Truly. He watches with a growing awe as Astarion weaves deftly from one mark to the other with all the grace of a dancer, gliding through the crowds as though he's rehearsed this. One after another, he manages to charm and distract without making the amateur's mistake of being so conspicuous that he draws attention— Maker, he even manages to get the bartender inadvertently in on it, an extra bit of cleverness that delights Fenris to no end.
And through it all, he doesn't see him steal once. He doesn't spot a finger out of place, a hand dipping into a pocket or creeping around the woman's throat, and yet— Maker, and Fenris whistles low as he eyes the bounty laid before him.]
Wow.
[Oh, that was a stupid thing to say, his brain belatedly chides him, but seriously: wow, and he blinks as he glances from the bounty to Astarion and back again.]
How did you— sit down— how did you do that? I have known some deft thieves in my time, but few that could steal the jewels off a woman without her noticing. Where did you even put them?
[And then, if this wasn't utterly apparent already:]
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Truly. He watches with a growing awe as Astarion weaves deftly from one mark to the other with all the grace of a dancer, gliding through the crowds as though he's rehearsed this. One after another, he manages to charm and distract without making the amateur's mistake of being so conspicuous that he draws attention— Maker, he even manages to get the bartender inadvertently in on it, an extra bit of cleverness that delights Fenris to no end.
And through it all, he doesn't see him steal once. He doesn't spot a finger out of place, a hand dipping into a pocket or creeping around the woman's throat, and yet— Maker, and Fenris whistles low as he eyes the bounty laid before him.]
Wow.
[Oh, that was a stupid thing to say, his brain belatedly chides him, but seriously: wow, and he blinks as he glances from the bounty to Astarion and back again.]
How did you— sit down— how did you do that? I have known some deft thieves in my time, but few that could steal the jewels off a woman without her noticing. Where did you even put them?
[And then, if this wasn't utterly apparent already:]
That was incredible, Astarion.