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Post by Copper on Jul 14, 2015 16:08:31 GMT
"Well, mayb-- oh." Judas froze, looking rather like a deer in the headlights. He glanced away from her, embarrassed. "...Well. Wouldn't dressing in a more... refined way only fan the flames with that particular rumor?"
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Post by Silaluk on Jul 14, 2015 16:17:00 GMT
"This is hardly more refined. Maybe slightly newer. But anyway, the rumor is only among my former contacts in the black market, I think. I haven't yet heard any strangers whisper stuff about me or yell at me or call me a whore as I pass by."
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Post by Copper on Jul 14, 2015 16:21:09 GMT
Judas nodded, eyes still averted. "That's good, at least. Perhaps you'll be able to save up eventually for some better clothes. How long has it been... almost a year? Perhaps it is time to start increasing your share of the money."
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Post by Silaluk on Jul 14, 2015 16:29:32 GMT
Victoria sighed, resting her face in her hands. "I don't care about pay," she mumbled thickly, feeling a lump form in her throat. She tried to swallow it back and tighten her jaw so it wouldn't quiver. What good would it do to cry in front of Judas?
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Post by Copper on Jul 14, 2015 16:47:37 GMT
Judas hesitated before wrapping her in a tight and sincere, if slightly awkward, hug. What am I doing? "What do you care about, then?" he asked softly.
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Post by Silaluk on Jul 14, 2015 16:58:03 GMT
I don't know! Learning, working... You." She hadn't meant to say that last bit out loud, but it was too late now. The word was already past her lips. Now she could only hope that he somehow didn't hear it.
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Post by Copper on Jul 14, 2015 17:01:19 GMT
He pulled away from the hug, just enough to stare down at her, but still keep his arms on her shoulders. "M-me," he repeated, face flushed. "You care about me?" His heart threatened to crush his ribs; he was sure she could hear it.
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Post by Silaluk on Jul 14, 2015 17:08:43 GMT
"You're the only friend I've had in years! And my best friend, at that. Of course I care about you, dimwit! That's why I only take you to the market on certain days, when the dealers are away in a different part of the city. It's why you've never heard the rumors. I wanted to spare you from the same humiliation."
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Post by Copper on Jul 14, 2015 17:14:22 GMT
Something inside him seemed to collapse at the word 'friend,' but Judas forced a smile and stepped back. "You know I could have knocked their teeth out. See if they keep spreading rumors after that."
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Post by Silaluk on Jul 14, 2015 17:23:51 GMT
It was Victoria's turn to gather him into a hug, burying her face in his shoulder. "You might've gotten arrested and they would've figured out about the magic, and... And they'd probably kill you and I would never get to see you again. And I don't want that happening to you, because..." Her rambling into his shirt trailed off into silence after that.
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Post by Copper on Jul 14, 2015 17:38:39 GMT
"Because I'm your friend," he finished for her, hugging her back. "I know. Would have been fun, though."
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Post by Silaluk on Jul 14, 2015 17:49:03 GMT
Victoria held him tighter, heart beating wildly. Part of her wanted to tell him everything right then and there, but she stopped herself, simply enjoying having Judas in her arms.
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Post by Copper on Jul 14, 2015 17:54:14 GMT
Judas closed his eyes. What did I expect to happen? I should never have even felt that way in the first place. The best I can do is be a good friend to her, so... instead of hanging on to childish fantasies, that's what I'll be.
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Post by Silaluk on Jul 14, 2015 18:02:11 GMT
Eventually, Victoria pulled away just enough to look Judas in the eye. For a brief moment, her gaze flickered down to his lips, but she forced it to return to his eyes. They almost shone like gold in the sunlight coming in from the window. She smiled at him softly, raising a hand to his cheek for a mere moment. "Your hair's still wet," she commented in a wuet voice.
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Post by Copper on Jul 14, 2015 19:20:42 GMT
"Yours isn't exactly dry, either," he replied with a small smile, noting how the strands seemed to light up and glow in contact with the sunlight, almost like the copper wire that went into so many of his machines. His cheek seemed to burn where she had touched it, in the most pleasant sense of the word.
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Post by Silaluk on Jul 14, 2015 19:33:22 GMT
"I know..." she replied. Victoria searched his face for a minute longer before she stood on tiptoes. For a split second, she was leaning forwards, but stopped before their faces got too close, blinking and looking away.
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Post by Copper on Jul 14, 2015 19:39:18 GMT
Judas blinked in surprise, wondering what had just happened. Did she just try to...
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Post by Silaluk on Jul 14, 2015 19:46:09 GMT
Victoria pulled away from him completely then, looking down so he couldn't see how flushed her face was. I'm so stupid! Why did I even try to do that? Everything could've been messed up. Your friendship and job... All because of some childish hopes of feelings he'll never return.
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Post by Copper on Jul 14, 2015 19:48:32 GMT
It was probably nothing. Just my imagination. Judas cleared his throat awkwardly. "So, uh... we should probably get to work, then."
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Post by Silaluk on Jul 14, 2015 19:50:56 GMT
"Y-yeah..." she agreed softly, picking up her mug to take one last sip of the now-cold tea. "I'll get to cleaning."
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