[Maaike]

This was a new thing for Maaike. Up to now, Elysia's watchmen had been targets, self-assigned bounties, or had just plain gotten in the way. They'd chased her up one side of the city and down the other, making it difficult, if not downright impossible, to get her job done. She'd been forced to lay low and avoid Alexshire altogether at some points, and now that she'd cleaned out the trash back home, Espur's Guardsmen were better at their job too.

It was a dream come true... and a nightmare.

How Aiden Roy thought she could help him in a situation like this was beyond her, really, but they'd reached some sort of agreement and as a Therian, she was bound to uphold her end of it. So now here she was, lying in wait on the edge of a roof-top, rubbing her hands together and blowing into them to keep them warm. Fingerless gloves were all fine and good for running, but not so great for keeping her warm.

Actually, none of her outfit was, from the soles of her black running shoes through her black yoga pants and black roll-neck sweater, all the way to the top of her black baseball cap — and it was all black, too, all the better to hide from the law. And crouching down like this, mostly hidden from street level by the building, gave her the advantage of surprise if she needed it.

She just wished Roy would hurry up before she froze to death...

[Aiden]

Honestly, he hadn't been sure at all of this would work. Maaike hadn't confirmed if she was appearing or not--the two of them didn't exactly have a practical mean of communication. They'd only ever communicated via notes left on tied-up criminals, or random Maaike-appearances along Aiden's route. They shared information only when Maaike wanted to, because Aiden knew nothing about her schedule, whereas she knew where he lived and worked. Oh, the differences between a guard and an alleged criminal...

Normally, Aiden wouldn't have even thought of asking for Maaike's help, but he was running out of time and options. The bounty hunter had previously wedged a packet of evidence into Aiden's windowsill, so he placed the note in similar fashion with doubts that she'd actually see it. Today was the fourth day since, but the note finally disappeared, which was why Aiden was wandering along a narrow business street in New Alexandria at a time well beyond sunset.

Their meeting spot was only a block away from his apartment. He'd chosen it particularly because he knew the place well. Aiden alsoe knew when the guard passed by at night, and now was not that time. As he reached the art gallery with two paper mugs of hot chocolate in one hand, Aiden glanced briefly at his surroundings before picking out a bench that was mostly hidden from the lights. Maaike wasn't here yet, as far as he could tell, But Aiden wasn't worried, since he was five minutes early anyway. Resting his back into the bench, Aiden set aside the extra mug before drinking from his own. He'd thought it was a silly idea to bring the chocolate at first, but after a few sips of the warm liquid in the cold night air, he was immediately happy for the decision.

Every cloud has a silver lining. If Maaike didn't show up, he'd have an extra cup of hot chocolate.

[Maaike]

Despite her wishing Baby Face would hurry up, Maaike still lingered on the rooftop when he finally did arrive. She didn't trust him completely yet, if she ever would, and her thoughts turned to a possible trap.

Her normal ploy in situations like this would be to make him wait. He was early anyway (just like her), and that would give her chance to study both him and the spot he'd chosen for their meeting. That could tell a lot about a guy, the places he felt were safe enough to meet a supposed crook. (So did the fact that he was at ground level, actually.)

But then the sight of steam rising from his mug, and the fact that she was freezing up there on the roof while he had his paws around warmth, pulled her out of her squatting position to easily and quickly descend from the rooftop like a gymnastic shadow, coming up behind the bench Roy was occupying. He'd probably smelled her coming, if he knew what was good for him, but if Maaike was any good at her job, then the first thing he'd see of her was her hand snaking out for his offering before the rest of her came into view to sit beside him.

Deliberately close, so they'd look like young lovers to anyone who happened to pass by, and turning her face up to give him a loving smile countered by the teasing light in her blue eyes. “You rang, Sweet Cheeks?”

[Aiden]

Eyes skimming along the emptying streets and zoning in on the faces of people who were still around, the Guard in Aiden's mind categorized them as stragglers of the day, owners closing shop, and dinner dates. None of them seemed to be a fugitive incognito, so as Aiden draped an arm along the back of the bench, his attention drifted skywards. He didn't know Maaike well, but he had the feeling that she'd arrive via the rooftops.

Like an unannounced ghost, an arm drifted into the corner of Aiden's vision and toward the cup upon the bench. Attention jerking toward the figure who had sauntered around the bench, his wariness faded as he recognized the woman. He should've been more alert to how quickly, and quietly, Maaike could appear from the shadows. But he wasn't. Nodding in greeting, Aiden grinned lightly even as Maaike edged too close to him. She didn't seem to respect his personal bubble, as always, but he knew her reason for it this time.

