Thick As Blood

Richard awoke a few hours later to a sleeping Cecelia on his bare chest. It was still Saturday, but the sun had now gone down and the storm had cleared away. Leaving the night Atlantic sky to twinkle above the roof. He ran his hand through his hair, smoothing it back. He looked up and realized his mask wasn’t on his face; it was across the room, on a table. He remembered showing her the scars and damage to his face, and then he delighted in remembering how affectionate she was following the reveal. Richard guess Cecelia really didn’t care, she had looked at him with sadness for a moment, but the way she kissed his scars, and looked at him on top of her, made him think that perhaps she didn’t really see him the way others did.

He realized that he hadn’t eaten all day out of embarrassment for how he looked. He steadily sat up and slipped out from under her sleeping grasp. He redressed and placed his mask back on his face, fastening the wire behind his ears. In his small kitchen he took an apple and a plate of food that Angela had sent him home with. He quietly ate, hoping that Cecelia could sleep as long as she wanted to. Though, after some time alone he heard her rustling around. He stood with his last slice of apple in his hand and walked over to the doorway. She had gotten up and pulled out the fabric she had bought earlier and draped it over her naked flesh. She smiled at him.

Cecelia liked the way the imported fabric felt against her skin. The fabric was cool, smooth, and it glided across her back as she slid the fabric off. She was standing naked before him now, hips angled, silk in her hands. Richard bashfully looked away, but she came up to him and put her hands on his neck stealing a quick kiss.

She pressed herself against him while she shut her eyes to take in what was around her.

“Morning.” She said before squinting her eyebrows, “Evening.” She corrected herself while looking out the window. She waited for him to do something say something, but he seemed quite bashful due to her causality of being naked in his apartment.

“Richard, say something.” She said touching his cheek again.

“You’re. Mm. You are very beautiful. Cecelia.”

She smiled at him. And for some reason she couldn’t stop. She kissed his half lips and pulled back to look at Richard who was now slightly smiling back at her.

“What time is it?” she asked looking around for a displayed clock.

“Almost eight.” He said.

“Fancy a walk?” she asked. “Aren’t weekends on the Boardwalk supposed to be spectacular for tourists?”

“Yes. From. What I hear. If you dressed-”

“Or… We can stay here the rest of the night, and then I wouldn’t need to dress.” she said while wrapping the silk around the back of his neck. “Or I could dress myself in your arms… I think I’d like that better Mr. Harrow.”
_______________________________________

Cecelia spent the rest of the weekend lying around with Richard. She had enjoyed being away from the Ritz, and being somewhere quiet. Richard told her what it was like to grow up on a farm, while she struggled to relay what it was like growing up in an orphanage. She left out the part about living with her father, she hadn’t drank since she’d been with Richard, and she didn’t want to have to start again on account of talking about her father.

Cecelia was quite intrigued that Richard had left his home town to travel all the way to Chicago… just to get lost. The war affected him greatly, and Cecelia could see that. The both of them were dealing with traumatic pasts, and looking for someone who didn’t judge them.

Richard’s injuries was almost what appealed to Cecelia in the first place, not the physical scars on his face but the way his injuries had made him. She had taken a liking to him because his past had put him in a place where he didn’t seem to look at her like a lap dog, he saw a girl, which was all she was. She was familiar with the look of lust and greed that she saw every performance night, but the moment she saw Richard, those looks went away. She didn’t feel a cold gaze like the rest of them, she felt warmth with him, he saw her differently.

The way she acted most certainly seen by Richard as well. He mentioned how his sister still cared for him after the war, but he still could tell… tell she felt different. Bt with Cecelia… he felt that she saw a whole man; one that didn’t rely on a German sniper mask to feel safe, or one that could form a whole sentence without struggle.

So almost as if they were made for each other, they spent the next few nights together, the weekend in his bed, and the week in hers. Jimmy had taken him during the daytime, and even once late into the night. But Richard finally accepted that she wanted him there, that he was the only thing that made her feel safe.
______________________________

Another performance night was finally here, and Cecelia found trouble getting ready as she was blatantly distracted by the man in her bed. She was only wearing his red tie around her neck.

