Cıтч øf Bяøκeи Søυłš {ᶳᵉᵐᶤ⁻ᵃᵈᵛᵃᶰᶜᵉᵈ ʳᵒˡᵉᵖˡᵃʸ} discussion

Small, little more than a 10 by 5 foot area with a decently sized kitchen attached, Tasty Designs is not ostentatious, but it is nicer than much in the Slums. The ship is not intended to be a sit-down restaurant. However, a couple counters are attached to the walls -- one on the left displaying cupcakes and the opposite displaying cakes. In the middle are located a couple tables, which display more baked goods that the owner, Cornelius, is able to bake. There is a larger counter in the back, where people can actually buy baked goods. Menus are also displayed there.

Roleplay!

Soft humming filled the small, quaint shop, drifting through the peaceful air and twining itself around the various baked goods placed purposefully on the counters. Li stood stooped over the kitchen counter, the door cracked open so he could see if anyone stepped inside the small shop. Specks of flour and multicolored frosting splashed across his cheeks, though he paid them no mind as he focused on the ladybug treat he was decorating before him. It was a new technique Li was trying out, in both taste and design; the bottom of the ladybug, the belly, was a cupcake base coated in dark chocolate, that way when it was bit into it had a satisfying crunch before reaching the center, which held a crisp lemon filling. The top half, the actual ladybug part, was a slightly longer, more oval shaped cupcake top, which Li smoothed red frosting over before beginning to tediously decorate. Because the thing about Li was he didn't do cartoonish designs, not unless requested. No, Li saw baking and decorating as another way to express oneself through art, so he made it a point to create his tasty designs in the original image. So the ladybug didn't have large, cartoonish eyes or three little dots and plain frosting lines for legs. No, it looked like the actual bug, with carefully designed, delicate chocolate legs and antennae that Li had somehow managed to make through various trials and errors, sticking them so carefully into the cupcake's soft sides, holding them in place with frosting. Numerous black dots speckled the red frosting, and he had shaped black fondant to use as the actual head. But Li didn't stop there, no. He took his art seriously, having designed the frosted wings to where they split down the middle, exposing a layer of white sugar he had placed finely and strategically to look like wings. Li wanted his customers to feel as though they were buying an actual ladybug, and even though the process took hours of tedious work, made his hands cramp up and his back sore, it was therapeutic for him, helped him forget. Plus, it didn't hurt to see people smile every once in a while, either.

Devon had gotten up in the morning to a decent day, a decent day that had not taken its time in plummeting to absolute shit. It might have been a decent day had he not gone to the library like he had. Of all the people to see again, he'd seen Ari. And then he'd learned that everything with her had always been a lie. It wasn't exactly something that made for even a half-decent day. He'd loved her, and now he had no clue if anything had been remotely real with her. He knew it wasn't fair, and honestly, he sort of regretted having said some of the things he had to her. And he knew he'd kept secrets from her, too -- secrets she'd somehow found out apparently. After all, she'd known his real name.

Devon sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Usually, he'd throw himself into his business as a coping mechanism, but his bakery was closed today. Every single one of the bakeries in his chain was closed today. So in short, he was bored and miserable and feeling really guilty for something he didn't really want to fix. He sighed, contemplating his options for a minute. Finally, after a moment's thought, he resolved to go bug Li. Li, who owned another bakery. When both were working, they were rivals, but otherwise, they were half-decent friends. Of course, Devon to Li was Gavin, the name he called himself once he and his sister had fled the city council after Voclain had murdered her fellow council member, their dad. Now, he didn't call himself Gavin to hide from the city council so much as to try to keep his little sister safe from everything despite having been unable to see her in years. The door to Li's bakery, Tasty Designs, jingled as Devon pushed it open. "Hey."

Li was just finishing up his ladybug treat when he heard the soft tinkling of the door opening, and he glanced up, leaning back to peer out of the cracked kitchen door. He quirked a brow in slight surprise when he saw it was Gavin, the man who was half rival, half friend. He wondered what had brought the other man to his bakery, but then again Gavin was the kind of man who did whatever the hell he wanted.
Letting out a soft hum, Li set his frosting bag down on the counter, flexing his fingers and massaging his poor, sore hand before carefully scooping up the ladybug and placing it onto a small plate. Then he picked them both up and carefully strolled out of the kitchen, making his way towards the front counter. "Hey." he parroted back cheerfully, setting the creation down on the table for Gavin to examine. "Tell me, is anything missing? Anything I need to remove?" he asked, jumping right in, leaning back with a focused frown. "The legs are chocolate, but do you think they should be sugar when I have the resources to make them, or do you think it'll be too sweet?" Li didn't have a problem asking Gavin to help, despite the risk of the other man stealing his ideas. Li didn't really see Gavin as the type of man to do that; try and persuade his customers away with his own treats, yes, but not really steal his ideas. Plus, two bakers discussing one treat? You'll most definitely come up with something amazing, and Li valued his treats far more than some competition. Though it was rather fun to try and outdo one another.
Li leaned back and crouched down, examining the creation with furrowed brows, letting out a soft hum. "The center has a lemon filling, and the back has plain sugar, while the legs are chocolate. Maybe that's too much, or not a good combination. Do you think I should go with a coconut filling instead? Or maybe...Oh! Maybe I could just do various flavors, and make it a surprise. You'll never know if you're getting raspberry or lemon or vanilla...Vanilla would be a good combination, don't you think? Or..." Li finally realized he was rambling and hadn't even asked how Gavin was doing, and he stopped, a blush beginning to creep down his neck as he cleared his throat, straightening and running his hand through his hair. "Sorry about that. I got carried away." Li apologized with a self-conscious chuckle. "Let me start over. How are you doing today, Gavin? Everything all right on your end?"

