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 Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 7:54 pm
As soon as Cecil had gotten up from the impromptu drinking game, Hitsu had followed after him. As usual, he'd gotten ahead of her with his larger strides and it took a bit of weaving through the crowd to catch up with him. Once she had gotten close enough, she reached out with the intention of taking hold of a wrist, or hand, hoping to gently get his attention and stop him.
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 8:07 pm
Feeling a hand in his Cecil turned to find Hitsu on his heels. As he stared at her the memory of what he had learned during never have I ever came flooding back and he suddenly looked skyward with an awkward expression of embarrassment. It really wasn't that strange and no worse than he had admitted to himself but he had started to look at Hitsu like a sister and that sort of relationship made the information settle oddly.
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 8:21 pm
Well, she'd stopped him, and the way he deliberately looked up and away from her confused her. For about a split second, before she smirked a little.
"My eyes are down here, big guy." If he could make puns, she could try to make jokes too. Even if it would have actually made sense if he had looked at the floor and she could have spoken the scold with the typical wording.
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 8:29 pm
"They have really nice art on the ceiling you should look at it." He gestured with his free toward the ceiling. Honestly he would never look down when embarrassed, it was far too easy for people to still catch his gaze. Looking up was easier, no one was taller than him.
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 9:10 pm
She tugged at his hand in response, and though she was looking up she wasn't focused on the damn ceiling.
"Cecil, please."
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 9:16 pm
A smile in place he sighed when he knew he couldn't keep up the game and turned his head down to look at the small girl. There was a different sort of determination in his eyes now, relief, and possibly a little worry all mixed and mingling in that smoky gaze.
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 9:53 pm
She managed a smile for him too, small as it was.
"How close are you?" Hitsu asked, trying not to sound accusing or demanding, releasing his hand to gesture to her own, bare neck.
She was afraid of the answer. She'd been lucky to get the coins she'd wanted to spend on him. Maybe he didn't need many more... She'd been briefed on what was happening at the Poker tables and could help ensure a higher chance of him winning.
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 10:09 pm
His smiled brightened as Hitsu's edged into life. Small and weak but it was there. He was glad to see her free, glad to know that others had bought their freedom but there was still a lot of work to be done. Work that Hitsu decided it was best to focus on.
Almost immediately he looked away. He felt like a liar but the night hadn't ended yet so he still had time. "I'm going to play some poker and then we'll see." He hoped Hitsu wouldn't pry but it was almost in her nature to. The next words out of her mouth he knew would be pressing him for an answer and he wasn't ready to admit what he had done.
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 10:28 pm
She leaned with the turn of his head, brows drawing down and that smile vanishing as her lips drew into a stern line.
"You made me tell you," she reminded him. "I want to know if you have enough to pay for yourself yet. I am not beyond checking your pockets myself, and I'm pretty sure that'd be quite a bit more awkward that anything you heard back at that table."
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 10:30 pm
He took in a deep breath and let it out slow. This was going to go bad, very very bad.
"Don't be mad." He said gently, taking a step back for good measure.
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 10:49 pm
The alcohol had helped her calm down. It had let her bury the fear and anxiety just a little bit. She was able to actually smile and make lame attempts at humor and just breathe without feeling as bad about it.
Cecil's response took all of that away in a swift, nauseating dread. It felt like her stomach somersaulted and hit the floor. Her heart jolted painfully in her chest.
She stared up at him with a stunned look that was quickly shifting to horror.
"Cecil..." Hitsu weakly spoke, keenly aware of the tightness in her throat and chest that felt suffocating. "What did you do?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 11:26 pm
Oh god. Oh god it was coming. "Just...stay calm." He said soothingly, holding up his hands like he was ready for her to come swinging. "And don't be mad."
He could see the panic in her eyes and he couldn't lie there was worry in his own. "I paid for Corey because I knew she wouldn't pay for herself. Not while there was someone with a collar on their neck and our faction needs her." He gestured to the tables around them. "I still have time so just...don't be mad."
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Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 12:41 am
Cecil's words were having the exact opposite effect that he was asking for. He told her to stay calm and she started to visibly tremble, her breath coming in quick, short gasps.
But he got one thing he asked for; she wasn't mad. She was devastated.
She didn't come at him swinging. She didn't even move toward him. Because she couldn't. She felt sick and dizzy. When just the admission that he'd paid for someone that wasn't him left his lips, she choked back a sob. Once. Before her shoulders shook and she broke down right there in the middle of the prison that she wholly believed Cecil had just given his life to.
Even as she cried, there were barely coherent cries - wails - in between her sobs. Telling him he was an idiot, a liar. That she'd never forgive him for doing this to himself and there wasn't enough time.
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Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 11:57 am
It was like his words were going in one ear and out the other. The more he tried to get her to calm the more upset she became. He expected a merciless onslaught of fists and screeching, not unlike what Austin had narrowly avoided. Instead all he got was tears and wailing and it made his heart sink deeper with guilt.
"Shh, no it's alright." He stepped closer, cautiously. At first he placed his hands on her shoulders and if she didn't fight him he tried to pull her near for a hug. "I haven't lied to you. I will still pay for myself I just need to work a little harder. But we will both be leaving this place." And he hoped, truly hoped, that wasn't a lie. There was worry mingled with the guilt. He was running out of time.
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Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 9:29 pm
Hitsu's hands came to her face, trembling there an inch or so away like she already knew she couldn't save herself from the view of all of the people around them since she couldn't quiet any of it. She didn't even see Cecil coming up to her through her tears. She'd lowered her head and just wept.
She offered no resistance to his careful touch, and she leaned into him when his arms circled her and just seemed to cry all that much harder. What he was saying to her wasn't reaching her ears, but from the moment he hugged her she'd stopped trying to shout at him.
It took a long while for her to calm her sobs enough to say anything, and even still her voice was strained, words uneven and shaking.
"I can't... I can't lose you too. Cecil, you're the only family I have left."
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