hard protecting yourself when you're trying not to... kill them," he said in a whisper. it was hard — because one move could end it all, one slash to the neck, one shot to the forehead, that would be it. he wouldn't need to worry about being chased when his pursuers were dead, but no, he would never do that. he swore that he would never kill, no matter what. that was the reason why he had started shooting at his enemies' hands and legs, avoiding any fatal hits.

he had never once spilled blood with his hands.

"but i can't stay still, kiki," he said. he felt restless. he wanted to move — he didn't want to stay idle. he had left his apartment for that reason, thinking that the bar would calm him down, but even then, he was still restless. was it because he had almost shot someone to their death? or was it the fact that someone was actually out to take his life? that should be something he was used to by then. that wasn't the first time he'd danced with death — his past days as the thief ciaran the second brushed with death every single time. he wanted to calm his racing heart, but he didn't want to bother kyran with it — he was already bothering the older enough. gulping quietly, he took the ice with his free hand, stared at it for a moment, before he smiled and placed it on the area of his arm that ached the most. "thanks, kiki! you're the best!" good, that didn't sound forced. he then shook his head at the idea of a nightclub. "no! i, uh, i don't like nightclubs. the ladies there are too... touchy." he shivered at the thought. "oh, but i never said about you missing me," he said, before he chuckled, taking in a quick sip from his juice. "there's no need to be shy about admitting it. i might stay here more often now, since i obviously can't move as well as i used to for a while."

@⚘ : levi c 。 "i see," charlie said as a reply, "quite expected for a job that you have, people are bound to want your head for a certain price." as a criminal before, the price over his head is quite high due to the multiple crimes he had made in a short period of time, the gang that he was in had betrayed him in exchange of the money. how pathetic it is for people to turn against you once money is involved, that just shows on how money makes the world go round and stupid 一 evil as well, charlie's guilty of that. "careful kid, be more aware around people and their intentions." he took a tall glass by the racks below him before he poured a non-alcoholic beverage in it 一 pineapple juice that's usually used in gin but ever since levi started visiting the bar, that's one of the few things he can offer to the other. "here you go," he said as he slid the drink towards the injured male, dropping a straw in the glass. he's not that sure if levi was able to use both hands properly.

"right," the bartender responded nonchalantly. he isn't worried, not at all, especially when he knew that the thief can take care of himself. all those years of gambling with life and death by the outside world should have made him used to it 一 used to this kind of danger that lurks around every now and then, that's his expectation of him. a sigh left his tiers seeing on just how many times the man had flinched due to the pain he had on his arm. nevermind, he says, levi can't really take care of himself 一 he's a bit clumsy and reckless for this. "stop moving so much, you're going to make your condition worse." he lightly scolded as he took a piece of clean towel, a handful of ice was put on the middle before it gets wrapped up before being given to the thief. "use this, it'll help a little." then he snorts at him when the child-like behavior of his came out, charlie's quite accustomed by now. "so going to the bar is your solution to your boredom? i'm a bartender, not an entertainer. if you want to be entertained, i suggest you go by the nightclub itself, who knows? you might as well find a lady to take with you." charlie just don't really understand this guy. "and who said that i missed you?" he raised an eyebrow at him. ain't this guy just full of himself, he thought.

@⚘ : charlie k 。 "what happened?"

levi almost paused at the question, and contemplated how he wanted to answer that. at one hand, he could lie — that was what he was good at, surprisingly, and that came from many of his experiences. but did he really want to lie, if kyran already knew what he did for a living? the reason why he'd gotten this injured wasn't as light as the other tried to joke with, and levi wished that was the reason. he rested his injury free arm above the counter, and he flinched a little when his limp arm touched it, inhaling a soft, inaudible hiss. ah screw it — whatever happened to him after this, there would be nothing he'd be able to do. he was weak and injured, and he definitely still needed to go to work. he was incredibly vulnerable for those that wanted to trap him. "false information. turns out someone wanted my head," he said, lowering his tone so as to avoid being heard by others — especially the customer that had just ordered. thankfully, he was drunk. apparently, there had been a bounty on his head — the only reason why levi had managed to survive that ordeal was because the black market thought he was still useful, and as such, he was saved just for that.

that meant... he had to limit his endeavors, huh?

