Honestly, Adonis could have spontaneously combusted at that moment and Myles might not have noticed. He was surprised to find himself smiling when Ivy pulled back just a bit to touch at the bandages on his neck.
"Huh? Nothing. Just a scratch. God, I missed you, I-" Myles stopped abruptly as his brain finally caught up with his feelings and his mouth.
"Oh, my God, you look awful." That kind of bluntness was reserved for only the worst situations, and Jesus H. Christ, this had to qualify. She'd run smack into him so fast that he hadn't gotten a good look at her, but Ivy had evidently been through the wringer. What the heck was she doing, running around with a black eye and then having the nerve to ask him about his injuries? Forget that, whoever did it was probably dead by now, and-
Myles's runaway thoughts were interrupted by the crackle of a speaker, and, well, speak of the devil.
Would be kind of useful if he could remember the name of the guy that had decided to take him hostage, actually.
Okay, okay, okay. Whatever. There was only one name left for him to care all that much about, and Ivy was standing right in front of him. He didn't even have to listen that hard as long as he tuned in at the end to make sure they weren't both about to explode. Erika had taken the psycho trophy from her psycho boyfriend, a few other people had gone crazy, if Myles stood around and thought about it for too long, he'd go crazy too.
He looked to where Adonis had sat down, finally remembering that Adonis was supposed to be around here somewhere. Supposed to be. Myles was greeted by only empty space and trees.
He stared off into space for a second as the announcement finally came to an end, trying not to absorb too much of it besides the information he really wanted. Good news: they weren't going to explode. Best news Myles had heard all day, honestly. Better news than the "I was with Adonis and it looks like he just ran off into the woods again" explanation he was about to have to give Ivy to keep her from freaking out if Adonis decided to get it together and pop back out of the woodwork in a minute.
Right.
That explanation.
"I'm gonna kill him," he said aloud, irritation seeping into his voice. You lug a guy around for days trying to make him useful, and then he goes and makes a habit of ghosting you. It was like he wanted Myles to be mad at him.
Aggressive Beauty
Morning of Day 5, just before the announcement. Private until Prim and Fen post.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
It was nice, seeing him smile again.
It was just as nice, in an odd sort of way, feeling her expression rearrange itself into a familiar pout, because yes, of course she looked like garbage, who didn't? He couldn't have been the slightest bit nicer about bringing it up? It genuinely took Ivy a moment to realize what he was looking at, that he wasn't just making fun of her lack of makeup and frizzy hair. Her hand moved from his neck to her eye, still slightly swollen, still tender under her fingers, it was funny how she'd been around the same person for so long that she'd forgotten the impression her injuries made. The broken rib took the edge off of it; it was easy to forget it still looked as bad as it did when all her attention was taken by the throbbing at her side.
It was a story, at least. One she imagined Myles would—well, enjoy was a bit much, all things considered, but at least he'd commiserate properly, and manage to do so without calling her a little girl, unlike certain other people who would not be named.
It would have to wait, apparently.
She listened. She took Myles's arm, almost unconsciously.
It mostly didn't matter. A bunch of names with vaguely attached faces. All except Ramsey, she supposed, that was certainly a name and face and voice she knew all too well and still couldn't bring herself to care about, neither to be sad nor smug. She didn't have the energy. He'd stopped being her problem a long time ago.
There was one name that caught her attention, though.
Myles spoke. She looked at him, distractedly. "What?" No one he'd cared about had died. She would have known if they had. She knew everything about him. What was he talking about?
"You'd have thought people would have learned to be careful with their words by now."
God, she was so fucking tired of being scared. She could explain in a minute, though. For once it felt like there was time.
It was just as nice, in an odd sort of way, feeling her expression rearrange itself into a familiar pout, because yes, of course she looked like garbage, who didn't? He couldn't have been the slightest bit nicer about bringing it up? It genuinely took Ivy a moment to realize what he was looking at, that he wasn't just making fun of her lack of makeup and frizzy hair. Her hand moved from his neck to her eye, still slightly swollen, still tender under her fingers, it was funny how she'd been around the same person for so long that she'd forgotten the impression her injuries made. The broken rib took the edge off of it; it was easy to forget it still looked as bad as it did when all her attention was taken by the throbbing at her side.
