Hold your colour 2/3creepyliciousMay 31 2012, 01:20:02 UTC
~2~ Poison can't allow himself to be gentle with the kid, he needs info and he needs it now.
“Okay, kid-”
“Brendon,” the kid interrupts.
“Brendon. I need to know what went down in that camp.”
“I wasn't there. I heard it from some guy-”
“I don't care. I need to know what happened and why people are freaking out about it.” Brendon shrugs, but Poison isn't fooled. He knows people and that kid is scared shitless and that's a good thing too. Keeps you alive.
“Pills day in and day out and mindless tasks and then a few days ago a few people tried a break out and they were cornered and -” Brendon stops, but Poison waits him out. If that kid wasn't of the people who got away, Poison's gonna eat his freaking gun. “They used some kind of gas,” Brendon whispers. “And then this guy did something.”
“What do you mean something?”
Brendon looks up at Poison then, wonder in his huge eyes. “It was like magic. He built a barrier out of the most beautiful blue you've ever seen. Right between us and them.”
Brendon isn't a very good liar, Poison thinks. “Where is he now?”
“I don't know. People got separated.”
Poison nods. Happens all the time. After a break-out you're safer in smaller numbers. “Okay. Jet's gonna give you something to eat now,” he says.
“So?” Kid asks after Brendon's gone with Jet Star.
“You heard him. They used some kind of gas. Hell only knows what was in that stuff. He was probably hallucinating.”
“Ever the sceptic,” Kid answers.
“Ever the optimist. There is no magic, there is no time-travel and no saviour. We're on our own.”
Kid sighs. “Still worth checking it out. And if Korse wants him, we want to have him on our side-”
“Or dead,” Poison says, because sometimes he has to make the hard decisions. Kid nods.
~+~ “Put that on,” she says throwing him a jacket and t-shirt. God only knows where she got this stuff and how. He decides not to ask. “We need to do something with your hair soon too.”
“It's fine.”
“There are people who know who you are, there are people who think you're a messiah of some sorts. There are people who-”
“Think I'm a freak and want me dead,” he interrupts undressing and throwing his old shirt into a corner. The new one is a dark blue, the jacket too, but bright and vibrant. He didn't see such a colour since they broke out.
“It's the same as your eyes,” she says.
“I like it.”
“You better.”
“So, what's the plan?”
“I got us a ride and supplies.”
“And?”
“We drive out of here and into the desert.”
“That is your plan?” Adam asks.
“You can come up with one any time, Adam. I'm all ears.” She's crossed her arms over her chest in her no-nonsense pose. It's hard to argue with her when she's like this. For such a small, slim woman she's pretty freaking tough.
“We need a place to stay and we need-”
“I know what you're going to say, because you like people despite everything.” She sighs. “For now, we need to get moving and you alive. We'll make up the rest as we go. Okay?”
Hold your colour 3/3creepyliciousMay 31 2012, 01:25:40 UTC
~3~ “D doesn't believe in a messiah,” Pony says lazily. Poison nods, of course he doesn't. No one in their right minds would. “But something is up. This was no ordinary camp.”
“Are there even ordinary camps?” Kid asks.
Pony smiles sharply. “No.”
“So, what was it then?”
“Experiments of some sorts. Higher brain functions and all that shit.”
“I thought BLIND wanted us all brain-dead?” Poison says.
“Seems, not all of us. Some people are born with natural gifts and BLIND just wants to know why and how to get rid of it. Or that is D's theory. We know shit about this, you know?” Poison nods. It isn't as easy as it used to be to get in and out of BLIND facilities with infos.
“What's yours?” Kid asks.
Pony shrugs. “If brainwashed these people could be really freaking dangerous. Mind reading and all that jazz. If it is true.”
“And we don't know what they are brewing in their labs.”
“We don't. D says, you better find that messiah and quick.”
“D has any idea what to do with him after?” Kid wants to know.
“Hell if I know. On some days even D just wants to flip the switch like the Joker.”
“Hell on same days I want to do that too,” Poison admits.
Pony smiles. “A saviour would be handy about right now.”
“We managed on our own for years now,” Poison gives back sharply.
“And we will keep on fighting, you know that,” Pony answers gently, but firmly. He steps closer and Poison keeps still, let's him tuck back a strand of his hair, lets him get close without breaking his arm on pure instinct. “There,” Pony says. Poison exhales slowly. When Pony does shit like that Poison just wants to slam him against the nearest surface and kiss him senseless - for a start.
