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The Lamplighter was rowdy, laughter echoed around the room while loud voices talked over each other. Micah stood on a table and told the most important tale of all time— a personal guarantee, in the most animated fashion possible. Tankards of ale were passed back and forth, the barkeep could barely catch a moments rest between requests. The Shadows were celebrating and for once, everyone was happy instead of pensive and worried about the next steps.
While the Viper had been outwardly confident that they could pull the mission off, Jericho had confided that he'd privately shared some worries with him and Tarquin. There were lots of things Veryl had learned in recent months, things she probably shouldn't know.
She knew what agents had families, who was on the run. Who fought the hardest, who knew the most, who could be relied upon in battle. Jericho had a habit of lending an ear or a shoulder to the people he worked with, giving them a safe place to be vulnerable. Veryl had learned to stock more than enough food just in case someone, or someones, decided to tag along at the end of the day.
Jericho was just that easy to love.
Even tonight, when the bar was full of their group, a small portion gravitated toward their table. There were always stories being told, or gossip being shared. If the other two chairs were occupied, people would stand near enough to be part of the conversation. It was a kind of magnetism Veryl had never experienced. People usually gave her a wide berth.
She admired that about him. That the quiet strength he possessed inspired and rewarded loyalty so easily.
The real surprise was their approval of her by extension. When Calliope had asked her for advice on blocking and parrying, she'd been a little taken aback. Come to find out, her name was floated around when it came to teaching mages better defense. Certain leaders still held reservations about her honesty, but it seemed to do little to dissuade the troops.
Moreover, they had decided that the pair were paragons of romantic advice.
Those conversations were always the fun kind of interesting. Jericho would handle the deeper and more intrinsic emotional questions, while Veryl would happily provide tips on how to be a better lover, in detail. Jericho's blushing usually made up for her cavalier attitude on the subject.
"Hey, Jer, I've always been curious," Riley, a tall Qunari asked as he sank into the chair Ember had just vacated next to Julien. "Where'd you come across this tall drink of water?" He slid her a wink and smirk.
Jericho looked at Veryl fondly, a sparkle in his eyes, "Would you believe it if I told you she walked right out of my dreams?"
It came off as a flirtatious quip, but there was more truth to it than the others would ever realize. Though, he had first met her in her nightmare, not his own dreams. Regardless, it sounded better than "we were forced together by fate and then made to work together against our will." Falling for each other had been an unexpected, but hardly unwelcome, surprise.
As soft hearted noise surrounded them in response to his answer, his hand reached for hers under the table, threading their fingers together easily. Nobody but him would understand what it meant when she pointedly refused to meet his eyes. Her feelings were plain as day when she fiddled with their adjoined hands.
"What about you Veryl, what made you stick around?" Riley tilted his mug toward her.
Her eyes widened, but she tried to relax into the spotlight, choosing to don a charming smile and give a shrug, "What can I say, there's a reason mages are known for being good with their hands."
Her timing was perfect, Jericho choked on his drink, their small audience laughed and a riotous cheer went up around them. Soon, it organized into a call for them to "KISS! KISS! KISS!" led in earnest by Alectris, Esha, Caelen and Saadrah.
Suddenly beet-red, and appearing torn between hiding his face in his hands or sliding from his chair into the floor, Jericho looked at Veryl with pleading eyes that silently said help.
Veryl gave him a minute shake of her head and raised an eyebrow, what are you gonna do?
"KISS! KISS! KISS!" Their silent conversation only grew more tense as the chant raised in enthusiasm and started to involve the whole bar, half of which had no idea who they were chanting for.
With a deep sigh, Jericho downed the rest of his drink and steeled himself; he'd get his revenge for this later. Guiding her to her feet, he grabbed her by the hips and hauled her in close. Smirking, he closed the distance between them and kissed her with a heated passion he normally wouldn't dare to show in public. He should have known Veryl would match him, as her tongue delved in and she deepened the kiss.
Applause and whistles went up with spirited calls for "More!"
"Get a room!" Cyri followed it with a loud booing.
"Mages get all the frisky ones." Ember mumbled appreciatively.
"Who knew Jericho could kiss like that?" Gladius whooped and hollered.
Riley hummed, impressed, "That's the Nevarran for you, plenty of tongue."
They broke apart with laughter, and Jericho briefly leaned in closer again to whisper in her ear, "you are in so much trouble for this when we get home." He subtly squeezed her hip where his hand still rested, his smile innocent.
"Promise?" she said on a pout. It gave way to bright smiles and giggles as Sasha called for another round. The room left them to their little corner, where the preamble had only just begun.