Sedulous [1] - | J |

| X's & O's |

"Joker, we need to talk about this."

"This? Whaddya mean this?"

"I mean our relationship. We don't...it will never work out. That's just how our cards were dealt."

"Yeah, no Joker's in your deck." He winked, before reaching over to his glove compartment and grabbing a small box.

"Take this. It ain't anything special but it's something that can remind you of me. If you ain't hear from me in a long time, you know?"

I take the small box from him, my cheeks turning pink at his gesture.

"This is unacceptable." I say, my voice rising a few notches in a sarcastic manner as he crosses his arms. He rolls his eyes at my theatrics as per usual.

"It's rude if you don't accept, drama queen."

I shake my head as I pull at the black ribbon, taking the top off of the white box as I smile.

"It's beautiful, really. Thank you."

It was a dainty looking gold necklace with a small emerald green stone at the bottom. I let the jewelry lay against my palm as I admired its simplicity.

"Don't worry either. I bought it." He says a bit too quickly, making me raise my brows at him.

"A'right, a little threatening didn't hurt. I ain't kill him though, so the gesture is pure."

I clasp it around my neck and nod in finality, taking a deep breath.

"You kept asking me if I were leaving but it's you that's going, aren't you?" I ask seriously and he ignores me, tapping the steering wheel lightly as he looks down at it.

I grab onto his forearm, making him turn his face to face me.

"Where in the hell are you going? After all of this? You created havoc in this city so it could be yours and now you're just going to give it all up? If you want something you've gotta work for it. It takes time and you put in the time—"

"—I'm still working for it. I haven't gotten what I wanted yet, Ronnie."

All this time, he was watching me spew words with a grin. He lovingly grips my chin, shaking it a bit before turning forward and starting the engine. I hang onto the door ledge, holding on by my forearms as I look at him one last time.

"If I were you, I'd change my look. Less chance of you getting jumped."

He snickers, shaking his head.

"It's only fair if I give you this, too."

I carefully take off my favorite ring and hand it to him. It was silver, engraved with small blue rhinestones going around the center of the entire band.

"Keep it around your neck or tie it to your gun. Maybe it'll give you some luck and common sense when you're about to do something reckless—"

"—sassy and intelligent. Just what I like." He sing songs with a smile as he looks ahead, trying not to look at me as I watched him lick at his scars. He wore a ghost of a smile, his expression not showing any clear emotion.

I would be replaying that image over and over in my head. It would never blur.

"Napier." He rasps, sniffling quickly before his tongue darts out to his bottom lip.

"What?" I ask, my head turning to the side slightly.

"My name. Jack Napier."

He takes the ring and drops it into the inside of his coat pocket as I stare at him in disbelief. His whole aura, his whole being, just given to me. Why?