LITTLE PHANTOM RIDER

Peter nodded slightly, another chill running through him. “Yeah, surprisingly enough, I’m not a bug person.” He laughed softly as he looked back down at ver. “I heard bumblefuck nowhere is a nice place, though.” A grin spread across his lips, and his eyes fell to ver hand, quickly taking it into his own. “Peter.” He replied.

     “ surprisingly, because -- ?? ” an eyebrow raises curiously at him, ve not understanding what he got at. “ maybe, on a sunny morning. otherwise it’s boring as hell. i much less prefer new york. ” jaime gave his hand a shake, grinning back at him. “ nice to meet you. sorry about that weird opening line. usually i’m smoother, but i was genuinely worried for your hair. ”

“So you are younger than me. I’m twenty even if I look fifteen. You and me have that in common.”

      “ it’s only like, two years. ”

“So you are younger than me. I’m twenty even if I look fifteen. You and me have that in common.”

     “ it’s the genes, i’m telling ya’!! guess we do. is this where we make a secret handshake?? or maybe a club with cool jackets?? ”

Peter listened to her speak, zoning in and out of it from lack of sleep. She was taking too long to get to the point, but once she did - Peter practically jumped from his chair, beginning to run his hands through his hair quickly. He looked around, trying to find the thing if it’d fallen. Letting out an annoyed groan, followed by a disgusted chill, he let his eyes fall back on her once he calmed down. “Uh, thanks. That’s… that’s really gross.” He laughed.

     a chuckle fell from ver lips, ve shaking ver head. “ it happens to the best of us. once i was at a college tour in bumblefuck nowhere, and there were shiny lil’ beetles everywhere. it was absolutely disgusting. ” jaime pauses, realizing that ve’s been rambling. so instead ve breaks into a charming smile, sticking out ver hand. “ --- i’m jaime. ”

“You look younger than me. Why would you call anyone ‘kid’?”

      “ i’m eighteen -- i know, it’s my filipino blood. always making me like, five years younger than i actually am. ”

“Call me ‘kid’ one more time and I’ll show you why that’s really not a good idea.”

     “ i was totally just ... not even looking up from my phone. sorry about that. ”

He jumped when he felt the hand grasp his shoulder. Peter ripped his headphones out, spinning around. “Sorry,” He breathed out, his eyes narrowing a bit in confusion. “W-what did you say?”

      ve looked at him, ve’s never seen him before in her life -- but it was proper, at the very least, to give him a warning. “ ---- i was gonna originally just swat it outta your hair, but then i realized i was way to short to do that without jumping. like, don’t get me wrong, i’m a hell of a gymnastics performer, but it ain’t for the streets. also, it’d be weird to swat a stranger’s head of fluff. --- i’m getting off track. you got a beetle in your hair. real big, real shiny. ”

       ve swallows, ver eyes flickering with distaste for a moment. really, this shouldn’t be a BIG DEAL; but ve’s having a a real bad day and ver mood wasn’t the best. “ just --- ” a pause as ve shakes ver head and lets out a sigh. “ try not to do it again. ” 

     “ that’s ... real sweet, but i don’t think that’d actually do much. ”

   ‘ thanks, thanks for doing that. i know it probably seems… stupid. ’ peter quickly took the picture before turning to face ver. ‘ i uh — i don’t know. anniversary, or something. ’

     “ anything to help out an artist!! ” ve’s not an artist verself, but ve’s assuming he’s one too. “ for the newspaper, right?? does your work get online too?? ”

      “ that could work if like, people were willing. i just don’t think anybody would be. ”

        “ well at least you aren’t dead —— cake? ”

      “ i didn’t realize i was in a life or death situation?? what kinda cake?? ”

   ‘ hey – uh, sorry - can you… do you mind just moving to the left? i need a shot… of that building. s’for the paper. ’

     “ oh god!! i’m so sorry. ” ve moves automatically in his requested direction, looking back as ve did. “ --- can i ask why you need a pic of that boring old building, though?? ”

“either you stand with mutants or you stand against them, not choosing a side is the same as choosing to be okay with our opression. hopefully when the time comes you stand on the right side of history.” 

       “ --------------- i can’t say i know what you’re talking about. ”

            “——stupid rain,” he muttered to himself as he began to wack some of the mud from his shoes. Was he in no way prepared for the sudden pouring and yet he should’ve known. He heard a loud banging noise, his head shot up to look at an enormous clock, they seemed to be everywhere. “Now I’m late,” he muttered yet again.

        “ ah, don’t hate on the rain, it’ll just make the rain come down harder!! ” ve exclaims, walking up to him with an umbrella. “ where are you going?? i don’t mind lendin’. i like being in the rain sometimes. ”

       “ yeah, i don’t think they got enough money to do either of that, really. don’t people live in like ... africa, or something?? i feel like not a lot of them would walk however long they walk just for a new phone. also rich kids, who get everything done for them. ”