"Hmm," Devon said thoughtfully, stooping down to examine the other baker's creation while being careful not to breathe on it. The creation was rather magnificent. While Li liked to do more realistic creations, things that could be seen in reality, Devon always had liked baking more fantastical things -- the wolves from legend, dragons, and scenes. He would, of course, do the obligatory bugs and flowers, but on many days, those would be cartoonish while the more fantastical would appear almost more realistic. Still, he had to admire the other man's handiwork. It was quite magnificent. The attention to detail was incredible. Devon wasn't quite sure how Li planned on doing it in any sort of speed, but it was still incredible.

"Various flavors," Devon told the other man, "but be able to label which ones are which. I once had this one customer order a lemon pastry but then send it back about five minutes later declaring he was allergic to the chocolate pastry around it. And I'd labelled it and everything, but he started insisting he'd heard it on the street that it was lemon and vanilla." Devon rolled his eyes. It had definitely been a good idea to come and talk to Li. It was definitely taking his mind of Ari. His ex-girlfriend. . . . Nope, definitely not still thinking about her, was he? He sighed and bit his lips, still staring at the ladybug pastry. "I'm not kidding about chocolate-and-lemon guy. He came back the next day and ordered a different pastry that, gasp, contained lemon and then broke out in hives and started yelling at me. He was allergic to raspberry too and tried to blame his not reading the label on me. Said he'd get one of those half-thug agencies on me, but I pointed to the label and had a couple of my baristas drag him out."

While most people would have called the cops to drag the offending customer out, Devon would never. While he was forced into that council-fanatic group, he'd never really been a fan of the city council. His father had been a controlling asshole, and then he'd been murdered by a different city council member. Really, Devon would love to avoid all of them. He'd get to stay with his sister whom he had not seen in years that way. And he could really just be a simple baker. Well, a brilliant-at-baking simple baker. That was the height of Devon's ambition.

Li's blush subsided when Gavin leaned forward, focusing on the other man as he began giving his input. Li let out a soft hum, nodding as different flavors were already running through his head. Lemon, raspberry, coconut, vanilla, chocolate-the possibilities were endless. And what if he made the chocolate shells different flavors? Hm, that might be too much. Li didn't want to overwhelm the flavors, he wanted them to dance in harmony with one another. He'd experiment, see what tasted good. And maybe use Gavin as his guinea pig on their days off.
When Gavin began retelling the story of the man allergic to chocolate and raspberry, Li couldn't help but snort out a laugh. "Some people just conveniently don't know how to read, don't they?" he mused, glancing down at the ladybug. "If somebody caused trouble, I'd probably just call you up crying and begging for help." he added dryly, though he was partly serious. He would much rather call Gavin over for help than to call cops. Not like they were actually worth anything. Not to him.
His lips twitched ever so lightly, glancing over at Gavin again. "Maybe I can always make a few ladybugs with pulled sugar legs, just in case lemon guy shows up." he said with a soft chuckle, picking up the ladybug and offering it to Gavin. "Now for the fun part. Now you get to decide whether or not I'm trying to secretly poison you to steal all your grieving customers." he teased, holding the ladybug in such a way that he could just plop the treat into Gavin's hand with absolutely no physical contact. Now, don't think Li didn't notice how Gavin hadn't answered his question; he just knew that Gavin wouldn't want to be nagged about it if he hadn't mentioned anything yet. It wasn't often that Gavin popped on over for a casual chat, so something had to be on his mind. However, Li would just let Gavin tell him when or if he wanted to.

"Oh no, the idiot knew how to read just fine. Watched him reading his book and taking notes on his laptop and everything. He was just really lazy. Seriously. At least I got to tell him he was an idiot to his face." Devon laughed, the sound genuine though his smile did not reach his eyes. "And yes, I'm so threatening. That's why I cook pastries for a living, you know." He smirked at his own humor before letting his smile die. "Hopefully the guy's learned an important life skill, but somehow, I doubt it." He shook his head at the stupidity of the guy. The sad part was that lemon guy wasn't just a story. That made Devon feel really sad about the state of the world and people in general.

"Yeah, or keep the chocolate so he doesn't want your pastries. But seriously, knock yourself out with the flavors." He was surprised when Li was going to let him have the carefully crafted sweet. Because really, even Devon would often make sure to have his own sweets because he wanted to know if he could improve it in any way and figure out what adjustments he needed to make for himself instead of going off someone else's thoughts. So, keeping that in mind, he offered, "Well, instead of offering it all to me, maybe we ought to split it."

Devon glanced idly over at the cases containing samples of what Li could bake. Devon didn't really see any overlap except for the very basics, which made him a little happy. At least neither were copy-cats. That would piss him off if they were, really. He smirked at Li's joke and nodded. "Yeah, because they'd want to come over here, obviously. Like my employees wouldn't all want to go start their own bakeries."

