Lost Fic - Rules of the Game - Kate/Ed Mars - PG
Title: Rules of the Game
Author: tinkerbell99
Rating: PG
Characters: Kate/Edward Mars
Work Count: 900
Notes: Written for Lost Riffs at lostsquee. Prompt was Carnival.
Summary: "Know what I think? I think you like being chased. You like to run. You like the game."
***
"Well hello there, Kate."
It's him. She already knows.
She tenses behind the constraints of the plywood booth, hands stilled above a yellow duckling and eyes darting to each side before fixing on his face.
"Interesting job you've got here." Edward leans against the counter as any other customer would while flirting with a girl giving prizes to the best water gun shot. “Never figured you for a carnie.”
"What are you doing here?" she hisses from behind clenched teeth.
"Now that's an obvious question, isn't it, Kate?" He laughs in a low growl that makes the back of her neck begin to crawl. Leaning back unconcerned, he eyes the prizes strewn around the booth. "Perfect setup you’ve got, though. Always moving around, place to place, town to town. Fly by night outfit like this don't require all them fancy papers and real names. That's good thinking there, Kate. Course, that's not what your nametag says," he squints and looks closer. "Does it, Annie?"
She glares and slides one freckled hand underneath the counter, holding his eyes all the while. Laughter and the repetitive music of the carousel tinkle nearby. "You've found me now. Why don't you arrest me?" These booths are made to be broken down quickly, and there's a hammer somewhere close at hand.
Edward grins with wolfish teeth. "Arrest you? Now, where would the fun be in that?" With snakelike speed he strikes, twisting her thin wrist up and pinning it to the splintered wood. "I wouldn't try anything if I were you. All kinds of people around." She whimpers under the force of his arm. "Wouldn't want to cause a scene." His eyes fall on a family nearby. "Someone might get hurt."
"Let me go," she gasps under the pain.
"Shh, Kate. No sense making this more difficult than it has to be. You and I are going to have a little conversation, that's all."
Her eyes register surprise as her wrist is released and Edward steps back. She rubs her skin with a shaking hand as a family steps up to play the game. Her eyes burn as a blond little boy hands her a ticket. She sets up his gun and waits with eyes on Edward while he plays. “Try the target on the left,” she offers in a quiet voice. “It’s the one that’s closest to you.” Unaware, the child laughs as he takes her advice. Water splashes a duck and he walks away with a fifty cent prize.
"Heartwarming scene," declares Edward as he steps closer once again. "Could almost take you for an upstanding citizen. 'Course, the wife of that doctor friend you got killed might disagree. Suppose she ever takes their boy to carnivals?"
"Go to hell!" Kate manages an awkward shove before fleeing to the side of the booth, breaking the latch on a plywood gate as she goes. He's faster than she planned and anticipated her awkward attempt to get away. Rough hands wrench her arm through his and despite her efforts, she is easily pinned to his side.
"Now that's what I like about you, Kate. You never count yourself down. You just keep on running 'till you can't run no more."
Her eyes study the ground as they walk.
"Not talking, are you? Well, how 'bout we take a little trip then? You like the funhouse, Kate?" He gestures to a structure straight ahead. She's silent in response. "'Course you do." He pulls her to the mirrored house and slips the bored attendant a five to let them both past the gate.
She doesn't struggle. She never cries for help.
It's deserted inside, mirrors on every wall distorting their proportions while their faces waver on the cheap glass. The air is thick and warm and Kate's stomach begins to turn. She stumbles to an abrupt stop as Edward pulls her chin to face his.
"Know why I keep chasing after you, Kate? It's ‘cause you just keep on running. Guess I just have to know where you'll go next." One finger traces her cheek. "If you stopped moving from place to place, I might lose interest."
She thrusts hard against his iron grip. His fingers circle tighter.
"But that's never gonna happen, is it?" He pushes her to the side of the room and pins her to the dirty glass. Warm breath floats past her skin. "Know what I think? I think you like it. I think you like being chased. You like to run. You like the game."
Her eyes fall across the room to rest on the mirrors circling the walls. A hundred versions of herself stare straight back. Everything swims and seems to fall. She swallows and forces herself to raise her eyes to his. "Maybe I do.” Her words are only whispers.
The walls still. His lips brush her hair.
This time he lets her push aside, watches while she runs past the mirrors and out of the room. Watches as she flees into the crowd and her reflections disappear. Watches, and smiles.
By the time he steps into the sun and blinks under the sudden light, she's gone just as he knew she would be. He buys a beer at the concession stand and wanders the grounds until darkness falls. When they’re shooting fireworks into the sky, he picks up his keys.
