Yeah! People wanted more! Well, one person did. And I was like, "Meh, why not?" So, I think I'm gonna have another chapter after this one, and then it'll be over. Wow, a simply one-shot turns into a three chaptered story.

I don't think chaptered is a word.

Well

I dun don't give a didly doodly fuck.


"So, how did it go?" Delvin asks a few day later. Ziris had returned from Whiterun the night before, just a day after Brynjolf, and she sighs, plunking down in a chair at the same table in the Flagon. She pulls a pile of merchandise from her bag and pushes it towards him.

"How did it go? Well, we went for the same thing, I cut his hand, he played drunk, commented on my hair color, and that was about it. How do you think it went, Del?"

Delvin shakes his head and pushes the stolen items back towards her. "Did you even try to talk to him?"

"Well, I felt bad after I cut his hand open with a dagger, so I guess I did. When I was apologizing," she replies.

Delvin raises an eyebrow. "Did you actually apologize?"

Ziris looks down at the table, tracing a scar in the wood with her finger. "Well… maybe. I don't really remember."

"Darlin', you need to try harder. I practically gift wrapped him for you," the thief across from her says with another shake of his head.

"You sent him to Whiterun?" Ziris exclaims, causing Vex to raise her head, as well as Vekel to look up from cleaning the bar. Ziris waves them off and lowers her voice. "Why did you do that?"

"You asked me to do somethin', so I did. I do what people ask of me," he answers simply, leaning back in his chair.

Ziris glares at him for a moment, and then pushes away from the table, standing up and heading towards the doors to the Cistern. Delvin watches her go for a moment before calling, "Where you going, lass?"

"I need to take walk," she calls over her shoulder before walking through the storage closet towards the Cistern. As she exited through the door, she heard someone say her name, and glanced over her shoulder to see Brynjolf leaning against the wall. She stops walking so he can join her in the center of the room. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to ask you if you completed the job," he said, her heart dropping as he finished speaking. What did I expect him to say? I love you?

She merely smiles and says, "Yeah, I did. Don't worry about it."

He nods, and glances down at the ground. "Where you going?" he asks after a moment.

"Oh, just for a walk. I need some fresh air," she replies, glancing over her shoulder towards the secret entrance.

Brynjolf nods, and kicks at the stonework under his foot. "Uh, do you mind if I join you? Fresh air does sound really good."

Ziris blinks in surprise, but nods. "Y-Yeah. Of course."

"Cool."

Ziris leads the way to the ladder and climbed up after Brynjolf dips his head to her. Reaching the top, she crouches near the hole and helps Brynjolf out. Before they leave the grave that hides the entrance, Bryn pulls on the chain that closes the coffin, hiding the Cistern entrance from view. "So, where do you want to go?" Ziris asks.

"Just lead the way," Brynjolf replies. Ziris thinks for a moment, and then grins.

"You wanna see something cool?"

Bryn's eyes widen, and she grabs his hand. "Where are we going, lass?"

"Just trust me."

"Isn't this beautiful?" Ziris breaths, gazing out over the water. Brynjolf nods from beside her, his eyes wide in amazement.

"I can't believe I never thought of coming up here before. How'd you think of it?"

The female thief shrugs, wrapping her arms around her legs, passing Brynjolf the bottle of mead she had stashed on the roof of the Honorhall Orphanage after taking a long swig. "I was just… up here by chance, I guess. I was trying to get away from the guards, and I climbed up the side of the Orphanage and… this." She gestures to the setting sun over the lake, and Bryn shakes his head.

"It's gorgeous." His eyes dart to her, and she turns to look at him, smiling. "It's not the only thing."

Ziris pretends to be annoyed. "Yeah, I know. Vex is really beautiful. The bitch."

Brynjolf grins, and tosses the bottle off to the side after finishing it before reaching over to grab her hand. "You're a horrible actor."

She raises her eyebrows in his direction. "Oh yeah? Well, maybe I should take some lessons."

"Maybe you should," he teases, pulling her closer to him over the tiles on the roof.

"Hmm, will they cost me anything? I don't know if acting lessons are worth the money…" she comments, allowing him to draw her onto his lap.

"Mm, I suppose the first trial can be free, but if you wish to keep going, I'm going to charge you," Bryn replies. "But trust me, it'll be worth the money."

"It better be, thief," she murmurs, putting her lips to his. They stayed like that for several moments, until she draws away, and looks at him. "You taste like berries."

"It's the mead," he whispers.

"Do I have to pay for more lessons?" she asks quietly.

He pulls her back towards him. "Nah. Teaching you is profit enough."


Oh yeah. I forgot to mention drunken kisses happen.

Whoops.