Ch. 05 - Change of Pace

Months Later:

I awoke with a yawn. When I opened my eyes, I nearly shrieked and was hit with a wave of panic, for this - the ceiling I was looking at - was a ceiling that I did not recognize. Where the hell am I?!

I sat up and looked around at my surroundings. I took a good look, and then another. Recognition flowed through my veins, replacing the adrenaline, and I no longer felt the urge to take my knife in hand.

As my mind cleared, one thought rang forth clearly: Oh. 

Yes. Oh, indeed.

I flopped back to the mattress with a sigh. I was so close to panicking. Very close. And all for what? I just hadn't quite gotten used to living here yet. I allowed myself to relax and my eyes fluttered closed again. What a way to start my day, huh...?

At any rate, the pillows beneath my head were soft, and warm, full of what might have been downy feathers for how comfortable they were, not like I'd go ripping into them to find out. All I knew was that they were more comfortable than my old ones. Hell, it was all a far shot from what I had in my own apartment. I felt like I was being spoiled, truly. Despite the unfamiliarity of where I was, I couldn't think of a time I had gotten a better night of sleep.

When a relaxed, content sigh passed through my lips and my heart rate started to slow, I allowed myself to recount all that had happened over the past few weeks to lead me here.

—

Weeks Ago:

"Here, Amaya," Mason said. 

When I turned, I was surprised to see him holding his hat towards me. That was fine, he would often leave my share in the hat and I'd pour it into my coin purse. Only, tonight... he hadn't taken any of the money out. He was offering me all of it. The entire thing. It was full, nearly to the brim, with coins and ripped old bills. 

A worried pinch in my brow and a frown were the only changes to my expression, but something about that made him laugh. "What's that look for?"

"You didn't take your share," I said.

"This is your share."

"This is the whole thing," I said uselessly. 

Obviously he knew that, and he responded as such. "Yes."

"Mason."

"Mm-hm?"

"You're ridiculous. Take your damn money. I refuse to accept all of it."

"That's rough," he mused. "Hm. Fine, guess I'll have to just buy you something nice with the money."

"I don't care what you do with it, so long as you take it," I said, embarrassed at the prospect of him buying me anything, much less something extravagant. The man was as earnest as he was talented, but he was an enormous flirt all the same. I couldn't really be sure where the line was. Would he actually buy me something? I didn't know. I wasn't sure if I wanted to find out.

"Listen," Mason said, "the people only gave us so much money because of your voice."

"That's not true," I started to argue.

"Doesn't matter if it's me or someone else on guitar," Mason said. "So long as you play the right notes at the right time, it'll sound the same."

"Unless you take into account that solo you threw in," I added.

"Well," Mason said with a laugh, "sure, personal flair and stuff is different, but you know what I mean! They weren't tipping because of me. I never made this much money, ever. Even my best day didn't make half as much. Clearly, it's because of you. So take it."

"I can't," I said. "I wouldn't be doing this if we weren't friends, if you weren't playing. I wouldn't just sit on a corner alone and sing. I can't take this money, Mason."

"Amaya, please," he said with a smile, presenting the hat to me again.

"I..."

"Just promise that you'll keep playing with me," he said, "and that will be payment enough."

We were several weeks into this arrangement already. Each day - during the twilight - after work I would join him and we'd perform together. And really, we grew close.

Nothing in a romantic sense, no. He was a flirt and nothing more. All bark and no bite, one might say, and besides, I wasn't interested. Maybe that would change with time, but for now, it was just nice to have someone, anyone, to talk to again. A friend, a real one. I hadn't had one in a long, long time.

I wasn't sure what made him think that I might just take this money and not come back tomorrow, but I gave in and smiled and nodded. I let him pour the money into my pack and when it was securely on my back and his hat was back on his head, he spoke.

"You have to promise," he reminded me.

"Alright, alright," I said with a laugh. "Fine. I promise."

—

I paused in my recollection when there was a particularly satisfying series of cracks along my spine as I stretched. A contented hum brushed past my lips as I relaxed against the mattress once more.