"but eh, don't worry about it!" levi chirped quickly, and the grin on his lips was once again too bright. as if he didn't have any worries that lingered at the back of his mind then, as if this fact wasn't something that had a significant impact on his way of living. "i'm still alive and kicking, eh?" he then huffed his cheeks and shook his head at the suggestion of staying at home. "no, i don't wannaaa," he drawled out like a child, stretching his free hand as he leaned back — which was a bad move, apparently, as pain rushed up his other arm at the moment. "being at home won't make me feel any better. i'm just going to end up dying because of boredom," he continued on, before he looked up at the other with a teasing simper. "besides, i was paying a visit for a certain someone that might have missed me, y'know? i wouldn't want him to worry too much about someone like me."

@⚘ : levi c 。 there isn't much people for charlie to entertain by the bar, just enough to keep him a bit busy from thinking since well... it's been days 一 almost a week ever since he last seen levi and it shouldn't be concerning for him but it kinda is, especially when he got a little used with the other's company. there wouldn't be a day in a week where the man would visit the bar to just sit and talk with him, and up to this day, he doesn't understand why levi was still visiting, on why he spends some of his time to accompany and talk to the bartender himself when he could be doing something else, let's say... be at home and rest? so, he couldn't really understand it but it's more confusing on how charlie had felt around levi.

it's odd to feel this at ease around him when he's usually not one to be very comfortable around other men most especially to those who took an interest on him 一 wanting to get in his pants by flirting with him and just how shameless they are for them talk such explicit scenarios to him? it made him uncomfortable to the point that he took action, the customers then complains to his boss about it but of course, his boss would take his side instead of the customer, knowing him too well that he wouldn't do anything unless he was put in a situation that would make him do something to get out of it. it was justified yet the customers end up walking out due to annoyance and were never seen again within the bar and it was better that way.

while making a drink for a customer, he heard a familiar voice along with a nickname that he knew it was his (he never agreed to such nickname but the other male was just too stubborn, reasoning out that he can't remembers names) . he looks up and was quite surprised to find a grinning levi entering the bar, he didn't know that he was coming back 一 already having a thought that he wouldn't come back again but what he should be giving emphasis about were the bandages on the other, "what happened?" he asked about the bandages, overlooking what has been said by levi. he still has the same stoic face and a monotonous tone in his voice but he was genuinely concerned, he thinks. "don't tell me you were almost got caught or worse, you fell because of your clumsy self." he still manage to tease despite the situation being a bit serious since the other is obviously injured from whatever happened to him. "you should have stayed at home." he said before he gives the finished drink to the customer who ordered.

@⚘ : charlie k 。 levi had a rule he lived by: never stay in one place for too long.

the part-time jobs he had remained part-time jobs, and even the apartment he currently had wasn't something he called his home. the people he had met in this city, trident's peak — they were mere acquaintances. he was never to stay in one place for too long, or else it would have been risky for him. staying any further would have endangered his secrets, and as such, he had learned to always be ready to be on the move, if the urgency arose. there wasn't a single constant in his life other than himself, and he had been fine, living his life like that — always on the run, never staying, never becoming more than temporary in someone else's life. that was fine for him, of course. he had another name that would stay in people's minds far longer than levi choi would have.

so then he couldn't understand himself. he had been visiting that one particular bar too many times — heck, had he dropped by the bar almost every night where he was free? he didn't even come there to drink liquor. he never even drank a single drop of alcohol since the first time he'd stepped foot into that bar, only water or juice — or the occasional coffee that sometimes kyran would offer him. this was definitely not the rule he had been living by, and he had broken it far too many times for it to be justifiable. but here he was, threading the familiar steps to that familiar bar at an ungodly hour of the day because he knew that it was still kiki's shift, letting his bandaged arm stay limp by his side as he pushed the door open.

