Walk with Shadows

Inferno

She faked a smile to Mercer, then nodded slowly. Brynjolf turned quickly to her and locked eyes. He swore he saw something in them, begging for a moment of his time but retreated swiftly. She was never out there, and it seemed like today was no different. The slate of her expressive eyes was wiped clean. She took a step back and a deep breath. "Sure. No problem. Always willing to help a family member." She looked to Brynjolf then, her teeth shine as she faked another smile. "It is my pleasure. You... Have a great night. Be careful. Can't have the recruitment face of the guild hurt."

"He might be sore tomorrow and sleep late but he will be fine." Mercer cut him off before he could speak, seeing the man's mouth open. Mercer then watched her nod and swiftly exit. She was running away from them and Brynjolf's hand extended for a moment before looking back to Mercer.

"What was that?" He blinked at the guild master.

"She needed to go." He looked to Brynjolf. "I'm just lookin' out for you. She is bad for this." Mercer walked to his side as the stone slid into place behind them. "She messes your head up. The point was to clear her out of it. You can't do that with her here." Mercer laughed a little.

"She doesn't mess up my head. I'm clear around her." He sighed, looking off in the direction she ran. "Mercer, I'm in love with her. No matter what I think, she thinks or we actually do. " Brynjolf shook her head. "If I sleep with another woman or hell, Mercer, a hundred, I will still look at her with the reverence I had today."

"What is this woman to you?" He chuckled. "Everything I know about her is just that she is a cold blooded killer and is silent around us, unless she was talking about being unseen. You can't have anything in common."

Brynjolf rolled his eyes. "You'd be surprised." He looked to Mercer. "She is like... A good sweet melody. Goes down smooth, easy to sit with. Makes me smile, and... She will surprise you. She quite literally can sneak up on you. Makes you feel things. She is beautifully sad, but there is a hopeful baseline there." He looked to Mercer. "I... Almost believed I might never see her again."

Mercer grit his teeth without allowing it to be seen. He looked to Brynjolf with a sigh. "You really aren't going to give up?" The ginger's head shook softly. "Even though Delvin told me she was never going to feel the same?"

"Look. Love isn't about getting something back. I know how our world works but I'm not in this to gain something from her. I want to see her smile but I will never demand something from her." He looked to Mercer. "I wish you hadn't sent her away, but who am I to demand anything?"

Mercer groaned a little. "You are a high ranking member of a guild."

"A guild not doing so well..." He reminded the man.

"... And she is just a low member of an organization that is in complete shambles."

"That's her family." He looked to Mercer before moving through the doors to the Bee and the Barb. "Why are you this hard on her?"

"If she can't do anything for us she is a waste of space in your mind." He was blunt, as always. "We have work to do and you've just been playing around with her."

"I'm not playing around." Brynjolf looked into Mercer's eyes. "She is doing something for me. Knowing her makes me want to be a better man. She makes me work harder. So if anything you owe her a thank you." Mercer walked from Brynjolf without a word. The man was left alone then looked to Talen-jei who approached. "Oh, hey."

"Did you want to join her? She is on the second floor." The Argonian pointed to the stairs. "She looked a little strange, huffing when she came in, but looked disappointed."

"Wait... Her as in her, her?" The Argonian nodded pleasantly. Brynjolf looked to the stairs, staring for a moment as Talen continued.

"Yes. She is very nice. I enjoy when she is here. Gweneith is her name?" Brynjolf absently nodded. "She looked tired so I assumed she just got here and was waiting for you."