There's another project I'm going to need to focus on for the next few weeks. Hope this chapter will tide you over until the next update!
Her mother comes alone, and Mattie feels a little pang in her chest as she realizes that she probably didn't trust her father not to do anything stupid with the code. Even as a moody teenager, she's always admired her parents' relationship, the way they managed to work through their issues and communicate. They've always been a team. There were disagreements and fights, of course, they're both human, flawed and stubborn – especially her mother on that last point, she has to admit it's something she definitely gets from her – but this is the first time she's seen them this at odds with each other. It's not just the fact that her father slept with Anita. Though it definitely played a part in it, this is something that they should be able to deal with. But the Elsters situation has divided them, as was made obvious when her father called the cops after Laura told him she was handling things. They don't seem to be able to agree on anything where this family is concerned, Joe intent on protecting his and Laura intent on doing what she feels is the right thing in the process. The fact that Toby and Matilda herself are both so clearly on their mother's side isn't helping either. Her father was great when they were hiding in that crypt, helpful and quick to react whenever he was needed, but no matter what he does to redeem himself, a broken trust is hard to overcome.
"You alright?" Laura asks, seeing Mattie's sombre look as Leo plugs the external hard drive into his laptop.
She nods and gives her mother a smile that looks anything but convincing. Laura looks like she wants to say something, but changes her mind at the last second and motions at Leo instead, who is too focused on what he's doing to pay much attention to their hushed words on the other side of the room.
"So, this is happening?"
Somewhere in the back of her mind, Matilda is aware of the futility of denying it or playing dumb, but it doesn't keep her from trying.
"What?"
Her mother gives her a knowing look.
"Do you think I was born yesterday?"
"No, I think you were born a hundred years ago and your eyesight's not that good anymore."
Laura shakes her head at that, though it lacks her usual helplessness or irritation when dealing with her daughter's wit – probably because it's gotten more affectionate than snide these past few weeks, lacking any kind of bite or actual resentment.
"Come on, Mats. Even blind I would have to notice."
It was easier when her mother thought there was something between her and Harun. At least she could deny it honestly, and she knew it wasn't going to lead to the conversation that this seems to be heading towards.
"Mum…"
"I'm not going to give you the talk, Mats. Just… Are you sure you know what you're doing?"
"I thought you liked him," she notes instead of answering the question – because she knows that her mum wouldn't like the answer.
"There's a difference between liking him and thinking he's right for my daughter, especially considering everything that comes with him. Not to mention the age difference."
Mattie cringes at that because, yeah, it's not something she minds – Leo doesn't seem to either, out of everything that should keep them apart, this seems like a pretty minor obstacle – but someone had to raise the question at some point. She's not surprised her mother is the one to do it. Trying to deflect the original question, she decides to focus on that last point, suspecting that it's not the one that her mother is the most worried about either and hoping that she can steer the conversation towards safer waters.
"You make him sound like an old pervert."
Her mother doesn't rise to the bait, just emphasises her point.
"You know it's not what I meant, but yes, he is older than you. He also comes with a whole lot of baggage. So I'll ask again. Do you know what you're doing?"
"I… no. I have no idea what I'm doing," she finally answers truthfully. "I don't think he does either."
"I never thought he did," Laura half jokes, bringing a small smile to her daughter's lips. "But he likes you."
Mattie can feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment, but she refuses to give her mother the satisfaction of seeing her flustered. Besides, this whole open and honest relationship they have going now is precious to her – not that she'd ever admit it out loud – and she doesn't want to do anything to jeopardize it, so she decides to go with the truth again.
"Yes."
"Maybe I should have brought you condoms."
"Mum!" Mattie exclaims, shocked both at the suggestion and at the casual tone, forgetting all about not letting her mother see her flustered.
Leo's head snaps towards them at the shout, his eyebrows raised in question, and Matilda is pretty sure she's bright red by now. Shaking her head to let him know that it's nothing he should concern himself with, she waits until he turns back to what he was doing and she mumbles, "I can't believe you just said that."
"I was kidding. Mostly," Laura adds with a dry smile. "But yes, safe sex is…"
"I thought you weren't going to give me The Talk," Mats interrupts her in a half groan. "In fact, you already did," she reminds her, wincing at the memories of her 14 year old self's embarrassment when her mother sat her down to explain everything there was to know about sexual relations flashing before her eyes.
"I don't think a refresher course would hurt."
"God, Mum…"
"Fine, fine," Laura relents. "Just promise me you'll be careful on that point as well."