he was grinning when he entered — the same face as usual, as if there weren't any thoughts that bothered him when he was walking toward the place — and he let the door close on its own as he raised the same, injury free hand he'd used to open the door up in the air. "yo, kiki!" he was well aware that kiki wasn't the bartender's name, but in his defense, he was bad with names — and as a result, he had often thought of nicknames for them and used them, whether or not the receivers wanted them.

boy, he must have looked like a mess by then too. there was a large bandaid at his left cheek, and he had hoped that he had hidden the bandages around his chest well enough with the sweatshirt he wore. it was a hot summer day, but he wasn't about to go walking around in just a tank top where his bandages would be out in the open. he was glad that he wasn't limping anymore — but how many days had it been since he last visited the bar? three? five days? a whole week? he wasn't sure, but he was glad that he healed faster than most. he sat down on his usual stool, grinning dumbly once again. "did you miss me? it's been a while, after all."

---------

@⚘ : levi c 。 "can't help it," charlie said with a slight shrug of his shoulders then he blinked at levi's words. a similar phrase played in his thoughts, he swore onto himself that he had heard of the same phrase before... but where? when? and from who? those are the questions that needed to be answered, but he guesses that it won't be given to him anytime soon so he pushed it aside, to the back of his mind since he didn't want it to be a thought that'll bother him the whole day. humming as he listened, he does have a point there 一 luck wouldn't be enough but luck is what you'll need once you don't know how would you get away from a situation, "that is true." he answered without any context, just agreeing right away since well, he used to be a thief as well and extreme measurements and smart tactics were needed just so you could do that job well. "princely, huh?" now that was mentioned, he does resembles as a prince 一 he's good-looking, that's something that charlie doesn't comment much when it comes to the same but this prince doesn't look like he has any grace within him.

"guess you have a point there, using the money to help the others. good job, kid." there was no sign of mockery nor sarcasm within his tone of voice, he somehow supports the way this man does his job 一 he does it for others, for the good of it despite it being a crime yet it wasn't him who benefited the most from it unlike charlie who steals just so he could survive.

"do you always treat your guests like this? or am i the only one?"

now that's spoken of, charlie realizes the way he acted so differently towards the other male. it' s not everyday that he'll get to be this... what? friendly? that's not the word but close enough, but yeah it's not usual for him to be this at ease with another man but maybe it was simply because that charlie sees himself in levi one way or another with a huge differences gap between them and maybe it's because that levi was reminding him of a past that felt like a distant dream that he had almost forgotten about. "i don't know what you're talking about," he easily dodges the question. "oh? would you now?" it doesn't even matter if he does or not, his boss is very much aware of the he treats his customers 一 aware of his past and all, the guy is a friend of lavinia after all. trust builded up between the two of them to the point that the boss lets charlie be, complaints about his attitude? they were dismissed and told off that it's a natural instinct for him to be like that, the boss just knew him too well and trusted him too much 一 he felt like he doesn't deserve to have someone who easily accepted him just like that but he's a friend of lavinia, a woman filled with nothing but love and kindness, so he guesses that it makes sense.

"do tell on me 'prince charming'," since the other decided to use nicknames, charlie decided to go along but after saying the spontaneous nickname for levi. he grimaced inwardly, making him cringe. then, a group of men and women were approaching to the bar, it's the time for him to really go to work. "since you've made your payment, you can go now. that's the only reason why you went here anyway, along with the mask." he said before tending to the group, greeting and asking them on what would they like to have.

@⚘ : charlie k 。 "leviathan—no, it isn't!" levi retorted almost immediately, and he sighed loudly. "stop teasing me so much," he mumbled, and zipped his bag closed. he was being treated like a child, and he would say he was used to it — even night raid treated him as one, despite being the group's leader! thankfully, the dealer from the black market didn't know his face nor his personality, and as such, the two of them were able to have a professional conversation — as professional as his personality allowed him, anyway. "it's a cool name, okay, shut up." levi wasn't even his birth name, actually. he didn't have one, but levi wasn't his first name — it wasn't too much of a surprising fact, he supposed, what with all the other names that followed his hidden identity from the world. there wasn't a single person alive that knew of all his names, and he figured that was fine — that was better than having to risk everything... until of course, this bartender came. now, kyran knew about his aliases /and/ his real name.

maybe he was stupid, after all.

