All Of The Lights

Chapter 2: Traffic

(Sorry, I think this is gonna be a short chapter.

Also, most conversations in this are conversations I had with my parents when I was eight. Lol)

The ride to the ramen place was uneventful. Momo was listening to Blue Encount in the backseat. If her dad found out she was listening to it, he would tease her about it. She had a tiny crush on the lead singer of the band. She refused to admit it out loud but her dad definitely knew.

Murielle looked tired in the passengers seat. She didn't really wanna go but she already knew about her dinner curse and didn't feel like getting the damn family poisoned or something.

As they drove on the road, Momo saw a hero chasing a villain down the street. Traffic started piling up and Momo got annoyed.

"What are they doing now?" Momo grumbled. The villain was probably some bank burglar and something the cops could handle. Oh right, quirks and cops. Cops were just heroes who couldn't use their quirks. So stupid. Heroes were just celebrities now. The top ten? They were basically just celebrities. That newer one? Number nine?

Momo could hear her parents talk about something in the front seat. They spoke at a low volume but not a whisper. They probably thought she couldn't hear them.

"We're behind on payment."

"I know."

"What are you talking about?" Momo asked. She was curious.

"Grown folks business. Go back to your little band Momo." Murielle teased. Momo paused to look at her knees for a second.

Shit.

"Oh! Omg you still listen to them?!" August turned around and gasped. He had his hands held up to his cheeks in surprise. He turned around and continued his conversation with Murielle.

Her mom didn't want her listening in on their conversation but now Momo was curious. She decided to mind her own business instead of listening in. They were talking about money so... Momo didn't care too much about whatever bills they needed to pay. She was twelve, it didn't matter to her.

Momo turned her music up again and she saw her mom glance back at her for a second, checking to see if she was listening. Momo's head was against the window and she was imagining herself in a sad music video when Murielle looked back like a lurking monster in the closet.

"Hm?"

"Nothing dear" Murielle said in a very sing song voice. Momo went back to her little music video as Murielle spoke with August.

"He's gonna get on our ass if we don't give him what he wants. We're months behind."

"We need to cut this agreement off."

"You don't think I know that?!"

Momo didn't hear any of this argument. All she heard was the guitar and drums of Polaris. She was making a little scenario in her head of people singing the song and she loved when she did it. It was just fun to do while she was bored.

When they arrived at the ramen place, Momo looked at her parents and walked in the building. It was decorated to look really chill. Like, there was a fish pond like most American sushi places. The building was quite small. There was a line of seats across the wall and the kitchen. Momo got really excited just because it wasn't dimly lit and had table cloths or things like that. It was just simple.

Murielle looked kind of uncomfortable. She was used to something more complex. August looked like a little kid in a candy store. Completely ecstatic and ready to try everything. He probably could try everything on the menu if he wanted to...

Murielle just ordered a ramen bowl. Momo took a second. August already knew what the hell he wanted so...

At the table, Momo looked at her parents as they ate. She hadn't touched her food yet. She had something on her mind.

"Hey.... mother? I was wondering... why did you want to be a hero?" Momo asked.

"Hey, sweetie... let's not have this conversation right now. It's quite long." Murielle smiled. Her hair flowed with her every time she made a movement with her body. Momo was a bit jealous. She had been cursed with her dad's hair texture!

"Eat. I'm stealing some of it if it tastes good." August warned. Momo picked her chopsticks up and broke them apart before picking up the noodles in her broth. She snapped her chopstick at her father when he tried to steal some.

"No!" Momo gasped and Murielle gave a small chuckle at her little family. "Eat your own." Momo said.

"I think I got yours anyways! So just switch!" August rolled his eyes playfully. Momo looked at her food and realized she still hadn't touched the food...

"Fine..." she grumbled. She forgot what she ordered and just gave the food to her father. Maybe he was right. Maybe he just wanted to take her food.

"You two are so funny." Murielle smiled. Her French accent slipped through a bit. It was so cute. August looked up from his bowl when his wife did one of those oddly menacing and cute laughs. He was slurping the noodles up.

"Yeah, this is definitely mine." August said when he finished the little bit of noodles that hung out of his mouth. Momo nodded and stole some of his food as a small joke. August looked irked and was about to say something before Murielle pinched his arm.

"Take her boba instead." Murielle whispered loud enough for Momo to hear. Momo gasped and glared at her parents as she yanked her tea away from the middle of the table. "So defensive!" Murielle teased and made sure her French accent was very clear as she said it.

"I love your accent Ellie," August whined. He always acted like this around his family. Very playful and lovey dovey, and then when he got to business, he got very stern and serious and could kill someone with a glare. Actually, both of her parents could kill with a glare.

"Thank you for taking me out!" Momo smiled. She was really thankful for it.

(Drama officially starts next chapter! This was just me getting attached to Murielle and august-)