Where
Sadiq went to the inn, despite knowing what he would likely hear. He was not going to camp outside, people would think he would be trying to make Gupta feel bad for throwing him out. Sadiq never wanted Gupta to feel bad. He had nothing to do with what had happened except for being in the room at the time. All he had done was throw words back at Heracles' face, as he always did.
But he would not be the one to tell Gupta that Heracles had broken Nefertiti's vase. For all he cared right now, Heracles could tell Gupta that it was Sadiq's fault. He would take the blame.
Damn.
He walked through the front doors, eying the man who was already slumped over the counter and walking back to the back room where he heard her. She was unloading her dishwasher, but he waited until she had put everything down before he spoke. "Elizaveta, I need a favour."
She turned to him with a glare. "No."
"Somethin' happened... I need a place to stay."
"No."
"I'll pay just like any other customer."
"No."
"I'll pay more than any other customer."
"No. No you won't."
Pulling his hat further down on his face, he nodded. "Was worth a shot. See ya later, Lizi." He left before he had to listen to any sort of response to that. Probably something about him not calling her Lizi anymore. Well, okay. He had more important things to do now. Like who exactly he would feel good upon with dropping in on unexpectedly for a place to stay. Someone of whom he would not feel bad about asking as well.
Which immediately put that wretched Muhammad off the list. And Yao, if things were the same as they were before. Muhammad and Yao had always been rather inseparable, despite both of their intentions. He wondered exactly who was bothering who now and how long that would take to change again.
There was Tino, but Berwald was definitely an immediate no. Even if Berwald caved into Tino's wishes (as he usually did) Sadiq did not want to have to deal with a grumpy Berwald. Dealing with a normal Berwald was difficult enough.
He would not bother a Beilschmidt. He could not bother Marcus.
It left him with only acquaintances and strangers to hit up for board. Immediately Sadiq went into business mode. If that was all he was left with, he would start up at the top and go from there. The top was the mansion at the top of the hill. Recalling who lived there, it was one Eduard Von Bock. He was a finance-inclined sort of person. Sadiq smiled. He knew exactly what to do to worm into that, if only for a short while...
So he made his way up the hill. By the top he was out of breath and he considered that maybe he was getting a little too old for this. Maybe it was time to move back to Hearth, retire from the city life, and try and relax for once.
Like I could do that. Pfft.
Ringing the doorbell, Sadiq waited for the door to be answered. When it did, he put on his best smile.
"Von Bock?"
"Adnan?"
"I'm sorry for droppin' in on you like this, but I have something I need to ask of you."
Eduard stared at him. "Then ask."
"I have a bad history with the proprietor of the inn and currently no place to stay," Sadiq began, but did not stop so as to not allow Eduard the chance to think too badly of him. "I would not usually burden someone with my presence like this right out o' the blue. Still, to a businessman like yourself, I believe if you give me the opportunity to speak we might have the opportunity to come to some sort of arrangement."
As soon as the word 'arrangement' left his lips, Sadiq could see the interest in Eduard's eyes multiply. Sadiq smile turned into a grin. For some reason, this seemed a lot more easy than he had originally thought it was going to be. And you can calm down Gupta... I'll give you all the time you need.
"May I propose a deal...?"
Notes:
Day is over, folks. The next chapter is going to be a little over a week later and about a week or less before the wedding. Or something like that. Do not hold me by anything I say. Just know that it is the day of the wedding rehearsal and that the rehearsal is more than a few days before the wedding. Because Lovino knows that in Hearth something drastic may go wrong and he wants the time to fix it. He can be a smart man.