Mattie groans, but, knowing that she will never get her mother off her back unless she agrees, she gives a quick nod.
"I promise."
"Good. Now, I should probably go before your dad does something stupid, like buy a synth because he can't handle dinner."
Matilda snorts at that. They both know that despite the pain and doubts, and the danger they're all still in, neither of them would change a thing about that day Joe unexpectedly came back home with Anita.
That being said, they're not about to do it all over again right now.
"Right."
Her mother gives her a quick hug, and Mattie reciprocates easily.
"I love you, Mats."
"Love you too."
"Keep me updated, will you?" she says, holding up the disposable phone she bought on her way here so that she'd have a way to communicate with them without Hobb knowing about it.
"I will. Give Soph a big kiss for me. And tell Tobs he's a nerd."
Laura chuckles.
"Will do. Bye Leo!"
A grunt is the only response she gets, and both mother and daughter roll their eyes at him. Not that he notices. Shaking her head, Laura leaves, and the sound of the door closing behind her finally brings Leo out of his code-induced stupor. He looks at Mattie with something like confusion, his eyes darting to her side and coming back to her when he finds it empty.
"Did she leave?"
Matilda just rolls her eyes again and sits down next to him, pointing at the green lines on a black screen.
"How is it going?"
"Oh, you know. Just a few thousand pages to memorize."
"Nothing too hard for someone with a photographic memory."
"No," He agrees. "But I still have to read them all and try to figure out a weak spot."
"I could help with that."
He looks like he's about to object, the automatic refusal of any kind of help on the tip of his tongue before he remembers just who he's talking to and he nods. With a quick smile, she drags her chair closer to his and starts reading with him as he slowly scrolls down the tens of thousands of lines.
After four hours, they all start to blur together and Mattie pushes her chair back, stretching her arms over her head with a groan.
"I need a break. Don't you?"
His silence is all the answer she needs. His ability to focus for so long is something she both admires and envies, and she wonders if he was always like this or if it's a result of his most traumatic experiences. She dearly hopes that one day she'll get a chance to talk with Mia about what he was like as a kid and even later on, before everything fell apart. Don't get her wrong, she likes the brooding version of him she's gotten to see so much, and it makes those very few light-hearted moments that much more precious, but she wants to know what he was like when he was… happy. If he ever was.
Knowing that she will be useless if she doesn't do something else for a little while, she shakes the wistful thoughts out of her head and she grabs a couple of coins. She goes down to the lobby to buy two coffees and some snacks from the vending machine, carefully looking around her to make sure she's alone – it wouldn't do for the receptionist to see her buying enough food and drinks for two when he thinks there is only one human in the room. It's scary how easy it is to slip in and out of synth mode now, her movements automatically becoming seamless and calculated as soon as she finds herself in a situation where there could be witnesses.
When she gets back to the room, Leo is still focused on his work – no surprise there – but he does look up when she places the cup beside him.
"Thanks," he says quietly, taking a sip and failing at hiding his shudder when the taste hits his tongue.
Though he doesn't comment out loud, she can't help but chuckle in agreement.
"Disgusting, right?"
He nods and shrugs simultaneously while taking another sip.
"It's caffeine," he says matter-of-factly, and it's enough to excuse the bitterness.
"Yeah. Figured we were going to need it. Did you get anywhere?"
"You mean in the 40 seconds you were gone as opposed to the four hours before that?" he asks wryly.
"I'll take that as a no," she decides, finishing her coffee in one long, let's-get-this-over-with gulp before resuming her position next to him. "What about this?" she asks, pointing at a particular line, and he stops scrolling down to give it some attention. "Change this 6 to a 3?"
He considers it for a minute before acquiescing. As soon as he changes it though, the code starts to corrupt before their eyes and he quickly changes it back, the program righting itself immediately. Both of them let out loud sighs and get back to checking the lines one by one.
Theoretically, the plan is not that complicated. They need to change one tiny part of the code, something small that only they would know about so that when Hobb sees it, he will think that he's got the right code, since they intend to exchange it for the others. Only he won't be able to use it. The problem is choosing this one thing that they can change without making it obvious that they tampered with the program. It needs to be something discreet, so that Hobb won't realise what's happened until it's too late for him to do anything about it. But the code is so complex that the slightest change causes it to corrupt instantly.
They try a few more things in the hours that follow, but each and every time, the change becomes obvious as soon as they do it. Eventually, Mattie gives up – for today.
"I need to get some sleep, and so do you."
