"Th'House o'...? Oh!" He might have made the occasional delivery to the brothel, but he'd never had reason to go inside the doors. His imagination tried to run wild for a moment before he firmly reined it in, relieved when Thorn's regard turned back to the ship. It gave the courier a chance to catch his breath and his metaphorical balance, and he breathed a sigh of relief that was intended to be surreptitious.
It... really wasn't. Not with Thorn watching out of the corner of his eyes. But Tal perked up and let his hand drop back to his side as he was reassured about any potential rumors. He almost grinned at the mention of Hotaru, and his hands found their way into his pockets as he rocked back on his heels and joined the other man in admiring the Peregrine. "Yeah? Yeah, o' course, haha..." The purred query that followed brought a wry grin to his face as he gave an indelicate snort. "Nah, no one ever notices th'delivery boys," he said, though there was no bitterness in his tone, only a matter-of-fact acceptance of the way of the world. "Never really had much time or reason t'go inside." A shrug lifted his shoulders, speaking volumes as his grin turned more crooked. "Too many places t'be, an' not enough time. 'Sides, I got a partner now," he added, equal parts proud and a little shy.
Realizing how much of the talking he was doing, he cleared his throat self-consciously and wracked his brains for socially-acceptable small talk that combined with genuine curiosity. "So, uh... how long've y'worked there?"
It... really wasn't. Not with Thorn watching out of the corner of his eyes. But Tal perked up and let his hand drop back to his side as he was reassured about any potential rumors. He almost grinned at the mention of Hotaru, and his hands found their way into his pockets as he rocked back on his heels and joined the other man in admiring the Peregrine. "Yeah? Yeah, o' course, haha..." The purred query that followed brought a wry grin to his face as he gave an indelicate snort. "Nah, no one ever notices th'delivery boys," he said, though there was no bitterness in his tone, only a matter-of-fact acceptance of the way of the world. "Never really had much time or reason t'go inside." A shrug lifted his shoulders, speaking volumes as his grin turned more crooked. "Too many places t'be, an' not enough time. 'Sides, I got a partner now," he added, equal parts proud and a little shy.
Realizing how much of the talking he was doing, he cleared his throat self-consciously and wracked his brains for socially-acceptable small talk that combined with genuine curiosity. "So, uh... how long've y'worked there?"
