poison poison | lucky & rita (day 3)

[mat]

Why?

Lucky tended to his wounds in the corner of their chamber, surrounded by citrine gemstones. He was healthy for the most part. Nothing a few rolls of bandages and some threading could not fix. He laid his medical supplies out over his cloak. The faint expressions on the pressed-up faces dimmed, wide eyes staring outward into the arena now shut and at peace. He stuffed the cloak into his satchel. He had enough layers already, and he certainly did not need to trip over his footsteps like he did in the mines.

The angel wings attached to his harness fluttered freely against Lucky's back. It was ironic how he wore the wings yet couldn't feel any less like the bad guy tonight. He was surrounded by four people who probably hated him for acting so foolishly. He called Rita just a friend, pushed Gunner away, couldn't spill a thank you to Xylia for saving his head, and Harley, well, she always hated him.

Lucky felt intolerable, perhaps because he was, but Xylia and Gunner hadn't seen him at his worst toward them. Balancing relationships like a checkbook, hoping by the end he might cover his back enough to make it out above the water. The boy rolled up his medical supplies and sunk deeper against the stable peridot and citrine walls.

His head rolled against his bag to rest, his companion pacing in front of him. "Life is so much easier when you know nothing." He was happy until Gunner kissed him. Now, Lucky did not know what to feel. "All this drama… it's too complicated." The familiar's complexion soured into a frozen blue, matching Lucky's emotion.

"It's hard when everyone likes you…" Even Lucky heard the ridiculousness in the words he spoke, burying his head into the canvas of his bag.

It was difficult to admit that Lucifer, the Fallen Angel, was the bad guy all along.

poison poison -- renee rapp title inspo

[sidney]

R I T A

i don't think people love me
they love versions of me i have spun for them

Friend. Friend? FRIEND?! What the fuck was that? Rita screamed down the tunnel in frustration, only brought back to reality and calmed down when Harley placed a hand on her forearm, leaned in and expecting to gossip. "Oh," she breathed, trying her hardest to let go of the tantrum brewing in the pit of her stomach. Hot and roiling, magma waiting to spill out the second what she wanted walked his happy ass away. After Gunner. Not her. What the fuck was that? "He's not my boyfriend," she playfully rolls her eyes, hoping Harley isn't too insightful. "But we did fuck the night before the bloodbath." Rita giggled, swooping her arm around Harley's and pulling her close. Feigning besties having the time of their lives, raunchy tea overflowing their cups. "But I guess that doesn't mean anything!" She cackled a bit, just the right amount of unhinged to portray very little distress and maximum amount of non-chalant. What Harley didn't know wouldn't kill her... right? --- A few hours later, Rita was sneaking off while Harley sat around their bags and belongings, sewing up the wounds those nasty ass darts had given her. Now was her chance, yet again. If she knew one thing, it was that Lucky would stick around to talk. Just like they'd agreed the first night. It wasn't meant to look like they were following each other; they were always supposed to look shocked to see one another. Lucky played that a little too well earlier. Rita's heart had swelled three sizes the way he'd wrapped his arms around her and asked if she was okay. It was a fucking problem! She moved around the tunnels like a woman on a mission, with purpose and a keen-eye for Lucky's boot prints. And they led her right too him once again, but this time he wasn't kicked back or enjoying himself. His head was in his hands while his familiar whined at his feet, no doubt trying to cheer him up. Maybe she could help with that. "Lucky, babe," she closed the distance in an instant, boots crunching atop the remaining rocks and rubble, "what's wrong?" Rita bent at her knees and placed her hands on either of his forearms, squeezing gently. "Are you hurt? Who was it?" She snapped to her feet and looked back and forth over either shoulder, down the other connecting tunnels. "I'll fucking kill them."

[ rita loots the mine exit! ]

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1-7

[mat]

Scuffed footsteps on the gravely stone and ore forced his head up. In the distance was Rita, trekking through the expansive cave. Her timing couldn't have been much worse. Lucky ran his fingers across the sides of his face, clearing up the redness and wiping away any tears that may have fallen.

"Lucky, babe."

She walked across unsteady rocks to kneel beside him. Lucky's hand extended outward in her direction, ready to help her keep her balance if she fell. Of course, she didn't. He remembered from the Training Center that she was small and low to the ground, making her center of gravity strong.

"What's wrong?" Everything but nothing at the same time. He sat up beside her, keeping Rita's hand still on his arm. "Are you hurt? Who was it?" Silently, the boy shook his head. Lucky's companion made its way into his satchel, swarming at what was left of his hot (now cold) chocolate drink. "I'll fucking kill them."

Lucky pressed his forehead against Rita's. He chose her to be his person on the inside. His informant, his ally across the arena who he could rely on to get shit done on the left while he cleaned up the right. They picked each other for strategy, and they picked each other for fun. The only issue now was that Gunner picked him too. Guns caught him off guard. It was only a quick couple of seconds, but the inside of his lip still felt his impression, aching one second but tickling the next.

Lucky's eye gazed past Rita as he shook his head. "Nah. No, no one hurt me." he looked down at his fingernails digging into the limestone beneath. "I really like you, you know that? I get all giddy and smiley when you're this close."

The but on the tip of his tongue was a thorn, tasting of blood. His blood. "Gunner kissed me earlier. And I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about that."

"I want to throw up, and scream, and cry, and smile, and laugh, and curl up into a little ball of lonesome all at once." Lucky leaned away from Rita now, back resting on the stone behind him. "That wasn't part of my plan."

He looked for any sign or signal across her face. "Are you mad?"