Smuggler\'s Run

[Uzaki]

Calimport had seldom been so busy and full of people as it was now, the sprawling port-city was filled with foreigners of all statures come for the sun festival held a week from now. At least that was the façade for anyone unwilling to look deeper, below the surface. Among the good and honest people, actually coming here for the festivities, were greedy and shady characters of all kind, thieves and smugglers, slavers and dealers, merchants and mercenaries, and they all gathered together within the walls of the city and the promise of truce.
 
It would be quite easy to remain anonymous among the crowd of strangers coming together, everyone equally suspicious of the next and mindful to keep to their own business. No one really cared who you were as long as you stayed out of everyone’s way, and despite having expected something like this it surprised Aedus that even with his skin visible and heritage exposed to each and all not many cared to look twice.
 
He’d spotted a few drow, his eyes seemed to search them out without him trying, and after the initial realization that he wouldn’t be bothered unless picking a fight he rationalized his clothes was the main difference. Those other strived to radiate power, dressed in dark and strong armor, bearing arms and seemingly constant glares on their faces, whereas he tried to be inconspicuous.
 
Dressed in a simple white shirt together with a vest made of different green material, feeling a little too tight despite being tailored for his frame, and a pair of common black pants he stood in the half shade by some unknown building. Looking like a commoner. That was what he was striving for, and the only visible weapon on him was the scimitar strapped securely to his leather belt. Most of his weaponry was tucked in the backpack he carried.
 
Realizing he’d been standing and staring at nothing in particular for a little too long, having learnt to block out the whining of his unusual companion and not noticed if there’d been any, he turned around to look up at his… leader.
 
Aedus was new to this academy, new to their masters, and while the other yet had to show any of the demanding presence found in his previous masters he surprisingly wasn’t uncomfortable. It worked, whatever strange relation they had managed to form to each other over the brief traveling period. Still…
 
The half drow let his eyes flicker over the other, sweeping over the face he would have recognize and interpret to the best of his ability for this mission. This mission of theirs.
 
Well in Calimport, find the Glistening Harem and the red patron, he’ll have room for you to use during your stay. Finding lodging in other places will be difficult…
 
...and he\'s told you\'re a well connected merchant...
 
“So, should we find the… harem, then?” he asked, hesitant despite being told the Glistening Harem was in fact an inn of sorts with a splendid bath house as someone had eagerly pointed out. Whatever or wherever it was would have to do, the mission was on a surprisingly tight schedule for what needed to be done and wasting time fussing over where he slept or not seemed stupid.

[deviliscious]

If there was one thing Kaid would prefer to avoid, it was to be stuck in a place full of people. Assassins were trained to lose themselves in the crowd, blend in and be the unobtrusive existence. But depsite being the master assassin that he was, he simply failed at it at the present moment. Dressed similarly to Aedus, only that his shirt was light brown in colour, he wouldn’t have looked out of the ordinary if it weren’t for his height. If it was during the night, Kaid might have had a better chance but given that it was broad daylight, there was no way in hell he could blend in more properly, not with the way he was towering over almost everyone in sight. Trying to be inconspicuous with a massive figure such as the one he had was like trying to get an elephant to pretend it was a potted plant.  That was about the only problem the half-Djinn had with himself.

If his companion was trying to blend into the crowd, he would find that it be more successful if he didn\'t have a giant at his side. As it was, even if no one paid any care to the High Apprentice at first, after eyeballing Kaid for a bit, their gaze would eventually fleet over to his comrade.  This would follow up with a menacing scowl from the one-eyed man and whoever it was would scurry away in fright.

It was fun the first few times but after awhile, he began to tire of the game, so much so that if anyone else were to do the same trick again, they only got a half-lidded stare of indifference from him. And throughout the whole time they were standing there, he had been grumbling to his partner about how hot the weather was, how much like a freak he felt with people staring (actually, he never thought himself in such a way. He simply wanted to complain. Perhaps he just likes the sound of his voice?) and was mildly irritated that he was getting no response from the other. To think that Aedus had learnt the Art of Ignoring Kaid in a fairly short amount of time! As much as he was impressed, he didn’t like it one bit because if his partner didn’t entertain him and his mindless chatter, who would?

