Jail Birds

Avalanche

**Zeros' POV

"Oh nothin twink, just something gay." I say with a smile. What I said was very gay. The gayest of the gay- ok, I need to stop.

"Hey Zero, what's your real name?" He asks, giving me a question look.

"What do you mean, Zero is my real name" I say. Obviously it's not. But I can't exactly tell him my name. Dunno if I can trust him or not. "In this world, it's kill or be killed kiddo" I smile at him. He gives me a scared impression. God he's gullible.

"What? Kill or be killed... have you killed someone!?" He asks, pretty much screaming. That phrase sends me into a laughing fit. Kicking my legs and holding my stomach. "You know it's cute that you kick your legs when you laugh." That makes me laugh more.

"Cute! Me? Never heard of her!"

"You sure are cocky aren't you?"

"Me, cocky? Never!"

"Don't forget sarcastic."

I laugh, he laughs. We laugh. Communist- what? I never said a thing!

"I'm the best aren't I? I have all the best qualities. I'm good looking, I'm funny, I'm-"

"Self absorbed." He adds with a smile on his wholesome face.

"Yea that too." I return a smile. That makes him laugh. "Wanna play a game of catch?" I ask.

"Sure! I'm down!"

"Your daddy ever teach you how to throw a ball?" I ask him, bouncing my rubber ball up and down.

"Uhhhh. No... me and my dad aren't very close. But I know how the throw a ball. Everyone does Zero."

"Oh. That's sad about your dad. But no worries, me and my dad aren't either. He's six feet under."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear about that."

"Eh, I'm over it."

"Here, catch." I toss the ball at him and it goes behind him. He turns around and that's when I notice a black and blue mark on his neck. What the fuck?

"Here, I'll go grab it!" He makes his way down the steel steps but I can barely think of anything else but that bruise. "Alright I'm back..." his energy fading as he sees my face. "What's wrong?"

"Hey, uhmmm... how'd you get the bruise on your neck?" I ask. Aware of saying one wrong word and I could make the avalanche start.

"Oh, that silly thing? It's just a small bruise. Nothing to worry about." He lies.

"Don't fucking lie to me Dylan, how did you get the bruise?" I say sternly.

"I... I don't want to talk about it..." he looks down.

"Alright." I decide to not push anymore. I don't want that avalanche. I already have mine to deal with.

"So, wanna play catch?" He says with a sad smile.

"I'm game." I send a smile back.

We throw the ball back and fourth. Just like me and Amara used to. She was a good dog. The sweetest Bulldog ever. She would love this ball, love it to bits. Every time I would walk into the apartment, she would be chewing on it. There was this dog across the hall that she hated. Couldn't stand him. He was a British poodle named Charlie. Nobody liked him. He was loud and annoying. Always yapping and sometimes his barks sounded like 'Britain is better than America' His owner was an old man named Mark. He was rude, but funny. Kinda smelt like cheese though.

"So got any pets?" I ask.

"Nope. Unless you count my ant farm."

"You have an ant farm?!"

"Ha! Look who's the gullible one this time!"

"Ah you got me!" I act like I've been shot and fall dramatically onto one knee, holding my chest. "My own joke, has been used against me"

"Hah! Who's laughing now?!" He says with a proud smile on his face and his hands on his fist.

"You are... I'm so disappointed that I fell for that. I'm also disappointed with you that you've sunk so low that you have to use my comedy."

"Anything to get you back Zero!" He puts his weight into the bars and he give me a cheeky smirk.

"Well can I get into your back ass-"

"ZERO!"

My laughing fit seems to last forever. "I'm actually surprised you got that." I wipe a tear forming in my Eye from laughing too much.

"Well I didn't at first. It just sounded weird."

"Ah, no wonder." We continue passing the ball back and fourth. Damn, I never noticed how my life was so bad without this ball of brightness in it. He has a few bumps, but nothing is a smooth ride. And I'm up for the challenge.