Three minutes. The power was out for exactly three minutes.
That gave you an idea.
"Are you feeling well, poppet?" You glanced up at Oliver as he walked over to the dining table with a tray in his hands.
You licked your teeth and forced a smile "I'm just excited for today's breakfast is all"
He blinked before nodding his head with much enthusiasm. He put down the tray and placed different kinds of dishes in front of you.
"I saw what happened last night. How rude of me not to consider asking you what you wanted, you are our guest" He chuckled quietly. I just played with the fork.
"Anyway, for today I made you a cucumber salad with a special vinaigrette and whole grain blueberry muffins. Eat up" He winked "You're going to need it"
Never glancing away from his form, you cautiously stabbed the fork on the greens on your plate and shoved them in your mouth. Your eyes widened and you put a hand over your mouth as you chewed.
"Is something the matter? Do you not like it?" He asked with genuine concern, or at least that's what it sounded like.
"No, it's—" You swallowed "It's really good"
"Why thank you, I try my best"
You continued to eat in silence, trying not pig out. Not only your pride but your intestines were going to thank you for that. Back then, after days of not eating, you'd break and eat anything and everything you could get your hands on.
The fork made a clinking sound when you dropped it on the plate.
"Poppet, are you all right?"
You just bit down on something weirdly textured. It was slightly burnt and... You sprang up to your feet, knocking the chair to the floor. You jumped at the sink just in time for your breakfast to shoot out your mouth and into the drain.
Your stomach continued to churn. Your face and chest felt hot.
"What is it?" You didn't see him move but Oliver was right behind you "Did you swallow something you weren't supposed to?"
Twisting the faucet, you splashed cool water onto your mouth and then leaned on the porcelain, all four limbs felt weak.
"Poppet, what's the matter?" His voice actually sounded like he was worried.
"Oliver..." You whispered, your throat sore "was there any meat in that salad?"
"Of course not! I... wait" He tapped his chin "I was feeding Kuma when I made your breakfast"
"Kuma?"
Heavy boots dragged themselves inside the kitchen. Oliver smiled at the door where a man and a full-grown bear stood "Speak of the Devil. Hello, James, Kuma"
James. Save for their facial structures, nothing would point out that he was related to Jason. He was a couple of inches taller, though his brother was broader. His skin was snow-pale. Defying gravity was a curly and thin lick of his dark strawberry blonde hair, which was long enough to be tied into a low ponytail. Unlike the first time you saw him, today he wore his red flannel shirt with two buttons left open, revealing a bandaged chest; and dark blue jeans tucked inside his bulky riding boots.
He also wore a frown on his lips and his shoulders moped, like nothing has ever worked out for him. Shame. He was actually kinda cute.
James glanced up at you, "You slapped Jason, right?"
Surprised, you nodded.
He smirked "Anyone who would willingly do that is all right on my book. Finish up, we got things to do"
"What—"
"Actually, I think she's already done. Here, poppet" Oliver pulled out a blueberry muffin out of nowhere and shoved it inside your mouth "You can eat it on your way"
"All right" James turned around "Follow me"
Oliver just smiled when you turned to him. Sighing inwardly, you trailed behind James, keeping a safe distance from him and his carnivorous friend.
You wanted to ask him about, well, a lot of things, but he didn't look like he was much of a talker. Plus he was kind of scary. So you just finished the muffin, which was a piece of Heaven. For all his psychotic tendencies, you had to admit, Oliver was an excellent baker.
You passed the bathroom and then eventually reached another door. You found a camera in the corner and when it rotated to James, the door unlocked and opened.
Bright light entered and you looked away. The rooms here were always so dark.
"Come on" James mumbled stepping inside.
"What..." You joined him and looked around in awe. The place was huge, a flat grassland with paneled ceilings that provided artificial sunlight.
You found Jason lying down on the ground with a baseball cap over his face. You then heard James sigh before stomping over to his brother. He withdrew a leg and heaved it downwards to Jason, who caught it just in time.
"What do you want, maple freak?" Jason mumbled groggily as he removed the cap.
"I brought you your girlfriend"
"Oh" He looked and then sat up when he noticed you "Baby doll! How you doin'?"
"I'm not his girlfriend" You blurted out. Jason laughed it off, James rolled his eyes.
"What do you want from me?"
"You know what—"
"Don't even." James casually smacked his brother.
"What the fuck, man? Don't take it out on me just 'cause you're too cold to actually flirt with anyone!"
"What was that, hoser?"
You looked down at Kuma who lazily watched on, "Are they always like this?"
He nodded. You smiled "You're not a typical bear, are you? You're smarter than most humans"
You couldn't help but think that he agreed, and with much pride. Strange people, strange pets. At least the pets were somewhat bearable.
"Looking for a fight, eh?" So James did have an emotion other than indifference.
"Bring it" Jason then delivered a fist to his brother's jaw and you gasped in surprise. Despite having lived with four freaks in a mafioso's mansion, witnessing the slaughter of a man, and stabbing someone in the neck in self-defense, you still couldn't deal with angry confrontations. Blood and gore you could handle, but you hated heated arguments.
"Don't worry. They're both morons but they care for each other more than they let on" You looked over your shoulder and found Francois.
"You seem to know them well"
"When you live with someone for years, you grow to care for them. No matter how much a pain in the ass they could be"
You laughed, and though it was small and subtle, you saw the Frenchman grin.
"Tell me my ears aren't playing tricks on me" Jason and James were staring at you now "You actually laughed"
You blinked "I guess I did" Your shoulders began to shake.
"What is it?"
You bit hard on your lower lip, but that didn't stop it from coming. You were laughing.
"Do we need to knock her out again?"
James then elbowed Jason. "Ow!"
"Sorry, I" You sniffed and wiped the tears away "I just... realized that, too"
"I'll never understand women—ow! Cut it out, will you?"
You knelt down with Kuma, whose approval you won for some unexplained reason, lying down behind you as a backrest. Jason was doing push-ups while Francois took his second nap today day.
James took a break from running and went over to you to grab a towel and a drink.
"Why did you bring me here?" You asked him.
"What?"
"Why did you bring me here?"
"You don't like fresh air?"
"Air-conditioning isn't exactly my definition of fresh air"
He gulped down a glass of lemonade. He slammed it down on the tray before offering me his hand. You glanced at it, then at him. He narrowed his eyes and you were forced to accept.
He led you to a circular door. It looked like the entrance to a secret tunnel, except it wasn't.
"This enough fresh air for you?" He asked as you stepped out the door. You were surrounded by thick, luscious trees and the air felt cool.
You inhaled... then exhaled. Your knees buckled and you almost fell if not for James catching you by the shoulders. Fresh air. You couldn't believe you've taken advantage of it before. Your lungs have never felt so happy in their entire existence.
"Hey, are you still with me?" He bent down, shifting you so he could look at your tear-stained face.
"Thank you" You whispered "I don't think I'd ever be so happy to see trees and plants and birds..." You cried.
He gulped, obviously not knowing what to do. He was a tough cookie but it you just found a weak side.
"Sure, um, you're welcome"
'Yes. Thank you, James. You just gave me a way out.'