Setting his mug aside, Aiden leaned in so that the side of his torso brushed her shoulder. As he tilted his face downward with an expression that almost matched Maaike's, the corners of his lips curled with mischief. “So if I ring a bell, you'll show up? Should've told me sooner.”

Memories of their last encounter resurfacing, Aiden's gaze flickered briefly across Maaike's face before settling upon her cap. She looked young already, but somehow the cap made her look even younger. But vulnerable, she was not. Even so, Aiden had second thoughts about asking for Maaike's aid. For example, it meant that he'd owe her for the help. Whatever he was about to ask, it wasn't exactly legal, either.

He tipped her cap downward in a friendly manner, though he really meant to hide more of her face from other people's view. He knew he was stalling, but he couldn't help it. “Have you visited the Eastern Gates recently?”

[Maaike]

Hmm. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...

“For you, Sweet Cheeks...” Her grin, as she trailed off, was just as mischievous as his was, but her breath hitched a bit. This close, he didn't just look good, he smelled good — and she didn't need a wolf's nose to know that.

Tensing briefly when he flicked her cap, Maaike sat back on the bench with the hot chocolate in hand and let his body shield hers from view, ducking her head and turning her face close to his chest. Honestly, if this weren't all about business, she might be tempted to play a little with him; she was a healthy woman, after all.

“Hmm?” Bad Maaike, bad. She was really getting into this "pretend we're lovers" thing. “I try to avoid areas that are heavily trafficked. I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm —” Her eyes sparkled as she tipped her head and her gaze up to look at him flirtatiously from under the brim of her cap. “— a wanted woman.” Still looking at him sideways, she took a sip from her cup. Oh, that was good, and she couldn't stop her eyes from drifting shut on an "Mmmm" as her fingers knitted around the mug for warmth. Her fingertips were nearly red raw from the cold; her cheeks probably were, too.

“So. What's so interesting about the Eastern Gates?”

[Aiden]

He couldn't help but smile in a silly manner when Maaike looked up at him with her eyes full of life. He hadn't seen her like that before. It had always been wary glares and mocking smirks, so the playfulness was a pleasant change. A chuckle warmed his throat, and without thinking, his arm slid off the top of the backrest to ghost upon Maaike's shoulder. “Wanted, eh?” Leaning closer, he tried to look serious, but the look was foiled by a lopsided smile. “Well, I saw you first.”

What was he doing--abruptly realizing that he had moved closer than the social norm, he leaned away and folded his arm toward his side, even though he wanted to keep looking at her. In a similar fashion as Maaike, he wrapped both hands around his mug of hot chocolate and savored the scent of sugar and warmth. It helped to erase other fragrances.

Reminded of the gates, Aiden's grin wavered, and he averted his gaze toward the rim of his cup as he took another sip. “Very fascinating business,” he said after swallowing. “people can get all sorts of stuff through those gates, if they find the right person to help them.” He shook his head wryly, “Somebody found me instead. Mistook me for the other guard, but you can't blame him.” Aiden had tried very hard not to look like himself the day he found Oliver Reid, the not-very-good-merchant with interesting wares.

“So. Remember the stuff that Hiedrich had?” He said very softly, with a glance along the streets, “I found where part of it was coming from, and I think I know who's helping.” Now he looked at Maaike, so that she might understand what he was about to request, even though he hated to ask it. With a rueful smile, he admitted, “I can't prove it though.”

[Maaike]

Oh, Great Lady, I'm in trouble.

Tensing a little when Aiden put his arm around her, Maaike nevertheless kept up the pretense and leaned into him slightly, her face still hidden from passers-by beneath the brim of her hat. He had her on the run, emotionally speaking, and she disliked running — so when he pulled away and looked a bit tense himself, she couldn't help but smirk.

Which soon faded when he got down to business. “Remember the stuff that Hiedrich had?”

“Mm,” Maaike murmured, setting aside her cooling, emptied cup and bringing a knee up to her chest to snuggle with it. She would have moved closer to Aiden again, mostly for warmth because she was really starting to feel the chill now (she wasn't wearing nearly enough clothing for an outdoor meeting, in retrospect), but that way lay a danger she probably couldn't handle.

“I can't prove it though.” Ah, so that was it. He wouldn't come right out and say it — and who could blame him, given his position — but what he wanted was pretty clear, given their history. For some reason, Maaike's chest ached a little at the thought that he just wanted to use her, but that was what their partnership was for, right? And he had helped her out before...

“I'll... investigate.” Keeping her eyes averted so he wouldn't see the momentary flicker of self-doubt and hurt, Maaike scanned the mostly-empty streets. The only people out this time of night, usually, were criminals, the law, and young lovers — so they blended fairly well, all things considered.

The guy at the end of the street, propping up a lamp post and quite obviously watching them, on the other hand, didn't — and with a brief nod in the oddball's direction, and a wry twist of her lips, she asked: “Friend of yours?”

