...OF THE ESTEEMED LORD LUIS SERRA, FIRST OF HIS NAME, HAILING FROM THE REALM OF VALDELOBOS, RESIDING AT PRESENT IN THE TRADE QUARTER. UNWED, BUT RECEPTIVE.
[ Leon hisses through his teeth in a slow exhale. Would it be better to deliver this news in person? Yes.
But that last conversation with Krauser has him thinking he might be being watched, and he can't bear to paint a target on Luis' back, even if Krauser seemed uninterested in that lightning striking the same target twice.
[ No shit! You literally called Luis, he was expecting an answer to his text, but hey sometimes the guy only has enough capacity to keep one train of thought moving at once.
After a beat, he exhales a reluctant: ] It's Krauser.
[ Does he even know the name of his killer? He lifts the curtain from the window with the knuckles of his other hand and drops it after glancing outside. ] The guy who...
[Luis mouths the name to himself, knowing it sounds familiar. But it wasn't until Leon filled in the blank that Luis realized where he'd heard Leon say that name before.
He didn't know it was possible to feel both hot and cold at the same time. Like steel in a blacksmith's forge, hammered out and dunked in a bath of water, and just like that steel he finds himself feeling stronger, a surge of adrenaline taking him over.]
How did you find out? Did he hurt you?
[Because of course his priority was making sure Leon was safe.]
[ The pause is heavy with his unspoken confusion, the questions so far afield of what Leon had expected that he's caught flat-footed by them.
So sure of his role as Luis' protector that he didn't expect to find himself sharing that territory with Luis trying to do the same for him, too close to this to understand why he'd even come to the conclusion that Leon could use someone watching out for him. ]
What? [ Leon shakes his head, nope, he's not talking about how he found out, that's not important. ] I'm fine. What the fuck, Luis. It's you I'm worried about.
[ Well, Leon's now 2 for 2 on guys he's talked to this hour who are equally skeptical about whether Krauser's likely to go after Luis, and it's like everyone else got the memo but him.
To say he is... unsettled by the prospect of being anything less than dependable and up to the task would be giving him too much credit. Leon's not sure what he's doing. He just knows he needs to do something, or he'll lose—
Nope. No. It's going to be different this time. Has to be. Whatever it takes, he isn't losing Luis a second time. ]
Be serious. [ This sounds more brusque than he means to, when Luis has admitted something that-- sure, yeah, that tracks, friends - has made his chest feel tight for absolutely normal reasons. ] Don't worry about me. I'm taking care of it.
[The way he says it is half-petulant, and not at all biting. His tone goes pleading, then, but quietly so.]
Take care of yourself first, Prince Charming. Don't go off fighting giants without me.
[It has layers, you see - and one of them is a plea, not to hurt himself in a losing battle; not to go tilting at windmills because he won't let anyone help him.]
[ Taken aback, Leon's scowl is almost audible, a blow against the mic when he exhales. ]
Luis— [ Seriously? He's gonna give you charming, pal, just keep it up. ] ...For now, you're not a target. Let's keep it that way.
[ Leon's not sure he needs to warn Luis to not give Krauser a reason to change his mind. Not sure there's even anything here that could make that worth his time. Krauser likes a challenge, and Luis... he is not usually that kind of challenge. He could be, though, because he's brilliant, but the kind of brilliant Leon can't possibly predict. ]
[Luis, for his part, laughs, although it too sounds more like a blow across the receiver.]
Hey, have a little faith in me, Sancho. Besides, what could I have that he wants?
[Besides you, he thinks, but doesn't say, because he doesn't. "Have" Leon, that is. And no amount of lingering possessive feelings after one especially horny dream will change that.]
...Don't let that big payaso keep you away, eh? We should get coffee again sometime.
[ Even if this is a moment when he probably would be inclined to let it slide, having delivered some unsettling news with less grace than Leon thinks the man deserves, what brings him up short is trying to remember what the hell payaso means. Did he just... call him a clown?
He lets it go with a grimly amused: ] Forget it.
[ Sensing this is a way to change the subject (and grateful for that, if he's honest with himself), Leon thinks this over. Coffee's fine and all, but... ] Nah. [ Leon's answer is terse, distracted as he paces over to the other window. ] Was thinking something more substantial.
[Muted, there's a creak of leather, as Luis makes himself comfortable in a chair, glad for the change of subject and likewise glad that Leon isn't in a hurry to rush off the call.]
More substantial, eh? [His tone is amused.] If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to ask me out on a date.
[ Usually Leon is abrupt with these, too used to the necessity of keeping comms clear, of keeping his reports in on mission short and to the point. He's less about small talk, more about a snappy comeback.
But he can't deny that he feels... better with the reassurance of Luis' voice in his ear. He's safe, for now.
Except now Leon's regretting it, because Luis has a big goddamn mouth and Leon, swift to scoff: ]
[He laughs again, this time freer and more genuinely entertained.]
Aw, I was looking forward to Prince Charming sweeping me off my feet. Maybe even on a white horse and all.
[His disappointment is clearly performative, relaxing into an easy banter - getting a rise out of Leon is fun, after all, and more fun because he can sense that Leon's not as bothered as his grumpy attitude portrays.]
[ He's right. Something about the sound of that hard exhale through his nose seems more amused than exasperated. ]
Have you seen me ride? Promise to lay flowers on the place where I ran your ass into the ground.
[ Leon twitches the curtains across the other window, satisfied that his search turned up nothing too concerning. He probably won't sleep until he's conducted a search around the grounds on foot, and even then, lightly, with a gun under his pillows and a knife not far from his hand, but this is all for future Leon to worry about. ]
...
