Exum: New Earth

Chapter Two

Toby Pierce walked through the shop, the first one he ever went to that was populated, to pick out his outfits. Picking out jeans, shorts, sweatpants, shirts, underwear, pjs and a jacket then be stopped in front of the store to pay. The cashier scanned and bagged all his items. He asked, "how does this....i just swipe it?"

"New?" She asked. He nodded, "You get a certian amount on your card each month that you can spend. Yours is new so as long as you don't go crazy you shouldn't reach the limit. I've never seen a guy with a red card before though. You're total should be on your home database."

He nodded again and swiped the card. A little light went green and she handed him his bags. Then Maxwell and Toby were off to his house. The walk wasn't far to the residential district but Toby ploped his bags down as soon as he could, "can i use your shower and change out of these clothes?"

"Sure. Right in there. It's only one bedroom so we're sleeping in the same bed tonight. "

Toby nodded and went to the shower, dressing and stepping into hot water for the first time. It was blissful and then he remembered what he'd be doing to stay and he felt wrong. He remembered seeing a red stripe on Maxwell's card.  Hopefully they'd get paired; that thought made it seem a little better- at least he kind of liked Max. He wondered if Max would mind if he asked to be partnered with him. Life outside the dome was scary and dangerous but it was at least familiar to him. Tomorrow the fire wall would come and he'd have to decide if he wanted to stay or not.  Would they even let him go if he asked to be back in that world?

He got out the shower, put on pj bottoms and an oversized shirt that he brought to sleep in and went rp the bedroom. He saw Maxwell in bed reading a book, but put it down when he noticed Toby in the room.

"C-can i ask you something?" Toby said slowly going to the bed and sitting on top of the covers.

"Sure. Ask away. You're under my care for tonight so if you need anything at all I'll-"

"I want to stay with you. " Toby admitted, "it may be because i haven't had a relationship of any kind in so long but i....if I'm going to do this i want it to be with someone i at least know a little about. Can i ask for you at the meeting tomorrow?"

"If you're sure that's what you want. I'm not on the family request list yet. "

"The request...list? This place is nonsense- you'd do that for me though? Really? "

"You'll stay and be comfortable with your match and... you're pretty cute, I'm not gonna lie..."

Toby blushed and laughed a little

"Plus I'm definitely gay and I'm required to have a kid at some point. Might as well be with you and get a boyfriend while I'm at it. "

"B-boyfriend? I'd uh....I've never...." he got into bed properly, covering his face in embarrassment.

Maxwell put his book down, turned off the lamp and cuddled Toby close, watching him get even more embarrassed. He turned and buried his head in into Max's chest.

"You've also never had a hot running water or food that wasn't from a can or a pastic package. You'll be safe inside the city for the first time in your life. Its not like we have a lot of criminals here and we're protected from all the new creatures the flares evolved."

"You still go out there. You might not come back one day."

"I will try my best to always come back to you. Plus I'm finally a high enough rank to handpick my missions. I'd much rather be on an artifact recovery mission....everything will be okay. "

_______________

Maxwell led Toby to a large building in the middle of the community district, the walls adorned paintings and plagues describing the history of the near fall of humanity and the rise of Exum. How no one believed the scientists that said a doomsday was coming and who thought to build Exum and establish a new government based on a council system. Toby would be meeting with a member of that council today.