Levi Thou liked to be dramatic. He sat in the high-backed, white buffalo hide chair, facing away from them, which was not unusual in their meetings. This made it impossible to read Levi, which may or may not have been the desired effect, but Nor was grateful for it. The Twin was a man that made people nervous. Even his closest, most trusted compatriots were made to sweat in his presence. Or maybe it was that they would sweat even more than the people that didn't know Levi as well. For Nor, it was easier to talk without having to look at the man.
And it was his turn to speak.
"'The painter', Jørn, who is indebted to you for 100,000 kronor did not show," Nor announced dutifully, and with a touch of agitation at the news in question. He stared at the table with brown, boyish eyes, picking at an indent in the wood as he spoke. Nor was young, in his early 30s. He had small but full lips, concentrated eyebrows, and a straight nose that accented his straight forehead. His skin was dimpled with several chicken pock scars. He dressed well, but it was apparent in the rest of his almost unemotional demeanor that style didn't come naturally to him. He got his dark hair trimmed every other week, and it was all to keep up appearances for Levi.
Levi was silent, and for a moment Nor wondered if he would be angry at him. He wouldn't be surprised, although he had learned that Levi's temper was very difficult to predict. Sometimes, he had unexpected calm.
"What is this? The artist has no money?" Levi's deep voice resounded. Nor gave a small chuckle that sounded like a wince, unsure of what kind of reaction Levi intended. He then heard a cavernous sigh that gave light to the very size of the ribcage that it came from. Levi was a very big man. "Well? So what are you going to do?"
Judging by the way the four other men at the table all looked at him, with curiosity and surprise, Nor suspected this was an unusual question. Nor was new under Levi's wing, and he had a hunch that Levi was training him with that question, prodding him to take more responsibility over the situation. It seemed fair. Nor had expected a response more intense. Hostile, even. Perhaps Levi recognized that Nor was a smart man. He didn't require threats in order to learn.
"I'll…find him and demand the money?" Nor cringed inwardly. He hadn't meant for it to sound like a question.
There was a deep chuckle.
"And then when he doesn't have the money?" Levi queried. "What then? Or do you think he'll tell you he has the money— he just needs to go home and get it from underneath his mattress?" Nor was utterly embarrassed now, and his peers were watching him, discerning. He was unusually new, and unusually young, to be in a position so close to the overlord. He was sure everyone was very interested to see his success implode violently. He was still just grateful that Levi wasn't looking at him. He'd witnessed true humiliation at the expense of his peers, this was nothing. Or, it should be nothing. To Nor, it was something. And it was for this acute awareness, he believed, that Levi had taken a liking to him.
"Well, if he doesn't have the money, then he should be made to pay in another way," Nor responded, thinking highly of his resilience. The quiet, eagerly entertained looks in his peers' eyes could die the fuck out, now.
He could see a large finger tapping the white leathered arm of the chair. There was no immediate response, and Nor's mind raced. Levi was either reflecting, or waiting, and if he was waiting, the implication was that Nor should have something to say. And that Levi should never have to wait.
"When would you like to see him?" Nor asked, his mind running on autopilot. He didn't have the time to think this through. He said the words while he tried to think if this was the right thing to say, or whether Levi even wanted to personally deal with Jørn. He risked offending the big man.
No one saw the pleased smile that laid itself on Levi's lips, but they could hear it.
"How about dinner?"