"Abel? Wake up."
Ow, my back.
Feeling fingers wrap around his bound wrists, Abel forced his eyes to open just in time to stumble to his feet as he was yanked up. Surely I have not been asleep for two days?
Kirin's hands moved from his wrists to his waist, lifting him from the carriage after he stepped to the ground. The lawman was about to set him down when he noticed Abel's lack of footwear.
"Uh..."
"Just set me down. My feet are already dirty. I will just wipe them on the mat inside," Abel said, wanting to be let down. He wasn't heavy in the least, but he still didn't like people just randomly touching him. Especially not the lawman bringing him in for stealing something he had not taken.
"I suppose that makes sense," Kirin mumbled as he set Abel down, then pressed a hand to his back to guide him inside the small inn. The place was surprisingly comfortable. Warm and decently clean. The bottom floor was set up like a tavern, with the innkeeper acting as the alcohol tender among the few guests spread throughout the room. A couple scruffy looking men eyed him, but thankfully Kirin didn't dwell for more than a moment before he shoved Abel across the room and up to the innkeeper.
"I would like one room, please."
The innkeeper looked at Abel, then back up to Kirin with a crooked smile. "Two pieces," he mumbled as he turned and grabbed a key, the last one hanging on the wall behind him. When he turned back around and handed it to Kirin, the lawman gave him two bronze coins.
"Thank you, sir," Kirin said before leading Abel up the stairs at the back of the room. The hall upstairs was well worn from traveler's boots. Scuffs had taken over the smooth wood years ago, turning it gray and white where parts of the wood were removed over time. When Kirin stopped in front of a door, Abel glanced toward the stairs, worried that one of the men might follow them up. Not that he was in danger. At least not much. He saw Kirin's gun at his side when his coat moved slightly, so at least he would be able to defend them if anyone tried to attack.
Or at least defend himself.
Feeling fingers pressing into his lower back, Abel quickly walked into the small room and stood still, waiting for Kirin to shut and lock the door before following him with his gaze.
Oh, oops. I forgot to wipe my feet.
"Hold still," Kirin whispered as he knelt down right in front of Abel. Having not been paying much attention, Abel almost stumbled backward when Kirin gently lifted his foot and began wiping the mud and dirt from it with a cloth. It felt so odd to have a man's hand, rough and callused from years of work, touching his foot instead of his maid's smooth fingers. When Kirin's hand paused after cleaning both feet, his right one still in his grasp, Abel had a feeling what he was about to say.
"Your feet are soft... for a thief."
Abel licked his dry lips. "As you have previously determined."
Kirin blinked, looking up at him without releasing his foot. "Yes... You are a thief."
After a moment of awkward silence, Abel tried to remove his foot from Kirin's hand, but the man's fingers just clenched tighter around it.
"Why were you wearing those shoes and gloves, Abel?"
Do not ask me that. You know you will not get a new answer.
"You already determined that," he answered with a dull tone.
Kirin sighed, releasing Abel's foot as he stood. His stare intensified, locked onto Abel's gaze as if trying to find the truth in their emerald depths.
"I have..." he finally said with a confused frown. He gave Abel one more look before moving over to the bed against the right wall and dropping down to sit on it. The old mattress was firm with only a thin layer of dust atop it. After having to sleep on the straw in the carriage, Abel was eager to sink down onto the mattress, but he had a feeling that the floor would once again be his bed.
"Um, sir?"
Kirin looked up, having rested his head in his hands while his elbows balanced on his knees.
"Yes, Abel?"
Nervously, Abel turned partway, allowing Kirin to easily see his numb hands. "Can I please have the ropes off for a minute? I cannot feel my hands much."
They stared at each other for a moment before Abel lowered his eyes and Kirin stood up. When he walked over, Abel couldn't help but fidget. It wasn't that he planned on running, which he figured Kirin might think, but he just wasn't used to being near people who weren't his father or maid.
"You look incredibly nervous, Abel. How do I know that you will not try to grab my pistol or knife?"
He honestly hadn't known the man had a knife, and he had no idea how to even load a pistol, let alone shoot one.
Looking up, he stared into Kirin's dark brown eyes as he began to speak. "I have no idea how to use either of those weapons, sir. And I have no interest in harming you. I needed to get away from that party for my own reasons and you helped me with that."
"Yet now I am taking you to prison, Abel. Was getting away from whoever you were worried about at that party worth going to jail?" Kirin asked, a slight quirk to his eyebrow.
"Yes, sir. I believe it was worth it."
They stared at each other for another quiet minute before Kirin stepped around him and began undoing the knot. The only thing that told Abel that his hands were free was the shifting of their weight as they fell from their bindings.
"Why did you not tell me that the knot was hurting your wrists?" Kirin asked as he took hold of one of Abel's numb hands and began to rub it gently with his fingers.
