u/c :)

@THIRTEENTHWEAPON 
            
            “Can I thank you for your honesty?” Maddox asked, that dry sense of humor peeking through again. He’d thank xiii for something, at the very least, if not his rather flattering words that were still making Maddox feel all warm and fuzzy inside, which had - initially - been rather alarming for him. He wouldn’t use xiii’s honesty against him; Maddox wouldn’t use anything of xiii’s against him. Maddox disliked using others’ tools. He preferred his own weapons over anything else. 
            
            Maddox blinked in surprise at xiii’s verbal stumble, not laughing, but - well, xiii seemed so... out together. Maddox had quietly been assuming that xiii got such compliments on a regular (if not daily) basis. But the few strangled sounds that had made their way past xiii’s throat had only endeared the thief to Maddox even more, if that was possible. “You’re welcome,” he said by default, not bothering to quibble over honesty or something like that; Maddox had meant his comment and he could only hope that xiii knew this. 
            
            Maddox arched an eyebrow at xiii’s final comment before giving him an almost shy smile, a spare flash of teeth in the mid morning sun and a warm look in his eyes before it was replaced by an odd blankness. “Is you insist,” he said softly, stepping past xiii with a dip of his head and one great, rough hand coming up to wrap around the leather-covered hilt of his massive two-hander. “Don’t be a stranger. I’d like to see you again sometime, if that’s alright.”
            
            It wasn’t a job he had fun with but it was a job he was good at and at the end of the day, that was that mattered to Maddox. He could handle not enjoying something but what he couldn’t handle was having an unstable job. At least this way, he knew he was good enough that Roman would never replace him.

xiii blinked a few times⠀⠀,⠀⠀as if the compliance had caught him off guard⠀⠀,⠀⠀and⠀⠀--⠀⠀admittedly⠀⠀,⠀⠀it had⠀⠀.⠀⠀he nodded his head a bit⠀⠀,⠀⠀"⠀⠀thank you⠀⠀,⠀⠀"⠀⠀he responded⠀⠀.
            
            he watched maddox closely⠀⠀,⠀⠀as if he were the most majestic creature to be produced⠀⠀,⠀⠀every action seemed foreign⠀⠀,,⠀⠀he didn't understand how someone so large was someone so kind⠀⠀.⠀⠀the big friendly giant type ordeal⠀⠀.⠀⠀he nodded his head to the idea of only fifteen or twenty minutes having passed⠀⠀,⠀⠀it seemed like such a short amount of time and yet he felt as though he had known maddox for decades⠀⠀.
            
            "⠀⠀don't thank me⠀⠀,⠀⠀im simply being honest with you⠀⠀,⠀⠀"⠀⠀and honesty⠀⠀,⠀⠀depending on the type of honesty⠀⠀,⠀⠀was priceless⠀⠀.⠀⠀maddox did not seem like the kind of man who would abuse honesty⠀⠀,⠀⠀but those were the men you always had to watch out for⠀⠀,⠀⠀almost more so than the ones who openly mistreat the truth⠀⠀.
            
            it had taken a few moments for the compliment to register⠀⠀,⠀⠀he choked on whatever he had meant to say⠀⠀,⠀⠀a couple of vowels emitting from him before passing into silence⠀⠀,⠀⠀"⠀⠀thank you⠀⠀,⠀⠀"⠀⠀he wasn't used to these compliments⠀⠀,⠀⠀wasn't used to the light and underlying tone of the conversation nor the near flirtatious implications⠀⠀.
            
            xiii had noticed the drifting gaze⠀⠀,⠀⠀but he did not look⠀⠀,⠀⠀it wasn't that he didn't care but it was that he didn't want to draw attention towards himself⠀⠀.⠀⠀he watched as maddox removed the blade⠀⠀,⠀⠀he gave a nod of his head in acceptance⠀⠀,⠀⠀"⠀⠀don't have too much fun⠀⠀.⠀⠀"⠀⠀he mused lightly⠀⠀.

@THIRTEENTHWEAPON 
            
            Maddox lowered his hand easily enough. Now that xiii had proven himself to be a halfway decent person, he was more relaxed and less inclined to be self-conscious. He was almost surprised by how small xiii’s hand was in comparison, how gently xiii had him lower his hand. It was odd how a man with a cape and a mask and what Maddox could tell was practically a whole armory on him was so careful and considerate. Not that Maddox was complaining. 
            
            “Sorry,” he replied, shoving his hands into his jean pockets and giving xiii an apologetic smile. “My bad. Won’t happen again.” Maddox made the mental note to not get too close to xiii or motion to him again, though, and stuffed his hands a little deeper into his pockets. 
            
            “Fair enough,” Maddox hummed, the blush dying down just to the tops of his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, highlighting a scattering of freckles there. He looked up at xiii again with a measuring gaze, as if trying to see if xiii was taking him for a ride with all this. It wouldn’t have been the first time and Maddox knew it wouldn’t be the last, either. Maddox chuckled, soft and quiet, when xiii checked the time. He glanced at the sky and sun before lifting a shoulder. “Fifteen, twenty minutes. 
            
            “Raw beauty,” Maddox echoed, finding that particular phrase to be - nice. He didn’t quite know a word for it but he liked it, he liked xiii’s way with words and how poetic he could wax. “Thank you.” Again. “You have gorgeous eyes,” Maddox said thoughtfully, giving this compliment away carefully, as if he wasn’t sure how xiii would take it or if he even would. Maddox meant every bit of it, though. 
            
            Maddox’s eyes tracked to a spot slightly over xiii ’s left shoulder and he casually reached back to loosen his sword in the scabbard, revealing an inch of gleaming hardened steel. “Excuse me for a moment,” he said politely, eyes landing on a man slipping down a side alley. “I’ve business to take care of but it won’t take long.”

@THIRTEENTHWEAPON 
            
            // :O