Who: Gale & Leliana (guest appearances of Schmooples, Schmooples II, and Boulette because reasons) What: A job interview. When: After these texts Where: Leli's. Rating/Warnings: Mentions of shady things, but that's it. Status: Complete!
Leliana did her very best to look at this objectively.
Gale was a fully grown adult. Who could form his opinions, come to conclusions, and decide things for himself. He hadn’t run the other direction of when he figured out the little secrets of her office, which wasn’t all that locked much around his presence nowadays. She trusted him. He wouldn’t do anything suspicious that would risk her or anyone else - and he seemed to accept it, and go with it. More than he needed to.
And really, it was her own fault for even suggesting it. It was impossible to rewind and delete sent texts now, so she awaited his arrival with a glass of Chardonnay, cold and crisp. All three nugs could already sense the arrival of someone at the door, and they were too docile to go up to the entrance to investigate, but their funny little heads poked up from under the coffee tables, noses sniffing at that direction.
Schmooples, for one, came out from under to greet Gale first once Leliana opened the door (drink in her hand for reasons), because it was a human! A favorite human!
Snuffsnuff.
“That was fairly quick,” she commented, referencing the nug that was all too attached to her supposedly casual fuckbuddy, and she held the door open for him to enter. “I hope you have your references written down. I do check.”
“I’m efficient,” Gale responded, stepping into the comfortable, cozy house - he’d been here a thousand times, and it was beginning to feel like some kind of home away from home. A safe place. Which, well, maybe he shouldn’t think of it like that, but he was pretty much done with piecing out what he should and should not do - he was already in, he couldn’t take back how he felt so easily, and so he’d just go with it. “Schmooples.”
Maybe a little funny to hear a giant, grown man coo over a hairless pig-bunny, but with the beast standing on her hind legs to eagerly receive pets and affection, it just couldn’t be helped. Gale stooped to scratch behind her ears and squish her face, giving her a kiss on top of her head. But Leliana shouldn’t be concerned, he had a kiss for her too - one he gave her on her lips, a light smirk tipping his upward as he did so.
“And I have plenty of references. I...you were serious about this?” May as well cut to the chase. Because he wanted to work for her - he knew he could do a good job, he was made for this sort of thing, but he also wanted to be closer to her. Involved. Maybe he worried a little too, knew what she did was dangerous - if he could shadow her, all the better, even if she was skilled in her own way. But he couldn’t curb those instincts.
Well, the ‘references’ bit was mostly a joke. Leliana could pull those up with a few clicks on a computer, it wasn’t entirely rocket science. Military men were practically pure muscle and discipline - it wouldn’t take much training aside from familiarizing him with the dynamics of what went on, how it was done, and how to shut up about it. Secrecy was key. Clandestine operations wasn’t a subject to announce to the world.
Kisses weren’t tonight’s subject of focus, though it was distracting and she made a point to return the greet, a soft press of lips against his, while shutting the door. “We will see,” she warned, then settled into the sofa, wine glass cradled in her hands. Leliana bit back a sigh. “Come sit.”
Because she did want to talk about this entire thing; if he really wanted to commit to it, and how it would affect their…arrangement.
As soon as Gale sat on the sofa, he was inundated with the presence of nugs - there was Schmooples, plus her successor Schmooples II and then Dumpling (or Boulette, en français as Leliana would say), and he attempted to bestow attention on them all when they came to snuffsnuff the visitor. This particular color bow meant that the one sniffing near his feet was Dumpling, and when she/he/she stood up to put her weird hands on his knees, he obliged and gave her pets.
“It’s a good idea,” he said, and he was serious about it. “I’m not bothered by what you do, Leliana. I’ve always seen the necessity in it. And have made though tough calls myself.” Out in combat zones, out in the field, it was one weighty decision after another - but he was a soldier, and there was never any time to be indecisive when lives were literally at stake, in your hands.
Nugs meant she wouldn’t be alone, practically ever. They had no sense of privacy and were actually nosy little things (see the invasive Boulette that looked like she wanted to be involved in their conversation), and Leliana had been used to living solitary No other noise, no other mouths to feed. Until these cuties transcended the dreams themselves and got especially cozy under her roof.
Oh, well. There were worse things. It was an adorable burden, even if most people just didn’t understand the appeal of these dirt dwellers.
