The City (Merome AU)

18

~*Craft*~

I watch as the short Asian man before me paces back and forth, vigorously cleaning the knife in his hand with a damp cloth. To be honest, I don't know why he likes to keep only his weapons spotless. Everything else is covered in dust and dirt, and he doesn't even cast it a second look. It's one of his quirks I guess.

The man makes a displeased sound before shaking his head and putting the knife away. "I'll finish cleaning it later," He murmurs to himself before tossing the cloth away.

"Star, you think people saw the guy by now?" I ask, jumping down from my higher up viewpoint.

"Definitely," Star states, looking over at it. "But if you don't mind me questioning, why do you like being up high so much? You're already a giant as it is." I smile at his question.

"Why do you like clean weapons?" Star lets out a quiet chuckle and shakes his head.

"Touché Mr. Craft," He mumbles before looking around. We are currently in the ruins of what once was a rather large building that appears to have been destroyed long before everything else. Star believes it was some sort place where wealthy people lived before it was destroyed, and I go with whatever he thinks.

"Craft." My train of thought was interrupted by Star calling my name. "You still here?"

"Y-yeah. Sorry. What did you need?" He rolls his eyes at me.

"I asked if you were ready to move. We have to keep moving, just incase that idiot actually had other idiots as friends. One idiot is easy, but a group can get a bit challenging."

"I'm ready when you are."

"Good. We leave at sunset."

"Right. But what about the coyotes?" Star's mouth curves into a small, yet noticeably evil smirk.

"They'll be too busy hovering around the city to notice us." Sometimes I'm shocked by how evil he can be. But, yet again, it's one of his quirks. I wonder what mine are...

~*Jerome*~

Call us boring, but Mitch and I walked the city for the whole day. I might have been his personal tour guide, but the look on his face when he saw the city's charms was worth it. I'll never get over that face of awe when he stared at some statue I walk past almost every day. It makes you think about all the things you take for granted when you've been living here for all your life.

"Jerome!" Mitch waves his hand in my face, attempting to get my attention.

"Yes dear?" I ask sarcastically, looking at him with a smirk. His face grows a slight shade of pink before he speaks again.

"I was trying to say thank you." He clears his throat.

"For what? All I did was show you around."

"Exactly! If you weren't with me, I wouldn't even stray off the main road." I smile at him. Oh Mitch, you're too kind.

"Sure." I chuckle lightly and wrap my arm around his shoulders. "Maybe next time I'll show you the gates. Besides the northern one of course. You've already seen that." He rolls his eyes at me.

"The next time I see a gate will be when we're leaving this city." Leave?

"Wait, why do you want to leave?" He sighs softly and looks back at me.

"You won't be safe if you stay here for much longer." His voice is serious. "There are wastelanders after you. Bad ones."

"Why?"

"Because I have something they want. And you are a great weapon to be used against me." What would he have that other wastelanders want? The gun? Some special knife?

"I see." I'm going to have to leave the one place I've ever known...

"Jerome, don't worry about a thing." He looks me in the eyes. "I'll make sure that nothing bad happens to you."

"But, what if-"

"There are no 'What if's' Jerome. Not when you're with me. Got that?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now let's head back. It's starting to-" his voice is cut off by a deep growl. Great! It's one of Kaydee's dogs! Oh, how I love almost getting killed by those things!

"Jerome," Mitch's voice grows serious. "Walk back to your house. Don't run. Running can make it attack." What is "it?"

"Mitch?" My heart starts racing slightly, and my eyes search his for any signs of humor. There was none.

"I said go back to the house Jerome. It isn't safe for you to be out here." His face was dead serious.

"R-right! J-just stay safe." I manage to sputter out.

"I will. Now go." He points in the direction for me to go. Taking a deep breath, I turn and walk away from him. Resisting the urge to look back. Whatever it is, it must be more dangerous than that dog. But what in the world is more dangerous than Kaydee's dogs?