Once Bitten

Company (6)

"Noodle boy! What the hell are you doing here?" MK grinned at the sound of another person's voice, someone that was his own age, and bounced excitedly back and forth on his toes. 

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? I thought you would have been with the evacuation." MK asked, ignoring the question, and Red Son scoffed, rolling his eyes as he went back to fiddling with the car in the garage.

"None of your business. Now leave me alone, can't you see I'm busy?" MK walked further in, poking at some of his tools and picking one up.    

"And what the hell are you wearing?" Red Son blurted out in horror while staring at MK's head and he flushed as he held his hand over the pink headband over it, quickly distracting him with a question. 

"So what are you up to?" He asked while Red Son sighed deeply and stopped working on the car to grab the tool sharply from MK's hand. 

"Can't you see I'm trying to fix my stupid car! Of course, when mine breaks down I get stuck in this backwater town that has no cars." He rambled, answering MK's question but he got the feeling Red Son was mostly venting so he nodded along anyway, thrilled at getting to hear the voice of someone his own age. 

"How crazy is it that we found each other!? Have you seen anyone else? Where are you trying to go to? We're going west, that's where the evacuation is." He explained and Red Son sent him an incredulous look as if saying 'did I ask?' But MK's silence as he waited patiently for an answer to his questions made Red Son sigh loudly, dragging a hand down his face. 

"Not that it's any of your business but I'll be meeting my parents at our safe house in the flaming mountains. Mother texted me once the alarm started to go there so that's where I'm going. It's certainly better than staying in whatever hovel the government sent the evacuees to." He sneered, clearly disgusted with the very idea of living like everyone else and that MK understood because he'd seen Red Son's house once before and it was pretty grand. He was pretty sure they had servants and things too. It made sense they had a safe house. 

"Okay well the flaming mountains are kinda in our direction, you can come with us to the next town and get a car there if you want!" MK offered kindly and the other shook his head instantly, getting back to work on the car. 

"No offense but no way am I staying in an enclosed space with you for any amount of time." Though disappointed, MK tried not to take it personally only for Red Son to freeze like he realized something, looking back up. 

"Wait did you say us?" MK gasped, realizing he hadn't introduced or mentioned Bai He yet. 

"Oh! Wait here! I'll introduce you. She'll be so excited to meet you." He grinned, quickly running out of the room and ignoring Red Son's annoyed yells behind him as he rushed back out of the house to the car, smiling and waving at a concerned-looking Bai He.

He got inside the car, shut the door, and grabbed the rope so they could bring her cat. 

"You'll never guess what, Bai He!" He grinned giddily at the confused-looking girl, keeping her in suspense for just a second before clapping his hands together. 

"I found a friend! He's inside the house. Wanna meet him?" He asked, still feeling delighted with the fact that he'd found someone else, someone he knew even! It gave him hope that he'd find more people along the way. 

"Really?" The girl asked slowly, a little less excited than MK had thought she'd be. If anything she actually looked a little nervous and worried though MK wasn't really sure why. 

"Yeah! He acts a bit mean, but don't worry he's actually nice, so don't worry about him. Now let's go in! It's safe and we'll bring Kitty in and get some food." He promised and at the mention of food, she seemed to stop hesitating, quickly taking her seatbelt off and shuffling to get out.