Hive

Marco waited with Star at the entrance of Echo Mall. The mall had many people enjoying their time walking around, eating, shopping, socializing, and playing. It wasn't as packed as the mall usually was—which was a good thing. They had an objective today and didn't want anybody to get in the way. The entrance had four double glass doors that opened to a simple but lovely in-door fountain. There were many coins in the base section and grew in scarcity toward the elevated middle. The mall had a mostly white with blue modern esthetic, keeping it welcoming and not intimidating.

Marco wore a red and black plaid collared shirt. It was button-up and long sleeved with a few patches sewn into it. Janna had given it to him after convincing him to wear something other than red sweaters. On his right shoulder, a brown leather bag with a gold zipper hung across his chest down to his left hip. He had his usual black jeans and coffee shoes other than that.

"Marco." Star called out after waiting in silence for many minutes.

"Yes?" Marco answered, his head tilted down.

"Everyone's looking at me." She told him.

"I know.. I didn't have much for you to wear so.. Yeah.." He looks at Star to see her wearing one of his red sweaters, his grey work-out shorts, his mom's running shoes and socks, and a dark green cap. The sweater sleeves were stretching well past her hands.

"It's okay." Star said happily. "I like your sweater. FrooFroo!" She waves her hands up and down to make the cloth swing around.

"I hope they all get here soon.. I can't shop for you alone."

"Because you don't wear bras?" She asks.

"Yeah, that's a pretty big reason.." Marco sighs and looks at the fountain. "Let's go sit." He walks toward the fountain and Star follows, still swinging her hands. Marco takes his seat on the edge of the basin and Star sits closely, touching thighs with him. This makes him a bit flustered but he quickly remembers she has the mind of an eight-year-old. Star rests her head on Marco's shoulder as she continues to play with her loose sleeves. After a few moments of quietness between them, Star decides to speak.

"Marco." She calls out.

"Hm? Yes, Star?"

"Why do you want to take care of me so much?"

"O-..Oh.. Haha.." Marco looks ahead at the floor as passersby take glances at them. "It's a s-stupid reason.." He says rubbing his scalp.

"You can be stupid." Star told him as she pulled her over-sized sleeves back to expose her arms. "You don't have to prove anything to me." Marco smiles, relaxing his shoulders at the same time. He spends a moment to gather his words in the way he wants them.

"Do I look like a strong person, Star?" He asks her softly.

"Kinda. How much can you lift?"

"I meant on the inside." He laughed a little. "Do I look like I have a strong spirit?" Star removes her head from his shoulder and looks at his eyes, giving him a surprise.

"... Yup!" She tells him after a pause before resting her head on him once again.

"Really?" Marco asked with an unconvinced tone.

"Mhm! I can see it in your eyes." She tells him as she twiddles her fingers. "I see fire!"

"Thanks.." Marco grins but his eyes gave a more pensive look as they aimed at the floor. "..but I don't really feel strong. I never have." His fists clench. "Even if I exercise, practice martial arts, and get the best grades I can, I still don't feel adequate in any way." He looks up, away from the ground. "You wanna know why I want to protect you, Star? No matter what?" Star stills her hands and waits eagerly for the answer. "Because having you to help makes me feel like I'm worth the space I take." Marco chuckles to himself, feeling embarrassed. "And besides, I like you too much to leave you alone." Taking in what Marco said, Star silently hugs his arm she rested on. She takes a deep breath and exhales.

"That wasn't stupid." She tells him with a warm smile on her face.

Janna was walking through the mall parking lot, trying to reach the entrance. There were some cars of various sizes, models, and colors passing by her, trying to park in an open spot. She saw a few people exiting and entering the mall intermittently with bags of wasted money. The amount of people made her uncomfortable. She has never been an energetic person around groups. She looks down at her outfit, hoping she looked good—though she'd never admit that.

