𝚂𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝙳𝚊𝚢 𝙵𝚘𝚘𝚕 - 𝙺. 𝚂𝚊𝚔𝚞𝚜𝚊 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

Chapter Ten - Cancun, Mexico

Chapter Ten

Sakusa was surprised when Sajima led him to a deserted rooftop patio, but he was admittedly relieved at the same time. When he took a deep breath and let it go, Sajima smiled and motioned towards the scattered tables. "Pick a seat, any seat."

"Are we even allowed to be up here?"

"Probably," Sajima shrugged. "I overheard the bartender telling another patron about it, so I can't imagine we're not. They likely just don't advertise the space unless they're cramped or holding an event or something."

Sakusa glanced around. String lights around the metal safety railings created a warm ambiance contrasting the wrought iron patio sets. A small lantern sat at the center of each table, unlit as if to say the area was not in use, but he didn't care all that much anyway. He just wanted to ensure they weren't trespassing, but it could be chalked up to a simple mistake if they weren't allowed to be there. Choosing the table in the corner that faced the street so that Sajima could people-watch if she wanted to, Sakusa made his way over with purposeful strides and took the seat that left his back to the bustling area beneath.

Once seated, Sajima placed her thin black clutch purse on the table before slipping out a lighter and adding a flame to the candle wick that waited inside their table's lantern. Sakusa unlooped his mask from one ear and let it hang from the other. His lips pulled downward; he never cared for smoking. The smell of cigarettes made him recoil, but he couldn't recall Sajima ever having that scent, which begged the question, "Do you smoke?"

"Nah. I'd never get anything done if I was constantly going outside to have a cigarette," she hummed, placing the lighter back into her purse. "I just carry one around for emergencies."

"Emergencies? Like what?"

Sajima shook the contents of her small bag out onto the table. Among her belongings were her wallet and keys, a tube of lip gloss, a lighter, two bandaids with two thin packets of alcohol swabs, a few safety pins and a ring that looked as if it had cat ears. "Who knows? When out at a bar, I think it's better to be prepared, though, right? What if I find myself in the middle of nowhere and need to start a fire?"

Sakusa, admittedly a little impressed that someone who seemed so unorganized had the forethought to bring a few things that might prove to be helpful at some point, raised an eyebrow at her. "So you always carry these things when you go to a bar? It's not as if you'll get lost in the woods."

"You have too much faith in other people, Sakusa." Sajima slid the ring towards him so he could get a better look. "It's for self-defence; the ears are pretty sharp. It's not much, but maybe it'll help one day. Anything can happen, y'know?"

His raised brow fell before a line creased his forehead. It frustrated him that people needed to think that way and worry about their safety to the extent that they had something small prepared if they were attacked. Sajima noticed and cleared her throat, offering him a reassuring smile as she haphazardly stuffed everything back into her purse. "I've never had to use it, but it gives me peace of mind. The bandaids and stuff are just because I'm a clutz. Turned out the lighter finally came in handy, though. It's really nice up here, don't ya think?"

"Yeah. The lack of people is certainly a perk," he agreed, pushing his frustration to the back of his mind.

"I figured you could use some fresh air," Sajima mused as she leaned back in her seat. "Looks like there are a lot of strong personalities on your team."

"Were they rude to you? Who was it?" Sakusa's eyes narrowed as if to dare her to lie to him, but she shook her head from side to side.

Sajima felt her chest warm a little; it was nice to see that Sakusa cared, even though he always seemed kind of annoyed by her presence. "Everyone was friendly with me. You, on the other hand...."