“What if I went like this?” she asked putting her arms out. Richard’s back was against her headboard and Cecelia was straddling his lap. He looked her naked body over once before shaking his head. “Why not?” she asked.
“I’d rather. They didn’t see you like. This.”

“Why not… it’s just skin?” she said teasing him, although quite aware of what he was saying. She saw how he thought about saying something else, but kept it to himself.
“Perhaps… you don’t want me doing that because… you don’t wish them to see something you see as yours?”

She smiled when Richard nodded his head. She slipped off his tie and tossed it beside them.

“Then I’ll wear something on stage, and only look like this for you.” She said kissing his neck.

“Shouldn’t, you be Mm. Getting dressed?” Richard asked her.

“I should, I just… don’t want to leave.” She said. “Could I stay here? For a bit?”

“Mm. You could.”

“How about forever? Do you have time for that?” she asked.

“For you. Yes.”

“Then it’s settled we’ll never leave, do you think we can get someone to bring us food in this bed, because if we’re never leaving it will be awfully difficult not to starve. Of course… you taste just fine – I can live off of you for a while.”

Richard almost seemed to blush. She liked his smile, she liked it better with his mask off. He seemed to take it off when they were alone or intimate. He also didn’t seem to like it on at all, it seemed to bother him and cause him discomfort. But Cecelia was glad he’d take it off for her now. She was kissing the scarred side of his face when she heard a knock at her door. She turned to look at the door, as if she’d figure out who it was before it was opened. She got up to put her robe on, and she became intensely irritated the moment her feet hit the carpet. Richard however was slightly unnerved; he grabbed her arm to stop her from opening the door.

“What if it isn’t safe?” he asked her. “Let m-“

“You’ll just have to get revenge for me then, won’t you? I’m highly capable of sending someone away, if they don’t leave, then you are welcome to intervene.” She gave him a smile as she slid out from his grasp to walk over to the door that was being knocked upon for the second time.

“Hold on!” she yelled while tightly tying her robe in the front. She watched Richard fasten the button on his trousers and throw his suspenders over his unbuttoned shirt, which he was quickly tucking in. She admired his fit body from a distance; she admired the strength in his arms, and the definition in his stomach. He hadn’t let his fitness from the war escape him, he was the precise type of man you’d want protecting you when strange men showed up at your door. Richard was till buttoning his shirt when he slipped behind the door and Cecelia was opening it.

“Charlie.” She stated, now able to see who it was.

“Cici D.” he said back with a smile. “Seems Atlantic City’s been good to you.” She watched his eyes linger up and down her body, Charlie Luciano had always had an eye for Cecelia. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” he asked.

“What do you want Charlie?” she asked firmly placing her foot behind the door. Neither her, nor Richard would allow him to enter.

“I came on behalf of A.R. He wanted me to kindly request that you return to New York City, as soon as possible.”

“Oh Charlie, You can tell Rothstein that I’m quite happy here, and I decline his request.”

“I thought you might say something like that.” Charlie said smiling.

“Don’t I always?” she asked.

“You never do what you’re told, that’s for sure.” She watched Charlie gaze down the hallway, “Nice place ya got here, I think I’ll stay for the show.”

“You do that Lucky. I’ll see ya ‘round.” Cecelia shut the door on Charlie’s luminous stare. He had puffed on his cigarette like none of this bothered him, Rothstein had sent him to ask her nicely, who knew how long it’s take before Charlie was forced to get rough. However, Charlie had always been sweet on her, letting her off on little things here and there.

She looked at Richard and shrugged her shoulders. She could see his steady hands hidden beneath his coat, probably fingering a pistol, ready to protect her. The hair on her neck stood up when she could see how ready Richard was to defend her.

“I suppose I should get ready.” She said in a hushed tone. She let her hands run down the front of his vest as a slight, thank you, before she disappeared into her closet.
__________________________________________

Cecelia’s finished performance was busy as always. While on stage she recognized Charlie’s face, as well as that of Nucky Thompson, and several of his colleagues. And she wasn’t surprised that Nucky ushered her over for a drink. She felt better when Richard followed her through the crowd, keeping a close eye on her. She watched as Nucky left his small group of friends and singled her out among the crowd. He handed her a glass of classy champagne.

