Dragon Riding Field/Alex and Zero Pt. V

## the takeover of the polite terminators (9/3)

Alex Bellrose

"Of course," she said, "shooting hoverboards at us like Arrows."

Kye Hanbyeol

"That would be entertaining, but I honestly hope it does not start doing that."

Alex Bellrose

"It'd be an interesting way to die," she pointed out.

Kye Hanbyeol

"Kind of pesky way too."

Alex Bellrose

"Gruesome," she suggested.

Kye Hanbyeol

"Such an interesting sense of humor we have."

Alex Bellrose

"I think our humour's great," she said, "nothing violent at all."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Perfectly pure and child-friendly."

Alex Bellrose

"Oh, of course, pure as an angel," she responded.

Kye Hanbyeol

Zero laughed again, throwing his head back. He hadn't remembered laughing like this in forever. He hadn't remembered having the freedom to laugh like this in forever.

Alex Bellrose

She bit her own lip, hiding a laugh, but couldn't force back a smile. "Can I just say...this place has really bad customer service. You pressed 'buy' like five minutes ago and you still haven't gotten your product. If they have artificial intelligence, you'd think they'd be efficient."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Maybe they're contemplating what's the most painful way to kill me with a hoverboard."

Alex Bellrose

"What about slicing your throat open? That would do the trick."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Quite gruesome, but I don't think the hoverboard would be sharp enough for that."

Alex Bellrose

"Sure it would," she said, "the edges could be if they're going at the right speed."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Hover boards are pretty blunt. I promise you."

Alex Bellrose

"I'll believe you, know more than me."

Kye Hanbyeol

"I feel so apprecia—" A board shot out from the depths of the curtains behind the counter and out into the open of the shop. "Well, there's the hoverboard."

Alex Bellrose

She moved forward, picking it up to inspect it, "lighter than I expected..." she said, before holding it out to him.

Kye Hanbyeol

"You're in a dimension where people can wield magic and walk through mirrors. Why are you surprised?"

Alex Bellrose

"It looks heavier," she argued, "and, I don't know, guess I'm a visual person."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Fair enough," he said with a shrug, taking the board. He glanced at the counter and awkwardly called out, "Uh, thanks... for the board."

Alex Bellrose

"Did you pay?" She asked frowning.

Kye Hanbyeol

"Yeah. Fingerprint recognition. It automatically takes the necessary amount of money out of my bank account."

Alex Bellrose

"Oh, right, I knew that," she said.

Kye Hanbyeol

"You didn't know that, did you?"

Alex Bellrose

"I did," she responded. Which was true, she did know that. Years ago. But she felt the notion familiar. A pad of numbers that you put into a machine etcetc.

Kye Hanbyeol

"But you forgot until now," he pointed out.

Alex Bellrose

"How do you forget something like that?" She asked, raising an eyebrow, "it's pretty common."

Kye Hanbyeol

"You should ask yourself that," he snorted. "There are so many methods of transferring money these days, no one bothers to remember them so I don't blame you."

Alex Bellrose

"Yes, well, I didn't forget, so," she said with a shrug, "I've use this method a couple of times. The bank number on the other hand..."

Kye Hanbyeol

"I give up on you," he huffed, exiting the store.

Alex Bellrose

*Same.* She followed, her feet moving double the pace to keep up. "Don't leave me alone with the terminator."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Hey, if we were in a war with these polite terminators, I'm sure you would be fine unless you have no table manners. Ah ha, imagine the prison camps. Robots patrolling rooms filled with humans as they taught them proper etiquette."

Alex Bellrose

"I think we should send every child under five there," she muttered.

Kye Hanbyeol

"You'll take the child out of the child."

Alex Bellrose

She paused. She wasn't sure if it was her English that made her confused....or if that was just a confusing statement. "What?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"Let the children be childish for five years of their life, alright? The next thing you'll know, they'll spend the next fifteen being yelled at to sit down and shut up."

