CROFF

"What's your favorite color?"

"What's the point in that question?"

Josi sighs. "You're so tiring. Is this your first time talking to a woman?"

Croff pays the accusation no mind. He tails behind Josi and simply watches her take interest in the array of flowers. Their visit to the garden was her idea-not the one native to the Verdonni estate but one open to the public. Croff didn't see the need for the visit, considering there's another such garden exclusive to the Verdonnis. But she'd rallied around that specific destination, and as Idris's most trusted guard, he'd been tasked with escorting her.

Now they're stalking down a path with rows of greenery on either side of them — mainly bushes of lavender, which Croff suspects must be Josi's favorites. She asks him questions that have no meaning. "Cats or dogs?", "Summer or winter?", "What's the best movie ever made?" Croff truly is perplexed by the simplicity of the questions, but he answers anyway. She gives him an earful if he doesn't.

"Mine's emerald green." Josi continues. "And I mean that specific shade. Anything else is dull." She pauses a second longer, then asks once again, "So what's yours?"

"I don't have one."

Josi ends their steady pace and turns to him. "Do you hate me?"

If the plain questions weren't puzzling enough, this one certainly has them beat. "I don't."

"Then why are you always so quiet around me?"

Croff just sighs. In his attempt to follow orders, he'd somehow created a conflict. "I'm just doing my job."

"Are you usually like this with your girlfriend?"

"I don't have one."

The surprise in Josi is apparent, and Croff has to wonder if it really is that astonishing. "But you're so attractive. I thought you'd be swimming in options."

Croff says nothing and continues tailing behind Josi once their pace kickstarts. A relationship in a life as grim as his isn't ideal. He's been designated as the sentry charged with carrying out orders too difficult for the rest of the guards, as he's the only one with all the capabilities.

And with that fact alone, Croff lives a life full of uncertainties and danger. He could meet his end today, or perhaps tomorrow, while on a mission to bring down some target or the other. Which drives the next point: no one in their right state of mind would indulge themselves with a murderer. Still doesn't stop him from engaging in one night stands.

Croff boils it all down to one statement. "Relationships are too hectic."

To this, he receives a challenge. "But love is a beautiful thing, isn't it?"

Perhaps it is. He'll never know.

"I think you should open your mind up a little." Says Josi. Then she turns again and smiles at him. "And you might just find it sooner than you think."

Croff gives his attention to that smile. It carries warmth, as though she were speaking to him on a level deeper than just personal. He has to wonder if she truly is that optimistic about life, because the one he's lived has nothing much positive to show for.

Josi starts to chuckle, and once again Croff's confusion returns. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. It's just this is the first time we've had an actual conversation. You're not all that bad." Then she resumes the stroll.

Croff stands there a bit stunted, trying to figure out if her compliment-if it was a compliment at all-was backhanded or sincere. But he decides it doesn't matter. He heads after her.

~《¤》~

JOSI

On their way back from the garden, when the sun has begun setting, Croff makes a pitstop by a convenience store. He parks the car somewhere close to the entrance and lets Josi know she's welcome to tag along. Josi turns down the offer and instead, uses the time she has for the setting sun.

In her attempt to view the painted sky in its entirety, Josi leaves the vehicle and takes a seat on the hood, now much more satisfied with the proximity she's been granted. It brings her some level of peace, this scene before her. So calming the colors are, blended and fused together, all from the help of the sun. It is indeed the better twilight.

"Hey, you."

The stranger Josi meets today is a man with a gun. He points it at her with a certain look on his face, one that lets Josi know he's there on a mission he needs to accomplish - and that there will be no interruptions. Because an interruption will lead to consequences.

Josi goes stiff. The parking lot is scarce, the only other car parked rows away from where she is. It has gotten too dark at this point for anyone to truly figure out what's currently transpiring, as the sky has casted upon them its shadow. Should she take some chance and scream? It would alert Croff, but this hungry man in front of her will certainly do away with her before help arrives.

