Me and You and Awkward Silence

Danny's grin didn't falter as Siora's words landed. The subtle edge in her tone, the way she met his gaze without flinching, told him all he needed to know. She wasn’t just another wide-eyed newcomer wandering into Kirkwall’s underbelly hoping to make a name for herself. She was sharper than that, and more importantly, she was listening—really listening, couple that with her ability to tame a crowd and all he could think was that this girl was dangerous, in the best way possible. And that intrigued him more than anything else.

When she offered him “first rights” on anything she overheard, Danny’s smirk deepened. Smart. She understood how things worked in this city. Nothing came for free, especially not trust, and he liked that she wasn’t handing it over with a pretty bow.

Leaning back in his chair, he let her words settle, nodding slightly. Good. Keep your ears open, and you’ll find Kirkwall has a lot more to offer than it lets on. But be careful who you share those little tidbits with. Some folks don’t take kindly to loose lips. He tapped his finger against the side of his mug, his eyes narrowing with a mix of amusement and caution. Including him, he thought to himself, he considered revealing who he was in Kirkwall beyond someone willing to help her, but he hesitated, did she really need to know just yet that he was the head enforcer to the Coterie.

For a moment, the noise of the tavern seemed to dull, leaving just the two of them in their quiet corner. Danny could see she was watching him just as closely as he was watching her, trying to figure out his game. And that was fine. She’d find out soon enough that there was always more going on with him than what met the eye.

Finishing off his drink, Danny set the mug down with a thud and pushed it aside, his eyes never leaving her. Alright, then. I’ll take you up on that offer. You hear anything interesting, you bring it to me first. And who knows, maybe I’ll keep buyin’ you drinks. Maybe I’ll even return the favor someday. His grin returned, though it was tempered by that ever-present edge, like he was daring her to try and figure him out.

@Siora Craynore