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The keep never looked that imposing before. Like the chambers expanded to overwhelming proportions, towering over the two of them. Something about it was suffocating, Shaw’s stomach tied into several knots.
“You’re tense like a bowstring,” Flynn said, frowning. “Relax a little, will you?”
“Easy for you to say.”
“It’s not like you’re confessing murder.” He paused. “Okay, bad example. But really, it’s not as serious as you make it out to be.”
“I’m going to have to explain why I’m asking the new guy to accompany me on a trip for sensitive intel,” Shaw shot him a glance.
“New guy?”
“New informant. Don’t nitpick, please. My head’s hurting as is.”
Flynn patted him on the back, and for a moment he felt a little lighter. That is, until they entered the actual throne room, grand and intimidating. As was the king, seated on his enormous, decorative throne, gaze trailing the map painted on the ceiling high above him.
Somewhat less threatening once you realised he was, in fact, incredibly bored.
“Master Shaw,” Anduin smiled. “Captain Fairwind. It’s great to see you both, what brings you here today?”
Mathias bowed deeply, and Flynn followed, with decidedly less grace. “There’s something I’d like to speak to you about, Your Majesty.”
“Ominous.” The voice belonged to Jaina Proudmoore, who came into the chamber from inside the keep, King Greymane just a step behind her. They both had smiles on their faces, though the man seemed to be more amused than she, and Shaw didn’t like that. It felt like other people knew something he didn’t, when he wasn’t sure where an emotion came from.
He did, however, bow once more when they approached.
“We all seem to be converging on me, all of a sudden,” Anduin laughed lightly. “I’m popular today.”
“We didn’t mean to interrupt,” Genn gave a small nod. “Do you want us to fuck off?” He huffed right after, elbowed by Jaina.
“No, no,” Shaw said quickly. “Not at all, Your Majesty, it’s… not a state secret or anything of the sort.”
Flynn put his hands on the spy’s shoulders and turned him back towards the throne. “Go on.”
He stood there for a moment, all eyes fixed on him, the stares like daggers. He felt cornered. Instinct kicked in, tightening every muscle in his body. For a moment he closed his own eyes, shielding himself from the scrutiny, reminding himself that there was no threat but that in his head only. How far has he removed himself from regular life that something this mundane triggered his fight or flight?
The hands on his shoulders squeezed lightly. He exhaled, cleared his throat, and said: “I was thinking about doing an inventory of artefacts of the Alliance. Check in on my contacts. It’s been a while and now that the war is over-”
“I think that’s a good idea,” Anduin nodded, his tone as soft as always. “Information is always something we can make use of.”
“But there’s a but,” Genn said. Was that a shade of a smirk on his face?
“There is,” Shaw said slowly. “I’d like Captain Fairwind to go with me. If Your Majesty permits.”
Anduin smiled. “May I ask why?”
He swallowed, the words heavy and hard to push through his throat. “Over the time we spent working together through the war, I’ve grown to trust the captain wholly. I’ve enlisted him as an informant for SI:7 and I believe it would be beneficial for him to see some inner workings of the organisation.”
“Aaaaand?” Genn nodded towards him, but Shaw just couldn’t get the confession past his throat. It was too new. Too uncertain. What if it ends tomorrow? Flynn could get bored of him, or tired of him being distant, or die like everyone else he got close to. Revealing it had been a terrible idea from the start and they should just go-
“Shaw?” Jaina said. “Is everything alright?”
Flynn was the one to respond: “We’re together.”
Silence. And then, Genn burst out laughing.
“… What?”
“We know,” Anduin said in that same, soft tone.
Shaw blinked at him. “You do…?”
“Since you came back from Zandalar. I’ve never had anyone shove me aside like that. Few things are worth risking hanging for doing that to your king.”
“Yyyyeah…” Flynn rubbed the back of his own neck. “Sorry about that?”
“Not to mention that we’ve never seen Shaw hug anyone,” Jaina said. “If that’s not special I don’t know what is.”
The spy shook his head lightly. “I- yes, I mean, it was special. Is. And I want it to be, which is why I’m making this request-”
Genn patted him on the shoulder, his hand heavy and a little rough. “You caught yourself a great man, Spymaster. Hold on to him. And you, Captain,” he turned to Flynn, “same goes for you. If you managed to steal the heart of this man, you can be damn sure he’s honest about it. You hold on to him, too.”
Shaw glanced away, flushed. Was he really that easy to read?
“Now, if you’ll excuse me,” Genn smirked. “I’ll leave you to discuss the details of your trip.” He turned and headed back into the keep the way he came. “Mia owes me money.”
Blinking, Flynn turned to Jaina. “… They made a bet, didn’t they?”
She all but rolled her eyes, handing a few coins over to Anduin. “Yep.”