Alex Bellrose

She raised her eyebrow at him, deciding not say anything to do that.

Kye Hanbyeol

"I have a feeling that either you have no idea what I'm saying or don't give a shit."

Alex Bellrose

"No I do," she said, rather stiffly, "I'm going to head back to the dorm. Homework. So...have fun with the board."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Actually, you're going to come to the park with me."

Alex Bellrose

She looked at him with raised eyebrows, "what?" She asked, "I am?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"Yup, now let's go." Without a warning, he grabbed her wrist and started heading down the street.

Alex Bellrose

She stumbled as she followed before catching pace. "I..." she trailed off, deciding not to bother trying to ask why they were going.

Kye Hanbyeol

"Go to the park a lot?" he asked, aiming for simple small talk.

Alex Bellrose

"Uh, no, not really," she said with a shrug.

Kye Hanbyeol

"Not a fan of the outdoors... I can support that."

Alex Bellrose

She peered at him, "I'd hope so," she said, "not like in you're in a position to not support it."

Kye Hanbyeol

"I will be a shut-in, in peace."

Alex Bellrose

"I think the word is 'recluse'"

Kye Hanbyeol

"Expanding your use of vocabulary, I'm so proud of you," he continued sarcastically.

Alex Bellrose

She bit her tongue from giving him a retort running down the lines of 'I had to relearn this language less than a year ago. I could be a lot worse' but kept her mouth shut and her expression neutral. "Recluse is a pretty common word," she pointed out.

Kye Hanbyeol

"Many don't tend to use it, however, but then again, a majority simply don't conversate about topics such as this."

Alex Bellrose

"Alright," she simply said, letting it go, "I assume you don't go to the park much either then?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"More than you do, but no, at least, not during the day."

Alex Bellrose

"Why during night? Isn't there a curfew?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"Yes, there is. Like I mentioned earlier, I sleep at irregular intervals so I'm usually up at night."

Alex Bellrose

"Don't people, like, catch you if you sneak out though? Aren't there patrols?"

Kye Hanbyeol

*I'm a former assassin, I don't need to worry about uptight security systems.* "You mean the artificial intelligence run security systems... Right. I know some... tricks to get past them when I need to."

Alex Bellrose

"Oh," she said, "that's useful."

Kye Hanbyeol

"It is... Do you ever come out at night?"

Alex Bellrose

She shook her head. "No," she said, "I'm asleep at night so don't really have the time."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Again with your dry humor, aish," he sighed, rolling his eyes and muttering some phrase in Korean that was along the lines of *This is why I don't talk to people.*

Alex Bellrose

"You're going to have to get use to it, it's a permanent part of me," she pointed out, ignoring the part where he spoke in Korean.

Kye Hanbyeol

"I'm not a very humorous person. I will never get used to it."

Alex Bellrose

"Houston, we have a problem," she said instantly.

Kye Hanbyeol

He blinked, looking at her as if she was insane. "I... do not know who Houston is unless you're referring to Houston, Texas. And if you are, what does Houston have to do with this?"

Alex Bellrose

She opened her mouth then closed it,"sorry," she breathed out, "Earth joke."

Kye Hanbyeol

"I figured..." he drifted off, looking away again.

Alex Bellrose

She looked at the park that was now only a street away, "so...what's here?" She asked, "or are we having a picnic?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"I don't know, *a park*," he remarked sarcastically. "You need to see the park. Because nature appreciation."

Alex Bellrose

"So there's nothing in here that's actually worth either of our time?" She asked blinking, "a'ight, lets go play with the butterflies."

Kye Hanbyeol

"I didn't say that. You'll see when we get there. In fact, we have arrived." The entrance to the park was an arch weaved from branches of nearby trees, decorating it with its bright, vibrant leaves. Beyond into the park where the dirt trails roamed, a smell of freshly cut grass and a mixed aroma of flowers floated out into the street. More was waiting to be discovered by those who ventured forward.

