Housewarming Gift [2430-1-2 Sat 11:00 pm]

[Digeo d'Asola]

Titus was gone. Digeo had watched him exit the apartment an hour ago, dressed up from some social event or another. The boy was very careful, to not appear as if he was distracted by something in his life, carrying on with his usual activities. But he was distracted, and whatever was distracted him was in that apartment now, alone and unguarded.

Digeo had dressed nicely, but not so well that he would be intimidating. He was also armed, but it was impossible to tell. Even Titus would have had difficulty spotting the silenced pistol and knife, though he certainly would have assumed Digeo was carrying. And in his hands was a wrapped parcel. It was a housewarming gift for Titus' newest acquisition, an orange squeezer which he was fairly certain Titus didn't already own.

He paused in front of the door to adjust his jacket and make sure he looked fine, and then rapped on the door with his knuckles. If the door wasn't answered shortly, he'd simply let himself in.

[Skye Thompson]

“Come back here!” Her father bellowed. Skye ran, but the big man was faster. He caught her and pinned her against the wall. “Don’t you ever even think of running! You’re only here for one reason Melissa, and that’s-” The sound of a knock on the door jolted Skye from her sleep. She glanced around her room franticly, trying to gather her wits. She was taking deep, shaky breaths of air, still filled with fear from her dream, or rather, memory. Strange though, she couldn’t remember what had happened after he father had caught her. The knocking continued. Finally Skye came to her senses. Titus must be home already. She must have been asleep for a long time.

It would later occur to her that Titus would have just let himself in, it was his apartment after all, but that thought didn’t even cross her mind as she bounded down the stairs. In moments she had crossed the front room and was throwing open the door. “Hi, Titus!” But it wasn’t Titus. It was an unfamiliar man in formal clothing. After staring in surprise for a moment, Skye quickly arranged her features into what she hoped was a calm, pleasant expression. “Hello.” She greeted the man, but she didn’t say anything more. What else could she say?

[Digeo d'Asola]

Digeo quickly took everything about her in. Young, much younger than he expected. Short blonde hair, unprofessional cut. Clothing that didn't quite fit her, clearly unfitted and purchased for her by someone else. Pale. Very pale. Thin. And not fashionably thin either, hungry-thing. A bit shorter than average. The result of chronic malnourishment. Not Titus' type at all. If he was sleeping with her, Digeo would be surprised.

She quickly composed herself after realizing that he wasn't Titus. Odd. He'd never seen anyone so happy to see Titus before. Certainly, she didn't know what he was, or she wouldn't be so overjoyed.

"Hello there. Sorry to disappoint." He replied, putting a friendly note into his voice to make himself seem more kind, less threatening. Depending on what Titus had told her about him, and what he had told her to do if he appeared at the door, he would need to be at his best and least threatening. Particularly if she was from the Below, and he was fairly certain she was. That would certainly explain why the sensors he'd installed in Titus' apartment hadn't registered what who she was, only that she existed.

He shifted the box to one arm and held out a hand, "I'm Digeo, Titus' guardian. Or, I was. I suppose he'd too old for that anymore." Digeo carefully doddered on a bit, not enough to be seen as senile, but just enough to remind her that he was an older man, and couldn't possibly be a threat to such a lovely young girl.

[Skye Thompson]

The man held out his hand. "I'm Digeo, Titus' guardian.” The name sent a shiver down Skye’s spine. So this was the dreaded Digeo. She had expected him to look a bit different. Actually, she had expected him to look exactly like her father, however illogical that was. He didn’t seem particularly threatening, but from what Titus had told her, she knew Digeo could be quite an actor. Well, at least she could play that game too. With a confident, polite smile, Skye took Digeo’s hand and shook it, letting go as quickly as possible. Inside she was shaking with terror, but she could never let Digeo know that.

Skye was relieved to know that she could still feign indifference. She had feared the loss of that skill, after she’d found herself unable to pretend in front of Titus or Persephone. But perhaps that was because she wasn’t afraid of them. For the first time, Skye realized that her fear gave her a strange sort of strength. Or something that came along with the fear. A kind of desperation, or defiance, that out of necessity had allowed her to create a mask behind which she could hide her fear.

She now cast that mask over her voice as well, as she opened her mouth and said sweetly, “I’m Skye. Pleased to meet you. I believe Titus mentioned you to me once. Would you like to come in?” She didn’t want to invite him in, but it was necessary if she was to seem genuinely undisturbed by his presence. And that was the essential thing.

[Digeo d'Asola]

She kept her cool. If she had heard about Diego, really heard about him, than she wasn't letting it cross across her face. It was remarkable. He wouldn't have expected this from her, but he had only met her a few seconds ago. You could guess, but you'd never really know what a person was capable of, not until they did it.

"I'd love to. I'm sure you're busy, but I won't take up much of your time." He promised, stepping inside and glancing around. As with before, Digeo quickly catalogued the room, matching it against his memory. Nothing new, nothing noteworthy. Still, he kept toward the middle of the room, making sure he had one eye on the outside. This was more instinct than anything else by this point in his life, and he managed to do so without looking paranoid or insane, but as if he had simply decided to take one route instead of another.