She had a purple beanie with a small white skull on it over her head. An opened black button-up leather jacket with silver spikes embedded on the shoulders covered the gray tank top that tucked into her skirt. This skirt was black with a white stripe from top to bottom on the side. It draped over her legs which were hidden by purple leggings. Her high-top black and white laced shoes protected her feet, finishing off her outfit. She liked her outfit and hoped Marco would too.

Upon reaching the entrance, she waited until it was clear of other people using it before finding her opening. Making it inside, she saw Marco sitting with Star at the fountain. Star was hugging his arm as she rested her head on him. Marco's head was tilted down at the ground. The sight made Janna furrow her brows a bit. They looked like a couple. One that had been together for a while. Janna walked toward them. Marco looked up, as if sensing her there and smiled. He shook his Star-ridden arm and said something to her. Star let go and rubbed her eyes before looking at Janna. She ran toward her, leaving Marco with a surprised face.

"Oh, god, here she comes." Janna prepared herself.

"Jannaaa!" Star approached her and hugged her firmly.

"Hurp!.." Janna let out as her back bones cracked.

"I missed you!" Star told her excitedly.

"Then don't kill me.." Janna recommended with a strained voice.

"Oh!" Star let her off and held her hands. "Sorry! Geehee!" She gave a large toothy grin. Janna smiled at her with an exhale of her nose. She looked down at her outfit and grimaced in disgust.

"What did Diaz do to you?" She asked with sympathy.

"FrooFroo!" Star waved her sleeves around.

"I didn't really have much for her to wear." Marco said as he approached them.

"So you gave her your cum-covered shorts?" Janna smiled at him.

"There is no such thing covering those shorts." He defended, a little ruffled.

"What's cum?" Star asked still waving her sleeves.

"It's the stuff they put on the cinnamon rolls here." Janna told her with a bit of a devious tone.

"Ooh! I want some cum!" Star says, thrilled, getting attention of some mall-goers as they walked by.

"Stop it." Marco demanded with a little blush. "You're plague for her brain!" He told Janna with a hand on Star's shoulder. Janna just kept smiling at him, clearly enjoying her havoc.

"... Nice murse." She commented.

"It's a satchel!" Marco told her as he grabbed it and shook.

"I want cuuuum." Star whined as she pulled on Marco's arm.

"What are you two teaching my daughter?" Jackie entered the circle, slightly upset about what was being said. She wore an oversized white long-sleeved shirt with a logo on front that looked spray painted. The logo was multi-colored with faint pastels, her seashell necklace covered some of it. She had blue jeans that were ripped in many areas from her time skateboarding. Lastly, her shoes were baby blue flats with no laces.

"Jackie!" Star hugs her tightly.

"Uggh!" Jackie strains out as she's squeezed.

"Oh, yeah.." Star softened her grasp, remembering a similar noise made by Janna. "My hugs kill... Sorry."

"It's okay.." Jackie tells her, carefully straightening her back. "Sorry I'm late. My mom took some convincing to let me out again so soon. Nice satchel, Marco." She compliments.

"Thank you." Marco accepts it with a grin at Janna, who rolls her eyes.

"Okay, let's get this over with." She said with a fed up tone before trying to lead the group.

"Wait!" Jackie stopped her. "Don't you guys wanna eat something? It's about lunch time." She gave Marco and Janna an enlightening look as she shifted her eyes to Star.

"..Yeeaah." Marco smiled, understanding the intention.

"I'm not hungry." Janna opposed quickly making her two long-time friends visibly dissatisfied.

"Then.." Jackie looked at Star. "What about you, Star? Do you want food?"

"I want cinnamon roll cum!" She said.

"We'll talk about that later but that's beside the point." Jackie grabbed her hand in triumph. "That's three to one. Come on, bitch." She told Janna as she walked past with Star. Janna gives out a raspy sigh before following the two girls. Marco watches Janna, seeing genuine displeasure. It was as if she really disliked spending time with Star.

The group enters the mall's food court. They see nine food establishments on the perimeter varying in types such as pizza and ramen. Each place had a short line so the wait time won't be an issue. In the area were many tables and booths able to harbor small to large groups of people. They found a cozy booth away from others and decided to claim it.

