(A/N: This is a simple oneshot based on the canon character Sugar-Lips Habasi, who is going to be more fleshed out and a fairly prominent character in my Morrowind fiction, Journey to the East. This takes place several years before Adanji gets to Morrowind, and before Habasi joined the Thieves Guild. Hope you enjoy it—constructive criticism, as always, is welcome and appreciated.)

Sugar Lips

23 Second Seed, 3E 420

Habasi inhaled the fumes deeply, smiling as the familiar warm, tingling sensation crawled down her spine. Visions danced briefly before her eyes as shadows came sluggishly to life, playing with the light like kittens with strings. She blinked slowly, and exhaled swirling tendrils of smoke. She hummed a small tune, concentrating on every note. The distractions were welcome. She needed them today. Anything to stop thinking about him. That smarmy Bosmeri smirk, the raised brow, those fancy shoes—an impossibly bright teal silk with gold lining, this month (they were constantly being replaced)— were all things she was trying desperately to push out of her mind this evening.

That seemed to be a bit of a habit she'd been forming over the last few weeks, unfortunately…

"You know, they're calling you Sugar-Lips, now." She jumped as a stern voice cut into her thoughts. She hadn't even heard him come in.

One yellow eye snapped open and peered up at the hazy, dark figure. "Well. At least this one now has a nick name. She was beginning to feel left out." The Redguard crossed his arms, unimpressed by her attempt at humor. She sighed, "Why does James bother this one?"

'Gentleman' Jim Stacey pointedly ignored the familiar tone and plopped down next to the young Khajiit, staring intently into her eyes. He had always had a way of making Habasi hold his gaze, even when she really didn't want to. "You had another fight?"

"Bragor told you, did he?" She sniffed. "Never could keep his mouth shut." She held out her skooma pipe. "Want some?"

"No, and you're lucky I don't confiscate that."

Habasi shrugged, pressing the pipe to her lips and taking another deep breath of the drug.

"Habasi!" Jim snapped. She looked at him sharply. "I don't know what your deal is, but you need to resolve it. I can't have my best thieves at each other's throats. Especially when you usually work so well together."

Habasi rolled her eyes. They only worked well together when Bragor followed her lead. When he had tried to take control of their last heist he had nearly gotten them both caught. The time before that, he actually did get them caught and the guild had had to pay a fortune to bail them out. Their pay for the whole month had been docked to cover all the bribing expenses.

"He wishes to lead," Habasi growled.

"I've noticed. Maybe you should try letting him," he said gently.

"That is what got us in trouble last time!" She threw her hands up in exasperation, the skooma pipe slipping from her grasp and rolling off into the shadows. She ignored it. "He is terrible at it, and now he does not follow well, either. He becomes more foolhardy by the day and refuses to heed direction! How can Habasi work with her friend when he will not listen?"

A long silence passed between them, before Jim placed a firm hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "That's something you'll have to figure out for yourself. You think I had all the answers when I became the Mastermind?"

Her ears twitched. She hadn't really thought about that, before. Jim had been a competent Mastermind ever since he had welcomed her into the guild. "Habasi assumed…"

"I made a lot of mistakes. Terrible ones, sometimes." His lips twitched in amusement. He seemed to take the term 'we'll laugh about this one day,' quite seriously. Then his expression sobered. "For a while, I considered giving up—letting Phane take the lead."

Habasi grimaced. It wasn't that she didn't like Phane, though they sometimes had their disagreements. It was just that… "Phane cares more about a profit than the guild."

"That's exactly why I kept at it. Pushed myself to improve… That's also why I'm pushing you."

Her head cocked to the side. "What is this one implying?"

"I've got word. It looks like in a few months, I'll be promoted to Master Thief and moving to Vivec. I'll need someone to take my place, here. I think you're best for the job."

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You're pulling Habasi's tail."

"No. You'll have to clean up, of course. I won't tolerate any Masterminds too skooma-addled to lead. You straighten out New-Shoes, and cut back on the skooma, and you can look forward to quite the promotion. It won't be easy," he warned, "But if you don't take it, Phane's the only other person here qualified to lead South Wall. You know my problem with that."

Habasi nodded absently. Of course she knew she was qualified to lead. Ever since she had escaped Dren Plantation, she had always been good at using her wits to her advantage, and the advantage of those working with her. When people listened, things went well. But with all the problems she had been having recently with Bragor… she was afraid she had been losing her touch.

"Ahem." They looked up as a third figure entered the room. A Bosmer. He shifted uncomfortably, scuffing at the ground with one, bright-blue shoe.

"Bragor," Habasi said with a stiff nod.

"I'll let you two talk," Jim said, standing. "You just think about what I said," He told Habasi before leaving.

"Hey…" Bragor said, taking Jim's place before the spot even had time to cool.

"Hi." Her tail twitched. A tense moment passed between them, neither saying a word. Habasi looked away, her ears flat. She didn't really want to be angry at Bragor. She wanted to be justified in her anger, perhaps, but she didn't like the emotion itself. They had been friends for almost six years, after all. Bragor had found her wandering near Suran shortly after fleeing slavery, and had helped her get to Balmora, where Gentleman Jim had found them. They had done many jobs together, and each had always watched the other's back.

Out of the corner of her eye, Habasi saw Bragor playing absently with a lock of his curly brown hair. He looked like an idiot. But he is MY idiot. She smiled.

"Sorry." The word was blurted out without much thought, in unison. They laughed as the tension suddenly melted away.

"I'm sorry," Bragor repeated. "I didn't mean to screw up."

"You don't have to-"

"I just want to be Mastermind."

"… What?" She had assumed that must be the case, but she didn't think he would have just told her that, point blank. He had always been the sort to bottle up his emotions.

"I heard rumors flying about that Jim's retiring, or getting a promotion, or something." He waved his hand absently, "That means he'll need a successor, right? I was just trying to step up and show him that I could take his place."

"Any one of us could," Habasi said evasively. The last thing she needed was for Bragor to get jealous of her and ruin the moment. "Arathor-"

"He's a fool, who doesn't take anything seriously. He'd be terrible!"

"Sottilde-"

"She's tough, and pretty sharp for a Nord, but she's too hot-headed." Habasi was careful not to point out the hypocrisy in this statement.

"What about-"

"Chirranirr hasn't been sober in over three years! It's a wonder she can walk, let alone sneak! Besides, I think we both know who's going to be Mastermind when Jim leaves."

Habasi shifted, clearing her throat. It felt like there was something lodged in it that she couldn't get out. "Well…"

"Let's face it. Arathor and Sottilde have seniority. Slinks-in-shadows has the skill requirements, but she's never shown any initiative. The only two people here really qualified to fill Jim's shoes are you and Phane. And nobody wants Phane in charge."

"I don't…" Habasi sighed. "Please forgive this one."

Bragor gripped her hand, grinning. It didn't quite reach his eyes, but Habasi appreciated the gesture. "I'm a bit disappointed, yeah. But I'll live. And you know I'll follow you anywhere." Habasi smiled. "Now! Just so you don't think I'm blowing smoke up your ass, I think Jim might have a job for us. I won't question a single order."

He stood, brushed off his trousers, and held out his hand. Habasi took it with a smile, and left the room—and her skooma pipe—behind.