Hug Me {OffGun/PickRome}

Chapter 5

    "Are you sure there's stray animals around here?" Rome raised an eyebrow at Porsche.  The club members had been looking around for at least twenty minutes and they hadn't come across one stray. 

    "I swear, there usually is.  Pick and I see them around here all the time.  Maybe they're hiding" Porsche shrugged.

    "Hiding?" Emma laughed and shook her head, "how long has it been since you came here?"

    "Like...a couple months...?" Porsche said questioning himself.

    "Months?!" Emma screeched and whacked the back of his head, "Then how do you know they're still here?  I can't with you."

    Porsche whined and rubbed where she hit, "it hasn't been that  long...they have to still be here.  You know what?  How about this?  Let's all split into groups.  There's a stronger possibility of us finding them that way" Porsche said, quite proud of his idea.

    "Okay, who's going with who then?" Rome asked.

    "Figure it out yourselves.  All I know is Emma is with me.  Groups of three.  Chop, chop" Porsche clapped his hands together to signify being speedy, making Rome and Emma roll their eyes in unison. 

    "Rome...can I be with you?" Din asked as he came over to him. 

    "I'm with him" Pick said before he could answer.

    "P' it's groups of three remember?" Rome raised an eyebrow at Pick's hastiness, "P'Din you can be with us" Rome smiled. 

    "Really?  I don't want to intrude or anything..." Din said as he avoided Pick's stare.

    "You're not at all.  We're a team" Rome smiled. 

    "Alright everyone, disperse!" Porsche said dramatically and pointed in different directions "we meet back here in fifty minutes!" 

    Pick laughed at his best friend and shook his head at him, "okay, weirdo."

    "You take that back!" Porsche shouted but Pick only pretended he didn't hear him as he started walking. 

    "So Rome, how did you know you wanted to do photography?" Din smiled as they walked behind Pick causing him to look in their direction.

    "Hurry up" Pick said in a seemingly much too angry voice.  Rome looked at him confused and hurriedly went to his side with Din.

    "Um...well to answer your question, I don't really know.  I kind of just needed an escape and photography kind of...found me if that makes sense...probably not" Rome laughed, "but when I was down, I would pretend like I was taking pictures since I didn't have a camera and it made me feel like what I was feeling was just part of a movie instead of reality.  It was almost a way to numb myself...I don't know why I said all that, sorry P'Din" Rome bit his lip when he was done talking.  He would usually never say that much but with Pick there he felt so much more comfortable.  He didn't intend to be so vulnerable with Din though, he just happened to ask him when his guard was down.  Pick looked at Rome for a while and Rome could feel his eyes but he stayed staring straight ahead.  He didn't want to see what either of their expressions looked like.  Pick could tell Rome felt uncomfortable that he was staring but he couldn't help it.  The words that came out of Rome's mouth made Pick feel...he couldn't even describe it.  It was weird.  Pick just felt this need to protect him.  He almost felt guilty for not being there to protect him in the past, which was stupid.  He had no control over meeting him sooner in life, however, it just felt as though it was his responsibility to keep him safe.  Pick was confused.  He didn't know why with every word Rome spoke, it compelled him to want to know anything and everything about the small boy.  Something angered him too though. Why was Rome being so open with Din? He didn't think they were that close.