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Jun. 6th, 2009 02:01 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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kh_drabbleChallenge: [189] Poker Face
Title: The Suit of Mirrors
Word Count: 403
Notes: "If, after the first twenty minutes, you don't know who the sucker at the table is, it's you."
“You don't lie well,” was the only thing Luxord told Demyx after taking all of his munny and thoroughly humiliating him in a strip poker game a week after his arrival. Demyx had curled into himself in the corner and watched, cold, as Axel nearly beat Luxord at his own game. Axel left with a raised eyebrow and the suggestion of a smirk, and Luxord refused to play him again.
Demyx, though, Demyx came back. Luxord had hesitated at first, but Nine's bright smile and constant pestering won him over. On the day Luxord gave in, they played for hours on end, every variation of poker Luxord knew, and he knew quite a few, down to Go Fish. Demyx lost every game, and at the end of it Luxord gripped his face and shook.
“This. This is what keeps letting you down. You're not unlucky, or stupid. Learn yourself.”
Now they are playing their last game. Demyx leaves tomorrow, to find the keyblade master. His orders leave no room for failure, and the boy himself leaves no room for victory. The last hand, of nine, and they play for high stakes that mean nothing, Luxord watches, catches the tension in Demyx's left eyebrow, sees the twitch of his thumb on a card as he murmurs, “I call.”
“Four of a kind. Nines.” He smiles,
Demyx laughs, bright and unhurried as Luxord had hoped, and lays down his hand. “Straight flush. Royal. In hearts, of course.”
“I wouldn't expect anything less. Congrats, kid.”
“I learned it from you.” As they shake hands something moves behind Demyx's eyes, a sharp dolphin-like intelligence and Luxord nearly recoils; dolphins are cute and clever and they are the only other animals that kill for pleasure. Demyx and Axel were once close.
Demyx leaves then, in the wake of their awkward silence, and Luxord wants to regret that this is the last time they'll meet. Instead, he sits down heavily and buries his head in his hands. Of all the Organization, Demyx had gotten the closest. His superiors had been, for the most part, far distant things, and his theoretical subordinates cruel children.
And now he is alone, listening to Demyx traipse down the hallway, and the Jack of Hearts winks up at him.
But now the game is over, the mask drops, his bluff is called.
He has always been alone.
Title: The Suit of Mirrors
Word Count: 403
Notes: "If, after the first twenty minutes, you don't know who the sucker at the table is, it's you."
“You don't lie well,” was the only thing Luxord told Demyx after taking all of his munny and thoroughly humiliating him in a strip poker game a week after his arrival. Demyx had curled into himself in the corner and watched, cold, as Axel nearly beat Luxord at his own game. Axel left with a raised eyebrow and the suggestion of a smirk, and Luxord refused to play him again.
Demyx, though, Demyx came back. Luxord had hesitated at first, but Nine's bright smile and constant pestering won him over. On the day Luxord gave in, they played for hours on end, every variation of poker Luxord knew, and he knew quite a few, down to Go Fish. Demyx lost every game, and at the end of it Luxord gripped his face and shook.
“This. This is what keeps letting you down. You're not unlucky, or stupid. Learn yourself.”
Now they are playing their last game. Demyx leaves tomorrow, to find the keyblade master. His orders leave no room for failure, and the boy himself leaves no room for victory. The last hand, of nine, and they play for high stakes that mean nothing, Luxord watches, catches the tension in Demyx's left eyebrow, sees the twitch of his thumb on a card as he murmurs, “I call.”
“Four of a kind. Nines.” He smiles,
Demyx laughs, bright and unhurried as Luxord had hoped, and lays down his hand. “Straight flush. Royal. In hearts, of course.”
“I wouldn't expect anything less. Congrats, kid.”
“I learned it from you.” As they shake hands something moves behind Demyx's eyes, a sharp dolphin-like intelligence and Luxord nearly recoils; dolphins are cute and clever and they are the only other animals that kill for pleasure. Demyx and Axel were once close.
Demyx leaves then, in the wake of their awkward silence, and Luxord wants to regret that this is the last time they'll meet. Instead, he sits down heavily and buries his head in his hands. Of all the Organization, Demyx had gotten the closest. His superiors had been, for the most part, far distant things, and his theoretical subordinates cruel children.
And now he is alone, listening to Demyx traipse down the hallway, and the Jack of Hearts winks up at him.
But now the game is over, the mask drops, his bluff is called.
He has always been alone.
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Date: 2009-06-06 07:42 am (UTC)and this "dolphins are cute and clever and they are the only other animals that kill for pleasure" was such a weird coincidence - I was just talking about this today!
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Date: 2009-06-08 04:06 am (UTC)Also, hivemind!
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Date: 2009-06-06 03:02 pm (UTC)And I agree! Love the comparison of Demyx to a dolphin. Fits so well how come I never thought of it? xD
Lovely job! ♥
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Date: 2009-06-08 04:06 am (UTC)Thanks!
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Date: 2009-06-06 03:38 pm (UTC)His orders leave no room for failure, and the boy himself leaves no room for victory.
and this:
Demyx and Axel were close once.
Gorgeous. Adding to mems.
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Date: 2009-06-08 04:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-06-06 04:20 pm (UTC)Wow.
The last line... I wonder if they all think like that, sometimes? I mean, being without hearts must be really isolating, even when you're together.
:3 This was really great.
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Date: 2009-06-07 09:50 pm (UTC)