She's had her chance. It's his turn to play.
Author: tinkerbell99
Rating: PG
Characters: Kate/Edward Mars
Work Count: 900
Notes: Written for Lost Riffs at lostsquee. Prompt was Carnival.
Summary: "Know what I think? I think you like being chased. You like to run. You like the game."
***
"Well hello there, Kate."
It's him. She already knows.
She tenses behind the constraints of the plywood booth, hands stilled above a yellow duckling and eyes darting to each side before fixing on his face.
"Interesting job you've got here." Edward leans against the counter as any other customer would while flirting with a girl giving prizes to the best water gun shot. “Never figured you for a carnie.”
"What are you doing here?" she hisses from behind clenched teeth.
"Now that's an obvious question, isn't it, Kate?" He laughs in a low growl that makes the back of her neck begin to crawl. Leaning back unconcerned, he eyes the prizes strewn around the booth. "Perfect setup you’ve got, though. Always moving around, place to place, town to town. Fly by night outfit like this don't require all them fancy papers and real names. That's good thinking there, Kate. Course, that's not what your nametag says," he squints and looks closer. "Does it, Annie?"
She glares and slides one freckled hand underneath the counter, holding his eyes all the while. Laughter and the repetitive music of the carousel tinkle nearby. "You've found me now. Why don't you arrest me?" These booths are made to be broken down quickly, and there's a hammer somewhere close at hand.
Edward grins with wolfish teeth. "Arrest you? Now, where would the fun be in that?" With snakelike speed he strikes, twisting her thin wrist up and pinning it to the splintered wood. "I wouldn't try anything if I were you. All kinds of people around." She whimpers under the force of his arm. "Wouldn't want to cause a scene." His eyes fall on a family nearby. "Someone might get hurt."
"Let me go," she gasps under the pain.
"Shh, Kate. No sense making this more difficult than it has to be. You and I are going to have a little conversation, that's all."
Her eyes register surprise as her wrist is released and Edward steps back. She rubs her skin with a shaking hand as a family steps up to play the game. Her eyes burn as a blond little boy hands her a ticket. She sets up his gun and waits with eyes on Edward while he plays. “Try the target on the left,” she offers in a quiet voice. “It’s the one that’s closest to you.” Unaware, the child laughs as he takes her advice. Water splashes a duck and he walks away with a fifty cent prize.
"Heartwarming scene," declares Edward as he steps closer once again. "Could almost take you for an upstanding citizen. 'Course, the wife of that doctor friend you got killed might disagree. Suppose she ever takes their boy to carnivals?"
"Go to hell!" Kate manages an awkward shove before fleeing to the side of the booth, breaking the latch on a plywood gate as she goes. He's faster than she planned and anticipated her awkward attempt to get away. Rough hands wrench her arm through his and despite her efforts, she is easily pinned to his side.
"Now that's what I like about you, Kate. You never count yourself down. You just keep on running 'till you can't run no more."
Her eyes study the ground as they walk.
"Not talking, are you? Well, how 'bout we take a little trip then? You like the funhouse, Kate?" He gestures to a structure straight ahead. She's silent in response. "'Course you do." He pulls her to the mirrored house and slips the bored attendant a five to let them both past the gate.
She doesn't struggle. She never cries for help.
It's deserted inside, mirrors on every wall distorting their proportions while their faces waver on the cheap glass. The air is thick and warm and Kate's stomach begins to turn. She stumbles to an abrupt stop as Edward pulls her chin to face his.
"Know why I keep chasing after you, Kate? It's ‘cause you just keep on running. Guess I just have to know where you'll go next." One finger traces her cheek. "If you stopped moving from place to place, I might lose interest."
She thrusts hard against his iron grip. His fingers circle tighter.
"But that's never gonna happen, is it?" He pushes her to the side of the room and pins her to the dirty glass. Warm breath floats past her skin. "Know what I think? I think you like it. I think you like being chased. You like to run. You like the game."
Her eyes fall across the room to rest on the mirrors circling the walls. A hundred versions of herself stare straight back. Everything swims and seems to fall. She swallows and forces herself to raise her eyes to his. "Maybe I do.” Her words are only whispers.
The walls still. His lips brush her hair.
This time he lets her push aside, watches while she runs past the mirrors and out of the room. Watches as she flees into the crowd and her reflections disappear. Watches, and smiles.
By the time he steps into the sun and blinks under the sudden light, she's gone just as he knew she would be. He buys a beer at the concession stand and wanders the grounds until darkness falls. When they’re shooting fireworks into the sky, he picks up his keys.
She's had her chance. It's his turn to play.