[Aiden]

Aiden had bet--hoped--that Maaike would help...but he was still surprised by how quickly she agreed to the investigation. Skilled or not, breaking and entering was a risky feat, and not to mention a crime (which made him all the more nervous about this!). Besides, he hadn't explained the situation much, and he thought she'd at least tease him for having to ask her. Blinking, he tilted his neck to try and see her expression as she looked toward the streets. Was she already regretting it? But all he saw was a small smile as Maaike indicated the man at the end of the street.

Something was off, since one second after Maaike and Aiden both glanced over, the stranger stared back for an awkward moment before coughing and looking around. Perhaps he had been waiting for somebody all along...or maybe not. Warily, Aiden turned his gaze toward Maaike again, because he thought the man wasn't watching anymore. But upon second glance, Aiden realized the contrary. Turning slightly toward Maaike to regain their young-couple-image, Aiden shared a quirk of a smile. “I've never seen him. But do you think he's waiting for something?” And while the therian had been playfully ambiguous with his question, his breath still halted treacherously when he realized their proximity. Don't be a fool, Aiden.

Indeed he was a fool. He'd chased a bounty with Maaike, arrested her, and chased her across rooftops--so why was he suddenly feeling shy now? Cheefle. Inhaling deeply, Aiden turned away and tightened his grip around the mug as he murmured, “Let's walk and talk?”

[Maaike]

The way the watcher turned away made Maaike even more suspicious and her eyes narrowed, but she was aware of her own paranoia. She'd keep an eye on him, and a small voice in the back of her head warned that Aiden could be setting her up, but for now she was satisfied that it was just a coincidence.

When she turned her head to tell Roy as much, she found their faces way too close and almost gasped. Almost flinched away, too. Instead, she gave him a coy smile and tipped her head slightly, flirtatiously.

Just to keep up appearances.

"He could be a thief, keep your eyes peeled," was what she wanted to say, but the suggestiveness in Aiden's question made the words freeze in her throat. Instead, she almost suggested that they give him something worth waiting for, tipping her chin up for a kiss, but he was already turning away and asking, “Let's walk and talk?”

Xanth, yes. She didn't need to be asked twice, surging to her feet as if the bench was suddenly white-hot. She forgot to collect her empty mug, and had to remind herself to look like a woman in love rather than someone who belonged in a formal Anyeli parade. (She'd only seen one once, but those guys were stiff as a board and marched in sync like they shared the same brain. It had creeped her out.) Until they were out of view, however, Maaike forced herself to act the girly-girl and pressed herself to Aiden's side, smiling fake-dreamily.

It was only when they turned a corner that she relaxed a bit — and even then, she kept up the pretense — Never can tell who's watching... — even as she focused on the real matter at hand. “How serious are your buddies about chasing me down?” Knowing that would affect her strategy for this break-and-enter, as well as future endeavours. She was tired of looking over her shoulder.

[Aiden]

He took both mugs with him as he stood. There wasn't a law against littering, but Aiden saw no need to leave the cups when there were bins for them around the area. Stacking both mugs together as he walked, he was almost startled when Maaike pressed herself to his side again. But he remembered to play the part, and as they walked, he made a fond smile toward the woman.

To anybody other than themselves, they looked like a couple, and they still did when they presumably left the watch of the creeper. Before they turned the corner, he looked toward the lamppost again and found that the man had disappeared as well. Hopefully, the man had found better things to do with his time, but Aiden frowned as he noted the sudden absence.

How serious was the guard about Maaike? “Not very. Not anymore.” Compared to other offenders, what Maaike had done was trivial. Yeah, she broke into the magistrate's home, but she hadn't attacked or taken anything. She skipped out on jailtime, but who in the guard was going to care if her name fell into obscurity again? It also helped that Aiden had removed her from the guard's 'keep watch' noticeboard. “Compared to robbers and murderers, we think you're safe enough to leave alone,” he spoke softly with a smirk. What he didn't say was that the guard couldn't afford to keep tabs on the smaller criminals.

He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a letter. In it, he'd written about Gisil Oroitz, the captain of the Eastern Gates, where Gisil lived, and things to look out for. He'd written about the smuggler he'd tracked down, what the man had said about Oroitz, and what other informants had revealed. The letter had been folded into a heart shape (one of them many 'skills' his sisters had forced upon him in their childhood), and as he handed it to Maaike, he felt a grin tug at the corners of his lips. “I wrote a poem for you.” They both knew it was a lie, but he'd said it for the benefit of passer-bys.

[Maaike]

Once upon a time, Maaike had been a fairly sweet girl. A little rebellious, perhaps (and plenty feral) but a pacifist like her mother who avoided hunting with the others in her clan whenever possible just because she hated the thought of harming anyone or anything.