"I thought it was supposed to be tied tightly, sir," Abel answered honestly. He had never been tied up before, so he figured that they were tied correctly. The lawman didn't want his catch to get away, so the knots had to be really tight. At least that's what he had thought.
"They were not supposed to be this tight, see," he said, lifting the hand he was currently working on bringing sensation back into. "Your wrists should not be faded white and blue. That means the rope was too tight and your blood was being partially cut off. It is dangerous and you could have lost your hand if it stayed that way much longer."
Abel's jaw dropped, fear racing through his chest.
"I apologize, sir. I did not know."
Kirin shook his head, a smile playing at his lips as he switched to rubbing Abel's other hand. The one he had just let drop felt like it was being pricked with hundreds of needles, making Abel wince.
"Do not apologize to me, Abel. But if that happens again, please tell me, alright? I do not want you to lose your hands because of a mishap that could be avoided with a few words."
I thought one of the penalties for thievery was to have a hand removed? If not both? So why would me losing a hand bother him?
Not that he wanted to lose them, by mistake or otherwise. Abel quickly nodded, flexing his pained fingers as they were released and feeling began to return.
"Come over here. I do not want you standing near the door."
Abel quickly walked over to where Kirin stopped by the bed. The man removed his gun and knife, setting them down on the small nightstand in front of him. He then turned to Abel, after taking a small cloth that had been on the nightstand, and sat, gesturing him closer.
"You will be sleeping with me. I will refrain from using the ropes as long as you give me no trouble, understood?"
Worried, Abel nodded, climbing into bed when Kirin patted the spot next to him. It wasn't much compared to his bed at home, or at least where he used to live, but as he settled in, he couldn't help but yawn. He could hear Kirin and feel him shifting his weight on the bed every few moments, likely removing his boots and some of his clothing. When the man finally lay down, Abel let his body relax. Sleep was something he welcomed, knowing that he would likely not get another chance before getting to jail.
The only thing that stopped him from managing to close his eyes was a firm, well-muscled arm wrapping around his waist. That alone would keep him awake, but when he was tugged back against Kirin's chest, felt the heat of the man's skin against his back, Abel knew he wouldn't be able to close his eyes and rest. So, he lay there, stiff in the other man's arm, snug against him for the next hour. Kirin had long since gone to sleep, his breathing steady as he regained his energy for the day ahead. Darn it. Go to sleep, Abel!
He forced his eyes to close, but no matter how hard he tried to focus on sleep, his heart just wouldn't stop speeding and his mind refused to halt its racing thoughts. Eventually, he just couldn't stay still. Either he woke Kirin or he didn't, but he needed to move. Without bothering to try to slip away carefully, Abel just sat right up, feeling Kirin's hand slip down into his lap, making a light blush rise to his cheeks. Of course the man's hand didn't stay there long. His fingers flexed, then his arm rose to yank Abel back abruptly, forcing him against the man's solid chest as a knife came to rest just beneath his chin.
"Trying to get away? I told you I would tie you up again if you did not behave, Abel."
He had been behaving! Unfortunately, saying that would likely help no one. Instead, Abel took a shaky breath and waited for the knife to lower before looking up over his shoulder at Kirin's shadowed face in the dark room.
"I am not used to having anyone touch me for more than a few seconds. I am sorry. It really bothered me."
Kirin narrowed his eyes and leaned over, pressing himself closer and making Abel fidget.
"Please stop. You can tie me up, but please stop trying to prove that I was just wanting to escape. I told you that I would not, and I am no liar," Abel said, his voice a little shaky and quiet. He desperately wanted to pull away, but if he did, Kirin might suspect that he was indeed trying to escape. So, he forced himself to just stay as still as possible, waiting for the man to calm down before reaching up to tug at the fingers around his waist.
"Please tie me up, sir," he tried again, hoping to finally get out of the man's arms. Thankfully, Kirin did release him and turn, sliding his legs off the side of the bed as he reached for the rope he'd previously used. Not wanting to cause any more trouble, Abel stumbled off the bed and knelt in front of him, placing his hands behind his back, fingers clasped together.
"Why?" Kirin asked as he began to wrap the rope around Abel's wrists, careful not to make it too tight like before.
Glancing over his shoulder, Abel raised a brow and frowned. "Why what, sir?"
The man sighed, looking exhausted. "Why were you wearing those items? Just one answer, Abel, could mean the difference between your freedom and a noose. Why will you not tell me?"
Instead of answering, Abel returned his attention to the floor in front of him. He couldn't tell the man. If he did, he would secure himself a date with the noose. If he kept quiet, he might get away with a fine, the loss of a hand, or possibly the noose. Neither of the three were appealing, but if he told, he would only have the most negative option left to look forward to. It was not worth it.