Now to set the distracting cuteness aside, Leliana finally let out that sigh. Neat nails, polished and French tipped, tapped against the vessel of the only thing that kept her somewhat wonky nerves in check. “I figured you were used to the idea when you continued to come around,” she admitted. “But it is a very different sort of...game. The lies, the constant playing dirty, the...blood, even. It is very hard to explain. So before you commit to anything with this…”
She hummed in thought, eyes narrowed. “I have something coming up with the sterling example of a man that killed my agent. Come with me.”
He went with her, managing to lose the nugs in the meantime - they had a tendency to follow him around, but with their abundance of toys in the other room (and scraps to chew on, maybe something shiny and delicious from the floor), they were sufficiently distracted. “Something coming up?” Gale asked curiously. “I hope it means vengeance on that fucker who killed your agent.”
Seemed like the guy was erring on the side of shady, skeezy, and asking for a bullet to the brain anyway. Most politicians were scuzzy - that was just the law of the jungle, something changed when you ran for office and when it became less about the people and more about power - and he was no exception.
Politics were messy, outright shitty ordeals. A lot of hypocrisy, a lot of reading between the lines, decoding certain words because everyone was, generally, a snake. A mirror to the Orlesian nobles in her dreams, she supposed - life always had some kind of parallel. And this was one of its reflection, albeit cracked.
To her office then. Everything was lit, weapon cases opened. Marjolaine’s recurve was in the corner like some kind of vintage decor. There was a laptop on her desk, opened and humming, but her visual board still had the leads. A couple things added, like the picture of the politician responsible.
He also had a penis drawn on his forehead. In lipstick.
“He’s been hiring escorts. I suppose to fulfill his needs now that he taught his regular lay a ‘lesson,’” she snorted with some anger, tipping the wine glass to her lips for a sip. “He leaves in a couple weeks, with the intention of running for senate in another state, so I’ve a short window. I have the woman in charge of these ladies in my pocket. The plan is for her to advertise me as a mistress of the night - special priced, even - and to get my people in the hotel. Cameras hacked, acting as regular employees. The works. I handle him personally.”
In Gale’s world, politics were a messy affair as well - to say the last. Panem, a stunning reenactment of Roman empire decadence and slavery, both which fundamentally shaped the culture, was nothing short of a fucking mess, and what he hoped for was a revolt that flipped things to something a bit more democratic. Even then, the system was flawed. Clearly. Mr. ‘Hiring Hookers’ was just another example of that.
He chuckled bitterly at the sight of the male genitalia so expertly drawn on the target. “Nice,” he snorted, a chuff of amusement to follow. Though his eyebrows went up just about to his hairline at Leliana’s mention that she’d be an ‘escort.’ Again, that wasn’t a new thing for Gale - maybe for him personally, but for soldiers? They relied on ladies of the night every now and then. In a war zone, you got desperate. Actually, he wouldn’t be surprised if the US military was one of the reasons the sex industry was even still afloat.
“And so you need backup?” he wanted to know. “If this is going to be my initiation, then okay.”
With wine set aside, Leliana decidedly invaded his personal bubble - up front, arms draped onto his shoulders, tugging his neck down a bit low. He was tall, she’d tip toe a bit. “Back up, yes. Especially if things go awry. And I need someone to fill the role of literal bodyguard for appearances - this woman exercises at least some caution with her ladies, and has someone shadow them should a client get…inappropriate.” Typically violent, since ‘inappropriate’ could just mean an array of strange kinks. But how lovely, that the pimp had a conscience. “He will have his own security personnel. They will need to be dealt with, and I would want ears and eyes I can trust should suspicions rise with them.”
Gale’s position would be outside the hotel room, probably with them. Waiting. Though now that she thought about it… “And just so you know,” a brow rose as she smirked. “I won’t actually be sleeping with the fool. If that helps ease any unvoiced concerns.”
“I figured you wouldn’t be,” Gale’s nose wrinkled with distaste, however, because it wasn’t as if he liked that idea at all. But Leliana had an air of class to her, and he assumed it wouldn’t escalate to the point where she’d have to go through with the actual fucking scenario. His hands rested on her hips, head ducking accordingly so he could give her a nuzzle. “I guess that makes sense though. The shadowing part, I mean.”