“You heard about the whereabouts of the messiah?” Kid asks.
“No, he isn't in the City anymore. Or he's really good at hide and seek.”
“The outskirts of the zones aren't safe. All kinds of scum lives there. They would rat him out for their next fix. If he's smart, he's making for the desert.”
“Don't know about smart, but he must have spine, at least. He did break out of that camp,” Pony answers, stepping back.
“Keep us posted?”
“You're the first to know if I should stumble upon a lost messiah. Any idea how he really looks?”
“The kids we spoke too, said really tall, and pretty and with piercing eyes.”
Pony grins. “I'll keep my eagle eyes wide open then.”
~+~ The desert is different from how he imagined it. It's way grittier and colourful. Hotter too. Emilie is looking out of the window as they're passing by abandoned houses and gas stations, crippled trees, dunes and colourful mailboxes. Adam wonders what the purpose of those are. It's not like there is a mail delivery system out here, he thinks. But maybe he's wrong. People live here, people who don't want to be found, people who have to communicated to stay alive and undetected. People like him.
“We'll have to find somewhere to spend the night,” she says.
“I know,” he answers.
“The desert gets cold at night. We need to hide the car too.”
“I know,” he repeats. He wonders if this is going to be his life now. Running from BLIND, driving through the desert and letting her care for him. He is a grown man, for god's sake - or whoever's. He should be able to care for himself.
“You're thinking too loud.”
“How can you even tell?”
“I'm awesome like that,” she answers. He suspects there is something else going on with her too. People in the camp, he doesn't think they were normal people. He looks at his hands on the steering-wheel. They look huge and pale. No one in the desert should look that pale, he knows it. There are no traces of the blue smoke. He doesn't even know how he did what he did. Maybe it was a fluke.
She puts her small hand over one of his and squeezes. “It's there, you just need to access it.”
“What if I don't want to?” he says softly.
“Then you don't.” He nods, sometimes it's just that easy. But he knows it won't stay that way for long.
Re: Hold your colour 3/3delicateflower8May 31 2012, 23:40:21 UTC
Yay! I love it! So excited for more! I'd love you forever if you could manage to squeeze a little Tommy Joe Ratliff into the plot somehow, but if he doesn't fit in with your plan, I understand that too, and it'll still be super awesome, I'm sure. :) Can't wait to see what you come up with!
Hold your colour TWO: neon green creepyliciousJune 1 2012, 23:42:58 UTC
I don't know if I can, but I'll try to sneak him in. Have another chapter (I'm planing on five more)
Two: Neon green
~1~ “You're nervous about this,” Kid says. Poison nods, he wouldn't ever admit it to anyone else, but Kid, well, Kid is and always was a special case.
“What if he is what people say he is?”
“A saviour?”
“Yeah. What if this could be over?”
“You know it isn't that easy. Even if that kid has special powers or whatever, even if people would follow him, BLIND isn't going to surrender. Korse isn't going to stop just because some kid can produce blue smoke with his fingertips or whatever,” Kid answers. He lights one of the last three cigarettes he has left, takes a drag and hands it over to Poison.
“Thanks,” he needs this so badly now. Smoking is really a freaking bad habit to have out here in the zones. But then, the propaganda is that no one smokes in the City. Yeah, Poison thinks, my ass.
“You want to go looking for him?” Kid asks.
Poison exhales smoke slowly, thinking it over. They can't just drive around in the desert. Gas doesn't come cheap. But he'll be damned if his fingers aren't itching for the wheel anyway. “No.”
“We don't have anything better to do. We're sitting on our asses, Poison.” Kid says and after a short silence, “Ghoul's going crazy. You know how he loves to be confined.”
Poison smiles. “Where would we even start?”
Kid grins. “Where everyone would start who is hiding. They need clothes and supplies. Gas probably too.”
“The snake king.”
“He's going by King of the Cobra,” Kid corrects.
Poison takes another drag. “Today or for some time now? I remember when he wanted people to call him Almighty Cobra, Alien Snake and Cobra Starship,” Poison rolls his eyes.
“Yeah, that's the name of his car,” Kid says.
“Figures.”
“I know you don't like him much-”
“Because he's batschit crazy, Kid.”
Kid ignores the statement. “He knows shit and he knows how to get stuff done and if you need something, people will point you to him.”
Poison sighs. “You're going. I can't deal with all the neon. You can take Ghoul.”
