A Ham Sandwich - Thief: Deadly Shadows

Rating: G

Warnings: Slightly silly, short mentions of fighting, un-beta'ed

Summary: Uses Coren, from my fic A Thief's Heart. Coren wants a ham sandwich.

Disclaimer: Garrett belongs to Eidos, IonStorm, and whoever else wants to claim him. So do the Watchmen, Hammerites, and Pagans. Coren and Jack belong to themselves. The ham sandwich is mine. Mine, I say, MINE!

I'd really like a ham sandwich about now, thought Coren as he lay on the bed. He was quite hungry, and Garrett had bought a chunk of prime ham only the day before.

Getting up to make one, he suddenly remembered that the loaf of bread sitting by the hearth was white bread. Ham doesn't taste very good on white bread, he thought sadly. I could go out and buy some rye bread; I've got the money.

But Garrett told me not to go out until he got back; I think he said something about 'those idiot Watchmen are gonna get what's coming to them'. He might also have mentioned Hammerites and Pagans. Coren thought and thought, torn between the equal pulls of Garrett and a ham sandwich. Suddenly he had an ingenious idea.

"I'll ask Jack!" he declared out loud. "He'll get me some bread." Jack was a fellow tenant of the building and one of Coren's regular clients. Gladdened by this new decision, Coren strode out of the apartment towards Jack's door. He tripped and fell down the last few stairs, promptly bursting out in laughter. Jack looked out his door to see why Coren was laughing.

"Oh, hello, Coren," he said. "What happened?"

"I tripped," gasped Coren, calming down.

Jack laughed. "Did you want something?"

"Yeah," answered Coren. "I'd like it if you could go o the market and buy a loaf of rye bread. There's a certain vendor who's always open at night. There is usually a pile or two of coins on his counter; if not, he's bound to be wondering where they went. Here, pay him this." Coren handed Jack a few coins.

"Sure, but why can't you go get it yourself?" asked Jack, taking the coins.

"Because Garrett said not to go outside. I can only suppose he's going to stir up trouble between the guards, Hammers, and Pagans."

Jack nodded understandingly and left.

Coren leaned against the corridor wall, waiting for Jack to come back, speculating on the source of myriad cries he heard from outside. Eventually the front door opened, and Jack lurched up the steps, rather pale.

"Here! Take it," said Jack, shoving the loaf of bread he held into Coren's arms. "Your man has stirred up trouble, all right. The Hammers, Watchmen, and Pagans are all fighting each other, and trying to recruit citizens. It's awful. I didn't see Garrett, but I heard his name mentioned a few times, usually in a curse."

Coren accepted the bread with a brief thanks, and retreated to Garrett's rooms, disturbed by this news.

Coren cut several thin slices of ham, and two thick slices of bread, sandwiching the ham between the pieces of bread. The first bite was heavenly, and the ones that followed were almost as good. Just as Coren swallowed the last bite and was licking his fingers, happy and with nary a care, Garrett walked in...