Just last night, upon moving in, I'd set a few things up around my room. My new room. It didn't quite feel like home yet, not quite, but that would come with time, certainly. I'd only brought a few things with me, because of course I only had so many things.

I'd only packed my clothes, few as they were, along with what little keepsakes I had: the bear from my family, Caden's stuffed dog and his journal, El's patch that was all. It was all I had needed, and all I could think to bring, and so it was all that I had brought. There hadn't been anything worth bringing. Everything else I could need I could buy or otherwise, they had it here.

Here.

Here.

It was so strange to be living with others again. Not just one roommate, but two. And men, at that. Goodness, what had gotten into me? El would have a fit if he knew that I was living with two men. He'd say it was dangerous, that I was only going to find myself in more trouble than they were worth.

But these two were. I wasn't sure what it was. It wasn't that I was an overly trusting person, because I wasn't, not by any stretch of the imagination. Rather... something in my heart of hearts was telling me that these two were trustworthy, that it was worth letting them into my life.

And so I had.

So much had happened over the few months I'd been alone after the death of my family, and assuredly the biggest changes had to be that which had happened in this last week alone. But it'd been a long time coming and honestly, I was excited for what was to come.

It had been a while since I felt comfortable trusting anyone. But everyone needs people to support them, those that can lift them up yet keep them grounded all the same. I was fine on my own, yes. I was making money and staying warm and relatively well-fed and I was more than capable of protecting myself. A few ambushes when I would pass alleyways and had to defend myself against burly men who thought they had the right to touch me was proof enough of that.

Regardless... It was past time that I had found mine. A new family. Not to replace the old one, but to add to it. My future right now was uncertain, much as it always was, but for now, I had a path to traverse and a group to rely on.

—

"Alright, alright," I said with a laugh. "Fine. I promise."

Only minutes later, Mason and I parted ways and I started heading home. Well, I certainly tried, anyway. I was a few paces away from Mason when a sudden body dropped down next to me and I nearly screamed if not for the instinct drilled into me to not react fearfully, but only with action. And so I slid my knife from my boot and... found myself threatening Farlan.

"Fuck," I muttered, relaxing at the sight of his familiar smile. "What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to kill me?"

"I would never," he responded cheekily. The gear sat proudly on his hips and when I scoffed and walked away, he followed along, the metal boxes clanking loudly as we went.

"Bold of you to be walking around with gear on," I said. "Must be confident in your abilities to outrun the MP's if you're doing that."

"Of course," he responded casually. "I don't know what they're doing up top when they train these guys, but the best of the best of the military can't even keep up with me."

"Right," I said, unconvinced. "Well, there's a changing of the guard right now, if their schedule didn't change. So you'd be fine for another short while."

"Huh," he said, clearly surprised. "How do you know that?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you're like a pest?"

"On occasion," Farlan said, smiling now. "Levi, that guy I work with. He says something of that nature to me at least three times a day." He walked with a smooth, confident gait and something about him screamed "annoying cousin" or childhood friend you could never shake.

It was strange that I felt that, because I didn't have any cousins (that I knew of) and similarly, I didn't have a childhood friend... or any, for that matter. As far as friends went, right now all I had was... Mason, I guess. And Farlan too, I suppose.

"So, listen," Farlan said. "I'm not here just to annoy you. That's part of it, sure, but I have a question for you, and a potential proposition."

"Go ahead," I said, having no reason to deny him for now.

"Firstly," he began with a rather conspiratorial tone to his voice, "know that the work Levi and I do is strictly confidential. But one of the people, a tavern owner, that we work with often is in danger of shutting his doors for good. He's losing money quickly but he pays close attention to his books. He's getting robbed, over and over again."

"Poor guy," I said, glancing up at Farlan to gauge his reaction. He looked at me strangely, as though searching my face for a sign that it was me. "Has he considered hiring a bodyguard?"

"Those are very expensive down here. Not that it would stop you, now would it?" I stopped in my step, the muscles required to grab my knife and brandish it tensing in preparation to respond if I needed to. "Now hold on," he said, "don't get nervous. I had a feeling that it was you, but it's not like I'm accusing you just to rat you out."

