She turned back to see him flinch when she snapped at him, something in her made her feel bad about it, like it was familar to her.
But why?
Why was that one single motion making her feel sympathy? She was upset at him and the situation so what the heck was that?
She stumbled back a bit, looking away. "I'm fine, I'm fine." She muttered out, gritting her teeth. It didn't seem to be coming in visions anymore, it was more like painfilled flashes of memory, and this wasn't a pleasant one.
She bit down on her tongue at the urge she got to scream, not from pain, but from the intense feeling she got.
She let go of her hand, panting a bit before continuing to move forward, ignoring any looks from the two of them and shoving them away( well she might have tried too, but she probably would have done it weakly.)
"i just….i don't want to trapped, i don't want to be held captive, not again. Okay?"
She spoke not looking at malachi with a bit of bite in her words.
Malachi and the creature shared a glance before he said, “We rebels do not hold our fellow humans captive, Arden. If being in the alien’s clutches has taught me anything, is that treating each other like the aliens treat us will destroy the human race as we know it. If there’s one thing I know without a doubt is that they will not hold you in one of the prison cells out of revenge or spite. So please, rest assured of that.”
The creature tried to get close to her, but a low whine came from her throat as she was pushed away.
He rubbed Matteo’s shoulder in reassurance before going to eat his mashed potatoes. He caught Evan’s thumbs up and nodded in reply.
By now, the cuts and bruises were healing or had been treated, and so the flowers on Alister and Evan’s bodies began wilting. Alister scratched absentmindedly at the wilting poppy on his cheek.
She sighed, moving her hand so the creature could get close to her, she couldn't deny it for any long amount of time, especially since it felt so familiar to her.
She stroked it gently, before looking at Malachi.
"this seems childish, but….do you, promise?" She asked while looking away and stroking the spinx.
He let Alister rub his shoulder, enjoying the shoulder rubs as he continued to nibble on his bread slowly but surely being able to finish it despite his claim for not being hungry.
Evan went and sat down next to Alister and Noel, giving matteo gentle headpats.
Trent just went over to noel.
Noel continued to stare at Matteo, only glancing at Trent in acknowledgment when he came over.
"Why did he even decide to come with us…?" Noel wondered, half to herself and half to Trent. "You saw those enslaved families, right? Did he belong to either of them? And how did he get away and approach us without being noticed?"
Meanwhile, when Alister saw that Matteo had eaten his food, he smiled at him proudly. "You ate it all! Good job." He patted his shoulder and remembering his sister, he turned to her and said, "You're eating too, right El?"
"Yeah, I am, stop worrying about me, you dork." She gestured to her plate of half-eaten mashed potatoes, forced to turn her gaze from the boy to her brother.
"That's kind of difficult when I've been worrying about you for literally three years, but okay." Alister rolled his eyes. Noel smacked his shoulder. He laughed.
The sphinx purred, leaning into Arden's strokes. Freedom is so terrifying, and yet even more terrifying is freedom being stolen, she seemed to say.
Malachi stared at the girl, his thoughts making him pause. Yesterday, she had seemed so uncomfortable, even fearful, with being free from the aliens, probably for the first time in her life. Now she was making him promise that she would never be in captivity again. Of course he could understand how she felt, he had gone through a somewhat similar experience, but it seemed so sudden. Perhaps it was, again, that he had been unconscious for most of the time she had been processing those feelings.
"Je promets, I promise," he murmured. "And it's not childish at all. Promises are a big deal."
Noel continued to stare at Matteo, only glancing at Trent in acknowledgment when he came over.
"Why did he even decide to come with us…?" Noel wondered, half to herself and half to Trent. "You saw those enslaved families, right? Did he belong to either of them? And how did he get away and approach us without being noticed?"
Meanwhile, when Alister saw that Matteo had eaten his food, he smiled at him proudly. "You ate it all! Good job." He patted his shoulder and remembering his sister, he turned to her and said, "You're eating too, right El?"
"Yeah, I am, stop worrying about me, you dork." She gestured to her plate of half-eaten mashed potatoes, forced to turn her gaze from the boy to her brother.
