The past few days had pretty much just been a blur to Shay. Monotonous as ever, something she never thought she'd have again. She hadn't missed it; that was for sure. Today, she had decided to spice things up and go to LuxTv's main building to give her sister, Addy, some support. Being on the set of a TV show was definitely not more fun than watching one. Shay, while somewhat starstruck, got over it soon enough and found herself wandering the halls in search of a snack machine or something. Anything.
Truthfully, Shay had needed a break from the crowds and the yelling and the glamor. She had never been much into glamor, but today it was especially getting on her nerves. She leaned against the wall of one, long white hallway, running her hands down her face to wake herself up. It was a lazy Summer day, and as Shay had already learned, those were never as easy going as they appeared. She was ready this time, in case something weird happened. More observant, ready to fight. Something. Something. Something.
"Okay," she breathed, pushing from the wall and stepping over to a water cooler nearby with those small, paper cups. She poured herself a drink and gulped it down. She took her sweet ass time, drawing every action out a few seconds longer than was needed. She didn't want to go back yet.
Toby had been stalking Eroshay Rosales around the station with interest ever since she'd shown up that day, coming to visit her sister. They'd met once already, in the funhouse incident. She very much hadn't liked him, and he very much knew poking at her was risky business. It didn't stop him from wanting, and it didn't stop him from impulsively following and watching her every move from the corner of his eye.
She fled from the crowds, the overstimulation, and he ducked after her, repeating her footsteps until she slowed and stopped in an empty hall. He knew everyone's schedules. He knew nobody would be coming through here at this time of day. He had time to test the waters. He'd be her something, something, something… weird happening.
He was at her shoulder in a moment, less than a moment, easy. "Boo," he said, and blew on her ear. If she gave a fight, he was ready for it. He reached around her and got himself a tiny, ridiculous cup of water first. He stared at her while he drank it.
He didn't speak for a long while. "All alone, are we, little queenpin?" This girl. She didn't like allowing herself to be shaken. That was like a tease to him. "Why don't we make the most of that, while it lasts, you and I? I can show you a real fun time."
She fled from the crowds, the overstimulation, and he ducked after her, repeating her footsteps until she slowed and stopped in an empty hall. He knew everyone's schedules. He knew nobody would be coming through here at this time of day. He had time to test the waters. He'd be her something, something, something… weird happening.
He was at her shoulder in a moment, less than a moment, easy. "Boo," he said, and blew on her ear. If she gave a fight, he was ready for it. He reached around her and got himself a tiny, ridiculous cup of water first. He stared at her while he drank it.
He didn't speak for a long while. "All alone, are we, little queenpin?" This girl. She didn't like allowing herself to be shaken. That was like a tease to him. "Why don't we make the most of that, while it lasts, you and I? I can show you a real fun time."
Shay had not carried her gun into Lux Sation. In fact, Eroshay rarely brought her gun anywhere besides the shooting range with Quin. It felt too tricky. It was unlicensed, or if it was, it was licensed to a dead gang member. Shay did have a knife, though. Small enough to fit in the waistband of her pants.
When Shay felt the heat of someone's body right behind hers, she immediately registered possible trouble. No one but a weirdo would have done that to a kid, and more to the point, blow in their damned ear. Shay knew who it was. She barely had to register the fact. Toby, the freak from the fun house who'd tried to scare her and all around creep on her.
Typically, Shay would have just turned and met his eyes, but she was more panicky than usual from recent events. The girl grabbed her hidden knife and turned on him, flicking the blade from its sheath. The metal caught the dim light of the hallway and glinted. She narrowed her eyes.
"Don't touch me you creep," she spat, already having that sinking feeling the knife wouldn't deter him in the least. She couldn't threaten his life because Shay recalled him saying he couldn't die, but she could threaten something else. "If you get any closer, you'll be locked at the bottom of the ocean by the end of the night."
If Eroshay didn't believe it would have given away how nervous his statement made her, she'd have reminded him there were lots of cameras and people in a place like this. She had family here. Allies. They'd find her. He couldn't do anything and if he touched her, she'd scream. She'd scream fire and people would come running.
