#v. blacksmith.

" five more minutes and i would have thrown ale over you, " aksel responded with his back still turned as he fixed his belt, final touches put to his own armour for the day. he was only half joking, he probably would have thrown ale over solomon for the fun of it, though he knew it may not have gone down well. " there are worse ways to wake, you could have had a vampire at your neck. "

finally turning to look down at the other man, he gave his shoulder a gentle nudge with his foot. " do you want food? i was going to make something before we leave - i can't promise it won't be burnt. "

" i can wait, " aksel responded with his back turned to the other, eyes focused on the furance in front of him until he was done with his work. he was used to difficult customers and while he wouldn't call this one difficult necessarily, he was unsure of what he wanted still.

when he finally turned to look at him, the blacksmiths eyes stared him down, squinted slightly and then relaxed again. " is there something you need of me? something i can help you with? work? are you looking for somebody? " falling quiet again, but only for a short while, he let his eyes look the other up and down. " are you hurt? "

the bandage that usually remained securely fastened around his wrist hiding the mark there had been forgotten in his rush that morning. it wasn't intentional, a slip of the mind - perhaps one he'd done intentionally after spending time with shen on more than one occasion. still he'd not expected it to come up in conversation. aksel had never spoken about it, he felt foolish to have allowed it in the first place and for it to become what it was now... it was better kept a secret.

there were some parts he could tell without saying too much and scaring of the other he hoped. eyes drifted to the exposed mark and then to shen. " my father gave it to me years ago, " he began but hesitated before speaking again. " he told me if i could endure the pain it would prove me to be a man and i believed him, " aksel shrugged his shoulders as he met shen's eyes with his own. " now i realise that was just foolish and he wasn't telling me the real reason for it. "

the paladin had just finished finished getting himself ready to make his up the stairs outside the shop. eyes on the thread as his fingers pulled to tighten the cuffs around his wrists securely, he paid little mind to anybody until he stopped half way up the stairs to see the stranger sat there. tempted to reach for his own knife slotted somewhere between the leather of his belt, instead aksel stared the other down curiously and resisted.

he was used to the odd customer waiting for him, just not one he wasn't so familiar with. " is there a reason your hanging around my shop? " brow raised as he stepped past him to reach the top of the stairs. " do you need something? if you're looking for something free you wont find it here. "