"That's kind of difficult when I've been worrying about you for literally three years, but okay." Alister rolled his eyes. Noel smacked his shoulder. He laughed.
Trent shrugged looking at the kid, before looking back at Noel.
"Who knows, maybe he somehow was able to get away from them?"
He whispered to Noel, laughing a bit at the sibling stuff.
Evan smiled as well, eating a little bit as well.
Matteo looked up at Alister, "It's nothing big just a bread roll.." he played it off like itwasnt a big deal., Though it was to him at least a little bit.
"Do you…have another?..'
The sphinx purred, leaning into Arden's strokes. Freedom is so terrifying, and yet even more terrifying is freedom being stolen, she seemed to say.
Malachi stared at the girl, his thoughts making him pause. Yesterday, she had seemed so uncomfortable, even fearful, with being free from the aliens, probably for the first time in her life. Now she was making him promise that she would never be in captivity again. Of course he could understand how she felt, he had gone through a somewhat similar experience, but it seemed so sudden. Perhaps it was, again, that he had been unconscious for most of the time she had been processing those feelings.
"Je promets, I promise," he murmured. "And it's not childish at all. Promises are a big deal."
"yeah…" She softly agreed with the spinx still sttroking them gently as they continued to approach.
"Okay …well it doesn't matter if they are a big deal, promises got broken like there nothing..so prove to me they are a big deal, and keep it."
He sighed. “I think that’s because nothing is guaranteed these days, you know?” He smiled gently as he watched her stroke the beast. “Promises simply become something to say when when you want it to be meaningful, or to simply please someone. But it’s also a sacred thing that binds you to someone. If you break the promise, you break the bind. You break the bond you have with that person; it’s a betrayal. That’s why this is a big deal to me. Your promise binds you to me, and I value you and your company. You are a friend to me. That is why, even though nothing is guaranteed, I will do everything in my power to keep my promise.”
Their eyes met, and he hoped she could see his sincerity. It wasn’t just that she was his friend, either. He knew what it felt like to be trapped, contained, to be at the mercy of your captors. It was something he vowed to never experience again, and he wondered if Arden made that same vow.
“Yeah, that’s what I’m asking,” Noel whispered back, though rather snappishly. “How could he have gotten away? But eh, I suppose you wouldn’t know anyway. Maybe he has some sort of special ability, like August’s invisibility.”
Alister chuckled at Matteo’s attempt at modesty, and how his request implied that he may be hungry after all. “I don’t, but I can get you another one if you’d like. Or you could help me eat my mashed potatoes.”
He then caught Evan’s smile, and he found himself thinking about how pretty it looked on his face. Then he started thinking about how pretty Evan’s face looked in general.
She blinked for a moment, almost if pausing. She stopped petting the spinx for a few seconds before going back to stroking the fur.
Friend?..
She did see the sincerity in his eyes, among other things.
"You…consider me your friend?…" She didn't mean for it to come out that way, but she didn't really ever have friends. Or someone she felt she could trust.
So this was new to her.
She looked away from him holding her arm, "I guess I could stay A while.." she muttered, though he could probably still hear her.
“Yeah, that’s what I’m asking,” Noel whispered back, though rather snappishly. “How could he have gotten away? But eh, I suppose you wouldn’t know anyway. Maybe he has some sort of special ability, like August’s invisibility.”
Alister chuckled at Matteo’s attempt at modesty, and how his request implied that he may be hungry after all. “I don’t, but I can get you another one if you’d like. Or you could help me eat my mashed potatoes.”
He then caught Evan’s smile, and he found himself thinking about how pretty it looked on his face. Then he started thinking about how pretty Evan’s face looked in general.
"right, well I'm gonna go get some food I'm starved man." Just pretend he didn't get food already akdjdjdj he walked over to the food table, somehow roped into help serving.
The guy who should have been helping serving walked over to noel, leaning on the table.
"hey good looking you use all those arms for anything other then fighting?~" he winked at her, grinning flirtatiously at her. He looked much much older then her, like pervert ew.