Li snorted at Gavin's comment, rolling his eyes with a slight smirk. "It always makes the day better when you get to call someone an idiot." he replied drily, shaking his head. Though maybe he would keep the chocolate legs to fend up guys like the lemon guy. Except he did kind of want to try the pulled sugar when he had the resources to do so...Li flicked his eyes back up when Gavin mocked his level of intimidation, and he quirked a brow in fake surprise. "Hey, don't mess with a baker. They have various tools on hand to slice and dice, and not only that but they can make every death look like food poisoning or a simple kitchen accident." he deadpanned, though the corners of his lips twitched ever so slightly.
Li fell silent, watching Gavin carefully for a few moments, debating whether or not to say something. When Gavin suggested they split the ladybug, Li quirked a brow, amusement flickering across his features. "Why? Just so you know for a fact I'm not trying to poison you?" he teased, though he was already rummaging around for a knife to evenly cut the treat in half. Li himself always tried his treats before selling them, of course, just to make sure that he wasn't selling anything that tasted absolutely awful. But he preferred to ask others' opinions, that way he didn't remain entirely biased. After all, an artist was his own worst critic. Plus, come on. Gavin was a baker himself. He knew what flavors went well together and what didn't. Who better to ask for input than him?
Li glanced up from where he was cutting the ladybug in half horizontally, giving Gavin a slightly crooked grin. "I'm pretty sure if I offered free condolence cupcakes I'd have them right where I wanted them." he joked, carefully placing one half of the treat onto a napkin before handing it to Gavin with a raised brow, as if daring him to trust whether or not Li had actually poisoned him.

"I suppose," Devon agreed with a slight shrug, "but then I think depends entirely on whom you're calling an idiot." Being pissed at ex-girlfriend and at least indirectly calling her an idiot was not something the day better. Actually, the day had gone down a slope of at least ten degrees for at least half that conversation. Sure, it was nice to see her again considering she'd just up and vanished, but the reuinion had not gone well by any definition of the word 'well'. "'Don't mess with the baker' says the baker with a mom and pop shop to the baker with a chain and more employees," Devon pointed out. Not that he'd ever do anything to Li, but banter. Banter had to happen. Devon arched a single dark eyebrow.

"Right, as if you'd dare to even try, Li," Devon pointed out. If Li were the type to poison his competition, Devon was sure he would have already been dead many, many times over. Li had had ample opportunity, after all. And Devon had had just as much opportunity to do the same, so there was at least a bit of trust between them for sure. "Nah, just figured if this is the first, it'd be better for you to have some, too. Look, I can be nice sometimes, you know." Devon smiled.

"As if. They'd clearly just cry into them because I'm obviously the better baker," he teased, rolling his eyes. Devon took a bite of the ladybug and nodded. "It's good, but maybe dark chocolate so it's a little less sweet, do you think?"

Li quirked a brow at that, letting out a soft hum. "I suppose you're right in that regard." he agreed, tipping his head to the side thoughtfully. Sometimes calling someone an idiot just made you feel worse, mostly because there were instances that made you question exactly who was the idiot in the situation. Li honestly preferred to just run his bakery in peace and keep his distance from other people as much as possible. There were less chances of conflict happening that way.
He glanced over at Gavin's teasing words, letting out a snort and shaking his head with a bit of an eye roll. "Hey, I may have a smaller shop, but more employees just mean more witnesses you'll have to bribe later on." he deadpanned, flickering his eyes down to take in his half of the ladybug. His lips twitched up into a slight smile, and Li picked up the small pastry and acted as if he was toasting Gavin. "We'll see if you feel the same after you're done convulsing." he joked dryly, before taking a bite. He chewed thoughtfully, letting out a soft hum as he let the flavors play along his tongue. He glanced over at Gavin, giving a small, more sincere smile. "Well, well, well. Miracles do happen, then." he teased, though his voice was warm and lighthearted.
He rested his half of the treat back onto to plate, brushing crumbs from his fingertips as he gave the half-eaten ladybug a scrutinizing look. "Yeah, yeah. Keep telling yourself that. Even though we both know I'm the cute one." he mused distractedly, already moving on to try and problem-solve his pastry. He frowned at Gavin's suggestion, brow creasing with slight worry. "I did use dark chocolate. And it's still so sweet?" he murmured, rubbing at his chin thoughtfully. The chocolate and the lemon were on either end of the spectrum, with lemon being sour and the dark chocolate being more bitter. The raw sugar on the back helped to balance out the two flavors, though Li had to agree with Gavin in that the treat was still too sweet. He crouched down, narrowing his eyes at the remains on his plate in an almost accusatory manner, as if it was the pastry's fault it was too sweet. "What if I used whipped cream instead of regular frosting?" he suggested, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest as he pondered the situation. "Hm...But I might not be able to get the color or the texture I want. And I'll have to worry about refrigerating it, and it takes such a long time to decorate...Damn. What about fondant? Not overly sweet, might add a little more texture. And I could possibly glaze it, make it look shinier, rounder even. It might not taste as sweet, and I could go even finer with the details." He blinked, realizing he had begun talking to himself again, and he glanced up at Gavin, grinning almost sheepishly. "Sorry. I asked for your opinion, then completely derailed." he murmured, letting out a soft chuckle as he ran a hand through his hair. "But anyways, what do you think about using fondant instead? I think the frosting coupled with the sugar is what might be making it too sweet."

