Characters: Dakota and Sebastian When: February 1, 2018 Setting: The Marketplace Summary: Assumptions and Guesses Rating: Low
Dakota was losing her mind. This place was so fucking mind-numbing, she had nothing to do and most people seemed to annoying to bother talking to. There were a few exceptions, but Dakota wasn’t the type to go searching for friends. If it happened, it happened, if not, she’d survive. Besides, she was used to being alone, it worked for her this far, why mess with it.
Wandering the Marketplace area, Dakota idly considered getting herself a job. Sure, she didn’t have a whole lot of marketable skills, not for this place anyway. But she needed something to do. Maybe she could work as a bartender. Granted, she knew nothing about making drinks, but she could serve a beer, how hard could that be? Shrugging the idea off for now, she walked along slowly, people watching.
Sebastian was also out for a walk. Spending the entire day behind the computer, while interesting, was making him restless and that was unacceptable. His cuts were finally fading and the last thing he wanted was for Bastian to come out again and ruin that. That Pierce was a problem with his teeth and so far there was no information gathered. It made Sebastian annoyed. Maybe the other man needed a warning.
Sebastian took a deep breath. He needed some tea and a good book. There was a place in the Marketplace that had good books. He would go there and that’s where he was heading when he saw Dakota. She better not want to play again. Those cuts were easier to hide but he was not impressed. He paused, watching her, waiting to see where she went so he did not go there.
Tucking her hair behind her ear, Dakota sighed in boredom. That was when she spotted the freak who got off on knives. He had been interesting, but that was about it. It bothered her, more than she thought it would, that he had been put out that she got nothing out of their interaction. She still didn’t understand why he would care. She debated on whether to approach him or not. Then again, remembering his ability, if he wanted to talk to her, he would make it happen. So for now, she just watched with mild curiosity.
She saw him. Just as he saw her so the question was did he continue to watch or approach. He ran his options. He could ignore and go on about his business. Or he could approach her, assist if she was a threat to him. He couldn’t have her cutting him again. Perhaps he could scare her off. That almost made him laugh. He couldn’t scare anyone; that was all Bastian’s doing and Bastian didn’t scare this one off.
He walked over to her. Perhaps he should smile or try to appear more friendly. He didn’t, “Ms. Leonard, how are you today?”
When he approach, Dakota looked him up and down carefully. He was a strange one. Well, this could be interesting. Maybe. Probably not though. Folding her arms beneath her chest, she offered a nod in greeting. “Okay, I guess. You?”
When Dakota had met Bastian, he had been dressed jeans and a tshirt. Sebastian did not like tshirts. He was dressed in nice slacks and a dress shirt. He wore a long coat over his clothing. He watched how she crossed her arms in front of herself. Defensive? Perhaps Bastian had scared her off.
“Well,” Sebastian replied, “Enjoy this winter day?”
Dakota noticed the difference in clothing and demeanor. He even seemed to speak differently. Tilting her head to the side, she looked him over again thoughtfully, trying to figure this puzzle out. “Meh. You?”
“I was heading to the bookstore,” Sebastian said, “Hoping to find something of interest.” He looked her over again. Should he mention their last encounter? To be fair, they had never actually met. She just thought they had. Perhaps he should leave it like that. Let her think he was the same. Wasn’t that what he was trying to do anyway? Pierce knew the difference. That was too much as it was. Pierce was a liability in more than one way.
Dakota wasn’t stupid, she knew something was up with Bastian the moment they met. And he’d made enough strange comments for it to stick with her since their encounter. Seeing the man like this now was even more intriguing. She decided to wager a guess, if she was wrong, then he’d have no idea what she was talking about. “Nice. You’re the one who likes things clean, right?”
Sebastian felt proud that she remembered that. Yes, he knew Bastian wasn’t the one to keep the secret and he had probably warned her that she couldn’t cut too deeply. A small smile crossed his lips and replied, “There is nothing wrong with enjoying things that are clean. Don’t you agree?” She had not linger long after making a mess. Of course, she may have been more freaked out than she had let on. Understandably.
