Pyro and Illyana: Yorkland, Day 2
Nov. 27th, 2018 04:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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ax_mainIllyana's crush finally notices she exists. Unfortunately, that's not the end of the story.
Hands in pockets and hunched against both the cold and the tunnel's low ceiling (it wasn't that low, but it felt like it someow), Illyana wound her way through the warren that led to the underground headquarters of the Thieves Guild. Normally, Nico would have come with her to drop off their tithe, but she'd felt like coming alone. Besides, he'd been on a roll, and that wasn't anything to take for granted. Not if they wanted to eat.
After what felt like hours but hadn't been anywhere close, she emerged into what had once been the basement of some theatre. Like it's former upstairs, it had a high ceiling and an almost cavernous feel to it. And, most importantly, it was warm. Illyana let out a sigh of relief and made her way towards the table where Dodge was doing his appraisals, winding her way through the other gathered thieves with ease.
Or...some ease. "Sorry," she mumbled as she sidestepped someone and bumped into someone on the other side. "Oh. Hi Pyro," she added, her face warming as she realized just who it was she'd bumped. It figured. She'd been hoping to catch Pyro's attention for ages. But not like this.
Pyro let the fire he'd been playing with die down when someone bumped into him, and turned around to scowl down at the kid. The kid who knew his name, but he wasn't altogether sure who he was, with that hat obscuring half his face. He peered a little closer at him, realized it was a her, and couldn't for the life of him remember her name. "Hey." At least he'd stopped scowling.
At least he'd stopped scowling. Illyana fought an urge to take a step backwards and tried for a tentative smile. "Yana," she reminded him, belatedly thinking to pull off her hat and shake out the blonde (though dirty) hair that was the only thing that really made her stand out. "I...we've met. A couple of times, maybe." Or more than that, though he never seemed to remember her from one time to the next. Not standing out was an awesome accomplishment on the street, but there were times it really sucked.
"I remember," he confirmed. "You were a lookout for that job in the Trent house, right?"
Illyana smiled, pleased that he'd remembered. "Right." She blushed. "I'm surprised you remember. That was a while ago."
"Good memory for faces," he answered. "Terrible for names, though."
Her face warmed again (damn, she needed to stop that) and she shrugged. "Neither of mine's all that memorable," she joked. "Occupational advantage."
"I don't know," he answered, with a smirk. "You're cute."
"Right. Y'know, it's not nice to tease a girl like that," Illyana pointed out, though if anything, her face warmed more.
"I'm not nice," he promised her.
"I can see that." Illyana smiled self-consciously and pushed her hair back from her face. "I should probably..." she gestured towards the table, where the previous person was wrapping up.
"Sure, you go ahead," he told her, and brushed past her on his way out. "See you around, Yana."
"Sure. I'll see you." She stared after him for a long minute, a dazed smile on her face, then finally pulled herself out of it and headed over to the table.
"Name," the guy at the table asked in a bored tone.
"Illyana." She reached into the pocket of her baggy, too-large pants and frowned, then tried the other side.
"There are people waiting," the oh so helpful jerk pointed out. "If you don't have anything...
"Nevermind," she muttered, and stepped away from the table, her eyes narrowing as she looked off into the direction Pyro'd headed with, apparently, every cent she'd brought with her. She should've known.
* * *
Pyro hadn't gone far. The point wasn't to properly steal from her; he wasn't that much of a jackass. If she'd pissed him off somehow, sure. But not with her biggest offense being bumping into him. So he'd only made it to the rooftop of the old theatre, and he was playing with fire he'd conjured, waiting to see if she would find him.
It had taken her a half hour or so before she'd caught sight of the light where there shouldn't have been any, up high on the roof of the building. Grumbling to herself, she'd unwound the strips of cloth that were holding her boots together, tied their laces so she could sling them over her shoulder, and started climbing. This, she decided as she painstakingly made her way up, was why she was a pick pocket, not a cat burglar like Kitty. She just didn't have the knack.
Finally, though, she pulled herself up onto the roof, prepared to glare at him. Instead, she stood a long moment, transfixed by the sight of him weaving fire around his fingers, until finally, she shook her head and fixed her eyes on his face instead. "I should've known you were up to something when you said I was cute," she accused.
"Maybe I got up to something because you were cute," he answered, her purse of coins nowhere in sight. "Took you long enough." He kept weaving the flames around his fingers, smirk firmly in place. "You like?"
"I like," she admitted, her eyes flickering to the flames and back to his face. "And sorry. I pretty much operate on the street. I'm not much of a climber." The part about her being cute she just ignored. It had worked once; she wasn't going to fall for it again.
"You took the hard way up," Pyro stated, and nodded towards a small trap door a little way off. "There's another, through the old fly loft."
Illyana stared at him for a few moments, then groaned and sat down on the roof. "Great. So now I'm broke and frozen. Thanks." She untied her laces and started pulling her boots back on. At least she wouldn't have to climb back down.
