Chapter Text
He always seemed to show up when Corvo both needed him and least wanted to see him.
"Lord Protector."
Corvo merely glared at the black leather clad man lounging in his windowsill. Looked as comfy as could be, one leg propped up on the wood and the other casually left hanging, one elbow on his propped up leg and the other casually on his hanging leg. Past the pulled up mask and pulled down hood, Corvo can only make out his eyes and the dark makeup surrounding them, one dark brown eye and the other a misty slightly glowing blue color. But even being able to see so little of his face, Corvo knew the thief was smirking at him. Because the thief knew that Corvo would not try to put him in a cell where he should have been, because the damned thief always seemed to show up when Corvo both needed him and least wanted to see him.
"How can a humble master thief help you tonight?" Garrett asked, sounding so insufferable smug, like he always did in his dealings with Corvo.
Grunting, Corvo went over to his desk, where he had deposited what he needed because he knew Garrett would find his way into his room. Picking up the newspaper clipping, he brought it over to Garrett and held it out. When Garrett long and slender thief hands, the pads of his fingers both firm and soft to the touch, brushed against his own he merely let it slide. It was never in his best interest to give Garrett fuel for the metaphorical fire. Besides, with nothing to tease him about, Garrett's duel colored eyes settled on the clipping, brow dipping as he peered at the small words.
"... Talk about brazen."
They had been going through a city walk through, Emily had insisted. After all the chaos that had happened and all the people that Corvo had put away for their horrible dealings, Emily wanted to show the people that she was ready to step into her mother's shoes. He had insisted that she put it off and she had put her hands on her hips and huffed that they needed to do it and it had reminded him of her mother so achingly that he finally agreed. And it had gone well... all until a, as Garrett aptly put it, brazen thief had bullrushed them, yanked a hair decoration from Emily's hair and ran off into the crowd. Besides a few pulled hairs, Emily was okay, but the hair decoration had been her mother's and she had been distraught that it had been taken. And no matter of the guards hunting through the city nor offers for rewards had turned it up.
Thus... this.
"... It was her mother's," He finally said.
"Hmm... I can get it back, no problem," Garrett said, sounding like he was smirking again.
"... My thanks," Corvo offered.
Garrett winked and then he was slipping out the windowsill like a shadow. Corvo only got the bottle from his desk and poured himself a drink, knowing that he would not need to stay up long waiting for Garrett to come back. Because, despite it all, Garrett was a master thief that had earned his reputation through skill and merit, and if there was anyone that could find the wayward bobble back, it was him. In the mean time, Corvo read a report on the day's activity in and out of the port and waited.
Corvo was nodding off at his desk when Garrett arrived, little more than a whisper before he was sitting on Corvo's open windowsill. He glanced up, meeting Garrett's mismatched stare.
"Not easy, but I found it," Garrett said reaching into one of his many pouches and pulling out the missing hair decoration. He stood and sauntered over from the windowsill, coming over to delicately place the pin on Corvo's desk. "Wasn't easy, not much to go on description wise, so had to to do a little digging, a little hit and run burglary, thief my way through the city."
"Garrett," Corvo scolded.
"Not people that can't afford to lose a few pretty babbles," Garrett shrugged, before brazenly sitting on the edge of Corvo's desk. "You still have a few highborns that can afford shiny things."
Corvo just rolled his eyes, knowing that someone was going to raise a fuss to him the next day about those missing 'shiny things'. And considering it was he who had 'hired' the thief, he would need to press his lips into a tight line and nod and pretend to be sympathetic to assholes that had sat and watched the city rot while he was rotting in a cell. Maybe he did not mind that Garrett had lightened their purses, he just wished he could get out of them bitching at him like he could do anything... and maybe he could do something. Right now. Take Garrett, use his superior muscles and supernatural skills to throw him to the ground and fleece all the stolen goods off of him and then haul him away to a cell but... he really did not want too. He wanted to finish his drink and go to bed.