It was a story, at least. One she imagined Myles would—well, enjoy was a bit much, all things considered, but at least he'd commiserate properly, and manage to do so without calling her a little girl, unlike certain other people who would not be named.
It would have to wait, apparently.
She listened. She took Myles's arm, almost unconsciously.
It mostly didn't matter. A bunch of names with vaguely attached faces. All except Ramsey, she supposed, that was certainly a name and face and voice she knew all too well and still couldn't bring herself to care about, neither to be sad nor smug. She didn't have the energy. He'd stopped being her problem a long time ago.
There was one name that caught her attention, though.
Myles spoke. She looked at him, distractedly. "What?" No one he'd cared about had died. She would have known if they had. She knew everything about him. What was he talking about?
"You'd have thought people would have learned to be careful with their words by now."
God, she was so fucking tired of being scared. She could explain in a minute, though. For once it felt like there was time.
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."
"Huh? Oh, no, not like literally kill, just-" Myles dragged a hand over his face. "Ugh." Would this have been any easier to deal with if Adonis had actually stuck around and not decided to prance off into the woods the second Myles turned his back? Probably not.
Myles squeezed the arm that Ivy had wrapped around his. "Look, let's sit down, okay? I think we're far enough back that nobody's going to come up to bug us without us noticing them first." They'd had their moment of distraction; now he was reminded again that he couldn't stop paying attention for more than a minute, because apparently he was one of the only people around who still had a shred of common sense.
He led Ivy over to the log that Adonis had vacated. If he came back and was disappointed at losing his seat and having to make due on the ground, served him right.
Once they were situated, Myles took a deep breath. She would be upset, he was sure. She would have been paying attention to the announcements. They might have hurt her more than he had let them hurt him.
"Okay, so. I was with Adonis."
Myles squeezed the arm that Ivy had wrapped around his. "Look, let's sit down, okay? I think we're far enough back that nobody's going to come up to bug us without us noticing them first." They'd had their moment of distraction; now he was reminded again that he couldn't stop paying attention for more than a minute, because apparently he was one of the only people around who still had a shred of common sense.
He led Ivy over to the log that Adonis had vacated. If he came back and was disappointed at losing his seat and having to make due on the ground, served him right.
Once they were situated, Myles took a deep breath. She would be upset, he was sure. She would have been paying attention to the announcements. They might have hurt her more than he had let them hurt him.
"Okay, so. I was with Adonis."
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
It was annoying being in the sort of circumstance where "not literally kill" was a needed amendment to a turn of phrase. Annoying felt like too flippant of a term? It was too easy to let go with Myles around, circumstances aside. Fear flattened into a dull thumping in the back of her mind. To be dealt with at a later date, as these things often were. Over a bottle of wine that would never come.
Let's sit down, he said, which meant walking for a moment, which meant dealing with the new damage she'd probably done to her rib with that instinctive mad dash into his arms. It was what it was. She winced, her breath caught, she was used to it by now. She lowered herself gingerly to sit next to him, her head instinctively pressing against his shoulder. God, she needed painkillers. She was going to run out at the rate she was using them.
She listened.
"What."
Let's sit down, he said, which meant walking for a moment, which meant dealing with the new damage she'd probably done to her rib with that instinctive mad dash into his arms. It was what it was. She winced, her breath caught, she was used to it by now. She lowered herself gingerly to sit next to him, her head instinctively pressing against his shoulder. God, she needed painkillers. She was going to run out at the rate she was using them.
She listened.
"What."
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."
"I know, okay, just-" Just what? How did he justify this to her? Myles knew what Adonis had done. He'd been there.
Myles sighed, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. "We met up on the first day, and he said he'd stick with me and keep me safe, and-" And then he hadn't.
"We ran into Tristan."
Yeah.
And then what?
Myles opened his eyes and stared at the tangle of trees and underbrush in front of him, like it would give him a better explanation. He'd put so much into dragging Adonis around, it had to pay off at some point, right?
The lack of anyone nearby except for Ivy answered that question, huh.
"I... it seemed like a good idea at the time..." Until Adonis ditched him, again. After he'd- done what he did and Myles gave him another chance.