"And if it is me?"

"Lenny is one of the most paranoid men I know," Farlan said. "He protects his money and his assets well and yet someone out there is able to steal it right out from under his nose. Whoever is doing it must be incredibly skilled. And we may be able to offer up a spot in our group to whoever it is... if only they would come clean."

"I'm sure it would depend on what joining the group entails," I responded.

"Well... was it you?"

"You're asking me to admit to robbing someone. Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Just seems like you're the kind of girl who can," Farlan said. At my skeptical look, he blanched. "Ok, fine. Levi said he saw you doing it."

"And he was sure?"

"Yes. You know, we kinda pay attention to you when we stop by and listen."

"I didn't take Levi to be one to enjoy the arts."

"Neither did I. But he wouldn't say you did something unless he was absolutely certain of it. Listen, I'm not going to rat you out. We don't want you thrown in jail. We just want to know how you did it, and we... Well I want to extend an offer to join us."

"This will have to be a conversation for another time," I said, slowing to a stop. Farlan stopped half a pace after I did, looking confused only until I sent a pointed look towards where we had ended up. The building I called home.

"Oh," he said. "Is this where you live?"

"Yes."

"Wow," he said, laughing a little before letting out a low whistle. "You must really trust me."

"Against my better judgment, I do," I admitted. I looked up at him, meeting his earnest, kind gaze. "Just know that if you betray that trust and I find you snooping around here, I'll gouge your eyes out."

"Noted," he said. "You must be considering my offer, then."

"I don't know what work you do, or why you would need someone like me," I said. "But you somehow managed to catch me at work, something no one has done, else I'd have been arrested by now. You obviously must be very skilled, yourself."

"So what is holding you back?"

"I don't know you," I said. "And I don't know Levi. Before I go and join you, I'd like to know what you're about. And, of course, what's in it for me. I don't offer my services for nothing, you know."

"Fair enough," Farlan said. "So, how about dinner sometime?"

"Don't push it," I said with a laugh. "Goodnight, Farlan."

—

I sat up in bed. I looked around the still unfamiliar room and my eye was drawn to one of the only spots of color in the room: El's patch with that proud green and white, that delicate stitch-work that showed the craftsmanship that went into it. A smile reached my face as just the mere sight of it brought to mind so many memories.

Memories of me wearing his jacket as a child, the way he would laugh and smile so proudly.

Memories of me seeing him fly by while I was at work, wearing that jacket with dignity.

So many more memories. So many.

But I allowed my mind to drift back into the memory of that same night Farlan had approached me with a proposition.

—

I got bored very quickly at home by myself. So, I did what I did whenever I got bored but had nowhere else to go... which was every night. Obviously, I couldn't very well go walking around by myself at night. I was a woman for goddesses' sake! Regardless, all I could do right now was what I did right now: climb up and out my window up to the roof, and people-watch.

It was calming, in a way.

Well, not tonight, it wasn't.

I was only out there for at most thirty minutes when I heard the telltale sound of gear. It was a shame too, because I'd been thinking, and the sound had distracted me.

I'd been thinking about home. Not where I physically lived, no, but this damned city. The city I had never left. What was it like for people up top who could travel from one village to another? One district to another? I didn't know much about the geography up there other than that we had three concentric walls each with a separate district to each cardinal direction. I didn't know our population nor how many villages there were nor even how dense the population was. They could all visit each other, surely. But we couldn't go anywhere.

Sure, I could afford a pass for a day on the surface. But why bother? I'd be watched and brought promptly down here once more as soon as the sun went down.

Unless I stowed gear up there somehow and escaped. Huh. Maybe that wasn't such a bad idea. No, actually. I didn't want my face plastered throughout the walls as a wanted criminal.

I was stuck here, in a city I did not want to be in. I never experienced the feeling of sunlight warming my face, rain dripping on my skin, snowflakes landing on my nose, wind blowing through my hair. The warming sensation of a summer sun, the cooling sensation of an autumn breeze. I was stuck working, using every cent I made to pay my rent, buy tasteless food, and work towards what seemed now to be a more and more unlikely goal.