Devon wasn't the most social of people either. He'd been dragged unwillingly into that council fanatic group. One of the things he was always aware of was how easily those he cared for could be used against them. That's why he'd left his sister in the middle of the night and told the group that she was dead. They'd have held her hostage, used her against him had he stayed with her. The thought killed him. He wondered how she was doing and if she'd met anyone. She'd be seventeen now. Still younger than when Devon had met Ari for the first time. But he'd been the eldest member of the family for three years when he was her age, taking care of both of them. She'd been on her own longer than that now. Devon told himself that he'd done what he could and he ought not feel even a little bit guilty at it.

Devon shook his head. "Nah, I'll just make sure they're all involved and can't turn me in without implicating themselves. Someone else can always just pay more than a baker. Take the Armandts for example. Really fucking rich, and their nightclub's a hub of criminal and secret activity. They could do anything they wanted except apparently make half-normal kids. No one ever liked them at school. Too smart or too weird. Except the eldest." He didn't know them in person, but he'd heard stories. Besides, half the time, he'd had tutors and not even been at public school. Stupid father.

"So they'd want to have sex with you and then return to crying their eyes out at losing the best baker in town," he retorted, rolling his eyes. He smirked. "Let's face it, they'd miss me. And besides, who'd be around to keep you on your toes if I weren't here. You could be a lazy baker but still get all the business because you'd be the only one." He snorted and resisted the urge to run a hand through his hair, an old habit he'd developed ages back. It wasn't exactly a nervous habit, but he certainly did it more on bad days than good ones. Today, while talking to Li was nice, just wasn't a good day.

Devon shrugged and examined the pastry. "Hey, you figure it out. I'm not going to help you too much. Can't risk it being better than my new dragon-shaped treats, can I?" He grinned, clearly teasing his frenemy, but he wasn't going to help too much for that reason. And as the treat was going to be Li's masterpiece, it needed to be Li's. Which meant he really couldn't have that much input on it. Besides, his opinion was his opinion. The most important thing was for Li to be happy with what he made, not for Devon to be.

Li snorted at Gavin's comment, rolling his eyes with a dry smile. "I guess they should have thought better than to decide to work for you, seeing as they'd be guilty by association." he teased with a chuckle, shaking his head. But then his smile creased into a frown, and he cocked his head to the side. "I don't believe I've ever met them." Li mused with a frown. He wasn't even sure how old these people were, so for all Li knew he would never have met them at school, anyways. Not that he would have judged them like most people might have; Li didn't particularly believe in whatever gossip might spout, no matter how scary. He was more of the meet-them-first-then-run-away-screaming type.
Li was just cleaning up the counter, picking up the small plate, when Gavin made his next comment about the customers. The plate clattered noisily back onto the counter, sending crumbs and bits of frosted cupcake onto the glass. Li's whole body seized up, so tight it looked as if it might have snapped even under the gentlest of breezes, the blood completely drained of blood. Most people would have just laughed it off and bounced another sarcastic comment at Gavin, but Li was different. Even just the mere mention of...that made his whole insides twist into themselves, his stomach roiling in a sickening way that made Li want to vomit. But of course Gavin hadn't said it in a malicious way; he had no idea.
Li managed to shake himself out of his own stupor and blinked rapidly, having missed most of what Gavin had said. He gave a slightly strained smile, letting out a soft snort. "Weren't you the same one who said your employees would go off and start their own bakeries without you?" he reminded in a soft voice, cleaning up the mess he had made with surprisingly steady hands.
He glanced up when Gavin told him he'd have to figure it out for himself, grimacing in distaste. And just like that, the earlier discomfort was gone, as if it had never happened, replaced by his usual good nature and sassy banter. "It's not like I'm asking you to sell your secrets here; I'm just asking if the use of fondant would be less sweet than the frosting." Li replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes. Li wouldn't ask Gavin to bake his treats for him; Li enjoyed doing it himself. He just didn't want anyone spitting out something they thought was too sweet. "Your dragon treats are safe to be devoured another day." He picked up the plate again, successfully this time, shooting Gavin a raised brow. "Why...are you here, if you refuse to give away your family secrets?" he asked softly, half teasing. He didn't want Gavin to talk about something he didn't want to, but Li was curious. And a little concerned. Just because they were technically rivals didn't mean they couldn't be friends, after all.

"Or you should just think twice about threatening me?" Devon realized that his joke had probably not been the best thing to say. He grimaced and looked down. Today was just really not his day, was it. "I haven't met them either, but allegedly, they're the richest people in this hellhole of a city. Kids had problems though. Last two, one was apparently always sobbing and having panic attacks in school before finally quitting and her brother was apparently always trying to get in trouble." That kid had pissed his dad off a bit on sheer principle, but Devon didn't need to say that. Especially since he'd never talked about his familial situation. Actually, no one knew. Even his ex who thought she knew all about him based on who his dad was had no idea what was the situation of his family. "I'm glad my treats are safe. Maybe if you just used a little less sugar in the frosting and perhaps added one of the other flavors into it to tie it together? Like the dark chocolate?"

Devon took a deep breath and dragged his hands down his face. "Because today is turning out to be singularly awful." Devon had forgotten he'd told Li his family had been bakers. Real family secrets would be dangerous in the hands of anyone. His father's ashes would be turning where they were in the "graveyard" if he knew Devon literally only aspired to be a baker. His dad was as bad as that group he'd been forced to join against his will in wanting him to be part of the city council. That was bloody brilliant because Devon would love to never have anything to do with politics. 14-20 had been the best years of his life for that very reason.

