Sweet Venom [✓]

36

Hiding behind lies eventually became a burden, even if a person was acting as a shield.

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"We're not going anywhere with you, unless you explain yourself."

Elijah stoically folded his arms, his eyelids hurting from tiredness. Despite the fact that he and his buddies had left the station behind Natalia Monique, they came to a halt when she pointed to her Mercedes which was parked outside and stuck out like a sour thumb; so bright, brazen and flashy in comparison to the row of monotonous looking police cars.

Natalie Monique wasn't afraid to be her ostentatious self, she would always take pride in being who she was, unapologetically. She rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest, stomping her foot like a child deprived of candy, mirroring Elijah's level of irritation. She pushed her bottom lip out and pulled the hair out of her eyes while puffing. She too, had succumbed to exhaustion from everything going on.

"If you get in the car with me, I'll explain everything." Natalie negotiated. "I'm talking to you Elijah."

"Huh?" Elijah said, exchanging glances with Shadow and Spider.

"I got you all out, but I'm only really here for you." She replied casually, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "Don't look at me like that, it's true."

Shadow grimaced but he decided he didn't want to stick around for another second, this was his first time behind bars and he feared that Natalie might decide to take back his bail and put him back inside. He couldn't afford an actual bail and there probably wasn't a single person who would come to his aid and fight for him, though he liked to think that perhaps Lila was just as worried for him and Spider as she was for Elijah. His stomach was grumbling loudly too, he could shovel some food inside like eggs and bread and still not be satisfied.

Spider agreed mentally, in sync with Shadow that he didn't want to stand in the cold and freeze his ass off, not when he could be sleeping safe at home, where his family were probably worried sick about him.

"I'm going to go with her," Elijah decided, though hesitant. "Okay?"

"I know she bailed us out, but you don't have to go with her, if you don't want to anyways." Shadow told Elijah, supportively. "It doesn't mean you owe her one."

"Beats me," Spider grunted, "You can go. I'm tired and need my bed right now."

Without saying so much as a bye, he walked away, his hands pushed into his pockets, to stop the cold spreading through him. Shadow's eyes flitted between Elijah and Natalie before he too decided to leave, hurrying behind Spider. He threw an arm over his shoulder and they strolled away, leaving Natalie to unlock her car door and get in, starting the vehicle as she waited for Elijah to follow her inside.