All hooked up

The remark made him feel confused. Hook knew about him and food, clearly and that’s why he was saying that. He didn’t know his name but he knew about one of his habits. That was interest, he thought. Or he wanted to think. “No… I-I really am okay,” he replied, smiling a bit but another sound from his stomach gave him away. He was starving. Meeko rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his stomach, cursing at himself. He looked up at him with an apologetic look, but what he saw was something different than something he’d seen on him before. Hook’s forehead seemed relaxed, and there even was a glimpse of some sort of shine on his eyes. He didn’t look that threatening in that moment. Meeko’s smile got a bit wider, barely noticeable. His theory of Hook not being such a bad man was being proven right at least to his eyes. “Uhm…” he closed his eyes, his brain thinking of a thousand options. “Chinese? Orange chicken and fried rice, maybe?” He said, looking up at him from the couch and smiling, with his lower lip trapped between his teeth.

Hook nodded to the order, picked up the phone, pushed number one and waited. As a man answered on the other end, Hook moved the phone into a bit better angle on his ear and leaned his arm on the wall next to him. "Chinese food. Spring rolls, deep fried wontons, fried mushrooms, orange chicken with fried rice, fried beef in oyster sauce with vegetables and rice. White wine, bottle of Jack and ice cream." Hook's list almost came like out of some sort of automatic machine. There was no thinking breaks or anything. Clearly he knew what he was ordering and why. He closed the phone after getting an answer from the other end and then he turned to look at Meeko. "Food's coming", he said and walked back to the vacuum cleaner taking it in his hand again. Again Hook was about to put it on, but then he happened to look at the duster. He would be ready quicker if he'd let the kid help him out. For few seconds Hook hesitated with the decission, but then decided to throw thoughts away, grabbed the duster and threw it on the couch next to Shark bait. If he'd be smart enough, he'd know what to do with it. Hook put the vacuum cleaner on and finally continued his cleaning routine.

Meeko expected the conversation to die after his last two words, but he got a reply and all he could do was smile. They were having an actual conversation and for some reason, it sent a warm fuzzy feeling to Meeko’s insides. Something kinda tingly. He kept looking down, trying not to stare at anything: not at Hook, not at anything around the room, though inside his head he was thinking about looking for ways to escape. He knew it’d be useless. He could just leave through the front door and Hook wouldn’t stop him but how would he go back to the circus? He didn’t even have idea of where the circus was in America. He had happened to stumble upon it almost a year back and that’s all he knew. 

Hook was about to put the vacuum on, when he heard a denial. He frowned and turned to look at the kid again. "You never say no to food", Hook replied, actually giving in the fact that he did know a bit more about the kid than he let show. Hook turned completely around and let go of the vacuum cleaner. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Meeko. "Just make the call." At this exact moment Hook didn't like that Shark bait was scared of him. Or whatever he was at the moment. Hook offered him food, just out of.. what was it? Kindness..? Was Hook kind..? No, not really. Hook frowned even more, now because of his thoughts and he turned his look down. He had took the boy with him, he was talking with him, he offered him food.. Why? Hook wasn't nice person, he didn't do things like that unless he had something in his mind. But this time he didn't have any ulterior motive. He did all this just because.. Because he enjoyed the kid's company. As weird as it was, it was true. He liked to talk with him, he liked that he didn't think about him like everyone else did. Meeko was different and that's why Hook kept him around.

When Tink went smacking into Hook’s front, it was then that she realized their height difference. Well he was tall. Taller than anyone she’d met so far. Everyone was taller than her - four foot ten was just enough to get her out of a booster seat, and she was fifteen - but he easily had two heads on her.

This girl was nuts. Or stupid. Or probably both. She just looked at Hook, didn't say a word, just looked at him. Yes, she was out of her mind. Hook's eyes narrowed and he bended down a bit to get his face closer to the girl's, to get the situation even more scary. "You are stupid little girl", he hissed between his teeth. "You want to die? I can make sure you will. I can cut you into tiny little pieces and send them to your apartment, every piece in their own envelope." Hook wasn't kidding. He really could do that, he actually had done something similar earlier, but sending the whole body in the same place in really small pieces would be actually rather fun to do.