With a wave of Pyro's hand, the fire left his fingers and stretched into bigger flames that curved behind her back, close enough to bring warmth, far enough not to catch anything on fire. "How's that?"
Eyes widening, Illyana glanced behind her, then back to him. And relaxed, just a little. "Warmer. Thanks."
"So where'd you get all that silver?" Pyro asked conversationally. And yeah, of course he'd looked into the purse. Just because he didn't intend to keep it didn't mean he wasn't curious.
"Pockets?" she countered as she tied on her boot and set to work making sure it stayed there. Despite genuine lingering annoyance, she grinned a little. It was mostly true, and he didn't need to know what she and Nico had been up to the day before. "Over near the Oracle's temple. People always bring money, and they're always distracted. As long as we don't hit there too often, the take's good."
"Nice," he remarked, leaning back on his hands and just watching her. With the fire behind her, she was mostly shadows, but they were nice shadows. "How long have you been with the Brotherhood?"
"A few years?" Illyana shrugged and finished wrapping the fabric around her boots. "I guess we really didn't have to join up, but this way I can get a job as a lookout when the picking's bad. And means I don't usually have to worry about other thieves picking my pockets." She made a face at him, then shrugged. It was what it was, and she refused to ask for it back. He's played her, yeah, but she'd fallen for it. "You?"
"They raised me," Pyro answered. "Can't remember not being with them. Not interested in leveling up?"
"No mentor," she admitted, then shook her head. "No, that's not fair - I've gone along with Kitty on jobs, though mostly as a lookout. But it's pretty much just me and Nico." She smiled, a little. "Must've been nice, being brought up by the Guild."
Nico. Pyro didn't have a clue who that was, and didn't really care. "Made me the asshole I am today," he answered, smirking again.
"Are you really that big an asshole, though? I mean, other than pick pocketing pick pockets, messing with their heads, and making them climb up old buildings?" Illyana gestured at the fire behind her and raised her eyebrows. "You can't be all bad. Unless you're setting me up for something else."
"You're the one who's been grumbling all this time," Pyro replied easily. "You tell me."
"Easiest explanation's usually right," Illyana pointed out, but tilted her head to eye him curiously. "I just can't figure out what's in it for you. Other than maybe you're just bored and it's amusing."
"I'm not a complicated guy," he answered, something in his eyes shining almost like a challenge.
"Then it shouldn't be all that hard for you to come out and say what you want," she countered with something akin to a smirk.
"If I wanted to," Pyro agreed. He pulled a flask out from inside his jacket, took a swig, then offered it over to Yana.
"Thanks." Illyana accepted the flask and took a swig of it herself, then closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of it burning its way down her throat and all the way down to her stomach. Between that and the fire, it was the warmest she'd been in days. Maybe weeks. Almost reluctantly, she handed it back. "So basically, it all comes down to what you want, right now," she ventured. "Which...could change at any time?"
"I don't think it will," he answered, with a smirk, holding her gaze. "I hope it won't."
Illyana's face warmed as what he'd been trying to suggest finally sank in, causing a sudden return of the butterflies that had been flitting around in her stomach before he'd stolen her take. Could he actually...her? Really? "Maybe you should find out," she suggested with more feigned confidence than she actually felt.
"Maybe you should come here and get your coin back," Pyro retorted. The flask went back inside his jacket, and he was now leaning back on one hand.
"You stole it fairly; it's yours," Illyana pointed out with an awkward smile. Nonetheless, she shifted and crawled over closer - and braced herself, just in case he was messing with her after all. "Besides, I don't do this for money," she added as she leaned in and tentatively brushed her lips over his.
There was nothing tentative in the way Pyro responded. He deepened the kiss immediately, threading his free hand into her hair. He kissed her for a few seconds, confident and into it, then pulled back, using his hand in her hair to stop her from chasing his lips, if she was going to. "We're Brotherhood. We don't steal from each other." He held up the purse he'd snatched from her.
Feeling breathless, Illyana reached up and snatched her purse from his hand. "And yet you did," she pointed out as she tucked it down the front of her tunic instead of returning it to her belt. "Why?"
"I just borrowed it," Pyro replied, and kissed her, short, open-mouthed, an invitation. The fire behind her moved again, circling around them. "Incentive for you to find me." And another kiss.
"You didn't need an incentive," she admitted, returning his kiss with a slightly more confident one of her own. "I've been trying to get your attention for ages." She smiled a little. "I should've tried bumping into you sooner."
"Were you?" Pyro asked, pulling back to look at her face.
Illyana's smile turned a little sheepish and she blushed and nodded. "So yeah. I know you were kidding about the cute thing. It's ok - I'm still passing for a boy on the streets. And sometimes in the Guild Hall."
"I know plenty of cute boys," Pyro remarked, leaning back on his hand.
"Oh. Umm..." Her smile slipped. "Sorry? If you thought I was, I mean. Cuz not."
"No, I noticed," he assured her, still watching her.