"Alright, what are we getting?" Jackie asked everyone with a clap of her hands. "Marco?"

"Uh!.." Marco thought for moment. "..How about Yūjō Bento?" He suggested with a smile as he sat down at the booth.

"Ooh, bento! I'm good with that." Jackie agreed, giving Janna a look for her opinion.

"Yeah, sure." Janna answered with a shrug.

"What's bento?" Star asked.

"It's like a lunch box you get to customize with rice, meat, and veggies." Jackie answered.

"Okay! Sounds tasty!" Star told her.

"Great! Then you and Janna go get our boxes while I get you a cinnamon bun." Jackie nudged Star toward her other friend.

"Wait, what?" Janna questioned, getting slightly shifted by the nudge.

"Okay!" Star agreed and grabbed onto Janna's arm.

"Why me?" Janna asked with her brows furrowed.

"'Cause we need someone to man the table." Jackie looked at Marco with her hands on her hips, making the others look as well.

"I-I'm staying?" Marco asked, pointing at himself.

"Yup! If Janna stayed here alone, she might get hit on."

"That has never happened ever." Janna intercepted.

"'Cause you're always with Marco!" Jackie explained. "Maybe you two should date to keep her safe from other guys."

"Yeah! Kiss!" Star agreed. "Mwah! Mwah! Mwa-"

"Stop." Janna says with a blush as she puts her hand over Star's mouth. "Let's go.." She says in a defeated tone.

"Mkmm." Star agreed with her mouth muffled before she a Janna turn around and walk away. Jackie and Marco watch them before the skater girl leans in, making Marco jolt in surprise.

"Maybe leaving Janna alone with Star will make her like her more." She whispered, surprising Marco. "Then she'll want her to stay as much as we do!" Jackie gives a thumbs up and a wink before walking her own way. Marco looked over at Janna and Star waiting in the middle of the line.

Janna waited for her turn with her hands in her jacket pockets. She looked ahead and saw four people in front of her. Two of them were waiting to order while the other two were already picking what they wanted in their boxes. She could see them talking to the workers as they pointed at the segregated food behind the glass.

"Janna!" Star called out next her, making her wince. "Look at her!" Star pointed at a young girl who was walking past them with a bento box. She looked at Star and Janna, confused and startled at the sudden attention. "It looks so good!" The girl darted her eyes around before walking away. Janna clicked her tongue in frustration.

"Would you calm down? The last thing you need is more attention." Janna scolded.

"Sorry." Star poked her tongue out and remained silent for a brief moment. "Janna."

"Mm?" She answered with an aloof tone.

"What's your favorite food?" She asked curiously.

"Pancit." A quiet answer.

"Ham Sheet?" Star asked. "That sounds really good!"

"PANCIT." Janna corrected aggressively, looking at Star with a hostile face. "It's rice noodles with veggies and pork." She looked away.

"Hm.." Star smiled and looked down. The two were silent again, this time for longer. Janna noticed and realized she might have upset Star. She turns her head slightly to look back at her and sees her looking around with a neutral face.

"Sorry." Janna told her before looking ahead. Star looked at her and smiled.

"It's okay." She answered playfully. "I can't force you to like me!" Janna turned to her with a concerned face.

"I do like you, Star." She assured her before her expression drops. "But I'll be real with you; I don't want you around." Star looked away at this, still smiling, and started playing with her loose sleeves again. "So I don't see a point of becomin' buddies if I want you gone." Star nodded slowly.

"..FrooFroo.." She pronounced softly. "Mm.. It's because you don't want Marco getting hurt, right?"

"Not just Marco but Jackie too." She informed. "Those guys are.. If anything happened to them, I might fuckin' lose it.." Star looks at her with a frown, feeling Janna's anxiety and love. "Like I said, I like you, Star, but I like them more." Star momentarily looked her in the eyes before a sad smile overcame her.

