Malachi just laughed her off, taking it as a joke. “I wouldn’t blame you.”
The ground starting rising uphill, a rise ahead of them peeking through the trees.
Charlie just smiled in return of Matteo’s wave, but went right back to talking with Emery across from her and didn’t notice his wink.
Alister tilted his head at Evan, smirking a little at Matteo’s shenanigans, but a little confused. “Ah, sorry, what do you mean by crush?” He wasn’t familiar with the term. The words associated with all that is romantic and of relationships were rather foreign to him, since he had never had the time of those sort of things.
Noel snickered between Alister and August. She, on the other hand, was familiar with the term, and idea that her brother was not was hilarious. She kept quiet though, she wanted to see Evan explain it.
She just looked at him, before looking back at the kitten and moving to stroke it gently, smiling softly when it responded with nuzzling into her hand.
She really did have a soft spot for cats, she has always wanted one when she was younger but her step dad went out of his way so that she couldn't get one.
"I've, always wanted a cat.." she spoke softly, staring the kitten.
"a crush? Well it's um.." what i have on you? NO STOP "Well a crush is like…when you really like someone, past the point of being friends, and like, you want them to be with you, and like you back in the same way you like them." He looked away moving to look at noel and then regretting it because his face could probably be easily read.
Trent sat down to eat and chuckled a little bit at the boy, reminding him a little bit of himself when he was younger.
He leaned over to matteo, and whispered into his ear, then moved back with a wink.
Matteo grinned, nodding before moving to sit across from Charlie.
"Hey, i's was wondering…you come here often?"
He was grinning at Charlie, but also wearing a partly innocent smile.
Alister's eyes went wide. "Ohhhhhh," he exclaimed. "So that's what it is? Then I guess I had a crush on that one kid in the weapons factory a long time ago…" Then his expression went blank. "So does that mean… I-I mean since we're-" he lowered his voice. "Since we're soulmates…?" he felt his cheeks grow warm.
If they had it on the menu, Noel would've already had the popcorn. But they didn't so she chewed on her bread roll instead. She grinned devilishly when Evan met her gaze, and she struggled to hold in her laughter.
"… so any of the info we might need should be somewhere in the officer's computer's hardware-" Charlie was saying to Emery in between bites of mashed potatoes before Matteo caught her attention. A confused expression crossed her face. "To the prison? We've been here for the past 70 hours or so, so… yes?" She shook her head, as if clearing it, and went back to talking with Emery.
Malachi chuckled. "Then I think you'll like my hacker friend, they've always wanted to either own a cat or build it themself if they had to."
They reached the edge of the rise, and suddenly a landscape that was half forests and meadows and half city bordered by walls stretched out before them. The longer Malachi looked, the more he realized that…
"It's District 6!" he cried. "We're almost there."
(PLEASE- SHES SO CONFUSED, ALSO SHE GIVES OFF DENSE VIBES)
(she's kinda underdeveloped, so I honestly don't know what vibes I want her to give off-)
(Well that's the vibe she gives off to me lol)
(I think i know how I want quin to be revealed as cat smol)
Alister's eyes went wide. "Ohhhhhh," he exclaimed. "So that's what it is? Then I guess I had a crush on that one kid in the weapons factory a long time ago…" Then his expression went blank. "So does that mean… I-I mean since we're-" he lowered his voice. "Since we're soulmates…?" he felt his cheeks grow warm.
If they had it on the menu, Noel would've already had the popcorn. But they didn't so she chewed on her bread roll instead. She grinned devilishly when Evan met her gaze, and she struggled to hold in her laughter.
"… so any of the info we might need should be somewhere in the officer's computer's hardware-" Charlie was saying to Emery in between bites of mashed potatoes before Matteo caught her attention. A confused expression crossed her face. "To the prison? We've been here for the past 70 hours or so, so… yes?" She shook her head, as if clearing it, and went back to talking with Emery.
Malachi chuckled. "Then I think you'll like my hacker friend, they've always wanted to either own a cat or build it themself if they had to."
They reached the edge of the rise, and suddenly a landscape that was half forests and meadows and half city bordered by walls stretched out before them. The longer Malachi looked, the more he realized that…
"It's District 6!" he cried. "We're almost there."
"oh really? What else are they like?" She continued to pet the little kitten, before making sure malachi wasn't looking and planting a small kiss on the little guys head before moving away and seeing where malachi was Looking.
"oh…" She didn't know how to feel about it, i mean how would you feel if the person who stole your boss was caught coming back with him? Like hey i know i took him from you but i actually saved him while he saved me haha crazy right?
She sighed.
Evans cheeks started to grow warm as well, at the mention of them being soulmates and he stumbled over his words "Ah- well uh+ um- you see- i mean-' i guess it could um work that way?" He whispered under his breath to Alister.
Trent just chuckled at charlie's response.
Matteo just took this moment to place his chin in his hands and his elbows on the table and kicking his legs for maximum cuteness.
"Well i was just wondering, how long you have been sitting there looking so, how do I put this, like an angel." He winked at Charlie, smiling innocently at charlie.
Noel didn't hear Evan's whispers, for which Alister was grateful. He stuttered incomprehensively before he managed, "Oh, okay." He blanked once again. "Wait, why does Matteo have a crush on Charlie, then? That's weird… right?"
He glanced at the boy and if he was being honest, something inside him squirmed when he heard Matteo's question. August, who had been trying to listen to Charlie and Emery, leaned over to him and said, "Storm, tell the kid to be quiet. God knows he'll listen to you."
