Peter Ballard / 001 / X Reader 020

Chapter 2 : The activity

"What was that back there?" She asked. He smiled.

"What you can do."

"I don't understand."

"Don't worry. You will eventually. But, they are looking, and we aren't supposed to talk that much."

"Could I be in trouble?" She asked.

"You could, but you aren't so far." He replied. She nodded. She looked around the room and saw one of the younger kids sitting alone, playing with construction blocks. She walked over to him.

"Hello, my name is ...." She began to say before she stopped. What was her name? She didn't remember.

"...Twenty?" The boy said with a shy smile. "I know. It's nice to meet you, my name is twelve." He looked to be around seven or six. He was so young. "You are so lucky that you got to impress Papa, he even gave you a candy! You haven't eaten it yet, what are you waiting for?"

"Well, to be honest with you twelve, I'm not really a candy person." She said with a smile and sat next to him.

"You don't like candy? But it's the best thing ever!" He replied with a confused look. She giggled and handed over the candy she had been holding on to.

"Do you want it? I'm sure you will enjoy it more than I will."

"But it's Papa's gift to you, I shouldn't take it... "

She looked at the blond and there he was, standing from far, looking at her. She smiled and then looked back at twelve.

"But you do want to take it." She said. The little boy smiled at her and nodded. She handed it over and he grabbed it. He quickly removed the packaging and ate it right away.

"Thank you twenty!" He said while hugging her for a few seconds and then letting go. He grabbed a piece of her hair and twirled it around. "You have such pretty hair twenty, how come they are so long and not short like mine?" He asked.

"I don't know, I- I guess I'm a bit different from the others." She replied with a shrug. She looked around the room. There were cameras in each corner of the rooms. Guards standing at both extremities. A prison. Escaping wasn't going to be easy.

"Well, it's ok to be different sometimes!" Twelve replied with a smile. "Do want to play a game with me? He asked. She looked over to see Eleven playing on her own, trying to fit a red circle into different numbers.

"Yes, at one condition." She replied.

"Which one?"

"Can we maybe invite Eleven to play with us?" His expression changed. "Some brothers and sisters don't like Eleven here... I'm scared they will be mean to us if we play with her." He replied.

"You know, nobody is mean to me, and I will make sure no one is mean to you." She replied by patting the top of his head. His concerned face quickly changed to a smile and he nodded. He stood up and tap Eleven's shoulder. She looked up, nodded, and started walking towards her.

"Hello, Eleven. My name is twenty, it's nice to meet you." She said.

"Yes..." Eleven quietly replied with an awkward smile and sat down next to her.

"What game can we play? I feel a bit tired, so nothing that requires energy! Maybe something like drawing each other?" Twelve proposed.

"That sounds good, are you okay with that Eleven," She asked. Eleven nodded and did a timid smile. Everything became stoic from there. Every day was the same. Eventually, days became weeks. But, at least, he was there. He made everything better.