[IC] Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow gladly intertwined his fingers with Penelope’s as the knight moved to take his hand. He was feeling good now that they had managed to settle yet another difficult conversation between them. While he had never been in a romantic relationship of any kind before being with her, he couldn’t help but notice that they seemed to be especially skilled at talking through the troubles they had with each other. He was glad that they didn’t have any matters left unsettled that he knew of. Well, aside from his dealings with Jaxon, but he couldn’t tell her about that without risking her death. For her sake, he had to keep them secret.

As long as the rest of this trip goes smoothly, she’ll never have to find out, he thought as they reached the table again. Sitting down in his chair, he glanced up as Gavin and Penelope spoke about when they needed to finish interrogating the villagers in the tavern. When Penelope addressed him, he took a moment to ponder over the options. On one hand, he wanted to question the peasants sooner, so they would have less time to get drunk, but on the other hand, he hadn’t yet come up with a feasible way to prevent the knights from hearing about his meeting with the tavern keeper the night before. Perhaps it would be better to wait, after all.

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Crow smiled at Penelope after a moment, leaning in to kiss her on the cheek. “Besides, I still haven’t finished the rest of this drink.” He picked up his mug to take another sip, but before the glass reached his mouth, Alistair and Olivia jumped in.

“Wait,” Alistair said, putting a hand over his leader’s mug and grinning drunkenly. “I know y’ said y’ weren’ gonna compete wi’h us, but y’ should a’ least do one round.”

“What’s the point?” Crow snorted. “You’re all completely wasted, and I have no intention of trying to catch up.”

“’S jus’ for fun,” Olivia waved her hand dismissively, leaning heavily against Alistair as she fought to stay upright. “C’mon. Y’ shoul’ do it! ‘S jus’ one mug. Wha’s the harm?”

Crow glanced at Penelope and shook his head before turning back to his drunken companions. “I really don’t understand why you’re so set on getting me to drink with you,” he said with a sigh. “But fine. This is only my second drink, so I suppose I can go one round if it will get you both to stop pestering me about it.”

“Tha’s the spiri’!” Alistair raised his full mug and beamed dazedly.

“When I say three, ev’ryone drink,” Olivia slurred. “One, two… three!”

Crow brought his glass to his lips and tilted his head back as he downed it alongside the others. When he finished, he set it back down somewhat roughly on the table. “There,” he shot them a smug smirk. “I won. Now will you please leave me alone?”

“Di’ you really though?” Olivia’s smile turned mischievous.

Crow eyed her warily. He was just about to ask what she was getting on about, when he suddenly felt a fuzzy feeling begin to spread throughout his body. His eyes widened slightly in surprise, and he looked down at his now empty mug as he realized too late that the others had swapped his drink for a much stronger ale while he had been talking with Penelope.

“What the hell is this?” he shot them a glare, fighting to keep his voice level as he spoke.

Alistair and Olivia both doubled over laughing at his reaction until Olivia lost her balance and fell on the floor.

Crow leaned back in his chair and brought a hand to his forehead in exasperation. He turned to Penelope. “They switched my drink,” he explained with a groan, still focusing hard to keep from slurring his words. “I should’ve known better than to trust those two…”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope nodded her head as Crow agreed, smiling as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. She was about to finish off her own drink when Alistair and Olivia jumped in to address Crow. The knight eyed the two warily as they pestered Crow about joining them to drink. She didn't like that they were so insistent on having him join them but since they agreed on only one round, she turned her head away to finish off her drink, figuring it wouldn't be a big deal. Crow seemed to know he could handle himself.

That is until the moment after they finished off their drinks and she heard Crow become upset with the two. Blinking in confusion, she looked over at them, watching as Alistair and Olivia erupted into a fit of laughter. As Crow explained that they had switched his drink, her eyes widened slightly and she shook her head. "Those two are a troublesome pair that's for sure." she grumbled and shot Alistair a glare before shifting it to Olivia. It was now the second time Olivia had managed to get someone to drink while looking in the taverns. Penelope just hoped that Crow could handle the alcohol better than she could. If not, that meant it would be down to just her and Gavin and she wasn't sure how well that would go.

"I would've got'n yers too bu' it was already 'oo low to mess with." Olivia laughed as she looked over at Penelope. "No sense i' s'aying sober 'ow though! Dri'k with us!"

Penelope rolled her eyes at her. "Gods you're a pain." she muttered before looking back over at Crow. She frowned concernedly at the thief and reached out to place a hand on his shoulder. "Do you think you're going to be able to help out with the interrogation still?" she asked him then gave a half-hearted smile. "Or am I going to have to leave you here with the other drunks?"

