Night Lights and Dark Places

Chapter Eighteen - Fortune

They were ascending the stairs to her apartment when he clumsily broached the topic.

"If it's alright, I'd like to discuss compensation," James began. Above him, Tolly stopped and turned, gripping the handrail with a wild expression on her face.

"Are you requesting my services? Or are you offering yours?" She winked and then cackled when he recoiled.

He cleared his throat and steadied himself. "I've come into some money and I would like you to have it. It is my contribution to the household."

"Should I ask how you got it, or does it gotta be hush-hush? I'm no snitch." She continued her ascent, and he stood behind, a little too aware of the seductive swing of her hips as she climbed. After a moment, he followed, fumbling with his various pockets, trying to remember which one contained his newly-acquired cash.

"I don't think I obtained it illegally," he mumbled, fingers grazing the wad of paper in his front pocket. "Sebastian organized it. Customers in the store wagered that they could get a higher pinball score than I, and I received the money when they could not."

Tolly laughed musically. "That's gambling, Jamie."

"Oh. Should I give it back?"

"No. How much did you make?"

At the fifth floor, he paused, dug the clump of bills from his pocket and handed them to her. Tolly did not look impressed. o

Once they were inside her apartment and she'd counted them, she expressed her disappointment.

"Twenty-six dollars," she said, laying them out flat on the coffee table.

"Is the amount unacceptable?" he asked somewhat bitterly. She shrugged, a grin tugging at her lips.

"It's more than I ever expected from you," she began, leaning back into the couch with a satisfied little noise. "But it's like, nothing. My lowest monthly expense is fifty-three bucks."

James shrunk in on himself, seated miserably on the floor with his jacket pulled around his shoulders. "Then I apologize. I'd still like for you to have it. There's nothing I need it for."

"Maybe I'll get a bunch of yarn and knit you a new sweater," Tolly said absently. "You could use some new clothes."

"D-don't spend it on me," he muttered, tensing under her gaze.

She ran a hand through her hair, considering the length. "Hair dye, then. I could use a touch-up."

James perked up a bit. "You're not changing the color, are you?"

"Nah, I'm attached to the red. Suits me best."

He sighed. "I agree. It looks quite well on you. I may be biased, though. Red is my favorite color."

"No shit? I didn't know that," she said, sitting up straight. "I like purple, that's my favorite color. You don't have purple hair, do you? That'd be too perfect."

"I don't have hair."

The silence was deafening as her eyes widened gradually. "... Like, at all?"

He blinked. "Could you not tell?"

"You wear that hat all the time!"

James sputtered a laugh, blindsided by her uncharacteristic obliviousness. She folded her arms, frowning. "I don't have eyelashes or eyebrows. You didn't notice?"

"I mean, I guess I did, it just didn't... register." Tolly leaned forward, expression flipping fluidly from indignant to inquisitive. "Can I see?"

"That's a bit personal, don't you think?" He chuckled nervously, pushing the hem of his knit cap back just enough to expose his naked brow.