It was a cold night and the boy didn't know what to do. He'd followed the man from the bar but had no idea how he was going to explain himself to the stranger. Should he tell the man the truth? Maybe he should lie to him? Maybe he should just ignore it. He was running out of time to find somewhere to stay the night. No! He had to tell the man. The man had saved his scrawny butt even if it was unintentional! He still had pride even if he was a pick pocket and homeless among other things.
The boy was contemplating what to do when all of a sudden the man ahead of him stopped and spoke. "What are you doing?" He asked. The boy looked around interested to see who he was talking to. The boy panicked when the man turned around and spoke again. "I asked you a question." He stated looking rather bored.
"Huh? Me?" The boy was surprised and panicked that the man had realized he'd been following him.
"Yeah you. I asked you a question." He said yet again seeming like this was normal.
"Uh...I-I was uh...following you." The boy answered quite lamely not able to think of a lie while staring into the blood red eyes of the other. His eyes were strangely tinted. They sort of glowed. Not that he could say he looked exactly normal. Not many people he'd ever met had had blonde hair or blue eyes. And he had both. Still this man ...There was something about him. Maybe it was his long black hair that hung so perfectly around him. Maybe it was the long cloak he wore that seemed to add on to his mysterious personality. The boy couldn't figure it out. He was just different.
"Is there something you want to say?" He asked this time seeming a 'lil more amused. The boy looked up and blushed realizing he'd been staring at the man. "Uh yeah you dropped these." The boy said slowly as he handed him a wallet and a cellphone.
"I didn't know I'd dropped these. Nor do I know how I could considering they were hooked to the inside of my cloak by a chain." The man said with a slight smirk. The boy blushed a 'lil bit now panicking again. "It's okay. I knew you took them. I also knew you were following me. Obviously." The man said with another of his little smirks.
"How did you know!" The boy asked feeling a 'lil annoyed now. He had pride and didn't like feeling like such a charity case. The man raised an eyebrow at the boy before speaking again.
"I could tell you were hungry and trying to get money for food so I waited for you to pass by and just sort of let you take it." The man said in a tone that the boy guessed was supposed to make him feel inferior.
"What's your name, sir?" the boy asked to change the subject. (Or maybe he just had ADHD)
"It's Vincent." The man said back in his bored tone. "And don't call me sir." He added.
"Alright sir...I mean uh Vinny." the boy said clumsily.
"Vincent not Vinny." The man said in an unfamiliar tone the boy guessed was probably an annoyed tone.
"Yes sir." The boy said, quickly changing to "I mean Vincent." when he saw the look on the mans face.
"Hey you little street urchin, shouldn't you be getting home? It's getting pretty late." Vincent said obviously wanting to get home himself.
"My name is Cloud." The boy said as he followed the man around a building. (Obviously he didn't get Vincent's clue to leave...) "Where are we going?" Cloud asked curiously.
"Home." Vincent said simply, not noticing the use of "we".
"Where's home?" cloud asked excitedly when Vincent said home. Vincent stopped. "Homes over- Wait. You are not coming home with me you little street urchin." Vincent said, slightly caught off guard.
"My names Cloud not Street urchin." Cloud said defensively.
"Whatever!" Vincent said annoyed, "Who names their daughter Cloud anyway!"
"I'M A BOY!" Clouds expression quickly dropped as he yelled. Vincent smiled a little
"I know. I'm just messing with you a bit." Vincent said and continued walking.
The boy feeling a little embarrassed about taking Vincent's bait so easily followed him a little slower now, trying to come up with a comeback when he realized that Vincent had stopped.
"Hey. I told you that you can't come home with me." Vincent said without looking back.
"I know..." Cloud slowly said. "I ..U-Uh live around here...!" He said quite lamely, still looking for an excuse to follow the strange man a little longer.
"I know you're lying." Vincent said, slightly scaring Cloud. Cloud being the lil' ADHD child he was decided the conversation was going all wrong and attempted a change."Sooo Vinny! Why ya comin' all the ways up here!" Cloud asked in his most childish, curious way, adding a huge last minute grin.
"How old are you?" Vincent asked just looking at Cloud with that same superiority complex on his face.
"Why? Cloud asked, curiosity tinged with suspicion.
"Well you see I'm guessing you're probably around ...nine and I wanted to see if I'm right." Vincent said with a smirk.
"WHAT! What the fuck?!" Cloud yelled deeply offended by this insulting comment. (even more so than being called a girl? Oh well he is quite pretty...)
"Am I mistaken?" Vincent asked sarcastically even more amused.
"I'M Fifte- I...I mean I'm twelve." Cloud lied with a seriously pissed look on his face.
All Vincent could manage to this little fact was "You're kidding, right?"
After a second of silence and clouds stubborn glare Vincent finally said "Fine. C'mon. Let's go." Then he turned and continued walking.
"G-Go where!" Cloud asked trying to keep up with Vincent's naturally smooth stride. (poor confused child...)
"Home. Follow me." Vincent said once again bored.
Cloud went into all sorts of fantasies of what home would be like and found himself smiling 'til he'd realized Vincent had stopped.
"Here we are." Vincent said looking down at Cloud. "Stay close. You're not supposed to be here." Vincent said with one last Smirk before heading into the house.
To be continued...