“Ghoul likes neon.”
“Ghoul like to mess around with Vicky.”
“That too,” Kid admits.
“Three days, if I'm not hearing from you by then, I'm gonna come get you-”
“Guns blazing. I know,” Kid interrupts smoothly.
~+~ Adam doesn't think he's ever going to get sick of the desert. Sitting on the sand, his back against the warm metal of the car and letting the grains run trough his fingers, he feels peaceful. Emilie is sleeping in the backseat of the car, but Adam just can't sleep. He's wide awake. The stars are far away points of dirty light, but it's better than the grey ceilings of the camp. They could hide out here. Find one of the abandoned houses, make it their own. And then, what? What would they do for the rest of their lives? It's a hard question, he never had to think about it before. Before everything was laid out clear. Every day was the same. Pills and tests and sleeping and being awake when he was told to sleep or being awake. This here is a whole new world and maybe they're not going to make it on their own.
Re: Hold your colour TWO: neon green con.creepyliciousJune 1 2012, 23:50:30 UTC
~2~ Kid genuinely likes the King. He knows Poison doesn't get it, but then Poison and the King have different opinions on how to fight BLIND. The King sat up camp in a cave and cares for those who come to him for help. No matter if they're staying. He isn't actively trying to destroy BLIND. That is of course no option for Poison.
“Kid!” The King says, grabbing him by the shirt and hugging the living hell out of him. “You came without your brother.”
“You know Poison, he-”
“Doesn't like me, which, whatever,” he dismisses.
Kid shrugs as the King lets him go. “We need to talk.”
“Figured that wasn't a booty call.” He turns to the entrance of the cave and gestures them to follow. “Come in into my parlour-”
“Said the spider to the fly,” Kid finishes and the King laughs.
“We've heard about the so called messiah, but we don't believe in it,” the King says inside. They're sitting at a big green table. Kid can hear children playing outside in the shadows where it's save.
McCoy nods.”It's possible he was here. You know there is a lot of driftwood coming and going. They take what we can give them and are out of here. Some people need to be on the run.”
Kid nods. Yeah, some people do. “We don't have a very good description, but the kids we talked to said: tall, pretty and with piercing eyes.”
“Doesn't ring a bell,” the King says, “but I didn't deal with the driftwood the last few days. That was Bilvy.”
“Can I talk to him or is he busy being pretty and what not?” Kid asks.
The King laughs. “Can't blame a boy for trying.”
It's true and you really can't blame a boy for trying. And it's not that Kid doesn't like Bilvy, it's more that he feels some stupid kind of competition every time they're in the same room.
“He's out,” McCoy throws in, “but he should be back tonight.”
“Sure?”
“He said he would be back by nightfall today. So, yeah, I am. If he isn't, he's dead.”
Kid isn't sure what the King would do then, because as far as everyone who is close enough to the King is concerned, Bilvy and McCoy keep the King sane.
“He'll be back,” the King cuts in. “He's always coming back.”
~+~ Adam is arguing with Emilie all the time now. He wants to rest and find a place to stay, but she keeps pushing. So when they find the colony, because there is no other way to describe it, it's a mess of tents and cars, he makes her stop. He needs to stretch his legs anyway. Needs to get out of the car for a little while.
“Fine,” she says. “I guess we can ask around where to get supplies and things like that. Not that they won't smell we're fresh meat,” she sighs.
“It'll be fine.”
She gives him a look. “When we're dead, then it will be fine.”
“Aren't you a ray of sunshine?”
She smiles sharply at him. “Honey, you have no idea.”
He tugs her against him and she lets him. Breathing slowly and carefully as he hugs her. There wasn't much human contact in the camps. It wasn't encouraged and to be honest they didn't really feel like there was something missing. But now, Adam wants to touch and hug all the time. Like he's trying to compensate for all the lost years. “Come one, then,” she says into his chest. They figure out pretty fast that it's some kind of market. And that people don't care much for strangers, because at the market a lot of people are. They're blending in alright thanks to Emilie's hair and clothes. Colour is everywhere and it's vibrant. A living thing. Hair, clothes, skin.
“I want colour on my skin,” Adam whispers as a pretty girl with a lot of ink walks by them. She smiles at him as she hears it and Adam smiles back.
Re: Hold your colour TWO: neon green con.creepyliciousJune 1 2012, 23:55:05 UTC
They break up for an hour to stroll around and while he's waiting for her by the car a vibrant green shirt catches his eye. The guy packing them up looks up, most likely because he feels Adam staring.
