"I thought you liked Devi," mumbled Squee, eyes downcast.

"Shut up." Johnny's eyes glinted dangerously. "I don't want to be reminded of that today."

"Because it's Valentine's Day?"

"If you won't be quiet, I can have you expelled from the car," snarled Johnny, slamming on the accelerator even harder.

"Sorry."

Squee buckled his seatbelt, shivering once more. His mind wandered, a defense mechanism built up from years of neglect, and he found himself at Devi's apartment two months prior.

"Johnny said you were scared of him," mumbled Squee, finishing the scales on a painting of a monster.

"Well, I was," sighed Devi, mixing some red paint, "but awhile ago, I just thought 'fuck it' and decided to get over it. After all, the chances of him bothering me again are just about nil."

Squee mulled it over, capping the paints he had used and setting down his brushes. Well, technically, all the stuff was Devi's, but she always let him use what she considered to be "his set" of paints. Squee had quite a talent for painting, at least for a beginner.

"Does he ever talk about me?" asked Devi, staring at her own painting, a dark scene full of shadowy monsters.

"Not as much as he used to," admitted Squee. "But he feels bad about what happened, I think. He never says it, but I think he still kind of likes you."

"I never thought I'd see the day when I asked a grade-skool kid for advice on my love life," Devi laughed, the light not quite reaching her eyes, "but do you think I'd still have a chance?"

"Probably not. I think Nny's the one who's scared."

"Are you listening to me?"

"What? Oh. Um." Squee hugged his knees to his chest. "Sorry."

Johnny looked mildly annoyed, but the irritation faded as he started talking again.

"I was saying that you probably hadn't eaten in awhile. Care to stop for food somewhere?"

"Okay."

Silence filled the car for the next ten minutes. Johnny eased up on the accelerator, peering at the signs over shops and restaurants as they made their way downtown. Spotting a taco hell, he slammed on the brakes and brought the car to rest half an inch from the curb.

Without a word, Johnny opened the car door and climbed out. Squee nervously followed suit, hoping that no one would pick a fight with his chaperone.

"Who let out the crazies?" sniggered a teenager as Johnny and Squee walked into the restaurant.

"Somebody call the funny farm," laughed the boy's friend. "Some of the inmates escaped again."

Great, thought Squee, burying his head in his hands. Two seconds in, and already somebody's going to get killed.

"Excuse me?" hissed Johnny, turning to face the group of kids. "What did you say?"

"Nothin, man, just that you look like some kinda psycho," sniggered the first boy.

"Stop it," muttered Squee, glancing fearfully between Nny and the boys.

"Keep your nose out of it, pipsqueak," snarled the second boy.

"Die," growled Nny, staking both boys simultaneously with their own tacos.

"Here we go again," sighed Squee, making his way to the counter. "Um. I'd like three tacos and two medium sodas, please."

The young woman behind the counter handed him the food and sprinted for the exit. Squee sat down and began eating, trying his best to ignore the bloodshed behind him.

"Hello again."

Devi sat down across from Squee. Squee offered her the other soda, which she gratefully accepted. Devi glanced at Johnny, and her expression changed to disgusted amusement.

"He doesn't change at all, does he?" she laughed humorlessly.

"No, not really," admitted Squee, finally looking at Nny.

Johnny finally noticed Devi's presence and made his way back over the impromptu battlefield.

"Stop following me," he snapped, sitting next to Squee.

"I can't help it if this is the only good taco place in the city," Devi pointed out, taking a taco from the tray.

"I don't want you here."

"Why not? Afraid you'll screw up again?"

Johnny glanced sharply at Devi, who was taking a bite out of the taco.

"I thought we really got along well, up until the whole trying-to-kill-me thing. Don't you think it's about time to stop running away?"

"I'm not running."

Great comeback, Nny, he thought disgustedly. What next? A happy ending?

"Um. If you want me to, I can go into the arcade next door…" mumbled Squee.

"That won't be necessary," announced Devi. "I was just about to leave."

She stood and headed for the door.

"You're not worth chasing anymore, Johnny."

-Z?-

Author's note: sorry about the wait. >. ffn wouldnt let me upload this til just now. hopefully ill wrap this up next chapter, but you never know...