God, having to actually recount it out loud made it all sound so stupid. Myles let out a huff and abruptly turned to Ivy and folded her into a tight hug again, like he could keep her from being disbelieving and disappointed in him with that. "I didn't want to be alone, okay? He was supposed to listen."
Myles sighed, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. "We met up on the first day, and he said he'd stick with me and keep me safe, and-" And then he hadn't.
"We ran into Tristan."
Yeah.
And then what?
Myles opened his eyes and stared at the tangle of trees and underbrush in front of him, like it would give him a better explanation. He'd put so much into dragging Adonis around, it had to pay off at some point, right?
The lack of anyone nearby except for Ivy answered that question, huh.
"I... it seemed like a good idea at the time..." Until Adonis ditched him, again. After he'd- done what he did and Myles gave him another chance.
God, having to actually recount it out loud made it all sound so stupid. Myles let out a huff and abruptly turned to Ivy and folded her into a tight hug again, like he could keep her from being disbelieving and disappointed in him with that. "I didn't want to be alone, okay? He was supposed to listen."
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Adonis.
That Adonis?, Ivy almost asked, like an idiot, as though there was another Adonis, as though there was an answer here that made sense. There was a half moment, before he started talking, where she thought maybe he'd overslept on the day of the announcement, maybe he'd just run into Adonis after and hadn't heard, maybe he'd been lying because that was the only series of events that made any sense to her but no, that was pretty obviously not the case by how quickly he understood her trepidation.
She didn't understand. She couldn't.
Until she did.
He held her, and she pressed into him, and he had been there, she'd realized, he'd have to have been there, and of course her split-second accusation, her momentary how could you was meaningless. He'd seen Tristan die and he made his choice. She understood him as well as she always did. All she had needed was context.
What would she have done, to not wind up alone? What had she done?
Would she have stayed with Ace if he'd killed Wyatt, when he'd crawled in through the window?
"It's okay," she whispered, as though anything was, but that wasn't the point. "It's okay."
"I'm here now."
"I won't let go."
That Adonis?, Ivy almost asked, like an idiot, as though there was another Adonis, as though there was an answer here that made sense. There was a half moment, before he started talking, where she thought maybe he'd overslept on the day of the announcement, maybe he'd just run into Adonis after and hadn't heard, maybe he'd been lying because that was the only series of events that made any sense to her but no, that was pretty obviously not the case by how quickly he understood her trepidation.
She didn't understand. She couldn't.
Until she did.
He held her, and she pressed into him, and he had been there, she'd realized, he'd have to have been there, and of course her split-second accusation, her momentary how could you was meaningless. He'd seen Tristan die and he made his choice. She understood him as well as she always did. All she had needed was context.
What would she have done, to not wind up alone? What had she done?
Would she have stayed with Ace if he'd killed Wyatt, when he'd crawled in through the window?
"It's okay," she whispered, as though anything was, but that wasn't the point. "It's okay."
"I'm here now."
"I won't let go."
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."
Myles had kind of expected Ivy to go off on him no matter what kind of explanation he gave her, but she didn't. It was good, because he couldn't get the words out about how he'd tried to plan, how he was sure Adonis could be useful until he didn't need to be anymore, how they'd gone too far for Myles to just give up on things. He wasn't sure she'd have understood it as well if he tried to put it like that, anyway.
"Well it doesn't matter now, does it?" He muttered bitterly into Ivy's hair. "He went and ran off again. He was here just a minute ago."
And the kicker was, Myles was still pretty sure they could get some use out of him if he wouldn't keep doing that. Someone had hurt Ivy pretty badly. She didn't act like she was being chased, but if whoever it was came back for more, Myles wasn't keen on taking his chances with them on his one bullet and the dagger. He wasn't interested in taking a bullet, even for Ivy, but Adonis probably would be. Adonis had already crossed the line and gotten his name on the announcements, so having him around for muscle was still an option too.
Honestly, though, Myles was starting to think that he- that they could do better.
They stayed like that for a minute longer, Myles taking the opportunity to stew before he finally asked, "Who roughed you up, though? Are they... you know..." Gone now? That would be convenient. Less trouble down the line. Ivy was worse off than he was in the weapons department, from the looks of things.
