Arabian Nights

Chapter 6

Remus grinned and dragged his hat towards him as the crowd started to move on. He started piling a few of the things Roman had slipped into his hat into his pockets. Roman would've taken the rest.

Looked like a good haul tonight. The expected coins, a few rings, even a bracelet or two! Very profitable.

Remus glanced up at the sound of a throat being cleared.

Now, that had to be the most beautiful person he'd ever seen. They ticked every box, from the long hair to the eyes - beautiful, pale blue like the sky on the horizon when the sun had just risen - to... Well, everything. Shit, Remus bet they were smart. If they were, Remus'd probably propose on the spot.

They pushed some of their hair back over their shoulder and crossed their arms. "Have you seen my friend?"

It took a few more seconds of staring for Remus to realise they'd asked him a question. "Um-"

They rolled those gorgeous eyes of theirs. Remus was quite glad he was sitting down, he'd have probably fallen over otherwise.

"My friend?" They repeated. "If you haven't seen him, I'm sure your associate has."

"Associate?" Remus repeated, blinking wildly. His self-preservation finally kicked in, like a boot to the chest. "What associate? Know what, doesn't matter." He tried slipping a few more pieces of jewellery into his pockets sneakily. "I need to get ready for my next crowd so-"

"You won't get another crowd until after the fireworks," they interrupted. "Everyone will be headed to the main square for a good seat. Believe me, I know. So, either tell me if you've seen my friend or give me my bangle back."

"Huh-" Remus looked down at his hat automatically. "What bangle?"

"The bangle your associate stole from me," the person said slowly. "I know it's easy pickings but it's fool's gold, anyway. You won't get enough for a bag of dates for it."

Remus shrugged slightly. The jig was probably up with this kid, they knew what he was doing. "Could fob it," he muttered, standing up. He needed to stretch his legs.

The person stepped forward and grabbed his wrist. They pulled him closer and tilted their head down to whisper in his ear.

"If you don't give me that bangle back in the next five seconds," they hissed, "you won't be able to talk let alone lie by the time I've finished with you."

Everything inside Remus turned to jelly but he had just enough brain left to recognise the threat. He sighed and gestured to the hat, not particularly eager to have them let go of him.

"Find it, if you can."

They laughed and pushed him towards the hat. "You think I don't know when you're going to run?" They asked. "Empty your pockets." When Remus made no indication that he was going to move, their expression darkened. "In your own time, by all means."

Remus rolled his eyes and started patting himself down. Almost mournfully, he pulled the haul from his pockets.

"Can I get a name?" He asked. "So I know what I'm looking for? I'm guessin' it's engraved."

"Just call me Dee," they said. A loose gold chain fell from Remus' trouser pocket and caught their eye. They ran at it and snatched it up.

"That's it?" Remus asked.

Dee clasped the chain around their wrist and narrowed their eyes at Remus. "What? Expecting more?"

Remus shrugged. Before Dee could move, he grabbed everything in the hat and littered on the floor in a swift movement. It was all squirrelled away into his pockets faster than, he hoped, Dee could see.

"So..." Remus started, shoving his hands in his trouser pockets. "Since you're obviously not Palace Guard and you're probably not here for the fireworks... you got time to kill?"

Dee raised an eyebrow. Remus grinned. "I'm Remus, by the way." He stuck out a hand. Dee didn't shake it.

"I need to find my friend," they said flatly.

"Oh." Remus' hand drooped and he shoved it back in his pocket. "Yeah, that, right."

Dee sighed and ran a hand through their hair. Remus leaned back against the wall in a way that he hoped looked casual but was really to stop him from dropping to his knees right there and then. Dee gave him a confused look that Remus shot another grin to.

"Wouldn't mind helpin' you out," he said. "For a price, course."

"Anything valuable on me you'll just steal." Dee shrugged. "You don't need to help me to get at my money."

"Hey, who said anything about something 'valuable'?" Remus asked, etching quotes around the word. "I were thinkin' something... Well, you heard about the New Year's Charm?"

Dee sighed and shook their head. "I'm not kissing you."

"If I help you find your friend-"

Dee cut him off with a look. Remus shrugged. "Alright, alright, I won't push. Ain't a pushy guy," he was so good at lying. "But, you seem kinda worried about this friend of yours. And I know Agrabah better than anyone." Apart from his brother maybe but Roman wasn't here, thank God. "I'll help you look for them. If we find them - which we will, never fear - then I will humbly and respectfully request a bit of New Year's luck." He stuck out a hand again. "Deal?"

Dee stared at him flatly. "That was the worst sales pitch I've ever heard in my life," they said. Remus deflated slightly. "But alright. It's his first time out in Agrabah so I need to find him."

"Kid don't get out much?" Remus asked, surprised. Dee laughed.

"No, definitely not." They shrugged. "Fine. Help me find my friend, I'll consider your New Year's luck."

"Is that a deal?" Remus asked, grinning. Dee stared at their hand before spitting on it and holding it out to Remus. Delighted, Remus spat on his own hand and shook Dee's.

"It's a deal."

I need to stop writing chapters that are nearly 1,000 words. I just love them too much!
Bye,
Blaize