Alex Bellrose

Her eyes devoured the scenery, throwing the cup into a public bin in their way in, and slipped her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "It's pretty," she conceded.

Kye Hanbyeol

"It's a park," he said flatly. "What? Did you expect all the leaves to be dead or something?"

Alex Bellrose

"No," she said, "I expected it to be your common park with uncut grass and a playground, maybe a few bushes if the local council is feeling generous. Not one that's disguised as a park but is actually more of a botanical garden. However, I have seen better."

Kye Hanbyeol

"You're in a magical universe. Honestly, the fact that you expected that is almost enough to make me laugh."

Alex Bellrose

"You know, I don't really see why you think this place is magical," she noted, "you've lived here all your life. Wouldn't everything be...normal?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"Wouldn't you find something magical about your own universe somehow? It may be home for me, but that's what *makes it* magical. Because it's home."

Alex Bellrose

"So by your argument I could say Earth is just as magical? If I viewed it as home that is."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Yes. It all depends on preference. But technology wise, evolution wise... and this may have some bias, Earth is mundane if you subtract all the drama and politics."

Alex Bellrose

"Everyone here has bias against that planet," she pointed out, "it's nothing new."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Mm... Maybe, but then again... We are two centuries ahead of you so we don't know too much of what's it like."

Alex Bellrose

"I guess," she responded before rubbing her bicep, "so...what's next?" She asked,"do we have any bread crumbs to feed the birds?"

Kye Hanbyeol

He raised an eyebrow. "Feed the birds? Whyever would we do that?" he asked, crossing the street and walking into the park.

Alex Bellrose

She looked at an old woman currently doing said activity as she walked into it before back to him, "cause it's what people usually do."

Kye Hanbyeol

"She's throwing heated rocks at a baby Phoenix," he corrected her, stepping closer to the bird. It turned and squawked at him and he grinned, bending down to study it.

Alex Bellrose

"She's still feeding a bird," she muttered, "sentiment remains."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Come here Alex," he demanded softly. "Look at it. Isn't it magnificent?"

Alex Bellrose

She glanced at it, watching it slightly, "yeah, I guess so," she said.

Kye Hanbyeol

Noticing the note of apathy, he sighed, standing up. He tossed his hoverboard on the ground and stomped on the edge of it, turning it on. "Here, let's go to a more open area."

Alex Bellrose

"Oh," she said in realisation, "you want to try that out." That should have been obvious.

Kye Hanbyeol

"Yes. I also wanted to show you something. Come, follow me."

Alex Bellrose

"Don't need to tell me that, it's what I've been doing for a good twenty minutes," she pointed out.

Kye Hanbyeol

He rolled his eyes, ignoring her attitude, as he hopped on the board and pushed himself forward with his right leg.

Alex Bellrose

She followed, obviously at a slower pace, she could barely keep up with people let alone a hover board.

Kye Hanbyeol

He was purposely going slow so Alex didn't lag behind too much. He occasionally glanced over his shoulder to make sure she was still there as he navigated the park. Finally, they reached the River of Cherry Blossoms, which ran directly through the park and had numerous bridges over it to cross. Lining the perimeter of the river were cherry blossom trees, their petals falling into the river to create a beautiful spectacle.

Alex Bellrose

She wandered onto the bridge as she looked down the river, her eyes glazing over for a moment before she snapped out of it and looked over at him. "I think I've been here before," she confessed, "years ago. It's very aesthetic."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Did you... just call a river... *aesthetic?*" he coughed. "Who even are you?"

Alex Bellrose

Her lips tugged, "with the blossoms it is," she said.

Kye Hanbyeol

"I'm stuck between pushing you into the river and leaving you here. I honestly want to do both."

Alex Bellrose

"How cruel," she said, despite the skip of her heart at the threat and pushed back against the railing, moving her way back down to the ground.

Kye Hanbyeol

"I won't actually do it. I'm astounded, but not inhuman," he sighed.

