People Don't You Understand / The Child Needs a Helping Hand

[bingobangobongo]

[It was warm -- that's why he chose it. Someone had told him it was all right. No one lived there, and sure, lots of squatters had claimed many of the rooms of the closely guarded secret, but the attic still had some space. He might find room to rest for the night there, assuming the secret hadn't gotten to many other ears in the time it had gotten to his.]

[It was a treacherous climb up the rickety ladder, especially with a heavy bag in hand, but the warmth and being out of the blistering wind made it all worth it.]

[There was a candle in the middle of the attic, burning low to the ground. Everything else was pitch to his eyes, dark and oily and mysteriously black. Good. He could get some sleep.]

Comments

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

[Gives him a look or sheer incredulity.] Yeah, I wish a lot of things. [Gestures at him with a piece of bread.] That's not one of 'em though.

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

So, then, what do you wish for? [Al nibbled at a section of orange while wrapping and stowing half in his pack for later.] Money? Home? Place of your own?

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

Home. [No use lying about that much. She knew it'd be written all over her face if she did.]

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

Where's home? [Had he asked? He couldn't remember hearing her say, but he wasn't exactly paying attention there at the beginning.]

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

Not here. [Sometimes that worked, sometimes it didn't, but she had a feeling it might with him. Up 'til today, he hadn't been much the question asking type.]

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

[Of course, it worked for Al! He didn't feel right probing around in her life, even if he got the feeling like she was probing around in his.] Good a reason as any to get outta this town. [That was a half-mumble, though.]

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

I haven't decided if I'm goin'. [She looks up at him, considering for a moment. Since he wasn't much for asking questions, she figured she'd help him along.] 'Less you're offerin' a way outta here.

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

[He shrugs.] Yeah, I guess I am. I mean, I'm goin'. You can come if you wanna.

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

Fine. [She takes another bite of bread, hiding her smile, and wraps up what little remains, pushing the cake at him.] We'll take this with us. [Loosely translated, that meant: 'Here, carry this.']

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

[He nodded, taking her command and carefully packing the food into his bag near what he'd managed to keep around so far.] Guess there'll be one more blonde in California.

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

[Nods, brushing crumbs off her hands and collecting up their orange peels.] Let's get gone then before Michael comes back n' tries to collect on what I owe, huh?

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

Sure, if you're okay with that. [Not that Calavicci was particularly moral; had the roles played out a little different, Al certainly would have gotten his payment first.]

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

[Shrugs, tossing him a smirk.] He doesn't want me to do the dishes, kid.

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

[He smirked in return.] I hadn't noticed. [He had.]

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

Yeah. [She rolls her eyes and leads him out of the storeroom. The restaurant is bustling at this hour, and the aromas are enticing, but they have many miles to go before they sleep, and Kara's eager to get going.

She hangs a right and leads him toward the back door. Taking a brief moment to readjust her various layers to cover her fingers and throat, she plunges out into freezing cold, feeling more buoyant than she had in weeks.]

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

[Al followed, telling himself he shouldn't get too used to the idea of companionship. Sure, they were getting along now, but what was it going to be like when things got really tough?]

You know, California's not the only place I'd go. If you're lookin' for some place specific, we could go that way instead.

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

Don't make no difference to me.

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

All right. [Al nodded and pulled his sodden hood up, giving a shiver against the biting wind.] Somewhere warm, then.

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

And soon. [Nods on down the road.] Where we headed?

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

[He pointed ahead of them.] Down the street.

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

[Ask a stupid question... She smirks and hunches down into her coat.]