Just as he was about to make his displeasure known with a few choice words, Aedus spoke up. And the ends of the Master’s lips quirked in a slight sneering smile as he slid his gaze down to the man. “So soon? And I thought I was the one who couldn’t keep his pants on most of the time,” he joked before shaking his head in amusement. He shifted his backpack a bit before he pulled away from the wall he had been leaning on and started moving forward, trusting the High Apprentice to follow. A good thing he had been here a few times that he knew where the inn was located.

Despite being the official commander for their two-man team, Kaid had mostly let the other take the lead. Besides, on top of the current mission they were on, the half-Djinn had been given a secondary secret assignment: Observe and determine where Aedus’ loyalties lie. The younger assassin has yet to be inducted into the Academy and this mission will decide if he had any unsavoury agenda of his own. What Kaid didn’t like was the order given to eliminate him if they were caught. The Academy didn’t want to take any chance in case he was to blurt and reveal things about the Academy that an outsider should not know. Kaid thought it was a cruel resolution but he did understand the reason for it. After all, Aedus had no obligations whatsoever to the Academy. He can only hope that such a thing wouldn’t happen.

“In spite of its name, the inn is actually quite lovely. I think you’ll like the bath house. I know I do. They have these scented soaps that just smells wonderful, and you’ll never run out of hot water, that’s the best thing. Plus you’ll feel very refreshed afterwards. I think they’ve been using some mild muscle relaxants of some sort...” he continued to ramble as he led the way to the Glistening Harem.

[Uzaki]

Aedus followed, easily falling in behind the other to walk in his wake and in doing so avoided having to part the sea of people. People seemed to avoid clogging up their path when his comrade led, seemingly unconsciously giving way and only a few times had they sidled or changed course. It was practical. It also gave the shorter of the two time to collect his thoughts, as it had turned out they easily strayed and/or lost focus due to whatever the other decided to say or do. Be it only a not so discreet innuendo or an eye lingering a little too long for Aedus liking.
 
When he was younger he’d soon discovered the benefits of having dark skin, for not only was it hard to burn and easy to blend into shadows with, it also hid any blush or flush that might rise from his neck and to the tip of his pointed ears. The small change of color usually went unnoticed to those around him. Since that age he’d hardened, or at least he told himself that, and no longer was easily angered or embarrassed, but when he’d first med Kaid…
 
Noticing that the crowed had thinned out he snuck up to walk beside the other, dark eyes mapping out the city as they went.
 
…When he met Kaid it’d only taken three, maybe it’d been four he wasn’t sure, sentences before his face had heated up and despite knowing his skin would hide the blush he hadn’t been sure with the intensity it\'d burnt. It\'d made him feel like thirteen again, caught staring at his mentor in the shower. Not a nice feeling. Luckily the other had kept jabbering on and on so he\'d figured no one had noticed.
 
“I don’t think there’ll be much time for bathing.” He dully noted, not really sure the other cared to hear his reply and not bothering to try and end the monolog Aedus half-listened in case something important might be said. Hooking thumbs behind the shoulder straps, kicking up some dust as they went. “You make it sound like a dream…”
 
And that said they pushed in through a plain looking door and into an exotic dream of silk and gold and skin. The smell of scented candles heavy in the air and somewhere someone was playing a harp or some other string instrument. It was distant and not one educated in music Aedus couldn’t be sure of what it was, it sounded nice though. Men and women in airy fabrics bustled about, obvious costumers in out-of-place-clothing much like their own were surprisingly few.
 
“This is like no dream of mine.” He muttered, glancing about in search of whoever the \'red patron\' might be. The male dressed in bright red clothing fit the description, he was currently talking intently with one of the women, and content with his find Aedus hand landed on Kaid’s arm, tugging lightly on his shirt. “Him?” the question was breathed over the slow music, eyes pointedly looking at the person he meant before searching Kaid\'s dark eye again.

[deviliscious]

In the time they had taken to travel to Calimport, Kaid had taken note on how the younger man seemed to be so serious. And quiet too. But he supposed he spoke enough for the both of them. Even so, he wasn’t satisfied until he scored a hit when Aedus blushed that very first time (being a master assassin, there was little that could escape his notice!). So his partner wasn’t as immune to his charms as he had earlier thought. Then again, no one was ever truly immune, not against him anyway. Ever since then, he had taken every chance to flush that appealing face. Yes, it had not escaped the half-Djinn’s notice how attractive the other male was.

