How to make the most out of this situation? It was not something Arnaud thought at first, all too happy to get out of there without a bag on his head and being thrown in a black van - or whatever way these so-called Guardians snatched mutants these days - but it grew over time. How lucky was he to have a Guardian who felt indebted to him! He needed to be careful on how he’d use it. He thought his best course of action would be to take as long as possible before calling in a favor, but just sitting here casually reminding him that she owed him now and then was not enough. He needed to give her more reasons not to turn him in the second she was free of her obligations towards him. And while trying to be friendly with her to give her more qualms about sending him to his death, he figured he might learn as much as he could about her. Like this, if friendship was not enough, maybe some more basic blackmailing could. He was raised by a master manipulator, he learned a thing or two if he was not as good as his mother.

Roxana was already there when he arrived. For how long had she been waiting, he had no idea, but she did point out that he should have been the one there first. “I had to walk all the way here from my place. I did say thirty minutes or so, no?” he replied, pulling out his phone, not to look at his text for he was sure that was what he said but at the time. “It was just more on the ‘or so’ part’,” he admitted as he put the phone back. He had no problem telling her he walked from his home. He bet it was an information she could easily get. Besides, he did take the bus as well in case she still had no idea where he lived exactly so what he said would not necessarily help her.

He forgot about that for now and smiled at him. Everything he would be doing around her might be staged but that didn’t mean he couldn’t give the best performance he was able to. “I’m glad you agreed to come. And alone.” How easy could it have been to use this to lure him into a trap? He wondered if she thought the same on his part. “Shall we get in already? I kind of worked an appetite on my way here.” He was already getting in. He was hoping they could get some table in a corner. They didn’t need to have too many people able to listen to their conversation. He might be paranoid here, but eating with a Guardian put him on edge a little bit.

It was hard to read Roxana. Arnaud thought he was fairly good at this but he couldn't quite say this about her. Maybe he should expect her to be guarded, she knew what he was capable of, but he also found her rather stiff. He didn't know her enough to tell if she was teasing him when arguing he should have arrived earlier or if she was really that hard. "I'll remember that the next time I want to meet with you," he simply added. There was no point in arguing. He didn't want to antagonize her. Anyway, he was taking this lightly. If he had to arrive late, he would and he didn't really care how others felt about it. Still, he'd rather have her in a good mood, if he wanted her to talk.

As he briefly mentioned his home, he wondered if she was already aware of his palce of residence. To him, she was part of the government, so he assumed there was nothing easier than just look that up. But he was curious whether she took the time to look him up or not. He supposed there would always be a time to ask her during the meal.

He was surprised that she got so unnerved by his comment. His brow rose up in surprise. "I was just pointing out how easily you could have turned it into a trap for me, is all." Arnaud had no affiliation with any group of mutants that could be referred to as rebels. He minded his own business. The only mutant who may order him around was his mother and he never bothered to tell her about Roxana. He was relieved when she admitted being alone. She could lie, of course, but he chose not to believe that.

"You're not the kind to like it when men open doors for you, do you?" he teased as she gestured for him to walk into the restaurant. He still made sure to hold the door until she at least got a hold of it herself before getting in. Arnaud was glad they could get a place in a corner. He didn't care if there were better places, it was his ideal spot for this meeting. Definitely better than being at the bar, for sure.

Arnaud was interested in ordering alcohol, of course, but Roxana chose water. Then again, they just walked in and would have to look at the menu, so he ordered the same thing for himself. There would still be time for this later. "I'm surprised the government let people like you walk free. You are like those in the camps, I would have thought they kept you on a tight leash whenever they are not unleashing you on your prey." he told her as he sat down, his eyes down at his menu rather than herself.

Arnaud was glad she was not complaining over the prospect of meeting him at least one more time. He had no idea if he could make a friend of her. Hell, he was not even ssure if he wanted that! But he definitely could see the use in her and didn't feel like getting rid of her just yet. He didn't want to be sent in those camps. Even if it really was the perfect mutant-friendly place they advertised it to be, he wouldn't want to, but Roxana slipped the fact he might actually die in there and she apparently had scruples to send him there, at least as long as she owed him something.

All this was really just for his own personal gain. Arnaud was used to have people look up for him and take care of things. Roxana could be one of those people. He just needed to be careful on how he played it, and tonight was the first step to his plan. He was hoping for her not to be too guarded the whole night. She knew his power could be used against her, which was why he didn't want to use it. Since she could expect it, he bet her defenses would be up, making her harder to manipulate. He didn't know how relaxed she could be either, so he wondered if guarded was just her natural state. He could swear it was, but at the same time, she didn't argue when he invited her. He honestly didn't think she'd want to.