Meeko listened intently, not helping but to panic a little with each word leaving Hook’s mouth about his job. He couldn’t stop himself from thinking what would happen if he annoyed the man more than planned, or if he just happened to say something in the wrong way. What would happen to his body? Would he appear somewhere random just waiting to be found? Or maybe he would be one of those ‘missing’ bodies. He gulped silently and shook his head, getting rid of all those thoughts that were making him nervous and sweaty. He couldn’t let Hook know how scared he was in fact, so he kept acting convincingly cool and relaxed. 

Hook could see that the kid was scared, but he didn't pay that much attention to it. It was normal that people were scared around him. A big part of Hook actually liked the fact that people were scared of him. That way they knew to stay away so Hook could be in his own peace.

"Have you ever been caught? Or close to get caught?" He wondered out loud, and when he realized that it was too late, so he just leave it as a question. Hook was answering to everything he was asking. It was an opportunity that only a stupid person would let go. Far from scared about Hook’s living, Meeko was curious and he found himself wanting to know more about him, and his life in general. He didn’t know if he was going to have the chance to ask everything he wanted in the same day, but he was already making a mental note about it. 

"No. I always knew how to hide my tracks." Hook glanced at the vacuum cleaner knowing he really couldn't sit down before he had cleaned the apartment. But he didn't move towards the vacuum cleaner, not yet. "Many of the.. how should I say it.. victims are still missing. Not the persons. The bodies." Hook scratched his chin again as he thought a bit. He was about to say something more, but instead of donig so, he did what he normally did - stayed silent.

"Meeko," he interrupted him. "My name is Meeko…" he mumbled, wanting him to at least know that. He wasn’t sure if he knew it already and it was his choice to call him Shark Bait and neither did he know if it was going to stay like that, but at least now he was sure he knew it. "Money. Where does it come from? Is it from… from killing?" Meeko knew the pay at the circus, no matter if it was a big job, wasn’t great. They provided the workers with a place to stay, food and from time to time some entertainment, and a few extras here and there, but certainly not enough to have a place like that apartment. "I could list the reasons… First of all, why would you want to have something with a first timer like me? Then, I did kiss you, which means I kind of started it both times, but… why would you go on from there? I was being annoying. Which leads me back to the fifth question, why not killing me instead?"

Hook scratched his chin. He actually had wanted to ask the kid's name at some point, but it was late now. Now he heard it already. Meeko. It was a bit weird name for a boy, but then again, Hook was Carlisle. That was a weird name too, at least in Hook's ears. Besides, it reminded him of his parents and he didn't like that even one bit.

Meeko had given one step into the house when he remembered Hook’s rules back in the circus and figured the same rules applied to this apartment. And to pretty much every other property he owned. Right when Hook reminded him of his shoes, he was already taking off the first and putting it right next to the man’s. “I know, I know…” he mumbled, finally coming in, and taking a longer look to the property. “Well, I’m here because you drove your car with me inside… and now I’m just hoping I won’t get fired for my absence,” he said, still prowling around the apartment, being careful not to touch anything of course. “I would go if I knew where to go,” he raised an eyebrow and looked back at him. Watching him taking all his clothes and garments was almost like a rite or ceremony. He had this fancy elegant way to do everything that every single time got Meeko fascinated. Hook knew, most likely. 

Hook didn't care would the kid get fired or not. Hook had neved got fired from his job even though he must be the worst worker that someone could even be, but well, Hook had his reputation and people knew how he was. Also few of the ringleaders knew a bit more about him and knew not to pay too much attention on his doings. Probably Shark bait wouldn't have any problems with being away, since Scar was his friend, or more, Hook didn't know and right now he didn't want to think about it that much either.

With no reply to his question, Meeko rolled his eyes and kept walking behind the man when he locked the car. He was surprisingly relaxed taking in consideration he had no idea where he was, and even though he had a clue of who he was with, being with Hook wasn’t something he could be scared about. He had a weird feeling of safety around him, since probably, the only thing that could harm him was him. But he hadn’t so far, and he knew he had been annoying enough –he made sure about it just to see how far he could get with the man– and that made Meeko trust him until some point. 