Alex Bellrose

"Better safe than sorry," she said, "I don't swim."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Gee, I don't know what gave it away." He rolled his eyes and pushed off with his right leg again, zooming across the bridge. This time he didn't bother waiting for Alex.

Alex Bellrose

She flinched at the words. Pulling at her hair, she took another glance to the river before following his general direction.

Kye Hanbyeol

Zero weaved himself around people as the hoverboard sped up. He bent down to tap the side of his board to adjust the height, and he shot a good three feet in the air.

Alex Bellrose

She watched him rise up before pulling at her necklace, the two marriage rings scratching against her skin and she wasn't sure what she was meant to do. Just keep on following him? Well, alright.

Kye Hanbyeol

He stopped near a more secluded area of the park near the bank of the river, slowing down and coming to a stop.

Alex Bellrose

A moment later, Alex reached him. "Like it so far?" She asked.

Kye Hanbyeol

"Hm... I'm starting to wonder if I should've gotten a different brand... but a hoverboard is a hoverboard, so I guess."

Alex Bellrose

"Can't you refund?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"Probably. But I don't want to go back in there more than I have to."

Alex Bellrose

"I don't think the terminator will recognise you."

Kye Hanbyeol

"It's artificial intelligence. As helpful as artificial intelligence is, it's pretty untrustworthy when you consider people like hackers exist and the AI can malfunction... etc."

Alex Bellrose

*All you'd be doing is switching a board for another, not moving in there.* "Well, it's up to you," she said with a shrug, "I guess. I mean, it looks pretty good to me."

Kye Hanbyeol

"That's only because there's a good probability you would never even *step* on a hoverboard."

Alex Bellrose

She poked her tongue out, "maybe so," she said, "but it seemed to do the job."

Kye Hanbyeol

"There are different things to consider... but it's no use lecturing you when you most likely don't care."

Alex Bellrose

She winked at him, "I care enough that I can listen to a lecture, I just don't care enough to get on it."

Kye Hanbyeol

He facepalmed. "...I... no comment, whatsoever."

Alex Bellrose

"It's called caring about what your friends care about so you put your own personal afflictions aside," she said with a shrug before tapping her thigh. "But...tell me I did not come all this way to have someone shoot 'no comment' at me every other minute."

Kye Hanbyeol

"No, you didn't. I do not wish to waste your time. What I need you for is simple. I'll explain it later. Just time me, okay?"

Alex Bellrose

She can do that, she knew how to time someone. She brought up her HC, going towards the timer. "Yeah, sure."

Kye Hanbyeol

Zero stepped back onto his board and waited for Alex to press the start button. Once she did, he pushed off with his right foot and sped off. In a minute or two, he returned. "What's my time?"

Alex Bellrose

"Minute and a half, well 34 seconds if you want to be exact," she said, pressing the stop button.

Kye Hanbyeol

"That's... decent," he mused, hopping off his board and walking over to Alex. "So... the city has a hoverboard team... and one of their best players' has the fastest hoverboard time record of 35 seconds... I want to beat it."

Alex Bellrose

She broke into a burst of laughter. "Okay, maybe you *should* have researched the types of boards then, if you want to be the best."

Kye Hanbyeol

He made a face, kind of like a neutral pout. "I did research. The best models are like a little over a million aurem? And even then, a hoverboard can only be as good as the person who rides it is."

Alex Bellrose

"Correct me if I'm wrong, and I most likely will be, but, if I remember correctly, isn't your dad really rich?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"Yes, I'm very aware. I don't buy things using his money most of the time though," he explained, crossing his arms.

Alex Bellrose

"Oh, okay...fair enough, I guess?" Personally, she rather enjoyed spending an excess amount of her father's money but...that was for more vindictive reasons. "Could get a job?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"I have a job. That's where I get my money from," he snorted. "I'd like to beat it this month and not in the next decade... And I honestly don't want to rely on anyone else's money... Argh."

Alex Bellrose

"You can have mine? I don't need it," she said with a one sided shrug, not really caring if she lost a million aurem. She didn't need money.