"Well it doesn't matter now, does it?" He muttered bitterly into Ivy's hair. "He went and ran off again. He was here just a minute ago."
And the kicker was, Myles was still pretty sure they could get some use out of him if he wouldn't keep doing that. Someone had hurt Ivy pretty badly. She didn't act like she was being chased, but if whoever it was came back for more, Myles wasn't keen on taking his chances with them on his one bullet and the dagger. He wasn't interested in taking a bullet, even for Ivy, but Adonis probably would be. Adonis had already crossed the line and gotten his name on the announcements, so having him around for muscle was still an option too.
Honestly, though, Myles was starting to think that he- that they could do better.
They stayed like that for a minute longer, Myles taking the opportunity to stew before he finally asked, "Who roughed you up, though? Are they... you know..." Gone now? That would be convenient. Less trouble down the line. Ivy was worse off than he was in the weapons department, from the looks of things.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
There was something kind of comforting about being able to totally ignore her own problems for a minute. The last five days had been an unmitigated disaster for her, of course, but they had been that for everyone, and at least Ivy had managed to go that long without watching anyone die. Of course if she thought about that too hard she'd start getting upset herself and that would be no fun for anyone, so she contented herself with not thinking too hard and focusing on the familiarity of the feeling. Logistics, for once, felt like they could wait.
At least until Myles pulled away for a moment and looked at her again, and Ivy remembered the opposite kind of comfort that came from venting to someone sympathetic. God, Connor had practically laughed when she told him, she was just remembering? Wyatt's immediate "okay cool I'll murder Julien if I get the chance" was the obvious proper reaction but lord knew Connor was just the fucking worst always.
"He is very much alive, unfortunately." She sniffed, partially for dramatic effect, partially because she'd been crying and her nose was starting to run. "It was Julien. Day one, hour one, really, I'd just woken up and I didn't, like, remember anything for a bit? The drugs, or whatever, I don't know, he was just being a jerk like always and I didn't know what was happening so I talked to him like I normally would and he just hit me."
It was almost funny how traumatic the memory still was. People had died on this island, dozens of people by now, people had suffered so much worse than she had, she had seen corpses swarming with maggots and sticky floors coated in blood and still the thing that made her shudder most to remember was that moment of impact on the first morning. Maybe she was just deadened by now by where they were. That, she supposed, was the last moment she had not knowing. As far as she knew her classmate, admittedly an unstable asshole who'd attacked her best friend for no reason but still, had just decided to assault her because. At least now she knew the rules. At least now there was a logical basis. She'd daydreamed about pouring bleach on enough people by now that she understood, maybe, a little.
But she hadn't killed anyone, and he had. So that was that.
"You heard on the announcements, right? Just now?" She hugged herself. "He broke my rib, I haven't—I can't really run, or travel all that far, I don't—"
Some part of her felt compelled to apologize but it felt stupid before she even said it. Myles wouldn't leave her. She wouldn't leave him in a worse state than she was in. Right? This wasn't actually something she wanted to think about for too long.
"Just, um, if we take it slow it'll be fine."
She paused, found herself twirling a strand of hair around her finger. That was familiar, too.
"You remember Ace, yeah? He was... taking care of me, until yesterday."
She really didn't know where to start with this one.
At least until Myles pulled away for a moment and looked at her again, and Ivy remembered the opposite kind of comfort that came from venting to someone sympathetic. God, Connor had practically laughed when she told him, she was just remembering? Wyatt's immediate "okay cool I'll murder Julien if I get the chance" was the obvious proper reaction but lord knew Connor was just the fucking worst always.
"He is very much alive, unfortunately." She sniffed, partially for dramatic effect, partially because she'd been crying and her nose was starting to run. "It was Julien. Day one, hour one, really, I'd just woken up and I didn't, like, remember anything for a bit? The drugs, or whatever, I don't know, he was just being a jerk like always and I didn't know what was happening so I talked to him like I normally would and he just hit me."