Hook was in his thoughts for the whole way to the right floor and to his apartment's door. He was aware of Shark bait being with him, but for some reason he didn't mind, or care. This kid had a weird effect on Hook and he didn't know did he like it or not. For now things were probably on a neutral zone. Hopefully it would stay that way.

He was scary-acting, easily stand-offish, and just an all-around brute. She knew nothing of his past, only knew what little he was offering her now and the few things she heard around: Hook resulted to violence easily, and it seemed that going slow and tender was the way to go. Nothing sudden, nothing loud, nothing violent. Hook seemed to cover all three of those categories fine.

There was something wrong with this girl. Something terribly wrong - and that meant the lack of survival instinct. It was a stupid idea to follow Hook, especially when he was angry and you already got in trouble with him. But no, this girl did follow him anyway. Hook spun around quickly and didn't care if the girl would bump into him because of the sudden stop. "What the fuck is wrong with you? You have a death wish? You wanna die, dearie? I can make sure you will die and disappear. In tiny little pieces. No one would know a thing where you are and what happened to you. You will just vanish." Hook's words were brutal, but he could get even more brutal with his words if he wanted. For now he just wanted to get rid of the girl so he could continue his way. He also would go into more brutal way with his choice of words if the girl wouldn't take the hint.

Meeko slept heavily, lulled by the soft purr of Hook’s car engine. It was easy to forget about everything when his eyes were closed and his head was far too deep in other things, some of them more sad and obscure than Hook himself, or so the younger thought so far. It was hard for him to go one whole night without any nightmares, and that precisely was the reason why he barely took naps. But that small sleep he had at Hook’s car was the best he’d had in a while. At least since the night he spent in the man’s bed.

Hook didn't reply anything to the kid's question, surprise surprise, because he didn't feel like answering. The answer to the question actually was really simple, but Hook just didn't feel like telling it. Or telling anything in general. Though when the boy sounded amazed, a really tiny, almost unnoticable, smile creeped on his lips. "The apartment in the eleventh floor. Not the whole building." Hook could buy the whole building if he felt like it, but owning a building would make people ask too many question and they would start to find out who this mysterious guy with huge load of money was. When you bought just an apartment, then no one would ask anything. They just thought you are a random dude with a bit more money than others did, and money was something Hook surely had.

Meeko’s breathing stopped when he kept driving. He wasn’t staying. He was leaving. With him inside the car. He started panicking innerly, but he tried to keep his expression and reactions neutral for Hook’s sight, though he started looking around, trying to figure out which direction they were taking, just in case he had to walk back. He didn’t know what to expect from a trip with Hook. The fear just lasted the first twenty minutes of the drive. Once he lost track of their location, Meeko gave up and relaxed in the driver’s seat. “Where are we going?” He asked in the middle of a yawn, not even expecting an answer; just trying to make some conversation.

Hook didn't speak anything, not even when after some time Shark bait got enough courage to say something. Hook didn't even look at the kid and after the silence setled in again, he actually forgot he wasn't alone. He was concentrated on the driving and keeping his mind empty. But the answer to Meeko's question was still there, but completely unsaid. They were going to one of Hook's apartments, this one was one of the newest and Hook hadn't really spent that much time in it. But it looked just like Hook, like all the other apartments too. Dark wood, beautiful furnitures, matching colors and perfect order with all of the things in the place.

Meeko gulped loudly. The tone on Hook’s words was finishing and definite. It was an order. But Meeko had never been one to follow rules, not even with his strict parents back when he lived with them. His expression became even more serious, as he crossed his arms over his chest, his small body allowing him to hug himself in some way, with his fingers digging deep on his skin. “No,” he said, mimicking the same commanding tone on the man’s voice. 