Kye Hanbyeol

"No, you may be fine with it, but I'm not."

Alex Bellrose

"Offer still stands," she said with a shrug, "but still...a minute and 34 seconds? Only 59 seconds difference. Impressive."

Kye Hanbyeol

"I... I don't know. I feel like that was luck, probably."

Alex Bellrose

"Try it again, prove yourself wrong," she suggested, leaning against a tree.

Kye Hanbyeol

"You're right," he sighed. "Time me again?"

Alex Bellrose

She nodded a couple times, bringing it up again.

Kye Hanbyeol

Zero hopped on his board and took another lap around the park, finishing around the same time, with a half second difference.

Alex Bellrose

"See? Told you! Minute and 33 seconds."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Really?" he asked, walking over to her, faster this time. "You're not kidding..."

Alex Bellrose

"Of course not, when do I ever 'kid'?"

Kye Hanbyeol

Zero gave her a flat look. "All the time."

Alex Bellrose

"Sarcasm, Zero, sarcasm," she said with a wink.

Kye Hanbyeol

"..." He just blinked and shook his head. "You're an interesting person, to say the least."

Alex Bellrose

"Better than being boring," she said. "You...wanna try again? Or something else?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"Corners. I can't turn around corners quick enough."

Alex Bellrose

"Can I offer any help?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"That would be appreciated. Thank you."

Alex Bellrose

"....timing you again?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"I don't know if that'll be necessary... We can start tomorrow though since it's the evening..."

Alex Bellrose

"Don't you have class?" She asked.

Kye Hanbyeol

"Yes. We can do it after classes end."

Alex Bellrose

"Oh, right, yeah lets do-oh, wait, I don't think I can," she said, "I think I'm going out with Brooklyn."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Oh..." He nodded in understanding. "That's fine then. We can do it another time."

Alex Bellrose

"Yeah, another time," she said, "any other plans for today?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"I might go to sleep early... Of course, I would be awake for the rest of the night so probably not."

Alex Bellrose

"Better than nothing," she said, "didn't you say you only got a few hours anyway?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"Yes. If I went to sleep sometime in the next hour... I'd probably be awake by two."

Alex Bellrose

"It's six now...good seven hours," she said, "that's pretty solid."

Kye Hanbyeol

"That's... very unlikely. For me to sleep seven hours. But nothing is impossible, I guess."

Alex Bellrose

"Nothing's impossible...if you put your mind to it."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Agh, stop it with the inspirational quotes."

Alex Bellrose

"Just behind the storm, there's a rainbow!" She said, "or do you like this one better: don't watch the clock, do what it does and keep going."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Please leave, you're destroying my brain cells."

Alex Bellrose

She snickered, "come on," she said, "they're kind of funny."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Kind of ironic too if you think about it," he commented, transforming his board into a disk and slipping it into his pocket before following Alex.

Alex Bellrose

"Oh really? How so?" She asked.

Kye Hanbyeol

"Some tend to contradict human nature. It's what makes following difficult."

Alex Bellrose

"Oh," she said. *Tell that to the hospital. They decorate the walls with them.* "Who knew."

Kye Hanbyeol

"I tend to look for contradictions... Probably why I'm friends with you."

Alex Bellrose

"Oh, look at you, cracking a joke."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Aren't you proud of me, Bellrose?"

Alex Bellrose

"Alex," she said instantly, "and not really. Joke could have been better."

Kye Hanbyeol

"I don't like the way dry humour works."

Alex Bellrose

"Shame, I love it," she said, "you're going to have to deal with it."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Or I could do what I suggested earlier and chuck you in a river... but if you die that's technically homicide and I can't have that on my record."

Alex Bellrose

"Of all reasons not to commit murder, I guess that's one of them," she muttered, "why a river, anyway? Why not just put a knife through me? Or a bullet. A lot faster."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Because rivers are fun."

