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[thereneverwas]

[For correspondence, private scenes, and anthrax.]

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[thereneverwas]

Yeh?

[He tilts his own chin up, exhaling a puff of smoke.]

What's her family name?

[cozen]

[ She scoffs a little. ]

We aren't that fancy.

[thereneverwas]

[There it is. Barrow smirks.]

So whaddyou want, money?

[The question comes out as a grumble, not especially threatening.]

Who told you I had any?

[cozen]

[ She doesn't know she's been had. Her bottom lip comes out, just a little, as if she's hurt but trying not to show it. ]

I don't want your money. I only wanted to meet you.

[thereneverwas]

No no, none of that.

[He shakes his head fondly, digging into his coin pouch.]

You had me going for a moment there, kid. Take this, go on and get yourself a better scam.

[He approaches her to offer out what equates to around half a day's wage in coins.]

[cozen]

[ She considers him, considers the coins, and snatches them out of his hand. ]

How long did I have you going? You think five minutes?

[thereneverwas]

[He scoffs.]

If that. But.

[He leans down a little closer.]

I'll double that if you tell me who put you up to it.

[cozen]

[ She has to count the coins first, comparing what she’s being offered to what she stands to be paid if she keeps her mouth shut, but then she says, ]

Him.

[ And turns to point down the docks, a few vacant slips away, where Bastien is leaning on a wall. Looking at the sea, mostly, but his peripheral vision includes them enough for her point to make him turn and open his mouth in feigned outrage and shock. ]

[thereneverwas]

Aaahh.

[A knowing sound, and Barrow tips the rest of the coins into the girl's hand.]

Good kid. If your mum's real, buy her something nice.

[Then, he starts off toward the perpetrator. He looks friendly enough, but that in itself can be a warning sign.]

[cozen]

[ Anne, if that is her real name, does not stick around to find out if she’s in trouble—which is her loss, as Bastien would have paid her anyway, snitch or not.

He waits for Barrow where he’s been standing, looking utterly unafraid and unapologetic. ]

[thereneverwas]

[Stopping a few feet away from Bastien, Barrow removes his cigarette from his mouth long enough to ash it.
He's still smiling.]

A little below the belt, mate, don't you think?

[cozen]

[ Heh. ]

I’m Orlesian. We have no sense of proportion when it comes to revenge.

[thereneverwas]

So that's how it's gonna be, eh?

[cozen]

I am afraid so.

[ Do your worst, etc. ]

But she was good, non? She looked the part. Not much commitment, but she is twelve.

[thereneverwas]

[Oh. He will.]

She had me for a moment, but she got sloppy on the details. Or. Well. There were things she couldn't have known.

[He smiles around his cigarette.]

I plan to keep it that way, you fucking monster.

[cozen]

[ Bastien makes a wincing ooh face that doesn’t actually look insulted or hurt, because he’s also laughing. ]

You don’t want to be a papa?

[thereneverwas]

[Barrow shakes his head, exhaling.]

I can barely keep my own shit together. Not about to inflict that on some unsuspecting sprog.

[cozen]

Aw. [ He grins, then gives half his attention to a few seagulls brawling over a bit of garbage. ] Your shit seems alright to me.

[thereneverwas]

Well. Thank you.

[He's actually touched.]

...but don't think buttering me up will make your punishment any less dire.

[cozen]

Bien sûr. Just be sure, whatever you do to me, you are ready for me to do something [ he gestures vaguely in lieu of trying to actually quantify taking the beard oil vs. bastard fake-out ] however many times worse.

[thereneverwas]

Oh, of course, of course.

[He puffs thoughtfully at his cigarette.]

...mate, you fucking escalated.

[It's honestly impressive.]

[cozen]

I really wanted that beard oil.

[ And now he wants a cigarette. He fishes around in his clothes for the necessary supplies. While he's doing that, he finds some coins and holds them out. ]

Here. It is what I was going to pay her.

[thereneverwas]

[Barrow chuckles, and holds up his hand to deny the money.]

Nah, she gave me a good performance. It was worth the coin.

[Since his Cigarette Things were already out, he offers Bastien his matchbook.]