"Dere ain't nuten wrong wid passion." Cards said looking at the brown haired boy next to her in line. "Passion can be a good ting!" She smiled remembering something. "And its fun."
"But, sex with out marriage is wrong!" The boy said. "it's a sin! One of the deadly sins!" His unaccented voice was all the much more apparent next to the blonde's heavy Brooklyn accent.
"Who said anyting about' sex?" Cards said smiling even wider. "Der's a lotta stuff ya can do wid out sex." She raised her eyebrows suggestively. "Ya should try some Preacher."
Preacher glared at her. "I'm not like that Cards, you screw people you do that, just don't try to get me." He grabbed his papers angrily and turned away.
"You act all high and mighty." Cards muttered even though he was long gone "But ya don't care about' no one." She moodily grabbed her own papers and ran into Spot Conlon.
"You arguing wid Preachah again?" Spot asked, running his hand though her hair. Preacher looked back and saw the gesture and looked hurt, before Cards could see him he turned around. "Ya know he ain't like us." He smiled and took one of her papers and read the headlines. "Hmm, here's a good one." He pointed to it. "Woman rather commit suicide then leave house."
"Spot it says dat she said she would rather die then leave." Cards pointed out.
"Whatevah." Spot shrugged, "Listen great time las night." He kissed her and grabbed the rest of her papers, running off to the all girls school just down the street.
"Spot!" She angrily called after him. He didn't even turn around "Dose are my papes." She sighed and felt around for some more money, finding none she decided to walk around. "Great I ain't got a place ta stay tonight." she said. "Maybe I can sleep wid Fists or Maps ta stay…" She mused aloud. Cards hadn't realized she had past Preacher who was trying to sell with out lying, she should have realized who it was as the headlines were the absolute truth.
As Preacher saw Cards pass he gulped nervously as he heard her. "You could ask me to loan you money." He said catching up to her.
"But ya don't make too much." Cards said plainly. "I wouldn't wanna impose on ya." She looked up into Preacher's eyes and smiled faintly. "Ya don't lie." She explained. "And I dun like being in debt, me faddah was always in debt and I just don't wanna be like him." She looked away from Preacher. "An' ya so good." She said quietly.
"But aren't you in debt to Fists or who ever?" Preacher asked, knowing the answer but not wanting to admit it.
"Ya sure you're seventeen?" Cards asked. "'Cause ya act like a newborn." She dropped her tone and answered him honestly again. "An' I pay off my debt to dem wid favors." She shrugged. "Ya jist sell ya papes." Cards walked off her heart heavy.
Preacher looked at the headline. "Woman kills herself rather then leave house!" He yelled as soon as Cards was out of reach. "Husband was to force her to move away from her children! Last act of defiance!" The lies came easy to him and he sold all his papers that day.
As he waited in front of the lodging house for Cards he held his pewter cross in his hand, rubbing his thumb over the familiar shape, wondering about his life. As each boy came in he looked for Cards with them, giggling with a promise of what was to come for them in return for the small favor they were doing her.
No one came with her. Preacher was starting to get worried when Spot came in, Cards trailing behind him. "Spot I'm not asking for all of it, just enough for tonight!" She argued.
"But I sold dem all!" Spot said.
"But I bought 'em!" Cards said. "Just give me da fifty cents!"
"Cards why are ya acting so uptight!" Spot said, heads turned in their direction. Cards shrugged and gave up the fight turning away from Spot and almost running into Preacher.
"Sorry I didn' see ya." Cards said as she moved to leave.
"I'll pay for you." Preacher said, putting out a hand to stop her.
"Ya don't got the money ta do nuten for free." Cards said, "but tanks for da tought."
"I've got the money." He said. "Let me."
"Come wid me." Cards said holding out her hand. Preacher took it letting his own large hand cover hers. It was strangely cold and he wished he could warm her up.
They walked though the turns of Brooklyn, going though ally ways until they reached the docks, docks which were normally swarming with boys were now empty. She sat down on a pile of crates and Motioned for Preacher to sit in front of her.
"Ain't da stars beautiful?" She asked, Preacher could barley make them out over all the smoke, but in the areas he could see them they were beautiful.
"Yeah, they are." Preacher said looking at Cards. Her pale skin was magnified under the little bit of star light, as well as the lights from the wharf, Her blonde hair looked clean and he assumed she had gone swimming that day because the normal oil that clumped her hair at the top was gone.
Suddenly Preacher wanted to be able to run his hand through her hair like Spot did. He wanted to be free of the moral bindings that had held him his whole life. He wanted to be one of the boys she slept with. He immediately prayed for forgiveness at these thoughts.
"Wanna play Pokah?" Cards asked taking out the deck. "Not for money, just ta play? " She played with the cards.
"Sure." Preacher turned and looked at her taking the five cards he was given. "Why did you bring me here?" He asked.
"dis is where I sleep when I can't pay." She said taking the cards he handed her and handing him the same amount back.
"ITs nice."
"Yeah, If ya find a open box ya can get a good nights sleep, away from da wind an' all." She said showing her cards, he showed his as well. Tie.
They played a few more hands and they didn't really care who won. It was more the routine for them. They stopped playing after a while and Cards sat there weaving the cards though her fingers. Preacher was looking out to the water when he felt something travel up the back of his neck and go under his ear. He shivered and turned his head to see a Queen of spades in his peripheral vision.
"What are you doing."
"Nuten." Cards said, she hadn't even realized what she was doing but didn't remove the card. "Did it feel good?"
"Wrong." Preacher said biting his lip. "Its wrong."
"Nah, it isn't feeling good ain't wrong."
"Sex is." Preacher said. "Lust is."
"No it ain't." She repeated. "Dere ain't nuten wrong wid it."
"I know." Preacher said quietly. "I know."
"But den why?"
"Because if that's wrong what else is wrong?" Preacher said.
"Nuten. You'se smart, ya know what's right an' wrong." Cards smiled at him, the cards was removed. "I just wanted ta show dis to ya." She said. "Ya should get back to da lodgen house, don't wanna get locked out." She smiled. "Go on."
Preacher stood up to go and realized he still had her cards in his hand. "Uh, Cards." He handed them to her and as she took them Preacher suddenly kissed her, it wasn't an innocent peck on the cheek.
As Cards stood up to meet the kiss she realized that nothing would come of it, Nothing would come of the emotions she felt. She would have to wait. And she could wait.
Preacher reached around Cards' slender frame. She wrapped her fingers in his hair taking this moment for the most she could. She tried to get as close to him as possible, tried to explore his mouth as much as possible. They backed off slowly Preacher holding her after they parted. His breath was heavy and he gasped slightly.
Cards held his shirt tightly, wondering if he regretted it. If the kiss had only been an impulse to find out what she was like. Preacher looked down at the golden head below his nose and felt no regret, felt no sin, felt nothing but bliss. And he couldn't understand how that was immoral. How could god damn him for that? He kissed her fore head gently and Cards raised her head so she was more or less eye level with him.
"I'm going to go know. You sure you don't want to borrow some money?"
"I'm sure." Cards said.
The next morning Spot noticed the absents of the bickering between Preacher and Cards who were standing next to each other, exchanging looks.
Author's Notes: Okay, yes I promised to finish all my old projects first but, This Slammed me and I had to write it! Also I know this seems like "Prayers of the Penitent" By Thoroughly Modern Ukulele. But I read that after I was halfway through this! So really they are unrelated! (So Sorry TMU if you think I'm Mooching I'm not!!)
Cards on:
Term Papers- EVIL!!! -Has Preacher exorcize it-
