Stop Right There, Criminal Scum

[Seam]

All was quiet in the 'sleep' area of the Warrior Barracks. Everyone was up and about, training and learning and generally bettering themselves. Most of the hammocks and racks were cleaned up, beds carefully made, while a choice few were still messy, left behind untidy in a rush to get on with the day.

All was quiet, except for something small, something coming from under one of the beds.

A rustle, a poke, and a blanket fell off one of the unmade beds.

Trying his best to be stealthy, Seam appeared from behind the blanket, chucking it back on top of the flimsy mattress and checking his surroundings. So far, so good. It wasn't that he needed a place to sleep, no, he had plenty of those out in the back alleys. He was here for a much different reason.

Soon enough, he spotted one.

He scurried over to a bed, where a pair of steel-and-leather boots were laid, obviously one of the stronger men's choice of gear. No, he didn't need new shoes, especially not these clanky, heavy, loud-as-all-Avaren ones. They would serve him a much different purpose.

After all, Warrior gear sold very well if you found the right fence. He grabbed the pair, and careful to stay quiet, looked around for something else he could grab before he left.

[Taintelin]

"No, nonono, nooo."

Footsteps announced his arrival, purposely made heavy, so that each step rang out a lot louder than it should have been. The knife in his hand swung up and then out, scraping against the stone wall as he walked closer.

"Boots? You sneak into the Barracks to steal... boots? Ha!"

The only light in the otherwise deserted room was that of a single flickering wall torch, and as the owner of the voice grew nearer, it illuminated his features, revealing a boy in his teenage years, with messy blond, almost platinum hair, and light gray-blue eyes that caught the gleam from the flame like a wolf's. His mouth was stretched in a wide grin, manically pleased with the little sit-u-a-tion he'd found himself in.

"Heehee... are you stupid?" The boy giggled to himself, not caring how the sounds echoed against the cold walls. "Youuuuu... are gonna get caught! Dun dunnn!" With a rush, he stabbed the nearest mattress, then dragged the blade along, effectively gutting the oh-so-deadly inanimate object.

There was quiet for a moment, the newcomer just breathing to himself, not looking at anything. A brief respite, and then he jerked back up, closer to the would-be thief this time, the knife left forgotten in its prey.

"Have you fallen on hard times, my friend?" The gray-blue eyes blinked once, capturing the other boy's image in his mind's eye like a miniature portrait. "Or is this jusssst... for fun?"

[Seam]

Shit. He'd been caught. Figured. Seems like nothing went right these days, no matter what he tried. All he was asking for was an easy target for an easy meal and well, here the Warrior's Barracks lied, and for some reason someone was here to catch him. Every time.

"I en't stealin' nothin'." Seam said, slang leaving his tongue like eggs from a spider sac. "I'm jus... I'm jus cleanin'." That was likely enough, right? It would work. He could be the cleaning boy for the otherwise mildly messy and musty barracks. He eyed the knife embedded in the mattress warily. "Why'd you go an' do that for?"

He didn't like how this guy was talking to him, not one bit. It gave him an itchy feeling in the bottom of his stomach, the kind he got when he was around his dad. Well, used to be around his dad.

[Taintelin]

He made no reply to the boy's cleaning boy claim, but when the other asked about the knife, Taint's eyes went to it in surprise, as though he didn't remember putting it there.

Maybe he didn't.

"It's just resting," he assured the boy, and patted the top of the handle like you would the head of a dog, with a warm smile to match. "It's fine, it's fiiiiine." Fine and dandy. Always was.

He moved away from the boy a step, then back to him, eyes wandering the room. "Sooo much to clean, you don't have much time left before allllll those big - nasty - fighter types come back here." He shook his head, tutting. "Nooope, no time at all! I heard they get real nasty when everything isn't made up like they like, here. I mean, just look at this mess!" His hands swept out, encompassing the area. "Beds to be made, pillows to be fluffed, shit pots to be emptied and scrrrrubbed." The still-gesturing hands fell to his sides, and he suddenly looked very serious.

"I bet... if you had help, you could get it done in time! Don't you think? And all you gotta do..." Taint's lips twitched, something like a smile came out. "...is ask!"

Gray-blue rolled sideways, and with a sudden, vicious lunge, he reclaimed the dagger, tearing up the rest of the mattress in the process.

"Not hard at all, nope!"

[Seam]

Seam didn't speak as this strange guy went off about all of his duties. He twitched a little at the mention of shit pots. That didn't sound pleasant at all. And what was with him petting the knife? As each moment passed, Seam felt more and more uncomfortable, that itching in his stomach growing. He wanted out, and now.