Alex Bellrose

She was quiet at that, her stomach churning as her mind thought through the idea of being thrown in a river. "My humour may be dry, but at least it's not twisted."

Kye Hanbyeol

"I guess that's a solid statement... My sadistic humor is a thing between us, kay? Can't anyone else know I have an actual sense of humor, nonetheless a psychotic one."

Alex Bellrose

"I've told you I'm terrible at keeping secrets, have I? Because I am."

Kye Hanbyeol

"I know. Speaking of your horrible ability at keeping secrets, you told Brooklyn."

Alex Bellrose

She opened her mouth then closed it. "And she told you," she said slowly, "I was hoping she'd get the memo that I wasn't meant to say. I think I actually said that....sorry, I did try to keep you out of it."

Kye Hanbyeol

"No, I asked her. She seemed on edge, so I considered something was bothering her."

Alex Bellrose

"Oh," she said, "why would it bother her? It's not like she was one of them. She said she wasn't."

Kye Hanbyeol

"She said she was bothered by the appearance of government officials in the first place. It's a highly unnatural occurrence. Why they even requested to see students at all is even more absurd."

Alex Bellrose

"Could totally become spies. Stake out the government buildings for all the Brooklyn's that go in and hijack them. Get to the bottom of it."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Whoa, whoa, slow your roll there James Bond."

Alex Bellrose

"Well, how about that, you don't know 'Houston we have a problem' but you know who 'James Bond' is. Remarkable. Tell me that's not Will's influence."

Kye Hanbyeol

He opened his mouth to respond and then closed it again because he knew that was Will's influence and he really didn't want to admit it. "Maybe it is. Maybe it's not. That's not... important."

Alex Bellrose

"James Bond is terrible. Eradicate him from your memory. Now...Captain America, on the other hand."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Captain America... Captain America... *Ya, nanun Kaebtin Amelikaneun chowahaji anhaeahyo.*" While the sentence itself was in Korean, it was obvious by the roll of his eyes what he said.

Alex Bellrose

"If you just dissed Captain America, you are dead to me," she said, "and you can leave now."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Go find a translator and figure it out yourself."

Alex Bellrose

"No," she said, "I already have a good idea of it anyway."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Alright, then what is it?"

Alex Bellrose

"You don't like Captain America. Somehow."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Correct. Want to know why?"

Alex Bellrose

"No," she said, "I don't want to hear your opinion on why Steve Rogers is bad. He's amazing."

Kye Hanbyeol

"*Aish*, I have nothing against the actor. The character himself is too overhyped."

Alex Bellrose

"I never brought up the actor? Though, Chris Evans is amazing, I would marry him in a moments notice," she said nodding, "but he is not over hyped. You know who's overhyped? Batman."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Who...? *Aigoo*, it doesn't even matter anyway, I don't care about Earthen comics. They're both overhyped. Can we change the damn topic now?"

Alex Bellrose

*Can we change the topic to when I can push you off a cliff? You're so dead to me.* "You choose the topic," she said, "if you want to change it so much."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Art. What art piece are you most proud of?" he said instantly.

Alex Bellrose

"I...assume you mean of mine," she said, scratching her chin, "I'm not sure, really...I never thought of it. I guess," she trailed off as she thought about it, "I guess the one that won me that award a couple of years ago. A government award. Well, the cities one. Might have heard of it, it's called "Central Art Award" or something **(OOC: cbs thinking of a better name)**? I won it a couple of times. But I guess that one. I don't have it anymore so I can't show you that one."

OOC: Blossoming Art Award lol

Kye Hanbyeol

"I've heard of it, yes... Never seen any of the work submitted though."

Alex Bellrose

"You won't find it," she said, "so don't bother looking."

Kye Hanbyeol

"You could just show me, but you apparently seem to have something against it?"

Alex Bellrose

"Like I said before, I can't, I don't have it," she said, rubbing the back of her neck. In all honesty, in her own anger, she burned it, which was something she did end up regretting. "Would if I could but..." she trailed off with a shrug.