[Rogue Sloth]

The longer Crow sat at the table, the more he could feel the effects of the alcohol slowly getting more prominent inside of him. Usually one strong drink wouldn’t inhibit him this much, but after spending the whole day interrogating villagers without any breaks to eat—Gavin had insisted that they could stop to rest after the questionings were over—his empty stomach seemed to have doubled its effects. He shook his head again. He couldn’t believe he had let Alistair and Olivia trick him so easily. It had been foolish of him to believe they didn’t have any ulterior motives when they had tried to convince him to drink with them again.

When Penelope rested her hand on his shoulder, he turned to look at her again with a frown. At her words, he felt a flash of worry that he would be left out of the remaining part of the interrogation now that he was intoxicated. He couldn’t stay behind, not as long as there was still a chance that the villagers would tell the knights about what he had done. Drunk or sober, he was going to finish speaking with the peasants in the tavern with her. He had to do it.

“I shoul’ be alright,” he said, wincing as a subtle slur escaped his lips. It was getting harder to act sober. At least he still felt self-aware enough to try though. He supposed that had to count for something.

“This is ridiculous,” Gavin suddenly growled from across the table. “All of you fools are too drunk to get anything done. Penelope and I are going to finish questioning the villagers.”

Crow shot the knight a glare. “No way,” he said stubbornly. “You had your chance earlier today, and you didn’t find out an’thing more than Penelope. B’sides, we all know I’m the best at sort of thing, so I’m more likely to get us s’m real answers.”

“Please,” Gavin snorted. “You can barely talk straight right now. What good will a half-drunk thief be in an interrogation?”

“Half-drunk or not, I c’n still out-lie your ass any day,” Crow retorted obstinately. He turned back to Penelope with a pleading look. “Let me go with you. I really don’ want to stay here with those idiots any longer th’n I have to.”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope gave an uncertain look as he answered her, picking up the slur in his words. Though he wasn't acting much different from usual yet, she could tell he was struggling quite a bit to act sober. It concerned her if he'd be able to at least keep the act going, even if the slurring of his words gave it away. As Gavin piped in, she listened as the two argued about the situation, unsure who she sided with.

She met Crow's pleading gaze and shifted a bit as she hesitated to answer. "Alright.." she finally agreed with a small nod. Gavin looked over at her with a questioning frown and she shrugged her shoulders in response. "I can take over most of the questioning anyways. Besides, I don't think it'd be wise to leave the drunks alone while we're questioning the villagers." Her gaze flickered accusingly to Rikki, Olivia and Alistair. "Those three have proven to be trouble so it's best sober someone makes sure they aren't causing a scene."

"I guess.." Gavin reluctantly agreed. He crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes at Crow. "If he starts getting in the way just bring him back here though and we can finish this interrogation instead."

Penelope gave Gavin a small nod before turning to look over at Crow. "Looks like I'll be able to repay you for helping me when I was drunk, huh?" she mused with a small smirk and pressed a kiss to his cheek before rising up to her feet. "Are you stable enough to walk on your own?" she asked him with a look of concern. The knight offered her hand to him, worried that he might be stumbling around due to the alcohol.

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow was relieved when Penelope agreed to let him come with her even thought he was inebriated. If she and Gavin conducted the rest of the interrogation by themselves, he felt almost certain that something would come up to tip them off about his secret. Now, as long as he could prove that he was still capable enough to handle questioning the villagers, he still had a chance to turn this to his favor. He just hoped that he could think clearly enough to do that without drawing attention to himself. He sighed to himself. Everything had been going at least somewhat smoothly until Olivia and Alistair had tricked him into downing that strong ale.

Damn fools, he casted the two a scathing look.

Crow turned back to Penelope when he felt her kiss him on the cheek. “I guess so,” he smiled helplessly when she said she would be repaying him for the time when she had been drunk. Although we wouldn’t even be in this mess if it wasn’t for those two, he added silently, shooting one more cold look at Olivia and Alistair. Aside from the two months after he had found out Penelope was “dead,” he never let himself go like this. He didn’t like the feeling of having such little control over himself. It made him feel weak and, if he found himself in a dangerous situation, vulnerable to attack. It was far from the enjoyable activity the others tried to make it out to be.

As she offered him a hand to stand up, he shook his head. “Thanks, but I don’ think I’m that far gone,” he winked at her and then got up from the table by himself. The motion made him feel like he was tilting, but he managed not to sway as he rose to his feet. Reaching to take her by the hand, he leaned over and touched a playful kiss to her nose. “C’mon, darling. Let’s see what the people in this tavern have t’ offer.”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope gave a small nod and watched him as he stood up. Though he said he was fine, the knight still kept a careful eye on him just in case he overestimated himself and how much the drink was having an affect on him. Luckily, it seemed that he hadn't as he stood up without swaying. As he kissed her nose, she looked up at him with an amused smile before nodding her head in agreement. She gave his hand a soft squeeze before beginning to glance around the tavern, looking for who to speak with first.