Violence was part of the package - as in, it definitely happened. Sex, drugs, the whole shebang. It was a ring of crap that neither would be involved in on the regular, but he at least figured getting his feet wet with the seedier side of things was a good intro - may as well jump in and get used to the temperature. “Then I’ll be your literal bodyguard,” he promised. “You can test me out. See how it goes, boss.” He could be a professional too - this was important, it was Leliana’s job. And overall he’d just feel better about being there with her for it.
“I do not think you will disappoint, actually,” she admitted, eyes briefly closed at his show of affection - it was sweet, and maybe odd for their discussion, but Leliana had no complaints. Her hands smoothed down his arms, fingers circled around his wrists. “This is just something you need to see. And know. Discussing it and being part of it are two very different things. This is only a sidejob, a personal one. It sometimes gets...worse than this.”
Considering this technically wasn’t even necessary. Leliana did not have to do this, but she would deliver her own brand of justice for the sake of avenging an old friend. Trampling over Nightingale and her agents was a thing that did not ‘just happen,’ to be frank. Death was a classic way of sending that message, and always would be.
“But know that no matter how deep you may get into this, you can always get out. This doesn’t have to be forever.”
“Most of the time, it can always can get worse,” Gale said, and he wasn’t under any delusions that what she did was pleasant. Necessity did not always mean enjoyment. But when Leliana first told him about her career, his reaction had been not to shrink away from the prospects, the idea of spilling blood and ending lives (he’d be a hypocrite if he did). No, instead his concern was her - it still remained that way now, even after he began to ease more into everything and earn more of her trust.
Gunmetal eyes swept over her face, watching her carefully. The fact that she indicated he could get out - no degree of permanence required - was definitely noted. But regardless. “I choose you, that’s the most important thing,” he told her. “However long it lasts...I’m with you. Until you tell me to leave.”
It was what he’d said before too. Still meant it.
Leliana hadn’t forgotten the first time he said it, though it’d be easier for the both of them if he hadn’t said it the first time Or a second time. It blurred their ‘arrangement’ even further, with the kisses that took place out of bed, the little caresses that happened outside of the comfort of the bedroom. Not that it was just his doing, either - she’d fallen into that routine, sometimes without a second thought to it.
“Even if I wanted to, I don’t think I could tell you to leave,” she answered, and it was a kind of bittersweet truth. She didn’t know what would be the best course of action, if she could view something that could almost be a relationship with tactician eyes in the scheme of things. Technically she could, but that didn’t seem like the healthiest thing. “So, I suppose…” Kisses went to his lips, slow and sweet, and she smirked against his mouth. “You will be sticking around for awhile. Until you damage my wallpaper again, that is. I do not make it a habit of sleeping with people on my payroll, but…”
If things went to the route of him agreeing to hop onto the bandwagon, she’d bend her own rule until it broke.
Gale just about kissed the smirk off of her face, teasingly. “No one has to know who you’re sleeping with,” he pointed out. At least not out there, in the field, emotional connections raw and exposed and potentially exploited. It could be their secret, business that he wasn’t exactly wanting to share with anyone else except close friends, apparently. “It’s just working together. Lives...meshed, or something. It’s going to be fine. I have a good feeling.”
He held Leliana close to him, hands sliding down her back, resting in the warmth in the center. In the lower portion. She just fit so nicely here, he wasn’t about to do something stupid like fuck it all up - fucking a job up, fucking them up, no, it wasn’t happening. It didn’t matter what they called it, the most important part was the together aspect anyway.
It really wasn’t anyone’s business, was it? Her agents were respectful enough, she had a good relationship with the majority (a couple of rotten apples to keep an eye on, nothing was perfect), but overall if there was something they detected, they knew better than to overstep boundaries. They all had their own personal lives on the side in whatever way they chose to live, and Leliana had always just opted...not to participate in that kind of thing. Not seriously.
“Well, if you’re so convinced...” A finger pushed against his nose playfully. “I will have to piggyback on your optimism and agree.” A leap of faith, maybe? Not that they were outright discussing what their little arrangement had been becoming - and right now, maybe they didn’t need to. Whatever it was, it was working. “I will have you present during the debriefing. Hopefully the mayhem will have died down by then. Just embrace your ‘hardass’ persona, you will have the bodyguard part down perfectly!”
And Leliana, well...back then, when Marjolaine ran things, seduction was part of ‘the game’ - in both versions. She’d indulge in a bit of sex for the kill, but there wasn’t much of that anymore. Unless her agents thought it necessary and were okay with that, but the practice wasn’t all that common anymore. So she could fill the shoes (literally) of a working girl without question.
