Shadow and The Outlaws (On Hold)

Chapter IX

"Sometimes it's not so easy, to be the teachers pet."
The Police, Don't Stand So Close To Me

Artemis and I come back an hour later, after exchanging small talk. I feel a lot more comfortable around her now. Don't get me wrong, I still stutter when I talk, but I am generally willing to crack a joke or two, or even share a funny story.

It's when we arrive back at the apartment, that I realize that I'm going to have to... Socialize.

"ебать," I mutter, as we reach the door.

"Will you swear in a language I can understand?" Artemis asks, rustling around in her pocket for her key.

"Profanities," I shrug.

"But... It means the same thing."

I shrug again, "I did some research, practically no Ukrainians live in this sector of the city. I'm surrounded by Americans and Latin Americans."

"What's your point?"

"No one can understand me," I say, with a small cheeky smile.

"But I thought the purpose of insulting someone, is to let them know what you think of them..."

"True," I agree, "but I feel more comfortable swearing in my first language."

"I thought English was your first language,"

"No," I correct, "I was speaking Ukrainian with a London accent by the age of two."

"Wow," Artemis cocks an eyebrow. "Who taught you all of those languages, though?"

I freeze. Dad is the one who taught me, being an excellent linguist himself, yet there's no way in hell's Earth, I'm telling anyone that I share genes with that freak. "I taught myself," I say quickly.

Artemis raises a skeptical eyebrow, "Well, alright then."

She pushes the door open, and then almost immediately, there is a loud, rather unnerving crash, provoking me to step away.
I hear, I think it's Jason, someone yell, "Roy!"

"Nuh uh, Jason!" The red head calls back, and then he appears down the apartment corridor, with a baseball cap seated on his head and a large jacket. When he sees me, a large, shit eating type of grin spreads across his face. "Shades!"

That makes me worried. "Yes?" I reply politely.

"Roy!" Jason runs around the other end of the corridor, bare chested and looking livid. "Don't you dare, you ginger fucker!"

Well, alright then.

"Shades? You wanna, ahem, come with me to the grocery store?"

Yes. Anything to avoid that hot menace who is half naked and looking like he could murder me with one look.

I nod.

"Yes!" Roy shrieks triumphantly. He sprints down the corridor, barely dodges Artemis, and grabs my wrist, and drags us down the stairs.

And after all that walking I did.
Damn it.

He's still fast walking when we leave the building. I stumble after him, maintaining a decent distance between us. There is a short silence, in which I take a moment to wonder what the hell I'm doing with my life, when Roy suddenly whips around.

"Sorry," he laughs, scratching the back of his head nervously, "uh, Jason was gonna have my head. It was my turn to do the shopping, and I kinda skived it."

I blink. I am going to die before my first night here, I just know it.

"Don't get the wrong idea," Roy gabbles, seeing my slightly concerned expression. "Jason's a real nice dude, he's just a little short tempered. He'll warm up to you, I think he already likes you."

Jason this, Jason that. I'm getting sick of Jason. He's already given me a stretched impression.

"So, uh, how has Nat been?" He asks randomly, a friendly smile on his lips.

My eyes flick from left to right, slightly amused by the question, before I reply, "Uh, yeah, Natasha's been pretty good with me."

"Pretty good?" Roy repeats.

"Well," I say, stuttering, "I wouldn't say she's the best parent I've had, but, you know, there is worse..." Roy watches me gabbling with an amused look on his face. I cut myself off, "Oh, I mean, THAT'S A NICE BLOODY WALL." I say loudly, sticking my eyes to the cracked latter beside us.

Roy suddenly doubles over laughing, making me jump in surprise. Gosh damn, warn me next time.

"Wow, Shades," he chuckles. "I never expected you to have a sense of humour."

I look at him strangely.

"Not that you're all brooding or anything, well you kind of are, but-"

I give a small laugh, "It's fine. I know my... Condition gives the wrong impression."

"It doesn't though!" Roy stops, and takes a step towards me. "I'm just being judgemental. Sorry,"

I blink, suddenly aware of how close he is. He has these amazing blue eyes, that contrast well with his hair, and he always seems to be smiling.

What the hell, Brookston, get a grip! This guy is in a relationship with an alien princess! At least, that's what it looked like...

I shouldn't really make assumptions, though.
I shake my head, "It's fine honestly,"

"Are you sure?" He asks worriedly. He reaches for my hand, and my eyes widen. I whip my hand out of his reach, out of my instinct of not wanting contact. Roy looks confused at my action, but I explain.

"I have haphephobia,"

"Oh," he looks a little upset. "Sorry..."

I shake my head again, "Honestly, it's okay."

He gives me a shy smile, not too dissimilar from mine, and I silently give him one back.
"So!" He exclaims loudly, before fast walking down the street. "To the shop!"

"To the shop," I repeat with less enthusiasm. I've never really liked shopping that much, especially paying at the till. And it's outright boring.

We arrive in a small store, where Roy grabs a trolley, hitches his feet up on its lower bar, and rolls off with a zoom and a loud "Wheee!"

I stand for a second, before chasing after him, when I realize he's going to crash into a tower of cans. I pull the cart away quickly, and push us by the front into an aisle, to avoid attention.

"Good reflexes, Shades!" Roy comments, still smiling like an idiot.

"Thank you," I answer quietly, still shaking a little, "so... What do we need to get, anyway?"

"Well..." Roy looks thoughtful, until he yells, "To the vegetable section!"

Alright then.
I begin to push the trolley in what I hope is the direction of the said place. Why am I only noticing now that the whole thing is back to front.

Strange.
Meh, that's probably my life in one word.

Some other useful words for "strange"
Unusual, odd, peculiar, weird

We continue on our supermarket trek, Roy thankfully saving me from talking to the cashier. After we exit, I have again that painful realization that I have to socialize. Isn't that just marvelous.

"Shades, you okay?" Roy asks me, waving a hand in front of my face.

"Fine," I murmmer, shaking my head slightly.

"You're so adorable!" Roy squeals making me do a double take. Adorable? Not introverted, psychotic, terrorist, stupid or disgusting? That's new.

Maybe I can get along with Roy and Artemis, although I'm yet to learn about Bizarro and Kori.
And as for Jason? If he won't make the effort to be nice, I sure as hell won't.