They took their time riding back to Riften. He took part in the hunting and had to admit that it was not as bad as he had made it out to be initially. The second and third night went just as smoothly as the first one. They rode most of the day, snuggling against each other on the saddle, and as dusk came they slid into his sleeproll and did delicious things to each other. The issue of their future came up. Both agreed that this intimacy was something they wanted to maintain at home. She came up with a way to hide it : they would mention Mercer Frey when they wanted to do things to the other. If the other replied with something positive, they would find a way to a quiet place and have as much fun as they wanted. Finally, they reached Riften and kept a respectable distance between them as the climbed off the horse. She gave him a knowing wink as they walked into the Flagon.
Surprisingly, the first thing the lass did was walk up Vex's table. Of course, the Imperial let nothing show when Anja gave her the necklace and thanked her for the opportunity, but Brynjolf had known her for long enough to know that the position she adopted, the way her arms remained uncrossed, her neutral expression instead of her usual frowning, all that pointed to the fact that she was rather happy with herself. Forging a friendship with Vex would probably be the best thing Anja could do at that time, at any time. She was influential among Guild members but most people did not dare talk to her. The thieves would be impressed by the lass. She would blossom into a respected member and a good friend to Vex, who never gave away her trust without a good reason.
Brynjolf had always respected Mercer Frey as and elder and a father, but he had to admit that it felt good to be able to use his name as a device to get and give sexual favours. Anja and him become experts at hiding, which was saying much considering they were already very talented thieves. A hand in the other's pants, even in public, always went unnoticed. They would bury themselves in hidden corners, tiny cocoons where only pleasure and desire ruled. People started to notice changes, he could tell, but nobody said anything. They were careful not to get caught.
Getting close to Anja seemed like the most natural thing in the world. Sharing intimacy led to sharing secrets, sharing stories, sharing lives. When he was a young lad, Brynjolf had had many friends. Once in the Guild, Mercer had made sure to prompt him not to get too attached to other thieves. It felt good to be someone's friend again and not simply someone's business partner and drinking buddy. As much as he enjoyed the company of Vex and Delvin, he had to admit that he had never felt as close to them. He had just grown to know them very well without mutual interest, purely out of necessity. He liked them, just as he liked Sapphire and wanted her to be happy and overcome the ghosts of her past, but the lass, she was something else.
He told himself he was probably living one of the happiest times of his life. Anja and him were still sharing tenderness when she came into his bed only for innocent kisses from time to time, and they pleasured each other often enough for them to be in a satisfied mood almost all the time. The topic of going further than their stolen touches eventually came up. She had been oddly quiet for a few days. She had not come to see him for almost a week and only smiled shyly at his attempts to cheer her up or flirt with her. Finally, he decided to take action and cornered her on the docks when she was coming back from a job at Elgrim's. They were a fitting place to find quiet and be able to talk. She was walking to the entrance of the Ratways, but turned around as soon as she heard his steps. Apparently interrupted in her thoughts, she gave him a timid smile and sat on a barrel.
- Following young ladies around, now?
- Lass, I've been wanting to talk to you.
- I've been wanting to talk to you too, she said, looking straight into his eyes.
- I… I think you've been a bit distant lately, and I was worried that something was wrong.
Her eyelashes fluttered and she held her hands for him to come to her. He put a hand on her chin and pulled her for a kiss. She responded quicker than her attitude of the week would have suggested. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave herself into the kiss. They had seen each other every day, but he had missed her sweetness and her warmth terribly. She pulled away, keeping her forehead right against his.
- There's something I want to do. I've thought about it a lot recently, and since I took my decision last week, I haven't found a way to tell you.
- You know you can tell me everything, lass.
- You know how we've been… doing… some things.
- Are you having second thoughts? Divines, lass, I'm sorry, I should have been more careful. What can I do to ever make it up for you?
He pulled away from the embrace to look at her and frowned when he saw her chuckle.
- Not having second thoughts at all, Bryn. Don't beat yourself up about it. It's something else, quite the opposite actually.
- Walk me through it, lass, I don't know what you're talking about.
Her hand fidgeted with the collar of his armour, and she looked down gracefully.
- I'd like us to close the deal.
- Anja…
- Look, I know you are trying to protect me. I appreciate that. I am just telling you that I've been thinking about it a lot, and I have made up my mind. If you have your doubts, you are free to decline.
- I care about you a lot, lass. Don't want to rush you into things. If you do think you are ready and interested, then I trust you and we can talk about it.
- Then trust me. We both enjoy what we've been doing. I don't think it's weird or unexpected that I want us to take the next step. We'd both like that.
- True…
- If you really think we should wait, then we'll wait, but if your only reason for waiting is that you think I'm not ready, well I am. I want this to happen. With you.
- Well, I… I'm flattered, then.
They kissed again, their bodies getting dangerously closer. She slid a hand between them, squeezed his cock through the leather.
- How about we take care of that tonight? She said seductively.
- Another of your well thought out plans? I liked the one in Winterhold, he replied on the same tone.
- Meet me after dinner in the passage to the Cistern.
With that, she got up, gave him a quick peck on the cheek and rushed to the Ratways.
