One's Confidence

You are a patient man.

Where others would try to rush the cultivation of friendship and quickly seed the mind for romantic intentions, you refrain; you are in close proximity with Gloria every working day, and your perceived influence will always draw the woman towards your hidey-hole without additional encouragement.

This little song and dance of having coffee, chatting about inane topics ranging from TV dramas, and Gloria inevitably explaining things that a princeling does not know, was repeated every day, a ritual that has slowly ingrained itself into both hers and your timetable.

Of course, as this was going on, the noose was tightening around Faraday; suddenly, his usual points of contact with the underworld were silent, and the thugs he oft hired for more brutish and unsophisticated contracts were being butchered mid-operation by unknown third parties, devoid of any trace to track.

It was not enough that Faraday was to be attacked; the paranoia that is present in abundance amongst all Fixers must be fed, and slowly, with every new attack or disappearance, it trailed closer to the Corporate Fixer himself, enough that he had hastily relocated from his established base of operations in Pacifica.

The poor fool believed that someone had figured out who and where he was and that these attacks were meant to blind and cripple him in advance of a killing blow; ironically, his panicked response was what revealed him to his pursuers.

Like Gloria, he couldn't have been aware that these were hastily executed, barely planned operations motivated by the desires of an immature Corporate princeling who could not be denied.

Every blow against him and every word spoken to her–

"Oh, you have a son? Do tell."

It would spoil the fun if you went and introduced yourself to David or intervened in the usual truancy and delinquent behaviour that characterised the Martinez boy's relationship with Arasaka Academy and its more…refined student body.

When David finally learns of and meets you, there should be sadistic pleasure derived from such a momentous occasion as you firmly insert yourself in his story.

And, while you would not countenance any other ascribing your actions as such, you do have a taste for dramatic flair; you wonder how the angsty teen would react if his dear mother found herself a new beau.

He has a close relationship with Gloria, and such would give a reason for why you would be trying to build a relationship with him, the son of your lover, without arousing suspicion.

Of course, these thoughts are all justifications for something you've already long decided on; making David call you dad.

"I've come across this lovely Parisian Cafe, just a short walk from Memorial Park; care to join me for some lunch there instead of our usual coffee?"

So, you begin pushing the ill-defined boundaries of your relationship with Miss Martinez, something she doesn't seem to dislike at all.

'Just friends.'

Those two words are the killing blow to many a plain-looking young man's hopes on the dating scene, and not without reason.

Most of the time, at least. If there isn't an element of scandal about it, then the words serve as a not-so-subtle insinuation that, yes, there is something more to it.

It all depends on the person and situation; like some cheap drama, there is always an undercurrent of catty verbal sparring, perceived slights and incessant infighting on every level of Arasaka Tower, from janitors to the Board.

You don't need to take a car, especially since a chauffeur would only make your attempts at probing Gloria about her personal life more awkward, and you're confident that your plainclothes bodyguards can blend into the background and still protect you if the worst were to arise; you expect nothing more than a pleasant time, just with her.

For Gloria, it'll be but a temporary reprieve as it becomes apparent to her co-workers that she's latched onto a higher-up for her career prospects; there will be much cursing this day, envious as they are that she, not them, was the one to snatch this opportunity.

Not that she will care, your desire to go partake in outings with her is merely confirmation that she is in your good graces- She's got a call.

"It's about David, I gotta go."