Care to make a deal~

The next couple of hours she spent researching, calling various contacts from business world but also a bit darker layers of society. She really wanted to believe Valentino was capable of standing on equal ground with her, but she could not keep herself from worrying. Still, where was the point if she coddles him?

Finally, she did manage to find something that caught her interest. Both as a suitable job for him, but also something she would love to gain. Cornette de Saint-Cyr a large and famous art auction house in Paris was holding an event with few items that she was tempted to snatch…

Just in time young man has returned from his little night out, delighted to see he was bit more upbeat she rose her gaze from laptop the coffe next to her was already mild from staying on table too long. “Ah cherie I see you had quite a bit of fun….sit down I’ll brew oyou and myself a fresh cup of coffee “ she mused while slowly getting up from her seat.

“By the way love…have you ever been to the auction house before?” she asked in such casual tone while walking pass him, gently burshing her hand against his arm.

✮ — He replied to Lilith’s comment with a sheepish smile. Even though she had been the one suggesting him to take the day off, he felt slightly guilty for leaving her out of the fun. He had just gotten used to having her around most of the time. ❝Yes, I think I needed a break,❞ he added, rubbing the back of his neck.

    Valentino set next to her, placing an elbow on the table and resting a cheek against his hand. His eyes never left the woman as she moved, mesmerized by every small movement. It felt so comforting and intimate his previous worries were completely gone. No matter what happened, he could always enjoy moments like that. ❝Thank you, a cup of coffee sounds nice.❞

    ❝Auction House?❞ The thief repeated, casually tapping a finger against the surface of the table. ❝Not here in France, no, but I attended an event while in Italy. It was small, so not much was being offered. We were hoping to find something worth stealing and reselling, but the items being auctioned just weren’t worth the risk. It was an interesting experience, though.❞

Once the coffee was done she joined his side placing his cup in front of him whle she kept her own in her hand.  “Ah but see cherie this time you might come out with a loot” she would add with playful wink.  With that said she opened the homepage of the grand auction house she spoke off. 

“I have been invited to join an auctuion party next week. Naturally there will be many fascinating items that did catch my interest but issue is...the rivarly is quite...tight. And rumor has it some of the items that are sold will merely be duplicates of the original which are kept in the vault in lower section of the auction house...and that is...” she turned to face him only to gently press single fingertip against his chest.

She knew fully well that this possible support for their group would bring them more power. And they needed just that in this new age for Bilgewater. Where everyone was fighting for ever piece of juicy meat like a pack of wharf rats.  So their group just had to be bigger and nastier than the other and she was ready to dig her claws in any prey.

“Well don’t you look oddly sober Boss “ she mused while stepping behind him, always tip toeing like a cat making sure that her steps didn’t make any sounds.  She knew he was enjoying this all too much, that is why she was there to keep his feet on the ground if necessary. “Our young man is not here yet…so do tell me what is your plan of offer exactly hmm?”

While Kavyn was not one for dealing with teasers, Lilith was perhaps the only one he’d ever allow to have her fun.  After all, it was where a lot of her charm and character came from.

“Hey, you’re the one who told me not to indulge myself.  Besides, it’s not a good to be drunk off my ass during a business meeting after all.”

This was definitely a rare occurrence for Kavyn, meeting a noble without any sort of disguise or hidden agenda.  While the guild master did see potential in such a partnership, there was no way to ensure that there would be no problems.  After all, this is an act against the noble classes.  There’s no telling how this duke would react to such an agenda as The Golden Daggers’.  He would have to understand that a lot of sacrifices would come on his end.

Just when she said that a figure cladded in royal blue coat with a hat covering frot of his face,specificly his eyes but there was certain clamness in the walk of this man. As if he was counting his every step with care. But as the man approached closer it was clear who this person was.

Send in a symbol for my muse to react to one of these.

