"You're from South Africa?"

"Depends what you mean by 'from'," Matthew anwered. His tea was cooling. It had become somewhat of a habit for him to forget about his drinks whenever he was talking to Lisa. "I guess that's my heritage, but I was raised in Chicago."

Chicago; where Taylor had gone. Lisa wondered how well she'd adjust to a new environment, she was never the most sociable person, but would Wards translate that as cold harshness? Lisa didn't want to refer to Taylor as a pet project, she had grown on her. She didn't want the impact she'd had on Taylor's life be negative. It was too much guilt to add on her plate. The best she could do was hope Taylor could grow on her own, and pretend Taylor didn't matter to her.

Lisa told herself to write her a letter later.

Lisa asked, "have you ever thought of going back?"

"I don't see a reason why."

"You're whole family lives there, they miss you."

"I had eight siblings, I'm pretty sure they forgot which one I am."

"Dude, you're the middle finger of the family, how could they forget?"

Matthew blinked at her, "what?"

Lisa sighed, believing she might've offended him. "Nevermind. My point is, you can't just cut off people who obviously miss you. Your family helped you when you needed sanctity from that Tinker trauma, they want you a part of their lives. Even just calling them matters a lot to them."

Matthew leaned back on his chair, Lisa read his gesture:

Does not care about them

But Matthew confirmed it anyway, "you know how they say, 'family are the strangers we didn't choose to live with?' That's what they are to me, strangers. People I grew up with by circumstance."

Lisa scrunched her mouth. Matthew still had the 'detachment' philosophy, which she still felt an urge to pull out from him. She wasn't treating Matthew as a guinea pig anymore, but she still didn't like how he created this shield around himself like a ghost.

Lisa said, "Alright, let me level with you. Are you really detached to them, or avoiding them?"

"Detached," Matthew said with a wave of the hand. "I'll see them when I see them, but I don't go the extra mile for it."

Lisa hummed to herself, stop being you!

Matthew asked, "what about your family?"

"Hmm?"

"I know they don't know you're a villain, and I know you don't see them. Do you not have any? Or do you cut them off like I do?"

Lisa paused. Not the same, you just don't want to get close to people, I'm actively trying to avoid them.

Lisa could describe Matthew's life like a leaning tree, tilting whichever way was appropriate. Lisa could describe herself as a solid rock, doing everything in her power to make sure nothing fazed her.

"I uh…" she didn't have an answer.

Matthew waited. He let the silence decide whether or not she'd open up. Lisa answered, "don't have any."

Matthew nodded, "sorry to hear that."

Lisa's face turned red, there I go again, lying! The one guy who would never judge me, and I lied straight to his face!

Matthew sensed the discomfort in Lisa, and said, "when was the last time you went shopping?"

"What?"

"The city has been broken, but the shopping center is opening up today. Want to visit after work?"

There it was again, Matthew trying to make things easier on her. A slight distraction, while eliminating any doubts before they could metabolize.

"Sure," Lisa said with a fake smile, "I'd like that."

XXX

Matthew stared down at the tulips blossoming in front of their base. He'd walked passed those roots everyday, but today, the tulips blossomed for the first time.

Why did it seem like they were breathing? Like they were holding in their breaths all year, and finally let out a single breathe full of color.

And why did they smell so fresh? How could fresh have a smell? It was like the smell of something new, even though the roots had been there all year. So how could something that had been there for so long have the smell of something new?

Matthew thought about something he'd read about reincarnation. Do plants reincarnate?

"How the hell do you find interest in everything?" Lisa stared at Matthew while his head was gazing down at the tulips next to her feet.

Matthew blinked at her, and shook his head. "Sorry, that was rude."

Lisa placed her cell phone back in her pocket. Note to self, don't answer a phone call when Matthew is around, or else he'll figuratively fall into deep space.

"No, no," Lisa sighed, "I wish I could turn off my phone when I'm off work, but I can't risk being offline for too long."

"Kay."

"Being a crime lord means I always have to stay in contact."

"Okay."

"Like, if I could take a break, I would."

"Alright."

Lisa glanced over him, "you know, most people would get mad when friends answer the phone while hanging out."

"Are you… Apologizing for something I'm not mad about?"

Lisa tapped him on the forehead head, "be mad dammit."

"Is that an order, or a favor?"

"Yes."

"No."

"You're fired."

Matthew flung his hands in the air, "hooray for freedom! My shackles from villainy have been liberated!" Matthew walked towards the mall without her.

"Hold up, freak, you're not leaving me that easily!"