There were no breaks. Not from working, not from the mundane schedule, not the musty smell, and nothing to look forward to, short of the final release of death.

And so, while my situation was so hopeless, why should those two be able to fly? Because that's who it was that was flying around now: not a pair of soldiers as I previously thought, but Farlan and Levi. They flew through the air with their gear as carelessly and skillfully as doves, and it looked as though it came naturally to them as well, just as it would to a real bird.

A small smile reached my face at the sight of them, but it faded from my lips right away. How come they got to fly, but I couldn't? They were stuck here like me, but they got to have that sort of fun, that sort of escape? They could stop thinking about their cares for a short while... but why couldn't I?

A sour taste made its way to my mouth and I tried to swallow it down as I shook my head in disbelief. It really wasn't fair, was it?

Effectively pulled from my thoughts, I sat and watched them for a while. I drew my knees in towards my chest and rested my arms across them, getting comfortable as they flew without a care. It was clear they were not fleeing the police. If they were being chased, they'd have been caught by now.

Farlan seemed to disappear for a moment, and I narrowed my eyes to try to spot him. There was Levi, swinging upwards from between two buildings. But where was his partner? A sudden whizzing by me startled me and I nearly screamed. A rogue stick, broken off from a wooden plank left up here from construction of some kind, was in my hand in an instant and I threw it.

A sharp bite of laughter could be heard along with the sound of wood hitting the metal box of gear and as my heartrate calmed, I allowed myself to glare at Farlan, now perched in a crouch on the edge of the roof. "First off, ouch," he said. "And is that really how you greet a friend?"

I laughed, equal parts relieved and enraged that it was him. "I said goodnight to you already, Farlan. That means to go away and leave me alone, not to bring more trouble."

"What, you mean Levi? He'll cause no trouble, I assure you."

"This wasn't enough time for me to consider your proposition, you know," I said.

"I know," he said. "But could I change your mind by bringing you for a quick flight?"

"No, no," I immediately said, even as he grinned, stood, and approached me. He got behind me and took my upper arms into his hands, hefting me up. "Now, hold on..."

Now that I was standing, he set his hands on my shoulders, starting to walk me towards the edge of the roof. "What, scared of heights?"

"Not at all," I answered, "but unless I'm the one in the gear then I don't want to do this. I don't trust you not to kill me!"

"Oh, please," he teased. "I'm a trained professional."

"You're a street rat, no better than me," I said. "And trained by who?"

"Uh... Levi and I are self-taught."

"That makes me feel so much worse." We neared the edge of the building. "Farlan, I swear..."

"Alright, alright," he said, releasing me.

But he looked around then, and I glanced over my shoulder at him suspiciously. He seemed to piece together an idea. The buildings my home was situated between were both taller. He took a few steps back, sent out both hooks with an easy smile on his face, then pulled the winch in just enough to lift him off the ground. Slowly he rose, and all too soon, he was above me. He flipped upside down, smiled goofily at me, and reached his hands towards me.

It was clear what he wanted me to do.

And for some stupid reason, I did it. 

I let him take my hands and he pulled me upwards with ease I didn't know was possible and I laughed at the brief sensation of weightlessness as my feet left the ground. He swung us lightly, but did not keep me dangling there for long before lowering me back down gently.

"Not so bad, right?"

"You didn't kill me, at least," I admitted. "But that doesn't mean I've made up my mind, yet."

"I totally understand," he responded. And then he gestured to the pile of boards - ones he likely meant were for throwing - with one hand. "Keep those around to throw at all your friends?"

"Shut up," I said, rolling my eyes. "And get out of here. I think Levi's going to leave without you."

"We both know our way home," Farlan said. "But I get it. Guess I'll just have to resign myself to seeing you tomorrow when next you sing."

"Right, right," I muttered embarrassedly. "Goodnight, Farlan. For good, now."

"Right, right," he repeated. "Goodnight, Amaya."

