[Alhaitham raises a bit of an eyebrow at both of the women's reaction, and he supposes they must have assumed that he can't hear well due to his ear pieces because otherwise there is no reason as to why one of them would say something like that right in front of him, even if utter under her breath. Doesn't change the fact that its not inconspicuous at all—even if his noise-cancelling had been turned on, he'd have been able to read her lips anyway.
Regardless, now that he's heard those words his suspicions have risen much further, and as wary as he has become now Alhaitham does his best to keep them on the down low as the other woman brings up the idea of something more interesting than books which is... well. Very much another trap if he knows one, especially after what he'd heard just now.]
I'd like to take more of a look at the books myself before making my own judgement.
[...clearly, his answer is not what they'd been wanting to hear, given the displeased frown that appears which they do not bother to hide this time, which is interesting. Either this is a slip up, or their patience is starting to get thin... Alhaitham can't say for sure, but he would not be surprised if it were the latter. Regardless, it does not matter, and he simply turns his attention to the book that's currently in his hand to resume reading.
"...So muscular and studious. You really are everything that a woman can dream of, aren't you?" The question comes after he'd spent some time reading, the words leaving in a purr from the one that'd been skulking to the side, now seemingly having decided to return from that and even ramp up this whole charade. He feels the press of her breasts against his arm as she leans into him, his skin crawling in discomfort as she slides a hand up the length of his arm. "Such a shame that you're with that lady friend of yours..."
...all Alhaitham does at this point is to blink, because he doesn't know what Benedikta has to do with any of this aside from the breaking and entering she is most likely in the middle of doing right now. Plus the other things he'd seen her take from the drawers. At least she won't be damaging any books, since he's the one in the library.
But he can tell that they're expecting... some kind of response? So he tilts his head after a few beats and says, quite simply] Yes, but she's not present here at the moment.
[The women take this answer with a fair amount of amusement, their unearthly eyes now gleaming bright with unnatural excitement.
"Yes, she isn't here at all now, is she?" the one still pressed at his arm states, her voice nearly a purr. "Just the three of us then, in this nice room where nobody can hear anything..."
She trails off to a chuckle, dark and discomforting, and Alhaitham feels that same discomfort making itself even more apparent now inside of him as the other woman chuckles too and steps closer to him. Alhaitham feels himself flinching a bit, but the woman at his arm has a much tighter grip than expected, effectively keeping him trapped in place, and that sense of danger that'd been bubbling underneath his skin is coming to a boil now. He narrows his eyes and flexes the hand of his free arm, ready to do whatever is needed to get out of this if necessary—
—but for better or worse, that's when the door to the library bursts open, the force of the wind that comes after it strong enough to rattle the books where they're kept and even cause some of the loosely packed ones to drop. But between all of that is Benedikta's warning to him, as clear as day, and it's one that Alhaitham immediately heeds to; with the woman at his arm shaken by the blast of wind he's able to push her away, ignoring the shriek that comes from that in lieu of relishing having freed himself from this before going over to where Benedikta stands, making sure to some decent space between him and the two women.]
no subject
Regardless, now that he's heard those words his suspicions have risen much further, and as wary as he has become now Alhaitham does his best to keep them on the down low as the other woman brings up the idea of something more interesting than books which is... well. Very much another trap if he knows one, especially after what he'd heard just now.]
I'd like to take more of a look at the books myself before making my own judgement.
[...clearly, his answer is not what they'd been wanting to hear, given the displeased frown that appears which they do not bother to hide this time, which is interesting. Either this is a slip up, or their patience is starting to get thin... Alhaitham can't say for sure, but he would not be surprised if it were the latter. Regardless, it does not matter, and he simply turns his attention to the book that's currently in his hand to resume reading.
"...So muscular and studious. You really are everything that a woman can dream of, aren't you?" The question comes after he'd spent some time reading, the words leaving in a purr from the one that'd been skulking to the side, now seemingly having decided to return from that and even ramp up this whole charade. He feels the press of her breasts against his arm as she leans into him, his skin crawling in discomfort as she slides a hand up the length of his arm. "Such a shame that you're with that lady friend of yours..."
...all Alhaitham does at this point is to blink, because he doesn't know what Benedikta has to do with any of this aside from the breaking and entering she is most likely in the middle of doing right now. Plus the other things he'd seen her take from the drawers. At least she won't be damaging any books, since he's the one in the library.
But he can tell that they're expecting... some kind of response? So he tilts his head after a few beats and says, quite simply] Yes, but she's not present here at the moment.
[The women take this answer with a fair amount of amusement, their unearthly eyes now gleaming bright with unnatural excitement.
"Yes, she isn't here at all now, is she?" the one still pressed at his arm states, her voice nearly a purr. "Just the three of us then, in this nice room where nobody can hear anything..."
She trails off to a chuckle, dark and discomforting, and Alhaitham feels that same discomfort making itself even more apparent now inside of him as the other woman chuckles too and steps closer to him. Alhaitham feels himself flinching a bit, but the woman at his arm has a much tighter grip than expected, effectively keeping him trapped in place, and that sense of danger that'd been bubbling underneath his skin is coming to a boil now. He narrows his eyes and flexes the hand of his free arm, ready to do whatever is needed to get out of this if necessary—
—but for better or worse, that's when the door to the library bursts open, the force of the wind that comes after it strong enough to rattle the books where they're kept and even cause some of the loosely packed ones to drop. But between all of that is Benedikta's warning to him, as clear as day, and it's one that Alhaitham immediately heeds to; with the woman at his arm shaken by the blast of wind he's able to push her away, ignoring the shriek that comes from that in lieu of relishing having freed himself from this before going over to where Benedikta stands, making sure to some decent space between him and the two women.]