When noel got up he begán to follow after her before eventually pinning her to the wall and putting a hand up next to her head.
"come on gorgeous talk to me~ i want to see what those hands can really do~" he grinned at her.
Evan was smiling at Alister until his expression turned slowly into a very upset position.
He had caught sight of the two of them.
Matteo was happily eating his mash potatoes.
Noel rolled her eyes as Trent left. He even eats like a wolf.
She went back to eating her food when she realized she'd forgotten to get a drink and was feeling thirsty. She had just gotten up when she noticed a guy walking towards her. Her chest seized up. Not him again. She remained silent at his catcall, her expression hardening as she made her way to the table with the cups of water. Apparently ignoring him wasn't enough, because she noticed him following her and tried to get off his tail. She thought she could escape out of the cafeteria and wait till he was gone, but he was too quick. Pinned against the wall, she wanted to kick him in the groin, but she knew it was no use. Every time she tried to move, she felt pressure on her muscles, forcing them to stay still. Just this guy's luck he has that stupid ability.
"Connor," she scowled. "I am second in command of this rebellion, and I ordered you to stay away from me. You disobeyed. You're going to be kicked out for this."
Meanwhile, Alister ate with Matteo, watching Evan absentmindedly. For a moment, he didn't even notice when Evan shifted his gaze somewhere past him, but as he watched his expression change, he realized something was wrong. He turned to see what Evan was looking at and froze. What was that guy doing with-
He shot to his feet, blood roaring in his ears. He waited to see if Noel would do anything, but if that guy laid a finger on her, he would be fully willing to give him a lesson he wouldn't forget.
She blinked for a moment, almost if pausing. She stopped petting the spinx for a few seconds before going back to stroking the fur.
Friend?..
She did see the sincerity in his eyes, among other things.
"You…consider me your friend?…" She didn't mean for it to come out that way, but she didn't really ever have friends. Or someone she felt she could trust.
So this was new to her.
She looked away from him holding her arm, "I guess I could stay A while.." she muttered, though he could probably still hear her.
He found himself smiling at her. For some reason she looked so adorable at this moment, it was a wonder that she tried to kill him yesterday.
"Oui!" he exclaimed. He wanted to give her a hug, but he didn't think she would like that, so he reached over and gave her head pats. It now occurred to him how tiny she was compared to him. "Tu es mon ami."
Then he chuckled at her words. "Whatever you're comfortable with, yeah? They're still going to interrogate you."
(I'm gonna make it canon)
"Hey!" She huffed at him when reached over to have her headpats though she would deny enjoying them if asked.
"just because your pretty doesn't mean you can just do whatever you want!' she yelled at him, not realizing what had slipped out before it was too late.
"wait No-" she immediately regretted it and is now going to deny any attempt that says she just said that.
"I know that!" She snapped at him from being a bit flustered.
Noel rolled her eyes as Trent left. He even eats like a wolf.
She went back to eating her food when she realized she'd forgotten to get a drink and was feeling thirsty. She had just gotten up when she noticed a guy walking towards her. Her chest seized up. Not him again. She remained silent at his catcall, her expression hardening as she made her way to the table with the cups of water. Apparently ignoring him wasn't enough, because she noticed him following her and tried to get off his tail. She thought she could escape out of the cafeteria and wait till he was gone, but he was too quick. Pinned against the wall, she wanted to kick him in the groin, but she knew it was no use. Every time she tried to move, she felt pressure on her muscles, forcing them to stay still. Just this guy's luck he has that stupid ability.
"Connor," she scowled. "I am second in command of this rebellion, and I ordered you to stay away from me. You disobeyed. You're going to be kicked out for this."
Meanwhile, Alister ate with Matteo, watching Evan absentmindedly. For a moment, he didn't even notice when Evan shifted his gaze somewhere past him, but as he watched his expression change, he realized something was wrong. He turned to see what Evan was looking at and froze. What was that guy doing with-
He shot to his feet, blood roaring in his ears. He waited to see if Noel would do anything, but if that guy laid a finger on her, he would be fully willing to give him a lesson he wouldn't forget.
