𝐘𝐎𝐔'𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐀 𝐆𝐎 𝐅𝐀𝐑, Renee Walker

𝟮𝟰. 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗴𝗼

"𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙚"
-Florence + The Machine

THREE CONSECUTIVE KNOCKS AT HIS DOOR were enough to snap Bastien out of focus from the workload he'd been hyperfixating on for the last five hours. A quick glance to the digital clock displayed at the bottom of his computer screen —half past eight—, and the reminder that he hadn't told any of the Foxes where he lived, were both enough to have him reaching for the handgun under his desk before he went to answer the door.

Bastien didn't even get the chance to take off the weapon's safety, peeking through the peephole, when the sight of an unmistakeable rainbow-haired goalie on the other side turned his caution into confusion.

He shoved the gun into the pocket of one of the coats hung at the entrance before opening the door halfway with a slight frown. "Renee?"

"Bastien," The girl smiled back at him, as if he hadn't been basically ignoring them all the whole week. Her smiled faltered unsurely, "I, um, brought dinner. If you're not busy, that is. I wouldn't want to impose." It was only then that he took notice of the two takeout bags in her hand.

He hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. However, seeing her nervously shuffle her feet a moment later was enough for him to open the door wider, taking a step to the side so she could come in. "You're good. I was just finishing up some work."

"Thanks," Renee said as he took the bags from her hand, leading her to the kitchen. "I didn't know you wore glasses." She commented.

"They're for blue light. I often get headaches when I spend too long on my computer." Bastien explained, taking out a pair of dishes and cutlery from the drying rack and placing them in the kitchen island.   "Uh, please, take a seat. Water or coke?" He offered, opening the fridge.

"Water, please." She took a seat on one of the two stools, taking the takeout boxes from the bad and placing them on each of their plates, the food still warm in the aluminum packaging. "I just ordered what you got last time, hope you don't mind."

He went to leave his glasses on his desk before replying, "I've only eaten an apple and a cereal bar since breakfast. Trust me, I'll eat anything at this point." He chuckled, easing into the conversation as he took a seat next to her, putting two bottles of water on the table between them. 

Silence draped over them as they each opened their takeout boxes and dug in, but it didn't last long before the elephant in the room was mentioned.

"I don't mean to be rude," Bastien wiped his mouth with a napkin, putting down his fork. "I mean, thank you for the food. And it's not that I don't enjoy your presence, but," He cleared his throat. "why, exactly, are you here, Renee?"

Renee copied his previous movements before turning to him. "We're worried about you." She ripped off the bandaid. 

Bastien frowned, not understanding. "What? I'm fine." He winced at the annoyingly familiar words, noticing Renee's knowing expression. "And not Neil-fine, fine-fine."

"You've rarely said a word to any of us since you returned from Columbia, and Kevin said nothing happened to you there. What changed?" Renee asked. 

"Nothing changed, Renee." He sighed out the half-truth. 

"Then what? Because everything was alright last week." Renee insisted, something he'd rarely seen her do in all the time he'd known her. "And I don't mean to be a pushover—"