Something like shame crawled through Alister's blood. Matteo was interrupting a conversation, and he wasn't doing anything about it. Was he supposed to be disciplining him? He looked at the others. Emery had been talking, but now they trailed off awkwardly. Charlie had a discomforted look on her face, but she looked to the floor as if refusing to pay any attention to Matteo. Alister put a hand on Matteo's shoulder, each passing moment making him wish he could disappear.
"Matteo, you're interrupting them. You can talk some other time, but for now, you need to be quiet, okay?"
"Oh, well, they're quiet, with their eyes glued to a screen most of the time," Malachi chuckled. "They're really smart as well, but oftentimes they don't know how to talk to another person unless it's about coding or hacking. I think that's why we're good friends, though. C'mon."
He gestured to the creature, who padded up to him. He steadied himself on her, clinging to her neck so he wouldn't get dizzy while he moved downhill past the rise.
The closer they got the more nervous she felt, the more anxious she felt. She almost wanted to claw at her skin, she wished for a disguise, any disguise. Sure they might recognize her, but her figure was the same and she was sure that malachi would tell them who exactly she was and then it would be over for her, and she didn't want to trapped in some rebellion strong hold.
She let out another sigh looking away, "Mhm."
The kitten continued to rest against the spinx.
"Oh, i didn't realize i was interupting yours guys conversation, I'm sorry." He nodded to Alister, quickly becoming quiet, and just moving to stand next to Alister and Evan, he moved to grab Alisters hand, just because he wanted to have phsyical touch and he was used to holding hands with his mom or dad, so he gravitated towards Alister.
Evan smiled slightly at the holding hands finding it sweet.
Trent looked away, but winked at matteo when no one is looking.
Charlie sighed. She wasn't one to hold grudges. "It's alright, kid. Just don't do it again."
They continued their conversation. Alister rubbed Matteo's hand in his, but he didn't smile, only saying, "You should eat, yeah?"
Interestingly, Noel was quiet. She had a focused stare trained on Matteo as if analyzing him, only occasionally dropping it to eat.
Malachi continued walking, but he sensed something in Arden's tone and glanced over his shoulder at her.
"Are you alright? It's okay, I'll explain everything when we get there."
"Oh joy i can't wait for you too explain everything" she grumbled walking along the side of the spinx.
"Malachi be honest, do you really think they will just let me go that easy? Seriously? I mean come on, think about it, being realistic even if I'm not locked up and interogated i will get some sort of restraining device, and no one I'm telling you no one will want to be near me or trust me."
She snapped at him, "it's not okay and I'm not alright, never have been i doubt i will be in the future.' she let out a sigh before just looking away.
"you know I'm right Malachi."
Matteo looked up at Alister, before looking back down again, alister wasn't smiling, he made aoister upset and now he was probably upset at him for interupting the pretty lady's conversation, he looked away. "I don't wanna eat.."
Evan the mom walked over and told Trent that he shouldnt be getting matteo in trouble.
( i mean he gives off mom vibes ajdjjddj)
(Also best not to let matteo get the same horrible eating habits evan has- he Already skinny)
(he doessss also excuse me what?? Horrible eating habits??? Evan, Matteo, pls- lemme feed you- )
(Pls let them come to my house and we can make pasta-)
"Oh joy i can't wait for you too explain everything" she grumbled walking along the side of the spinx.
"Malachi be honest, do you really think they will just let me go that easy? Seriously? I mean come on, think about it, being realistic even if I'm not locked up and interogated i will get some sort of restraining device, and no one I'm telling you no one will want to be near me or trust me."
She snapped at him, "it's not okay and I'm not alright, never have been i doubt i will be in the future.' she let out a sigh before just looking away.
"you know I'm right Malachi."
His expression darkened. He stopped walking, forced to remove himself from the foolish idea that everything would be fine and dandy once they got back to the prison. Strange, he seemed to be indulging in many foolish ideas lately. Perhaps he'd hit his head one time too many.
"There will be security measures we'll have to take, yes," he said slowly. The realization of what might happen was finally occurring to him. "You'll most likely be interrogated, and we will each give our accounts of what happened between my abduction and my return. You wouldn't be restrained or locked up… I think. Just let me do the talking. Except of course, when you can't. But they'll listen to me, they have to-"
He flinched when she snapped at him. He was silent for a moment. She was right, but Malachi was afraid of saying so. He leaned on the creature, feeling himself grow dizzy.
"You don't have to come," he said at last. "I can make something up, say you let me go then disappeared. After all, if all you really want from coming is your name or maybe your brother, then you don't have to come with me. Come later, in the night perhaps." He sighed, regretting his negligence of Arden's feelings about it all.
Matteo looked up at Alister, before looking back down again, alister wasn't smiling, he made aoister upset and now he was probably upset at him for interupting the pretty lady's conversation, he looked away. "I don't wanna eat.."
Evan the mom walked over and told Trent that he shouldnt be getting matteo in trouble.
Alister looked at the boy, concerned. "Are you sure? You look…" he pressed his hand to Matteo's ribs, his concern growing when he felt them protruding. "You're definitely underweight. You need to eat, okay? So you don't get sick or weak. You can have my roll."
He took his roll from his plate and handed it to Matteo, his embarrassment from before fading.
Matteo looked over at the roll, before taking a small bite of it and chewing it. He continues to take small nibbles of the bites, obviously being upset but he didn't want to say no to Alister, knowing Alister was upset.
"thanks…" He sat down with his head down, eating small nibbles of the bun.
Evan sighed as put a hand on trents shoulder, "I know you guys were just having a little fun, and that's okay I'm not against having fun but just, not right now okay? Maybe when charlie is not talking to someone and just maybe later."
Trent nodded with a sigh, "alright.."
Evan smiled at him, "Thank you." He turned back to Alister with a thumbs up.