But Devon realized he needed to talk to someone. Looking around, he checked to make sure no one else was there. Then he admitted, "I saw my ex-girlfriend for the first time in five years today." He'd never talked about his ex to Li. He wasn't sure Li even knew his ex existed. If Li didn't ask anything more, he wouldn't say more. But if Li asked more . . . Devon realized he might actually admit something. Considering he'd never told anything to anyone, that would be strange. He'd always felt this need to keep it all secret to keep Emilie safe. He'd finally been about to tell Ari after months of being with her and then she'd vanished.

Li cocked his head to the side as Gavin explained who the Armandt children were, giving a small frown. "Aren't most of us here full of problems?" he asked dryly, half joking and half serious. Because he sure as hell had problems, that was for sure. He shook his head, letting out a soft sigh and looking almost sorrowful when Gavin described one of the children constantly having panic attacks. He vaguely wondered what could have happened to set her off so badly, but then realized he might not want to know the answer to that.
He broke off from his thoughts, glancing over at Gavin and giving him a quirked brow. "Hm. I might try adding less sugar." he mused, then rolled his eyes. "I already added dark chocolate, like I told you. I'm now convinced you want to sabotage me by making it too bitter." he complained, though his crooked smirk and the wink that followed showed that he was obviously joking. He was about to carry the plate off into the kitchen when Gavin's words made him pause, and he gave an empathetic frown as he glanced over at the other man. "I know what those days are like." he mused sincerely, giving a rueful smile. Li wasn't expecting Gavin to give him an actual answer, so when he did, Li's eyebrows shot way up, doing nothing to hide his surprise. So. Gavin had an ex.
Li let out a low whistle, pressing his lips together for a few moments afterwards. "That must have been rough. I'm sorry." he murmured, trying to imagine what it would be like to run into someone you had at one time cared about, but couldn't be with them anymore for whatever reason. Li had never had an ex before, so his imagination was pitiful. He stayed silent for several long moments, pondering what to say or do next. Finally, he carefully set the plate back down onto the counter, cocking his head at Gavin. "I'm not going to make you pick at a scab you'd prefer be left alone." he murmured softly, meeting Gavin's expression evenly. "Some wounds just need to be left alone in order to heal. But..." He gave a tiny, sincere smile that was neither playful nor mockingly smug. "I'm not just a good baker, you know. If you need to get something off your chest, or you need somebody to rant to, or help share the burden, or whatever the hell it is that's weighing you down, I'm always here to listen." Li bit his lip on the last words, feeling a little awkward and wondering if maybe he should have even suggested such an idea, fidgeting nervously. But Li knew how much unspoken thoughts and feelings and truths ate at you from the inside out, so offering to be someone to listen when Gavin needed if felt...right.

"Touche," Devon agreed. "But no one likes the family, so they always hated them. I think they all work for the family business now or something. Never met them, though I heard that had my dad not died when he did, I'd likely have met the eldest by now. Not sure how true any of it is, really. But people are just horrible to each other sometimes, you know?" He sucked in a heavy breath, no longer contemplating the Armandts so much as the members of the city council. The only one he could remember being a half-decent person was the first Voclain he'd met, Zorion Locke Voclain, who'd been on the city council just over a decade before his kindness got him killed. Reasons Devon wanted nothing to do with those cutthroat politics and just wanted to be free from it all. Just a baker.

Devon nodded. Maybe he just was going for more bitter because with his mood, that would likely fit him the best. Even so, he liked eating straight baker's chocolate and black coffee on a good day, so perhaps he just liked bitter things and normal very sweet things just seemed extra sweet to him. "If I were trying to sabotage you, I'd hope I'd be able to be a little more creative than that. Really, just talking you into making a bad baking decision? How plebeian." He rolled his eyes, casually continuing their banter. It was fun and Devon couldn't help but wonder why he didn't stop by a little more often for it. It was like having a friend, but it'd been so long since he'd had one.

And then he made the executive decision to talk because apparently he needed to. So he took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. "It was five years ago. We were both nineteen. She was stunning, really. Met in a bookstore. But we both -- we lied, lied about everything. Didn't trust each other, apparently. We both lied about our identities. I knew I'd lied about my name since my real name's always been a bad idea, and I think she figured out who my family and left. Figured that out today. And that she never told me he real name either. Apparently, we both have some serious double standards." He huffed and shook his head sadly, frowning deeply.

