Otto huffs as he leaves.
“Don’t let him get to you,” Timothy says. “He’s harmless.”
“Harmless people can still be annoying.”
Once I finish eating, Timothy and I go to sit on the low stone wall surrounding Caden’s three-story building. I know the code to his apartment from when we were together, but it doesn’t feel right using it.
“Did you see the look in his eyes?” I ask Timothy, who sits next to me. “Something really bad must have happened.”
“Best not jump to conclusions when we have so little information. Let’s play a game.”
“A game?”
“It will distract you. I spy with my little eye something green.”
I sigh. “I’m not a child.”
“Oh my. Are you finding the game too difficult?Help!Finn is finding the game too—”
“Alright, shh! Is it the grass next to the front door?”
“I’d hardly call it green grass.”
“Hmm, is it the towel hanging by that window?”
“Correct. Now, I spy with my little—oh, behind you.”
I stand and turn to see Caden walking toward us, his shoulders slumped and his eyes tired. I don’t know what to say, even though I’ve been waiting to speak with him. The last time we exchanged more than polite greetings, it ended in an ugly fight. He refused to ask his superiors to spend more time in theHive, even though I barely got to see him.I have a job to do, Finn, and that is what is keeping you safe. Try to respect that.
“We were waiting for you,” Timothy says once Caden stops in front of us. “Finn was very concerned.”
I give him a warning look before I ask Caden, “Are you okay?”
“Been better.”
For a second, I wonder if he’s about to ask me to leave, but he says, “Come inside. He’ll catch up with you later, Tim.”
Timothy climbs down, his movements elegant despite needing to maneuver eight limbs. “I’ll go find Dino. Good evening.”
I follow Caden into his apartment, feeling like I haven’t been here for years, but it’s only been a few months. Caden walks to the kitchen area, which is separated from the living room by a small dining table. He pours water into a glass and drinks, watching me as his Adam’s apple moves.
“Can you tell me what happened?” I ask once he puts the glass in the sink.
“Later. I need a shower.”
“Okay. Hmm, are you hungry?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll make you something.”
“Thanks.” He walks into the bedroom, and I turn away once I catch him pulling off his shirt. With the water flowing in the bathroom, I take out food from his fridge after checking the expiration date. I’ve had my share of food poisoning while moving between shitholes with my parents, so I’m careful about things like that. I make an omelet with some ham and add beans with tomato sauce on the side. The Hive used to invest a lot inraising chickens, but they were a headache to take care of and feed, so now we’re trading with the Free Cities for most of our meat and eggs.
I put the food on the dining table when I hear Caden stepping out of the shower. He walks out wearing sweatpants and a sleeveless gray shirt, his dark blond hair slightly wet. The stubble on his cheeks and chin is a couple of days away from becoming a modest beard.
“Starving,” he grumbles and sits down to eat.
I sit down as well, but he doesn’t look at me, even though we’re closer than we have been in weeks. He finishes eating and finally meets my eyes. “Thank you.”