It was still a little early to begin the interrogation but with most of her companions drunk and now Crow also being half drunk too, the knight figured it was best to hurry it along before anything more happened. The sooner they were able to leave the tavern, the better. Fortunately, it seemed a few of the villagers had already drank a good deal so she was hopeful they could still uncover something.

"They look like they've had enough to drink. Let's start there." she mumbled to the thief as she gave a subtle nod towards a group of villagers who were talking and laughing loudly. She began to make her way over to the table with Crow and offered a friendly smile as she slipped into one of the empty seats at the table. In their drunken state, the villagers still seemed to eye her with a bit of caution, although the knight was quick to note that they seemed much more relaxed thanks to the alcohol.

Penelope quickly struck up a conversation with the nearest villager to her. It didn't take her long to spin a lie about how she was looking for her brother and worked it into the conversation. "I don't suppose you've seen any groups that big cross through here have you?" she asked with a hopeful tone.

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow followed Penelope’s lead as they began to search the tavern for people to question about the group of thieves. In his inebriation, he had to focus hard to walk in a straight line, but he still managed to do so without leaning on the knight for support. He looked around at the different tables of peasant men and women that were around them. It seemed like most of the groups they passed were still far from drunk, since it was still early enough that the sun had yet to fully disappear over the horizon. He was glad about that, but unfortunately, it wasn’t long before Penelope spotted a small table of villagers who looked a bit more intoxicated than the rest.

Hiding his unease, he nodded when she murmured to him. “Okay,” he mumbled back to her, trailing close behind as she led the way over to the peasants. When they reached them, he chose a seat next to the knight and sat down less than gracefully, watching as she struck up a conversation with the men and women across from them. He held his breath when she asked what they knew about the group that had travelled through. He hoped the villagers would be cautious enough not to tell her too much, but after seeing how drunk some of them were, he wasn’t sure what to expect.

Right away, he could tell the interrogation was going to be worse than he expected.

The peasants all hesitated quite obviously at Penelope’s question and exchanged nervous glances. One of the women leaned over to a man sitting next to her and whispered just loudly enough that Crow could hear her: “Wha’ were we suppose’ to say? I f’rgot…”

The man elbowed her in the side and shushed her just as audibly before turning to Penelope with a hostile glare, “We ain’t heard nothin’ about any trav’lers.”

Crow groaned inwardly and averted his gaze, so Penelope wouldn’t be able to see the worried expression that he was unable to hide in his intoxicated state. They were only one question in, and the villagers may have already given him away. Not yet, he thought with forced resolve. They only gave away the fact that someone told them what to say. No one said it was me. I can still work with this. Recovering from his initial reaction, he snuck a glance at Penelope to see what she would do with the new information.

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope eyed the villagers as they acted nervously around her. She even caught the woman whispering suspiciously to the man. The knight raised an eyebrow curiously. It seemed that someone had been instructing the villagers on what to say, which quickly made the knight interested in learning more. She was a bit surprised by the hostility in the man who turned to address her, going on about not seeing any travelers. I doubt that... she thought narrowing her eyes slightly.

"Are you sure?" she asked them again calmly as her gaze shifted over them. "They would have been a large group, hard to miss... And they might have caused a bit of trouble while passing through."

The same man kept glaring at her and was about to speak up again when suddenly another man piped in. "Nah we haven' heard nothin' or see' 'em." he assured her with a dismissive wave. He appeared to be a little less intoxicated than the others and gave her a smirk. "You're 'n a taver' but you're not even drinking. We're goin' halfta change that. Right, guys?" he asked as he turned to the other villagers. The group quickly joined his side with words of agreement and encouragement. The man wasted no time in flagging down a wench and grabbing some drinks from her.

Penelope's eyes widened slightly and she glanced towards Crow with a hint of alarm. It seemed these villagers really didn't trust them enough to talk, even if they were drunk. As he placed a fresh mug of ale down in front of her, the knight shifted uncomfortably. "Ah.. Actually I'm fine without anything to drink, thank you though." she said offering a polite smile.

"Aw come 'n!" a woman suddenly jumped in with an eager grin. "Dri'k with us!" She seemed genuinely interested in drinking with the knight, as if momentarily forgetting about the nervousness she had once drinking was brought up. Maybe we can use that to our advantage.. she thought casting a side glance at Crow. Perhaps drinking with the villagers would lower their guards just enough to get the information they needed. However, that would likely mean leaving it up to the half-drunk Crow. The knight doubted she could handle another drink without getting drunk herself after all.

"U'less you gotta reas'n for stayin' sober." the man spoke up again as he lifted his own glass.