“Want it?” he asks.
Adam does, but Emilie has all their money. He didn't ask where she got it from. He's sure she wouldn't have told him anyway. “No.”
The guy looks him up and then and then smiles. He's just a boy, really, Adam thinks. “Yeah, you do. Tell you what,” he says, coming closer, “I'm gonna give it to you.”
“What?”
“It's a gift. I think it'll ft you.”
“I can't-”
“Don't be stupid. Take it,” the guy says, pushing the shirt at Adam and Adam takes it on instinct.
“Thanks,” Adam says, smiling.
“You are really-” he stops.
“Stupid?”
“Pretty,” the boy answers.
Adam laughs.
3~ “I hear his bike,” McCoy says, getting up. The King nods. Kid waits them out. He's not going to get up for this. Bilvy knows his way here. He'll be here in a few minutes. Kid can spare a few minutes - today at least. It isn't always the case. He wishes Ghoul would stop fucking around with Vicky and be here for when Bilvy sits down at the King's side. But of course Ghoul won't. These moments with Vicky are rare and far in between.
“You're back,” the King says.
Bilvy nods once in the King's direction. “Kid,” he says. Not hostile, but not friendly either.
“Bilvy,” Kid answers.
The King rolls his eyes at them. Kid can't even blame him for it. They behave like children. Not that the King doesn't enjoy this shit, Kid thinks fondly.
“Kid and his merry band of good-doers are looking for someone,” the King says as Bilvy sits down. His hair is a mess and there is sand and dust on his skin, but he still looks fucking pretty, Kid thinks.
“We see a lot of people.”
“Someone special,” McCoy throws in.
“Of course,” Bilvy answers. “So?”
“Tall, pretty, piercing eyes,” Kid says, because that's the best description they have.
“That's all?” Bilvy answers. “Could be me for all I know.”
“I wouldn't say your eyes are piercing,” McCoy says. Bilvy smiles, a slow and dangerous smile.
“Did you see new people at the market?” Kid asks.
“Fresh meat, you mean?”
Kid nods. It's not a nice description, but it fits. “Yeah.”
“A pretty girl with red hair and torn white clothes. She obviously was fresh meat, but I wouldn't have messed around with her.”
“We're looking for a guy.”
“A few,” Bilvy stops and cocks his head. "One had really freakishly blue eyes. I gave him a shirt.”
“Tall?”
“Yeah,” Bilvy answers. “And pretty.”
“Do you have a name?”
Bilvy shakes his head. “He's with the gorgeous red-head, though. Saw them drive away together. NO freaking plates, so don't even ask. They were heading into Leto territory.”
“So send them there?”
“They're good people and they can fix cars.”
As statements go, these are both true. Still, Letos, fuck. Poison messed one time too many with the older brother. Kid bets J. is still pissed at them. “What else should I have done? Send them your way? So you can do what?” Bilvy answers. Kid shrugs. It's no secret people die when they hang around them too long. He and Poison, are enemies number one. Ghoul and Jet Star too. Happens when you target BLIND facilities. Bombs and molotov cocktails don't make you a lot of friends.
“Chances are, he's not even your kid,” McCoy throws in.
“He's not a kid, exactly. He's a man. Might be your age,” Bilvy says looking at Kid. That's good news, actually, Kid thinks. At least the saviour isn't seventeen. “If he is our kid, Korse wants him. I don't think he cares about the how much. If he is what people say he is, more dead than alive will do too.”
“He didn't look like a saviour,” Bilvy says, and Kid doesn't wonder how he knows. Bilvy is smart. He catches on freaking fast.
“Poison doesn't look like he could fuck you up. Badly.”
Bilvy smiles. “Point. Try your luck with the Letos then.”
Fuck, Kid thinks again. He's pretty sure he and Jet Star will have to do that. Poison will be shot on the spot.
Re: Hold your colour TWO: neon green con.creepyliciousJune 1 2012, 23:57:48 UTC
~+~ Emilie is laughing at him. He knows it, but he doesn't care. He's grinning like a mad person. He has a brand new shirt and it has colour.
“And it only cost you a kiss,” she says.
“I got it for free. The kiss was...a thank you,” Adam answers. He's maybe still in awe a bit here, but who can blame him? It's not like there was much kissing happening in the camp.
“Right. So, you think we should find those Letos?”
