IC Inbox, MoM

[exceptionalthief]

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[exceptionalthief]

[Perhaps he should just leave them alone together after all.]

That would be nice. For a start.

[He might be beginning to regret having postponed any discussion of payment out of courtesy to their (sort of) friendship, needless to say.]

[restingstitchface]

[Crane slips across the room, clasping his hands behind him as he goes, and opens the doors of a well-stocked mahogany cabinet. He keeps his back to Hans for a second, arranging himself for theatrical impact before plucking out a bottle. He produces two matching glasses and closes the cabinet with a hand.]

You know what it's like. People don't know the value of what they're selling.

[He hands over the wine with little ceremony and leaves Hans to read it's expensive value for himself as he sets their glasses on the table.]

[exceptionalthief]

[He's glad at least, that Crane has good taste in wine; with Jonathan it's hard to predict sometimes what the man will consider important and what he'll be dismissive of. Just because he likes valuable antique lamps is no guarantee about anything else, at least in Hans' somewhat limited experience.]

Some do, certainly, or it would hardly be necessary to steal.

[restingstitchface]

I can't argue that. But if it's any consolation, that beauty is never going anywhere.

[He smiles a little to himself but says little else as he steps around the table and takes a chair opposite. His eyes regard the wine with a practised glance.]

If I may?

[exceptionalthief]

I would hope not, considering the effort it took to get it.

[He waves an inviting hand.]

By all means.

[restingstitchface]

[Crane doesn't move for a while, but after a moment he opens the bottle and pours a measure into each glass. He doesn't drink and watches Hans a little too keenly.]

[exceptionalthief]

[It's not at all difficult to tell he's being scrutinized, but to what aim? That's the question. It could be Crane's just eager for his opinion on the wine, but somehow, Hans doubts it's that simple. It also might be a little suspicious that Crane's not drinking, but if anything untoward happens, it's not as though he won't survive and retaliate.

Picking up the glass, he takes a sip. And waits.]

[restingstitchface]

[Holding his drink, Crane doesn't sip for a while, disliking the act in front of others. He scarcely knows what to do with himself during the silence and so eventually takes a slight taste. A short time later, and he's still breathing. No poison here.]

It's a more exciting way to make money, isn't it? Whatever that store's paying you, it isn't enough.

[They haven't talked for a while, so Crane hardly knows if Hans has changed career.]

[exceptionalthief]

Yes indeed; a thrill every minute.

[Which could be taken as sarcasm, considering the dryness is Hans' tone, but it's actually fairly truthful. And satisfying, as far as beating the system goes.]

Well, I'm not exactly an employee; more of an overseer at this point.

[Underlings run the store, with Hans giving most of his attention to the bomb-making side of things. But that's a secret.]

[restingstitchface]

An overseer? How tyrannical.

[The comment hangs on the air and Crane does nothing to soften it. Coincidentally, he had been something of a tyrant himself, though he had used a velvet glove rather than a steel one.]

[exceptionalthief]

[He might be rolling his eyes just a bit.]

I'm not using the term in an historical context; simply supervisory.

[restingstitchface]

Of course you are.

[It's the tone of a man who doesn't believe what Hans is saying. Though if anything, he's like that with most these days.]