He nodded to her. "I can get that. To me, I feel like I'm the one the most in danger here, but I suppose you only have my words to believe it." Arnaud was not affiliated with anyone who might want to attack a guardian, at least not that he knew of. If one did wish them harm, it would be for a personal grudge, but, as he just told her, she only had his words to believe it. At some point they would have to start believing each other, but they were not there yet. "I swear my request was really just for a meal."

He didn't think she was much for humor. She didn't take it the wrong way, it was good, but she was no comedian. Practical then, that was what he assumed of her. "Good to hear. You never know these days, with those feminazis who see gender superiority in just being polite." Arnaud had the perfect answer to those women, but he didn't think using his power right now would be very smart.

Arnaud didn't know exactly what he would take but the menu alowed him to find a few interesting things as he waited to see whether she would answer him or not. So far, she was a lot mroe accomodating than he expected. "That makes two of us," he stated about being followed.

He didn't expect her to basically offer her a chance as a guardian. He was not quite sure she wanted him to say yes though with the way she talked. "Your sales pitch is terrible." He didn't think he was of those fighting for the mutants' rights, more for his own freedom, yet he didn't know how far his survival instinct could take him in turning his back on everything and everyone. He didn't hate the mutants who chose to do it though, he could see what could lead to that. "And what made you choose that, your free will or they had something against you?"

A smile. That was another thing he didn’t expect from her. Maybe he should stop being surprised and just accept the fact he knew nothing of her and that she was nothing like what he imagined. Well, maybe not nothing but definitely not all that he first thought. He considered that a good thing. That would make bonding with her all the more easier, right? He hoped so.

He nodded at her... warning? He took it a bit as a warning, with her basically telling him not to try anything on her if he didn’t want to suffer for it. Still, the idea that he could be dangerous was a tad laughable to him. He never tried to see how far a person could go under his suggestions but he did know what they could end up doing when having too much of his pheromones. “I like safe,” he first answered. He shrugged, an amused smile showing on his lips for a moment. “Anyway, I find my ability is more a threat to me than others, so you’re safe on that end.” That was mildly true. He could use his power if he thought it could be useful to him. It wasn’t like she’d go completely obsessed with just one time. Unless she was up for a re-enactment of Misery. He sure was not. He also did not fully control his power but he was making efforts tonight not to accidentally trigger it.

Another amused smile brushed on his lips. “I hope you’re not assuming I get dates only thanks to that and none of my natural charm,” he teased her. He wasn’t here for a good stroke of his ego but he took it nonetheless. If that was one. Maybe not, but it certainly amused him. He didn’t think her tone implied he got everything in life because of his power alone and so was not annoyed by it.

Arnaud felt her gaze before noticing it. He stared back at her for a moment. He didn’t know what she was thinking but if she wanted to size him up, he’ll face it. He brow arched up slightly as she admitted how bad she was at selling this whole guardian deal. And then made it even worse. “You mean like the Japanese with the Chinese? Or you wanted to go all Germans against Jews here?” He wasn’t quite sure which one of these options was the most tempting. He had turned his gaze towards the menu for a second after saying that but brought it back on Roxana. “You realise what you just admitted being, right?” Then again, the lesser of two evils, as she more or less explained earlier. Arnaud didn’t blame them for turning against their kind, he just didn’t see the point of this force in the first place.

With the waitress back, they had to stop the conversation while they ordered. “Chicken cacciatore for me,” he added once Roxana ordered. With that out of the way, they could jump back into their conversation. He didn't expect her to admit they held her by the throat but her reply intrigued him. Not only did it take a moment for her to say it but to claim in was both... A spark of curiosity lit up in his eyes. He didn’t know how he could ask her what she meant by that in a way she would want to answer. He came to the conclusion that he couldn’t and that he should leave it at that for now. But he’ll make sure to remember it and see if he cannot make her talk later. “I bet this annoys you more than if it was really just one,” he simply replied. How can you say you really had a choice when one felt forced upon you?

Would she believe what he said regarding his power? He honestly believed he was the one who would suffer the most from it. It was true that he could make someone do pretty much anything he wanted, but the person would still remember it afterwards, and with people like Roxana who was aware of what he could make her do, the consequences could be bad for him. He didn’t have enough experience to view it as a powerful and useful tool. “Up to killing?” he repeated after she asked him about the effects his power can have. He thought about it for a second. “Well, I hope it will never go that far. I did end up losing a job because an ex chose to punch my boss in the face certain that we were flirting, but I usually try to avoid going to that extent. You just never know what people can do though,” In a way, he was glad it didn’t go further than that. He managed to avoid more obsessive and dangerous behaviours, but he knew a better control of his ability would make it even easier to achieve. That was not something he planned to talk about with Roxana however. Her idea to help him may just be to take him to the camps. Or train him and call her debt paid.