“As always, spectacular performance. I’m glad I gave you Fridays, last week pulled in a lot of cash. They all come to see you.” Nucky told her.

“That’s nothing new.” Cecelia said, “Men have been gawking over me since I’ve grown breasts.”

“Well thank god you did.” Nucky glanced across the crown and once again saw ‘Lucky’ Luciano, “Did you uh, see your New Yorker friend over there?” Nucky asked her.

“Earlier yes, he paid me a visit.”

“To your dressing room?”

“Yes, but I had Richard there to protect me.” She said smiling. “Charlie seems to be playing nice… for now.”

“You really think A.R. will haul you all the way to New York kicking and screaming. I could if he got the chance, but I think you’ve given me enough body guards to make that difficult for him.”

“Good. I’d like to keep you as long as I can.”

Charlie Luciano had made his was across the crown to Cecelia and Nucky.

“You performance, it’s got a few new bit’s to it, I like it.”

“I hope, this conversation is for congratulation only?” Nucky asked.

“Unfortunately A.R. sent me here on business.” Charlie said. “He… likes to think that Cecelia is his business investment, and would like her back.”

“Well we both know-“ Nucky began.

“-that’s not going to happen.” Charlie finished. “But Cici, A.R. would like me to remind you of the debt you owe him. He says you should remember that.”

“I thought you didn’t owe Rothstein and money?” Nucky asked, now slightly irritated.

Cecelia gave Charlie a look of discontent, “I don’t.” she said. “I don’t owe him anthing.”

“Our Cecelia is right, on one account.” Charlie said, “If she owed A.R. money she wouldn’t have lasted a week in Atlantic City. However she is fully aware of her arrangements with Mr. Rothstein, and I am only here to remind her of that fact.”

“I see.” Nucky said, eyeing her suspiciously.

Cecelia looked at Nucky, trying to plead that he understands the truth. “My arrangement with Mr. Rothstein has been entirely repaid by my services, and if he thinks that I owe him anything, anything more, he is entirely mistaken.”

Charlie now looked at her slightly angered, yet Cecelia was entirely content due to the fact that She could feel the front of Richard coat on her back, he had stepped foreword the moment he noticed any change to Charlie’s demeanor. And it seemed Charlie was slightly halted by the masked man that protected her.

“Perhaps you better head back to New York before the roads get too bad Mr. Luciano. As we all know you are in short supply of manners.”

“Mr. Thompson, Ms.” Charlie said nodding his head before disappearing into the crowd.

“So I assume A.R.’s just a little jealous then? You wouldn’t lie to me would you Cecelia?” Nucky asked her.

“I told you what Rothstein wanted from me, something I am entirely not willing to give, and something he sure as hell didn’t earn. If anything he’s jealous Atlantic City’s getting all my attention.”

“But you don’t owe him money?” Nucky asked.

“Never owed him a dime.”

“Then get your ass upstairs and get some rest so you can make me more money tomorrow night.”

“Yes, Mr. Thompson.” Cecelia said smiling and finishing her champagne. She took comfort when Richard kept his hand at her back while leading her back through the crown of men who wanted to do more than look at her. Perhaps it was her youth, maybe her beauty, but whatever it was drove them mad like dogs.

She slightly pitied them for being such physical creatures. She was sure many of them were willing to cheat on their wives without a second thought. She couldn’t stand the thought of having a husband only to suspect him of being with another woman, and something told her she’d never feel that way with Richard; almost as if he was genuine from the very surface. And she liked not having to guess what kind of man he’d be everyday – because it seemed that he’d never lie, cheat, or hurt her.

Her dear brother on the other hand, Cecelia had no idea what sort of man he was - but she had the sneaking suspicion that he had been the one to tell Rothstein and Lucky all about her performance at Babette's... not many others even knew where her dressing room was. And she doubted Lucky Luciano was lucky enough to just guess where her room was.

Family was definitely as thick as blood, but there were other things just as thick. Like poison, which was just what Jimmy reminded her of. The only thing she couldn't figure out was how Richard could stand him.