Cold Hearted

Back On The Isle (Part Two)

Elena POV

"So, how's life been goin' over 'ere?"

Harry asked Gil once we found a secluded booth in the corner of the restaurant to sit down in for a while, Gil messily wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand that looked caked in oil of sorts, leaving a streak right across his forehead where his hand had gone. The more I look at him... the sadder it's making me! I mean he just doesn't look well at all! Especially compared to when I met him, he looked so bright and cheery... and now he just looks so worn down it makes me sad! I could tell Harry noticed too, he looked rather concerned just as I was! Gil took a long sigh and looked around the restaurant a little bit before looking back over to us,

"I've just been trying to hold everything together, but you and Uma made it look so much easier than it really is. The crew doesn't really listen to me, the ship is hard to maintain as it is, and running this place is already a full-time job. Desiree and Bonnie have been trying to help as much as they could, but we don't have a clue as to what we're actually supposed to be doing!"

Gil tiredly exclaimed as he seemed to sink into a far more tired state the longer he was sitting after standing for so long, I sighed and looked down at his hands as he pulled them up onto the table, and boy where they blistered and beaten up! His knuckles were actively bleeding as we spoke! So naturally, I got concerned and leaned forward over the table to take a better look at his hands, all while Harry slowly nodded and glanced at his hands too,

"Well, I reckon ye've been doing a fine job seeing as the place is moving and such, have... have ye been getting into any fights? It's just... ya look rather beaten up mate"

Gil shrugged a bit before folding after a few moments, nodding and shrinking up a bit,

"Unfortunately... we've been targeted recently by... by.... well... your dad Harry... he wants the ship back, the restaurant, all of it now that Uma isn't here and such. We've been able to hold them back for all this time but just barely, luckily we got some newer, strong members of the crew in here that are better at leading than I am. If it weren't for them, we'd be toast for sure. But then a few other gangs have been targeting us recently as well, trying to take our territory and such. Uma, as rough as she came, protected us all no matter how awful she could be. I think she's... okay at her core, but her walls are so high she can't even trust anyone even a little bit anymore"

Good gods! What a mess huh? Harry's dad has been trying to take on the crew for his own greedy reasons, Gil is running out of steam to do it all, and Uma actually seems to have an okay side? That's just crazy! I would love to have a sit down with Uma someday and just ask her why she is the way she is, because from what Harry's told me she used to be alright and took a turn for the ultimate worse! And the fact that Harry's dad is going after the crew is absolutely absurd! I looked over to Harry in slight shock and saw that he was in shock too, eyes wide and face pale,

"My... dad? He's after the crew? Is it only because Uma isn't 'ere anymore or what? Has he mentioned anything about why he's doing this all of a sudden?"

Gil sunk a bit and began mindlessly picking at some scabs on his arm, I couldn't help it of course as he's only hurting himself more right now, so I slowly reached out and gently grabbed that hand which made Gil suddenly look up at me with a slightly confused expression,

"Don't do that please, you're only hurting yourself more"

I gently spoke as I moved his hand, I then simply placed it on the table facing down and let go, taking my hand back as I looked up at Harry who had a bit of a smile to him, probably just because of what I just did and all. Gil then remembered Harry had asked him a question, so he snapped back into things by shaking his head around a bit,