Illyana shrank back a little under his gaze. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Part of her liked it, she had to admit. The rest, that wasn't at all used to being noticed, let alone watched, was fighting an urge to get up and run.
He smirked, and asked, "Like what?"
"Well, like - that! I don't know!" Illyana sighed, frustrated. "You keep...looking. It's weird." And yet, she didn't really want him to stop. Which was maybe weirder.
"Good weird?"
"I'm having a really hard time deciding," she admitted. And paused. "Maybe kinda good weird?" She smiled, a little. "The kiss was good. The looking's confusing."
"We could always go back to the kissing," he invited, reaching out to draw her close.
"Mmm. Yeah, that might be the best option." Illyana moved closer and leaned in to kiss him again before she could say anything else stupid.
Pyro deepened the kiss, and wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer still, and onto his lap.
Yeeaah, that was definitely the best option. Ignoring the butterflies that were flapping their wings at speeds she'd have never thought possible, Illyana let herself melt in against him, and reached up tentatively to wrap her arm around his back.
Yeah, that was nice, Pyro thought as she went pliable in his arms. He slid his warm hand underneath her several layers of clothing, finding the small of her back.
Illyana tensed and pulled back from the kiss, her eyes seeking out Pyro's and hoping to find reassurance there.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"I..." Illyana bit at her lip. "Maybe I should go. I should probably go, huh?" Because that was what you did after you made an idiot of yourself, right?
Pyro actually looked disappointed at the idea, and he curled his fingers on her skin, then spread them out again. "No losing our clothes in the fly loft, then?"
Oh damn...Illyana's breath caught as she tried to imagine that, and she reached up and pushed her hand back through her hair. "I've, umm, never done this before," she admitted.
"Wanna?" he asked, holding her gaze, invitation and challenge in his.
Did she? Illyana bit her lip and considered it for a moment, then smiled a little and nodded. "Yeah. I think I do. You said something about the fly loft?"
Pyro smirked at her answer. "Yeah. You'll see." He pulled his hand back out from under her clothes, and patted her hip twice. "Come on, move." The ring of fire around them died down, so she could move without risking getting singed.
Illyana let out a sigh of disappointment as the fire went out, and reluctantly got to her feet. "I was warm," she complained.
"Oh, you won't be cold for long," Pyro promised her with another smirk, then took her hand to lead the way towards the trap door. Down a ladder and into the fly loft, a flame burning in one hand so they could see where they were going. He took Yana along the gallery ("Hope you're not afraid of heights.") and to a small door at the back end. He let go of her hand to pick the lock, then opened the door and led the way inside.
It was a tiny room, one he assumed the hands working up here had once used, but he'd made it his own. There was a ratty old mattress taking up most of the space, and a pile of blackened stones on the wooden floor where he very clearly regularly made a fire. For that matter, he sent a stream of flame towards them, and the fire illuminated the small space. "Close the door behind you?" he asked, and shrugged out of his heavy winter coat.
Illyana was afraid of heights, but made a definite effort not to show it. She followed him into the room, eyes widening as the fire lit the area, and nodded as she closed the door. "This is great," she said genuinely, looking around. "You're right above the Guildhall?"
"No better place to be," he answered, pulling off his fingerless gloves. He might wield fire, but he got cold like everybody else.
"Definitely a time saver." Illyana took a step closer to the fire, let out a soft, contented sigh, and tugged off her outermost tunic.
"Where are you sleeping?" he asked, stepping up behind her to take her hat off, pull her hair to the side, and start kissing her neck.
A someone louder moan escaped her lips as she arched her neck. "On the other side of the big bridge?" she whispered. "Nico's friends don't stand out as much there."
Nico again. But Pyro hadn't started caring who that might be, and so didn't care what kind of friends she meant. Maybe Nico was another druid with a bunch of animal companions, what did he care. It was much nicer to focus on that wonderful stretch of neck she was offering him, lips skimming kisses over it.
Illyana made soft, whimpery sounds as Pyro's lips kissed their way down her neck, and reached back to cup her hand on his hip to try to urge him closer. "Are you here by yourself?" she asked softly.
Those noises were so pretty; how had she never done this before? People were fucking idiots, although that was nothing new. "Hmm-mm," he confirmed against her skin, sliding his hand under her next layer of clothing to push it up. Not getting to skin yet, but he didn't wanna risk going too fast and freaking her out. "Bunch of us set up throughout the building, though," he added. All of them people he trusted. Their brotherhood within the Brotherhood.
"Sounds nice." Tentatively, she slid her hand up his side, underneath his sweater.
"It is," Pyro confirmed, leaning back to get rid of his sweater, and the long-sleeved shirt underneath it, leaving him barechested. He was a bit on the scrawny side, but he had the whole of zero issue with his body image.
Taking advantage of his movement, Illyana turned around, and smiled as she looked him up and down. "Very nice." She took a breath and exhaled, then pulled off her own and stood before him, a little self-consciously, wearing only a pair of too large pants secured to her hips with a woven, tied belt and her boots.
