World Struck Lunar

II

A bell rings out lightly through the bar as the two enter, Matthias uttering a small oof  as he shoulders the door open. 

"Hi Matthias, welcome back!" calls out a cheerful looking woman from behind the counter.

"Hey Nati," grins Matthias, unceremoniously dumping Viridian into the nearest chair, "Can we get our usual, please?"

Nati nods, her lavender locks bobbing. "Just one moment," she chirps, before wandering into the back of the establishment, her chipper voice immediately taking on the energy of a leader as she calls out a variety of dishes.

Viridian tilts his head in acknowledgment towards the commotion, not bothering to readjust his slightly splayed position in his chair. "She is aware that serving us isn't that big of a deal, right? This isn't a very well-known catering, it's a pub, if anything." 

"Don't be so rude," Matthias says with a snort, collapsing into his own chair, "She works constantly, and even more so ever since her older brother left to another place to put up another eatery like this one. It's her pride and joy. I thought you knew that already."

The older finally pushes himself into a proper sitting position, his head resting on his hands folded on the tabletop. "Bold of you to assume I have an attention span," he mutters. He readjusts himself, focusing on something in the far recesses of the room.

"He's certainly in a mood, isn't he," Nati comments suddenly. She sets down two glasses of iced water. 

Matthias gives a dismissive wave of his hand, which Viridian somehow notices and frowns, but doesn't move, and continues staring off into space.

"I'd say my thoughts, but considering privacy and the fact that we're in a public area, I'll refrain from it," answers Matthias, to which the older sighs with obvious relief. 

Nati chews on her lip, looking between the two men. "Mind if I sit with you once we get your food out?"

"Aren't you working right now?"

The question earns Matthias Nati's sheepish smile. "True, I am, but it's a slow business day, I think I can risk taking time to catch up with my friends," she clarifies, which gets a soft snort from the other.

Meanwhile everything is a blur to the seafolk who sits silent at the table, not having moved since he fixed his focus at the theatrically dark corner of the room. He's vaguely aware of the muffled conversation right next to him, but can't seem to focus on it. 

There's a man sitting there, facial features obscured due to dimmer lighting, but Viridian can see the leg crossed over the other, arms also crossed. He has a feeling this person isn't friendly. Against his better judgement, Viridian resists speaking up. After all, this could be your typical, general unfriendly but harmless stranger. 

But still...

The gaze is too direct. He's being stared at, that look was meant for him. Viridian shivers.

Suddenly there's a hand on his shoulder and he flinches. Hard. It's Nati's hand that retracts quickly from touching him.

"I- I'm sorry- I should have asked-" she stutters, clearly taken aback.

"It's fine. I'm fine," he says, first to Nati, then to Matthias who looks on with bewildered eyes. "I'm just tired, it's fine."

Matthias fidgets, his hands clenching and unclenching into uneasy fists. "We can go back home if you want. I assume they're already halfway done with our food so it's too late to decline the food if you're not hungry." 

Nati takes the cue and leaves to go notify the cooks.

"Hey. What happened?" the younger now asks gently.

Viridian runs a hand through his hair, pushing his breath through tight lips. "I don't know.. There's a person over-" he starts, gesturing to the place he had been staring at and stops. There's no one there. He turns in his chair, suddenly awake. "Was there anyone here when we first came in-"

Matthias is beginning to look more and more lost. He crosses arms in effort to hide his worry somehow. "It was just us and the staff. Are you absolutely sure you're alright?"

It was then at that moment that the two locked eyes, and they knew the answer. It was a futile question, they both knew something wasn't right. At this, Matthias drops his eyes. "I'll get you to the dorms as quick as possible, you can rest easy then."

Nati comes out with an armful of carefully packaged food. She briefly meets Viridian's stare and looks away, a bit flustered. "I'm sorry about what happened earlier, forgive me."

A small smile appears on the his face. "All's forgiven, don't worry about it," he  says, taking the food, "And thank you for the food."

She nods, looking the tiniest bit more relieved. "Take care, alright? That goes for the both of you."

"Of course," the two boys answer in unison, getting up and pushing in their chairs. As they leave the  establishment, Viridian looks back at the place where he  thought  he saw the strange person. He can't shake off the tingly feeling making its way up his spine, that there's someone around that shouldn't have the pleasure of being here.