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“Please, just do whatever you need and leave, okay?” Techie pleaded.
“What, I can’t spend a little time with my favorite geek?” You joked. As Ma-Ma grew in power, she’d taken on some new employees, including you. You weren’t much more than an assistant, taking on little chores such as doing her laundry, grabbing her dinner, and your favorite: picking up information from your clan’s computer specialist when she couldn’t be bothered to go down to the CCTV room.
You liked Techie. He was probably closest to your age in the clan, and the only member who didn’t seem inclined towards violence. That meant a lot to you as someone who’d joined the clan for survival rather than drugs or money. And he wasn’t bad looking either. Ever since the first time Ma-Ma had sent you to deliver a message to him, that particular duty of yours became the highlight of your day. Usually he seemed happy to see you, even occasionally giving you little wire gifts he’d made, but today something was bothering him.
“Tell me whatever Ma-Ma sent you for and then you can get out,”
“Wait why?” You asked. “Is something wrong?”
“Listen,” he sighed. “I like you, okay? You’re nice, you’re probably the nicest person I’ve met in Peach Trees. And I love it when you come down here and talk to me and stuff, but I know it’s just because it’s your job. I know you only come here because Ma-Ma sends you, and I think it would just be easier for everyone if you just do what she tells you to do and-”
“No,” you interrupt, smiling. “I’m not here right now because Ma-Ma sent me, actually.”
“You’re not?”
“I’m here because I like you.”
Techie shook his head.
“No way…” He whispered. “People don’t like me.”
“But I do. You’re sweet, and you’re cute. And you’re the only one who doesn’t shout or threaten me just for the fun of it.”
“Well even if you do like me, which I still don’t believe, it’s just not safe for you to be down here all the time. I mean, what if Ma-Ma finds out you’re being friendly to me?”
“I don’t care!” You laughed. “I don’t care. There’s not a thing Ma-Ma could do to me that outweighs the joy I feel when I get to see you.”
Techies cheeks burned bright red. He jutted out his bottom lip and ran a hand through his hair.
“You’re crazy,” He smiled.
“Yeah probably,” you laughed back. You picked up a wire creation from his desk, a wonky little cat. “You know, when I was little I had a cat.”
“Oh yeah?” He asked.
“Yeah. Real bitch. Wouldn’t let me near her without trying to claw my eyes out.” You gasped, but Techie just giggled. ”Sorry, bad wording. But anyways, if I even looked at her she’d hiss at me. I didn’t care. I just kept bringing her treats, eventually when she started letting me get close I just gave her all the love I could until finally we were best friends. Come to think of it, she kind of reminds me of you”
Techie laughed, but his eyes still looked sad.
“I don’t get it,” He said softly.
“Get what?” You asked.
“Why didn’t you give up? Was it worth the effort?”
“Absolutely.”
“What if I’m not?”
“Stop being so hard on yourself! Listen,” You sighed, taking his hand. “I like you, okay?You’re sweet, and you're good, and you deserve all the kindness this horrible world can muster up, and I’m gonna give that to you.”
Techie squeezed your hand.
“And I guess there's nothing I can do to stop you?”
“Nope. You're never getting rid of me,” you smiled.
“Never?”
You leaned in and planted a quick kiss on his plush lips. He looked up at you with a soft smile and for the first time, you saw unmistakable hope and joy in his pink-rimmed eyes.
“Never.”