Pyro smiled as he watched her. "Definitely not a boy, huh?" He reached for her hand, and pulled her over towards the mattress.
* * *
Pyro grabbed a blanket and threw it over both of them, the fire still burning quietly beside them. He reached for the girl and brought her close, nuzzling at her temple. "So, how was your first time?"
Illyana rolled onto her side and slipped her leg over his. "Mmmm. Really, really good. I feel kind of boneless." She smiled warmly and snuggled in against him. "It feels nice." Her smile slipped just a little and she eyed him with concern. "Was I ok?"
"You were great," Pyro confirmed easily, and whispered against his ear. "I fucking loved the noises you made."
Blushing, Illyana shrugged. "I couldn't help it," she admitted. "It felt really good." She stroked her fingers slowly over his shoulder and hummed softly. "Can we do this again sometime?" she asked hopefully.
"Sure," he agreed easily. "Give me half an hour."
"Not what I meant," she said with a laugh, then paused and looked at him curiously. "Really? Can we just stay here until then? Because this is nice." And warm, both from the fire and his body against hers, which felt nothing short of amazing. She really didn't want to move.
"I wouldn't get out of bed for a hundred gold right now," Pyro answered. Well, okay, he totally would. But no one was going to up and offer him that right now, so.
"Good." Illyana rolled onto her stomach, now half on of him, rested her chin on her hands atop his chest, and peered up at him. "So, you pick pockets like a pro, but you obviously do more than just that. What do you do?"
"I pick locks, too," he answered with a smirk. She'd seen him do it to get in here, after all.
"Multi-talented. I'm jealous," she teased. "I'd love to learn how to do that."
"Come find me some time in the guild hall," Pyro told her. "I'll teach you."
"Yeah?" Surprised, Illyana smiled. "I'll do that."
"Cool," Pyro answered. He was pressing kisses to her shoulder, with no specific intent in mind for now.
Illyana hummed quietly and turned her head to rest it on his chest, just enjoying being there, listening to his heartbeat.
Pyro didn't have much choice then but to lay flat on his back, which he did, fingers tracing idle shapes on her back. Good sex, and a good fire; what more could he ask for?
After a while, Illyana tilted her head a little so she was looking up towards his face. "Why me?" she asked, genuinely curious.
Pyro shifted his head to look at her with a small frown. "What d'you mean, why you?" It wasn't as if there'd been a line of cute girls he had to pick from.
"I mean...nevermind." Her face warmed and she shook her head. "It was a dumb question."
Pyro watched her for a beat longer, then laid his head back down. "Okay."
Okay. Illyana settled back down again. And wondered why someone who could control fire, pick locks, and get any girl he wanted up to his squat would want her there. It wasn't like she was anything special.
* * *
That had been a very nice round two, and Pyro was happily basking in the afterglow. But that eventually faded too, and he shifted, kissing Yana's shoulder. "So, come find me some day for those lock-picking lessons?"
"Huh?" Illyana, who'd been contentedly ensuring that as much of her body as physically possible was pressed up against Pyro's, looked up at him with surprise and a moment of hurt rejection. She covered the latter quickly as what he was saying sank in, and forced a smile. "Oh. Yeah, I'll do that, maybe. One of these days." Which was to say she wouldn't, but he probably knew that anyway.
She sat up, feeling a little sore in locations that would be awkward to explain to Nico if he asked, and slipped out of bed without letting the cold in under the blankets.
Pyro was concerned there for a second, but then she accepted it and he relaxed. Definitely for the best he kicked her out, if she'd thought this was anything more than just good fun between consenting teenagers. Her lack of enthusiasm for lock-picking lessons was a stark contrast from her earlier reaction, and he had to admit he was a little disappointed by that. He wanted the Brotherhood strong, so teaching stuff to other members made sense. "Cool."
He leaned up on one elbow, watching her move about, then snapped out of it and got out of bed, reaching for his own clothes.
Not hurrying, but not precisely taking her time either (and damn, but she wanted to hurry, because much as she'd wanted to be here five minutes ago, she wanted to be gone equally badly now), Illyana pulled one her clothing one layer at a time, then sat down on the edge of his mattress to pull on her boots. Maybe, she decided, she'd use some of her newly retrieved savings to get herself a new pair from one of the second hand dealers.
It was something to think about other than everything that had happened today, anyway, because despite all her daydreams about catching Pyro's attention? None of them had ended like this.
"So, umm...I'll see you around, I guess," she said awkwardly as she got back up again.
Why was it people had to be so weird about this shit? Maybe Pyro should have known better, when she said it was her first time. People could be weird about their firsts. And now things were awkward as fuck and he couldn't even give her a goodbye kiss without sending the wrong message.
"I'll show you the way down," he offered instead, stubbornly ignoring her awkwardness. He was headed down anyway.