It was almost funny how traumatic the memory still was. People had died on this island, dozens of people by now, people had suffered so much worse than she had, she had seen corpses swarming with maggots and sticky floors coated in blood and still the thing that made her shudder most to remember was that moment of impact on the first morning. Maybe she was just deadened by now by where they were. That, she supposed, was the last moment she had not knowing. As far as she knew her classmate, admittedly an unstable asshole who'd attacked her best friend for no reason but still, had just decided to assault her because. At least now she knew the rules. At least now there was a logical basis. She'd daydreamed about pouring bleach on enough people by now that she understood, maybe, a little.
But she hadn't killed anyone, and he had. So that was that.
"You heard on the announcements, right? Just now?" She hugged herself. "He broke my rib, I haven't—I can't really run, or travel all that far, I don't—"
Some part of her felt compelled to apologize but it felt stupid before she even said it. Myles wouldn't leave her. She wouldn't leave him in a worse state than she was in. Right? This wasn't actually something she wanted to think about for too long.
"Just, um, if we take it slow it'll be fine."
She paused, found herself twirling a strand of hair around her finger. That was familiar, too.
"You remember Ace, yeah? He was... taking care of me, until yesterday."
She really didn't know where to start with this one.
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."
"Okay, okay." God, of course it had been Julien. Myles remembered hearing his name. He had already known Julien was violent, and the trip had taught them that he was probably a thief too. Go figure he'd decide to go off on a girl five minutes after waking up just because the girl happened to be Ivy. He'd probably jumped at the chance to be able to take all his psycho rage out on other people.
Myles went to hug her again, realized what she'd said about her rib, and instead took her hands and squeezed. He would have liked to promise to do something about Julien, but he had one singular bullet and a knife that he didn't really want to use, and he hadn't even gotten to explaining the hidden lipstick gun to her yet. Of course, if Adonis had not decided to be useless, this could have been less of a problem, but that was more or less a summary of the last week, wasn't it.
"What, uh... what happened to Ace?"
Myles went to hug her again, realized what she'd said about her rib, and instead took her hands and squeezed. He would have liked to promise to do something about Julien, but he had one singular bullet and a knife that he didn't really want to use, and he hadn't even gotten to explaining the hidden lipstick gun to her yet. Of course, if Adonis had not decided to be useless, this could have been less of a problem, but that was more or less a summary of the last week, wasn't it.
"What, uh... what happened to Ace?"
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
"Oh, nothing happened to him. He's fine. Or like, he was when I left, I guess."
Holding his hands made Ivy suddenly far too aware of how sweaty they both were. Not that that mattered, not that Ace hadn't been significantly worse in that regard, but the relative normalcy of the moment made the little details stand out. Like how Myles didn't smell right, or how the dark circles under his eyes were the worse she'd ever seen on him. Little things to keep her grounded, she supposed. She resented them anyway.
"His girlfriend found us. Bit of a deal-breaker, considering I was sleeping with him, you know?"
Holding his hands made Ivy suddenly far too aware of how sweaty they both were. Not that that mattered, not that Ace hadn't been significantly worse in that regard, but the relative normalcy of the moment made the little details stand out. Like how Myles didn't smell right, or how the dark circles under his eyes were the worse she'd ever seen on him. Little things to keep her grounded, she supposed. She resented them anyway.
"His girlfriend found us. Bit of a deal-breaker, considering I was sleeping with him, you know?"
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."
"Oh." Yeah, that would do it.
Myles felt like he probably should have, like... cared more? Not about Ivy, because he cared about her more than anyone else on the stupid planet, much less the island, but about what she'd been doing with Ace. He'd never really been a thing that Myles knew of, and Myles knew all of Ivy's business in that regard, even when he didn't want to.
Of course, if Adonis had shown any interest in doing anything more than clinging to each other during the night, Myles probably would have let him with only a few second thoughts in the moment. Even after Tristan. By that point, it wouldn't have been about how he'd thought Adonis was cute back at school or how he'd considered trying to grab that rebound after Emmett dumped him at prom. He wasn't sure what it would have been about. Those aspects of Adonis hadn't changed, but it was hard to say that Myles liked him now.
Maybe it would have been proof that he wasn't all alone. Maybe it would have been about power.
He didn't think he wanted to think about that what-if any longer.
