When in Rome

Chapter Two: Loud Silence

Smokescreen waited at the plane lobby as Spy bought an extra ticket. It was with her money, of course. But considering she was Native, not many people would trust she wanted to leave with good cause.

On the TV was some sort of French-English movie about love. She scoffed.

A wonderful idea, in theory, but....Smokescreen's eyes went to her hands for a moment. She closed them and opened them, focusing on the feeling in her palms and fingers.

Love was something that had always scared her, the thought. Or, it was something she was always fighting against. Her eyes went back to the screen as Spy came over.

Out of curiosity, he looked up, as well. It was basically mockery, but it did remind him of his beloved.

Ah, Delores. It started off so well, but like a match lit on fire, went out in a blink of the eye.

There was something so deeply founded in their journey which told him that no relationship, of love or otherwise, would ever really be fit to him. He wasn't the type of man who could ever be ready for anyone in his life.

Although pleasant, relationships are....

"Hmph." Spy scoffed, his eyes locked. "This is simple mockery! Not even real French."

"Really?" Smokescreen thought it a bit much to complain about something as simple as a poorly written love story. Still, her curiosity got the better of her. "What are they even saying?"

"Nonsense!" Spy shouted, sounding much angrier than he was. "You are the carp to my burrito! The meatballs to my hair!"

Other people were looking over at this point. Smokescreen snickered.

"Words of....wisdom?" She offered in a semi-serious voice. Spy frowned at her. "I mean...I would be pretty down if someone told me I was the meatballs to their hair."

"Of course you would." Spy rolled his eyes. "You are as gross as the bushman!"

"I take full offense to that."

The few moments it took for the plane to land felt like years. The two mostly sat in silence, reading a nearby magazine or watching the poorly translated movie supplied to them by the lobby staff. Making their way onto the plane felt like actual liberation.

Quiet liberation.

"To be honest, I don't get the whole deal about love." Smokescreen said, attempting to drown out the white noise. "Romance is overrated."

"For once, we agree." Spy placed his hands in his pockets. "Romance is no more than pesky moonlit dinners and roses and cake."

They walked up the stairs of the plane.

"I mean, I guess I get the whole 'spending-time-together' bit." Smokescreen said. "But that's also what friends do."

"Ah, yes," Spy said in full sarcasm. "The main goal is to get old together and then die."

"Sounds pretty boring." Smokescreen took the window seat and starred out at the pavement. Comforting, but boring.

"I....well." Spy stopped himself mid-thought. "It is not boring."

Smokescreen looked over. "Wait a second, someone actually DATED you?!"

Spy scowled.

"Ah, sorry, I meant - " She tried to find words to replace what she had said. "...no I meant that." She had failed to do so.