She fought the urge to say she'd go down the way she'd come up, solely because she didn't want to try to climb down the building, and instead just nodded and waited. There really didn't seem to be anything to say.
Hands in pockets and hunched against both the cold and the tunnel's low ceiling (it wasn't that low, but it felt like it someow), Illyana wound her way through the warren that led to the underground headquarters of the Thieves Guild. Normally, Nico would have come with her to drop off their tithe, but she'd felt like coming alone. Besides, he'd been on a roll, and that wasn't anything to take for granted. Not if they wanted to eat.
After what felt like hours but hadn't been anywhere close, she emerged into what had once been the basement of some theatre. Like it's former upstairs, it had a high ceiling and an almost cavernous feel to it. And, most importantly, it was warm. Illyana let out a sigh of relief and made her way towards the table where Dodge was doing his appraisals, winding her way through the other gathered thieves with ease.
Or...some ease. "Sorry," she mumbled as she sidestepped someone and bumped into someone on the other side. "Oh. Hi Pyro," she added, her face warming as she realized just who it was she'd bumped. It figured. She'd been hoping to catch Pyro's attention for ages. But not like this.
Pyro let the fire he'd been playing with die down when someone bumped into him, and turned around to scowl down at the kid. The kid who knew his name, but he wasn't altogether sure who he was, with that hat obscuring half his face. He peered a little closer at him, realized it was a her, and couldn't for the life of him remember her name. "Hey." At least he'd stopped scowling.
At least he'd stopped scowling. Illyana fought an urge to take a step backwards and tried for a tentative smile. "Yana," she reminded him, belatedly thinking to pull off her hat and shake out the blonde (though dirty) hair that was the only thing that really made her stand out. "I...we've met. A couple of times, maybe." Or more than that, though he never seemed to remember her from one time to the next. Not standing out was an awesome accomplishment on the street, but there were times it really sucked.
"I remember," he confirmed. "You were a lookout for that job in the Trent house, right?"
Illyana smiled, pleased that he'd remembered. "Right." She blushed. "I'm surprised you remember. That was a while ago."
"Good memory for faces," he answered. "Terrible for names, though."
Her face warmed again (damn, she needed to stop that) and she shrugged. "Neither of mine's all that memorable," she joked. "Occupational advantage."
"I don't know," he answered, with a smirk. "You're cute."
"Right. Y'know, it's not nice to tease a girl like that," Illyana pointed out, though if anything, her face warmed more.
"I'm not nice," he promised her.
"I can see that." Illyana smiled self-consciously and pushed her hair back from her face. "I should probably..." she gestured towards the table, where the previous person was wrapping up.
"Sure, you go ahead," he told her, and brushed past her on his way out. "See you around, Yana."
"Sure. I'll see you." She stared after him for a long minute, a dazed smile on her face, then finally pulled herself out of it and headed over to the table.
"Name," the guy at the table asked in a bored tone.
"Illyana." She reached into the pocket of her baggy, too-large pants and frowned, then tried the other side.
"There are people waiting," the oh so helpful jerk pointed out. "If you don't have anything...
"Nevermind," she muttered, and stepped away from the table, her eyes narrowing as she looked off into the direction Pyro'd headed with, apparently, every cent she'd brought with her. She should've known.
Pyro hadn't gone far. The point wasn't to properly steal from her; he wasn't that much of a jackass. If she'd pissed him off somehow, sure. But not with her biggest offense being bumping into him. So he'd only made it to the rooftop of the old theatre, and he was playing with fire he'd conjured, waiting to see if she would find him.
It had taken her a half hour or so before she'd caught sight of the light where there shouldn't have been any, up high on the roof of the building. Grumbling to herself, she'd unwound the strips of cloth that were holding her boots together, tied their laces so she could sling them over her shoulder, and started climbing. This, she decided as she painstakingly made her way up, was why she was a pick pocket, not a cat burglar like Kitty. She just didn't have the knack.
Finally, though, she pulled herself up onto the roof, prepared to glare at him. Instead, she stood a long moment, transfixed by the sight of him weaving fire around his fingers, until finally, she shook her head and fixed her eyes on his face instead. "I should've known you were up to something when you said I was cute," she accused.
"Maybe I got up to something because you were cute," he answered, her purse of coins nowhere in sight. "Took you long enough." He kept weaving the flames around his fingers, smirk firmly in place. "You like?"
"I like," she admitted, her eyes flickering to the flames and back to his face. "And sorry. I pretty much operate on the street. I'm not much of a climber." The part about her being cute she just ignored. It had worked once; she wasn't going to fall for it again.
"You took the hard way up," Pyro stated, and nodded towards a small trap door a little way off. "There's another, through the old fly loft."
Illyana stared at him for a few moments, then groaned and sat down on the roof. "Great. So now I'm broke and frozen. Thanks." She untied her laces and started pulling her boots back on. At least she wouldn't have to climb back down.
With a wave of Pyro's hand, the fire left his fingers and stretched into bigger flames that curved behind her back, close enough to bring warmth, far enough not to catch anything on fire. "How's that?"
