truth_is_cold

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[About midday Mr. Gaheris Montgomery Rhade comes riding in to town for the first time in two years on his dapple gray stallion, Perseus, a full month before he's due. He's written to some of his friends and sent his ranchhands money to take care of the horses, but he's been away with the war as a Union soldier. He's done his best to remain a gentlemanly and well-spoken man all through the war, and to whoever has any of his letters, they would reflect this.

He's about in to town before he finally sends off a message.] Vegas, I know you probably weren't prepared for my company quite so soon, but I hope that it's not unwelcome. I can tend to Perseus and put him in the barn myself if you're busied with your other responsibilities, but be home soon. [You're gonna get a big hug, buddy.]

To my other friends, I've returned and I would welcome a decent meal from any associate that would be kind enough to provide it. [He has had far too much cornbread these past few months.]

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It is a particularly enjoyable sin. [Pulling up his hand.] Poker. The best test of whether or not I still know you after your time away.

I doubt the newly acquired scars have done much to impair my poker face, but we'll see whether I need to re-evaluate my tactics at the table. [He touches his cheek, and then goes to look at his hand.]

That isn't what would give me problems. You'll have changed, Mr. Rhade. Needs must, as it were. I'd like to know how. And poker's the most intimate game I know. [He leans back.] Ready to start?

[He raises his brows and shifts positions.] I suppose the progression of time can take it's toll beneath the surface more than what we perceive. [He moves his foot and bumps Brax's.

He realizes that it's not a chair leg, and just keeps his face straight as he drops a couple of coins onto the table. He can't move his foot without it seeming conspicuous. Or maybe that's just him. Fine, he'll leave his foot there. Maybe it is the chair leg. But it's softer than wood, he thinks. Don't move your foot to check.

He puts down two cards.] I'll take two.

[Yes, still an easy read. But then, playing against Rhade wasn't fair from Irving. He raises.] Just time, Mr. Rhade?

[He looks at his new cards and remains... mostly impassive.] Time is most properly measured in events, I suppose. I could say two years or three summers past, and no one would know the significance. [Foot is still there.] But if I said before they built the new school, or during the drought or after they put in the train to Kansas City [foot foot foot foot.], then time becomes substantial and feels like something that you're a part of, [maybe he should move it?] rather than an observer to. [No, that's a bad idea. Just up the pot a little.]

[He calls and deals the third show cards.] That is a fair way of thinking of it. Nothing measured has worth without meaning given to it, and those events are meaning. [Has Irving noticed the foot? He is not acting like he has.]

[Rhade's hand isn't as good this time, and he pulls off his hat and runs his hand through his hair. He leaves it to the side of him on the table while he waits for the next hand.] I had plenty of events happen, I suppose. [Brax has an amazing poker face. Maybe it is the chair and it just touched funny so he can't tell whether it's wood or not.] I went to war just as the Union was gaining ground at the end of the war and then had to stay through reclamation. [Okay, he'll move his foot. And... now there's the toe of a shoe beneath the toe of his. Oh hell, that was his foot.] I think the most significant change is that I'm a touch more shy of cannon fire than I used to be. [That was a dumb thing to say. He better not be as red as he thinks he is. He'll just... artfully pull his foot back. ...Wait, when did he get a royal flush?]

[There is indeed a toe of a shoe there. An unmoving one. So what is Rhade going to do about it?] It's always wise to be shy of danger. [Brax sizes him up for a moment, then folds.]

Of course you say as you fold. [Okay, the other foot isn't moving. Maybe he can just keep his right there for a bit. Which is odd, because there's no way Braxton can't know it's there.

Or maybe his foot's asleep.]

At least I'm not so shy of danger that I won't come and play cards with you. [It's kind of nice to be that close. He does move his foot, though. Only so that it's beside of Irving's instead of on it.

A touching foot shouldn't make someone so quietly happy.]

[He is resisting the rather urge to nudge his shoe against Gaheris's to tease him. This is his version of holding to the high ground.] You know the risks aren't too high in my games. [Does he mean cards? Perhaps. He collects cards and deals them another set.]

[He's pulling off a nice little shade of slight red across his cheeks to go with his slightly cocky look and not realizing it.] Not for me, I don't suppose. If someone were to rub you the wrong way I imagine you wouldn't be soft on them.

[...Wait.

He shouldn't think too much about what he just said. He could really use a cigar right now. Why didn't he bring his. Goddammit.]

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