"Look, mate, whoever it is you think you have -- whatever leverage you've imagined -- forget it."
Flynn smiled as dashingly as he could.
"Although I am a reformed and trustworthy former-pirate who served Kul Tiras' interests through The Fourth War, I have no real connection to the Proudmoores." After a moment of thought, he tacked on, "And I haven't spoken to Taelia in months -- and I have some serious doubts about that 'Fordragon' connection. She didn't even inherit anything!"
"Shut up!"
"Fine! Just don't take it out on me when you realize all the time you've wasted going after such a small fish--"
"Stop playing humble, Fairwind. It doesn't suit you and insults me."
"How can I insult you? I haven't the foggiest who you are!"
"That doesn't matter; Mathias Shaw knows who I am."
Mathias? Flynn's core shook. He wasn't sure how tight his cardshark face was, but he prayed the shock didn't play openly across his brows, or the wave of fear he thought must have registered in his eyes.
"Mathias Shaw?" Flynn guffawed. "Tides. You think I'm a key to the bloody spymaster of Stormwind? Love, have you got yourself some bad information."
"No, actually." The hooded figure turned, and a sharp, mean smile caught the light. "I have exactly what I wanted, love."
The main thing keeping Flynn from outright laughing was his preservation instinct. This girl had a grudge against Shaw, sure. Even Flynn knew the story of the Defias Brotherhood. He'd done some late nights, bored and curious, learning things about SI:7, Stormwind's history, and even Mathias in the tinier, background details. He knew enough, even though Mathias had never talked about it.
Tides. A daughter? That hadn't come up.
Mathias must know, though, surely.
Still, the girl was going to be in for disappointment.
There was a small chance that someone would show, and most likely get something for SI:7 out of it; take out Vanessa or get further intel on her larger operation. They'd maybe even say something about expecting Flynn to be there.
But it wouldn't be Mathias himself.
"That isn't the point, Flynn! The point is... the point is there's a bullseye on your back and I may as well have put it on you myself. Your... proximity to me has made you a target."
"Proximity?" Flynn shook his head. "You've rebuffed me enough times now, Mattie. I can take a hint. I'm sorry. I didn't mean for anyone to think--"
"That I care about you?" Mathias finished.
Flynn's shoulders slumped inwards. "Yeah. That."
It was preposterous. Flynn knew that. Everyone knew that. Mathias didn't care for Flynn the way Flynn did for him. Flynn's utter adoration of Shaw had been neither subtle nor controlled. He knew how he looked, following Shaw around and yapping his ears off. He knew the things people said.
OH SHIT Y'ALL WIP WEDNESDAY HUH
let's start with my #fairshaw brain worm that probably won't go anywhere...