Eyes widening, Illyana glanced behind her, then back to him. And relaxed, just a little. "Warmer. Thanks."
"So where'd you get all that silver?" Pyro asked conversationally. And yeah, of course he'd looked into the purse. Just because he didn't intend to keep it didn't mean he wasn't curious.
"Pockets?" she countered as she tied on her boot and set to work making sure it stayed there. Despite genuine lingering annoyance, she grinned a little. It was mostly true, and he didn't need to know what she and Nico had been up to the day before. "Over near the Oracle's temple. People always bring money, and they're always distracted. As long as we don't hit there too often, the take's good."
"Nice," he remarked, leaning back on his hands and just watching her. With the fire behind her, she was mostly shadows, but they were nice shadows. "How long have you been with the Brotherhood?"
"A few years?" Illyana shrugged and finished wrapping the fabric around her boots. "I guess we really didn't have to join up, but this way I can get a job as a lookout when the picking's bad. And means I don't usually have to worry about other thieves picking my pockets." She made a face at him, then shrugged. It was what it was, and she refused to ask for it back. He's played her, yeah, but she'd fallen for it. "You?"
"They raised me," Pyro answered. "Can't remember not being with them. Not interested in leveling up?"
"No mentor," she admitted, then shook her head. "No, that's not fair - I've gone along with Kitty on jobs, though mostly as a lookout. But it's pretty much just me and Nico." She smiled, a little. "Must've been nice, being brought up by the Guild."
Nico. Pyro didn't have a clue who that was, and didn't really care. "Made me the asshole I am today," he answered, smirking again.
"Are you really that big an asshole, though? I mean, other than pick pocketing pick pockets, messing with their heads, and making them climb up old buildings?" Illyana gestured at the fire behind her and raised her eyebrows. "You can't be all bad. Unless you're setting me up for something else."
"You're the one who's been grumbling all this time," Pyro replied easily. "You tell me."
"Easiest explanation's usually right," Illyana pointed out, but tilted her head to eye him curiously. "I just can't figure out what's in it for you. Other than maybe you're just bored and it's amusing."
"I'm not a complicated guy," he answered, something in his eyes shining almost like a challenge.
"Then it shouldn't be all that hard for you to come out and say what you want," she countered with something akin to a smirk.
"If I wanted to," Pyro agreed. He pulled a flask out from inside his jacket, took a swig, then offered it over to Yana.
"Thanks." Illyana accepted the flask and took a swig of it herself, then closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of it burning its way down her throat and all the way down to her stomach. Between that and the fire, it was the warmest she'd been in days. Maybe weeks. Almost reluctantly, she handed it back. "So basically, it all comes down to what you want, right now," she ventured. "Which...could change at any time?"
"I don't think it will," he answered, with a smirk, holding her gaze. "I hope it won't."
Illyana's face warmed as what he'd been trying to suggest finally sank in, causing a sudden return of the butterflies that had been flitting around in her stomach before he'd stolen her take. Could he actually...her? Really? "Maybe you should find out," she suggested with more feigned confidence than she actually felt.
"Maybe you should come here and get your coin back," Pyro retorted. The flask went back inside his jacket, and he was now leaning back on one hand.
"You stole it fairly; it's yours," Illyana pointed out with an awkward smile. Nonetheless, she shifted and crawled over closer - and braced herself, just in case he was messing with her after all. "Besides, I don't do this for money," she added as she leaned in and tentatively brushed her lips over his.
There was nothing tentative in the way Pyro responded. He deepened the kiss immediately, threading his free hand into her hair. He kissed her for a few seconds, confident and into it, then pulled back, using his hand in her hair to stop her from chasing his lips, if she was going to. "We're Brotherhood. We don't steal from each other." He held up the purse he'd snatched from her.
Feeling breathless, Illyana reached up and snatched her purse from his hand. "And yet you did," she pointed out as she tucked it down the front of her tunic instead of returning it to her belt. "Why?"
"I just borrowed it," Pyro replied, and kissed her, short, open-mouthed, an invitation. The fire behind her moved again, circling around them. "Incentive for you to find me." And another kiss.
"You didn't need an incentive," she admitted, returning his kiss with a slightly more confident one of her own. "I've been trying to get your attention for ages." She smiled a little. "I should've tried bumping into you sooner."
"Were you?" Pyro asked, pulling back to look at her face.
Illyana's smile turned a little sheepish and she blushed and nodded. "So yeah. I know you were kidding about the cute thing. It's ok - I'm still passing for a boy on the streets. And sometimes in the Guild Hall."
"I know plenty of cute boys," Pyro remarked, leaning back on his hand.
"Oh. Umm..." Her smile slipped. "Sorry? If you thought I was, I mean. Cuz not."
"No, I noticed," he assured her, still watching her.
