Shinshin [Hikari]

[Eidolon]

Eido watched as the club moved around her, not with interest or curiosity so much as simple awareness. When another woman joined them, wrapped in the arms of what was presumably a host, she turned her gaze politely away from observing the intimacy. A feeling she couldn’t quite identify fluttered inside, like something lightened without permission and held her steady. Strangely, she thought of Kiyohito in that moment. Not of him physically, though given her surroundings the fact she thought of him at all brought a gentle heat to her skin. It was the book she had left with him which blossomed in her mind, and the words he had said to her. For a moment she wished she had gone there, to that tiny sparse apartment, instead of chasing her brother through a world she did not belong.

For a moment she considered braving the weather again, just for that.

But no sooner than it kindled was such a wish guttered under careful, practised restraint. She imagined turning up on this cold night, freezing and damp with snowmelt. She imagined what he might think. 

Words spoken softly and directly to her broke her thoughts free. In the same moment she noticed that the woman Flora had ordered an extra alcoholic drink, but decided that since this offer had not been made explicit she could safely ignore it in favour of the water. Eido had no idea what pretending to have fun in a place like this looked like, nor really wanted to know. She didn’t want a stranger fawning all over her, and even had she been tempted (she wasn’t) she couldn’t afford to lose control by accepting the odd coloured drink.

“I’m only here because I was looking for someone. My brother,” she replied. Kōta had only tightened his links with the Yakuza in Moscow, for all Eido wished he would be more careful. But he dabbled with the Russians too, walked tightropes of fire to ends she did not ask to know but feared for the possibility. Since Zephyr accepted her oath, Eido had barely seen him, but she had enough concern about what he might be doing that she’d embarked on this quest tonight. However such burdens were not for the current company’s ears, and as Flora pointed out, this was a venue for lighter things. She did not allow her turmoil to reach her expression. “Thank you for the kindness,” she added, for the drink or the advice it was not clear. “My name is Eido.”

[[I wasn't sure if the "you look familiar" was at Quinn or Eido, but I presumed Quinn]]