It was easy enough to reach the inn. The crowd was apparently considerate enough to let them through without so much trouble. If they weren\'t, he would have easily plowed through them. It was amusing though, that Aedus had thought to walk behind him, seemingly to make use of him to chart the way. “Ahh... I feel so used,” he had laughed to himself, loud enough that Aedus would have heard but not really caring for his response.

But when the remark about having no time for a good, leisurely soak met his ears, Kaid had fixed one narrowed eye at the man that had moved up to walk beside him. “Like hell there won’t be!” he growled testily. The idea that they wouldn’t have the time was unacceptable! He’ll make them have time! Even if he had to drag Aedus kicking and screaming to the bath house, they would go! Actually, that wasn’t so bad an idea.

He pushed aside that thought when they entered the establishment, sniggering at the younger assassin’s reaction. “Heh... I wonder what sort of dream you have then...” was the sly riposte. His eye darted this way and that, taking in the scene, realising that the place hadn’t changed much the last time he was here. He thought it was a rather ingenious concept that fit the name of the inn perfectly. The only downside of it was that women weren’t his type. But his companion on the other hand...

The warmth of the hand upon his pulled him out of his thoughts and instantly his eye swivelled to where the man in red was located. He gave a brief nod, patted Aedus’ hand lightly before gesturing that they should make their way towards the male. “Has to be. I don’t see anyone else in such a garish colour.” As they approached him, the male looked up from his conversation with the woman. Though there wasn’t anything suggestive about Kaid’s relaxed manner of walking, the half-Djinn was ready in case this was a trap. “Don’t let down your guard now,” he advised in a low murmur. One never knew if their contact had been compromised.

[Uzaki]

With accomplishing drawing the others attention Aedus moved to take his hand away, though not fast enough to avoid the touch of the warm, large hand upon his. Silently he mused that this was something the other did that to him was unfamiliar, usually it took some time before people who didn’t know him cared enough for touching or joking. It left him a little on guard, but couldn’t and hadn’t been able to help the growing fondness of Kaid\'s behaviour.
 
Aedus hand slipped off the other as he moved forward and with that managed to snap the half-drow out of his thoughts, immediately following. Catching the advise he glanced at his partner, daring to let a half smile through. “Oh, I haven\'t dared let it down my friend…” And the reply hinted at something more than just now, a subtle playfulness he’d only showed a few times since they set out, but he left it at that as the man before them finally noticed and turned their way.
 
“Ah, fair travelers come to our inn, welcome.” his greeting was more or less purred, a warm and welcoming sound, but the high apprentice couldn’t help the feel of hairs on his neck standing up. An unpleasant feeling, but he smiled in greeting anyway and knew that even if it didn’t reach all the way to his eyes the smile was friendly and inviting. He’d practiced to make it like that, in front of mirrors, and felt and tested until he’d found a good expression to invoke trust. The patron had silently dismissed the worker and fully turned his attention to them, eyes flickering between the odd pair.
 
Feeling small, something that usually didn’t bother him but beside the other was inevitable not to, he unconsciously straightened before replying. “Thank you… I believe you’re expecting us.” And there was no beating around the bush, a folded note appeared in his hand, was handed over and accepted.
 
"Ah... of course..."

[deviliscious]

Shooting a glance at the other, he quirked an eyebrow at the man’s response, having a feeling that it meant something more than just that. But he opted on letting it slide. For now. Besides, the man in red had spotted them and was saying something in greeting. Kaid focused his attention on the thin, sleazy-looking person, their contact for this mission.

Not liking the way he was looking at them, the half-Djinn tensed and mustered a fierce glare that had the man gulping and looking away hastily, and Kaid felt a bit of satisfaction seeing him flustered as he went to retrieve the inn’s logbook, quickly flipping the pages before he stopped at one particular section.

“Separate rooms?” he asked in a not quite nervous stutter, eyes darting between the two, seemingly unsure who to address. “No need for that, just one room would do,” Kaid replied smoothly, crossing his arms over his chest and looking down almost haughtily and very much the intimidating figure. The man nodded swiftly and scribbled something in the book before throwing a hesitant glance upwards. As if knowing what he was about to ask next, the half-Djinn cast a fleeting look at his companion and then smirked before saying “Single”. He half wondered what Aedus would think of that, making a decision to get a room with one bed instead of the customary two. Whatever he thought, he was sure that he would enjoy the reaction.

