Counterfeit

-twelve--

--twelve--

"WHERE'S GUS?" THE words flew out of my mouth before I had time to think them over. I turned to the guard who led me in for a response, but he was already halfway out the door. I was left alone with Charleston. 

"Combattant?" He asked, reading my name from a clipboard, his eyes meeting mine after a while. 

"Uh, yes." I was nervous - why? Why did he put so many questions in my head? 

"If you'd like to sit down, we'll begin." He was straight to the point, more direct than he had previously been with me. Although I barely knew him, I could tell that he wasn't being his usual self. He was less approachable today. Less interested than usual, almost like he was hesitant and careful around me. 

I took a deep breath and sat myself down in front of the large examination machines, for the first time, really beginning to doubt the prediction of my results. 

"Your name?" He asked me. 

I had assumed that it was on the document he was reading when I came in, but nonetheless, I replied. "Pip." 

"Can I see your tattoo, please?" 

I rolled up my left sleeve to my elbow, revealing the print: 'RD' circled on my skin along with a wolf marking where my forearm met my upper arm. After he noticed it, he began writing something down on the document. I was slightly confused - Gus never needed to write anything down. Maybe it was just because he was new, I told myself, and that he needed to remember my grouping. I was tiring myself by trying to figure him out. 

"What-" I coughed, interrupting myself. My voice was too quiet . Too weak. "What does it mean?" I asked him. "My tattoo." 

He looked at me as if no one had asked that before. As if it had taken a great deal of courage to question the markings on my skin. More than anything, he looked as though he wasn't ready to give me an answer. 

"Umm," he trailed for a while, scratching at his neck in uncertainty. 

"Please." I spoke up. "I've been here for months and they haven't told me a thing." 

He froze for a moment, then his doubt seemed to disappear. I expected him to tell me - for whatever foolish reason, and I was almost relieved for a second, until he looked away. Looked down. 

Charleston shook his head softly, trying to hide the motion for me. It was as though he was trying to convince himself of something. "I can't-" He exhaled, biting his lip. His eyes finding mine, he managed to finish. "I can't tell you." 

My eyes drifted from his instantly, yet I couldn't help it. I felt so disappointed in myself for actually believing that I would be told something. That for once, the truth wouldn't be concealed - wouldn't be controlled. 

He must've noticed my shift in behaviour because he moved his gaze to try and find mine, mirroring my movements. "I'm sorry." He apologized to me. 

I shook my head. "Don't be." 

When I looked back at up at him, he was wearing a empathetic smile. I felt it again; the sense of familiarity. I thought about the probability of him understanding how I felt, feeling that our speculation of things would be the only thing we had in common, but maybe I was wrong. Maybe there was a lot more to him than what reached the surface. 

-twelve--

That gif of Bobby makes my heart warm.

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