Kye Hanbyeol

"I mean pictures. There's bound to pictures of the winning pieces on the internet. These types of things are usually filmed and reported on live and have tons of articles written about them."

Alex Bellrose

"Huh?" She asked, "oh...oh, yeah, there might be," she said, her brows creasing together. "I haven't looked."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Well we can look. Right now if it doesn't bother you."

Alex Bellrose

"Oh, sure," she said, "if you really want to see it."

Kye Hanbyeol

"I do. Let's get back first."

Alex Bellrose

She bit her cheek before shrugging, leaving the park. *As long as you see just the picture.* "How's Tetu? Stubborn as always?" She asked.

Kye Hanbyeol

"You named it stubborn. How about you guess how he's doing?"

Alex Bellrose

"Tragic," she said, "surely someone's broken through?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"Beside me...? I dunno, haven't checked."

Alex Bellrose

She snickered. "Shame," she said, "as you've probably noticed. I haven't been going. So...sucks for whoever is slotted with that flying lizard."

Kye Hanbyeol

"If you don't go one of these days I'm going to make you go," he threatened.

Alex Bellrose

"Cruel, cruel man," she said shaking her head, "just don't tell Brooklyn. I will go once a month. Or...we could make a deal. I'll go to class somewhat regularly...if you at least try to build up a daily ritual of eating."

Kye Hanbyeol

"I... can't promise that this "daily ritual of eating" will take effect immediately, but deal."

Alex Bellrose

"Don't expect it to either," she said, "now come on, I'm craving a coffee and the flying lizard's killed my stomach."

## Sick Boy

Kye Hanbyeol

Feeling absolutely miserable, Zero laid on the couch, rolled in what seemed like a million blankets, and his head nestled in between some pillows. The television was on but he paid no heed, too busy wallowing in his own misery to care about the voices coming from the TV which did nothing but comfort his pained ears.

Alex Bellrose

She wandered out, not noticing Zero, and went straight to the fridge, idly looking at the pasta, before closing it, grabbing a cup and filling it with hot water.

Kye Hanbyeol

For half a minute, he was subjected to a horrible coughing fit that burned his throat. He felt so cold in his own skin yet he was sweating and coughing constantly. He felt delirious, fading in and out of reality.

Alex Bellrose

She paused, hearing the noise, before looking over to see Zero and watched him for a moment. The flu?. Biting her lip, she slid the cup onto the table, grabbing a cloth, running it under the water, and went over quietly, bending down. "Hey," she whispered, ignoring the T.V, "are you okay?"

Kye Hanbyeol

*Probably going to die in the next several hours, but besides that, yeah, perfectly fine,* he thought sarcastically. Zero moaned, shifting in the blankets. "I feel like crap," he murmured feverishly.

Alex Bellrose

She hesitated for a moment before pressing the cloth onto his forehead. "You're burning up," she noted, "the flu? Have you had water?"

Kye Hanbyeol

He weakly nodded his head towards the dozen of empty water bottles sitting in a pile by the coffee table. "My throat felt weirdly parched," he coughed. "It won't go away." He squirmed in his blankets, still managing to freeze while wrapped in layers of warmth.

Alex Bellrose

She glanced to the water bottles before back to him. *Should I get Brooklyn? Should I call an ambulance? Did they give him something he's allergic too? What if he*  dies*?* Biting her lip, she forced her mind to actually think for once. "Have you called a doctor?" She asked, "surely they gave you a number to a doctor."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Y-Yes... I-I can't remember where.." he broke into another coughing fit. "It is..."

Alex Bellrose

"Of course you don't," she said before pulling out her HC, "I'll call mine...he does house visits. Should I call Brooklyn...I don't think she's here."

Kye Hanbyeol

"B-Brooklyn's going to kill me if this flu doesn't," he muttered. "I feel absolutely fucking miserable... I'm *freezing*."