“The car makes funny noises,” Adam answers. They can't afford to get stranded in the desert.
“We don't have much money left,” she says.
“We'll manage,” he replies, because what else is there to do? “Besides Bilvy said the shirt would get us a foot in the door.”
“I think it's a good thing you're pretty,” she answers.
“You're gorgeous,” he says.
“Shut up. You don't even like girls.”
“I like them okay. I just don't wanna have sex with them.”
She smiles and keeps quiet.
AN: This is getting ridiculously long...I might start to post links to my journal.
Poison can't allow himself to be gentle with the kid, he needs info and he needs it now.
“Okay, kid-”
“Brendon,” the kid interrupts.
“Brendon. I need to know what went down in that camp.”
“I wasn't there. I heard it from some guy-”
“I don't care. I need to know what happened and why people are freaking out about it.”
Brendon shrugs, but Poison isn't fooled. He knows people and that kid is scared shitless and that's a good thing too. Keeps you alive.
“Pills day in and day out and mindless tasks and then a few days ago a few people tried a break out and they were cornered and -” Brendon stops, but Poison waits him out. If that kid wasn't of the people who got away, Poison's gonna eat his freaking gun. “They used some kind of gas,” Brendon whispers. “And then this guy did something.”
“What do you mean something?”
Brendon looks up at Poison then, wonder in his huge eyes. “It was like magic. He built a barrier out of the most beautiful blue you've ever seen. Right between us and them.”
Brendon isn't a very good liar, Poison thinks. “Where is he now?”
“I don't know. People got separated.”
Poison nods. Happens all the time. After a break-out you're safer in smaller numbers. “Okay. Jet's gonna give you something to eat now,” he says.
“So?” Kid asks after Brendon's gone with Jet Star.
“You heard him. They used some kind of gas. Hell only knows what was in that stuff. He was probably hallucinating.”
“Ever the sceptic,” Kid answers.
“Ever the optimist. There is no magic, there is no time-travel and no saviour. We're on our own.”
Kid sighs. “Still worth checking it out. And if Korse wants him, we want to have him on our side-”
“Or dead,” Poison says, because sometimes he has to make the hard decisions.
Kid nods.
~+~
“Put that on,” she says throwing him a jacket and t-shirt. God only knows where she got this stuff and how. He decides not to ask. “We need to do something with your hair soon too.”
“It's fine.”
“There are people who know who you are, there are people who think you're a messiah of some sorts. There are people who-”
“Think I'm a freak and want me dead,” he interrupts undressing and throwing his old shirt into a corner. The new one is a dark blue, the jacket too, but bright and vibrant. He didn't see such a colour since they broke out.
“It's the same as your eyes,” she says.
“I like it.”
“You better.”
“So, what's the plan?”
“I got us a ride and supplies.”
“And?”
“We drive out of here and into the desert.”
“That is your plan?” Adam asks.
“You can come up with one any time, Adam. I'm all ears.” She's crossed her arms over her chest in her no-nonsense pose. It's hard to argue with her when she's like this. For such a small, slim woman she's pretty freaking tough.
“We need a place to stay and we need-”
“I know what you're going to say, because you like people despite everything.” She sighs. “For now, we need to get moving and you alive. We'll make up the rest as we go. Okay?”
“Okay.”
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“D doesn't believe in a messiah,” Pony says lazily. Poison nods, of course he doesn't. No one in their right minds would. “But something is up. This was no ordinary camp.”
“Are there even ordinary camps?” Kid asks.
Pony smiles sharply. “No.”
“So, what was it then?”
“Experiments of some sorts. Higher brain functions and all that shit.”
“I thought BLIND wanted us all brain-dead?” Poison says.
“Seems, not all of us. Some people are born with natural gifts and BLIND just wants to know why and how to get rid of it. Or that is D's theory. We know shit about this, you know?”
Poison nods. It isn't as easy as it used to be to get in and out of BLIND facilities with infos.
“What's yours?” Kid asks.
Pony shrugs. “If brainwashed these people could be really freaking dangerous. Mind reading and all that jazz. If it is true.”
“And we don't know what they are brewing in their labs.”
“We don't. D says, you better find that messiah and quick.”
“D has any idea what to do with him after?” Kid wants to know.
“Hell if I know. On some days even D just wants to flip the switch like the Joker.”
“Hell on same days I want to do that too,” Poison admits.
Pony smiles. “A saviour would be handy about right now.”