Penelope let out a quiet sigh and grabbed the handle of her mug, lifting it up to the others. "Alright, alright I'm in." she agreed, receiving a small cheer from the villagers. As they prepared to drink, she leaned closer to Crow and lowered her voice to whisper, "Sorry.. I hope it makes them lower their guards enough but the rest will probably be up to you now." Her gaze flickered back over to the peasants and she gave a small smile before joining them in drinking from her mug. She flinched at how strong the ale tasted and set down the glass a bit wobbly. It wouldn't take long for the drink to have an affect on her, especially since she had already finished one prior to joining the peasants.

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow was relieved when the villagers continued to insist on the story that they hadn’t seen any travelers pass through. Though it was obvious that Penelope didn’t buy it, at least the group wouldn’t give her any more information than they already had. It was looking like his secret was safe for now. He just hoped that the other peasants in the tavern would be just as stubborn when the knight eventually gave up on trying to get anything out of these people and moved on.

Suddenly, another man jumped into the conversation by questioning why Penelope wasn’t drinking in a tavern. The thief quirked a brow in amusement. He was mildly surprised that they were so quick to try and get the knight drunk, but he supposed they were doing it for their own sakes. The villagers were already nervous enough around her. They were probably hoping that if she became intoxicated, she wouldn’t be able to keep asking them about the group of travelers.

He turned to her when she apologized and shook his head. “It’s fine,” he assured her softly with a smile. “I may no’ be as sober as I’d like, bu’ I’m not so drunk that I can’t finish this interrogation by myself.” He reached out to give her hand a reassuring squeeze beneath the table. In reality, he really did feel like he was clearheaded enough to finish questioning the villagers if he wanted to, but he knew that once Penelope got drunk, there would be no reason for him to try. Without someone sharp enough to keep an eye on him, he could abandon the interrogation without worrying about seeming suspicious. All he had to do now was sit back and wait.

That is, until the same man who told Penelope to drink spoke up again.

“Don’t f’rget about yer friend there,” he said with a conniving grin directed at Crow.

“Me?” Crow frowned, surprised that the man would include him. Didn’t the villagers know who he was? He had thought that the tavern owner would have told them all that he was the one behind the lies they were supposed to spread to the knights. Maybe he didn’t, he realized. Perhaps he had been wrong, and the tavern keeper had never mentioned his name. Fresh relief washed over him as he realized that his secret might be safe after all.

“Yeah ye,” the man rolled his eyes. “What? Ye think we’re jus’ gonna make yer lady friend drink an’ let ye off the hook? That wouldn’ be a very gentlemanly thing t’do.” He snagged another mug of ale from a passing wench and slid it across the table at the thief. “If the woman drinks, so do ye.”

Crow eyed the full glass hesitantly. While the idea of getting drunker than he already was didn’t sit well with him, it would give him a better excuse to get out of questioning the villagers further when they eventually returned to Penelope’s suspicious ex suitor. Besides, the peasants had been rather insistent on making Penelope drink, so he doubted they would be any more lenient with him. He sighed, Well, it looks like I don’t have a choice.

Glancing at Penelope, he shot her a quick apologetic look and a shrug before picking up the mug and downing a sizeable portion of it to the rowdy encouragement of the villagers sitting across from them.

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope was relieved that Crow seemed confident that he could still handle the interrogation. She was about to relax a little until the villager spoke up again and included Crow in the drinking. The effects of the drink were already making her head feel a bit fuzzy but she was still clear-headed enough to know that Crow drinking more wasn't a good idea. The knight frowned as she looked over at Crow, wishing she could think of some way to get him out of it. However, unable to, she let out a small sigh as he downed part of his drink.

She looked back over at the villagers and leaned slightly against the table. "Sooo you 'old you guys somethin'?" she asked them, trying to focus back on the matter at hand before she drank anymore of her drink. She was already beginning to slur after finishing a little less than half of it.

"Hm?" one man grunted an eyed her. "'Bout what?"

"I dunno.." Penelope frowned and glanced between the other villagers. She couldn't recall specific details but she knew it was something she was suppose to ask about for the interrogation. Her gaze landed on the woman who she remembered whispering something to the man besides her. "She's 'he one who said somethin' bout it I know."

The woman blinked and shifted in her seat a bit before shrugging her shoulders. "Who knows! I'm dru'k." she said with a dismissive wave. The villagers gave a small chorus of laughter before lifting their mugs up to drink again. Penelope joined them without reluctance this time, feeling there was no reason not to, and finished off what was left of her drink. She set the mug back down and shifted her gaze over to Crow. She paused then leaned a little closer to him.

"I don' think we're doin' good huh?" she slurred with a small frown. Having finished off her drink, the alcohol was beginning to affect her rather quickly. The knight found herself a bit unsure of what they were even supposed to do at the moment. However, she knew drinking was not part of it. She groaned and ran a hand through her hair. "Gavin's gonna be pissseed.."