Alex Bellrose

"I can see that," she said, texting the doctor, before pressing the warm water against his forehead. "It's not your fault you're sick. She can't kill you for that. Haven't you had vaccines or something?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"I had one like a month ago," he complained, shifting in the blankets.

Alex Bellrose

"Well it was faulty cause it didn't work," she said, before looking around, wondering if there was a heater nearby. "What about a bath?"

Kye Hanbyeol

He didn't have half the mind to even think about how a bath could help, nevertheless even consider there were possible solutions to this absolute misery. "...Agh..."

Alex Bellrose

"It could warm you up," she said, digging for solutions now but it was better than nothing. "Are you sure it's the flu?"

Kye Hanbyeol

"I-I..." he coughed, weakly rolling away from Alex. "I don't knooowwww...." he moaned. "I just feel like absolute crap."

Alex Bellrose

She bit her lip. "I think you've said that," she muttered, glancing up to the door before suddenly standing up and going to the kitchen. She briefly went on her HC, finding something she could do. Pushing a chair to the cupboard, she rifled through it, standing on the chair cause she's short, and found ingredients for some sort of soup. Twenty minutes later, she had cooked some sort of broth based soup with bobs of chicken and vegetables inside. She'd placed noodles in it, to give it some substance. Going back to him, she bent down with it. "This might help...it supposedly soothes your inflamed membranes. It lines your throat and nose."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Thank you," he murmured. "Do... do you think you could get another blanket? I-I'm freezing."

Alex Bellrose

She turned to look at the pile of blankets. "I...I think you have all the spare ones in the penthouse," she pointed, "I don't think another would help. I can..." fucking hell, Alex, do not suggest starting a fire in the middle of a lounge room, "turn on the heater," she said instead.

Kye Hanbyeol

"That works... thank you again..." he attempted to sit up, yet flinched from the sudden pain in his stomach. "Aish..."

Alex Bellrose

"Have you been coughing up, like, phlegm?" She asked, "cause it's probably not a good idea to lie about...it could build up in your lung...leads to a lung infection. Seriously, though, *eat*."

Kye Hanbyeol

"I don't know," he informed her, eventually finding a way to set himself against the armrest. He untucked his arms from the blankets and took the bowl of soup from Alex, the warmth of the soup seeping into his hands and mildly warming him up.

Alex Bellrose

She leant back, her back leaning against the table and she stretched her legs out, her feet just brushing the couch. "This isn't some reaction, is it? To whatever the hospital gave you?"

Kye Hanbyeol

He slurped some of the soup, and although the effects were minuscule, it reassured him that this wasn't the end of the world. "If I knew, don't you think I would've called the hospital?"

Alex Bellrose

"I think you should have called the hospital anyway," she pointed out with a slant of her eyebrow.

Kye Hanbyeol

"I make my own irresponsible life decisions, okay," he argued.

Alex Bellrose

"Eh, I can't argue with you with that argument, I'd be a hypocrite," she said, "by the way, you won't be able to hide this from her forever. So when she does find out, I had no knowledge of you dying in the lounge room."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Least I can do for helping me... Though, you are not leaving me alone with her when she does."

Alex Bellrose

"I cannot promise you that," she said, "I'll be in Earth when that happens."

Kye Hanbyeol

"How dare you abandon me like that," he huffed, slurping more soup. "You desire my end, don't you?"

Alex Bellrose

"More like I don't desire being caught in the cross fire," she said grinning.

Kye Hanbyeol

"So selfish..." he finished the soup and set it on the ground, nearly toppling over. "Ugh... I haven't even had a cold in years... this is so *strange*."

Alex Bellrose

"Oh hush, you'll know I'll stay and protect you," she said, flicking him in the leg, "maybe that's *why* it's hit you so hard. Immune system hasn't built up a good defence for it."

Kye Hanbyeol

"Maybe... I-" he sneezed before he could continue speaking. "... Agh... I was doing some research earlier because of this thing that... J-Jude said..."