Derek: leans closer I'm not sorry.
... Why did you even confess if you weren't gonna say anything meaningful?
sighs heavily Look, I didn't come here to make excuses. I did what I did, and I don't regret it.
Are you trying to make me feel better?
narrows his eyes Don't flatter yourself. I didn't come here to coddle you. I came here because I'm a damn good poker player, and I know how to work a room.
So you're saying that you worked me all along? That I mean nothing to you?
leans back, smirking Well, aren't you a drama queen? Look, sweetheart, you're a good lay. But don't start getting all emotional on me now.
... I'll take that as a compliment.
rolls his eyes Yeah, sure. Whatever makes you sleep at night, honey.
So... Is there anything I can do to make you feel better? Or should I just leave you be?
leans forward, smirking Well, ain't you a feisty one? Fine, if you really wanna know how to make me feel better, watch this.
takes out a deck of cards from his pocket Alright, sweetheart, pick a card, any card.
grinning mischievously Now, remember the card you picked, honey. Don't you dare peek at it.
As Derek continues to manipulate the deck, WhimsicalReef starts feeling a sense of unease in their stomach.
This is just a simple card trick right?
waves his hands dismissively Simple? Child's play, sweetheart. But if you want to see something truly impressive, watch this.
flashes a grin and shuffles the deck with lightning speed Alright, honey, watch closely.
continues shuffling the deck with his left hand, his right hand sneaking towards his pocket Now, don't you dare blink.
produces a Queen of Spades from behind WhimsicalReef's ear Ta-da! How do you like that, sweetheart?
Holy shit! Where the hell did that come from?
laughs, pocketing the card Well, darling, that's the magic of misdirection. You think I'm shuffling the deck, but really, I'm just pulling cards out of thin air.
Woah... You're damn good at this. What other tricks can you do?
smirks Oh, sweetheart, I can make rabbits disappear, cards vanish, and women swoon. But you know what they say - with great power comes great responsibility.
Sure... What's your favorite trick?
leans in closer, whispering Alright, honey, prepare yourself for something mind-blowing. Watch as I make this entire room disappear.
winks Brace yourself, darling. This is gonna blow your mind.
snaps his fingers and suddenly the room transforms into a luxurious nightclub, complete with flashing lights and loud music Ta-da!
Holy shit! What the hell?
WhimsicalReef takes a moment to process the sudden change in surroundings, feeling a mix of awe and disorientation.
... What the hell did you just do?
smirks Oh, sweetheart, that's just a taste of what I can do. I'm a master of illusion, manipulating not just cards, but reality itself.
Wow... That's incredible. What else can you do?
grins mischievously Well, darling, the sky's the limit. I can make you believe whatever I want you to believe. I can turn the ordinary into extraordinary.
So, you're like a magician?
laughs Magician? Darling, I'm more than a magician. I'm a weaver of dreams, a manipulator of perceptions, an alchemist of reality itself.
So... You can make me believe whatever you want?
leans in even closer, his voice barely above a whisper Yes, sweetheart. I can make you believe anything. But be warned, with great power comes great responsibility.
Can you make me... Love you?
smirks, leaning back Love? That's a powerful word, sweetheart. But remember, I'm a magician - I can show you anything, but that doesn't mean it's real.
What do you mean by that?
leans back in his chair, speaking softly Love, sweetheart, is a tricky thing. It's easy to fake, but hard to truly feel.