Ashton killed almost every ounce of sweetness in her, and what remained was reserved for her son alone. She didn't even really treat Graeme all that well, and she considered him a friend. But in dragging out her animal side and her ferocious maternal instincts, he'd paved the way to a new and (debatably) improved Maaike, a woman who used violence if necessary and didn't mind the odd lie if it kept her family safe and got her where she wanted to be.

It was that mischievous imp of a woman who responded to Aiden's teasing comment about writing her a poem. Even knowing it was all just cover for their sharing of information, and even knowing it was probably a really, really bad idea for her health, Maaike still did it.

Stepping forward, Maaike took hold of the letter, but in doing so also gripped Aiden's hand with her own, drawing his arm back and around her waist. At the same time, a wicked grin on her face, she reached up with her left hand to toy with the longer hair at the nape of his neck. “Aw, Sweet'ums, you're such a sweetie.” Standing up on tip toes, she tilted up her chin and kissed him square on the mouth. It wasn't even a sweet kiss, but one that spoke of promises she wasn't willing to make — and later, she'd swear it was "just for cover", or because he'd provoked her, and not at all because she'd been dying to kiss him since their first roof-top chase.

[Aiden]

Still smiling, Aiden wasn't sure what to expect when Maaike guided his arm around her waist. Oh, but he had an inkling when he saw her face light up with a wicked grin. His breath halted such that he did not move when she closed in. Actually, she pulled him closer to her, and he let her. Maybe he'd let his guard down. More likely, Aiden also wanted to try this out. He still wasn't sure what he thought about Maaike, but there was no denying the interest and the curious thoughts of what if.

So as their lips met, he tilted his head and leaned into her. The kiss was brief, yet long enough for him to notice the softness of her lips and the chocolate in her breath. Beyond that was the hint of the forest and flora that Aiden enjoyed but could never find in the city. Even as they relaxed and pulled away, his hand lingered upon the middle of her back. They were standing in the cold, with suspicions that somebody may be watching, yet suddenly Aiden felt warm.

Eyes twinkling and with a gentle smile forming on his face, Aiden wrapped his other hand around Maaike's wrist to bring it down. He didn't step away though, and for another moment, his glance skimmed over the woman's lips again. Remembering her prior words, he met her eyes and teased back, “Of course I'm sweet. That's why you're crazy about me.”

[Maaike]

Maaike sighed and pouted. The kiss had been a little tame compared to what she really wanted, and too brief to get a real idea of if Aiden was going along for "the cover" or reciprocating the attraction. The fact that he held on to her just a little bit longer than necessary, on the other hand, put a teasing smirk on her lips.

And then he went and ruined it.

Scoffing at his ego, she put some much-needed distance between them and rolled her eyes — forgetting all about the need to maintain their cover. “In your dreams, Baby Cakes.”

She kind of wanted to stick around and keep up their cover just a little longer. For one reason and another, she didn't have a social life outside of the time she spent with her son and their clan (Graeme would probably disagree, but most of their conversations revolved around Easom & Sullivan, so even as a friend he couldn't really call their time together social), and her encounters with Aiden were always... fun.

But the fact that she had kissed him, and that his words had stung a little too close to home, made her want to put as much distance between them now as possible.

Tapping the corner of the envelope to her forehead in a lazy salute, Maaike shot him a coy smile before turning to find the nearest alley as a route up to the rooftops. “If you need me... I'll be around.”

[Aiden]

Oblivious to what his words had sounded like to Maaike, Aiden chuckled and let go of the hunter's wrist. “Ah, to crush my hopes...” he said, though the light tone in his voice ruined the effect. He'd guessed that Maaike would break the act first, and he was right. Not that anybody was around to see it, anyway. Even so, he felt a kind of disappointment as she stepped away. He'd hope to keep up the charade for a while longer--despite the risks of being seen together--because it had been fun. Tucking his hands into his pockets, Aiden merely nodded and stayed put as the black-clad figure disappear into a thinner alley.

For once, he wasn't chasing after her. How things have changed. And changed again. Breaking his gaze away from where he'd last seen the woman jumping over the rooftops, Aiden pivoted and returned to the way he came from. He tried not to worry about the request to Maaike, but already, he knew that he'd stress about it until to the next time they met. There were dozens of ways that his idea about Oroitz could go wrong, and Aiden knew he'd be found guilty if the law caught him as a conspirator. Without doubt, he was obligated to support Maaike if she was somehow discovered, and that was a risk he was willing to take despite the fact that he still could not trust her completely.

Whatever the outcome of their new collaboration, Aiden hoped it was a good one.

((Ugh. I am utterly ashamed that this thread took so long to finish. Thank you for your patience! ))