[Rogue Sloth]

Right away, Crow could tell that the drink these villagers had given him was just as strong as the one Olivia had switched with his last pint of ale. He set the now-empty mug back down on the table, focusing carefully so he wouldn’t accidentally use more force than he needed to, and let out his breath in a long exhale. With two drinks already in his system, it didn’t take long for the third to add to the effects. Already, he could feel himself losing focus, and it was getting harder to think straight.

So, when Penelope started questioning the villagers again, he was only partially aware of what she was saying to them. He turned to look at her, hearing the words come out of her mouth, but unable to process them as his mind wandered instead to more trivial things, such as how pretty she was in the low light of the tavern. His eyes wandered over her, and he ran his tongue across his lips. Was she even more beautiful right now, or was it just the alcohol making him see things? He couldn’t tell, but he knew he found the curve of her body more enticing than usual while she was sitting next to him.

Crow was drawn from his thoughts when the knight suddenly leaned closer to him to whisper that they weren’t doing very well. He blinked, momentarily confused by her words until he remembered that they were supposed to be interrogating the villagers about Jaxon’s group. Somehow, that didn’t seem very important at the moment though. Why look for someone when they already knew where he was? At least, he knew where Jaxon was, even if the others didn’t. There was no point in asking around at the tavern when they wouldn’t learn anything new anyway.

“Who cares?” he waved a hand when she mentioned that Gavin wasn’t going to be happy with them. “He hates me an’way, so why both’r doin’ wha’ he wan’s?” It seemed like a valid point in his mind. If Gavin really wanted the interrogation to get done, then he could just come over and do it, himself. Why should he and Penelope put in all the hard work, especially when he already knew what they were looking for? It sounded counterintuitive when they could spend the night enjoying themselves instead. His eyes drifted to her lips again, and suddenly he had the strong urge to kiss her.

“Di’ I ever tell you how beau’iful you are?” he grinned at her drunkenly, leaning in a little closer. His face was flushed from the ale he’d been drinking. “B’cause y’are. Yer th’ most beau’iful woman I’ve ev’r seen.” In the next moment, he closed the distance between them by pressing his lips to hers in a somewhat clumsy yet passionate kiss, wrapping one arm around her waist to pull her closer. Absently, he could hear the villagers at their table whistling at the scene they were making, but right then, he couldn’t have cared less. All he wanted to think about was the woman in front of him.

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope gave a small nod as Crow waved off her concerns. "I guesss so." she agreed with a small shrug. Unable to think of any reason to disagree, she was quick to side with Crow. Gavin had been hard on him the whole time so why should they do what he said while the male knight was acting so annoying? She didn't dwell on the question long, soon forgetting any concern about it as the thief spoke up again.

At his flirtatious words, the knight noticed her face felt warm, though it was difficult to tell if it was from the compliments or the alcohol. Regardless, she returned his grin with a smile, feeling a swell of affection for the thief. He really was quite charming. As he closed the distance, Penelope eagerly kissed him back, barely taking notice of the whistling villagers and even less aware that they were making a bit of a scene. She eventually pulled back, grinning at him absently. "Wow." she breathed softly. She wondered if kissing him always felt like that, although she couldn't really recall.

Her heart was hammering in her chest and she had enjoyed the feeling of his lips against hers. Her gaze drifted to his lips again and she began to lean in to kiss him again, only to stop as another voice caught her attention.

"What the hell are you doing?" Gavin growled, looking accusingly at Crow as he walked up to them. Clearly their little scene had caught his attention and the male knight wasted no time in storming over. Penelope looked over at him confusedly, not understanding why he was so upset. They hadn't caused any trouble that she was aware of.

"Nothin'. Why?" she asked him, tilting her head slightly.

Gavin blinked and eyed the two of them for a moment before glaring at Crow. "Damnit did you get her drunk too?"

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow sank into Penelope’s lips as they kissed, grabbing at her somewhat clumsily as he tried to pull her even closer. His heart raced excitedly as it struck him yet again that she was his. This wasn’t just some random fling at a tavern; this woman actually loved him. The thought made him press more deeply into the kiss, so that he came away breathless when they eventually parted. His chest heaved, and he held her gaze with a dazed grin, taking a moment to wind down from the heated moment.

He laughed at her breathy word. “If y’like that, I c’n promise ye’ll like wha’ else I c’n do,” he slurred flirtatiously, leaning in to meet her halfway when she moved to kiss him again. However, just before their lips met, he paused at the sound of a furious voice. Frowning confusedly, he looked up to see that Gavin had gotten up from his table and had marched across the room to confront them. The knight was scowling at him with more hatred than he had seen in him in quite a while.

At Gavin’s question, Crow felt a pang of annoyance. The knight was always accusing him of something or other, and it was really starting to grate on his nerves. He stood up from the table to step in front of the other man—he noticed with a petty satisfaction that he was slightly taller than him—and curled his lip hostilely, “Maybe I did, ‘n maybe I di’n’t. What’s it t’you?”