"Hand over your purse. Quickly!" The man, who is now much more of a mugger than he is an assailant, commands. It seems he's there for a robbery, which Josi thinks is far better than any other outcome. If this were a kidnap or a simple mission for blood, her chances of survival would be somewhere in the decimals.

Now Josi gets to assessing. The hand gripping the gun seems unsure, as it's been trembling for seconds now. He's agitated and looks to be in a hurry. Figures, since he wants his job done before there are any eye witnesses. What really ties it all together, however, is the gun's grip, where the magazine typically rests. The thing about this one is there is no magazine. The gun is empty.

"Are you fucking deaf?!" Mugger continues. "Hand the bag over!"

It has all sizzled down to a mutt's threat. All bark and no bite. Josi bursts out laughing. That he would use an incomplete instrument is indeed comical. She covers her mouth and tries containing it. But she can't. This is too good.

Now Mugger is visibly embarrassed, but he won't be enacting any consequences. Because he can't. Instead he sticks to intimidation. "You think this is funny?!"

Josi wipes away tears. "I'm sorry. I don't even have my purse with me."

Mugger doesn't seem to buy the excuse. He shoves the gun into her forehead, still under the impression that his scheme is in full effect, completely unaware that Josi has already seen through his facade. But just as he's about to hurl out more threats, the door to the store opens, and out walks Croff with a can of beer and a pack of cigarettes.

The panic in Mugger begins rising. Clearly he hadn't accounted for an interruption. He's not sure where to point his gun. "None of you move!" He switches to Croff. "I'm not fucking around!" Then moves it back to Josi.

Mugger's confusion is ripe for staging a counterattack. Croff throws his beer as a blinding technique, then grabs his hand and redirects the gun towards the ground away from Josi. Mugger tries his best to fight back, even going as far as stepping on Croff's foot. But that accomplishes zilch. Croff doesn't even flinch. He twists Mugger's arm behind his back and forces him to the ground with so much force, it nearly knocks the wind out of him. And as Croff's grip tightens around his wrist, Mugger is forced to let the empty gun go.

Mugger releases a loud groan as a form of defeat, but Croff still doesn't let it end there. Josi leaves her seat by the car's hood and follows the two into an alleyway, where Croff has her attacker still by the wrist. He throws Mugger against the wall and squats down in front of him.

"Who sent you?"

Mugger mourns his sore arm, still defiant. "You won't get away with this!"

Croff sighs. This must be a typical role play in his line of work. He grabs Mugger's hand once again. "I am now going to break your fingers in half. Feel free to tell me when you're ready to speak."

Josi stands there and simply spectates. If she offers up the truth, Mugger could be spared. If she tells Croff her attacker is simply a thief looking for extra cash, he would set him free. But she does no such thing. Croff has already begun the torture anyway. He wrings Mugger's finger backwards until it snaps. Until all the attacker emits from the once defiant mouth of his is a pitched scream.

"Stop! Please stop!" Mugger chokes out, already in tears. "I just wanted the lady's purse!"

Croff pauses. Clearly, this is not what he expected, and from the way he glances at Josi, she can tell he'd thought Mugger was some assassin sent to target her. In this day and age, it's typical. Especially with the ongoing feud between the Verdonnis and Toulours, which Josi has great interest in.

"Oh, well," Croff drops the attacker's hand. "Lesson learned, am I right?" Then he stands and heads for Josi. Mugger takes this as his chance and makes a run for it.

"Sorry you had to see that."

Josi shakes her head. "It's fine. I've seen worse."

The evening wind sends chills down Josi's arms. A wardrobe malfunction. She should have brought a coat along for this outing. But Croff, sensing her discomfort, slides his suit off and throws it over her body.

"Thank you."

Croff gives her a nod. And in that moment comes an opportunity. Josi scans him over as he checks his pocket for his weapons, probably to ensure that he has what he needs in case a situation much more grave than Mugger arises. Then, without warning, Josi buckles her feet and collapses to the ground.

"Sorry," she says, once Croff's attention is back on her. "I'm still a bit shaken up from earlier. I thought I was going to die."