The usual, stereotypical type of scary bastard wouldn't have flinched at someone pulling a knife on them. Toby did flinch, an excited little jolt, a shiver up his spine and a slow grin to follow it. He took another sip of water, mock casually, but promptly coughed it up as he started to giggle. He liked that reaction! He liked violent, rash emotions, and bringing them out. It was one of his skills.
His expression turned from mirth to deadpan again. "Oh, fucking relax, gremlin. I didn't touch you. Someone's on edge. Because of me? I thought you were braver. All grown up." He waggled his eyebrows, without the deadpan fading. "Stupid, really. If you're feeling like the scared little girl you should be, kudos to that, it's the right response."
"I'm not really here to do anything to you, though." He backed up and leaned against the opposite wall of the hallway, slouching further. He took on a sheepish smile. "Aside from talking, and seeing. You're real spectacle. Eroshay Rosales, showing her face in my place of work. I love celebrities. Can I have your autograph? Take a picture with you? Truly, I'm starstruck."
He tapped his bottom lip thoughtfully, as though considering his options. "I could give you a tour! I'm sure your sister and Lovette have already done so, but not of the back areas, the hidey holes, all the good spots. At the end of it, we can go back to my office, and if you're feeling hungry, I can feed you a handful of dead insects. I never clean in there, and it's nice, dark. How does that sound? Generous deal, I know, but your choice. See, I'm not here to force."
His expression turned from mirth to deadpan again. "Oh, fucking relax, gremlin. I didn't touch you. Someone's on edge. Because of me? I thought you were braver. All grown up." He waggled his eyebrows, without the deadpan fading. "Stupid, really. If you're feeling like the scared little girl you should be, kudos to that, it's the right response."
"I'm not really here to do anything to you, though." He backed up and leaned against the opposite wall of the hallway, slouching further. He took on a sheepish smile. "Aside from talking, and seeing. You're real spectacle. Eroshay Rosales, showing her face in my place of work. I love celebrities. Can I have your autograph? Take a picture with you? Truly, I'm starstruck."
He tapped his bottom lip thoughtfully, as though considering his options. "I could give you a tour! I'm sure your sister and Lovette have already done so, but not of the back areas, the hidey holes, all the good spots. At the end of it, we can go back to my office, and if you're feeling hungry, I can feed you a handful of dead insects. I never clean in there, and it's nice, dark. How does that sound? Generous deal, I know, but your choice. See, I'm not here to force."
TW: Mentions of molestation.
Shay's face burned with rage and embarrassment when he laughed at her. No one took her as a serious threat, but she could stab him. She could! The girl didn't put the knife away as Toby backed away from her. She hadn't realized, but she'd back up hard into the water cool to be as far from him as possible.
"I'm not scared, and I'm not little. Fuck off." Her nostrils flared, another sign of growing rage. Ugh, this man was insufferable, so why hadn't she left yet? If he were being truthful, then he'd let her, right?
The smile did disarm her if only a little and for a second. Shay almost put her knife away but thought better of it. Another split second and the suspicion in her eyes was back as she watched every move he made with hyper awareness.
"You've already seen and spoken with me. No need to do it again. I'm pretty fucking dull." She decided against making a quip at his asking her for her autograph or a picture, figuring he was being a sarcastic prick. She was no celebrity, and he worked at Lux Station (imagine that, just her fucking luck, right?)
Shay relaxed her arms to her sides but still held the knife tight, eyes further narrowing when he offered to show her dark, small spaces. Was he fucking kidding right now? She gave an incredulous bark of laughter and rolled her eyes at him before meeting his eyes.
"Soooo, lemme get this straight. You trap me in a funhouse, make a few lewd comments, then you find me here, stalk me, blow in my ear, and THEN you offer to take me to some dark, unknown location with you."
She clapped her hands loudly, smile dry as ever. "Gonna have to be straight with you, man, I'm an awful target for molestation. Probably a good idea if you just... not." Her grin grew, and she snapped her fingers and gunned them at him. "Thanks for the offer, though. You came on a little strong and also, just not my type."
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