Gavin tensed with clear discomfort at the lack of distance between them, his upper lip twitching slightly in disgust at the scent of alcohol on the thief’s breath. “I see you’ve had some more as well,” he growled in clear annoyance. “I knew I should have gone with her. All you do is distract her from our goal.”

“I don’ distract ‘er,” Crow argued, smirking at the knight haughtily. “I jus’ ‘elped ‘er see wha’s more impor’nt.” He looked down at Penelope and rested a hand on her shoulder in a mildly possessive manner. “She ‘ad fun. Right, love?”

“That’s it,” Gavin narrowed his eyes at the thief and moved to push past him to where his comrade was seated. “Alright, Penelope, you’ve done enough. I’m going to take over the rest of this interrogation.” Before he reached her, however, he was stopped again by Crow, who had forced his way between them rather aggressively.

“Back off,” the thief snarled. “’M gettin’ real tired of watchin’ y’try an’ act like y’know more about wha’s better for ‘er than I do.” He took a step forward, making the knight backtrack to keep from running into him. “She chose me, so ye’re jus’ gonna have t’get over it.”

“Please,” Gavin snorted. “I’m not going to just hand her over to some delusional criminal who’s going to ruin her life. She’s still my comrade, so whether you like it or not, I do know what’s best for her, and I’m going to help her. Now, stand aside before you get hurt, thief.”

“Make me,” Crow snapped, curling his hands into fists at his sides. “Pe’elope’s th’love of my life. I’m not goin’ an’where, an’ ‘m cer’ainly not gonna let anoth’r man act like he knows ‘er better than me. If y’really think y’do, then prove it!”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope glanced over at Crow as she noticed the thief suddenly get up to face Gavin. The drunken knight blinked and twisted slightly in her chair so she was able to watch the two, feeling uneasy about the situation in front of her. She leaned against the back of her chair and nodded her head in agreement, smiling up at Crow as he rested a hand on her shoulder. However, it seemed her agreeing with the thief hadn't helped the argument much as Gavin tried to approach her only to be cut off by Crow.

The knight frowned as she noticed Crow getting more aggressive and Gavin insist he knew what was best for her. She didn't like the argument, believing it wasn't fair for either of them to decide what was best for her when she could do it on her own. Penelope opened her mouth to protest but faltered as she noticed both men clenching their fists. Gavin regarded Crow with a cold gaze, seeming tempted to strike the drunken thief. Before he could though, Penelope stumbled out of her chair and over to Crow's side, swaying unstably as she moved slightly in front of him in a protective manner.

"Don' be s'upid." she growled at Gavin. "I'll fi'ht you if you h'rt 'em."

"I wasn't the one looking for a fight." Gavin stated with a glare at Crow. He let out a long exhale and focused his gaze on Penelope. Noticing her still swaying on her feet, he stepped closer to her. "Come on, let's get you back to the table so you can sit down." he said in a softer tone, offering her his arm.

Penelope eyed him warily before turning to glance over at Crow before meeting Gavin's gaze. "'m s'll with 'em." she replied with certainty as she misunderstood the gesture and shifted closer to Crow.

"I'm aware." Gavin grumbled then shook his head. "You can barely stand on your own, I'm just going to help you over to our table so you can sit down and I can take over this interrogation." He lifted his gaze away from her to glare at Crow. "Since I doubt he can help you much while he's drunk as well."

Penelope hesitated before nodding her head. She doubted she could make it over to the table on her own and she wasn't sure Crow could help her much. The knight took his arm but turned to reach for Crow's hand as well.

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow jumped slightly in surprise when Penelope suddenly got up to step between him and Gavin. In his focus on her former suitor, he hadn’t even noticed her get up from her chair until she was standing right in front of him. He frowned slightly as he began to realize just how much of a toll the alcohol was taking on his mental state. In his inebriation, he couldn’t tell how much of his current behavior was due to the mugs he’d drank, but he was aware enough now to know that he wasn’t acting in his right mind. He turned back to Gavin a bit more uncertainly, suddenly feeling less inclined to start a fight.

When the knight offered Penelope his arm, Crow tensed reflexively, assuming that the other man was trying to take her away from him. However, his hasty conclusion was quickly laid to rest when Gavin clarified that he was merely going to help her walk back to her chair at the other table. He eyed the knight suspiciously, ready to get involved if he tried anything funny, but it seemed like he wasn’t lying. Following his word, Gavin just let his drunken comrade use his arm for support as they began to make their way back across the room.

Still simmering from the near fight, Crow took a moment to cool his head before he moved to walk unevenly after them. As he did, he felt Penelope slip her small hand into his, and he offered her a soft smile in appreciation for the small gesture. While he didn’t feel overly threatened by her former suitor’s offer—he was well aware that if he tried to help her walk now, they would just end up running into a table or unbalancing each other and falling over—he did like how quick she was to reassure him that she still chose him over the other knight.

