Slime-Cycle (Humble Beginnings)

38. loose footing

"So.. why exactly are you staying here for the night?" Blink asked, watching Apollo unpack the clothes from his backpack and set them up under a desk in the corner of the building.

Apollo sighed. "Because I got in trouble with my dad and he's gonna take away my stuff." He grumbled.

Only about five minutes earlier, Apollo had appeared unannaunced at Blink and The Mechanics warehouse, immediately setting up to stay the night. He took the back left corner of the building, which was mostly obscured by scrap metal, and used it as his impromtu bed area. To which Blink and The Mechanic were very confused.

The Mechanic, leaned against the back wall of the warehouse, stared at Apollo with his arms crossed. "Okay..." he nodded slowly. "And what did you do to get in trouble with your dad?" He asked, giving Apollo an unimpressed look.

"Nothing!" Apollo blurt out. "Just- well you remember my disks, right? The ones you guys helped me get? Apparently dad didnt like me stealing from a museum or something, and now hes gonna get me to send them back." He complained with a roll of his eyes.

Blink tilted his head, confused. "Your dad.. the villian mastermind.. didnt like that you were.. stealing? From a museum?" He recounted what theyd been told, finding it a little odd.

"I guess." Apollo shrugged.

The Mechanic and Blink both looked between each other a little awkwardly. Neither of them seemed to really buy his story.

"Look-" Apollo interrupted, turning around to look at his friends. "I dont get it either. But all I know, is I'm not giving up these disks. And if I stay with my dad, I'm losing them for good." He explained, turning back to finish setting up his bed with a huff.

The two vigilantes watched him without a word as he did this, not knowing what to say.

Blink hesitated to say something. "Are you.." they started, stuttering. "..are you that attached to these disks.. that youd rather run away than give them up..?" He asked.

Apollo turned to look at them slowly, a skeptical look on his face.

Blink awkwardly continued. "I just- I dont see what the issue is.. yknow, its just a couple of disks.." he ran a hand along the back of his neck as he spoke. "..you dont even have a way to play them, the music might not be that good.."

Apollo glared silently at Blink for a good moment. It made a shiver run down the vigilantes back, how quietly he was being judged.

"The issue..." Apollo began, squinting at Blink. "..is that the disks.. are mine."

"And I'm not giving them up."

Apollo turned back to focus on unpacking his things again, seeming done with the conversation.

Blink shifted from one foot to the other, hesitantly glancing over at The Mechanic again as they both shared a concerned look.

Something was up.

The Mechanic stood up and started walking towards Apollo "Uh- hey, Tommy-"

He was interrupted by a loud knock at the door.

Everyone stopped to look at the front entrance, startled into silence.

No one moved. The air tense.

No one ever knocked at their door unless they were expected.

And they werent expecting anyone right now...

The three of them all looked between each other, wide eyed. Who was gonna open the door? And who would be on the other side?

A bit awkwardly, they all looked towards Blink. He noticed their expectant gazes and shook his head frantically. "No!" He whisper-shouted, but was only met with hand motions encouraging him to go anyways.