technicolor dreams • a modern fairy tale

• 011 •

He stared at her, unimpressed by her pleas.
Still, it took quite some effort not to show his annoyance at the pointless whining of a girl who was about the same age as he. Was every rich chick so damn childish and clichéd? Or was it just this particular princess?

"Pleeease?"

Xenopus sighed heavily at the girl's next whine that was this time actually accompanied by big blue puppy eyes and an almost adorable pout - but it did its job, seeing as Xenopus' resolve hopelessly crumbled under her gaze.

He groaned and tiredly rubbed at his eyes with his free hand, before he stretched out the other one to offer her the stupid device. And he couldn't quite hide his flinch as she snatched it out of his grip with a ferocity that would put an angry snake to shame.

Stunned, Xenopus could only stare at her as she cradled the phone in her hands as if it really were her most precious possession. It seemed so, so completely absurd to him that Xenopus actually didn't know how to react before he was able to compose himself again after a few moments.

Then, he coughed to gain back Tiana's attention. She just looked up at him for a couple of seconds though before her attention was back on her iPhone, solely focused on whatever she was typing away.

"Don't you dare to forget what you promised, princess," he repeated nevertheless, though he didn't think that she even listened to him anymore. Either way, she hummed distractedly, neither confirming nor denying Xenopus' statement.

Why exactly did he do all that, again? He probably wouldn't have such a headache now if he'd just let Frank have his way with the spoiled little princess. Then again, he also wouldn't have the prospect of actually having a roof over his head again - if Tiana Persephone Holloway decided to keep her promise, that is.
The awkward silence between them stretched on as they stood there next to a smelling sewer cover, waiting for... Xenopus didn't even know what. Hell, what was he even doing here anymore? It was painfully obvious that Tiana couldn't care less about him as she was engrossed in her phone. And he wanted to not care, too. Wanted not to care about what would happen to her if he were to leave now, wanted not to wonder if she had even ever wanted to hold her promise. But the problem was that he did care, as stupid as it was.

Xenopus knew that there was only one thing that would be capable of lifting this stupid, unfamiliar weight off his chest, and he also knew how unlikely it was for him to get it. It was impossible that he'd be able convince Frank - his only somewhat trustworthy dealer - to supply him with his drugs after the stunt he just pulled.

And what had his efforts been for? He'd saved this little princess a little scare and her father a few grand. Wow. Unfortunately, with how his situation looked like right now, that didn't help him in the least. Rather on the contrary, since Frank now probably wouldn't even accept his money - if he'd have any, that is. Maybe he should have just accepted Tiana's bracelets after all. But oh well. When had life or mankind ever been easy on him?

Xenopus had gotten so absorbed in his own mind and frustrating thoughts that he almost overlooked the sleek black car that pulled up at the curb. And when he eventually registered it, he was so stunned by the blatant obviousness with which it didn't belong in this part of the city that he didn't pay attention to the girl that had evoked a similar reaction beforehand. Thus, he also failed to notice how she got into the Cadillac -- then, it was too late and the car already drove off, leaving him behind in a plume of exhaust gas.

"Hey!" Xenopus screamed as soon as he realised what was happening, "Wait for me, you... you..." He didn't find the right words to describe how he felt at the moment, how incredibly cheated and indignant and upset and angry and hell, even hurt.

Of fucking course, he thought when he eventually became aware of how useless it was to scream after the car. Of course she would leave him here. Who was he to even hope otherwise? It was just his luck that he would find the most untrustworthy rich chick to rescue, wasn't it? It wasn't as if anything in his life would ever go according to plan, after all.

"Fuck you, Tiana Persephone Holloway!" he yelled again for good measure, ignoring the looks his behaviour earned.

Then it dawned on him that he at least knew her name. And as he shook himself out of his stupor, he vowed to himself that he'd find Tiana Persephone Holloway and at least get the money she owed him, if not get her to keep her promise.
No matter what.