When they got back to the table, the thief sat down heavily in his chair, glad that he didn’t have to keep moving around while everything felt like it was tilting. Unfortunately, he didn’t get to relax for long before a familiar voice spoke up from his side.

“Well, well, well,” Rikki purred, shifting in her chair to lean a little closer to him. “Looks ‘ike y’finally caved, huh?”

“Shuddup,” Crow slurred with a roll of his eyes. “Th’ villag’rs made us do it.”

“’S been a while since I seen y’ this drunk,” she giggled, leaning ever closer and resting a hand seductively on his leg. “An’ I happ’n t’ rememb’r y’like women with yer ale… Isn’ tha’ right?”

“Yeah, I do,” Crow shot her a mischievous look before turning around in his chair to kiss Penelope rather zealously instead. After a bit, he pulled back again just enough to rest his forehead against hers and grinned breathlessly, reaching up to affectionately tuck a strand of loose hair behind her ear. The female thief may have been right that he liked to be with women when he was intoxicated, but Penelope was the only one he wanted to be with now. His heart pounded as he held her gaze, transfixed by her beauty. Drunk or sober, he didn’t need anyone else as long as she was with him.

“Tha’s not fair,” Rikki pouted from behind him, refusing to distance herself from him despite watching him get physical with the knight. “You’ve been kissin’ ‘er all night. ‘S my turn.”

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope leaned against Gavin as the male knight lead them back over to the table. She was rather grateful for his help and soon any frustration she had felt towards him previously was gone as he moved the chair back to let her sit down besides Crow. She shifted clumsily into the chair and looked up at her comrade with a smile. "Tha'ks Gavin. See I knew wer still frie'ds for a reason."

Gavin looked down at her and let out a soft sigh. "You never could hold your drinks very well." he said with a hint of amusement. The male knight paused as his gaze shifted over to Crow, quickly turning serious again. "Now stay here while I go talk with the villagers.." he muttered before turning and walking off. Penelope gave a small nod and turned back to Crow, finding that Rikki had shifted closer to him.

Upon seeing the female thief, a stab of discomfort hit the knight. At first, it was foggy to her why she wasn't fond of Rikki but soon she noticed the way her hand was resting on Crow's leg. She was close to saying something—having not paid any attention to the conversation between the two—but didn't get the chance as Crow turned and suddenly kissed her again. She smiled against his lips and kissed him back. As he pulled back, Penelope grinned back at him and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck as she pressed closer to him.

When Rikki spoke up again, she blinked, momentarily surprised. Having been a bit caught up in the kiss, she had forgotten Rikki was still there. Penelope pulled back from Crow slightly to peak around him at Rikki. "Gods I don' like you.." she sighed with a small frown. The knight smirked as an idea came to mind and shuffled her chair up against Crow's. Once she felt stable enough, she drew her legs up onto his, knocking Rikki's hand off of his lap in the process.

"There're no tu'ns. 'nd 'm not goin' nowhere." she slurred waving her hand at the thief dismissively.

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow was just about to respond to Rikki when he suddenly heard Penelope slide her chair closer to his. He turned just in time to see her swing her legs over his lap to push the female thief away. An amused laugh escaped his lips, and he slipped one arm around her back to prop her up while she leaned against him. He liked this bold side of her, and while he wasn’t fond of the fact that she had to assert herself to Rikki because of the other woman’s persistence, he did enjoy seeing her act out like this. It was a wilder part of her that he didn’t often get to appreciate, and it sent his heart racing even more than it already was.

Meanwhile, Rikki didn’t seem nearly as entertained. She clicked her tongue in annoyance and folded her arms over her chest. “Fine,” she huffed. “You c’n have ‘im for now, but this isn’ over. Sooner ‘r later, ‘e’s gonna come back t’me. Jus’ you wait.” She looked away from them to do a quick sweep of the crowd in the tavern, her gaze landing on a man at a nearby table with dark hair and hazel eyes. A foxlike grin crossed her lips, and she stood up, casting Crow a careless shrug. “If yer not gonna kiss me, ‘m gonna go have some fun with ‘im.” With that, she headed over to the other table, sliding into a seat next to the man she had targeted and striking up a conversation.

Crow made a face at her back and then turned back to Penelope with a grin of his own, “Looks like we manag’d t’get rid of ‘er.” In the next moment, he fell quiet again as his attention wandered back to her features. It was so easy for him to get lost in studying her face. Everything about her that he already found attractive was accentuated by the alcohol in his system, making her that much more irresistible to him in the moment. His eyes roved from her face down to the rest of her body, from her chest to her hips.

“Gods, I ‘ove you,” he murmured, slipping his free hand behind her knees and using both arms to pull her all the way onto his lap. Once he was holding her comfortably, he pressed a deep kiss to her lips and traced his hands sensuously over her body, losing himself in her touch without a care of who could be watching.