“We managed on our own for years now,” Poison gives back sharply.
“And we will keep on fighting, you know that,” Pony answers gently, but firmly. He steps closer and Poison keeps still, let's him tuck back a strand of his hair, lets him get close without breaking his arm on pure instinct. “There,” Pony says. Poison exhales slowly. When Pony does shit like that Poison just wants to slam him against the nearest surface and kiss him senseless - for a start.
“You heard about the whereabouts of the messiah?” Kid asks.
“No, he isn't in the City anymore. Or he's really good at hide and seek.”
“The outskirts of the zones aren't safe. All kinds of scum lives there. They would rat him out for their next fix. If he's smart, he's making for the desert.”
“Don't know about smart, but he must have spine, at least. He did break out of that camp,” Pony answers, stepping back.
“Keep us posted?”
“You're the first to know if I should stumble upon a lost messiah. Any idea how he really looks?”
“The kids we spoke too, said really tall, and pretty and with piercing eyes.”
Pony grins. “I'll keep my eagle eyes wide open then.”
~+~
The desert is different from how he imagined it. It's way grittier and colourful. Hotter too. Emilie is looking out of the window as they're passing by abandoned houses and gas stations, crippled trees, dunes and colourful mailboxes. Adam wonders what the purpose of those are. It's not like there is a mail delivery system out here, he thinks. But maybe he's wrong. People live here, people who don't want to be found, people who have to communicated to stay alive and undetected. People like him.
“We'll have to find somewhere to spend the night,” she says.
“I know,” he answers.
“The desert gets cold at night. We need to hide the car too.”
“I know,” he repeats. He wonders if this is going to be his life now. Running from BLIND, driving through the desert and letting her care for him. He is a grown man, for god's sake - or whoever's. He should be able to care for himself.
“You're thinking too loud.”
“How can you even tell?”
“I'm awesome like that,” she answers.
He suspects there is something else going on with her too. People in the camp, he doesn't think they were normal people.
He looks at his hands on the steering-wheel. They look huge and pale. No one in the desert should look that pale, he knows it. There are no traces of the blue smoke. He doesn't even know how he did what he did. Maybe it was a fluke.
She puts her small hand over one of his and squeezes. “It's there, you just need to access it.”
“What if I don't want to?” he says softly.
“Then you don't.”
He nods, sometimes it's just that easy. But he knows it won't stay that way for long.
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Glad you like it.
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Have another chapter (I'm planing on five more)
Two: Neon green
~1~
“You're nervous about this,” Kid says.
Poison nods, he wouldn't ever admit it to anyone else, but Kid, well, Kid is and always was a special case.
“What if he is what people say he is?”
“A saviour?”
“Yeah. What if this could be over?”
“You know it isn't that easy. Even if that kid has special powers or whatever, even if people would follow him, BLIND isn't going to surrender. Korse isn't going to stop just because some kid can produce blue smoke with his fingertips or whatever,” Kid answers. He lights one of the last three cigarettes he has left, takes a drag and hands it over to Poison.
“Thanks,” he needs this so badly now. Smoking is really a freaking bad habit to have out here in the zones. But then, the propaganda is that no one smokes in the City. Yeah, Poison thinks, my ass.
“You want to go looking for him?” Kid asks.
Poison exhales smoke slowly, thinking it over. They can't just drive around in the desert. Gas doesn't come cheap. But he'll be damned if his fingers aren't itching for the wheel anyway. “No.”
“We don't have anything better to do. We're sitting on our asses, Poison.” Kid says and after a short silence, “Ghoul's going crazy. You know how he loves to be confined.”
Poison smiles. “Where would we even start?”
Kid grins. “Where everyone would start who is hiding. They need clothes and supplies. Gas probably too.”
“The snake king.”
“He's going by King of the Cobra,” Kid corrects.
Poison takes another drag. “Today or for some time now? I remember when he wanted people to call him Almighty Cobra, Alien Snake and Cobra Starship,” Poison rolls his eyes.
“Yeah, that's the name of his car,” Kid says.
“Figures.”
“I know you don't like him much-”
“Because he's batschit crazy, Kid.”
Kid ignores the statement. “He knows shit and he knows how to get stuff done and if you need something, people will point you to him.”
Poison sighs. “You're going. I can't deal with all the neon. You can take Ghoul.”
“Ghoul likes neon.”
“Ghoul like to mess around with Vicky.”