Li's frown deepened as Gavin continued to explain about the family, but mostly because of what he had said afterwards. He hadn't known his father had died. And...why would Gavin have met the eldest Armandt otherwise? Li shook his head, deciding it was best not to ask. That was probably one of those secrets best left untouched unless it was brought up by Gavin himself. At the other man's question, Li's lips quirked up in a humorless, almost bitter smile. "Yeah. I believe I do." he mused, voice trailing off as he thought about the night the Resistance had ripped his life from underneath him and how the Council had turned its back on him. People were cruel, no matter how unjustified it was. "But sometimes they can be pretty wonderful, too." he added softly, almost to himself. And it was true. No matter how bad people treated you, how much you hurt, there was always somebody there to reach out a hand. Someone to ease the pain. Sometimes you just had to find them.
Li glanced over again at Gavin's teasing, his lips twitching into a more genuine smile. "Nah, you have more taste than that. More dramatic flare." he joked, chuckling softly as he gave the other man a wink. When Li had first met Gavin, he had been his usual, timid self, barely looking the man in the eye and avoiding him as much as possible. The more Li was exposed to Gavin, the more their competition grew serious, the more Li opened up. Now their bantering came easily to him, and he smiled around him more, and acted as though they were...friends. Though whether or not they actually were was up to Gavin.
Li watched Gavin take in a deep breath, watching him carefully and half expecting the man to grin and tell him don't worry about it. So it took him by complete surprise when Gavin actually gave an answer, causing Li's brows to shoot up his forehead. He listened quietly to the other man's words, his brow creasing more and more as he continued, mostly due to confusion. So...Gavin's real name wasn't Gavin? Not that Li was too surprised; had he been smart, he would have gone by an entirely different identity as well.
When Gavin was done, Li stayed silent for several long moments, fiddling with the leather bracelet on his wrist as he thought. Finally, he glanced up at Gavin, eyes soft yet focused. "You're probably not going to like it when I say this, and maybe I don't have a right to." he said gently, giving Gavin a kind smile. "But you both sound like idiots." He lifted up both hands before Gavin could say anything, wanting to stave off any anger. "I don't mean you're idiots for being careful, because it's a dog-eat-dog world." he said carefully, lowering his hands once more. "Honestly, I wish I had been smart enough, and brave enough to leave behind Cornelius. To leave behind all the baggage he carries. But I can't, not really." Li leaned forward, propping his elbows on the counter and resting his chin in his hands. "Nah. I'm calling you both idiots because you're assuming so much of one another instead of just asking." he told him softly, giving him a sweet, harmless smile. "You both have reasons for wanting to take on another identity. And you were both brave enough to do it. But you can't outrun your past. You can't outrun who you are, because you're who you are because of your past. That being said..." Li straightened, leaning back against the wall with his arms crossed and head cocked to the side. "You aren't your past. It may be the reason for why you are who you at today, but it isn't you." Li's features took on an almost melancholy atmosphere, and the smile he shot Gavin this time was a sad, knowing one. "She may have found out who your family is." he said softly, pushing off the wall again and splaying his hands against the counter. "She may have even found out who you used to be. But it sounds to me that neither of you know who the other one actually is, and that makes you both feel vulnerable. I don't know the circumstances, but if all you want is to know the truth, then the first thing to do is to stop lying. To each other, and to yourselves." Li fell silent, spacing out for a few moments, and then his cheeks turned a roaring red in embarrassment. "Er...S...sorry. I...I d...didn't mean to...l-lecture you." he spluttered, waving his hand in front of his face self-consciously, as if trying to swat a fly. "R-really, I don't know the situation at all, I shouldn't have gone all preachy. It's, uh...It's not my place. I...just...er. I just wanted to be that outsider point of view. You know, that...uh. Friend? Um. S...sorry. Sorry. You can hit me now, if you'd like." Li managed to get out, already cringing as he anticipated the blow.

(view spoiler)[Sorry if Li droned on or got a little...I don't even know what happened. > . <" If it bothers you, I can change it. I just thought it'd be something Li would do/say. ^^" (hide spoiler)]

((I'm going to attempt to move it all forward a bit. Afraid my post won't be that long.))

Devon chuckled slightly and shook his head. "Nah, not hitting you. I'm not really the type, and besides -- there are plenty of people I'd aspire to be like -- my mother, for one, and Voclain's dad, too -- but my dad? That would be a seriously no." His dad had been manipulative, controlling. He'd tried to make Devon a second one of himself, to groom him for the city council. Devon'd hated it, hated who his dad forced him to be and whom he had to hang out with. The good years had been when Devon's mother had been alive. She'd shielded Devon and Emilie from their dad, but when she'd died, Devon became the shield. He'd lost the freedom she'd bought him.

Devon didn't say how failed his attempt to hide had been. Just a single year after Ari had left, a group of council-fanatics called the Kingkillers had found him. He'd left everything behind so they couldn't use his sister like they were planning on using him. He hated leaving her and felt guilty over it. Really, the only way he could stand it was that it was all to protect her. Protecting her he could do. "So we're both idiots then? Nice. And leaving Devon behind wasn't bravery. My dad's coworker, Voclain, she'd tortured and burnt my father alive and isn't a fan of loose ends. I was scared out of my wits really. And I'd always wanted to live a different life anyway." He shrugged. Honesty was nice, he found. Soothing. It was something he barely understood now, or so he'd thought, since he'd started trying to make himself become the lie on the bad days. Devon sighed and looked around at his competition's pastries because really, why not. It was distracting, right? He grimaced. "She said she's resistance, so she obviously thought that just because my father had been a city council member five years before, I had to be a loyal idiot. She assumed everything and got me so, so wrong, and then today, she told me I know nothing. Yay for yelling matches." He huffed, pinched the bridge of his nose, and shook his head sadly. "I know it's dumb."

