✓ | rarity. ( john murphy )

three. (white lies)

"It's not poisoned, if that's what you're thinking," Nova comments with a harsh tone, her patience wearing thin and she's only been in the bunker a total of two minutes. She understands why he doesn't trust her, but she's had to prove herself since the day she landed on the ground, and she's rather tired of it now.

While she waits to see what the boy does, Nova puts the torch in a hand-made hook on one of the walls, creating a little more light around the room. She waited until dark had fallen once more to visit the bunker again, sacrificing her beloved sleep to do so. Thankfully, she was left to her own devices during the day, with Astoria and Harlo both out on a hunting trip, which she couldn't partake in, so any further questioning from Astoria was avoided for the time being.

   A huff comes out of Nova's mouth as soon as she realises the boy is still staring at the piece of fruit as if it's going to kill him. Obviously, her tactic of convincing him into eating it isn't working, so she plonks herself against the wall opposite him, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

   "I'm not leaving here until you eat the damn thing, so not eating it will just keep me here for longer and you clearly don't want that." She shrugs, nonchalantly, as her stubborn side begins to show.

"How do I know I can trust you?" He strains his voice slightly, his voice softer than usual. The fact that he's been locked in this bunker for a couple of days now is starting to take a toll on him. His face is even more battered and bruised that Nova can remember and his eyes are beginning to look tired.

Nova's face falls. This is the first time he's shown an emotion that isn't hostile.

"You can't. You just have to believe me when I say I'm different to my people. I don't want to hurt you."

Silence subdues the bunker for a moment, the only sound that can be heard is the distant crackling of the fire from the torch. Nova feels almost uneasy at the sudden lack of noise, but she doesn't want to push the boy even further, so she waits for him to speak.

"Why are you here, then? Why are you helping me? I'm a lost cause, if you haven't noticed. You've got nothing to gain from being here, so you may as well just leave!" Before Nova can even process his words, the boy hurls the apple across the bunker, the chains of his shackles rattling as he does so. The piece of fruit narrowly misses her and it lands right beside Nova's side. Her heart rate increases at his sudden outburst, yet she's not all that shocked.

A rush of confidence runs through Nova. She doesn't say a word, just picks the apple up and takes a bite out of it, proving him that she hasn't in fact poisoned it. Her actions don't answer his first question as to why she's here, but it does prove that she is trustworthy.

Nova tosses the apple back to him and his quick reaction means he manages to catch it. "I haven't poisoned it. So, please, eat."

   Once again, the boy presents a look of confusion, he doesn't know why someone is actually being nice to him. But he doesn't question it, and finally eats the apple. He would never admit it, but his stomach was severely craving some sort of food, so he's grateful for this gesture, even if it is only a bit of fruit.

The boy is acting as if he's been completely deprived of food for much longer than the time he's been in the bunker. Nova becomes concerned by the way he's eating the apple like his life depends on it, and it makes her wonder what on earth he's been through.