"So she, uh... took it well?" Probably, since if Myles remembered right it was Meilin that Ace had a thing with. People were snapping left and right, but Meilin couldn't have done anything worse than call Ivy a few names, if she even went that far. Losing someone like Ace was a bummer, especially if he'd been doing a better job at keeping Ivy safe than certain parties had been doing for Myles, but probably better in the long run. That wasn't sustainable with Meilin around. Sooner or later, Ace would have had to choose. This way, he wasn't doing it while being attacked.
"So it's just us, then."
Myles felt like he probably should have, like... cared more? Not about Ivy, because he cared about her more than anyone else on the stupid planet, much less the island, but about what she'd been doing with Ace. He'd never really been a thing that Myles knew of, and Myles knew all of Ivy's business in that regard, even when he didn't want to.
Of course, if Adonis had shown any interest in doing anything more than clinging to each other during the night, Myles probably would have let him with only a few second thoughts in the moment. Even after Tristan. By that point, it wouldn't have been about how he'd thought Adonis was cute back at school or how he'd considered trying to grab that rebound after Emmett dumped him at prom. He wasn't sure what it would have been about. Those aspects of Adonis hadn't changed, but it was hard to say that Myles liked him now.
Maybe it would have been proof that he wasn't all alone. Maybe it would have been about power.
He didn't think he wanted to think about that what-if any longer.
"So she, uh... took it well?" Probably, since if Myles remembered right it was Meilin that Ace had a thing with. People were snapping left and right, but Meilin couldn't have done anything worse than call Ivy a few names, if she even went that far. Losing someone like Ace was a bummer, especially if he'd been doing a better job at keeping Ivy safe than certain parties had been doing for Myles, but probably better in the long run. That wasn't sustainable with Meilin around. Sooner or later, Ace would have had to choose. This way, he wasn't doing it while being attacked.
"So it's just us, then."
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
"I mean, she only almost stabbed me, so yes, I guess, relatively."
Ivy couldn't decide whether or not she was disappointed that Myles didn't ask anything else, because it was objectively a stupid topic to dwell on, both because it didn't matter in the grand scheme and because thinking about it too much was going to start making her very sad very quickly. But it was such a normal topic to dwell on, the sort of thing that demanded a bottle of wine and giggling and far too many details, the sort of conversation they might have well had in another life.
With anyone else she'd go on the defensive, maybe, explain her motives, take the tactful change of topic as distaste, but she knew him too well for that. He understood. He said himself how far he'd go not to be alone.
She pressed her head back into his chest.
"We should look for other people, maybe."
"I don't know."
"Can we stay like this a little longer?"
Ivy couldn't decide whether or not she was disappointed that Myles didn't ask anything else, because it was objectively a stupid topic to dwell on, both because it didn't matter in the grand scheme and because thinking about it too much was going to start making her very sad very quickly. But it was such a normal topic to dwell on, the sort of thing that demanded a bottle of wine and giggling and far too many details, the sort of conversation they might have well had in another life.
With anyone else she'd go on the defensive, maybe, explain her motives, take the tactful change of topic as distaste, but she knew him too well for that. He understood. He said himself how far he'd go not to be alone.
She pressed her head back into his chest.
"We should look for other people, maybe."
"I don't know."
"Can we stay like this a little longer?"
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."
Alright, so Meilin had a little more edge to her than Myles would have given her credit for. "Almost" stabbing someone was still not stabbing them, though, so it was kind of a non-issue?
He rested his cheek on top of Ivy's head for a moment. He wanted to close his eyes, but the occasional noises of wildlife and whatever else in the woods around them kept bringing him back to reality. Looking for people? Who was even left?
Beryl was gone. Tristan was gone. Adonis had run off to god knew where again, and the more they talked about it, the less sure Myles was that he wanted Adonis back. Getting another person to stand between them and danger was good, but with a third person in the mix again, that might be even more incentive for Adonis to just bail whenever he got uncomfortable. Did Myles want to risk that happening in a dangerous situation? Not really.
The Carters were out there somewhere, he guessed, but the two of them at the same time plus Ivy was a bad idea. Milly wasn't here. Keisha wasn't here. Even if they were, they would have been a little harder to convince than Adonis. Honestly, it seemed like the best scenario would be to find people they could get along with but wouldn't miss. Long-term partnerships hadn't worked out for him so far.