"I understand.." She said solemnly. "You should tell them." Janna looked away with a grin and a chuckle.

"Yeah,.. I should." There really is nothing to gain by keeping that from them, Janna thought. Even if they get angry with her, she was dead set on letting Star go.

"Also.." Star pointed away from the line toward Marco. "Who's that with Marco?"

"Huh?" Janna looked and saw her other male friends, Alfonso and Ferguson sneaking up on him. "Oh, no.." She groaned with her hand on her head.

"What can I get for you, Miss?" A voice at the counter calls out to Janna. She turns around and faces a male employee.

"Oh! Uh.."

Marco was looking at Star and Janna in line. Star pointed at him as Janna looked and seemed visibly distraught before being surprised by an employee.

"What was that about?" He asked himself with an eyebrow raised. Then, before he knew it, two loud voices blared out near his ears as two pairs of hands grabbed his shoulders and arms.

"BLAAHH!"

"YAAAHHH!"

"AAAAGGHH!"

Marco looked at what the hands led to and saw his two pals, Ferguson and Alfonso. They laughed and gripped onto Marco as they reveled in their mischief, making their ambushed friend noticeably disgruntled.

"Ha! Okay. Very funny." Marco told them in a monotone voice, getting sick of their ridicule.

"Sorry, Marco, but you left yourself completely exposed!" Alfonso explained as his laugh slowed to a chuckle.

"Yeah, and you shit your pants whenever you get even a little scared so we had to!" Ferguson added as he and his partner took their seats. Alfonso sat next Marco and Ferguson on the other side. "Whatcha doin' here all alone anyway? We could've hanged if you wanted."

"I'm uh..." Marco looked over at Star in line pointing at herself then punching her other hand's palm as if she was ready to attack the other two. Janna turned away from the employee and looked at Marco with a head shake. She crossed her arms into an "X" to make her feelings clear. "I'm just.. gonna get some food before I go visit my grandma." He said with the most convincing voice he can conjure.

"Oh, you're leavin' soon, then?" Ferguson asked.

"Shame.." Alfonso added with a disappointed voice. "We were going to go to Warlock for some cards."

"We'll just stick with you 'til you leave then!" Ferguson told him, getting a nod from Alfonso.

"I-.. It's okay, guys, really." Marco smiled and shook his head.

"Too bad." Ferguson rebelled.

"Yup, we're staying!" Alfonso joined.

"N-..!" Marco didn't know what to say. "I don't..-"

"Alright, Marco, I got the cinnamon rolls." Jackie stepped into the groups' bubble and set a box of four cinnamon rolls on the table. Alfonso and Ferguson looked at her in shock. Marco just grit his teeth and waited for an impact. "Hey, guys!" Jackie greeted the other two boys. "Alfonso and Ferguson, right?" She asked as she pointed their names to their designation.

"She knows our names.." Ferguson responded with a half opened-mouth, appalled. This girl was associated with their friend and she was the girl their friend hasn't stopped crushing on since grade school.

"Can I sit?" She asks Ferguson.

"...Yeah!" He jolted, being in slight awe at the girl. He moved deeper into the booth and Jackie took a seat next to him.

"So did Marco invite you two?" She asked them.

"Um.. no, we just wanted to come to the mall today and found him here." Alfonso answered in a fluster.

"Oh, I see." She said with a chuckle and leaned back in her seat. "I thought Marco invited you guys to our date. I would've been so mad." She looked at him with eyes that demanded confirmation. Marco caught on, it was a bad idea to get two more people involved with Star. So why not make them feel like they're intruding?

"You gu-.." Ferguson stuttered. "You guys are dating?!" He shouted with a point. Jackie smiled and blushed lightly.

"Yeah, you don't have to say it out loud!" She laughed. "It's embarrassing!"

"But—!.. He—!.. You—!.." The red-haired boy could barely think straight. In his mind, Marco finally netted the girl he'd always wanted.

"Wait.." Alfonso butted in with his hands on his chin. "Marco didn't say he was dating you last night.."

