Title: Proposition
Characters: Klynt Gohtawyn, Zoissette Vauban
Rating: Teen
Summary: Klynt makes a pass at Zoissette. Zoissette redirects.
Notes: This happens some time in the ARR patch series
Klynt found Zoissette in her usual place in the Rising Stones, sitting at a table, her legs kicked out far under the seat across from her. She was, apparently, engrossed in some reading or another.
Klynt crossed her arms, and leaned against a wall, thinking for a moment. It was quiet, they were alone, and she was, frankly, bored.
And maybe a little randy.
And maybe Zoissette hadn't had a break in a while.
"Zooo~ooooo." she said in a sing-song voice.
"Klynt," said Zoissette.
"Whatchu doin'?"
Zoissette let out a long, beleaguered sigh. "Tataru asked me to help her with some budget reconciliations. She wanted me to review the ledger and verify her work."
"I got something else for you to review, if you're interested?"
"Oh?"
Klynt grinned saucily and teased one of the straps on her top. When Zoissette's attention didn't waver from the books, she pouted for a moment before letting out a shrill, sharp, attention-fetching whistle. Zoissette startled, looking up.
"Fury -preserve-, whatever - oh."
"Oh," said Klynt with a wink, wiggling her shoulder so as to just -barely- not tease her strap loose.
"...you want me to review the pertinent assets and check that you have filled out everything appropriately, I take it?"
Zoissette's words were flirty, but her tone was deadpan, as she shifted her attention back to her books. Klynt wrinkled her nose.
"Zo. Zo, I'm serious."
"So am I. I take asset analysis very seriously. It is a well explored field, to be sure, but one which I feel very confident I could quickly find my depth in."
She frowned, and scribbled a note in the margins.
"Zo," Klynt huffed. "I am -trying- to -proposition- you for -reals-. You're hot. I'm hot. Let's tumble."
At this, Zoissette finally looked up at Klynt over her glasses, giving her a long, measured look, and then sighed, looking away.
"I do not mind the innuendo and banter, that is entertaining enough, but I would appreciate it if you would not make fun of me."
Klynt was no longer feeling hot, but she suddenly was feeling rather bothered, and could feel her temper rising.
"Swa-set, -look- at me."
Zoissette met her gaze. Klynt noticed that the woman had her guard up, now. It was easy to tell. Just had to look at her shoulders. It was hard to not notice when they had gone tense. Klynt squared herself up, a little unable to believe she was facing this situation like it had teeth. "I, Klynt Gohtawyn, fellow Scion, find you, Swa-set Vauban, attractive." She paused for half a heartbeat. "And I am NOT messing with you right now."
Zoissette's face shifted from one of a generally pleasant, but ultimately neutral, politeness, and degraded into a sort of baffled confusement.
"Why?"
Klynt threw up her hands "Are you serious right now?" she sputtered. "Are you - you're joking, right? This is you. This is you, messing with me." She gestured vaguely at the other woman. "Have you seen yourself!?"
"I... uhm, I do have a mirror, yes, Klynt. And I dress myself in the mornings. I know what I look like, thank you."
Zoissette's fingers began fidgeting with her quill, and she looked uncomfortable now, finding other things in the room to direct her gaze to. Klynt stared. "Love of the gods. You're serious."
"Well...uhm, yes. I am serious. And also flattered. I think. Can I go back to work now?"
Klynt pursed her lips. "If I'm not your type," she said slowly, easing into the chair across from Zoissette, "You can just say that, you know? No bad feelings. But." she tilted her head, looking under Zoissette's bangs, at the trepidation and confusion splashing patchy color over her cheeks. "But this ain't that, is it?" Zoissette didn't say anything, but her lips tightened to a thin line as she stared at something past Klynt's elbow. A few previous conversations slotted neatly into place. "You don't get why anyone would be interested in you."
Zoissette frowned, and shook her head. "I do not. I - well. I do not know if... you are my 'type' or not," she said quietly. "We do not have many Roegadyn up in Ishgard. And even if we did, I try not to think about it," she looked Klynt in the eye, her expression a little bit hard. "I do not have your large heart or gregarious nature. I do not know how you do it, sharing a bit of yourself with everyone and asking little in return, but I cannot do that. We are here because there is a job to do. And I am here to do my duty. Distractions will only interfere with that."
She seemed to notice that she had put down her quill at some point, and she picked it up again now, returning her attention to the books before her. "Heavens forfend if someone hesitates to send me in when they must needs do so."
Klynt let her breath out slow. "I hear you," she said, dropping her eyes. "I don't agree, mind you. Bonds only strengthen us. But I'm not gonna push it." She stood, paused, and then leaned forward with one hand on the table. "I'm not the only one," she pointed out. Zoissette froze, staring through the table. "The randy pirate isn't the only one who would bed you, if you ever decide to let yourself have the kinds of things you want and deserve and others want to give you."
Abruptly, Klynt stood straight, giving Zoissette a jaunty salute. "Subject closed!" she chirped. "Let me know if you want to reopen it- or open anything else." She tipped an exaggerated wink she was certain Zoissette didn't register and sauntered off.
Zoissette tapped the end of her quill against the book a few times, and looked up at the retreating back of her friend. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath in, let it out slow, and returned to her work.
After all, she always returned to the work.
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