And then he left. But I had only just sat down and he had only just gotten out of sight when I realized Levi was missing now. And then... just like before, a sudden figure flew by and I reacted in the exact same way I did before. Only, there was no sound of wood hitting metal.

Time just... seemed to slow, for just a moment.

I saw a pale face, framed by black hair. It was Levi. One of his eyebrows was arched upwards, silently asking me if I actually just tried to hit him with a stick. I didn't know how to answer back as I took in his eyes, piercing and feline and the color of steel in this light. They were incredible. They were...

But time seemed to return to normal and just as quickly as he had arrived, he was out of sight.

My heart was racing. The wood fell to the ground with a clatter and I heard someone cry out in fear or pain, I wasn't sure. But I let it cool down out there - which consequently allowed my heart rate to slow back to a normal pace - before climbing down, clambering back through my window and inside.

Going to bed that night was easier than it had been in a long, long time. I still did not sleep much, definitely not enough to count for a full night's rest, but for the first time in months, my dreams were not plagued by nightmares. I did not have to relive my father's death nor that of my little brother. Instead, I only remember steely blue eyes staring at me.

—

It was probably about time for me to get up and out of bed. I should start my day. Right? Right.

But goodness... I didn't quite feel like it right now. There was someone puttering around in the main room. It was the joint living room and kitchen with a table and chairs tucked away into one corner, but that was about it for homely touches. But what did I expect from two men?

I'd have to fix that, eventually. Was it too soon to start making changes around here? Farlan seemed to like me enough, but Levi still wasn't particularly thrilled about the whole idea of me being here just yet. Perhaps that would change with time.

I set El's patch on the end table once more and stood. I busied myself for a moment by going to the small outlet in the wall where I'd hung up a few of my clothes. My old place didn't have this. I'd had to build myself a dresser.

It had been shoddy work but I was proud of it, at least. It'd only been a place to keep my clothes tidy and it wasn't pretty and when I moved here it was left behind, but it had been the first thing I had made for myself since losing my family. With El, I'd always helped him - once I was old enough to hold a hammer - fix up old furniture, stitch up our pillows, build new things for Caden when he joined us.

Maybe these two would appreciate my craftsmanship? I didn't know one way or another, but I could only hope that they would. I wanted to be helpful. I was part of their... what had Farlan called it? Their gang? God, that sounded ridiculous.

Regardless, I was here, and I was one of them now. Well, maybe not one of them, not yet, but that would (hopefully) come with time. I was here and I would work hard. These two were dedicated and strong, clever and intelligent, and just... Incredible.

I got an outfit out. I should probably stop delaying heading out there and just... do it.

—

A Week Ago:

A lot has happened recently. I'd still been going to work of course, and that had been going very well, but no matter how well I sneaked out nor how I left and what exit I chose from where I met my boss, each evening Farlan would drop down next to me only moments later, effectively blowing my cover and putting the entire operation at risk. And he did it all with a smile.

"Farlan," I'd said one day, "you're going to get me fired or worse."

"What could possibly be worse than losing your job? And in this economy?"

"You could get me killed doing this, dumbass."

"Oh. But how else am I supposed to get you to know me well enough to trust me to join our group?"

"Stop annoying me, for one," I had responded teasingly.

He hadn't. Each day, he'd drop down next to me, we'd talk as he walked me home, and then during the twilight I'd sing with Mason and finally when I was home for the day, I would sit on my roof and watch Farlan and Levi fly through the air as though choreographed.

But it wasn't until a rather great day of work that something in the pattern changed.

Each night, I tried to hit Levi with a damn stick, and each night, I missed. He would dodge expertly and with so much ease that it was hard to tell if he was even real. It was ridiculous. How could one man have such incredible reflexes? Even if he had the reflexes, how could the human body move quick enough to react as he did and miss the board not just by inches, but sometimes by feet?

But one day... I nailed him right in the leg. It wasn't much, it was a minimal victory for a useless game that I had created for myself that he was probably only tolerating, but I had done it and I was proud because I had bested the challenge. I had hit the unhittable man.

