Parasite

she mirrored his smirk and lifted a shoulder in response. of course she knew she could say please but where was the fun in that? especially when he handed her the cigarette anyway. she took two slow drags before handing it back. “sometimes? is tonight a solo party kind of night or are you in the mood for company? i hate being alone after something like that – it feels wrong not to do something in celebration.”

the boy leaned forward, elbows on knees. he didn’t need to put much thought into a reply, but that didn’t mean his reflex was to offer up a rapid fire response. he wasn’t quick, that wasn’t his schtick. and the only impulses he acted on were one’s that had a long line of thought behind them. “most definitely a company kind of night.” he turned his head towards her, “any ideas on how to celebrate?”

valentina wasn’t much of a drinker before she found her new family but she was the first to partake when one was offered now. it was mere seconds after she saw reed on his own with a bottle that she made her way toward him. “it’s about time. i was stating to think you weren’t going to offer me any and i’d have to say please.” a perfect pout appeared on her lips as she sat next to him, her moves practiced to be sensual regardless of who she was with. she rose the bottle to her lips and took a long sip. “they’re celebrating over there, you know. is this your preferred party? just you and a bottle and a cigarette you haven’t offered me yet?”

he smirked over at her, “you can say please if you’d like. who knows where it’d get you.” he’d realised early on that he was surrounded by kids who’d learned in an unkind world how to get what they wanted.. to take it without question, without hesitation, or apology. reed tilted his head to the side, not offering an answer to the question just yet, first extending the cigarette to her as he had with the bottle. “sometimes... sometimes it’s better with two, or three.”

it was still early in the game, but dante already had a feeling he had made the right decision to align himself with their oh-so-sinister, oh-so-secret little club. murder always had been the perfect form of intimacy, and while he trusted them about as far as he could throw a boulder, violence had a way of being more fun with a group. especially when it came time to clean up the mess. “for me?” he asked, jabbing a finger at his chest, slightly surprised that he’d been caught mid-sneak. “you’re sweet. there a catch?” baring his teeth in a teasing grin, he took the bottle and slung his head back to take a long drink,. afterwards eyeing the cigarette between reed’s teeth, he nodded in its direction. “what’s your brand?”

he shrugged, the telltale shrug of a man who knew the answer to the question already. half smile etched onto his lips. “that i haven’t decided yet.” that was the trick wasn’t it? to all things. the illusion of generosity. to give and to give the simplest of things, until you could take almost anything in return. until they’d offer it up to you without second thought. he turned the cigarette over between his fingers, “white horse.”

“You sure there’s enough left to share?” Memphis inquired, a slight teasing in his voice as he approached the other, taking the offered bottle from his hand. His eyes remained on Reed as he took a long sip, then held the bottle back out. “You didn’t really strike me as the celebrate alone type.” Memphis observed, brow twitching upward to signal he was curious, expecting an explanation.

reed eyed the bottle a moment, “ we share a lot of things here don’t we? liquor being the least of them.” the boy eyed the group that had formed outside and the way they spread out. a strange collection of individuals, far too many for reed to tackle the bunch at once. perhaps it said something about reed that he just expected the most interesting of them to come to him. “i’m not alone.”

“don’t mind if i do,” vada spoke, her voice low and devilish as she leaned her head back and took a good swig. her hands were shaking from adrenaline and the rapid rate at which she consume her alcohol, but she paid no mind to it as she handed back the liquor and stole the cigarette from his fingers. “this your first time, pretty boy?” she asked, not remembering if he has already told her that or not. she narrowed her eyes and smirked, “or have you been in the game long?”

the game. seemed a fairly gentle term for what they were up to. “about as long as everyone else.” he answered with a smirk. reed kept to himself as much as his nature would allow him. he had a way of turning people against him after a time and figured here was a good place to practice restraint. but in that moment he failed. “and you? i'd think i’d have noticed you.”

“I’d rather not.”

Her words came out clipped, cold, but not self-righteous – she knew she had no place to be, considering what they’d just done. But Riley, as a rule, did not like men. She told herself that she was fair, that she’d give each one a fair chance to win her over and prove he was a decent human being – but so far, no man ever had.

And any man she met here certainly wouldn’t.

reed raised his eyebrow at her words, and the tone in which she spoke them. you’d think for a group of people killing people together there’d be some affability between them. but then again this was a group formed out of necessity, not goodwill. his head quirked to the side, “is that a part of your thing?” he cracked a half smile. “no drinking?”