(This disgusts me aidjdjf I'm angy at connor)
He smirks at her, moving brush his hand against her face, and reaching up to tuck a strand of her behind her ear.
"well then i guess i better enjoy it before I'm kicked out then huh?~ i know you want me~" (I'm Litterally disgusted)
He whispered into her ear up close, before pulling back and smirking at her.
He planted a quick kiss on her cheek.
Evan quickly got up as well, under his shadowed eyes was an expression of pure fury. That guy was obviously older then her and had no right to be touching her, last time he held back.
This time, he wouldn't be so kind.
He stormed over to Connor making sure only connor could hear, ""THATS ENOUGH!"
Connor flinched immediately moving to cover his ears, he let out a chuckle and went in to kiss Noel but wasn't able to because Evan round house kicked Connor in the head.
"What in the pea sized idiot brain made you think that in any parallel universe that this would be okay?!" Other people could hear it now, he wasn't paying attention to who was listening and who wasn't. He was beyond pissed and he was going to finally be able to do something.
"She is nowhere near your age you sick pervert!" He growled at Connor, he was sitting in the ground and scouting back holding his head, ears bleeding slightly but evan made sure he could hear him.
A cold fear chilled Noel’s blood when he smirked, but she refused to let it show. She wanted to desperately slap his hand away from her hair, to punch him in the lips before he could plant them on her cheek, but she couldn’t. Her skin crawled. She wanted to move, to get away, but she was powerless, and she hated it. She hated him. Why couldn’t he just leave her alone? She’d rather take on the aliens than him.
Then suddenly Connor flinched, and Noel saw Evan storming over, Alister close behind. The moment Evan’s foot connected with Connor’s skull, she could move again, and she immediately rushed to her brother. He held her close, both of them deciding to leave Evan to deal with Connor when they heard the almost inhuman volume of his shouts.
At the table where they had been sitting, August, Emery, Charlie, and Vixen, who had now gathered around Emery’s hologram, had caught attention to the scene. August motioned the siblings over, and they made their way over to the table. Charlie got up and went over to Evan in Connor, just in case things got out of hand.
“Who is he?” Alister’s voice was deadly calm.
Noel shuddered. “Conner Smith. H-he was supposed to be serving food. He was supposed to stay away. He was supposed to- to-“
“He will never come near you ever again. Evan and I will make sure of that.”
He was breathing heavily in and out, he put a hand on his face before turning back to connor, trying to scoot away. He went and he grabbed connor by the back of his shirt, and he dragged him towards the gate, connor finally remembered to use his ability but due to the probable concussion that evan gave him, evan forced his way through connors ability all the way to the entrance and threw him out,
"DON'T COME BACK YOU SICK FREAK!" Connor was litterally shaking, "you better be greatful im smart enough not to hurt you badly, because I want too. If you even try to give away any information about the rebellion, i can and will come back for you."
He turned to leave, and connor tched getting up and connor threw a punch at the back of evans head. Evans stumbled forward, and connor smirked before Evan turned and pelted Connor across the face. His wrist getting coated slightly in connors blood, only because he gave connor a bloody nose.
He stormed all the way back to where everyone was, still slightly clenching his fists.
He walked over to Noel. "are you okay noel?"
"Hey!" She huffed at him when reached over to have her headpats though she would deny enjoying them if asked.
"just because your pretty doesn't mean you can just do whatever you want!' she yelled at him, not realizing what had slipped out before it was too late.
"wait No-" she immediately regretted it and is now going to deny any attempt that says she just said that.
"I know that!" She snapped at him from being a bit flustered.
Malachi stopped, his eyes widening. Then a smirk creeped up on him, and he was seized with laughter. He had to kneel over for a moment to recover. When at least he had calmed himself, the smirk remained.
“So the chat noir thinks the panthère noire is pretty, eh?”
She just continued to get redder and redder as he laughed up until the point of him stopping laughing.
"What?! No! I never said that i don't think your pretty! SHUT UP!"
she blushed red, incredibly flustered as she tried to pull her hair to cover her face while she was yelling at him.