Myles sighed. Strategizing was hard. "We can sit around for a minute, yeah. You must be tired. I dunno how long I want to wait around, though."
He rested his cheek on top of Ivy's head for a moment. He wanted to close his eyes, but the occasional noises of wildlife and whatever else in the woods around them kept bringing him back to reality. Looking for people? Who was even left?
Beryl was gone. Tristan was gone. Adonis had run off to god knew where again, and the more they talked about it, the less sure Myles was that he wanted Adonis back. Getting another person to stand between them and danger was good, but with a third person in the mix again, that might be even more incentive for Adonis to just bail whenever he got uncomfortable. Did Myles want to risk that happening in a dangerous situation? Not really.
The Carters were out there somewhere, he guessed, but the two of them at the same time plus Ivy was a bad idea. Milly wasn't here. Keisha wasn't here. Even if they were, they would have been a little harder to convince than Adonis. Honestly, it seemed like the best scenario would be to find people they could get along with but wouldn't miss. Long-term partnerships hadn't worked out for him so far.
Myles sighed. Strategizing was hard. "We can sit around for a minute, yeah. You must be tired. I dunno how long I want to wait around, though."
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
"I know."
They couldn't stay. It would feel better to pretend that these woods were vast enough that probably no one would stumble into them, that they were safe enough here, that everything was okay now, and every time she glanced up at his face she kept falling back into that train of thought, but he was right. They had to be careful. Hadn't she been paranoid all along, and shouldn't she be even moreso, now, now that any interruption could tear the one good thing she had in the world out of her hands?
She couldn't do much to protect him. The same was true in reverse, she imagined, unless Myles had a gun tucked out of sight. They needed muscle. Adonis hardly qualified, and she personally wasn't sure she could look at him after what he'd done despite what Myles had said, but he would have been better than nothing.
She could only think of Ace and Wyatt. But Ace had Meilin. And Wyatt had Bret.
So she just had to wait for one of them to die. Right?
"Okay," she breathed into his chest, pushing herself back, her side aching in complaint at the sudden movement. "Okay. Ready when you are."
They couldn't stay. It would feel better to pretend that these woods were vast enough that probably no one would stumble into them, that they were safe enough here, that everything was okay now, and every time she glanced up at his face she kept falling back into that train of thought, but he was right. They had to be careful. Hadn't she been paranoid all along, and shouldn't she be even moreso, now, now that any interruption could tear the one good thing she had in the world out of her hands?
She couldn't do much to protect him. The same was true in reverse, she imagined, unless Myles had a gun tucked out of sight. They needed muscle. Adonis hardly qualified, and she personally wasn't sure she could look at him after what he'd done despite what Myles had said, but he would have been better than nothing.
She could only think of Ace and Wyatt. But Ace had Meilin. And Wyatt had Bret.
So she just had to wait for one of them to die. Right?
"Okay," she breathed into his chest, pushing herself back, her side aching in complaint at the sudden movement. "Okay. Ready when you are."
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."
Even though Ivy said she was ready to move, Myles didn't reply right away, burying his face in her hair for another few moments until she pulled away.
He sighed.
"Yeah, okay. Let's go. Have anywhere in mind?" At least he didn't have to make all the decisions anymore. Ivy wasn't dumb, whatever people wanted to think about her. Obviously she wasn't dumb, otherwise she wouldn't have gotten out of whatever had been thrown at her already. She and Myles may not have had the exact same plan, but they'd had close enough to the same idea. They could work this out. Find someone else, someone friendly but not too friendly, and less prone to running off, and they could stick with that person for safety.
He wasn't sure who that would be, right now. It was hard to keep track of who was left.
He sighed.
"Yeah, okay. Let's go. Have anywhere in mind?" At least he didn't have to make all the decisions anymore. Ivy wasn't dumb, whatever people wanted to think about her. Obviously she wasn't dumb, otherwise she wouldn't have gotten out of whatever had been thrown at her already. She and Myles may not have had the exact same plan, but they'd had close enough to the same idea. They could work this out. Find someone else, someone friendly but not too friendly, and less prone to running off, and they could stick with that person for safety.
He wasn't sure who that would be, right now. It was hard to keep track of who was left.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."