"Wh-What?" Jackie crossed her legs and giggled nervously. "Babe, have you been hiding our relationship from them?" She asked Marco with cutesy voice and pinched his cheek. "That's so mean!"

"Oh! HAHAHA!" Marco overacted, causing the group to jump in surprise. "S-Sorry, baaabe, I just didn't wanna cause a stir with it! HAHAHA." His face was berry red and his leg was restless.

"Hm." Alfonso crossed his arms. Jackie noticed this.

"What's wrong?" She asked with a smile, rubbing a few strands of her hair between her fingers.

"How long have you two been dating?" He asked, pushing his glasses up with his index finger.

"A month."

"Two weeks."

"..." Jackie and Marco looked at each other in surprise, realizing they said different amounts.

"A month.." Marco corrected, trying to follow Jackie's lead.

"Haha! Silly!" Jackie told him with a tap to his forearm on the table. Underneath the table, however, she kicked him, causing him to grunt subtly.

"Ha.. Joke-y jokes.." He said with strained voice.

"...W-.. Wow! Heh.. I can't believe you guys are finally dating!" Ferguson said excitedly.

"Yeah, well, I guess it was meant to be." Jackie told him giddily.

"Wait, you actually believe this, Ferg?" Alfonso asked Ferguson with a raised brow.

"Huh?" The other three simultaneously let out and looked at Alfonso.

"Listen, Jackie," He looked at her. "do you know how long Marco has had a crush on you?"

"N-No. Haha.." Alfonso was strangely intimidating. It seemed that he was seeing right through the ruse. "It was really surprising when he asked me.."

"Marco has been head-over-heels for you since the fourth grade!" He told her with resolve. "And you're telling us you just started dating and we haven't noticed a change in his behavior at all? I've been Marco's friend since Kindergarten and I know when Marco is happy. He shows it!"

"Oh, yeah!.." Ferguson leans in and is visibly awed at Alfonso's claims. "Marco becomes like, the most flowery person when he's happy about something!" The two friends of Marco look at Jackie for an answer and see her visibly upset. She turns and looks at Marco to see him looking away, completely still now.

"Marco.." She calls out softly. "Has it.. really been for that long?" The upbeat tone she was giving off before was gone.

"..Oops.." Alfonso let out, realizing he may have said too much. Marco took a deep breath before he leaned toward the table and rested his elbows on it.

"..Yeah.." He looked into her eyes as he answered but looked down and away after. Jackie's heart skipped a beat. She's always just known Marco as that nice boy she wouldn't mind being friends with. To think he's had feelings for her for that long. She thought about Janna. How long has she known? Jackie's known her since seventh grade! How has she not brought it up by now?.. Maybe..

"Jackie?" Alfonso snapped her away from her thoughts. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Um.." Jackie looked defeated and sighed. "You're right.. I'm sorry, you two. We're not dating."

"Aww.." Ferguson slumped down in his seat. Marco put his palm on his check and looked away.

"Why were you two pretending to be then?" Alfonso asked.

"Well.." Before Jackie could speak any further, Janna and Star rose from behind both sides of the booth. Janna zapped Alfonso with her taser and Star swiftly chopped Ferguson on the back of the neck. The stricken two immediately fell unconscious before Marco and Jackie realized what happened.

"Let's go, quick!" Janna told them.

"Let's go!" Star mimicked with a proud smile.

"What?! Why?!" Jackie asked in a panic before Star grabbed her hand. Janna grabbed Marco's and they all began to run away from the food court.

"So they don't get involved!" Janna answered urgently.

"No, why did you guys knock them out?!"

"It was easier!" Janna replied.

"Yup!" Star agreed.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The good boys are back.

I'm excited to involve Alfonso and Ferguson more in the story and I hope you're excited to see how they affect it!

Anyway, thanks for reading!! (*︶*)

It's been a little difficult to find time to write as of late so I hope I don't get forgotten.

Welp, that's enough from me.

Byyyyyyyye!