"I apologize, sir," he mumbled after a long moment of silence. When Kirin didn't answer, only continued to tie the ropes, Abel let himself relax. He could deal with the man's fingers tapping his every few moments as he worked. It was actually a relief to have the ropes returned to his wrists, as surprising as the idea was. That meant, hopefully, that Kirin wouldn't touch him so often as they slept.
"Alright. How do they feel?" the man asked after another minute. Abel licked his lips and tested the ropes, relieved that there was a decent amount of slack. Too much. He thought about telling Kirin to tighten them, that he could probably get out with a bit of effort, but he also thought about sleeping with them tighter. It wasn't a comfortable thought. So, he carefully got to his feet and gave a tired smile.
"They are okay. Thank you, sir."
When Kirin slowly nodded, Abel had an odd feeling in his chest that the man might have actually tied the ropes looser on purpose. He didn't dwell on the thought, though, because when Kirin patted the spot beside him, Abel quickly climbed into the bed and flopped down with a yawn. He felt his conscious slipping away in moments. He had slept a good deal on the way to the inn, but after days of preparation for his coming-out event, he still felt the strong pull to sleep more. He let it take him, knowing that he'd need as much sleep as he could get before he reached the jail.
The awkward feeling of being watched woke him the following morning. Well, he had thought it was morning, but he wasn't quite sure. It was still dark outside the dirty window on the wall, but it looked like it was getting brighter instead of darker as he watched the sky for a few minutes.
Sunrise, then.
After glancing at Kirin, Abel noticed the man was still asleep.
Odd. I swear I felt someone looking at me.
He glanced around the room, noting that no one else was there. After lying there for a few minutes, he realized something that made his stomach knot with worry. The ropes that had been around his wrists were now hanging over his head and spread out on the bed.
I must have gotten myself out of them during the night.
There were still a few loops wrapped around his left wrist, but he didn't dare move it. Instead, he focused back on Kirin and worriedly tried to figure out what to do. Running wasn't an option. He had said he would not, but he also knew that Kirin would wake up if he tried to climb over him and out of the bed. So, that left him with only one option besides remaining absolutely still and waiting for the man to wake up on his own.
"Sir?" he said quietly, worried about startling the man. When he didn't answer, Abel hesitantly reached forward with his left hand and tapped his shoulder. He didn't want to give the man any reason to hurt him, so he made sure that every action was taken, then he waited a full sixty seconds before trying something else. After four different tries to wake him up, Kirin finally began to blink out of his slumber.
Abel took his hand back immediately and held his breath, his heart pounding against his chest as he waited for Kirin to realize that he had gotten out of his bindings. When the man noticed, his eyes jerked wide and he sat up. Abel fidgeted, eventually pushing himself up when Kirin didn't stop staring.
"I am sorry, sir. I believe I got out of the bindings while I slept," Abel whispered as he looked down at his hands, which were now in his lap. He expected the man to be upset or at least to bind his hands again before he tried to escape, but when Kirin just shook his head and heaved a sigh, Abel looked up, confused.
"Sir?"
"Why, Abel?"
Abel's frown deepened as he replied. "I already told you..."
Kirin shook his head again, massaging his temples with his fingers. "Not that. Why did you not leave while I was asleep? Why did you wake me?"
Understanding dawned on Abel's face. "I told you I would not cause trouble for you, sir."
The man rolled his eyes, grinning even though he didn't seem happy. "I awoke far earlier than you and noticed the ropes already undone. I intended to rest my eyes and wait. Wait for you to get up and try to leave, but I fell back asleep."
Abel's eyes widened, the scope of the situation finally dawning on him. He could have easily gotten away, considering how fast asleep Kirin had been.
"You noticed, yet you did not wake me or attempt to tie me back up..." he muttered quietly, then narrowed his eyes. "You wanted me to try to get away. To prove that I am this criminal you perceive me to be."
The man's smile turned down into a frown once more as he leaned sideways against the wall, eyes still focused on Abel.
"You are a strange thief," he finally said.
Not wanting to get into the same argument again, Abel shrugged and mumbled, "Can we leave now, sir?" as he climbed out of the bed and finished undoing the ropes to hand back to Kirin.
The man took them, slowly running his fingers over the twine as he continued to stare.
"Sir? Would you like me to try to run? Do not get me wrong, I do not want to go to jail, nor do I want to risk any other punishment, but I am always true to my word."
When the man shook his head and wrapped the rope up to carry easier, Abel stared, confused. "Come, Abel. We have a long day ahead," Kirin said as he got his shoes, shirt, and suit jacket back on, put his weapons back where they belonged, then headed for the door. When he returned the key downstairs, he picked up three apples and a hot pastry that seemed to have some type of filling inside. It was a rare thing to see anything besides regular bread, and sometimes ones with herbs mixed in, but Abel had never seen a piece of bread shaped like that with things inside. It piqued his curiosity, but as he followed Kirin outside, then up into the carriage, he knew that the treat was for the lawman, and him alone. He would be lucky to even get a nibble at one of the apples.