💋  your muse kissing mine

❤  your muse telling mine “I love you”

👅  your muse offering mine oral

🖕    your muse giving mine the finger

💍  your muse proposing to mine

🎁  your muse giving mine a present

⭐   your muse inviting mine to see the stars

💐  your muse giving mine flowers

💰  your muse giving mine money

🚗  your muse offering mine a ride

🍴  your muse inviting mine for lunch

🍨  your muse inviting mine for ice cream

🎤  your muse inviting mine for karaoke

📷  your muse asking mine to model

🐈  your muse giving mine a pet

🐎  your muse asking mine to go horse riding together

🚿  your muse asking mine to join them in the shower

⛄  your muse asking mine to help build a snowman

As much as she could enjoy the modest yet lively set of their guild celebration, she was still someone of noble birth and heritage. Despite lacking any of her original riches, she often missed the lavishness and games in the dark at the noble events. But for now, she did not mind settling for a tad bit more merrier setting.

At his little prodding, she merely rolled her eyes and snickered. “You could never afford an eye candy like me darling “ she teased back. Besides, it was not wise to become overly intimate with a guild member. Too many complications for her taste.

“Cheers to all of that darling, “ she said as her pint arrived and she rose it high. “But one thing I will not drag you out tomorrow if you over indulge tonight. Keep your eyes on the prize Boss”

Nearly a whole day has passed since The Golden Daggers had their initial celebration.  Now with contacts made and hangovers washed over it was time for the real party to begin.  The streets of the market district filled with lights and music tonight.  Pairs of adults and children alike danced in glee and vendors lined up to sell their wares be it food or trinkets with open smiles.  This sort of party was a nice change of pace for Kavyn, much more so than the stuffy parties held higher up.  

As soon as she heard a pair of footsteps approaching her, she gazed with the corner of her eye to see who it was. And when she saw the mysterious man…..with such poor disguise she could not help but smirk in bit playful manner at him. She would need to teach him a thing or two about a proper mask sometime in future.

Without much coy, she would approach him and simply stand right next to him. “Quite a lovely night we are having sir “ she mused in a melodic tone. Peering up at him with her pair of ice blue eyes she graced him with a grin across her now deep pink colored lips.  Giggling without waiting for him to say anything she warped her arm around his own. 

“Really darling I must train you how to disguise properly~”

“It is.” His weakness wouldn’t allow for him to brush her off. Grinning under the fake, white hairs of his beard and mustache, Sanji was ever the gentleman. The eyes that glanced up at him weren’t familiar in color, but the shape was beginning to paint an image in his head. It shouldn’t have taken quite this long to figure it out, but his vision did narrow out once he was focused intently on something.

Her arms around his pulled him into the realization that she was the one he had been waiting for. He breathed in, voice dropping into a hushed whisper. “Lilith? How——? Your disguise is amazing. I didn’t even know it was you. So talented!”

Yet there was apprehension in his voice when he looked around.

“Why thank you kindly I aim to please!” she would say purposely pressing her body further against his arm.

“I know you are not that  stupid, but trust me I’ve seen wiser men doing quite outrageous things “ which only led them into their own damnation but she did not wish to say that out loud.

Seeing him so willling and eager to work beside her both pleased and frightened her at the same time. Did he really became that much important to her? Honestly she should have known better before letting thingsb etween them escelate this far. But it was too late to turn back time.

“Mhm…do check if you can when is my next meeting with the German rival company…got few paepers to finish regarding that but in the meantime… “she took deep breath and ruffled several locks of her dark hair.

“I will do some  research on my own, beside the company cherie….you can have a day off. No need to stay here and wait for me to decide our next move..” she wanted to give both of them some space before deciding the next task. Some small distance was in her book at least always healthy for their minds to clear out some clouds.

✮ — ❝Got it; I’ll let you know what I discover and leave you some privacy,❞ Valentino repeated, taking a mental note of what she asked. While he didn’t mind helping her with the meeting, he only regretfully accepted her second suggestion. He didn’t argue with it, however: deep down, he knew she was right. Some quiet would help them a lot. 

   Looking away for a moment, the young man adjusted the collar of his shirt. He just needed to keep himself busy, even idle actions like this helped. ❝Besides,❞ he mused out loud, wanting his lover to hear,❝I needed a day off: I don’t enjoy Paris nearly as much as I should do. I’ll try to be back reasonably early… As fun as this sounds, do not expect me to spend the night out.❞ He added a brief chuckle, though it was mostly humorless; he was still too nervous to brush everything off with a laugh. 

