FicWad

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Pocket Change

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[04: /tides/]

Chale stares down at the song list, a frown marring his handsome features. Over his shoulder, Elysia does the same.

"How about that one?"

"Are you /joking/?"

She groans. "Chale! You're singing /karaoke/! Nobody's expecting you to be good!"

"Mm, she's right!" Over his other shoulder pops Joss, in a long sweater and skinny jeans. He tenses for but a moment; he recognizes the sweater as a gift from Takeo. "You've gotta sing something /fun/!"

Elysia nods with vehement support. Her hand shoots out and she points at a title. "That's the one!"

Joss giggles. "/Hotel California/?" Chale pales, but she gives his shoulder a squeeze. "I'll sing it with you. It'll be fun."

He believes her.

Elysia laughs and punches the numbers in. "See, Chay? I've never been on the bad side of a bet."

The intro flies onscreen; Chale is suddenly very aware of the inn's customers' eyes on him. Joss presses a miccrophone into his hand and smiles at him. Something inside lights up whenever she smiles.

/It'll be fun/, he thinks.


"Where'd Ely go?"

"She went to the washroom near the end of your performance... Really enjoyed it, though." Edson gives a chuckle. "That double air guitar thing?" He shakes his head and laughs.

Joss grins and gives him a thumbs-up. "We aim to please, Ed."

Chale swings an arm over her shoulders and gives Edson two fingers. "Two Cokes, please."

"Cokes?"

He raises a brow at Joss, incredulous. "After last night's stint? Virgin drinks for you, hon'."

She bristles, embarrassed by her obvious inability to hold alcohol. "It's not like anything happened!"

He snorts. "No? Takeo stays in your room overnight- while you were drunk- and /nothing happened/?"

"No!" She refrains from stamping her foot, but the effect is the same regardless: Chale draws back. He can see she's offended, she knows it. "Takeo wouldn't do that to me, he's not like that. I trust him. I've never had any reason not to."

He looks down at her, but he doesn't seem afraid or apologetic. He seems calmer, more relaxed, as though relieved of some strain.

Edson taps their Cokes down on the counter with uncanny bartender timing. Silently, they take their seats and sip their drinks.

"Chale?" She says, quietly, tentatively.

"Yea."

"Thanks for the Coke."

He grins at her, the straw between his teeth. She wants nothing more than to grin back, so she does. Between them, on the service side of the counter, Edson has planted his elbows on the surface and rests his chin in his hands, looking up at the two. He laughs.

"Ah, you guys..."

The two join in his good spirits, but Chale suddenly tenses. He mumbles "Excuse me" and heads toward the stairs with quick, heavy steps. Confused, Joss looks to Edson, who shrugs.

Elysia plops down into Chale's free seat and finishes off his drink. She grins at Joss. "You're absolutely adorable on stage."


He sees him with a cigarette dangling between his two fingers, leaning against a wall by the stairs. He hates him. /He hates him/.

"What do you want," Takeo drawls, uninterested.

"You're a fucker, you know?" Chale growls, stepping forward. "A two-timing asshole."

Takeo throws his head back and lets out a bark of a laugh. "Really? That's /funny/, Chay."

Mancini fails to see the humour. He snaps, "you can't have both of them!"

Takeo closes his eyes, takes a drag. Exhales leisurely. He looks down at Chale, his expression frigid. When he speaks, it is quiet and level and terrible with its truth.

"Neither can you."

Chale balks, once again silent. Takeo snuffs his cigarette into the floorboards and walks down the hall, his arm over Chale's shoulders.

"Come on. Ed's planned something /special/."

They descend the stairs; in the bar, Edson down is on one knee, holding up a velvet box to Fiorel.

Fiorel accepts. Chale's world plummets.