"I knew I'd find you here," Lufi's voice bled into Ariden's ears as the sweet smell of oshella smoke flitted into the alley and dissipated into the late afternoon wind. He fumbled to get the stick from his lips and hid it behind his back, earning a light laugh from her. "It's okay," she said. "I don't mind. It's actually nice and calming. You should have burnt it in a basin or something."

Ariden snorted and brought the burning stick back to his mouth. He took a long inhale and blew the smoke immediately. Lufi's sentiment hung in the air between them. He didn't know what to say to that anyway. What, burn oshella in a building that has three children and two soldiers whose previous job was to track illegal trades of it? Not happening.

"So you've chosen a name," Lufi leaned against the opposite wall belonging to their hideout's neighbor. It was reminiscent of the first time they talked, only this time, she was smiling more brightly. She nodded in slow, rhythmic beats. " 'The Cutlasses'," she mulled. "Can't say I like it considering it's what almost killed us."

Ariden chuckled, driving out smoke from his mouth. "'What can I say? I'm a genius," he said. Lufi rolled her eyes, giving him a complete view of the thin scar running down one side of her face. "I'm sorry about that," he gestured to the spot in his own face with two of his fingers. "I shouldn't have asked you to join us."

She shrugged. "It's nothing, honestly," she met his gaze, hazel eyes against dark brown. "I quite like it. Reminds me that once in a while, my life wasn't composed of scrubbing floors."

"And statues," he added to tease but she threw her head back and laughed. It was open and unguarded. "Yeah," she tucked her blond locks behind pointy ears. "And statues."

"So, what are you going to do now?" Ariden asked out of the blue.

Lufi inclined her head at him. "Why? Afraid I'll go back to the Temple?" she asked.

Yes, truly—his mind and heart screamed. Instead, he took another drag and blew the smoke out into the wind. He looked into the bustling street filled with temporary people flitting past them. There was something calming at being stationary in the middle of a fast-paced world. "You can do what you want," he said. "I'm always out here if you need me."

Lufi snorted. "Why did you pick me, out of all the workers in Jehnasson?" she asked. Ariden flicked his gaze towards her again. No judgment or suspicion lay in her features. Just genuine curiosity. Should he tell the truth? Nah.

The stick reached its stump, the fire fizzling out with the stray breeze blowing from the east. He blew one last breath stained with oshella and threw the stump into the ground. It met the heel of his boot almost instantly. He made sure he squashed it well. He didn't want to start a fire, not when the city was still reeling from the damages done by the Orange Could incident.

"Does it need to have a reason?" Ariden said in response to Lufi's question. "I have seen you work and in that brief time, I know you think on your feet. You adapt. You survive."

He smiled at her despite the growing heat in his cheeks and the calm the oshella brought just a few seconds ago scattering into the different veins in his system. "That's all I need," he said before jerking his chin towards the back door where their friends waited. "You coming in?"

Lufi returned his gesture with a playful grin. "You bet," she said. "Race you? Winner gets to have a free teange."

Ariden smirked. "Deal."

Together, they took off towards the door leading towards home.

2409 Iclis 19, Daleth

Ariden lay on top of the round table, throwing the ball he had grown fond of into the air. This time, he didn't throw it that far. Someone might come from the front door again. From his periphery, Cohnal heaved a crate filled to the brim with stavertine ores. It was his cut from their most recent caper, one that involved an illegal smuggling ring connected to The Black Blades. It has been almost a year now and they're still cleaning up after Herven's mess. How quaint.

Anyway, the twins insisted on having separate accounts in terms of their cut and Ariden had to give in. After one excellent job after the other, it's the least he could do. Lufi's stash was tucked somewhere in the northeastern corner, behind some of the construction materials they had bought. She was the one who insisted on building the dividers back so she could have a space for herself. In a den full of thieves, it was rather proper.

Ralei had been helpful in crafting said dividers, using his years of retirement as experience in woodworking. Tria, as usual, was always out. Ariden snickered to himself, knowing the woman didn't like playing the mother with a bunch of whiny children and egotistic teens.

Faw's stash was scattered around the building in bits and piles. No one had bothered to touch those since the girl always found ways to bring it back. As their master thief, it was hard for something to stay their own whenever she was around. As expected, her stash was the most abundant, though Ariden was sure the hairpin he had given Lufi a few months ago was lost somewhere in the piles. He'd have to look for it later and tell Faw to keep her hands away from his gift.

Slowly, but surely, they were becoming Herven's bunker with all the crates of versallis, rare ores, jewelry, and decorative weapons scattered around. Not that Ariden minded though. This was a meager amount compared to the ones they return to the proper owners. And they were thieves. Keeping some of the loot was part of the job.

Consider it their wage.

The faint chime of bells told Ariden Tria was somewhere behind him and she's near. He twisted his form to find his assumption correct. Today, the former spy wore khaki clothes. A bundle of tomes and rolled parchment snuggled below one of her arms.

"Gather around," she said, in a stern, motherly voice she had developed without her knowledge. Ariden wasn't keen on telling her either just to see how long it would take before she noticed. "I have our next caper."

Ariden jumped off the table with a flourish, earning an eye roll from Lufi who emerged from her half-finished room. "What do you have?" he asked as the twins, Faw, and Ralei approached the table. "Orphanages? Murders? Family feud?"

Tria's eyes twinkled with a malice he hadn't counted on. "How about all three?" she said. The bundle plopped into the table with a loud thud as she threw it in their midst. "Read up. This one's quite interesting."

Ariden spread the map and pored at the place it depicted. Fimrio, from the looks of it. From beside him, Lufi tore to the tome. After a while, a bemused laugh tore through her lips. "Tria's right," she said. "This one has everything."

Ariden let go of the map and the parchment rolled in on itself from both sides, reminding him of binoculars. Well...a long one at that. "Let's do it," he said. "I've been dying to visit Fimrio anyway. Everyone in?"

The nods and excited expressions worn told him enough. It's time for action, once again.