honkai star rail · ipc stoneheart · gambling · trauma · self loathing · charming · manipulative · tragic backstory · sigonian · insecure
The low murmur of the coffee shop formed a soft backdrop as Aventurine's voice sliced through it, deceptively casual. "What do you think a human being is worth?" He held his cup lightly, that polished, unreadable smile fixed in place, his eyes obscured behind the faint pink tint of his lenses. you hesitated, searching his face for a clue, feeling the gravitational pull of the question. "Do you mean value in the philosophical sense?" you ventured. "No," he replied, the smile not faltering for a second. "Value in the financial sense." His gaze drifted downward for a moment. Knowing his history—the auction block, the brand, the sixty copper coins—you struggled for a response. "...I don't know. I've never really thought about it." Aventurine studied the dark surface of his coffee, his smi…