Whoever this Skye was, she hadn't made much of an impact here. None of her things were out in the open, and nothing had been adjusted to fit her. She was living like a guest, which was odd because Titus had never had guests. So what was this girl? And why was she here?

"I've brought a housewarming gift." Digeo offered her the box. "If you find Titus already has one, let me know and I'll find something more suitable."

[Skye Thompson]

As Digeo stepped inside, Skye felt a sudden pang of guilt. Would Titus approve of her letting this man into his apartment? He seemed to hate Digeo so. But how could she have turned him away? She would have had to be assertive, and Skye was terrible at that. Fear might have made her stronger, but it didn’t make her any less malleable when it came to taking other people’s orders. And Digeo’s very presence was an order.

He held out the box he was carrying to her. Skye took it, trying to smile politely, but not as though she was utterly overjoyed by the gift. She stepped forward and set the package on Titus’ counter, then turned back to face Digeo. “Thank you.” She said brightly, “I’m sure Titus will like it.” Actually she was pretty sure he would hate it, whatever it was, simply because of who it was from. But again, it was all part of the act. Skye was unsure what to do about the present, as she didn’t really know what a ‘housewarming gift’ was. She only hoped she that Digeo wouldn’t insist she open it. Skye had no idea what might be in the box, but it scared her for some reason, as though she expected there to be a knife or a poisonous snake inside.

[Digeo d'Asola]

"That's not for Titus." He politely corrected her, sounding kindly, but the intentional underneath was more sinister. Keep her off balance, that's the way you kept the advantage. "That's for you. The offer still stands. I'd hate to give you something you've already got one of."

Digeo walked around the kitchen, glancing out the window. It was hard to see in the darkness, but Digeo's eyesight was fantastic for his age, and his eyes quickly adjusted. Nothing outside but the usual. He turned back to look at Skye and smiled brightly at her. "So, tell me more about you!"

[Skye Thompson]

The request in Digeo’s voice made Skye go cold all over. It was the one she had been dreading. Maybe she could get by with pretending she hadn’t understood. It would have been better, much better, to just open the box, but somehow she couldn’t make herself do it. Skye didn’t know what she expected to find inside it, but whatever it was frightened her. She watched Digeo, wondering whether or not he had a reason to keep her alive. If he didn’t then she was a good as dead already. It didn’t matter if she opened the stupid box.

Skye started slightly at Digeo’s abrupt question. The palms of her hands had begun to sweat, and she shoved them into her pockets, partially to hide them, but mostly for something to do. She wanted more than anything to stall in answering the man’s question. What could she say that was safe, that wouldn’t give anything away? She stared at him, wondering, and just for a moment, let her guard slip. Quickly she pulled her face back into a relaxed smile, but she knew it had already betrayed her unease.

She had to say something now, something to distract Digeo. She opened her mouth. “I’m eighteen. I’m Titus’ half sister. He found me where I was living in the Below with my step-father.” It was okay to say that, wasn’t it? It was, after all, the story she and Titus had created together, in this very room. She watched Digeo’s face anxiously, hoping her words had distracted him. Perhaps he hadn’t noticed her momentary change of expression. But probably he had.

[Digeo d'Asola]

Skye was terribly nervous. He could almost smell her sweaty palms, and knew her mouth must be dryer than a desert. She had been told about him. And she was terrified of the present. That almost made him laugh. It was just a juicer. He wouldn't be so gauche as to put something that would kill her inside a present. No. He would simply wait until she was asleep and dispatch her with a little poison, or maybe his own two hands.

Digeo dropped the pretence the moment the words were out of her mouth, all the good cheer evaporating off his face in half a second and leaving behind the true face of the Assassin's Guild. "Really." His voice was cold as ice, unforgiving as the ocean, "Leone Vere's long lost bastard child? Is that what you told Titus?"

[Skye Thompson]

The next few seconds was enough to erase any doubt Skye might have had as to whether or not she had succeeded in fooling Digeo. Her heart sank into her feet as she watched the cheerful pretense fade from his face. She felt her calm expression too slip away, and found herself unable to bring it back. They were no longer playing the pretend game. She felt raw, exposed, and reflexively drew arms protectively across her chest. Digeo’s stare froze her to the spot. The demon was unmasked. Would he now devour his prey, or did he want to play with her a little longer?

His next words were enough to answer that question. Skye flinched as though Digeo had thrown something at her, but she willed herself to be strong. She had lost her indifference to fear, but she wouldn’t lose her cover story so easily. “Yes.” She knew her voice was shaking, but there was no way she could make it stop. Digeo’s words suggested her already knew Skye was lying. If he figured out the truth, what would happen to her? Her entire life seemed to hang on Digeo’s next words. She was beyond terrified now.

[Digeo d'Asola]

"I knew Leone Vere. He was one of my greatest friends. It certainly isn't a coincidence that I took care of Titus after the tragedy. Leone had some weaknesses. He liked to smoke. He wasn't terribly diplomatic, always willing to say what he thought instead of following the crowd." Digeo smiled a little, thinking about Leone. He had been a good man, a truly good man. Even his few vices had been so little, so unremarkable, that everyone forgave him for them. Well. Almost everyone.

