Work Text:
A Favor
Therion’s peace was disturbed when he felt an arm wrap around his shoulders.
“Hey, I need you to rob someone for me.”
Therion was silent a moment, processing what he had just heard. He turned slightly to face Alfyn, trying to assess if this was a weird joke or test of some sorts.
To his surprise, he appeared completely serious.
He shrugged Alfyn’s arm off and stared him for another moment. “...did you drink something weird or something?”
“No, I’m totally fine.” By the mildly skeptical look on Therion’s face, it didn’t seem like he believed him. Alfyn settled himself down into the chair, determination still flaring in his eyes. “I saw some noble steal candy from one of my patients, and I need help getting it back for him.”
“Did he take good candy at least?”
If that was supposed to be a joke, Alfyn clearly wasn’t amused.
“Come on. It’s not right. Who actually takes candy from a kid?”
When Therion only looked away and took a casual bite of his apple, Alfyn released a sigh.
“Well, are you going to help me?”
Therion paused, considered the proposal, before leaning back into his chair. “Sounds like a pain.”
The apothecary frowned in slight disappointment before abruptly standing up. “Fine, if you’re not going to help then I’m going to go do something about it myself.”
Without another word, Alfyn rushed out of the tavern, grumbling under his breath about greedy nobles and a lazy thief. Therion glanced at the door and released a sigh of his own.
“...how annoying.” He took a bite of his apple, leaned his head back, and closed his eyes.
“Hey, you!”
The nobleman stopped in his place, watching as an apothecary stomped straight towards him.
“I saw you steal from that kid! Give it back!” he yelled, pointing directly at him.
The nobleman looked at him peculiarly before releasing a laugh. “Who are you to make any sort of demands?”
Alfyn faltered when he was faced with a large, steel chest plate. He looked up, taking in the burly knight glaring down at him.
The nobleman appeared from behind the knight and smirked. “Even if I did take something as you said, what makes you think you could make me do anything, hm?”
He gritted his teeth and reached for his ax. “Don’t underestimate me. You better give it back or else you’ll regret it.”
“I think you are the only one who will regret anything in this situation.”
Before either could brandish their weapons, Alfyn felt a hand on his shoulder.
“Let’s not do anything rash.”
He froze, looking back to see Therion standing behind him.
“Come on. Let’s go.”
“W-wait a minute!” He stumbled back, feeling Therion grab hold of his arm and drag him away. “But... the candy!”
“I think you should just listen to your friend there,” the nobleman said with an imperious grin. “He seems sensible.”
“Why you–“
Therion slapped his hand over his mouth. “We’re sorry for the trouble. We’ll get going now.”
The nobleman grinned, satisfied with the sudden turn of events, and walked away, his knight tailing right behind him.
“Hey, don’t you have a conscience?” he grumbled, finally acquiescing and allowing himself to be pulled forward.
“I just have a strong sense of survival,” he murmured. “It would be nice if you did too, idiot.”
With a heavy shrug, Alfyn dragged his feet forward as he followed Therion back.
Once they arrived back at the tavern, Alfyn plopped down onto the chair.
“I could have taken him and gotten the candy back,” he grumbled, earning a derisive snort.
“I doubt it. That guy was double your size,” Therion said, sitting beside him. “If you were going to go challenge him, you should have brought H’aanit or Olberic with you at least.”
“Even though I’m an apothecary, I can fight too,” he said and added under his breath, “Besides they said they were busy.”
Therion studied his pouting face and rolled his eyes. Before either could say another word, a little boy rushed into the tavern. He scanned the crowd, as if searching for someone, before his eyes locked onto a particular person.
“Hey, mister! Mister!”
Alfyn blinked when the child ran straight towards Therion, who casually looked away and ignored him.
“Mister, you ran away before I could give you this!”
Alfyn only stared as the little boy offered Therion a bag of candy.
He glanced at the boy for a moment before turning away. “I don’t want it.”
The child did not waver. “Well, my mama told me to always thank people who help me. So here!”
Before he could protest further, the little boy shoved the bag of candy into his hand and rushed off.
Therion clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Kids are a pain...”
Finally, he noticed Alfyn staring at him with the widest smile on his face.
Therion’s brow twitched at the sight. “...that was nothing. Ignore it.”
“So you did take it, huh?” Alfyn said, his mouth somehow curving even wider. “And you even gave it back too.”
“Thar lord was not very cautious. It was just too easy,” he responded, glaring at his smiling face. “Besides I didn’t like that kind of candy that much.”
Alfyn only nodded his head, still looking at him. “You know, Therion. You’re a pretty good guy.”
He visibly bristled at the thought, but did not say another word. He leaned back in his chair, opened the bag, and popped the candy into his mouth.
Alfyn looked at the bag for a moment and leaned closer, “Hey, you think you could pass me one?”
He flinched when Therion slapped his hand away.
“This is mine. Get your own,” he said, grabbing to eat another piece of candy.
“Oh come on. You said you didn’t even like it that much”
“Doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t eat it if it was there,” he said, turning his head away. “Now leave me alone.”
“Aw shucks. Here I thought we were finally bonding.”
“We definitely are not. Go away.”