Throughout their morning ride, Abel tried not to stare as Kirin ate two of the apples, then began working on the pastry. It smelled mouthwatering, and he had to catch himself more than a few times to keep from visibly drooling as his stomach growled. At a certain point, Abel considered how the straw might taste. His hands were never rebound so he decided to at least try it. It tasted pretty much like the grass he'd accidentally gotten in his mouth when he'd fallen as a child while running. He chewed slowly, not quite sure if the straw was worth the way it tasted. He doubted it had much nutritional value to offer, but with his stomach growing louder by the minute, he felt that chewing it would at least calm his hunger a little.
"Here."
Blinking, Abel looked up. Kirin was holding the pastry out to him, having only eaten a few bites of it. "It is far too sweet and bitter for me," he said as he licked something dark off of his lips.
Not wanting to ignore the gift of food, Abel quickly took the cooled pastry in his hand and after saying his thanks, took a big bite. Wow! The man hadn't been kidding when he had said it was sweet! It was also a little bitter, yet both tastes worked quite well together. When he finished chewing and swallowed the bite, Abel looked back up at Kirin.
"What is this filled with? I have never tasted something so sweet, yet bitter."
Kirin grinned as he swallowed the bite of apple he'd taken moments earlier.
"It is called chocolate, though I am sure they have added sugar to it, as well."
Chocolate? Is that the new expensive treat from France that father was discussing with his friends many nights ago?
"It is not very common, but the innkeeper probably got it from a patron who could not pay. It is quite the bartering item, considering how rare it is. That is also likely why the pastry was more expensive than those I have had before."
Abel looked down at the pastry in his hands, then back up. "You have had these before? I have never seen one."
"Yes, I have had them quite a few times. Because I travel to so many cities due to my districts being separated by large tracks of land, I have seen quite a few things that are not common in the town where I found you."
Abel nodded, mumbling out, "I see" before taking another bite. Even if Kirin had had the pastry before, it was a rare treat for Abel and likely the only one he would ever have. That led him to savor every bite, even though he was hungry enough to down the entire delicacy in seconds.
"Here," Kirin said as Abel finally finished his last bite. When he looked up again, he noticed a leather flask of water in front of his nose. Eager to quench his thirst, Abel took the flask and quickly drank, a few lines of water running from the left side of his mouth. He emptied at least half of the flask before lowering it from his lips with a satisfied sigh. He really wanted to drink the water that remained, but he knew that Kirin also needed it, and they both had to make it last until they found somewhere to refill it. So, reluctantly, he handed the flask back to the man.
"Thank you."
When Kirin just responded with a nod, Abel returned his attention to the straw. He listened to the man cut through the last remaining apple, and was surprised when he saw a half moved into his line of sight. Without a word, he took it, bringing it to his lips to eat. The pastry had been delicious, but it was not enough after being without food the day before.
"How old are you, Abel?" Kirin asked after Abel had finished half of the apple piece he had been given.
"Eighteen, sir," he mumbled before taking another big bite from the fruit.
"What have you done in the past for work?"
Abel finished his piece of apple and frowned, pursing his lips as he thought about the question. He knew it was normal for a boy to work from a young age, but he had not been a boy until a day earlier.
"I... sewed and cooked," he mumbled, knowing that the tasks he named were left strictly to women.
He expected Kirin to question him about it, or even laugh, not believing. What the man did do, however, was a bit shocking. "Do you have a needle on you, Abel?" he asked as he tugged his shirt over his head after removing his suit coat.
"Yes, sir, I do..." Abel responded, confused as to why Kirin was removing his shirt. When the man handed it to him, Abel took it, then awkwardly reached into the pocket of his breeches and pulled out the tiny silver case that held one sewing needle, along with a small spool of thread. He always had the items on him, knowing that it was an important skill that might be needed at a random moment.
"I have had a hole in the left side of my shirt for several weeks. Can you fix it for me?"
Without needing much thought, Abel got busy threading his needle and quickly located the hole. It seemed more like a tear, as if a knife had cut through the fabric. In fact... He noticed red lining the opening, making him glance up at Kirin.
"It was from an injury. The shirt has been cleaned since then, though, so there is nothing to worry about. It is just stained."
Abel wasn't worried about the blood. For some reason, he was actually worried about the injury, and if it was healing correctly. He would have likely noticed it the previous night when the lawman had removed his suit jacket and shirt, but it had been dark and he had paid little attention. He had learned many ways to help with injuries over his years, as every young lady should in order to serve her husband, but he let his worry go as to not bother Kirin. As the carriage continued its journey, Abel got comfortable leaning against the bench next to Kirin's leg and busied himself with stitching, glad to have something to do to pass the time.