And then he tore the knife out again. He couldn't help it, he jumped a little. This was not good at all.

"N... Naw, it's okay. I c'n... I c'n handle it myself, I just gotta, ah.." He swallowed. "Deliver this here boots." That was good, right? That was believable. He was getting more and more nervous, but he tried his best not to show it. He started edging his way around the bed he was closest to, heading towards the way out.

[Taintelin]

Taint didn't make a move to stop the boy but rather leaned against the nearest wall and began humming to himself. Eyes on the ceiling, he spoke without even the barest of glances the boy's way.

"Do you wanna know something really funny?" He didn't allow the kid time to respond, but kept on going, his voice full of more giggles. "I saw you come down here, I did. And I thought to myself, why is he going down there? Because -- and you'll find this funny as well, I'm sure -- the Barracks can't afford maids of any kind, not even little urchin boys who'll clean for pennies."

He sighed, the sound full of satisfaction, and slid down the wall to sit on the ground, still smiling. "So I went to one of the men training, and I said -- you still listening? -- I said, do you have a cleaning boy, and do you know what he said? Do you know?"

He burst into a peal of laughter, dropping the knife in favor of slapping his palm against the stone floor. "Well. He seemed pretty suspicious when I left, imagine how he must feel now? He must be watching the entrance to this shithole like a hawk, do you get it, a hawk."

The humor abruptly dropped from his voice, and he turned his head to look at the boy, abject seriousness in his pale eyes.

"So if I were you.... I wouldn't go out that way. Not right now, anyway."

[Seam]

Seam shifted uncomfortably as he called him out. He'd seen him? How? He'd thought he'd been so good, sneaking in while no one was around and hiding until he was sure no one was coming in. Sure, he could have been wrong, but... If it was true, then this guy had him.

And even worse, so did a man outside.

Seam wasn't stupid, just uneducated. He knew he wouldn't be able to make a dent in any of the real fighters, here, unless he got lucky through some trickery or something. There was just no way for him to win as it was. The other boy was right, he had no business going out that door.

What was a hawk, anyway? A knife wouldn't be staring at the door. Neither would be someone selling stolen boots, or something. He had to just shrug, and resolve to find out later. Hawk. Why did words have to have so many meanings?

To put it mildly, he was frustrated.

"Well where shud I go, then?" He did not want to be here with this guy. His eyes started looking around, trying to find another exit. A window he'd assessed as an emergency exit earlier, he now saw, was way too high for him to reach without seriously disturbing the furniture. Funny, it looked so much closer before, too...

[Taintelin]

He saw the boy look up to the window, but all it did was get another trickle of titters out of him.

"Go? Go? Why would you wanna go when you've got company like me here?" He pushed himself back up to a standing position and began to pace like some sort of caged animal. "Am I not good enough for your classy little self?"

But, no. This was all starting to bore him. He'd had his fun, time to get down to business.

"Answer me a question, and I'll help you out, hmmmm?" He couldn't say no, wouldn't say no. Taint picked up the knife again and stared at the blade as though mesmerized.

"What else can you steal besides boots, my friend?" The edge really wasn't sharp enough. He'd done nothing to improve the status of the weapon since he'd found it, though that hadn't hindered him in slaying the mattress-beast. Taint struck at the wall, and smiled dreamily at the sparks it made. Somewhat dull, yes, but not too dull to slit a throat. Human skin was so soft, so delicate, even blunt fingernails could pierce it.

What a waste, right? The fact your life could be ended by someone just clawing at your neck. The thought made him giggle a bit to himself. He'd never, ever let that happen to him, oh no. He was too smart for that, too quick!

"Can those grubby little hands of yours pick pockets?" Two questions, really, but oh well. He smiled sweetly at his new friend, lowering the knife to his side. Wouldn't it be nice if the answer to his last question was a 'yes'? Oh, he so hoped it was!

[Seam]

Good enough? Good enough? Was he calling Seam stuck up? He was so not. At all. He just didn't want to be around this crazy dude with the crazy knife who was making crazy fire with it. It was just bad news, and another thing, if someone walked in right now he'd be caught red handed. And he wasn't a dirty murderer, no sir, but the instant they saw Taint and his hawk it'd be all over for him he just knew it.

But then, the question.

Obviously, he was had. He knew he wasn't here to clean, or deliver boots. He knew he was stealing if he'd ask a question like that.

And besides, his own pride was at stake, here.

