beingdifferent | Sixteenth little lie ♰ Hush now baby, don't you cry; your reward's in the sweet by-and-by

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Sixteenth little lie ♰ Hush now baby, don't you cry; your reward's in the sweet by-and-by

What happened?! [There's a sudden sound of something glass or porcelain shattering against the floor or wall, the sound of books hitting the floor, a music-box flipping open and playing a few notes of "Fur Elise" before the sound of wood cracking and metal gears crushing.]

Tell me!

[Esther loosens an agonized sound somewhere between a growl and a cry. This is followed immediately by the dull pound of her fist against the wall.] Who stopped it?!

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[Okay fine. He'll just lay down. Not completely dead weight, but an adult tiger weighs anywhere from 400 to 600 pounds, she's not going to be moving much, even with only a fraction of it truly being placed on her.]

I can do this longer than you can. I'm not interested in your fit. When you're done, we can talk.

[This is not the way to intimidate Esther and while she eventually does tire herself out with struggling, she doesn't deign to talk to him. Once she's exhausted and resigned herself to being stuck she simply glares at him, studying him and imagining all the different ways she could kill him.]

That's better. In exchange...

[More smoke and it's the young man on top of her now. He still lays on her, but there's no threat of her getting crushed to death underneath him.

He folds his arms across her collar bone and rests his chin on them.]

So are you going to keep being unreasonable, or are we going to be civil?

[She slows her breath, eyes still fiery, very aware of the shape he's in. Under other circumstances she might have been enthusiastic but he's earned too much of her hate for that. When he settles his face near hers she answers the question wordlessly, spitting at him.]

[That just gets a smile.]

I really like your attitude. What's your name?

Get away from me or I'll scream for help.

[Not due to fear - she is obviously unafraid - but because she knows how this looks, and expects he does too.]

You've been screaming all day, and the only person who's shown up is me.

[Point of fact, it takes him a second to put two and two together, because that's just not his M.O. When he does, the smile widens.]

But that is pretty underhanded. I admire that. And just so we're clear, I'm interested in your mind, not your body. I could go back to the tiger, if you'd rather? Wouldn't take a second.

I don't care who you are or what you want. Leave.

So you can do what? Cry some more? Wouldn't you rather do something productive?

And you know what it is I should be doing, is that right?

Pssh, heck no. I just want to help.

With what?

Whatever you're really after.

[Esther laughs harshly, the sound almost spit at him. It's a foolish and stupid offer.] What do you know about what I'm after?

Nothing yet. But I'd love to hear all about it.

If I get off you, you going to do something stupid?

You won't.

If you get off of me, you're going to leave.

Fair enough, guess I'm not moving.

So you just want to keep spinning your heels here? You seem smarter than that.

I'm not going to give you anything.

Give me? I think you're misunderstanding what's going on here. I don't want anything from you. Like I said, I'd like to help, in whatever capacity that might take.

Then help by leaving me alone. Get out.

You can pretty much guarantee, I'm not going to leave you alone. You're too interesting.

Why? What is it you want?

[SIGH.]

This is getting repetitive. I told you already. I like the attitude. And you're clearly not at all happy with your situation. Someone like you, well you're mind kind of girl, lets call it.

And that's all.

[Of course it's not. That's never all anyone wants.]

Well, I did say I wanted to know your name.

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