ONCE UPON A TIME IMAGINES AND PREFERENCES

W. Scarlet - "Common Thievery" (C)

"Just shut up and give me my junk back."

Word Count: 1225

I hummed as I poked my way through the back room of Mr. Gold's shop, bag in hand, shoving whatever looked valuable in it. The intimidating owner was off on his honeymoon with his new wife, which meant there was no one here to watch for thieves like myself. Except for security cameras, of course, which I had disabled from a computer in my car before I'd even picked the lock on the front door.

"Who the hell are you?" an accented voice from behind me spoke.

Damn. Did they actually leave someone behind to keep watch?

I spun around, my eyes landing on a man around my age with a bag similar to mine in his hand. What would he be doing with a bag like that? As far as I knew, a thin, drawstring, canvas bag wasn't one people used when they were watching a store for a friend.

"Shelby Rosier." I decided to use a fake name.

He nodded at the bag in my left hand. "And what're you doing with that?"

I sighed, feinting annoyance. "I don't remember it ever being your business."

"It is my business when someone else is stealing from the shop I'm trying to steal from!"

I laughed, relieved when I realized he was a thief, too. That meant I wouldn't have as much of a chance of getting arrested, unless he was really bad at stealing.

"Shoving things in a cheap bag would give it away, I guess," I smirked.

His chuckled, showing his aggravation from before was either fake or no longer relevant. "As well as the fake name you just gave me, the disabled cameras, and the car parked out front with $1000 worth of equipment in the back that I just looted."

"You did what?" I spat through gritted teeth.

My hand tightened around the bag I was holding. That equipment had taken me months to steal, and he thought he could just grab it and run with it over the time period of a few minutes? There's no way I was ever gonna let him get away with that.

"You better give every last bit of it back right now, you son of a -"

He shoved something in his bag and laughed, shaking his head. "I didn't really take it. I don't steal from amateurs, Miss...what is your name, really?"

I rolled my eyes, debating whether or not I should give it to him. He seemed trustworthy enough for a thief, and if he tried to tell anybody I was here, he'd also be giving himself away in the process. He was a jerk though, and his idea of a joke was way off-color.

"(Y/n) (L/n)," I blurted out before I could change my mind. "What's yours?"

"My name is Will Scarlet, love."

"I'm not your 'love'."

He cockily grinned. The small amount of light coming through the window shone on the side of his face, putting one half of the grin in shadows.

"It's a part of my common speech, Miss (y/n). Can't really just take it out. It's like your American word 'dude,' which sounds quite stupid actually."

I glared at him before shoving another item in my bag. I'll admit, he was attractive, but it definitely did not make up for how annoying he was. I tried to turn my attention back to the job at hand, but it seemed Will's mouth didn't stop running.

"Can you shut up?" I barked.

He glanced up, a look of confusion masking his face. "I didn't say anything."

"Oh whatever. I heard -"

"Sh, listen," he whispered, turning his head towards the front of the shop.

My lips pressed tightly together as I listened for what he was apparently hearing. Once we were both quiet I could hear more of what he was hearing, but I couldn't make out what the voices were saying. I turned back to Will.

"You heard that." His voice was barely above a whisper, his eyes wide.

"You led the cops to us?" I hissed.

"I didn't. You did."

Seething, I was about to snap back a rude retort when he ran past me to the back door, grabbing my wrist and taking me with him as he went. Our feet were silent on the hardwood floor, as was the door when it opened and closed. We didn't even make a sound as we jumped through the alleyway and sped across the road behind the pawnshop. Years of thievery led to that escape being completely barren in terms of sound, but halfway to Archie's, Will decided to open his mouth again.

"Last one to Granny's owes the winner a drink!" he whisper-yelled.

With that, he threw my wrist down and out of his grip, yanking my bag out of my hand instead, therefore ensuring I would follow.

"You little..." I shook my head in disbelief.

I sped after him, not even caring about the drink. I just wanted my stuff back. Why did he think it was okay to steal that from me just to get a drink? Why would he even want to? The stuff he'd just stolen from Mr. Gold would give him plenty of money to buy a drink. He had no reason to make a bet with me about it, unless...oh, no. He cannot have meant it as a date. No way.

I raced even faster once I realized his true intentions. It wasn't that I would hate buying him a drink or two. Will was extremely good-looking and I would be lying if I said I hated his company. I just didn't want to be buying him a drink because I'd lost to him.

We had only been minutes away from the 'finish line' when we'd started, and almost the whole way I'd maintained a distance of a few feet behind the other thief. Now that we were only seconds from our destination and I'd yet to gain any ground on him, I was starting to get worried. My dignity would be taking a big hit if he won.

"Good luck beating me, (y/n)!" Will taunted. "Only a few more feet left!"

I rolled my eyes. I realized I probably wasn't gonna beat him, but I didn't need comments about it, either.

Our predictions were proven correct a few moments later when his heavy footsteps halted at Granny's shortly before mine. I bent over, gasping for air, as was he.

"At least you're about as out of shape as I am," I said, attempting to joke once my breaths slowed.

He chuckled. "I'll be even more out of shape when you buy me that drink next Friday at 4."

"Just shut up and give me my junk back."

"As you wish," he answered, mockingly bowing and holding out my bag for me to take.

I snatched the bag from his hands, trying not to laugh but terribly failing. He straightened his back and grinned. I met his gaze with my own, my lips still posed in a nervous smile, his lips in a not-so-nervous one.

"Well," he spoke, taking a step back and breaking the awkward gazing. "I have to get going, but I'll be here waiting for you."

I smiled. "Next Friday."

Will laughed, starting to turn to walk away. "4 pm. Don't be late; you're buying."

"I wouldn't dream of it."