The Thieves(with slyredx)

[tipsytotodile]

It was Saturday. No, Sunday. No...Adriana wasn't sure. She didn't keep track of the days any more, they all blurred together. Every one of them was the same. Wet or rainy. Gloomy, always. Illness, everywhere. She couldn't take it. She had to get out of this stupid town... But she had work to do. Leaving wasn't an option when she had a duty to do here.

The patter of rain sounded on the rooftop of the home she was occupying. Not her home, certainly. This was far from whatever she'd be able to manage. She watched from the roof as the owner left and slipped in through the top story window just before the rain hit. The woman had a lot of good money. You could just tell this woman was rolling in luxuries. Or, at least, whatever luxuries you could get out of this town. Cups made of gold and silver. jewelry spilling from her drawers. She was proud of her find.

Adriana knew the woman wouldn't be out too long. No one was ever out too long. Only the poor saps who lived on the streets ever spent time outside, and that's because they don't have a choice. She knew she had to be quick. With the upstairs completely stripped clean, she crept past a birdcage and down the steps, slow and steady. She wasn't sure why she was so careful. She even made sure to blow out all the candles upstairs, Even though no one was home. She was almost sure of it. Only one bedroom upstairs. It had a big bed but there was no indication of a boyfriend or husband living here. So she must have been in here alone. Yet still she felt inclined to keep quiet. Just in case.

 

[luvcvnt]

From a distance, Kairi had been watching her fellow thief for quite some time. The continuous hum of rain hitting the rooftops around her payed her no mind as she swiftly slid across to the next house, dropping onto the small balcony quietly. With a shaky exhale, she ran both hands through her soaked auburn hair, tucking it behind her ears before flipping up her black, leather hood. 'So this is the place she's chosen, hmm..' The red head thought to herself with an oh-so devilish smirk, noting down a few things mentally.

The floorboards couldn't help but to creak lightly under Kairi's feet. Must be an old house.

Almost as if she were a shadow, Kairi crept behind Adriana, moving where she did only a few steps back -keeping a good distance from the other. Her intentions weren't to necessarily take from this house, but to observe the techniques and movements of the woman before her. Kairi was a bit more aggressive with her intentions of any thievery. If she wanted something, she got it.. through physical means. And if that meant that death was brought upon the other person, then so be it. However, Kairi wanted to change this method of hers. Her face began to sprout up all over the place, and people knew it too well.

Maybe a new face would grant her a new identity? But, how was she to get this new face? There was no way. So, to fix this problem, Kairi wore a black mask that spread plainly across her mouth and nose, having just her golden eyes show through. It definitely helped when she walked the streets - and yet - she still needed that change in her life. More so of an internal change rather than an external one.

"Shit..." she cursed a bit too loudly as the tip of her boot rung against a door frame she was passing under, sending quite the pain to pass through her foot. Kairi's eyes darted up to Adriana.. hoping that maybe.. she wouldn't have taken notice to it..?

 

[tipsytotodile]

Adriana crept to a dining room and glanced around before stepping in, making sure to avoid any creaky boards in the floor. She narrowed her eyes at the few lit candles sitting on the table, wondering if this woman was a very smart one. She'd burn her own house down if she left all these candles lit when she wasn't around.

Adriana inched towards the dining table, intending to pinch out the pesky flames that brightened the room. In her line of work, light was not her friend.

However, Adriana froze in her place as a loud bang sounded in the room, followed by someone cursing loudly. Her hand went straight to the knife on her belt, gripping the hilt as she turned to glance behind her. A dark shadow stood behind her and if it weren't for the golden eyes, Adriana might not have recognized her.

"What are you doing here?" She hissed, hand never leaving her blade. She was wary of her new found company and wanted to make sure she had a quick way to defend herself in the case she would need it. She knew how this girl played her game and most of the time, it was violently.

 

[luvcvnt]

A cocky smirk instantly spread along Kairi's lips, seeing no need to be crouched anymore. Her eyes glanced upon the defensive stance that the girl in front of her had gotten into. "Me?" Kairi asked with an fabricated innocent tone to her voice, placing a hand over her chest as she rounded the table near them both. Licking her thumb and index finger, she pinched out the last flickering flame of the room -- leaving the mere illumination from the moon to suffice for room lighting. The white aura traced around the red heads silhouette as she leaned over the table. "I could ask you the same thing, no?"

That same smirk crossed Kairi's lips once more, and she couldn't help the chortle that left her mouth. "Unless your name is Madam O'Claire .. and you just so happen to be sixty-four years old.. which I highly doubt is the case.."

She now stood, grazing her fingertips over the smooth and polished wood of the dining room table, "I'm merely observing.. you have nothing to worry about.." Kairi then gave the girl in front of her a small motion with her hand, "Continue.." she mentioned, acting rather lax in this situation.

 

[tipsytotodile]

Adriana scowled intently at the girl, her hazel eyes beginning to adjust to the newly black room. Her pale, slender fingers gripped the hilt of her dagger so tightly her knuckles went white.

Adriana supposed Kairi is what she'd consider her very own rival. She figured she should be flattered. To have a rival means you're impressive enough to cause jealousy in others. At least that's what she believes. She believes rivalry is created from the jealousy one creates in their hearts. The jealously of who you are or what you have.
But still, Kairi is no ordinary rival. She's a pest. The mere thought of the girl sends Adriana into a state of annoyance.

"Merely observing? Bullshit." ,the brunette spat at the other female, "I know your game, Kairi. Tell me what you're really doing here."

Her voice came out in a seething hiss. The red head girl's teasing and arrogant tone bothered the thief. Always had. Adriana wished looks could kill, because if so the cleanup of her corpse could be quick and easy.

 

[luvcvnt]

Kairi put her hands up and shook her head. This was humorous. "No really," she says, now taking a seat down on the big, cushioned Victorian chair. "I rather admire you than hurt you, doll," she grins toothily, leaning forward with her arms on the table. Kairi wasn't lying. She had no intentions of hurting her fellow thief in front of her. There were none of the usual weapons in Kairi's holsters. A mere dagger was held in the pocket of her pant leg. For any unseen emergency of course. This town was dangerous at night -- and that's the only time that Kairi really ventured out.

"I'm trying to change up my whole a.. well 'running in guns-a-blazin' style. It doesn't seem to fit correctly into my life anymore," Kairi explains, now leaning back and resting her hands behind her head. "Plus, I need to duck away for a little bit but, how's that to happen if I'm some big loud mouth, huh?" With a sly tilt of her head, Kairi grin once more.

"I'm sorry for startling you.." she says truthfully after another moments silence.

 

[tipsytotodile]

For a short moment, Adriana seems quite shocked. It seemed as though common sense had finally set in to the other girls head. Adriana asked herself, 'who are you and what have you done with Kairi?', but on the outside she kept her scowling features, quiet and unsure.

Was Kairi telling the truth? Was she really trying to change how she works? Or was this just another trick? Would Adriana really be able to tell? She quickly decided that, for now, she'd believe her. But that didn't make her like the girl before her any more.

She lowered her defenses. Stood from her hunched over position and cracked her knuckles.

"I'm leaving." She said simply, swiping an expensive looking set of silverware before dropping them into the bag that hung at her side. She sealed the bag with one quick snap of the metal button and didn't make eye contact as she exited the dining room. She traced her steps up the stairs, the moment leaving a bad taste in her mouth.