"listen, if you'd gone through half the things i do, you'd know that luck wouldn't be enough to survive," he said, before he rested his elbow above the counter, placing his chin above his palm as he huffed once more. but there was a truth to kyran's words — levi wouldn't have gone this far if it weren't for luck as well, that the pieces of the chess board easily fell into place whenever he deemed to fall. "the luckiest of thieves ! just let my princely be," he said, though in truth, he had never actually acknowledged himself as the prince of thieves. he felt like that title belonged to someone else, still, yet it did feel rather satisfying to be hailed in the same way as his idol was. "at least this /royalty/—" he said with slight mockery, "—knows his to treat his people right, eh?" there were far too many corrupted humans sitting in position. they were in direct command that could help better the lives of the poor, but instead, levi had seen with his own eyes just how cruel they could be.

what a waste of money and power. if levi had his way, he would have done much, much more than they could ever even dream of.

"do you always treat your guests like this? or am i the only one?" he said, taking the glass of water with his other hand and lifting it up to his lips, taking in the cool water as it poured down his throat. he placed it on the counter carefully, sighing again. "i should tell your manager about your attitude, mister weird name." it was then that his eyes flickered back to the other's face, and took note of the freckles splayed over his cheeks, of the smallest details of the other's face. he had rarely met people with freckles up this close, ones that were as evident as kyran's anyway. there was one back at the orphanage he stayed at before, but levi hadn't seen the kid ever since. he hoped that kid — now a grown up, was living quite well.

@⚘ : levi c 。 "i know, i know. now shut it." charlie told the other, voice having no bite to it but he didn't want to have a debate over such a ridiculous topic. it's just a name, there's nothing he could do to change anyone's opinion over it, not even this guy who commented twice on how weird of a name it is, he doesn't care and he shouldn't care at all. the bartender took the man's glass and filled it again with water if ever a glass isn't enough for him. he gave the other male a confused look, what is he talking about? it's not like he addressed the man with the title that he was given of, why would he if it's a risk of revealing an identity?

"levi," he tested the name out with a roll of his tongue. "nice name, you've got there." he complimented because it's a nice name indeed and it felt like he had heard of it before... from the past, perhaps? he doesn't know but what he doesn't understand as of now is the trust that levi was giving him, to be able to give out his real name just like that unless it's normal for him to do so. "is it short for leviathan?" he teased because he couldn't help it, levi's reaction are just far too entertaining, who knew that the king of thieves is this childish?

the way that the other male looked, the look of being offended had made him laugh for the second time of the day, this is odd. "you sure about that?" debatable, he says to himself. levi fell for his act earlier on but he guesses that anyone would end up believing to what charlie says due to the way he looks and talks, he doesn't look like that he's joking nor lying around. "who knows? you might as well be lucky, i guess. instead of king of thieves, you could have been luckiest of thieves instead. it has a ring to it, and it suites you." it's a joke but it also gives out a piece of his mind about the thief, he'll get to believe it once he sees the man in action but then, he doesn't want to be involved with his crimes or whatsoever, not wanting to have another record nor another time in prison.

charlie took the money that levi had given to him, counting it off to make sure it was the exact amount that he asked for and it is. he then goes for the cash register that was behind him. it's a vintage one, one that looks like it was from the 50's but it works pretty well since this is a modern one, it was simply a replica. the cash drawer opened and he puts the cash inside before closing it and going back to his previous position. "yeah yeah, nice work. you're an angel." he replied, sarcasm dripping out from his voice.