Croff sends a hand out. "Can you stand?"

"I think so." She accepts his help and is not only brought to her feet, but is swept off the ground.

Croff resumes his journey back to the car with Josi in his arms who now has a look too pitiful. "I know it seems like I'm always falling. I'm sorry."

Croff stares at her, still in the midst of his thoughts that Josi wishes she could pick. Until finally, he sighs and looks away.

"You don't have to apologize."

~《¤》~

CROFF

On the days of Josi's outing, Croff is reserved as her designated escort. Idris tells him it's because he's the most qualified, which he is. But he won't always be available for the job because as it stands, there are more risky missions for him to handle.

Although, the fact that he's been entrusted Josi's safety is fine by him. This is one of his more tamer responsibilities. He drops her off places and returns when she's ready. So it's not all too bad. It's like time off.

Lately, he's learned more about Josi than he has in the past couple months. He knows her family resides in Virginia, because he drives her to and from the train station. He knows she was a teacher prior to her relationship with Idris - and that before that very relationship she lived in an apartment with her previous boyfriend.

He knows her favorite fruits are mangoes and strawberries, and that she despises cantaloupes. Her favorite pastime activity is reading. She enjoys romance and mystery, but should those genres run their course she turns to thrillers. Boucherie, famous for their pasta dishes, is the restaurant she visits most on her days out. She dislikes the cold and enjoys the sunset. Her favorite flowers are lavenders.

She prefers her hair tied behind with a silk scarf. When she's disappointed, she tilts her head to the side slightly, as if sulking. She redraws to herself when she's thinking, and her face goes blank, almost dead. Croff has wondered just what must be going on in her head. She smiles easily. She smiles at him when they're in a conversation, or when she's just in a good mood. And when she laughs, there's a crease between her brows.

Croff thinks she's a bit clumsy. He has to keep watch over her in case she trips, which, to his surprise, has happened more than just once. She bumps into obstacles more than the average person. Croff is starting to suspect she's drawn to such accidents.

Now he sits on a bench with a cigarette, a couple feet away from a nightclub, waiting for Josi's arrival. It's well past 1:00 in the morning. He dropped her off a couple hours ago with some friends of hers, then retreated back to his apartment for the meantime. From the thunderous bass coming from the nightclub, he can tell it has only just hit its peak. Why she'd decided to end her outing this early, Croff doesn't know.

Finally, he spots Josi with her friends who throw him more giddy greetings before taking their leave. Josi seems giddy herself, probably from the alcohol, but her eyes he can tell are clear.

"They like you, you know." She says, now in front of him.

Croff simply nods and takes in more drags from his cigarette.

"Can I have one?"

This comes as a surprise. "You smoke?"

Josi smiles. "Sometimes."

She receives one, but come time to find his lighter, Croff fails. "My lighter isn't on me."

Josi sighs, a bit disappointed, until she finds an opportunity in his cigarette. With her grip on the bench's backrest, Josi places a knee between Croff's legs and, with the cigarette now in her mouth, connects the stick to the butt of his own.

Croff knows they shouldn't be this close. Josi's knee shouldn't be where it is between his legs. He shouldn't be staring so deeply into her eyes. But he can't look away, not while she's this intimately close to him. It's like she has him trapped, and the only way to gain his freedom is if she decides to do so. He can even hear his heart in his ears, or perhaps it's the thumping from the club not too far away. He doesn't know which one it is.

When he inhales, he meets her scent. Jasmine and something else sweet. It's relaxing. It's addicting. He wants more, but he finds himself distracted by something else. Her lips. Right there - so close, and yet far. So much within distance, but unattainable.

Josi pulls away, then takes a drag from her newly lit cigarette and releases it. "Thanks."

Croff tries regaining his senses, because clearly he's lost them. "Don't mention it."

The ride back to the estate is silent. But Croff doesn't mind. He needs it for all the thoughts now clamoring in his head.

_______________________________________

These two are kind of cute hold on.