Shortly after, they were given the key and Kaid let the shorter assassin pay the man. It was better that way, sticking to the impression that he was the merchant and the lumbering giant accompanying him was just the bodyguard. He could always claim what he had spent for the good of the mission from the Academy’s treasury department.

The room they were given was on the third floor and was right at the end of the corridor. Inside, it maintained the overall concept of the inn as it showed off a romanticism style that translates into a luxurious theme in soothing off-whites tinged with purple. The most outstanding feature had to be the large bed, boasting a mix of lush fabrics that just screams sensual complete with lace adorning the side trimmings and not only that, a soft translucent  canopy was draped about the bed to tie the look together. Kaid was fascinated and it clearly showed on his face as he entered the room.

Once the door was closed and locked behind them, Kaid allowed himself to relax; a small grin (which was more of a snicker) was directed at his partner. “Look, the bed. Isn’t it nice?” he drawled out with a slight leer in his tone as he went about to set his backpack carefully down on the bedside table followed by his scimitar which he rested against the wall. “Feels like we’re on a honeymoon, doesn’t it?” he couldn’t help but add cheekily.

[Uzaki]

Single.
 
Why?
 
Aedus had almost sputtered out an objection as the decision was made, having to bite his lower lip to stop himself from speaking. The other was still the decided leader and his decision was... I’m not prude, he thought as he handed over a sum of gold for their long stay, but this man… This man managed to make him very aware of himself, of the two of them together, and even if he was ignoring the innuendos he wasn’t immune to them.
 
The room didn’t help.
 
Sliding off his backpack as soon as he’d shut the door he glanced around to finally send a glare at the back of Kaid’s neck as if trying to burn holes through his skull. A deep breath. At least the bed was large.
 
“Yes, the single one bed we got. Nice.” He finally drawled, unable to keep it to himself any longer. The glare still present on his face though lessened in intensity, for Aedus wasn’t one to hold a grudge for long and at least not when it wasn’t something that couldn’t be fixed or didn’t really matter. Like this. “Not really, no.” No reason to maintain his delusions.
 
“It feels as if I’m stuck in here for quite some time, with only one bed and a really large man to share it with.” Walking over to one of the two windows he peered outside, an excuse to avoid looking at Kaid as the half-drow had managed to somewhat embarrass himself. Speaking before thinking. Large man. Was he… no don’t go there. He rubbed his neck with one hand, the heat on the other side of the window not really cooling him down.
 
Keep it to the mission at hand, that’s safe.
 
“So, should we wait until dusk before we head out again?”

[deviliscious]

If Kaid had eyes at the back of his head, he would surely have laughed at the reaction he had earned from the other. Too bad he couldn’t see it since Aedus thought it was better to glare from behind him rather being obvious about it. That was cheating. It was unfair to the man already handicapped with only one seeing eye.

The half-Djinn waved away the man’s disagreement, reaching into his bag to retrieve the mission scroll and tossed it to Aedus before pulling out the weapons he had stashed inside, namely his supply of needles, shurikens and darts, as well as his poison kit, carefully laying them out on the far side table. He figured now was a good time as any to get his weapons ready. “Hey, I can’t help being large. I mean, every part of me is. It’s in the genes,” was his casual comeback though his eye glinted mischievously. There was no mistaking what he meant by that. And he wasn’t at all offended at the comment of him being large because he knew he was, just as he knew he wasn’t fat in the slightest. “Besides, the bed is large enough for three men.”

When the topic veered back to the mission, Kaid couldn’t help but be amused. “So eager to start, eh? And so serious too! Relax, take that stick out of your ass, why don’t you?” he teased, uncapping one of the mini bottles of poison and then dipping a needle in, saturating it three-quarters of the way in deadly toxin before he set it aside on the cloth he had laid out. He then proceeded to do the same to the rest, talking while he worked diligently.  