Illyana shrank back a little under his gaze. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Part of her liked it, she had to admit. The rest, that wasn't at all used to being noticed, let alone watched, was fighting an urge to get up and run.
He smirked, and asked, "Like what?"
"Well, like - that! I don't know!" Illyana sighed, frustrated. "You keep...looking. It's weird." And yet, she didn't really want him to stop. Which was maybe weirder.
"Good weird?"
"I'm having a really hard time deciding," she admitted. And paused. "Maybe kinda good weird?" She smiled, a little. "The kiss was good. The looking's confusing."
"We could always go back to the kissing," he invited, reaching out to draw her close.
"Mmm. Yeah, that might be the best option." Illyana moved closer and leaned in to kiss him again before she could say anything else stupid.
Pyro deepened the kiss, and wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer still, and onto his lap.
Yeeaah, that was definitely the best option. Ignoring the butterflies that were flapping their wings at speeds she'd have never thought possible, Illyana let herself melt in against him, and reached up tentatively to wrap her arm around his back.
Yeah, that was nice, Pyro thought as she went pliable in his arms. He slid his warm hand underneath her several layers of clothing, finding the small of her back.
Illyana tensed and pulled back from the kiss, her eyes seeking out Pyro's and hoping to find reassurance there.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"I..." Illyana bit at her lip. "Maybe I should go. I should probably go, huh?" Because that was what you did after you made an idiot of yourself, right?
Pyro actually looked disappointed at the idea, and he curled his fingers on her skin, then spread them out again. "No losing our clothes in the fly loft, then?"
Oh damn...Illyana's breath caught as she tried to imagine that, and she reached up and pushed her hand back through her hair. "I've, umm, never done this before," she admitted.
"Wanna?" he asked, holding her gaze, invitation and challenge in his.
Did she? Illyana bit her lip and considered it for a moment, then smiled a little and nodded. "Yeah. I think I do. You said something about the fly loft?"
Pyro smirked at her answer. "Yeah. You'll see." He pulled his hand back out from under her clothes, and patted her hip twice. "Come on, move." The ring of fire around them died down, so she could move without risking getting singed.
Illyana let out a sigh of disappointment as the fire went out, and reluctantly got to her feet. "I was warm," she complained.
"Oh, you won't be cold for long," Pyro promised her with another smirk, then took her hand to lead the way towards the trap door. Down a ladder and into the fly loft, a flame burning in one hand so they could see where they were going. He took Yana along the gallery ("Hope you're not afraid of heights.") and to a small door at the back end. He let go of her hand to pick the lock, then opened the door and led the way inside.
It was a tiny room, one he assumed the hands working up here had once used, but he'd made it his own. There was a ratty old mattress taking up most of the space, and a pile of blackened stones on the wooden floor where he very clearly regularly made a fire. For that matter, he sent a stream of flame towards them, and the fire illuminated the small space. "Close the door behind you?" he asked, and shrugged out of his heavy winter coat.
Illyana was afraid of heights, but made a definite effort not to show it. She followed him into the room, eyes widening as the fire lit the area, and nodded as she closed the door. "This is great," she said genuinely, looking around. "You're right above the Guildhall?"
"No better place to be," he answered, pulling off his fingerless gloves. He might wield fire, but he got cold like everybody else.
"Definitely a time saver." Illyana took a step closer to the fire, let out a soft, contented sigh, and tugged off her outermost tunic.
"Where are you sleeping?" he asked, stepping up behind her to take her hat off, pull her hair to the side, and start kissing her neck.
A someone louder moan escaped her lips as she arched her neck. "On the other side of the big bridge?" she whispered. "Nico's friends don't stand out as much there."
Nico again. But Pyro hadn't started caring who that might be, and so didn't care what kind of friends she meant. Maybe Nico was another druid with a bunch of animal companions, what did he care. It was much nicer to focus on that wonderful stretch of neck she was offering him, lips skimming kisses over it.
Illyana made soft, whimpery sounds as Pyro's lips kissed their way down her neck, and reached back to cup her hand on his hip to try to urge him closer. "Are you here by yourself?" she asked softly.
Those noises were so pretty; how had she never done this before? People were fucking idiots, although that was nothing new. "Hmm-mm," he confirmed against her skin, sliding his hand under her next layer of clothing to push it up. Not getting to skin yet, but he didn't wanna risk going too fast and freaking her out. "Bunch of us set up throughout the building, though," he added. All of them people he trusted. Their brotherhood within the Brotherhood.
"Sounds nice." Tentatively, she slid her hand up his side, underneath his sweater.
"It is," Pyro confirmed, leaning back to get rid of his sweater, and the long-sleeved shirt underneath it, leaving him barechested. He was a bit on the scrawny side, but he had the whole of zero issue with his body image.
Taking advantage of his movement, Illyana turned around, and smiled as she looked him up and down. "Very nice." She took a breath and exhaled, then pulled off her own and stood before him, a little self-consciously, wearing only a pair of too large pants secured to her hips with a woven, tied belt and her boots.
