[AN] Before people think I am not updating this anymore. I really want to and I am sorry for the shortness of the last chapters and my lack of updates the last month! Thanks for the review masterofnoodles, may your gracious noodlesness read this! I hope you like it,and I love that you love Childish!


The wood was old and full of cracks, but despite his heavy boots it made little to no sound. There was a little dark stain on one side of his coat. Water, mixed with mud? Blood? Maybe both or nothing.

And it made little difference to him anyway. It was not like anyone had seem him today. Looks were for people moving through the crowd, trying to catch an eye. He was no fool. A flower was as pretty as she was poisonous. But at least flowers were trampled down easily. People were much the same.

The house smelled of salt ,water and dirt, like most times. It wasn't bad. It was the ocean and the way the sea smelled and had always smelled. There were things unchanged and old as the world and the smell of the sea was one, was familiar and it accompanied stories of the past. Stories of travels and ships, of songs and tears and love. Stories as old as the ocean itself or as young as the fish swimming in it.

The water of the river, that was something else. Stories of Dunwall were more or often the same.

Murder, Betrayal and intrigues. Even the fish were after blood in Dunwall.

Since his return he hadn't stayed in any house longer than months. Still he knew he wouldn't want to be in any other town.

The book was whispering in his room, he could feel the dark clouds of its power, its promise luring, hidden tentacles to drown the person daring to claim it.

He had known about its power the moment he had laid eyes on it in Hecate Jones room. She had kept it in a safe, but even then he could have just taken it from her.

But he didn't. He wondered why. It had almost been like someone or something had asked him not to,to see what happened. And then he had noticed the lock.

Jones claimed to know nothing about it. She was sly, and useful, and she didn't lie.

That was when that woman had come into his life. She was as obnoxious as she was tough, he had to admit that. And she owed him a key.

The sooner, the better, a part of him thought. Get that nuisance out of your life.

With all their connections to one another and the knowledge of her old name, she wouldn't get far away if she tried to fool him.

But maybe she wouldn't even try. The way she had looked at the boy told him there was at least some decency in her. She wouldn't run away without him. He was as loyal to her as she to him. And he knew about loyalty.

Beside the books whisper was something else. Not one of his. He would have known if one of them was close, they didn't sneak around him. Also none would creep along side someone keen as them. Still, someone was stupid enough to trespass.

A little sound from his room.

As he moved upstairs someone was clearly shifting in his room. Sheets were rustling, and a bottle made a little clanking sound as someone took it.

He smelled her first. He remembered her smell from their first encounter. Sharp clean, like someone scrubbed very long with soap, her clothes had smelled of the canals.

She was lounging on his bed, with the audacity to smile. For a moment he just stared at that woman, freckled smirk and bottle in her hand.

'You have a serious security breach, 'she said. That smug look again. He wasn't sure if anyone could find that endearing, but she certainly was self confident. Her hair was wet.

'You swam through a flooded cellar just to tell me that?'

' Don't sell yourself so short, Daud.' She was wet and unwanted in his room and had the audacity to wink. He didn't know if he was amused or angry.

Too confident. He wondered how she could survive acting like this. He stood by the bed, deciding if it was worth the hassle to throw her out.


There was no doubt in Childish heart she would loose this fight, as she sat up, focusing as good as she could through the pain of her bruised ribs. Her mind was a little blurry, and she took a sip from the bottle in her hand.

No doubt. Only Daud.

If someone would have heard her thoughts they would slap her for her weak word plays. So she was content in drinking and staring at him as he stared back.

One could think, she mused, someone with as much wealth and money would aim for a better drink. And a cleaner home. But then again it was not like he could employ servants.

Maybe one of the whalers did clean up?

Ooh,she took another sip from her bottle. That'd be a sight to behold. A maid in a whalers mask.

'Wonderful day, isn't it?'

'I hope you are here to give me what I want.'

' Ah, but what exactly is it you want, my friend? '

She wiggled her eyebrows. All he did was huff at her. Like she was a mere annoying thing and not the most glorious guest one could have. How very unfair!

'Did you hear I bit off a man's nose?'

'Is that why you lounge in my bed? To talk about dismembered body parts?'

'And here I forgot who I bragged to.' She sighed but he merely stared as she stretched her feet, letting go of the bottle. ' Daud, my friend, relax, I remember our agreement.'

She grabbed the chain , resting cold and neatly tied to her pants. His eyes were on her every move. She was lucky he hadn't been there in the first place. He probably would have just kicked her right back into the water.

'You can have it, fair and easy, I guess. But I wonder..' As her fingers played with the delicate crafted spirals of the key. Ash had given it to her mere hours after his return. It had been in the warehouse all along. A thought she found quite amusing. So close all the time.

Without as much as a breath he grabbed the chain from her hands.

'I am not going to play guard for you, Sara Verley.'

Meh, that name again. How she had grown to hate it.

'Daud, I thought we agreed you wouldn't call me that.'

'Childish.' He said and she felt something in her stomach twist with excitement. 'I am not going to play guard for you. And now get out of my bed.'

'But-'

His hand lingered close to his sword. Flinging herself off his bed she scrambled over her feet to get to the door.

'Allright. I am sorry. Please don't kill me.'

He almost looked unnerved. She liked that very much. That man was hard to read. And annoying was oddly entertaining. She felt like a child, holding her hand over a candle. So close to burning herself.

'Despite rumours I don't kill everyone just because they annoy me.'

The city, she mused, would be empty if he did.

'You wound me.' She whined. Clutching her heart with one hand, very careful about her movements. ' I was sure I meant something to you.'

'You don't.'

How assuring, she thought. Then , without another word, she started to slip to the door.

Before she could move he was at her side, his arm closing around her hip far from gently. He was tugging her shirt up.

'What the-' she tried to wiggle free but his grip was tight .

''Maybe you do want something else. 'She suggested as his calloused hands found her waistband. He yanked the book off of her.

'Nice try.' She had thought so too.

'What can I say,' he let go off her after eyeing her bruised ribs, and she thought his grip was at least a tad less brutal.' I have twitchy fingers.'

'This doesn't serve your credibility.'

His seriousness and the almost gruff way he looked at her made her laugh.

'It does not? I am a thief, after all.'

'Then do your business elsewhere.'

'Fine. You know where to find me if you change your mind. I am sure I could make your time worthwhile.' They gave each other a last look.

Suddenly she didn't feel bold anymore. 'Thank you. For helping me. And getting Ash Out of there.'

'We had a deal, had we not?'

'Still. Most people give a rat shit about deals and...'

She squirmed a little under his glance.

'I get it. Now leave before your hands get twitchy again.'

By the Outsider- was he mocking her? With a nod she left the room.

Her hands felt the leather pouch she had snatched of him earlier. Wasn't what she had intended but it did prove he didn't notice everything. Which was a relief.

There was also a certain charm in the fact he would pay for her very fancy dinner today.