“But yes, you’re right in that we should wait till dark. I can’t do much in broad daylight, damn this big body of mine,” he whined with a slight jiggling of his muscular form. “See here, Aedus. I may be the official commander of this team but realise that it’s only because of my higher rank,” And because we don’t know where your loyalties lie. “But I really am not the leader type of person so... if you don’t mind, you take the lead. I’ll gladly follow,” he said, flashing the other a charming smile.

"So? Any plans as yet on how we\'re going to do this?"

[Uzaki]

Catching the mission brief he unrolled it, skimming over the details despite already knowing by heart what it said. Leaving the safety of the window he headed over to the bed and sat down on its edge, the surface buckled with his weight and dipped low before with the built momentum sent him upwards again. Great, a waterbed. Stabilizing himself with one hand he glanced up to see if the other had noticed. A part of him wondered if the patron had meant to play them a joke.
 
A large man. Yes, yes he was. And with Aedus luck so far the combination of his weight and the water bed would probably mean he’d end up rolling into the mass that was the half-djinn and his dip in the bed. But… maybe he wouldn’t.
 
“Hopefully you won’t roll over me in your sleep.” And make me an imprint in the mattress... He said, needing to say something but not wanting to continue on the others previous path of self-flattery. “And I figured as much by the way you’ve already let me handle everything you found \'sooo boooring\'” he tried to imitate the high pitched complaint-voice of Kaid, managing somewhat but far from perfectly. He snickered at his own attempt. See I don\'t have a stick up my ass.
 
“We must learn more of where they all will be and are staying, who they are and what routines they have and all that basic stuff.” He said, going by the book and his teachings to not risk anything, play it safe and to the best of his abilities. Leaning forward he pulled off his leather boots, groaning as his feet were freed of their warm confines. This was the best part of traveling for a long time, loosing his boots and taking a short time to rest and relax. And he did find himself surprisingly relaxed in the other’s presence.
 
“The details were rather vague, almost as if the client doesn’t know or care who the representative will be…” he mused out loud, sharing an observation of his that sounded right. Most likely the only thing mattering was the blame falling on the right party. He glanced over to the other, observing him and the care in which he tended to his gear. Not one to rely on poisons he needn’t do much but keep his weapons sharp and clean, and he’d do that later before they left.
 
“I would never have figured you were a poison master, you don’t look the type.” He noted, keeping to himself that his father always had thought poisons were a cowards way. Aedus didn’t care. At his academy however the poison users had been sickly looking men always smelling strongly and more often than not their hair were slick with grease to keep the fumes off, so not looking the type was a compliment.

[deviliscious]

Though Kaid’s eye was fixed upon his weapons, he looked up with a slight confusion when he heard the slight sloshing of water. Water? And seeing the cause for it, set him off laughing, one needle already coated with poison shaking dangerously in his hand. “A waterbed? Now that’s rich!” Then a spark of mischief blossomed in his lone eye before he turned away to concentrate more on what he was doing though under his breath, he muttered a cheerful “Not so much as roll over but more like roll onto.”

Although the bad imitation did surprise him as he figured the other wasn’t the type to... well, not have a stick up his ass, he chuckled softly. “You keep surprising me everytime, Aedus,” he glanced up and gave the man a wink, not bothering to object that he did not sound like that, like a bratty whiner. Actually, he did but he certainly would never admit it.

He nodded appropriately as he listened to his comrade’s plan, easily agreeing as it was what he would have suggested anyway. “Most clients are like that.” he set aside all the needles and started on the shurikens now. “They always aren’t too big on details. It’s why many missions get wrongly classified. Whatever the case, I think that taking out the target shouldn’t be too much of a problem once we know who he is. The problem is how to ensure that the blame falls on... who was it again that should be implicated?” It wasn’t that Kaid had poor memory, he just couldn’t be bothered.

When earlier he would not have been offended by the remark about his size, he was mildly insulted that he ‘didn’t look the type’ for a poisons specialist. Was there supposed to be a certain look? “Now what’s that supposed to mean?” he groused, taking it the wrong way as he carelessly chewed on the tip of a senbon needle that he had just dipped in poison not too long ago. He then shrugged, spitting out the needle when he started to feel a mild numbness of his tongue. “Ehh... whatever. Whether I look it or not, I’ve always had a thing for poison. Fortunately I’m good at it!”