“That too,” Kid admits.
“Three days, if I'm not hearing from you by then, I'm gonna come get you-”
“Guns blazing. I know,” Kid interrupts smoothly.
~+~
Adam doesn't think he's ever going to get sick of the desert. Sitting on the sand, his back against the warm metal of the car and letting the grains run trough his fingers, he feels peaceful. Emilie is sleeping in the backseat of the car, but Adam just can't sleep. He's wide awake. The stars are far away points of dirty light, but it's better than the grey ceilings of the camp. They could hide out here. Find one of the abandoned houses, make it their own. And then, what? What would they do for the rest of their lives?
It's a hard question, he never had to think about it before. Before everything was laid out clear. Every day was the same. Pills and tests and sleeping and being awake when he was told to sleep or being awake.
This here is a whole new world and maybe they're not going to make it on their own.
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Kid genuinely likes the King. He knows Poison doesn't get it, but then Poison and the King have different opinions on how to fight BLIND. The King sat up camp in a cave and cares for those who come to him for help. No matter if they're staying. He isn't actively trying to destroy BLIND. That is of course no option for Poison.
“Kid!” The King says, grabbing him by the shirt and hugging the living hell out of him. “You came without your brother.”
“You know Poison, he-”
“Doesn't like me, which, whatever,” he dismisses.
Kid shrugs as the King lets him go. “We need to talk.”
“Figured that wasn't a booty call.” He turns to the entrance of the cave and gestures them to follow. “Come in into my parlour-”
“Said the spider to the fly,” Kid finishes and the King laughs.
“We've heard about the so called messiah, but we don't believe in it,” the King says inside. They're sitting at a big green table. Kid can hear children playing outside in the shadows where it's save.
McCoy nods.”It's possible he was here. You know there is a lot of driftwood coming and going. They take what we can give them and are out of here. Some people need to be on the run.”
Kid nods. Yeah, some people do. “We don't have a very good description, but the kids we talked to said: tall, pretty and with piercing eyes.”
“Doesn't ring a bell,” the King says, “but I didn't deal with the driftwood the last few days. That was Bilvy.”
“Can I talk to him or is he busy being pretty and what not?” Kid asks.
The King laughs. “Can't blame a boy for trying.”
It's true and you really can't blame a boy for trying. And it's not that Kid doesn't like Bilvy, it's more that he feels some stupid kind of competition every time they're in the same room.
“He's out,” McCoy throws in, “but he should be back tonight.”
“Sure?”
“He said he would be back by nightfall today. So, yeah, I am. If he isn't, he's dead.”
Kid isn't sure what the King would do then, because as far as everyone who is close enough to the King is concerned, Bilvy and McCoy keep the King sane.
“He'll be back,” the King cuts in. “He's always coming back.”
~+~
Adam is arguing with Emilie all the time now. He wants to rest and find a place to stay, but she keeps pushing.
So when they find the colony, because there is no other way to describe it, it's a mess of tents and cars, he makes her stop. He needs to stretch his legs anyway. Needs to get out of the car for a little while.
“Fine,” she says. “I guess we can ask around where to get supplies and things like that. Not that they won't smell we're fresh meat,” she sighs.
“It'll be fine.”
She gives him a look. “When we're dead, then it will be fine.”
“Aren't you a ray of sunshine?”
She smiles sharply at him. “Honey, you have no idea.”
He tugs her against him and she lets him. Breathing slowly and carefully as he hugs her. There wasn't much human contact in the camps. It wasn't encouraged and to be honest they didn't really feel like there was something missing. But now, Adam wants to touch and hug all the time. Like he's trying to compensate for all the lost years. “Come one, then,” she says into his chest.
They figure out pretty fast that it's some kind of market. And that people don't care much for strangers, because at the market a lot of people are. They're blending in alright thanks to Emilie's hair and clothes. Colour is everywhere and it's vibrant. A living thing. Hair, clothes, skin.
“I want colour on my skin,” Adam whispers as a pretty girl with a lot of ink walks by them. She smiles at him as she hears it and Adam smiles back.
“You would,” Emilie answers, pulling him away.
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“Want it?” he asks.
Adam does, but Emilie has all their money. He didn't ask where she got it from. He's sure she wouldn't have told him anyway. “No.”
The guy looks him up and then and then smiles. He's just a boy, really, Adam thinks. “Yeah, you do. Tell you what,” he says, coming closer, “I'm gonna give it to you.”