    ❝Just call me if you need anything, okay?❞ Valentino asked, smiling at Lilith one last time before leaving the room.

—-

   Contacting the company and receiving an answer was easy. After telling Lilith what he had learned, Valentino found himself free to do as he wished only to realize to be out of ideas. He rarely moved without Lilith, and while he was glad to have that freedom, he wasn’t sure of what to do with it. His first impulse was to leave the house and meet the few friends – if that was even the right word – he had made in Paris and follow the flow. 

   Doing so proved to be a good idea. After few hours of unusually casual fun, Valentino came home more relaxed–although the small amount of alcohol he had drunk might have had something to do with it. 

Finally, she did manage to find something that caught her interest. Both as a suitable job for him, but also something she would love to gain. Cornette de Saint-Cyr a large and famous art auction house in Paris was holding an event with few items that she was tempted to snatch...

Just in time young man has returned from his little night out, delighted to see he was bit more upbeat she rose her gaze from laptop the coffe next to her was already mild from staying on table too long. “Ah cherie I see you had quite a bit of fun....sit down I’ll brew oyou and myself a fresh cup of coffee “ she mused while slowly getting up from her seat.

a shy kiss. 

a forehead kiss.

a cheek kiss.

a nuzzle kiss.

a neck kiss.

a hand kiss. 

a hug + kiss combo. 

a dying kiss. 

a bleeding / bloody kiss. 

an assertive kiss. 

a nonchalant / uninterested kiss. 

a kiss to your muse’s shoes. 

a blown kiss. 

a sad / crying kiss. 

a quick kiss. 

a happy kiss.

a teasing / sensual kiss. 

a platonic kiss. 

a clumsy kiss

Deep breath, calm down she thought to herself while gathering her thoughts. She wanted to dismiss him, make this whole conversation go under the rug, but what was the point if that would build a wall between them?

For now, she remained silent as he would explain his previous role. Passione was no small fry she had encountered the organization several times, and things always ended on a sour end.

When he was finished she offered short, curt nod. “I see, must admit infiltration sounds appealing but I will need a bit of time to consider few things.” which actually meant she needed to look into something that might work out for both of them. Ever so  slowly she did approach him to gently stroke his cheek before  letting out a silent sigh.

“I truly appriciate your devotion my love…but I simply do not wish for it to blind you…” she would say in silent whisper while looking away almost ashamed to show this side of her character. “but rest assured I will find something that might…fullfilll both of our ambitions..”

✮ — Valentino was touched by her wording. Was he allowing his devotion to lead him into the abyss? He knew following her had been a dangerous choice, but now their life had become quieter, he had stopped thinking about the consequences of his affection. When he worried, he only thought about Lilith’s job and the darkest parts of her personality, rather than his own behavior.

 His surprise showed, but only for a second. Valentino reached for her hand and sighed, closing his eyes. ❝Please, Lilith, don’t worry about me. I know how dangerous it is to play with fire,❞ he said. ❝I’m not going to do something inconsiderate just to impress you.❞

   Feeling the conversation become uncomfortable, he stepped back with a sheepish smile. ❝Let me know if you find anything; I will wait patiently. As you said, we shouldn’t be impulsive…❞ Then he cleared his throat, realizing pressing her was a bad idea: she looked already confused. They had said more than enough.

Seeing him so willling and eager to work beside her both pleased and frightened her at the same time. Did he really became that much important to her? Honestly she should have known better before letting thingsb etween them escelate this far. But it was too late to turn back time.

“Mhm...do check if you can when is my next meeting with the German rival company...got few paepers to finish regarding that but in the meantime... “she took deep breath and ruffled several locks of her dark hair. 

“It is not that I do not appreciate the extra assistance … it’s more that I never had such thing before” because he was the first lover who after man years of flings, stayed long enough to become something more to her. Biting her lower lip she turned her gaze away from the moment.

“Most of the collaborations were very brief and often not very friendly” she would add with a heavy sigh. “You are doing quite a bit in the company oui, but besides Illusions what exactly did you had in mind during the missions?” she wanted to see just how far ahead did he consider the things.