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope frowned at the female thief, not appreciating her words. Was it inevitable for Crow to go back to her? She didn't think so but the confidence Rikki had made her second guess herself, wondering if there was something she was missing or forgetting. The knight didn't dwell on it long though as Crow turned back to her with a grin. She returned his grin and nodded her head. "Tha'k the gods." she said with a chuckle.

As a silence fell over them, she swept her gaze over the tavern, noting that Gavin was off talking with some villagers at a different table. The knight suddenly felt a note of sympathy for her ex-suitor, realizing that he was alone as he spoke with the villagers. She hoped that he wasn't having too bad of night despite everything. Her attention was soon drawn away from Gavin as Crow spoke up again and pulled her into his lap. She smiled brightly at his words and closed her eyes as he kissed her again. She slid one hand to rest at the nape of his neck, lightly toying with his hair as they kissed.

"Oi, don' forget yer not the only ones around." Olivia snickered.

Penelope blinked and pulled back from the kiss to look over at Olivia. Her friend was leaning heavily against the table besides where Alistair sat and seemed to have just taken notice of the two. "Sorry." she giggled with a hint of embarrassment.

"Looks 'ike somen's been drinking." Olivia smirked and and crossed her arms over her chest. Her gaze flickered over to Crow and her smirk widened. "'nd i's not jus' Penelope this 'ime."

[Rogue Sloth]

Crow was quite enjoying himself with Penelope in his arms. Despite all of his stress and worries surrounding Rikki, Gavin, and the interrogation they were supposed to be doing—too late for that now—the ale he’d had let him forget about it all in favor of focusing solely on the knight instead. He slid his hand around her middle, pressing her close to himself as they kissed. The feeling of her hand on his neck made him shiver, and a soft sigh escaped his lips.

He was just about to deepen the kiss when he absently heard Olivia call out to them. In the next moment, Penelope broke away from him to offer her friend an apology. He frowned, disappointed that she cut off the kiss so soon, and then looked up as the other knight addressed him. “Yeah, yeah,” he rolled his eyes. “You win. Jus’ don’t espect this t’be a regul’r thing, a’ight? It was for th’ miss’n.”

“I was righ’, though,” Olivia grinned. “Y’ are fun when yer drunk. It’s jus’ that Penelope gets t’ enjoy yer drunk ass th’ most.”

“What’re ya jealous?” Crow snickered teasingly.

“Not ‘n the sligh’est,” Olivia snorted. “I’ve got some’ne ev’n better.” As if to prove her point, she turned towards Alistair and swung a leg over his lap so that she was sitting on top of him as they began to kiss.

“Wha’ was that abou’ rememb’rin’ yer in public?” Crow drawled as he watched them.

Olivia glanced back with an apathetic shrug, “I w’s only remindin’ you two. I don’ give a damn who’s ‘ere.” She stuck her tongue out at him before pressing into Alistair again, weaving her fingers through the thief’s hair as they kissed sloppily.

Crow shook his head and turned to Penelope with a devilish smirk, “Now the’, where were we?” He leaned in to trail kisses along her neck, being somewhat rough in his passion as he worked his way from her just below her ear to the base of her collarbone.

[BuzzingBee]

Penelope looked at Olivia and gave a small snort of amusement as she listened to her speak with Crow. As Crow turned back to her, she raised an eyebrow at his smirk, confused until he pressed his lips to her skin. The knight shuddered at the feeling of him kissing along her neck and closed her eyes serenely. Even though he was being a bit rougher, she found that she still enjoyed the feeling and felt her heart beat excitedly in her chest. She grinned to herself, feeling another burst of affection for the thief as she thought about how good he made her feel.

Shifting to rest her head against his shoulder, Penelope looked up at him with a soft, drunken smile. She reached a hand up to trail her fingertips along the side of his face. "I'ove you so much, Cr'w." she murmured. She studied his face for a brief moment, relishing in everything she loved about the thief. It only lasted a second longer until her smile widened into a playful grin and she suddenly rubbed her cheek up against his.

"P'y back!" she declared before erupting into giggles. She was about to lean in to do it to him again when the sound of approaching footsteps caught her attention. She shifted her gaze away from Crow to see that Gavin was returning from whatever talking he had been doing—she couldn't really recall the details aside from knowing it had to do with questioning the villagers. "'ow'd it go?" she asked him curiously as she leaned her head against Crow's.

"I'll tell you in the morning." Gavin responded. He eyed her for a moment then shot Crow a glare. "Alright I think it's time we leave. We've wasted enough time here. Penelope come with me."

"Right now?" Penelope questioned, reluctant to move as she was quite comfortable in Crow's lap.

"Yes, we still have to set up camp... And I think this thief's done enough damage for one night." he said with a hint of impatience as he offered her his hand again.