"'cours I can." He admitted, mildly smug. "Imma damn good pick pocket." He flushed a little, feeling boastful, but it was true. At least, in his eyes. Hell, he bet, if he got all dressed nice and cleaned good and his hair did he'd make a fine politic-ician. "Hell, one time, I stole this whole basket of appl's off this shop table and they didn' even see me."

He'd gotten pretty sick of apples after that month, but hey.

"Why you ask? You wan' revenge or somethin'?"

[Taintelin]

"Ummmmm," said Taint, ignoring the thief's question for the moment. He played with the knife in his hands for a moment, then tossed it at the boy's feet.

"A gift!" he proclaimed. "From meee, to youuu." He was so kind, so giving. It was so strange he didn't have any friends, really. Such a nice guy.

"Nonono, not revenge, never revenge, oh nooo. I'm just... wondering, see." He tapped the side of his head, still smiling widely. "I'm curious, got it... but not like that cat, oh no. The one from the saying. You know." Oh nono, he'd never die, not ever. Even if he did, how did that saying end? Satisfaction brought it back... and then it murdered all its friends for fun! Yes! That one!

He might've gotten part of the saying wrong, but... Oh well. It didn't matter, no, nothing did, really. Nothing at all.

"I wanna know... If I wanted something, could you get it for me?" His eyes focused on the boy's, holding him there, hypnotizing in their too-bright silver-blue. Like a snake, he was like a snake. And this little morsel was the m-o-u-s-e. Under those charming eyes, his smile grew, and grew, and grew.

"I'd pay you, of course." Sure he would. With a bit of steel in the ribs. Haha! But no, no, Taint was always truthful, always. He would never ever lie, at least, not about something like that. "I'd pay you swell."

[Seam]

Seam was distracted, as probably was the plan, by the sudden gift. His eyes were wide as he eyed it. He wasn't someone who carried weapons around. Fighting and threatening had always been his friend's place, he was just the smallest and the sneakiest. Well, that's what they would say. Sometimes. Either way, he'd never had a weapon. It looked mighty sharp, laying there on the floor like that. Seam glanced up at him, glanced back to the knife, back to him, then leaned down and snatched it up quickly, holding it carefully and close to himself.

Seam had no idea what that saying was.

If he wanted something, could he get it for him? Like what? Food? You were s'posed to get your own food. That's how it worked. For some reason, though, Seam had a feeling that this kid wasn't hungry. He had the knife. He oughta just leave right now before this crazy guy gave him his crazy. For some reason, though, he couldn't move. Something about his eyes, probably.

Besides, he said he would pay him. Pay him as well? What did that mean? 'Swell as who?' he wanted to ask, but he bit his tongue.

"What... do ya want?"

[Taintelin]

"What do I want..." Taint repeated in a musing tone. "Hummmmm. I wonder!"

Almost absently, Taintelin wandered forward, stopping just in front of the other boy. He stared for another moment, serious as he ever could be, then his wide smile turned into a crocodile grin; he broke out into a laugh and patted the top of the kid's head.

"Cute, but dumb! You'll work though, oh yes, I think you will! Now, little thief-bird, I have to scram. Don't want any of those big burly types to come back while I'm down here, y'know!"

Abruptly, he turned and trotted for the exit, though he paused briefly before actually leaving to call over his shoulder to his newfound friend. "If I neeeed you, I'll find you, don't worry 'bout that. Ha!"

Another step; this time he whirled all the way around, facing the boy. "Ohhh, riiiight, almost forgot!" He giggled. "This is pretty funny, I think you'll appreciate this: there en't no one watching the door here, in fact I believe all those Warrior types went out somewhere to train today, though I actually have no idea when they'll be back." He shrugged his thin shoulders, lifted his bare hands in a well-what-can-you-do gesture. "Oh well. Take care of my knife!"

The door swung closed behind him.

[Seam]

At first, he thought he was going to strike him. He was prepared for it, both mentally and physically, and no way he would flinch, no sir, not ever. He was trained for this kind of thing. He'd made sure, ever since he was little.

Taint patted his head and Seam flinched away magnificently.

Well dang.

Just like that, though, the unnerving boy was leaving. And no one was watching the door, OR coming inside. He'd been lied to. Played. It was frustrating, but what could you do? It was his fault for falling for it so terribly. Besides, now, he was sort of working for the guy, he thought. That's what all this had meant, right? Was he getting hired? That could be cool.

Seam gazed down at the knife, and felt a strange chill go down his spine. He mumbled, long after Taint was gone, quietly to himself.

"I will."

And with that, he left.