Was it just him or did he sound like his tongue was slightly swollen?

“Anyway, I opt for covering more ground tonight for the investigation which means that it would be more practical that we split up. But of course, that’s your decision.”

[Uzaki]

Rolling up the mission brief he fingered it as he continued watching the other, gears spinning in his mind and thoughts wandering. Eyebrows rising as the other carelessly spat out the needle and despite what was said at the moment it didn’t look like the other was much good at it and Aedus couldn’t help but laugh, a brief and low sound that lasted only a few heartbeats. Eyes alit in humor.

“Yeah, I can see that.” He nodded, wondering if he’d be able to add oil to the fire for he had yet to see the other angry or upset. At least for real. Kaid had been mock-upset over something Aedus had done during their traveling though the half-drow wasn’t sure what it’d been. Now it was forgotten, and back then the other had soon found something else to direct his attention to.

“No, splitting up is good. There’s a lot of ground to cover and contacts to be made and people to see.” Aedus hadn’t been here before and knew of no one to use as a contact, but it was probably no problem as digging a little in the slums or at the docks (where this was supposed to go down) would surely be fruitful. “And if you haven’t learnt the mission yet, you should hang onto this.” He suggested and tossed back the scroll, much like the other had passed it on to him before.

Standing he headed over to his backpack, deciding he might as well unpack and get ready for tonight.

“And not looking like a poison master wasn’t an insult.” He explained, hitching up the pack and laid it on the bed. “Those who dealt with lots of poison where I come from… the experts… They were creepy and sickly looking.” and he began unpacking and repacking his clothes in neat, folded piles in the chest of drawer, having silently claimed the top two drawers as his.

[deviliscious]

Kaid liked the sound of Aedus’ laugh. It was brief, much too brief, but it was a nice sound. Even if the man was laughing at his expense. Wait. Laughing... at his... expense... He glowered at the other, dark eye glinting with its mirror-like quality, as though trying to project some form of sadistic scheme just for the half-drow. “I would be careful if I were you. After all, you are with a poisons specialist. You wouldn\'t want to... accidentally get poisoned, do you?” he growled.

He wasn’t angry, not really, because he knew that Aedus was just joking. At least his tongue had lost its benumbed effect otherwise he would be hard-pressed to threaten him convincingly when sounding like he had swallowed a toad. Thank goodness for his immunity. Partial though it was, but immunity all the same.

He easily caught the scroll that flew towards him, skimmed through the words for the last time before he tore it up into tiny pieces. “It’s not that I don’t know what the mission entails, just that I can’t be bothered to recall the names,” he pouted slightly, dumping the torn pieces onto the table and then uncapped another bottle before pouring the pink-toned liquid onto what used to be the mission brief. The papery bits instantly dissolved and nothing was left. “Better make sure there’s no evidence,” was his explanation. Nothing was worse than to complete the job but leaving the most stupid trail. This was a lesson well-learnt back in his rookie days. He was never going to repeat the same mistake again.

As he finished up with the tedious work of coating his throwing weapons with the deadly poison, he shot the other male an incredulous look. “Creepy and sickly?” He replaced the lids on the two mini bottles of poison he had opened and tucked it back into his backpack. “I see. Thank the gods... I’d rather not look like them then, if that’s the case. It would be damn hard to get you to fall for me if that was so,” he laughed heartily.

Seriously, he needed to lay off the man and think more about the mission.

Once done with his weapons, he followed the other’s example and unpacked his clothes and whatnot, stuffing them haphazardly into the remaining drawers, grumbling about inconsiderate idiots who didn’t think that it was inconvenient for someone of his height to be crouching down low everything he needed something.

It didn’t take long for the sun to set and by then, Kaid had changed into the set of clothes he usually wore during missions: formfitting, black shirt and pants, his belt of poison-filled pouches looped about his waist. Since this was merely for data gathering purposes, he didn’t want to lug his scimitar along. As he adjusted the black eye patch he wore, he glanced at Aedus to check if he was ready. “What time should we meet back here?”

[Uzaki]

As the other busied himself with unpacking, starting just as Aedus was finished, he dressed himself for the approaching evening and changed into a shirt of dark blue color. It was loose, tucked into the pants, and the wide arms allowed enough room for his wristblade to be strapped on without being visible. Choosing not to strap on his wide utility belt, unconsciously coming to the same conclusion as the other that this was merely scouting and it would only draw attention, he hid a dagger in his left boot.