[ So maybe the banter gave him a little courage. ]
[ Leon's going to refrain from admitting how well that went. He flunked. Hard. Took days to recover from all the bruises. Thing is, he hasn't realized that Pheme set him up for failure by ensuring he got the bitchiest mare in the stable. ]
There's this place I've been meaning to try. If the grub's no good, we hit the Trident. First round's on me.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Man of few words as always Sancho.
Of course I trust you. Do you want to come over?
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But that last conversation with Krauser has him thinking he might be being watched, and he can't bear to paint a target on Luis' back, even if Krauser seemed uninterested in that lightning striking the same target twice.
He compromises. Incoming call, doc. ]
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Hola, Luis here.
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[ No shit! You literally called Luis, he was expecting an answer to his text, but hey sometimes the guy only has enough capacity to keep one train of thought moving at once.
After a beat, he exhales a reluctant: ] It's Krauser.
[ Does he even know the name of his killer? He lifts the curtain from the window with the knuckles of his other hand and drops it after glancing outside. ] The guy who...
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He didn't know it was possible to feel both hot and cold at the same time. Like steel in a blacksmith's forge, hammered out and dunked in a bath of water, and just like that steel he finds himself feeling stronger, a surge of adrenaline taking him over.]
How did you find out? Did he hurt you?
[Because of course his priority was making sure Leon was safe.]
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So sure of his role as Luis' protector that he didn't expect to find himself sharing that territory with Luis trying to do the same for him, too close to this to understand why he'd even come to the conclusion that Leon could use someone watching out for him. ]
What? [ Leon shakes his head, nope, he's not talking about how he found out, that's not important. ] I'm fine. What the fuck, Luis. It's you I'm worried about.
[ He flinches at that admission. ]
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Me? What more could he do to me? It's you that I'm worried about, he seemed to have something personal out for you.
[His voice softens with a quiet sigh.]
The worst thing to me now is if anything happened to you.
I mean- [He sounds like he surprised himself by admitting that out loud.] -you're my friend. Of course I'm going to worry about you.
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To say he is... unsettled by the prospect of being anything less than dependable and up to the task would be giving him too much credit. Leon's not sure what he's doing. He just knows he needs to do something, or he'll lose—
Nope. No. It's going to be different this time. Has to be. Whatever it takes, he isn't losing Luis a second time. ]
Be serious. [ This sounds more brusque than he means to, when Luis has admitted something that-- sure, yeah, that tracks, friends - has made his chest feel tight for absolutely normal reasons. ] Don't worry about me. I'm taking care of it.
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[The way he says it is half-petulant, and not at all biting. His tone goes pleading, then, but quietly so.]
Take care of yourself first, Prince Charming. Don't go off fighting giants without me.
[It has layers, you see - and one of them is a plea, not to hurt himself in a losing battle; not to go tilting at windmills because he won't let anyone help him.]
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Luis— [ Seriously? He's gonna give you charming, pal, just keep it up. ] ...For now, you're not a target. Let's keep it that way.
[ Leon's not sure he needs to warn Luis to not give Krauser a reason to change his mind. Not sure there's even anything here that could make that worth his time. Krauser likes a challenge, and Luis... he is not usually that kind of challenge. He could be, though, because he's brilliant, but the kind of brilliant Leon can't possibly predict. ]
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Hey, have a little faith in me, Sancho. Besides, what could I have that he wants?
[Besides you, he thinks, but doesn't say, because he doesn't. "Have" Leon, that is. And no amount of lingering possessive feelings after one especially horny dream will change that.]
...Don't let that big payaso keep you away, eh? We should get coffee again sometime.
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[ Even if this is a moment when he probably would be inclined to let it slide, having delivered some unsettling news with less grace than Leon thinks the man deserves, what brings him up short is trying to remember what the hell payaso means. Did he just... call him a clown?
He lets it go with a grimly amused: ] Forget it.
[ Sensing this is a way to change the subject (and grateful for that, if he's honest with himself), Leon thinks this over. Coffee's fine and all, but... ] Nah. [ Leon's answer is terse, distracted as he paces over to the other window. ] Was thinking something more substantial.
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More substantial, eh? [His tone is amused.] If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to ask me out on a date.
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But he can't deny that he feels... better with the reassurance of Luis' voice in his ear. He's safe, for now.
Except now Leon's regretting it, because Luis has a big goddamn mouth and Leon, swift to scoff: ]
Don't get ahead of yourself.
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Aw, I was looking forward to Prince Charming sweeping me off my feet. Maybe even on a white horse and all.
[His disappointment is clearly performative, relaxing into an easy banter - getting a rise out of Leon is fun, after all, and more fun because he can sense that Leon's not as bothered as his grumpy attitude portrays.]
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Have you seen me ride? Promise to lay flowers on the place where I ran your ass into the ground.
[ Leon twitches the curtains across the other window, satisfied that his search turned up nothing too concerning. He probably won't sleep until he's conducted a search around the grounds on foot, and even then, lightly, with a gun under his pillows and a knife not far from his hand, but this is all for future Leon to worry about. ]
...
[ So maybe the banter gave him a little courage. ]
You like seafood?
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[He says, about as seriously as he took actual riding class, which is to say not at all.]
I do.
[He has a feeling that he knows what Leon is thinking. At least, he hopes. And for once, he doesn't jinx it by playing it off with a joke.]
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[ Leon's going to refrain from admitting how well that went. He flunked. Hard. Took days to recover from all the bruises. Thing is, he hasn't realized that Pheme set him up for failure by ensuring he got the bitchiest mare in the stable. ]
There's this place I've been meaning to try. If the grub's no good, we hit the Trident. First round's on me.
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Sounds like a perfect "not-date."
When are you free?
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Don't know yet. Gotta go. I'll keep in touch.
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Please do. Or else I'll have to start thinking you don't like me.
[One last tease, for the road.]