Unexpected, but I could work with that. Being irritating was one of my many talents.
“If we’re being technical, black is not a color. It’s the absence of color.”
Arken just stared incredulously for a moment, blinking as if she wasn’t certain I was real. Surely she wasn’t that drunk.
“Green, then,” she said, finally.
“Phenomenal. While we’re on the subject, do you prefer green grapes, or red?”
“I’d prefer you to be at the bottom of the godsdamned Western Sea right now.”
So fiesty.
“Please answer the question, Miss Asher,” I said with faux seriousness. “This is simply protocol.”
“I don’t like red grapes,” she said.
“Just red wine?”
“It was strawberry wine, thank you very much,” she replied primly.
A vague flash of irritation passed through my mind, prompting my next question.
“And what,pray tell, gave you and Ansari the genius idea of getting drunk on the top of one of the tallest buildings in Sophrosyne? Do you have a death wish?”
“Errant impulse,” Arken said with a shrug.
“There are better ways to feed your reckless streak, you know,” I informed her.
“Just as I am sure there are better ways for you to be spending your time this afternoon, Captain,” she replied coolly.
“Oh, I’m not so sure about that,” I chuckled. “I’m having a great time. Did you enjoy the croissant earlier?”
“No. It was terrible.”
I could tell from her posture and the slightest shift in her expression that Arken was just being stubborn now.
“Oh, you’re an awful liar, Little Conduit,” I crooned through the bars. “It’s kind of cute though. Does your nose always scrunch up like that when you lie?”
She let out a heavy, exasperated sigh, rubbing at her temple.
“Headache?”
“I’m fine.”
“Please tell me that you ate more than just that damned croissant before downing a bottle of wine on a rooftop,” I groaned.
“Unfortunately, I’ve just been informed that I’m a bad liar, so... can’t help you there, Cap.” Arken muttered.
My gaze darkened.
“Look, if you’re going to be a degenerate in my city, can you at least use some common sense? Alcohol, heights, and an empty stomach don’t play nice together.”
“I was hardly even tipsy,” she argued.
“Yeah? How’s your head feeling right about now?” I countered.
“Funnily enough, this headache only began when you showed up.”