(It's all good. ^^ I feel like I do a lot of word vomiting, which is pretty much why my posts are getting longer and longer. I ramble too damn much. > . >)

Li waited for a few moments in tense silence, almost certain he had overstepped his boundaries. So when Gavin said he wasn't going to hit him, Li was both surprised and slightly relieved, letting out the breath he had been holding, the tension in his shoulders dripping away. Li grinned sheepishly as the other man repeated Li's own words, but then he cocked his head to the side in curious confusion as Gavin continued, the words he was saying beginning to twirl around and around his head. He struggled to keep up with what was being said, but Li found himself quite lost. Names like "Voclain" and "Devon" were familiar, but only slightly. It was the words "resistance" and "city council" that made Li barely repress a shiver, dread beginning to well inside. But he shook his discomfort aside, leaning against the counter top again, studying Gavin as the other man obviously became frustrated once more, pinching the bridge of his nose.
When he was done, silence filled the room as Li let everything try to sink in, lips pursed in quiet thought. Then he shook his head almost hesitantly, giving Gavin an encouraging smile. "It's not dumb." he assured softly, letting out a quiet laugh. "I find in this society, everyone hears certain phrases or words, and then they automatically assume the worst of people. I must admit, I'm included in that number. Because in all honesty, had you told me from the beginning that your father had been a member of the city council, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Li gave Gavin a sheepish, apologetic smile before shaking his head and running a hand through his hair, laughing at himself as he did so. "Though in all honesty, I think your ex should have realized you weren't loyal to the council from the start." Li offered softly, tipping his head to the side like a curious puppy as he continued to study Gavin in that quiet way of his, his lips twitching into a small smile. "For one, nobody on the council would be willing enough to stand in a place like this and give me tips on how to make my ladybug treat taste less sweet." Li said with a laugh and a grin, trying to lighten the mood. Then he became a little more serious, leaning a little closer to the older man. "Thank you for telling me, Gavin." Li murmured seriously, meeting the other man's gaze steadily. "And I hope you know that I don't care anymore if your father was on the city council, because you aren't your father. You're brave, for one, despite what you say. And you're kind, for another." Li leaned back again, crossing his arms over his chest and letting out a thoughtful hum. "Maybe it'll just take some time." he mused, lifting his gaze up to idly inspect the ceiling. "Maybe she doesn't understand you, and maybe you don't understand her. But hell, does anybody understand anything in a fucked up society like this?" Li laughed softy, shaking his head as his gaze dropped back to Gavin with a small grin. "Give it time." he suggested gently, voice kind and understanding. "Let one another cool down for a bit, as hard as that's going to sound. And maybe I have no clue what I'm talking about, because honestly, I probably don't. But leaving each other alone for a while is better than going at each other's throats." Li fell silent, frowning in quiet concern before letting out a heavy sigh. "I didn't help at all, did I?" he asked, grimacing as he ran a hand through his hair again, making it stick up every which way. Damn. He rambled again, didn't he?

((I feel like I do the same. Anyway, what do you think Autumn's relationship with Dagger and Xal would be? I feel like there should be a chat for Diablor. . . .))

Devon could see that look of abject horror at the words resistance and city council on Li's face. And hell, he wished he could be so openly against both. But he didn't have that luxury. He never had. He was in politics whether he wanted it or not. Maybe it was his own choice, but it was not uncoerced. The people who forced him into it would hurt other people, innocents, and most importantly, his little sister, if he didn't. And no part of him could let that happen. Devon liked the city council. No, he didn't, but he was good at pretending when he needed to. He'd have been dead in an alley if he hadn't because the Kingkillers, his council-fanatic group, would have ensured it. He could barely go anywhere these days without their tailing him. They didn't trust him now because they were beginning to suspect he'd lied that his sister was dead. No shit, he wanted to say, but these days, he had no clue how his sister was. She could be dead these days or worse because he'd abandoned her had to leave her to save her. He might never know, and even if she were alive, would she hate him for what he'd done in leaving her? He knew she had every right to. He'd been supposed to be the one to look after her with the deaths of both their mother and father, and he'd left without any explanation. He shut his eyes and tried to push the thoughts from his mind.

"Had I said from the beginning my dad was a member of the upper council, I wouldn't be talking to you either. I'd be dead or on the damn council against my own will," Devon admitted sadly. He hated it, hated that he hadn't managed to properly escape the latter fate. That's what his group wanted for him, and the opposite of what he wanted for himself. He ran a hand through his hair. "That'd work, but seeing her today was a fluke, pure chance. I doubt we'll ever see each other again. Two flukes like that? Impossible. So seeing her too soon won't be an issue." There was a finality with that statement, but maybe it would be better. Maybe he ought to move on, maybe he'd always be at least a little stuck in the past. Honestly, he didn't know. But he wasn't ever going to let that consume him. He had bigger things he had to think of.

(We can be rambling buddies then. XD And remind me who Dagger and Xal are? I think Xal is the leader, and I'm going to take a guess and say Dagger is second in command? Should I just move my question over to the lovely Diablor chat thread? XD)

Li gave a small, sad frown at Gavin's words, not really knowing how it would feel to be put in that same position. Sure, growing up his father had been proud of being a spy for the council, that he was doing his best to make the city as safe as he could for his family. He had even wanted Li to follow in his footsteps, to serve the council in any way he could. But his father hadn't been a council member. There hadn't been any expectations. Li was a nobody, insignificant enough that he could be forgotten and keep his loyalty to himself. He feared so many things, but he wasn't able to say he felt the same fears as Gavin.
Li was silent for several more moments, letting out a soft breath and shaking his head a little as Gavin continued, calling his meeting with his ex a fluke. "Hate to break it to you, Gavin, but nothing's impossible in a place like this." Li said softly, giving a rueful smile as he idly fiddled with the leather bracelet on his wrist once more, feeling the worn material between his fingertips. "It was a fluke you met her in the first place. It was a fluke we both have bakeries right across from each other. It was a fluke we became friends rather than enemies." Li gave a small frown, cocking his head to the side as he watched Gavin. "'Flukes' happen more often than not. Some just take longer than others." he said softly, sounding almost...wistful. He shook his head, dropping his hands to hold behind his back, rolling back onto his heels. "Maybe you'll see her again, or maybe you won't. It just depends on how you both react that will change everything."