Pyro smiled as he watched her. "Definitely not a boy, huh?" He reached for her hand, and pulled her over towards the mattress.
Pyro grabbed a blanket and threw it over both of them, the fire still burning quietly beside them. He reached for the girl and brought her close, nuzzling at her temple. "So, how was your first time?"
Illyana rolled onto her side and slipped her leg over his. "Mmmm. Really, really good. I feel kind of boneless." She smiled warmly and snuggled in against him. "It feels nice." Her smile slipped just a little and she eyed him with concern. "Was I ok?"
"You were great," Pyro confirmed easily, and whispered against his ear. "I fucking loved the noises you made."
Blushing, Illyana shrugged. "I couldn't help it," she admitted. "It felt really good." She stroked her fingers slowly over his shoulder and hummed softly. "Can we do this again sometime?" she asked hopefully.
"Sure," he agreed easily. "Give me half an hour."
"Not what I meant," she said with a laugh, then paused and looked at him curiously. "Really? Can we just stay here until then? Because this is nice." And warm, both from the fire and his body against hers, which felt nothing short of amazing. She really didn't want to move.
"I wouldn't get out of bed for a hundred gold right now," Pyro answered. Well, okay, he totally would. But no one was going to up and offer him that right now, so.
"Good." Illyana rolled onto her stomach, now half on of him, rested her chin on her hands atop his chest, and peered up at him. "So, you pick pockets like a pro, but you obviously do more than just that. What do you do?"
"I pick locks, too," he answered with a smirk. She'd seen him do it to get in here, after all.
"Multi-talented. I'm jealous," she teased. "I'd love to learn how to do that."
"Come find me some time in the guild hall," Pyro told her. "I'll teach you."
"Yeah?" Surprised, Illyana smiled. "I'll do that."
"Cool," Pyro answered. He was pressing kisses to her shoulder, with no specific intent in mind for now.
Illyana hummed quietly and turned her head to rest it on his chest, just enjoying being there, listening to his heartbeat.
Pyro didn't have much choice then but to lay flat on his back, which he did, fingers tracing idle shapes on her back. Good sex, and a good fire; what more could he ask for?
After a while, Illyana tilted her head a little so she was looking up towards his face. "Why me?" she asked, genuinely curious.
Pyro shifted his head to look at her with a small frown. "What d'you mean, why you?" It wasn't as if there'd been a line of cute girls he had to pick from.
"I mean...nevermind." Her face warmed and she shook her head. "It was a dumb question."
Pyro watched her for a beat longer, then laid his head back down. "Okay."
Okay. Illyana settled back down again. And wondered why someone who could control fire, pick locks, and get any girl he wanted up to his squat would want her there. It wasn't like she was anything special.
That had been a very nice round two, and Pyro was happily basking in the afterglow. But that eventually faded too, and he shifted, kissing Yana's shoulder. "So, come find me some day for those lock-picking lessons?"
"Huh?" Illyana, who'd been contentedly ensuring that as much of her body as physically possible was pressed up against Pyro's, looked up at him with surprise and a moment of hurt rejection. She covered the latter quickly as what he was saying sank in, and forced a smile. "Oh. Yeah, I'll do that, maybe. One of these days." Which was to say she wouldn't, but he probably knew that anyway.
She sat up, feeling a little sore in locations that would be awkward to explain to Nico if he asked, and slipped out of bed without letting the cold in under the blankets.
Pyro was concerned there for a second, but then she accepted it and he relaxed. Definitely for the best he kicked her out, if she'd thought this was anything more than just good fun between consenting teenagers. Her lack of enthusiasm for lock-picking lessons was a stark contrast from her earlier reaction, and he had to admit he was a little disappointed by that. He wanted the Brotherhood strong, so teaching stuff to other members made sense. "Cool."
He leaned up on one elbow, watching her move about, then snapped out of it and got out of bed, reaching for his own clothes.
Not hurrying, but not precisely taking her time either (and damn, but she wanted to hurry, because much as she'd wanted to be here five minutes ago, she wanted to be gone equally badly now), Illyana pulled one her clothing one layer at a time, then sat down on the edge of his mattress to pull on her boots. Maybe, she decided, she'd use some of her newly retrieved savings to get herself a new pair from one of the second hand dealers.
It was something to think about other than everything that had happened today, anyway, because despite all her daydreams about catching Pyro's attention? None of them had ended like this.
"So, umm...I'll see you around, I guess," she said awkwardly as she got back up again.
Why was it people had to be so weird about this shit? Maybe Pyro should have known better, when she said it was her first time. People could be weird about their firsts. And now things were awkward as fuck and he couldn't even give her a goodbye kiss without sending the wrong message.
"I'll show you the way down," he offered instead, stubbornly ignoring her awkwardness. He was headed down anyway.
She fought the urge to say she'd go down the way she'd come up, solely because she didn't want to try to climb down the building, and instead just nodded and waited. There really didn't seem to be anything to say.
