Neon Lights

EIGHT

We stopped by the first thrift shop I saw. We needed disguises if this were to work, I let him know this before we left home, he hadn't reacted to the idea which in Alexander Moon Ga's world was a confirmation. If he wasn't openly against it he was for it. I waited for long enough that security wasn't too far back, for the first time in the drive turning to the man calling shotgun in my car. Well, his car that I was using.

"I need to make a purchase, sir-" I unbuckled my seat belt,  searching my glove department for cash "I'll be back in a minute, I just need to-"

"No"

I arched a brow. He echoed the syllable.

"Sir I need to-"

"You're not leaving me in the car, Clara May. We go together"

Oh.

"It will be a minute. I'm grabbing you some stuff then-"

"I can't. I can't be alone, in a car-" he was unbuckling his seat belt, jaw set and breaths just slightly heavy- like breathing was hard for him "don't worry, I won't inconvenience you"

I won't inconvenience you.

I thought of the man prisoner in his own house, only speaking to one person. I thought of the man in the kitchen, making a mess trying to get a water glass. I thought of the man sitting subordinate next to his mother,  sculpture in both beauty precision and demeanor. I thought of Alexander Moon Ga,  Alexander who walked the exact same paths every single day. Alexander with the robotically precise body language. Alexander that made himself as scarce as needed to be. Alexander that didn't want to be an inconvenience. That was the second wall to come down. That was the second line I crossed.

"There's this place. It's inside my campus. It's one of my favorite places to be. If you let me, I'd like to take you there-" I reached out, fingers over his shoulder, my heart in my throat "if you let me. But I can't get you in looking like- this. I need to get you something, sir. Let me"

He sat still, like the weight of my palm over his shoulder was too heavy. Like he didn't know what to do with it. I pulled my hand back, he turned over his seat to face me. This time, he did meet my eyes. The air in the car went loaded, heavy with the thing between us. The city outside bustled, unbothered.

"Looking like what, Clara May?"

"Like a prince. Forgive me, sir,  for my boldness,  but you are not to be hidden. You can hide the fact that you're a Moon Ga, that can easily be done. But you can't hide the fact that youre-" my voice went lower,  palms sweaty, heart thudding against my throat "this"

He let a moment pass. The comm in my ear whispered.  I whispered back, we were safe. More moments passed.

"This?"

I gulped against it. Fishing my compartment,  I pulled out a little thing, a small squishy ball I kept for its sheer cuteness- neon blue koala. It was bizarre, I know, but I pressed the thing into his palm. He squeezed it, once. Then again.

"Count to a hundred, I'll be back. The security car is directly behind ours, Kaji is standing right next to your door looking weird as hell as we speak. You are safe. You're okay. Let me keep you safe, sir. Let me make you okay. If anything happens I'll be here before you know it. Let me"

I didn't move. He squeezed the thing between his fingers and whispered a "one". I jumped out of the car and locked the doors,  running straight into the store.

I wasn't done by the count of two hundred. Fuck. This was one of those times where my skin color got in the way. I actually watched the cashier serve everyone but me. Ah fuck. Of all the times for blatant racism.