Maia floated through the market. The wicker basket on her arm full of fruits such as grapes and two bottle of the finest white wines she could manage to get- mind that no place would sell her any. Though being a higher being, she had easily made herself look older and without the system that Earth had to prevent underaged drinking, she had taken the two bottles and left. She doubted much of this food would go to herself. And this neither bothered her nor, made her overly happy. Today's errand, per her family's request, she was to gather lavish foods for the feast this week. Like every other week. Athena, how fortunate for you to have such undemanding parents, she lamented. She wished to see her friend, but her eyes stumbled unenthusiastically unto the prince. A rare occasion, for it was speculated due to threats upon his life that he was kept to himself. His weak grip was latched onto the bicep of his personal guard, sorely out of his reach. Like a service dog she suspected that she wasn't allowed to speak with someone on duty- alas without the company of Athena her talkative self was starving. She couldn't help performing a barrel roll as she floated swiftly over, leaning her arms atop the prince's head.
"Katashi! What are you doing here?" She chirped, her voice much like the annoying flow of a bird's caterwauling in the early hours of the morning.
"Looking for Athena. You wouldn't happen to have seen her? It's terribly hard to find her in a crowd." Katashi said with a sigh. Her gaze flicked to his side. His own bag beside him was filled with a gift, wrapped in thin purple paper, Athena's favourite colour. Maia felt almost gutted at the sight. She wasn't the one to object of someone's choices, but Athena deserved better. She shook off the feeling, she didn't want to pry.
"With the prince? Are you sure that's even allowed?"
Katashi nodded. "As long as he's with me I'm not breaking any rules. Though it seems everything I do is offensive to him." His tone was soft, saddened maybe, the words however where full of spite. The prince didn't seem to notice the comment, his eye fixated on the sandy floor. "I'd bet my left arm that if I didn't have something to bargain with, he'd throw a tantrum and get me in trouble with his majesty." Kazuhiko laughed internally. His older brother was a pompous pain in the ass, selfish and over glorified. Unless the problem affected him you would have a better chance of striking oil than getting whatever the problem resolved fixed. The buzz of chatter began to drawl on. Faces passing coming and going as they stood there. It was becoming completely mind-numbing.
"Can we go now?" Kazuhiko drawled, tugging harshly on Katashi's arm. He grimaced. "In a second. I'll have you know you haven't planned anything today, Your highness." Kazuhiko was taken back.
"How would you know if I had planned something? I like to have a sliver of privacy unlike you!" He fumed.
"Well, some of us don't want to spend the whole day cooped up in the palace unlike you."
"And what makes you think I want to spend anytime following you around like a servant. Fuck, what makes you think I want to spend any time with you at all?" Katashi stared down at him. His jaw was clenched tight, his fists slowly bawling. "Alright. I'll go then." He spoke slowly as not to stutter. Kazuhiko made no move to stop him, neither did Maia. He didn't care that he had not done what he had planned, but maybe a self-care day would be better than any day he could spend out. Guilt piled in his chest like lead. Had this been his fault. Would it have gone out better if he had put Kazuhiko first? Bloody hell, to think I can lose my job because he gets pissed about how I do my job. I'm not even breaking any rules, Katashi thought. "Pompous bitch." He thought aloud. Someone chuckled gently behind him, clearing their throat as they realised they had been heard.
, "Sorry if I'm interrupting something. I would've come to talk with you last week, but things spiralled as they do." Shima smiled gently, adding, "Kazuhiko can be a little temperamental. He'll calm down in a bit." He reached a hand behind Katashi, going to pat his back, retracting his hand as he looked around cautiously.
