Prompt: Game
Anakin is so nervous he can feel his stomach curling in on itself. He only pretends to drink his ruby bliel. He knows if he even tries to drink it, he'll throw it all up. It's too bad really, it's not often he gets one of these. It's even rarer that Watto gets it for him. Actually, it's never happened before. They've never been in this situation before.
Watto is in debt. Well, that's happened before, but never so desperately that Watto couldn't bet on the next podrace, and Anakin couldn't deliberately come in second, or third, or whatever Watto needed him to to win. Watto's never been in debt so desperately that Anakin couldn't work harder, fix more things, fix the situation. No, this was desperate, because the money needed to be here now, or they were all kriffed. So, Watto decided to try his hand at sabacc.
Watto is terrible at sabacc, but he is a conman who can't help but notice that Anakin is uncanny at bargaining. Anakin always knows just how far to push and haggle, always seems to know when someone's lying. Anakin can read people and Watto wants Anakin to read the other players for him. Are they bluffing? Are they not? Oh, how simple, how brilliant. Yeah, right. This is why Anakin is here now, with Kitster sitting next to him, pretending to just be having a drink with his friend, when really he's nodding, or shaking his head letting Watto know if that guy, or that other guy, is bluffing. Anakin's sure this helps, but he's not always right, and even if he were, he can't tell Watto when to play his hand or not. Just knowing if someone's bluffing doesn't mean you'll win, and Watto is terrible at sabacc.
That's what makes Anakin nervous: The fact that Watto will blame him no matter what. If Watto loses today, Anakin will feel it. It's not just the beatings, or the cruel tongue-lashings sure to come either. The second being more likely, since he doesn't want to damage Anakin after all. He needs Anakin to work, or to sell. That's what makes Anakin even more nervous. He could be sold. Mom could be sold. They both could be sold, and separately. On the other hand, maybe they won't be sold away from each other, maybe they'll just be sold for a night or two, you know? Mom's getting old, but she's still attractive. She's still a woman. Anakin's been told a few times, more than a few times even, that he's a handsome boy too, and Watto needs the money so… Kreth, but he's nervous.
Watto is laughing in his throaty way, raising the stakes. The stakes are so high. They have to win. They have to win.
"It'll be alright, Ani." Kitster says, uselessly, and Anakin ignores him.
The rodian across from Watto sees his bet, and doubles it. Anakin nods. The rodian is bluffing. Anakin breathes in, and repeats over and over and over: Let Watto win. Let Watto win. Let Watto win. He breathes out. This is just a game, he feels, to the rodian, but for Anakin, it's his well-being. He hates it, hates it with every fiber of his being. He thrums with the rage, and seethes at the injustice of it all. His life is worth a game, a pack of cards. He's not the one who got in debt, but he's the one who'll really feel it. It's just a game to them, all of them. They're just a bunch of no-good sleemos. Why should they get to decide his fate? His life is a game to them, just a game, and Anakin knows how much he's worth.