somnianpcs:
his smile is wry. ❛ man after my own heart ––– you do know how i love shiny things. ❜ he accepts the gift with the the light touch of deft fingers. turning the stones in his hands to see how the opal glittered in the warmth of dying sunlight, julien’s expression couldn’t help but soften. this man would ruin not only him, he thought, but surely his reputation, if he wasn’t careful. he also found that he didn’t quite care. that should, perhaps, worry him. a dreadful thing, that. ❛ hurry and pack up, then. we’ll walk back together. ❜
It’s the work of a few minutes to pack up -- namely, to deliver the various bones, hide, teeth, and meat to nearby vendors. He has a system worked out with a few regulars, which saves him the hassle of having to haggle; something Aurelio is none too fond of. Unlike Julien, who seems to take great joy in it.
When his hands are empty and his pack considerably lighter, Aurelio finds Julien studying the opal. Yes, he does know that Julien likes shiny things. He knows that Julien has snatched crowns off the heads of princes and waltzed into vaults to fritter away the rarest of gems. The fact that he still cherishes Aurelio’s meager gifts tells him everything he needs to know about Julien. Carefully, he settles a hand at the small of Julien’s back, wanting the contact. “I believe you promised me another story over dinner tonight. Something to do with a stable hand and a princess?”