Pausing in the crouching position, in the middle of folding the leather of his boot, he remembered his father saying that the perfect place for a hidden blade was one by the crotch for very few people enjoyed searching other people\'s privates. He snickered and stood, grabbing a pouch of money.

As sunset arrived he stood looking out the same window he’d escaped to before, a hand holding the heavy curtain out of his view and the orange sky bathed his face in color. The flaming colors were reflected in his dark eyes, and the expectation of heading out and finding whatever the city had in store for him pumped trough his veins. I\'m ready. His spirit high, a small smile on his lips as the edge of the sun disappeared behind the roof of the buildings outside. I am.

When the other finally spoke Aedus pulled the curtains shut, a rustling noise in the otherwise silent room, and turned around.

“Sometime after midnight is good, and that reminds me…” he moved over and snatched up his single black hood from the bed cover, the piece of clothing was nothing more than a hood to be strapped on. He did just that, though waited to pull it up over his head. “…we need to scout for at least one alternative point of relocation. I thought I’d leave it to you who seem to know the city.” And with that he opened the door, pausing to look up into the eye of Kaid.

“Shall we?”

[deviliscious]

As he slid his dagger and a few needles into each of his boots, he looked back at Aedus and nodded. He had already thought of looking for an alternative rendezvous point, and usually, he would find at least two. Having a relocation spot was always a good idea in case the one they currently were holed up in was compromised. For the half-drow to make a mention of it, he was certainly pleased that the man was competent enough to run the show. “Will do,” he acknowledged with a two-finger salute and a slightly lopsided smile.

But when Aedus decided to use the door, Kaid chuckled softly though not condescendingly. He shook his head and reached out with his large hand to close it around the man’s hand that was holding onto the doorknob, before he pushed it close.

Kaid, who never think twice about bursting into anyone’s personal space bubble, was definitely very, very close to the shorter male just then. Close enough that he could catch a whiff of the man’s hair. He took a moment (a long moment) to breathe in the lovely scent, smiling and then taking a step back just in case Aedus decided to take a swing at him. “Not the door, Aedus, the window. I’d rather not anyone see us leaving,” he murmured, his dark eye darting towards the window. It was always good to be discreet, especially doing the things they do.

Flashing him a rather cheeky grin, the half-Djinn turned upon his heels and silently stalked over to the window, parting the curtains a tad bit and inspecting the outside. Luckily, their room was facing the alleyway and the one or two strays were nothing to worry about.  He unlatched the clasp that held the window shut, pushed it open and climbed onto the ledge into a crouch, before glancing over his shoulder at Aedus. “Meet you back here at midnight,” he chirped cheerfully and was about to push himself off the ledge when he looked back once more at the other, this time his expression serious. “Be careful,” were his parting words before he leapt off, the air catching his falling body and then lifting him, and he rapidly flew off into the night.

[Uzaki]

I took several moments before Aedus finally moved from his spot by the now closed door, hand still holding onto the knob and staring at the empty window with a half-scowl on his face. As a breeze blew in through the curtains and blew him out of his stupor he stalked over to look outside, searching but finding the other already gone.
 
Brushing a hand trough his hair he tried to chase away the lingering feeling of the other’s breath as he’d leaned over him, surprising the half-drow who’d not expected anything else than the two of them leaving. And then the parting words, so dramatic… It’d almost made him want to shout something profound after his partner, or at least reply in some sarcastic way.
 
Of course he’d be careful.
 
But now it was too late for witty comebacks and even too late to erase him standing by the door and staring like and idiot. Going unseen by sneaking out through the window did outweigh the risk of getting caught doing it, but he would’ve preferred walking out trough the front door. Maybe tomorrow, when ordinary people used the front door.
 
Yeah.
 
And with that he hopped onto the windowsill and continued his way down, with a small swing to the side he got a hold of the drainpipe and used it to slide downwards. Soles of his boots scraping softly against the brittle surface of the wall, hands careful to not scrape against the fastenings as they came. Well down on the ground he pulled up his hood, glanced around once to make sure no one had spotted him and headed into the darkening city.