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After an eternity, sheâd gotten just the bottom button done. The rest would surely take way too much time, so with hesitance, Sera looked up at Gideon.Â
He was the only one, the girls aside, whose presence made her feel safe. Of course, the two tiny spawns had no idea what they were doing, nor what was going on at any given moment, where Gideon was aware enough. Henry wasnât subtle with his words, the insults and digs he spat at everyone around him at all times. The man was charming as all get-out, but he wasnât known for his hospitality. He never tried to hide his behavior from the children, but he also never spent more than as little time as possible around the girls, so they remained blissfully unaware.Â
Henry could be dragging Sera through the mud with his words for no apparent reason at dinner parties, small gatherings, or even on a day-to-day basis â she was hardly bothered. His bark was substantially weaker than his bite, but Gideon was always there with a soft demeanor to either counteract the insults or to make some god awful jabs at Henry as well, either in whispers or boldly. But, in recent months, the barking was fewer and far between, and she was pulled behind closed doors for the biting. Henry was just about any horrid name in the book, but he wasnât stupid. He knew well enough to isolate Sera, and most of these instances were played off as a tired mother calling it an early night. However, it was hardly even late afternoon, she knew this time she had to suck it up and get back to the show.
Eyes welled with tears, tears from the lingering pain, the vague and blurred memories of what had happened less than five minutes ago, and tears from disappointment. A touch of embarrassment as well, considering she had managed to hide things so well for as long as she had. At least, to her knowledge she had. Seraâs vision was blurred almost completely from tears filling her eyes, the contact from Gideon was enough to send those tears down her cheeks.Â
Unable to find any words, Sera winced as she managed to lift pained shoulders in a shrug before turning back to the counter. She set aside her makeup bag before turning the faucet on. âThey gave him the wrong drink,â she spoke softly, letting her palms fill with water and bringing them to her cheeks. The sudden tinge of pain from touching her own cheek elicited a sharp breath, and Sera worked quickly to get the task over with. Grabbing a nearby towel, with even more caution she dried her face, noticing the swelling that had already started beneath her eye.Â
âHe thought that, um,â clearing her throat, attempting to rid her voice of the hoarseness. âI think he thought I told them the wrong drink, or something.â It was a lie, but Sera rarely knew why he was upset with her. She knew that there was no use in making any sort of excuse, that Gideon hadnât asked why. But in her head, that was better than acknowledging anything else.Â
Attempting to start on fixing her makeup, Sera was faced with the reality that she still couldnât hold her hands steady enough. Setting the makeup down, a weak sigh brushing past her lips, the only thing left to do was attempt talking about what had happened, or try those damn buttons again. Fingertips landed on the little round pieces of plastic, and she looked up at Gideon, almost ready to make some sort or quip, but the throbbing in her eye reminded her it wasnât the time.
âCan you help?â The words were barely above a whisper, and her eyes reconnected with Gideonâs, giving her that warm little fluttery feeling in her chest again. âAnd, maybe.. um, wait until tomorrow. For the killing, I mean.â Despite asking for help, Sera still attempted the buttons, falling silent as her breathing finally leveled out. âHe stopped, right? Heâs calm now?â
They gave him the wrong drink. That's it. That's all there is. He hasn't asked, and he didn't much care. There wasn't a single reason that could possibly be a good one, and none of them could even begin to matter. Red tinges his vision, an indignant sniff sounding off as he allows his eyes to wander. Everything said thereafter, all the supporting bits of story laid out for him, fall upon deaf ears. Can you help? He is on it, stepping up and folding his own fingers into the mix. She's trembling, barely able to keep it together; he's never felt so secure in his whole goddamn life. So sure. He could easily bring it all down on Henry's head. Sell him out, get him completely goddamn destroyed. The secrets are right there, waiting to be whispered into the right ears. Her shirt together, he leans forward, pressing the softest kiss to her temple. Her skin is hot. Too hot. "Sure. I can wait until tomorrow." Beat. "But we're packing you and the kids up, and you're coming home." Where is home, really? His one bedroom bachelor pad, equipped with the bare necessities and not much else. There are some toys, there. Coloring books and a dollhouse, things to keep the kids happy. Just in case. Extra toothbrushes, too. He knows that he'd have to go buy new things, that what he has to offer is likely not their speed at all anymore - but he'd do it in a heartbeat. Take 'em to their favorite place, tell them to load up the cart, and buy it all with a goddamn smile on his face. Dare to dream, amirite? "That man isn't calm. He's waiting, and my girls," Sera, included, "aren't goddamn safe here." He could go one to tell her about his Go Bag, how he is prepared for the day she might call him up and ask to get picked up. Tell him that they have to go. Hell, he'd go anywhere. Likewise, he could tell her about his nightmares. They wake him up, though never fast enough. Imagine attending a funeral for three, and never having the chance to say what needs to be said. And Henry always gets away with it. Somewhere in-between, the doubt comes into play. What does he lack? What is he not offering that he does? What if he bought a big house? Or a better job? Then could he have his family with him? "Ser, please don't make me beg." He'll do it. He'll goddamn do it. What more is there he could say? Somewhere beyond the door, he can hear the girls shriek. It makes him stiffen, legs ready to spring and muscles going rigid before hysterical laughter follows. Gideon didn't realize his breath getting stuck in this throat, nor the moment he exhales and sets it free. Silence consumes him for seconds uncounted before he carries on with his thoughts: "Life isn't supposed to be this goddamn hard."


