She might not have laughed but he certainly smirked at her words. “So you’re saying I’m good looking uh? Thank you, you’re pretty easy on the eye yourself.” Oh, he was making fun of her comment, true. He didn’t care whether she found him attractive or not. It would definitely make his job easier if he wanted to use his power though and so he chose to keep that fact in mind even if he didn’t care much otherwise. Could he just flirt with her and that would work? He still didn’t think it would, even if she found him handsome. He just could not see her as the kind to act stupidly out of a crush. Maybe he was wrong, but he thought she was too guarded for him to simply smile and get anything he wanted from her.

There was another parallel to make with the Nazis and he was tempted to claim that surely a few of them didn’t think they were doing more than their job and nothing bad. But there was something else in her statement that he caught, and he thought it was more valuable. “The next stage? I see, you’re thinking ahead. If the tides turn, you’re ready to do too.” He hoped it was what she meant. It was what he got at first but as he said it, he wondered if she was not hinting to the fact the government had something else in store for the mutants that they were preparing. How far gone did you have to be if you were ready to continue fighting against your own even when they started to get the upper hand? Then again, he didn’t see them winning anytime soon. But what did he know? He was not privy to their plan, if there was even a plan. Or a ‘them’ for that matter.

He looked at her with some naivety and surprise in his gaze at her question. Yes, Arnaud was trying to stay out of this. He didn't feel himself involved in this as long as he was not directly targeted. In truth, Arnaud was still used to his mother taking care of everything, as she did when he was a kid. He was no longer living with her but she had had such an impact in his life than on many levels he was still very careless. He thought about it. He had no answer to give her, he felt, other than that he just did. He tried to come up with something else. “I guess... I just feel no desire to join one side or the other. You said it yourself, I don’t have a lot of chances on yours and I can’t really see anyone fighting against you winning easily.” He didn’t find his options as very good, whichever he took, so why take any? He shrugged at this, giving her a tiny, amused smile. “I think it’s pretty obvious I’m more a lover than a fighter.”

Arnaud had only started to see the nastier side of his power. Much like everything else about it, he was still learning and experimenting. He managed to notice how the effect fully wore off after a time, that was something. While not having grown cynical enough to not trust anyone’s emotions towards him, he considered himself too young to unite his life to another person. He was fine going from one person to another without blaming his power for it. He found monogamy something too hard and complicated to do anyway.

He nodded as they both agreed. “Anyway, you can grow over your obsession with time. At least you can with me, so I just put distance and never suffered too much from it.” Even if he did, Arnaud was quick to say it was due more because of his power than the other person. It might not be the right way to think but it was how he saw it. His situation was different from others who may live in an abusive relationship, and he believed he could walk away more easily.

He was amused by her reaction. He bet she had not been called cute or beautiful very often. The way she acted, it gave him the impression she had more often been praised for her abilities than her looks. It gave him the desire to keep pushing in that direction and see what happened. Maybe later, for he had the feeling she would simply blow him off for now. But as she mentioned children, he had to laugh and continue. “Talk of children already? You don’t lose time, do you?” He knew she was not saying she wanted good looking babies with him but he simply could not pass it down. Good thing this was not a real date or else she might have sent him running the other way, talking of kids before they even started eating.

As expected, she was a practical girl. That would then mean she didn’t believe she would work for the government forever, or at least would have no qualms switching sides if that proved to be the best option for her. “I bet they wouldn’t like hearing that,” he let out. He was not threatening her, the thought came to his mind and he voiced it out loud. “Then again, I’m sure they figure something like that could happen. You did say they can follow you. Do they now or you were allowed a break?” For a brief second, he wondered if he was in no threat because he decided to play Roxana and invite her here. Would he suddenly attract their attention? He should have thought of this first. It was too late now. He will have to rely on his power if that happened. But why couldn’t they believe she had just a date? He didn’t want to stress over this and did his best not to. There were just so many reasons for them to meet anyway.

“It’s also what made some lose,” he pointed out. Believing you will win no matter what can make you arrogant and pass on important details. He preferred to let Roxana believe he was biding his time before choosing a side than to admit that he never had to take that kind of life-defining decisions before and was still too used to others taking it for him. For now, he saw nothing interesting enough for him on either side so he opted for a low profile and see what would happen first.

He was pushing away the mushrooms in his plate to see just how much chicken he had in there, and also if he had other vegetables from tomatoes and mushrooms. His comment about him being a lover was meant as a joke but her reply made him believe she didn't get it. “I think I preferred when you just called me cute and not opportunistic.” He ate some of his chicken, tasted the mushrooms. “You went to the school, right? What was it called again...?”