DETERRENT - Apply Fic

26

Rhiannon Rose drops down the wood. It clatters as it hits the ground.

"You're one to talk," she plants a hand on each hip, the most digging she has done in weeks. "You sneak off with Gale twice a week."

"Well, we hooked up once, but we were just bored," Norbu rolls his eyes. "Nothing more. And you're welcome to come with us. We're just going to the pond."

Rhiannon Rose was clever enough not to touch the filthy water, unlike some of them. Even Eurydice jumped in at one point. She shudders at the thought.

"I'd rather not have a threesome with you two."

"What about just me?" Norbu cocks his head slightly. He winks.

Her tight skin tinges pink. Rhiannon Rose turns her back to him and continues to organize the wood in a circle.

~~~

The sun is setting, and Cosmia climbs up on top of the shack to have a look at it. It disappears beyond. It's lowering earlier now. The days aren't all the same length. Faris explained it to her yesterday, how the earth rotates, how sometimes they are closer to the star than at other points. In Neo Elysium, all days are only different than nights because it is agreed upon. The sun does not factor into their living.

From her spot, she sees the hood of the rusted truck propped open and someone digging around inside it. She hops down off the roof and approaches.

Titus opens the truck door and puts his foot down on the gas.

"Are you doing it?" Calath asks, trying to peer past the hood.

"Yes," he says.

He found her three nights ago digging around inside it. She didn't seem to mind as he watched her work.

"What are you doing?" Cosmia asks.

Titus slams back into the seat, and then winces. He hasn't been caught by one of Harvey's minions in weeks. Surely, Harvey must know where he is now, as Harvey always does. Titus wonders if the man installed a GPS tracker somewhere in his hair while pulling it.

"Fixing the truck," Calath pays Titus no mind. "Harvey asked me too."

Titus feels his skin go cold.

"Harvey?"

"It just needs gas," Calath grabs the hood and closes it.

Cosmia and Titus stare at each other through the dirty windshield. The fire roars somewhere behind them as Rhiannon Rose lights it.

"You seriously can't last one week?" she rolls her eyes. "You can tell your from The Arch, you know. Lazy asshole."

She spins around and begins to march through the field. Titus grabs his forehead, clutching it. All along, Harvey has been behind this too? What angle is he playing?

~~~

After dinner, Gale occasionally returns to the kitchen to try to steal something sweet. The hankering takes him sooner tonight, and normally he would wait until after he was sure the dishes were done. This evening, he stands outside the doorway, just for a second, to see how far along Harvey is.