"I'm fine," he growls before she's even finished the sentence.
Not like she wasn't expecting the stubbornness.
"You're not, and I'd let it go, only those last two attempts were sloppy and you know it. You're slipping, Leo."
He shoots her a death look, and she just rolls her eyes in response and leaves his side to go lie down on the bed. She's already half asleep by the time her head hits the pillow, sighing in relief at the prospect of the few hours of sleep that will hopefully rid her of her massive headache, but she finds enough energy to look up and try once more.
"You'll be useless until you've had some rest. The only reason you're mad is you know I'm right."
He doesn't answer, and she doesn't push anymore. Let him fall asleep on the keyboard if that's what he wants.
It seems falling asleep on the keyboard wasn't what he wanted, because when she wakes up, they're tangled together in a mess of legs and arms that has her biting back a chuckle so that she doesn't disturb him. Snuggling closer, she buries her nose in the crook of his neck and decides to let herself enjoy this for a few minutes. It's not long before he stirs against her. She has no idea when he finally decided to join her and she doesn't know what time it is, but when his eyes open, they look small and tired, speaking of how little sleep he got, and she raises a hand up to gently caress his cheek, the stubble that is dangerously close to turning into a beard soft under her fingertips, hoping her touch will ease some of the tension that seemed to return as soon as he became conscious again. His head falls back against the pillow and she lets her hand wander to his forehead, brushing back the messy strands of hair she finds there as he lets out a sigh that sounds almost… content.
"Morning," she whispers, unwilling to break the peacefulness of the moment.
He just hums in answer and brushes his lips against hers before pulling back only slightly. Much like for their first kiss, he looks half-startled, half-pleased, and she has to wonder – again – what's his history with relationships. She's not about to ask now though. Instead, she brings her hand to the back of his neck and tugs a little, bringing his mouth back to her for another kiss. He comes willingly, lips parting tentatively under hers. She takes the lead then, pressing just that little bit harder, eager to find out what it's like to really kiss him. She's been wondering for days – weeks, if she's honest. Is he as focused and intense as he is in everything else? Or shier, softer around the edges, less… deep? Like the rare glimpses of a more carefree man she's been fortunate enough to get?
She finds out quickly when, at the first brush of their tongues, he rolls them over so that she's on her back and he's hovering over her, their bodies not quite touching as he explores her mouth. Despite the first quick movement to get them in this position, he keeps things slow and she's more than happy to follow his lead now, lazily kissing him back with one hand still buried in his hair, the other resting lightly on his waist. He tilts her head back, changing the angle slightly and dragging a noise out of her that she's never heard herself make before, something that highly resembles a purr. He smiles at the sound and she absentmindedly think that she's got her answer.
He's a delightful mix of everything that makes him him and she already knows she's in danger of becoming addicted to the way he kisses.
She desperately wants to find out what kind of interesting sounds she could get out of him, but suddenly, something registers and she just can't help the laugh that bubbles out of her.
He pulls back and she sobers up instantly. In her experience, laughing while making out with a guy? Not good.
But he doesn't look angry or offended, just curious and maybe a little bit amused too, so she smiles up at him, eyes shining with mirth.
"What?" he asks, understandably.
"Sorry," she replies, biting her lip in an attempt to hold back more laughter. "It's just… That coffee really was terrible, wasn't it?"
It seems to take him a few seconds to even comprehend her words, and when he finally does, his eyes widen and his mouth falls open in mock indignation.
"That's what you're thinking about?"
And really, how is she supposed to not laugh again? So she does, the sound halfway between a snort and a giggle – and since when does Matilda Hawkins giggle? – and shakes her head apologetically.
"It's kind of hard to miss."
It's his turn to let out a quiet chuckle and he gets off of her, slumping down on the bed next to her as she raises herself up on one elbow to watch him.
"Well, that killed the mood," he notes drily.
"Sorry," she says again, though she's not, not really, not when he's smiling like that and seems more relaxed than she's ever seen him, and not when it couldn't have gone much further anyway, given that they need to get back to their plan.
He gives an exaggerated sigh, and she hopes they can enjoy this for a few more minutes, but she can see the exact moment when the levity of the situation is replaced with burdens, fears and doubts, his face closing off right before he sits up and offers her his hand to get her to do the same.
"Probably just as well. We've got things to do," he reminds her.
"Yeah. Like brush our teeth," she jokes, but his lack of reaction makes it clear that the light-heartedness is indeed gone, so she nods, all business now. "Right. Let's find a way to sabotage that code."
TBC…