And it seemed that he was not happy about it, because the very next day when Farlan dropped down next to me and the heart attack was minimal at worst now that I was used to it, he said as much.

"Levi's been talking about you," Farlan said, and immediately I groaned. Something about this seemed incredibly juvenile. "Nothing bad, don't worry." I had half a mind to tell him that I hadn't been worried, not at all, but thought better of it. "I got back before him yesterday and when he came in... Amaya, you hit him, didn't you?"

"With a stick, yeah," I answered. "Why?"

That got a laugh out of the man, and I looked at him curiously. "He was fuming! Over a stick!"

"Fuming," I repeated. "Are you serious?"

"Unfortunately," Farlan responded.

"Goodness," I said exaggeratedly, "I guess there goes my spot in the group."

"Actually," Farlan said, "I think that improves Levi's chances of accepting you."

"Accepting me," I repeated, and I realized just how often I was repeating things today.

"It took him long enough to warm up to me," he told me. "You've gotta be pretty special for him to think you're good enough to work with him."

"Pretentious asshole," I muttered.

"Maybe," he said, "but he's got the skill to back it up. He doesn't like dead weight. If he works with someone, they better damn well know what they're doing. We've both seen you use a knife, it's clear you're quick on your feet and strong."

I knew what he was referring to. A few nights ago, they'd been witness to someone trying to break through the crowd to steal Mason's hat. It'd been overflowing with coins and ripped bills and it was enough to get us each through several months comfortably.

The man had just taken it into his hands and had gotten only a few feet away before my knife found its mark in the back of his leg, sending him toppling over. Sure, we had to pick the coins back up and drop them back into the hat, but the man had been taught a lesson.

"Lots of people here are good with a knife, Farlan," I said. "Why me?"

"It's as he said yesterday when we were talking about you," Farlan answered. "It's impressive how you keep getting away with what you do with the same clientele, and... It's clear he's taken an interest in your talents."

"Right," I said, unconvinced.

"He did have a question for you, though. Both of us, actually. That old bat Helga, how do you rob her? She keeps her money with her at all times."

"Not true."

"What? I know her, she always keeps her money box with her."

"Nope."

"Ok, tell me."

"You're looking to steal my job, aren't you?"

"Not at all."

"When she uses the bathroom," I said, "she leaves it outside the door."

"It's that easy?!"

"Mm-hm. I just sneak in, open it up, take what I need, and leave. You'd think she'd learn."

"Robbing a woman at her most vulnerable... That's incredible."

That brought a smile to my face. "I know. It's a simple matter of looking at patterns and using it to your advantage. There's a lot you can learn about a person by just observing them for a few minutes."

"Who taught you all that?"

"No one," I answered. "I just had to learn to do something for myself so I could make it down here. And I was lucky. I found what I was good at right away."

Farlan slowed to a stop and I followed suit. "You're a strange one."

"So are you."

"And so is Levi," Farlan said. "I think it's time you two meet."

—

It'd been a short turnaround from that point and now, I was here. It was just a strange turn of events, wasn't it? It was strange for many reasons, one of them being that at first, I hadn't looked out for Levi and Farlan at all when I started singing with Mason, but as the days went on, I found myself checking to see if they were around each and every night.

Farlan was a pest, but he was a friend too, and from the start the thought of joining them had intrigued me. Not that I thought I was doing poorly on my own, but as it was... I needed to start relying on people again. Life was cruel, especially down here, and there were lots of little mistakes that could have disastrous consequences. Having others around to watch my back would help a lot and if these two could eventually become family to me, then that was all the better.

For the start, I'd be careful. My heart was still carefully guarded. It was by a stroke of luck I'd allowed Mason into my life, and then Farlan. Levi would have to tread lightly if he wanted to join them.

But I had a feeling that he felt the exact same way.

Now in fresh clothes and with the dirty ones ready to be laundered, I left my new room, shutting the door quietly behind me. This room had the potential to be a warm, inviting space, it did. Perhaps it only needed a woman's touch. I could imagine it now. Though simple, it had a lot of room for homely features, ones that would not match the cold exterior but rather be warm and inviting, somewhere you wanted to return to at the end of the day.

