Don&#39;t Call It A Gift

"You don't," Hannibal says. "None of us do. But they might notice something in the background of their vacation videos later."

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"People are picture and video happy. They take vids and pics of everyt'ing. Best to avoid notice when you can." he nodded as they moved along, smiling a little, eyes moving over the area, slow but sure.

Remy never trusted any situation, anywhere.

"But tonight, we have fun, yes?"

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"Tonight we're definitely having fun," Noriko replies. "New York City is a tourist place--people come from all over the world just to say they've been here. Like Paris, or London, or Venice. So they record everything to relive it later, when they're back home."

Noriko has no problem with the recording. But she wants there to be no fuss over where a couple of them came from. Their IDs should hold up--she knows three of them have a legitimate one, after all--and Sinric's is good enough to pass, speaking as someone who's made or owned a fair share of fake identification papers. "Remy's a little more paranoid than me about it."

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Sinric gets distracted by a busker, laughing and clapping along as the man flirts playfully with the crowd. As he turns back around, someone bumps into him and mutters faggot at him.

Sinric is unruffled and answers the insult with what sounds like a blessing in Latin before returning to Hannibal's side.

Hannibal may be the only one of the group who understands the words. Sinric politely called the guy a worthless lice ridden gasbag.

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"Sorry about that," Hannibal says. "But I promised Noriko to behave, so we shall let it go with that -- blessing."

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Remy marks the man in his mind, passing him without seeming to touch him, and effortlessly lifting the man's wallet without either the man or the rest of the crowd seeing. He nods as they pass onward as if nothing had happened. The man's money will be used to pay for things tonight, and to make a donation to the local LGBT protection funds.

"There will always be idiots. They decry those different.Especially in this day and age. Luckily, no one recognizes Nori and me." The last thing they needed was a crowd shouting 'Mutie, go Home!' while they were trying to see a musical.

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"No one around here, anyway," Noriko added, watching as Remy tucked the man's wallet into his pocket--trying not to laugh. Of course he would do that.

She's keeping an eye on the crowd herself, not wanting to be surprised if the tide turns. "Might have better luck in Hell's Kitchen."

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Sinric shrugs it off. "I have been called many names in my life. Words have only the power the hearer permits them. And in my time the word means a bundle of twigs." He points out with a smile.

The lights of the theatre district come into view and Sinric beams with the light and majesty of it. The facades made to look so grand.

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Hannibal had been smiling quietly while walking along with the others, and now observes Sinric's reaction with obvious pleasure.

"Some say it is the foremost in the world."

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Remy nods. "De City is one of those places where almost anythin' can happen, ours more than most, I think, with the weirdness that is our lives. More reason to be paranoid, for me." He chuckles.

"But we aren't far from where we are headed."

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"And I hope it's the worst one you'll hear tonight," she says lightly. "There are a lot worse."

She clasped her fingers with Remy's, squeezing just hard enough to let him know she was aware of how sensitive that paranoia was with them both.

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"Repetition on a theme, no doubt." Sinric sighs airily. "I know what and who I am. I don't fear other people's words for that." he shrugs and settles back against Hannibal's side. "And I doubt any could be so creative as those I heard in the Tang court."

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"Words have the power to harm," Hannibal contends. "I would take steps, but I promised Noriko. So, let us just ignore them unless somebody touches one of us."

Arm slung around Sinric, he saunters with the others.

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"Indeed."

Remy smiles as he looks ahead of them. "We're almost there. The lights ahead are the street where the theater is." He is enjoying this, so far, as he walks with them.

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"Someone touches you, you can touch them back," Noriko says idly. "You understood what I meant when I made you give me that promise, Hannibal. You don't get to make me a villain over that, or I will shove you back through the doorway to the bar with no regret."

They're almost at the theatre lobby, and Noriko begins to fidget, twisting her tiny diamond nose ring.

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