"You gonna share?" Garrett asked, looking at his bottle.
Corvo rolled his eyes but fetched the other glass from his desk and filled it up, sliding it over to Garrett before rising to get his payment. Because even a master thief needed to be paid for commissions. While Garrett slipped his mask down to sip away at his drink, Corvo went over to the case he had brought out shortly after Garrett left. The thief had a penchant for shiny things, things that glimmered and sparkled, especially jewelry, and the castle was still filled with the useless highborn shit left behind, and while he had worked with real traders to sell them off so that the funds could be funneled into the city, he had kept a few pieces to... 'pay' Garrett when his services were needed.
Among the pretty things in the case, Corvo picked up collar like necklace made with ropes of golden little balls that were patterned with pearls. He brought that over to Garrett, who's eyes opened as he set his drink aside to take it, holding it in his hands and examining it with intense scrutiny.
"Why Corvo, you shouldn't have," Garrett whistled appreciatively.
"You get paid for doing work, no?" Corvo grunted, taking his seat to finish off his drink.
"Usually I pay myself, if you know what I mean," Garrett snorted, putting the necklace away and returning to his drink as well.
"I bet you do."
They fell into silence for awhile, taking their times to enjoy their drinks. Corvo could already feel a warm flush to his body that was foretelling of a good and long sleep. As long as he drank some water before bed and perhaps took part of the fruit that was left on his desk, someone always nagging him to eat more, he could probably even miss out on a hangover as well. When he set his glass down, Garrett set his down soon after. Corvo tore his eyes away from the long and elegant fingers gently setting the glass upside down on his desk to the man's face, noting how it seemed lost in thought and even slightly morose.
"... Are you well?" Corvo asked.
"... Hmm? Yeah just... thinking," Garrett hummed, voice distant.
"... Share if you want too."
Corvo stood to put his bottle away and start putting out candles. Usually his signal that Garrett's work was done for the eve and he was free to go. Something that Garrett usually took well, leaving Corvo with a quip that was usually making his ears burn and thankful he had not chopped off his hair so he could hide behind the long locks while Garrett made out like, well, a thief. However, Garrett seemed so lost in thought that he did not notice what Corvo was doing until Corvo was holding the last lit candle, moving to stand by Garrett.
"... How did you handle losing Emily?"
The question surprised Corvo for a moment, unsure what brought it on. It made Corvo wonder suddenly if Garrett had lost someone before.
"I focused my everything on bringing her home," Corvo said quietly.
"Hmm."
Garrett finally stood, dusting himself off before pulling up his mask. He still seemed rather distant.
"Should go, sell my ill gotten gains before laying low for awhile."
Corvo merely nodded.
"Until next time, when you will undoubtedly sense I need bothering and show up," Corvo quipped.
When the distant feeling to the man lifted a bit, Corvo was almost surprised by how much better he felt. He would never say anything of course, just regarding the man that took a much more casual stance.
"Why Lord Protector... are you saying that you'll miss me? And here I thought you hated our little meetings."
"I may not like them, but I don't 'hate' them," Corvo shrugged and he was being truthful. "You are, and I say this begrudgingly, good at what you do when I ask you to do it for the crown."
"Corvo, I'm touched," Garrett chuckled quietly, moving to the window. He half slipped out of it before hauling himself mostly back into the window. Corvo walked over, giving Garrett a playful scowl. "I've seen your box of goodies for me. Next time I want the green one."
"The one that matches your eye?"
Garrett chuckled again.
"The very same."
"Next time. And if I find it's missing before then, I will finally just throw you in a cell that not even you can get out."
"I can behave, at least for you," Garrett chuckled, giving Corvo another wink. "Until next time, Lord Protector."
"Until next time."
And like that, Garrett was gone. Despite knowing that it was useless given his skills, Corvo still closed and locked the window before using his candle to find his way to bed, where he wound find blissful sleep.