Beth smiled with affectionate warmth at Clint as he explained about his history; there was no one in this business that had a happy story of how they entered it and it saddened her that she had heard its duplicate on many occasions before. Her own tale had its own bitter sting but only those in darkness could hunt in it or at least accept that it was there. She had studied his features while he spoke and in the lines of his face she read the pain that still lingered within him, a burden that was never to be relinquished.

“Don’t worry, it was only a joke, I never hunt the innocence.” Her words broke the prolonged silence that had filled the room as Clint’s speech came to a halting conclusion. Beth’s eyes finally caught Clint’s gaze and blue locked with brown, he seemed so human, so vulnerable that Beth was willing to bet that was not something he had ever told another living soul. She saw him as he was, gone was the pretence they had to present to the world and she found that bared as he was he seemed the more for it, without the bravado, just a man, a man who had walked many a painful road. At that time she found that she had no words of comfort to offer, for what could be said without sounding hollow and empty. 

Maybe it was the drink, and she would swear it was but she was moved by him and she felt the need to give what she could in comfort. In one fluid motion she got gracefully from the bed, eyes sparkling, and expression soft in the flickering candle light, hair fanning down her bare shoulders. She knew he was the type to startle and the last thing she wanted to do was ruin their newly begun partnership, possibly friendship so she advanced slowly till she stood beside him. Leaning forward with as much movement as her corset would allow Beth placed a small soft kiss on Clint’s cheek. It was the only thing she could offer to someone who looked as sad and lost as he had, the only thing sincere enough to be given. 

It was over in a heartbeat as Beth swung herself back to her full height. The kiss itself had been kind, caring and overall chaste although she could not lie about the blush blooming on her own cheeks nor the fact that she wouldn’t have minded something entirely less innocent. However she would not push or even ask, as well as she knew Clint, this was not something to take lightly and she would not treat it as such. If he wished to view that with sisterly affection then so be it.

Without breaking the moment she offered him another dazzling smile, if nothing else she had replaced the sadness on his face with surprise and did she even detect a hint of satisfaction? However she would allow him to speak first, so he could dictate on what terms he wanted to move forward with.