“What?”
“It's a gift. I think it'll ft you.”
“I can't-”
“Don't be stupid. Take it,” the guy says, pushing the shirt at Adam and Adam takes it on instinct.
“Thanks,” Adam says, smiling.
“You are really-” he stops.
“Stupid?”
“Pretty,” the boy answers.
Adam laughs.
3~
“I hear his bike,” McCoy says, getting up.
The King nods. Kid waits them out. He's not going to get up for this. Bilvy knows his way here. He'll be here in a few minutes. Kid can spare a few minutes - today at least. It isn't always the case. He wishes Ghoul would stop fucking around with Vicky and be here for when Bilvy sits down at the King's side. But of course Ghoul won't. These moments with Vicky are rare and far in between.
“You're back,” the King says.
Bilvy nods once in the King's direction. “Kid,” he says. Not hostile, but not friendly either.
“Bilvy,” Kid answers.
The King rolls his eyes at them. Kid can't even blame him for it. They behave like children. Not that the King doesn't enjoy this shit, Kid thinks fondly.
“Kid and his merry band of good-doers are looking for someone,” the King says as Bilvy sits down. His hair is a mess and there is sand and dust on his skin, but he still looks fucking pretty, Kid thinks.
“We see a lot of people.”
“Someone special,” McCoy throws in.
“Of course,” Bilvy answers. “So?”
“Tall, pretty, piercing eyes,” Kid says, because that's the best description they have.
“That's all?” Bilvy answers. “Could be me for all I know.”
“I wouldn't say your eyes are piercing,” McCoy says.
Bilvy smiles, a slow and dangerous smile.
“Did you see new people at the market?” Kid asks.
“Fresh meat, you mean?”
Kid nods. It's not a nice description, but it fits. “Yeah.”
“A pretty girl with red hair and torn white clothes. She obviously was fresh meat, but I wouldn't have messed around with her.”
“We're looking for a guy.”
“A few,” Bilvy stops and cocks his head. "One had really freakishly blue eyes. I gave him a shirt.”
“Tall?”
“Yeah,” Bilvy answers. “And pretty.”
“Do you have a name?”
Bilvy shakes his head. “He's with the gorgeous red-head, though. Saw them drive away together. NO freaking plates, so don't even ask. They were heading into Leto territory.”
“So send them there?”
“They're good people and they can fix cars.”
As statements go, these are both true. Still, Letos, fuck. Poison messed one time too many with the older brother. Kid bets J. is still pissed at them.
“What else should I have done? Send them your way? So you can do what?” Bilvy answers.
Kid shrugs. It's no secret people die when they hang around them too long. He and Poison, are enemies number one. Ghoul and Jet Star too. Happens when you target BLIND facilities. Bombs and molotov cocktails don't make you a lot of friends.
“Chances are, he's not even your kid,” McCoy throws in.
“He's not a kid, exactly. He's a man. Might be your age,” Bilvy says looking at Kid.
That's good news, actually, Kid thinks. At least the saviour isn't seventeen. “If he is our kid, Korse wants him. I don't think he cares about the how much. If he is what people say he is, more dead than alive will do too.”
“He didn't look like a saviour,” Bilvy says, and Kid doesn't wonder how he knows. Bilvy is smart. He catches on freaking fast.
“Poison doesn't look like he could fuck you up. Badly.”
Bilvy smiles. “Point. Try your luck with the Letos then.”
Fuck, Kid thinks again. He's pretty sure he and Jet Star will have to do that. Poison will be shot on the spot.
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Emilie is laughing at him. He knows it, but he doesn't care. He's grinning like a mad person. He has a brand new shirt and it has colour.
“And it only cost you a kiss,” she says.
“I got it for free. The kiss was...a thank you,” Adam answers. He's maybe still in awe a bit here, but who can blame him? It's not like there was much kissing happening in the camp.
“Right. So, you think we should find those Letos?”
“The car makes funny noises,” Adam answers. They can't afford to get stranded in the desert.
“We don't have much money left,” she says.
“We'll manage,” he replies, because what else is there to do? “Besides Bilvy said the shirt would get us a foot in the door.”
“I think it's a good thing you're pretty,” she answers.
“You're gorgeous,” he says.
“Shut up. You don't even like girls.”
“I like them okay. I just don't wanna have sex with them.”
She smiles and keeps quiet.
AN: This is getting ridiculously long...I might start to post links to my journal.
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