@⚘ : charlie k 。 "oh? still weird, though," levi commented nonchalantly, before he slipped the package inside his bag and was about to zip it when he remembered he was supposed to pay the bartender — kyran, he noted, but he supposed that he would forget about it soon enough. he was never really good with names. heck, he remembered the nicknames he'd given out far better than the names he made them out of, though most of the people he'd given names to were... say, out of his life already. there were the kids from the orphanage, the friends he'd made in the slums, and his night raid members — but where were they now? out of his life, like they should be, he supposed. he knew he wasn't exactly as... bad as the others out there, but the life he lived right then was dangerous to those who shouldn't be involved, and he was more than fine with this, being alone, living a life that only made temporary connections with everyone.

that was better. he wouldn't be able to handle it if he'd gotten them mixed up with his line of job. there were far too many people that wanted his head, after all.

"just because it feels weird for you to address me as... er, my other name every time we talk, i'll tell you my name." another risky move, but he was dead to the world anyway. and besides, there was a bounty on his head — and if kyran wanted money, he could have just told the police and have them wait for him as he came back the next evening to arrest him. still, it felt weird. too weird. he hadn't introduced himself — his real name — to someone who was fully aware of his other persona in such a long time, and it made his heart beat faster. "levi — my name's levi," he said, voice suddenly becoming quieter, before his ears perked up at the saying kyran had just spoken of.

he looked up to glare at the other, though it lacked any malice or any of the sort. if anything, he looked offended—and he was. "hey! i'm not stupid!" or maybe he was, his old friends often told him that, but the bartender didn't have to know that. "for your information, i'm actually quite smart! how do you think would i have escaped the law for this long?" he huffed and exhaled. "fifty euro—" he repeated, before he took the amount from his bag. good thing, he was left with enough to pay kyran off, and he slid the money toward the other. he grinned rather smugly. "how's that? bet you're never going to see another thief as nice as me."

@⚘ : levi c 。 huh, so that's why it's so precious to him 一 given to him as a gift by someone and charlie can understand that, he does. he only had ever received one gift from someone in his whole entire life, a gift of farewell, a gift of a broken promise that he accidentally left behind when he was kicked out from the orphanage though he never came back for it, why would he? it has no use to him anymore, the person who gave the gift told him that he'll come back someday but it never happened, that person never came back to him. they broke the promise that they made themselves for him and he was determined to forget about that person and it was effective not until lavinia came back to his life and was the one who brought him out from prison, she handed out the gift to him and all memories sunk in far too quickly and it was overwhelming to the point that tears flowed out of him, it's been far too long ever since he felt any other emotions that makes him as a human being and the questions: 'how did my life turned out to be like this?', 'what have i done?' and 'why did i do all those terrible things' were given to himself, finally feeling the guilt burdening upon his back, the guilt of the unethical deeds that he had done and there's no turning back from what he did, what is done is done.

"kyran? that's a weird name,"

he snapped out from his deep thoughts when the other told him that 一 eliciting a snort from him. he would have been offended if it weren't for the fact that wasn't the first time he had heard of it, a lot told him on how weird of a name kyran is and he couldn't disagree with it. it is a weird name but that's on his records now, legally changed and uses it more than his first name. what was his name before the name change if one might ask? kim, charlie kim 一 but now he's known as charlie kyran. only his surname had changed and he could have change his first name too but it's a name that lavinia gave to him that's why he kept it. "you're not the first to say that kid, i'm very much aware of it." kyran, it was a name chosen by charlie himself. kyran, it meant dark-haired one in some language that he didn't knew about but that's what pushed him to dye his hair as a symbol of being reborn of some sort, a new beginning in life.

"there's a saying where it says, 'stupid people lives out the longest and happiest'. that might as well applies to you." he said in a monotonous voice, far too serious for such words coming from him. "right," he was reminded about the payment, "fifty euro,"

@⚘ : charlie k 。 the young thief didn't know whether to feel flattered or annoyed that he had fans — on one hand, that meant there were people that supported him, regardless of their age, but on the other, that meant he wouldn't be able to take back that mask, lest he risk being identified. he let out a big sigh, not even letting his face be seen as he buried himself into the bag even more. "i wasn't the one who designed it," he uttered, just loud enough for the other to hear. it was a gift, a celebration of the formation of night raid. now that he thought about it, the other three were the ones that had worked on the mask — for it to become the face of their group, their brand, so to speak. as far as he could recall... it was the traitor who had been the most enthusiastic over making it. he would have laughed, if he had been alone, but he supposed those were just mere memories of the past — that lady was dead, and those were times he couldn't go back to even if he had wanted to.

