Palpable

Questions and Answers

Questions and Answers 
Challenge: Suspicion 
» Crab has questions for Victoria. She gives him answers. 

SUSPICION

"What is that?" Crab's voice was light and level on the surface, but underneath, there was something off about the inflection in his words. Tori wouldn't have noticed it if she hadn't spent so long trying to figure out what someone truly meant behind what they were saying, and if she didn't know him as well as she was coming to. She wasn't sure if her hunch was correct, but... "That thing you're building."

It sounded an awful lot like he was accusing her of something.

Tori frowned at the gears in her hands. "These gears? They're for the car engine. Remember? It broke down earlier today; lots of people screaming, Mia shooting at people, Draco being a scared-y cat just because I had to go down a less beaten track." Really, it wasn't like she was going to get them killed—just because she had to drive off the main path, in a car that supposedly wasn't supposed to exist... well. There was no time to learn how to steer like the present.

Crab's face, as always, was unreadable. "I didn't realize that General Luke Grace was your brother until yesterday. You seem close to him."

There it is.

Tori placed the gears on one of the flatter boulders, and considered what to do with her grease covered hands. She didn't want to ruin her clothes, but there wasn't a stream anywhere close either.

"Do you have anything for my hands? They're all greasy." she asked, lifting them up so that he could see them. Crab began to shake his head—but then he hesitated, and nodded.

"I have this." He pulled out a handkerchief from his pockets and held it out to her. He really did have everything that they might possibly need.... She took it with a smile and wiped her hands over it.

"Thanks," she said simply, and she lifted her head to meet his gaze without flinching. "Luke is my older brother. I grew up with him—I'll always care for him. But I don't recognize the boy I knew in this man who tries to cause other people harm. Just because he's Ambrose's left-hand man doesn't mean that I'm a spy, Sebastian. I'll never forgive him for all the pain he has caused my most precious friends, or for turning his back on our father." Or me, she wanted to add, but didn't.

He nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression coming onto his face. "You're right. I understand."

Tori held the cloth out, and he took it. "I'm glad that that misunderstanding is cleared," she said pleasantly, and smiled. "Now, will you let me finish this repair job?" Or are you going to continue questioning my loyalties? "I don't want to be stuck doing it after nightfall."

"Ah, go on." Crab smiled back at her—or, at least, what was a smile for him. For most, the twitch in his lips would either be a muscle spasm or a neutral expression. "I'm sorry for holding you up. I'd offer to help, but you're the one who understands all of this."

"I'm sure I can find something for you to do," she said, even though she knew he would try to get away from it. Draco was the only one who willingly assisted her whenever she got her head stuck in machinery—everyone else made excuses, ran away, or tried to hide to wait her out. Sure enough, Crab was shaking his head.

"I need to find some herbs for Amelia. The foliage is the right kind, it's just a matter of locating the plant."

"Of course." She took the gears back into her hands, smearing grease all the way up to her wrists. "Do try to stay away from the poison ivy this time, Crab. You're lucky that Athena remembered what it looked like before the others touched it."

A slight flush from embarrassment painted his cheeks pink, but his shoulders were tight as he nodded and walked away.

"You know, the last statement was unnecessary." Draco's voice came from above her, and she looked up. The tree limbs shook as he jumped off them and down beside her. He reached out and took half her burden from her before she could protest and say it wasn't necessary. "I know you don't like him, but that seemed a little cruel, even to me."

She shrugged, and she started to walk in quick, rapid strides. "He should know by now that just because I'm related to someone by blood, doesn't mean that I agree with what they do."

"I know. But you sounded an awful lot like General Grace for a moment there."

She stopped. "I did?" Draco stopped too, and he stared at her without saying a word. She stared at the ground to avoid that steady look; somehow, it was worse than being judged by someone else. Maybe it was because she knew that he had brought up a valid point. How could she claim that she wasn't like somebody when she went and did the exact same thing that they would? "I guess I did..."

Maybe she should apologize to him later? But no, he was the one to put her on the defensive... even though he probably did have a point, and he didn't really accuse her now, did he?

"For what it's worth, I trust you."

For some reason, that made her want to smile. So she did. "Thanks."