Devon ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe it would be better if it were, you know? Save a lot of people a lot of trouble." He dragged his hands down his face. "Look, and you know you can't tell anyone what I told you, right? I mean, you could, but it'd get me killed." Devon grimaced. That was totally a good, normal thing to say in a conversation, right? Hey, I just gave you an easy way to get me dead. Yep, Devon was good at this. Of course, the comment about Li talking could get him killed was actually true. Really, that just made it that much worse because it was more proof of how dangerous Devon's identity was. And how shitty life in the city in general was.

"Look, I should probably be heading back to my shop." That was code for, my tail will probably figure out where I've gone soon and I don't want to get you more wrapped up in my shit than I think I just got you. Devon had lost his tail before going into the library, and the chaos there would certainly have detained him also. But, well, there was really only so long he could go without being found, and the tail had had enough time to realize that Devon was probably around his bakery. Devon spent a lot of time at his bakery. Because unlike a lot of people in the city, he just wanted to be unnoticed, a simple baker, and not anything grand or powerful. He'd be content with an ordinary life.

Li gave a small frown at Gavin's words, but decided not to say anything else on the subject. It was clear the other baker just wanted to move on from the conversation already, so it wouldn't be fair for Li to keep dragging it through the mud. However, when Gavin warned him not to say anything, Li's eyes widened in horror, and he was already shaking his head vigorously before Gavin was even finished speaking. "Of course not! I won't say anything to anyone. You have my word." Li promised sincerely, placing his hand over his heart. It was a clichéd gesture, but something his mother had always done whenever she'd been sincere. Just something he'd picked up, he supposed.
Plus, it wasn't like Li was completely aware of what exactly it was Gavin had told him; the information had all been kind of rushed and jumbled up. But he knew the gist of what had been said, and that would be what he'd take to his grave. Li glanced up when Gavin said he should be heading back, and he gave a small, almost thoughtful frown, nodding. "Alright." he agreed softly, hesitating for a few moments. "Hey...Gavin?" he suddenly called out, meeting the other man's gaze seriously. "I...don't exactly know what's going on. I don't know all your secrets, nor do I expect you to tell them to me. But..." He bit his lip, hesitating before continuing. "You know I see you as a friend, right? A rival baker, sure, but also a...friend. So...If you ever need to come here to blow off some steam, or hide from the real world, or...If you're ever in any danger..." Li gave a tiny, slightly self-conscious smile. "I'm not really good for much. I'm probably one of the most worthless people out there." He chuckled, his smile turning into a sweeter, more genuine one. "But you're always welcome here, whatever the hour, whatever the day. You don't ever have to wait for the 'Open' sign to come on in. So..." Li trailed off, a blush creeping across his cheeks, and he straightened with an awkward clear of his throat. "Anyways. I just...wanted you to know that. That's all." he murmured, running a hand through his hair and glancing away in embarrassment.

Devon nodded. He probably wouldn't take Li up on the offer. He hoped he wouldn't at least. He'd probably revealed too much to Li already. He shouldn't have taken him up on his earlier offer despite how much better he felt now than before. "You're my only friend, too. I should probably be going. Thank you." The middle was regretful, and the end was entirely genuine. He was thanking Li for the sentiments and today, not for any future help. He took a step toward the door, and he put his hand on it. "And as for worthless, you're not. People who force others into positions they hate or murder senselessly are the worthless shits in this city. I know a few worthless dickheads. Trust me, you're not one of them." It was the best things he could say at that moment by his own reckoning despite implying that he knew a few dangerous people (which he did) even if he didn't come outright and say it. "You're a nice kid."

((Sorry it's so short, but I didn't know what to write for it))

Li blinked in slight surprise at the admission, but a small smile twitched at the corners of his lips, though it looked almost...sad. "Anytime." he murmured softly, watching as Gavin made his way towards the front of his bakery. He was already making his way back to the kitchen to work on his new idea for the ladybug treat when Gavin's voice drifted over to him, and he glanced over, surprise flickering across his features. Which was quickly followed by a blush at his next words, and Li glanced down in embarrassment. Though there was a bitterness to the feeling as well. Li wasn't a good kid. He wasn't smart, or strong, or fast, or brave. He thought about Gavin's comment about the ones who murdered being dickheads, and his chest tightened painfully as he thought about those Resistance members from all those years ago. And the council members who had done nothing. Pretty much by Gavin's definition, the city was full of dickheads. However...
He glanced over at the other man, giving an almost tentative, yet slightly sweet smile. "Thanks..." he murmured, though he still had misgivings. "And for the record, Gavin, you're not too bad yourself. Take care out there, alright?" Without waiting for a response, Li turned and made his way back into the kitchen, disposing of the remnants of the ladybug and beginning on an entirely new treat that was not too sweet. Perhaps it would be a little more bitter in the beginning, but then as you kept going, you finally reached that sweet taste of hope of something that was better than what you started with...

End

(view spoiler)[Did I do that right? > . > (hide spoiler)]

((Yeah))

(Sweet. XD)