gritting his teeth, he moved his face as that he was facing the bartender. "stop laughing at my misery!" he whined. the bartender's laugh reminded him of something — something he couldn't pinpoint just yet, so he buried that thought for now, mentally noting that he would address that thought if he remembered it. "do you know how hard it is to find a satisfying design? and someone who'll keep secrecy?" he clicked his tongue, before his cheeks puffed again. that was a crucial part of his survival, and he wasn't about to note the fact that he revealed himself so easily to the bartender — he figured that the latter wasn't one to tattle... kind of a gut instinct, he supposed.

a high risk, but hadn't he been putting a lot of things at risk when he first began the tale of ciaran the second?

however, when the other revealed the truth, levi shot up from his position, eyes wide and lips parted in shock. the look of betrayal on his face was genuine, and he narrowed his eyes at the other's back as the latter withdrew to another room. "hey! stop toying with my feelings!" he said, a hand moving to clutch onto his shirt as he heaved a dramatic sigh. "it's not good for my heart!" he called after the lad. when the other finally came back, he quickly took the paper bag in his hands, and took a peek inside. a loud sigh of relief escaped his lips, his shoulders finally being put at ease. he grinned at the other. "thanks, uh..." his eyes fell upon the name tag by the other's uniform. "kyran? that's a weird name," he commented nonchalantly.

"as for how i survived this long..." he paused, as though contemplating, before he decided to grin instead, "that's a secret! so... how much am i supposed to pay you?"

@⚘ : levi c 。 charlie thought that the guy would get mad 一 really, he thought he'll see rage replace that cheerfulness of his but what he got was sadness and... is he 'pouting' right now? what the一 "i mean yeah? you're pretty known around. i wouldn't be so surprised about it." he continued along with his act even though he has this sudden urge to laugh, wait what? "well, from the amount of money that fan have given me, yeah, it's pretty expensive. i must say." sounding very insensitive to the other's sentiment towards the must that was handed onto him, he didn't knew that it was this important for the so called robin hood to be all whining about, being childish about yet he didn't found it as annoying for some odd reason. "money is money kid, gotta do whatever to obtain." he shrugs yet again.

he listened, listened even more and attentively. this guy is visibly upset and the bartender wasn't so sure if he should be amused or disappointed that the one of the most notorious thieves out there that he had heard about back in jail is someone this一 what's the word? gullible, yeah. gullible. how exactly did he became a legend again? more importantly, how is he even alive if he was /this/ gullible? "you had that mask for some time now and yet you don't remember the design?" he now wonders if this guy himself was really the guy that made the cops so frustrated because he couldn't track him down, his identity well off hidden away. "kids?" ah, he remembers why he's a legend now 一 he's the one who steals from the rich and give it to the poor 一 donates the money to orphanages that needs them, very self-explanatory from his name alone.

he stopped resisting and went off character, he lets laughter shook throughout his body. it was loud and a little high-pitched than expected 一 he startled himself because he didn't knew that he was capable of producing such sound and what is this feeling that bubbles within him? he ignores it and pushes it aside. "you're such a child, to think you're one of the greatest criminal out there just seem so much of a lie. you got very upset over the mask, really?" how pathetic, he wanted to finish it but if this guy is already down from the mask itself, he might just cry if charlie stumbled upon his words of choice. his stoic mien took over once again before he said, "i didn't sold it, it's by my locker. i'll just go and get it." he went off, opening the small door by the other side of the counter to exit the bar and disappears off into another room, coming back moments later with an item on his hand that was inside a paper bag. it might attract attention if he didn't conceal it, the criminal himself is just far too popular that a lot know him by now.

going back to the bar, charlie slid it towards the sulking guy. "there you go, safe and sound. so stop pouting, kid. i don't even know how you lived out this long if you were this gullible." like how even?