Somehow Hook knew what Shark bait would answer and when he finally said it, Hook almost could have said out loud that he knew it. But instead of saying that, he just grunted. "Fine", he added, backed up the car from the parking spot and started to drive out of the parking lot and out of the circus. If the kid was stupid enough to say 'no', he was going to come with Hook then. Hook was too tired to have any fight about anything right now, so it would be easier to just stay quiet and drive. That also was what Hook was going to do. He was just going to drive away from the circus, get into one of his apartments and stay there for some time.

Meeko groaned in frustration when Hook walked away. This wasn’t going at all as he wanted, but he wasn’t one to give up easily. Even though Hook scared him, and had hurt him before, Meeko was convinced he could make him see there was some good in him, no matter how much harm he would take in the attempt. Meeko rolled his eyes and walked fast towards the car when he noticed he hadn’t moved. He went to the side of the passenger seat and hoped the door wasn’t locked. It wasn’t, and he was almost glad his dramatic moment wasn’t ruined by that at all. “Is that all you’re going to do?” He asked calmly, with his eyes set on him. “Running? I… At least talk to me. Give me some sort of response. I think-” he cleared his throat, afraid of sounding to nervous. “I think I deserve some of that. After the bruises and bite marks, and the scar on my face… Almost forgot about that.”

Hook didn't know why he didn't drive away on that instant second he started the car, but when he was about to go, the door of the passanger seat opened. Hook bit the back of his teeth together, his hand on the gearstick ready to move. Hook didn't want to respond anything, but at the same time he did. But the part of him telling the kid to shut up was bigger, so Hook didn't answer to him. At least not what Shark bait wanted to hear. "Get off the car." The words were commanding and Hook didn't even glance the boy. He just wanted him to step out of the car and leave him alone for now and for the rest of their lives.

"I don’t want a favor from you…" He whispered as Hook was still speaking but not even that made him stop. Meeko was surprised about the man talking so much and in such a calm way even though he disagreed with everything he was saying. He looked at him, biting his lip trying hard to keep all his words inside his mouth, and when he moved him out of the way, the younger almost exploded right there. "I don’t want any of that," he said right when Hook started walking again, and immediately turned in that direction catching up with him with fast long steps. "Why do you go around saying you’re just death? Alright, sure, you are an assassin, but my neighbor next door could be a rapist and I wouldn’t mind…" Meeko rolled his eyes and sighed annoyed. "My point is… You really don’t know what you are, right? You just… you just know who you are, but you never stop and think about the other things…" he reasoned. "Smiling with others is easy. Having fun with others is something I do everyday. Trying to do it with you makes it more interesting."

The moment as Shark bait started to talk to him again, saying things Hook didn't want to hear, he realized something. This kid caused him to get bit scared. For some reason he saw things in him he didn't see himself. Things Hook thought he had once when he was way younger, but those were things Hook had lost years ago. He was dark, heartless, cold, murderous, he wasn't sane he wasn't safe to have around. He was a short tempered hitman, who didn't care about anything. But now he was scared. Scared because of a boy, who for some reason knew exactly what to say to make him think. Hook didn't like that. He didn't like any of this. He also didn't want to hear more. So Hook didn't stop. He hid all of his inner thoughts, drowned them in the familiar darkness letting it swallow them, and just fastened his steps to get into his car faster. Hook opened his car's doors, sat on the driver's seat, put the key in the lock and started the car. It really was a good idea to leave, right now. There was too many things going on and Hook's head couldn't really take it.

Just as soon as they got going together did it all end, with Hook’s hands wrapped firmly around Tink’s throat. All that he got from her was a little gasp, something startled.

Hook stared at the girl, like he could dig her soul up and drown it just with his gaze. For some reason the longer Hook stared at the blonde, the more he had the feeling he had seen her before. But she was so young and Hook usually just got rid of people who were young. Hook did even let her take his fingers off of her, which was rather weird for him. But the anger stayed on his face and in his eyes. The way the girl raised her hands in surrender and the way he looked at him probably saved her life. Hook just pushed her away from him with a grunt and continued his way. He didn't have time for children, he had bigger tasks to take care off.

Oh… I-I’m sorry to d-disappoint you…

You all are so useless. *huffs and starts to walk away*