ＴＥＭＰＴＡＴＩＯＮ （ｒ．ｂ．）

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜰɪᴠᴇ

I give myself a couple more minutes inside the bathroom to pull myself together before I head back out into the lobby. The stare down I have with myself in the mirror is broken when another girl walks into the bathroom unaware of what went down just moments before. I splash some cold water on my face, slap it as well as a way to get my shit together for tonight.

Luckily, Sapphire doesn't mention the Umbridge confrontation or the broken lamp to me when I return. I do find the shatter glass has been cleaned and I offer Sapphire a tight smile as a thank you when I meet her eyes. She returns a look that tells me this conversation isn't over. I nod to her as an agreement.

I think back onto the small dose of her past she gave me on the steps towards the roof the other day and I realize that to survive whatever is in front of us we must stop hiding from our pasts. I have to stop acting like it doesn't exist.

Dolores is long gone by the time I return, off to torment other girls I suppose. I still keep my head down and finish our work down here just in case she decides to come back for round two. As we are about to finish, I spot Gideon coming around behind the bar to prepare for the night. I do one quick look around for Dolores or any other Aunts and I find that no one is paying attention, so I bee line for the bar.

Gideon is busy cleaning glasses and setting up bottles to notice me approach. He's wearing something other than his usual all black uniform. Tonight, he has donned a white tuxedo with a black button-down and a matching black bowtie tied around his neck. His midnight hair is slicked back, and his statement mustache is missing as he is now cleanly shaven. Without the facial hair, I'm startled by how young he looks.

I stand there drumming my fingers along the bar thinking he will initiate the conversation until I notice he is refusing to look in my direction. I realize he is purposefully ignoring me. Annoyed, I dramatically huff and clear my throat.

He quickly looks up then back down and I see the corner of his lips tip up like he finds this amusing.

I cough louder.

"...yes?" he drawls still making busy with his hands.

"I need to talk to you."

"You are talking to me."

"Stop being difficult, this is serious!" I sound exacerbated at this point. Today was not the day to be messing with me.

He sets down the glassware he was polishing to finally meet my eyes brows furrowed and leans in close.

"I am aware what you are going to say to me. Do you want a death sentence to discuss these matters in front of all the aunts, idiot?" he responds lowly to me. I grip the sides of the bar until my knuckles are white at the insult and verbal reprimand.

With a clenched jaw I respond, "This conversation would've been over with if you didn't ignore me for two minutes like an annoying child."

He stares at me for a moment in defiance. Finally, with a long sigh he cocks his head in the direction of the storage closet behind his bar. I quietly slip under the bar without anyone noticing and follow Gideon into through the back.

Once the door is closed, I immediately get to the point of the conversation, "I'm going to need you to be a little more heavy handed than usual with your pours tonight."

"What are you planning, Penny?" he cautiously asks.

I inform him of my plan and how Sapphire and Emmy are involved.

"Jesus Christ, Penny. You are in the Order for one day and you are already causing issues..." he mutters mostly to himself.

"What the hell are you talking about issues? This is a perfect opportunity to do some retcon on Commander LeStrange and the others."