Since deep down…she was more frightened for him than she would ever admit.

✮ — Valentino would have preferred anger. It would have been easier to react, then. Her evident concern was making him feel a bit sick; he knew she wasn’t going to allow him to throw away his life. If he got hurt during his eccentric attempt to impress her, she would suffer as well. It was the opposite of what he wanted. He sought her approval, not her desperation.   

   He rubbed his temples with a hand, sighing unhappily, ❝Lilith…❞ He had to be rational now and do his best to reassure her. Not an easy task. A deep breath calmed him down. His eyes meet hers, his gaze melancholic despite his attempts to sound calm. 

   ❝When I still worked with Passione, I often had to follow my colleagues on the field to assist them,❞ Valentino started to explain in a feeble voice. ❝I provided illusions, coverage, but I was also asked to infiltrate, both to collect information and steal. It’s been a while, but I did a lot back then.❞ 

For now, she remained silent as he would explain his previous role. Passione was no small fry she had encountered the organization several times, and things always ended on a sour end.

When he was finished she offered short, curt nod. “I see, must admit infiltration sounds appealing but I will need a bit of time to consider few things.” which actually meant she needed to look into something that might work out for both of them. Ever so  slowly she did approach him to gently stroke his cheek before  letting out a silent sigh. 

“I made sure the raids were as clean as possible.  No cut chains, no metal scratches, and I even rigged their locks to new keys and combinations to buy plenty of time.  So long as they don’t open up their dusty vaults for a week or so we should be fine.” 

Lower dock parties were much more quaint than the noble balls Kavyn’s infiltrated, but they were certainly more enjoyable.  No fake smiles, scoffing, or judging.  Just nice and loud merriment with good music, company, and drink.  If anything it’s a good repellent for most nobles.  They all seem to act like their festivals were some sort of epidemic.

“Oh and your little performance was what seal the deal?  Sorry if I’m sounding harsh but I always figured you best worked as the mysterious beauty of temptation than a rich man’s arm candy to boast his success.” Kavyn teased but he knew too well that Lilith was a key part in getting Duke Lamore to even consider the proposal.

At his little prodding, she merely rolled her eyes and snickered. “You could never afford an eye candy like me darling “ she teased back. Besides, it was not wise to become overly intimate with a guild member. Too many complications for her taste.

If he really thought she was THAT naive well, he will have to be ready for tons of payback teases later on. Right now it was utterly adorable to see him this much excited about her acceptance. It almost reminded her of a child that got a reward from someone.

“Of course cherie, Oscar-worthy indeed” she would say with an amused chuckle.

Still, it was rather refreshing to see a grown man react like this. Most of the men in past did not even ask or been this direct. Some would merely assume that after a date or two they were an item, while others preferred short nights of pleasure. Zapp, on the other hand, was a rather peculiar case.

His suggestion was greeted with a wide grin, a pair of hands closing on his cheeks and a tender kiss upon his lips. “Oui, I would be delighted to have some with you. And tonight I’m treating you with little something as well” she said while suggestively nipping his bottom lip.

He knew exactly where she was going with this — and if Zapp Renfro had ever been a dog in a past life, his tail would’ve been wagging feverishly; licking his lower lip before ( excitedly ) propping himself on his feet. ❝There’s one place I know that serves the best pancakes, so we gotta get ready real quick!❞ They were only open in the mornings — and, according to the time, there wasn’t much of it left.

He dug around in his closet for something decent to wear - maybe a white shirt, maybe a black shirt; but as it was summer, he stuck with white. His hair was still a little disheveled from her ruffling, and remained that way even as he freshened himself up for everything else.

Unlike him, she was much like a lazy yet cuddly cat. Despite hearing that their time was limited she was taking it easy. Thankfully she brought a rather spacious bag with her so instead of the last night blouse she pulled out a navy blue tube top from her bag. A girl has to be ready all the time no?”Give me 5 minutes darling I’ll be done in  no time “

Dressing up in the pair of tight-fitting pants and the said top, she tied her long locks of hair into loose side tail that fell down her right shoulder cover part of her chest.With that out of the way she strut her way to bathroom to see what was he up to...only too see one of her toys  on display.