82 Hidden Cards

Adam's pupils shook in fear. 'I was being watched this entire time? This was a trap that was waiting for me?' he trembled, 'how? When did things run downhill? HOW DID I NOT NOTICE THIS COMING?! WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE SUFFERING DAMAGE?!"

Adam stole a quick glance at Vixen, the fear in his eyes doubling immediately. 'And why… is he smiling?'

Vixen looked back at Adam, feeling the urge to throw up crawl upon him. The little beads of tears forming at the edges of his eyes made his stomach churn with disgust. 'If this is how it was going to be…' Vixen thought to himself as his face twisted in hate. He tossed aside Adam and stood up, wiping his hands with his napkin.

He looked down at the napkin and his nose scrunched up. He threw the napkin into the ground and stepped on it. "Now it's too dirty for even using," Vixen growled, "I touched too many dirty things for it to be clean anymore."

Adam trembled, wanting to stand up and heal his broken ego but his legs refused to move, feeling comfort in the position he was in.

"The more I t-try to u-understand the more I don't," Adam stuttered.

"Hm?" Vixen muttered, turning back to Adam, "you have something to say?"

"How? Why are you always so calm?" Adam asked, his face scrunching up in self-hate, "why do you always have everything under control? Do you never get flustered? Is there never a time where you are caught off guard? IS THERE EVEN A WEAKNESS THAT YOU HAVE?! A FLAW?! Why are you… always so perfect?"

Vixen examined Adam, pity softening his gaze for a moment before a tear rolled down Adam's cheek, and the stare of repulsion returned to his face.

"Never step into a battle with me expecting to win if you don't have a handful of backup cards because I'm always ready to bet," Vixen replied, his eyes draining of all emotions and seeping back to the emptiness it had before, "and there's nothing like perfect in this place, I just know the rules of the game, and how to play my cards right."

He locked eyes with Adam and gave a desolate smile, "maybe when you've got a good hand and learned the rules too, you can step up to the challenge… but for now," he looked away emptily, "you're a disappointment."

Adam flinched, his heart aching slightly at Vixen's crestfallen face. He slammed his fist into the ground and slammed his eyes shut as tears rolled down his cheeks, "FU*K! FU*KFU*KFU*KFU*KFU*K!!! WHY?!"

Vixen looked down on Adam again and turned around, brushing his hands against each other whipping whatever appalling germs were on his hands at the moment.

"I'll be sending those meager envelopes of money to your room before tomorrow morning," Vixen sighed, "maybe after seeing them, you'll wake up from all those pathetic attempts at being a good son."

'Ah…' Vixen thought to himself, 'I used that word again. How foolish of me.'

"Hurting each other?" Vixen muttered, a bland smile forming on his face, "the only one here who got hurt is you."

"Yea… I can see that now," Adam chuckled, leaning backward and falling to the ground limply, "I can see where I messed up now…"

"When you're done with your lamenting, I'll give you a week to fix yourself. The due date for your mother's hospital week for this month is coming closer, I hope you can fix yourself before then," Vixen commanded, "he will be watching you and depending on your actions… Well, I'm sure you're smart enough to figure it out if you are sneaky enough to earn money on people's information. Won't you agree?"

"Hmm," Adam mumbled, raising his hands up to the ceiling and staring at the fractions of light passing through his fingers.

Vixen looked back at Adam, the scowl on his face returning to his face, "get it together Adam. Don't make me regret trying to save you." Vixen continued down the hallway, trying his best to keep his chest up and soften the expression on his face. 'If it was going to end this way… I shouldn't have wasted that man's energy by trying to get him to pay those bills in the first place. That was my mistake.'

Vixen continued down the quiet hallway, walking away from the door of the next person he was supposed to serve. He wasn't in the mood to look in the eyes of another who idolized him, especially when he knew his perfect image was crumbling by the second. He needed to get away, and fast. Before his thoughts caught up to him.

The speed of his pace slowly increased as his mind began to cloud. His feet were itching to run but he knew there were cameras watching. Waiting for him to show the slightest sign of distress but he wasn't going to give them what they wanted. 'No… I'm not going to give him what he wants. Not over my dead body.'

He hated to admit it, but these walls he used to run around in carelessly had started to constrict him. Like a python stifling its prey, the walls and people inside had closed in on him, pulling away every drop of sympathy he could ever have until he looked up at the purple eyes that peered down at him and admitted defeat.

It was becoming tiring, the edges of his lips were forgetting how to smile without feeling the pang of guilt after. His brain was sick of remembering things he would rather forget and he was sick of everything. But yet he found comfort in those piercing, greedy eyes that followed him everywhere and had gotten used to feeding off them. He knew that no matter how much he wanted to leave, his legs were bound to run to the gates and turn back around. He was wired that way anyways and no matter where he ran, he would be found and returned, like a missing toy.

'What's the point of all these thoughts anyways?' Vixen muttered to himself as his mind caved into his thoughts, 'they help no one anyways.'

"Vixen?" A voice called out.

'Yea… helps no one,' Vixen's steps slowed, 'that's right.'

"MASTER VIXEN?!"