Without a Paddle (Seph/Rick)

[Rickie Connery]

God fucking damn wishful thinking to Hell. Silas answered Rickie’s feeble pleas for mercy with multiple striking sentences, each one as sharp and as resolute as the last. What hadn’t helped his cause in the slightest had been Seph’s resorting to lying through her teeth. It was all too familiar. Her story had made his heart beat wildly in his chest and a headache consumed all rational thought. One of his broad hands flew to his face as the past and present blurred together. With all his willpower the young man focused on keeping himself in the now but still the scene shifted.

”And that’s what happened Lieutenant. It was a totally unprovoked attack on Private Connery’s behalf,” a slow thick and smug Irish drawl sounded above that ranting of Silas. In fact the man behind the desk was not the strip club and casino owner, instead a stern and impassive Lieutenant’s icy stare bored straight through Rickie. ”What the Hell are you talking about? Like Hell it was an unprovoked attack you son of a bitch!” Rick yelled back, all his soldierly composure forgotten.

That hadn’t sounded like it had been in his head.

“That arrogant prick started it, not me,” no, focus. That wasn’t the arrogant prick of his flashback, that was Sephora and while she was arrogant she wasn’t a prick because that was not something you called a girl. Rickie gritted his teeth in determination and pain; the flashback gnawed at his head and made his two worlds shift and flicker. If the sickening suspicions he had were correct, he had just said everything out loud. ”Fine, fine,” he said breathlessly and clutched his pounding head. Pain relief in the form of some over the counter drug, potion or a cigarette was desperately needed but to get to it, the confrontation had to end.

”Whatever you say, whatever punishment, I’ll take it.”

”Good because I’m bumping you to the medical corps, hand in your weapon and ammunition cartridges tomorrow.

”Argh. Fuck. Off,” the barman growled. So in pain and focused on both fighting off a flashback and backing to the door was Rickie he missed the news of Sephora’s demotion. There would be time later to maybe smile at that but that was if he still had a job when he reappeared next. ”I’m sorry,” there was no way he could take it anymore. Without another word or any hint of an explanation, Rickie disappeared from the office and headed for home as quickly as he could.

[Sephora Forrest]

Aww come on. As if Silas wasn't the tiniest bit moved by her tragic story - shoes had been ruined! Even he had to appreciate that surely? Well, maybe not. Men - they just didn't get it sometimes.

Biting her tongue - not literally, that would have been painful - when Silas cut her off was just further proof of how desperate times had become. Since when did she ever do what she was told, especially in situations like this? Shoes, gotta remember the shoes. And Si's blood. And the money to buy shoes. Oh, and her job, she needed that too.

These very good motivators were all that kept her from ginning smugly when Rickie got told off. That meant progress was being made, at least from the point that she wasn't the target of abuse any more. For the moment.

Hang on. Demoted? How was that fair? Sure she was probably put to better use down in the strip club, but hadn't she just been in favor? Talk about random and unpredictable...

...Which was nothing compared to Rickie. Completely out of the blue he'd just dropped his stoic manner in favour of ranting Seph was quite certain even she'd only ever used when she was incredibly pissed. He did not just call her a son of a bitch!

Half feigning affront, her jaw dropped in surprise. At least it was better than the sarcastic comments she would have made otherwise. Not a good look considering she was supposed to be 'innocent'.

Really, until tonight she hadn't thought he had the balls. And until now she hadn't thought he was stupid enough to try it in front of Silas considering his current mood. Clearly, she'd grossly overestimated his intelligence.

And his sanity. Really, not even squirrel poo was nuttier than Rickie's current behaviour. Seph'd always thought Rickie had a screw or two loose, but she had no idea he was lacking screws altogether. Pulling a face, she simply could not believe her ears - the bartender had totally lost it this time. And then he just got up and left. Without another word. Or any form of explanation.

...Okay then.

Blinking several times at the empty doorway, she turned back to Silas with a very bemused expression on her face. Well, that was certainly... dramatic? "Er..." What was there to say really? Shock horror, she was actually speechless.

[Silas Rosier]

[atrb=width,450,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=background,http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/1300666/Characters/Silas/Scripts/sigpostscript_bg.png,true][atrb=valign,top]	[rs=2][bg=ffffff][atrb=background,http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/1300666/Characters/Silas/Scripts/sigpostscript_mainbg.png][atrb=style,background-position:top;background-repeat:no-repeat;]   What. The. Fuck.   It was rare that Silas was ever taken aback, but really, what. In the last few seconds Rickie’s sanity seemed to have sped out of existence in a neon corvette, flipping the bird while mowing over rows of elderly pedestrians.   What? Was he on crack? No one acted like that.   Sephora’s bemused expression matched Silas’s perfectly. When Rickie made his dramatic exit the silence left behind was thick enough to drown in.   Wellll... okay.   Seph’s hesitant “Err...” about summed it up.   Rickie’s outburst had been so unexpected Silas couldn’t even remember what he’d been about to say. Erm, right. Booze was a start. He moodily picked up the tumbler, taking a larger mouthful than strictly necessary. Hell, he was going to need it.   “Seph, when you see Rickie again be sure to thank him,” Silas grumbled, sounding oddly composed. He pulled his chair out and heavily took a seat. “You just got your pay reinstated. By value of not being a raging lunatic.” He slouched irritably, glaring at no one in particular and resting an arm on the desk. “And tell him to be here tomorrow to beg for his job back. I’ll know if you haven’t.   “Now get out of my sight.”	[atrb=valign,top]
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||OoC|| 4am shorties, Y/Y? ||

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