[Museboxing with Louis.]

[unknownrival]

Trust a man of wealth and taste to pick out a restaurant like this. It wasn't the first time Issei'd been treated to dinner in France, but it wasn't exactly a common occurrence either, and he was grateful of it.

He tucked his napkin in his lap and looked out over the skyline. "It's a gorgeous view."

Comments

[starofchaos]

Louis spread his hands out in a vague gesture of casual agreement. "France is one of the more delightful places to go at times. I have seen this view often before. It never fails to please."

[unknownrival]

"One of the first times I ever left my world was to go to France, I think," Issei commented, thinking back. "Paris. The restaurant prices there were murderous."

[starofchaos]

A laugh slipped out before he could stop it - or so it appeared, at least. "In the good sense, or the bad?"

[unknownrival]

"The bad. I felt a little bad not paying my share even with Hakuba having invited me, but he is much-" A shake of the head. "Was, I suppose. I'm sure I don't have to talk to you about having to speak of important people in the past tense."

[starofchaos]

"There is no shame in speaking of the gone as if they were still there. Indeed, they may well be, if their world is anything like mine." A light shrug. He smiled over the rim of the glass he had just raised to his lips. "At least you don't have to feel bad about that with me."

[unknownrival]

"Unless you go and lose connection to the community on me, in which case I'll never see you again regardless of your longevity." Issei eyed the glass briefly before meeting Louis's gaze again. "I doubt I'll be ordering any wine, so please tell me how it is here so that I'll experience it by proxy."

[starofchaos]

"Community or not, you will always have access to me. It will simply be a loss of one communications method," he chided casually. A slight smirk flickered across his face. "Your aversion to alcohol again? My. The taste is slightly stronger than normal. There's a faint earthliness to it, but not enough to be disagreeable. It's rather powerful."

[unknownrival]

"That's a relief I don't usually get." Issei closed his eyes, imagining it. "It sounds like an excellent wine."

[starofchaos]

"It is."

He held it in his hand, palm cupped around the base of the glass itself, the stem resting between his fingers. "A good year, also. Are you sure you do not wish to try it?"

[unknownrival]

"Positive. I know my limits well enough right now - I'd rather not put them in doubt."

Issei looked down at his menu, with mild puzzlement on his face. "...My French isn't very good."

[starofchaos]

"Do you need assistance?" Louis asked, amusement written in every inch of his expression. "I can help you order, if you wish."

[unknownrival]

"I am perfectly fine, but thank you."

Back to the menu. Issei mouthed out some of the unfamiliar French words.

[starofchaos]

He sat back in his seat, waiting patiently and sipping at his wine leisurely. For all his slowness, it might as well have been water for how much it affected him. Subtly, he signaled the waiter to approach. "Are you ready to order?" the waiter asked in casual french.

[unknownrival]

"Yes, thank you." Basic French that he'd tried to memorize before coming here. The rest he could get off his menu as he ordered something he hoped was fish.

[starofchaos]

Louis simply smiled at the order attempt, giving his own order in his usual odd manner of speaking. The waiter blinked in confusion, but wrote it down and toddled off. "How are things going at the temple?" he wondered, thoughtfully.

[unknownrival]

"They're going well! Although, err, there was an unusual incident..." Issei sighed. "I owe a Caren Ortensia a good deal of compensation for personal trauma due to causing spikes to come out of her body. Purely unintentional. Apparently it happens fairly often."

[starofchaos]

"...causing spikes to come out? My, I was unaware you had that sort of power," he joked pleasantly. "Caren Ortensia... I don't believe I know her."

[unknownrival]

"It was an accident. She says it happens to her around all demons." Issei certainly wouldn't have done it intentionally. "She's the new church head in Fuyuki, daughter of the previous church head - you know, the one who tried to birth all the evils of the world underneath my temple, that one."

[starofchaos]

"Then... do you think that your fault? It's her body that has the problem," he asked. Ah, yes. The one who used the Temple as a source of chaos and death. Interesting. "She took over from him? That must be alarming."

[unknownrival]

"It's certainly unpleasant for her, and I'd rather do something if I can to make up for it," Issei answered. "...She doesn't seem bad, merely with a bad personality. Thankfully, I'm a bit safer from her because of this issue."

[starofchaos]

He couldn't bite back the bark of laughter. "That is one unexpected benefit, then."

[unknownrival]

"Spikes from her body, Louis. Not funny."

[starofchaos]

...change of subject time. "If she is such a troublesome person, then this will likely cause her to avoid you somewhat in the future."

[unknownrival]

"I'm lucky."

...Change of subject. "How are you faring, yourself?"