Dakota wasn’t sure if his answer made sense or not. Not one to assume anything, she shook her head. “No, nothing wrong with that. Some people are just more obsessive than others about it.” Unfolding her arms, she slid her hands into her pockets, still studying him curiously. “You’re… different from the man I met before.”
He was glad she said it outright. He wasn’t about to say it himself. He glanced around. There were too many people around here for this conversation. He didn’t think she would come back with him. He wasn’t sure if he wanted her back in his home at the present time anyway.
“I suppose it depends on your definition of obsessive,” Sebastian replied, “Am I?” Watching him look around, she nearly laughed. He seemed wary of her and she thought that in itself was comical. If anything, she should be afraid of him. Yet she wasn’t. “Don’t shit yourself, I’m not going to bother you. I only do what people want me to do.”
At his question, she looked him over once again and then shrugged. “Maybe, I don’t really know you like that. You seem pretty tightly wrapped though, that fits with obsessive.”
Now that was an interesting statement, especially in relation to his abilities. He saw her ID and he reached over and flicked it, “What people? I know a lot of people would have wanted you to burn this but here you are with one.” Where did her loyalties lay? Everyone had a loyalty to something on this island.
Sebastian smiled softly and said, “Controlled is not the same thing as tightly wound.”
Dakota arched a brow as he flicked her ID. “That’s not what I meant. Or did your ‘friend’ not share that kind of info with you.” Yeah, this dude was batshit crazy. Dakota wasn’t sure if she liked that, but she definitely didn’t hate it.
She rolled her eyes at his smile and shrugged. “Could have fooled me.”
“Perhaps I thought you were more than just that,” Sebastian replied easily. He looked her over again and said, “Is that why you played the way you did? I don’t recall the strings being around you.” Bastian had better control of that ability than Sebastian did but Sebastian would have recalled that.
He opted to ignore her next remark. He did not have to defend himself, especially if she had met Bastian. Then she should have understood why control was needed. One did not let a creature such as Bastian out all the time.
Sighing, Dakota looked around, getting bored with the way this guy acted. So predictable. “Considering you don’t really know me at all, that’s quite the assumption to make. I played because it’s what you.. He, whatever, wanted. And frankly, because I had nothing else better going on. But I guess you don’t know all the details of that, do you?”
“You played because that’s what he wanted but we both know that he could have made you, made you want it too but he didn’t, so there was a part of you that had to want it too otherwise why do it at all? Why do anything? Short of an ability or a gun to your head, no one is making you do anything, Dakota,” Sebastian replied quickly. He did not accept the response that she simply did what others wanted. There was something in it for her or else she wouldn’t do it. Very few blindly obeyed.
Looking back to him, she laughed. “You think you’ve got it all figured out. It’s cute. You’re so completely convinced that you know everything, that I don’t think you’d ever believe the truth even if I felt like telling it to you. No wonder you work for the government.” Dakota usually didn’t get political, but it felt like it sort of fit the situation.
Sebastian did think he had it figured out but he was also open to learning otherwise. Usually. Her attitude made him curious and he did wonder if there was more going on with her than just the front she put on.
“Enlighten me then,” Sebastian replied, “I can admit when I am mistaken.” If he was, in fact, mistaken.
Dakota eyed him again, skeptically. She really didn’t expect him to care to learn more about her. Then again, he hadn’t exactly said that he wanted to either. “Maybe some other time. You were on your way to get books or something.”
“I have books at home. New ones aren’t important,” Sebastian said, “You do not want to leave me with the wrong impression, do you? Especially when I’m asking you so I can learn more.”
Laughing again, Dakota shook her head. “One thing I thought you would have learned already, or learned by association. I do not care what your impression is. I have no problem telling you it’s wrong, at least what you’d made clear. But whether that gets corrected or not doesn’t affect me.”
Sebastian looked at her then nodded, “Very well. If you do not want to share, then I’m not going to force you. Nor will I take up any more of your time. I do hope you find whatever you are looking for, Dakota.” Sebastian took that she did not want to use any more of her time with him. If he was so curious, there were other avenues he could explore to find out more. The question was, how curious was he?
Shrugging, Dakota turned and went back to random people watching. If he was going to go off, she certainly wasn’t going to chase after him. “See ya.”