Digeo returned to his train of thought, walking toward Skye as he spoke. "But he was devoted to his wife. Utterly, and completely devoted. You should have seen him. He would bring her fresh flowers. Honeysuckle, if I remember correctly. Do you know how rare honeysuckle is? No... no, I don't think so. I think you don't know a lot of things."

He cornered her in the kitchen, where there wasn't any way around him. He took in the way she shook and the way she couldn't hide how terrified she was, even if she was trying as best as she could. "Maybe this worked on Titus because he's a sad, lonely little boy who wants nothing more than a real family, but I'm not Titus. I knew his parents. I knew his father and mother, and I know that you look nothing like Leone. So. Who are you really?"

[Skye Thompson]

So he did know. Skye backed up as far as she could, feeling like a small child once more as Digeo loomed over her. Her heart was pounding so fast she thought it might burst from her chest. She tried to speak, but the words got caught in her throat and came out as a sob. Tears began to stream down her cheeks. She realized to late, much to late, that her words had offended Digeo. That was why he was so angry with her. Or part of it anyway. The rest was that he was a killer, like her father. Skye starred up into Digeo’s eyes, and slowly his face morphed before her eyes, becoming the face of Jack Thompson, the man she’d known only too well.

“I-I don’t know.” She stammered, her voice coming out choked, a fearful whisper. “That’s just what Titus told me…” Skye faltered, fear consuming her. Be strong Skye. Be brave. She couldn't give up, not yet. “Titus found me in the Below. He said I was his half-sister, that he’d read it in his father’s diary.” She hadn’t made that up, rather it had already been part of the story. Skye began to wonder if Titus had prepared for this to happen, if he’d purposely given her that specific part of the story. A horrible thought struck her. What if Titus had done this on purpose? What if he had set her up? But Titus wouldn’t do that… would he?

[Digeo d'Asola]

Digeo paused. Titus had told her she was his half-sister? She didn't seem to be lying to him. If she was, she was much better than she had any right to be. And... as much as Digeo hated to think about it, he could very well imagine Titus picking some girl out of the gutter to play house with.

"He lied to you." Digeo backed off, having gotten what he wanted. He glanced around the apartment again. He was willing to pretend, but not that willing to give up what he had. "You aren't his sister. You're simply a pawn. Titus is a very sick little boy, I'm afraid, and he's not exactly sane.

"I should have anticipated this. He's obsessed with combing his family tree for some imperfection, some sign his parents deserved their murder." He looked at the girl again. She'd swallowed it hook, line and sinker, had probably wanted to believe it more than anything she had ever desperately wished to believe. Digeo quickly weighted his options. He could send her back where she belonged, with just enough money to keep her quiet. Or he could let this play out. She was nobody. If she was murdered, it would be a breeze to clean up the mess.

"I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but those are simply the facts. But... I see no reason why you should let him know you're aware you aren't related to him. Go ahead. Spend it. Titus has more than he will ever need." Digeo dug out a business card and set it down on the counter, "If something terrible happens, call me. I'll deal with it."

[Skye Thompson]

Skye had never been more relieved in her life. Digeo believed her. She was safe, at least for the moment. Once again, her fear had given her a strange kind of strength. However, she was still shaking slightly as Digeo continued. From what Titus had told her about his mentor, Skye was predisposed to disbelieve his words. Yet she couldn’t keep a lurking doubt out of her mind. She already knew that she wasn’t really Titus’ half-sister, yet somehow she had already come to feel as though they were related, as though she knew him very well, in the way that a sister knew her brother. But maybe she didn’t know him at all.

Skye didn’t like the way Digeo talked about Titus, calling him “sick” and “a little boy.” All the same however, she couldn’t deny that deep within her she worried there was some truth to what Digeo said. There was something about Titus, something that was just a little bit… odd. She tried to brush this thought away. If Titus is insane, then that makes two of us. She thought grimly, remembering the strange episode she’d had at Persephone’s house, and the recurring dream she’d been having ever since. She picked up Digeo’s card off the counter and stared at it, moving her gaze back and forth across the surface as though she were reading whatever was written there. She wasn’t too worried about not to being able to truly know what the card said. Skye didn’t feel very sure of much at this moment, but she was sure of one thing. Even if Titus did do something terrible to her, there was no way she’d let Digeo “deal with it.” Even if Digeo was right about Titus, Skye knew that her new guardian was the lesser of two evils.

[Digeo d'Asola]

"I think we can both agree that Titus doesn't need to know what we discussed." Digeo added once Skye had looked at the card. If she told him, then her cover would be blown, and she could forget about staying in the Top. Titus would likely kill her if he realized his game had ended prematurely. "Tell him that I dropped off the gift and asked that he meet me tomorrow for lunch."

Titus could explain himself then. Or not, if he wished to keep up this charade. Titus' recklessness was a great asset for Digeo at this stage, one that he had no great desire to give up. As well, this girl could be used against him in the future. Her death by Titus' hands would suit his purposes. And if Titus didn't kill her, well... that didn't matter. All that mattered was providing enough doubt of his innocence.