A home.

It'd been a while since I'd had somewhere to be happy to return to.

But I had a good feeling about this place. I don't know why... but I did. And when I stepped out further into the room and saw Levi preparing for himself a pot of tea, it seemed to be affirmed in how comfortable I felt, in how I wanted to be helpful... how I wanted so badly to truly grow to know these two.

Over the counter that split the kitchen away from the rest of the room, Levi caught my eyes. I slowed in my step, slightly wary, but did not want to appear intimidated and so I cleared my throat, broke the stare, and kept walking.

I rounded the counter and entered the room, stopping to lean against the counter just a few steps away from him. His eyes never left mine, and when I came to a stop, because I was so acutely aware of the way his eyes were still on mine, perhaps to gauge my facial expression, I pointedly glanced towards the teapot now that he'd gotten himself a cup.

A sweet, floral scent was in the air, and I recognized it immediately. We'd have it occasionally, whenever El felt like it. Black tea was the only kind that reached this city; all the others were far too luxurious to end up in a place like this. "Is that black tea?"

He seemed surprised that I spoke. And so when he answered, it was simple. "Yes."

"Do you mind if I have some?"

It surprised me when he shook his head and even reached into the cupboard to grab a small mug for me. He filled it with tea and when he handed it to me, I was perhaps a bit eager in reaching out to take it from him because our fingers brushed and I did what I could not to start at the brief contact.

When I lifted the cup towards my lips I averted my eyes and appreciated having something warm to drink to remove some of the chill from my bones. I held the cup in both hands, letting out a relieved, slow breath through my nose as my eyes closed contentedly.

But then I remembered where I was.

"Thank you," I said to him. "It's wonderful."

"Must be. You were about to fall asleep."

I shrugged lightly as he took a sip of his tea. "It's nice and warm."

One of his eyebrows arched upwards. "Cold?"

"A bit chilly this morning," I said. "It must be fall on the surface by now."

"Not the weather," he said. "You."

"Me? Oh. Yes." I was startled, I suppose, by the concern for me. Farlan had told me he was a hard-ass, and I'd gathered as much from what little I'd seen of him. So what was this? General concern for me as a human being, or did he already consider me part of them? "Farlan only gave me a light blanket last night so..."

"That dumbass," Levi muttered, the words followed by an annoyed click of his tongue. "We've got more bedding in the closet. Grab whatever you need."

"Thank you," I said gratefully, following when he left the kitchen and lowered himself to sit at the kitchen table. I stood beside it, wondering where to sit. I wasn't sure if Farlan had a usual seat, or...

"Farlan sits there," Levi said, as though reading my mind. I supposed it might've just looked strange for me to just stand here with a cup in hand, hovering awkwardly by the table, and so it must have been obvious what I was about to ask or why I was hesitating to sit down. The chair Levi was referring to was the one across from him, leaving me - if I didn't want to steal Farlan's seat, of course - to sit between the men on either side.

I picked one, and when I was sitting, I glanced at Levi. "Is Farlan a late riser?"

"Normally," Levi answered.

It was clear he wasn't much of a conversationalist. But that was fine. The quiet... It was nice. And so we sat and drank our tea in a rather strange yet comfortable, new yet familiar, companionable silence.

I found that I rather liked this.

And when at last Levi finished his tea, he rose and headed to a closet to retrieve a broom and dustpan. It caught him plainly off guard when I offered to help, and yet when I smiled at him, though his expression didn't change much, something in his eyes did.

It was subtle, a tiny detail that was hard to pick up in such unfamiliar eyes, but I had seen it.

I found a strange sense of pleasure in surprising him further when I reached past him to get a duster and got right to work.

—

Farlan brandished the key to his home with a dramatic flourish. "Here we are," he said. "Home sweet home."