Optimism? It was admittedly kind of a weird concept for Gale, since (in neither life), he didn’t have much to be optimistic about at all. But to try something new, it couldn’t hurt - this was all a good thing, whatever they had going on. He wouldn’t ruin it by putting the cart before the horse in terms of how it could potentially blow up in their faces. Plus, he appreciated the leap of faith - they’d take it together, or not at all.
“I’ve been due for a little mayhem anyway,” this time it was his turn to smirk, cupping her face in his hands, and he gave Leliana an abundance of kisses - long ones, shorter ones, ones that were more like breadcrumbs, leading a trail to other things. “And hardass I can do. It’s really not much of a stretch. You and your nugs just have a way of taking a sledgehammer to all that.” Alright, he admitted it.
“You were awfully uptight when we first met,” Leliana giggled, drowning in the shower of kisses - a very pleasant feeling, if she were to be honest - and pushed him up against the wall, a little tenderness lacking. She was roses and something sweet, but she had sharp thorns underneath it all and sometimes, they scratched. And for Gale, in a good way. “But we are a strange, cute little bunch, aren’t we?”
More kisses were the appropriate thing to do, now that she had him pinned to the wall with her body. To his nose, his lips, his chin. Then a dive into his neck with little ‘omnomnom’ noises. “How long do you plan on staying? You should have brought Bella to spend the night, we could be rolling around in a pile of adorable right now.” Nugs, a puppy. Like some sort of strangely hilarious family portrait that needed to be painted.
Gale was a willing sacrifice, a willing participant in being pushed up against the wall - solid bulk of mass that he was, but he kind of liked when the pretty little rose showed her teeth. He made a rumbling sound in his throat, one that clearly approved, and his hold tightened a bit - arms pulling Leliana in close against the hard lines of his body, hands navigating down to grab a good portion of ass since it was right there.
“She was asleep in her dog bed, I didn’t have the heart to wake her up,” he chuckled. “Next time I’ll be sure to bring her when she’ll have plenty of energy to party with the nugs.” Not that Tella was lacking in energy a good portion of the time anyway. Just the opposite, the ball of chocolate lab excitement that she was.
How long was he planning on staying, though? Well, that seemed like an easy question to answer. “You can kick me out tomorrow. But I don’t plan on going anywhere tonight.”
That puppy (who was a full grown dog, but still, puppy!) was welcome whenever, especially since now she had a more established yard for all four-legged non-fur and furbabies to gallop outside. And help make the inside of her humble house less crowded. Leliana might have felt lonely before (and had come to terms with it, it was all mostly of her own doing, why complain about it?), but not it was adjusting to the fact that she wasn’t. And wouldn’t be, not for awhile, and it wasn’t entirely about the presence of the nugs, either.
“If you did not have Ms. Nutella to come home to, I would keep you a little longer than a day,” she giggled, the sound like a quiet jingle of wind chimes. Toes standing on their tips for a second, Leliana gave him that affectionate nuzzle of their noses. Eskimo kisses. “But I will take you any night you do come over. I will even share my bed with you!”
He lifted her up slightly, so Leliana didn’t have to stretch too much, letting her dainty feet dangle. But mostly so she could kiss him (Eskimo and otherwise - he liked any kind) without the strain. See, wasn’t that nice of him. “I’ll share mine with you too,” Gale promised, pushing off the wall a bit in a return sneaky maneuver. She was easy to pick up, hands on the backs of her thighs, and shift in between so she had to hook her legs around him. This could be considered a very convenient taxi service.
“Bed now? I’ll give it ten seconds before at least Schmooples comes in for spooning though.”
Up she went, then - another giggle, and this time an actual kiss to go with it. A tiny one, pressed gingerly against his lips. Arms slipped around his neck to anchor herself. “We’ll have to close the door - unless you appreciate being cockblocked by a nug,” Leliana challenged, neck craned over to peek outside the door. All three of those awkward beastly misfits sat patiently, beady eyes blinking, head and floppy ears cocked to the side. Like they were just letting their humans (Schmooples staked claim on Gale, he was over enough, the other two would likely do the same) have their moment. Then they’d interrupted. Schmooples would lead the army, of course.
“Seducing your way into a job, Mr. Hawthorne. Tsk, tsk,” she teased, then bopped his nose. “That’s one way to pass an interview, I suppose.”