I waited patiently beside him as he unlocked the door, opened it, and gestured for me to walk in first. "Oh, no," I said. "I think it's better if-"

"Nonsense," Farlan cut in. "You live here too, now. Remember the agreement?"

"Yes," I said, knowing what he meant. After saying that Levi and I should meet, what he meant was that I was officially offered to join them. I wasn't sure if Levi had agreed to this or not, Farlan wouldn't say, but it had been an enticing prospect to say the least. The agreement Farlan mentioned was simple: I offer up my talent and join them wholeheartedly, and I get to live and work with them, share in their joint profits, and... join their family.

Yes, that is what Farlan had said.

"So long as you give it your all," he had said to me with a smile, "and work with us as best you can, you can live with us freely. All you need to do is put effort in... and you can join our family."

And that was the truth. I hadn't detected any sign of a lie in his voice, in his mannerisms and body language, and honestly, I trusted him. I did.

I had agreed.

And now, hesitantly yet with a smile, I stepped through the threshold and into what would become my new home. I was so distracted by the new environment, too enamored in where I would now be living that I didn't notice Levi in the living room.

"Farlan," he said, "you're back. Good. We..." He had trailed off at the sight of me, and I blinked owlishly at him. Had Farlan not told him about this? His eyes of startling silver in this light redirected from me to look angrily at Farlan. "What is she doing here?"

"Amaya is in the group now, Levi," Farlan answered smoothly, closing and locking the door behind him. "You saw her the other day when she and that guy were about to be robbed. And you've talked about her enough."

"About how she's a nuisance robbing our clients."

"And about how you want to know how she did it. And all without you knowing. How can one woman rob from the same people right under their noses day in and day out without them realizing it? Isn't that what you wanted to know?"

"That did not mean I wanted to work with her. She's been a thorn in our side for months now because of the shit she's been doing."

"As I understand it," I spoke, getting the attention of the two men centered directly on me now, "we do similar work. What I do and what I am good at could be of use to what you already do, if you would only let me try."

Levi seemed to consider my words, his eyes searching for something unseen. I did not falter, nor did I look away. And then... finally... he seemed to come to a decision even as Farlan started to prattle on.

"Listen," Farlan said, "we've had an equal partnership but technically I was the one to approach you to technically I'm the leader or founder or something, in which case I get to decide when someone gets to join so-"

"Shut it," Levi said, effectively cutting him off. I had to work to bite back my smile or otherwise show my amusement. But if the way Levi's eyes lightened, only slightly, was an indication, perhaps he had noticed it in my eyes anyway. "You better not be dead weight. Before you even think about learning to use the gear, you'll need to prove yourself."

"Fine by me," I said, ready for whatever challenge he could come up with. When Levi turned on his heel and left the room, I glanced over my shoulder at Farlan who had his arms crossed and a warm smile on his face as he looked at me already.

"I think that went well, don't you?"

I couldn't stop my laughter if I wanted to. "Yeah," I agreed. "I think so, too."

—

It wasn't until later in the day when Farlan finally rolled out of bed and decided to join the world that a change came. Levi and I had been cleaning, Levi I supposed because he liked to and me because I wanted to be helpful, but that all stopped when Farlan dropped down onto the couch.

"Don't get comfortable," Levi said to him.

"Huh? Why? We've got no jobs lined up for today."

"No," Levi said. "But if someone wants to learn how to use the gear, we're going to need another set."

"Another one? We barely got away the first time. Though maybe if you hadn't spent five minutes staring at Amaya after knocking her over, we would've."

"It wasn't five minutes," Levi said. "But how are we all supposed to do jobs if we've only got two sets? Are you going to carry her?"

"Ah," Farlan considered, "that's a good point. So, are we going to-"

"We," Levi cut in right away, "aren't doing anything."

Ah. I see. My challenge. A way to prove myself.

"If you're such a good thief," he said, looking right at me, "then this should be no problem for you."

I smiled. If only he knew I already had a plan formulating in my mind. A way to learn to fly and a way to strike back at the Military Police that had scorned me, left me to deal with my grief alone, who abandoned me when I needed them most... This would be fun.

"You've got no idea."