It's More Than Nature

I lied a bit to this Fallout guy, and I'm not happy with myself.

I do have a name; it's Trey. And I do have a Killjoy name, it's Suicidal Saint. Not the best, but it's mine. It makes me one of them.

I'm so sad now because I realized, watching him sleep that night, that he was really a trustworthy Killjoy. He was the only person so far who didn't flip shit when I met him. And to top it all... he trusted me enough to sleep on my watch. Me. A complete stranger. And I couldn't even share my name.

When at last he woke up he realized he hadn't been woken up. "Hey!" he complained, brushing sad out of his hair. "You were s'posed to get me up for my watch!"

I smirked. "I didn't feel like it."

Fallout sighed and yawned widely, baring slightly over-pointy canine teeth. Like a cat's.

His ears, which glowed softly red in the sun because of blood vessels, were wide, triangular and gray with black lynx tips. His tail--lordy, the tail--was a light gray with black rings and a white tip. Long and sleek, it reminded me of a snake.

"Where to?" he asked, ending the yawn. I shrugged. "Dunno, find a gang to mooch off of and then go back home?" He nodded. "Sure."

We set off through the desert, his ears flat against the sandy winds. His tail was for once free, swishing around rather nervously. As we came nearer to a Killjoy base, cresting a dune, he stopped and tucked it into his jeans. "Can't be too careful."

I nodded.

The diner, it turned out, was Fallout's base. And holy shit was the gang insane.

"FUCK YOU!" came a yell of shock. A girl with short hair came flying, latching onto Fallout with both arms. He looked a bit uncomfortable. "Hi, Insulin."

Insulin stared at me. "Who the flying shit is that?"

"My, um, friend. I don't know her name." Fallout Dust's voice was steady, and the girl who I took to be either his sister or his girlfriend glared at me. "Maybe she's a Drac!"

"No," said Fallout quietly. "Wanna see something cool?"

That kept the girl distracted. "What?"

He smirked and raised his ears.

Insulin stifled a shriek. "Fallout! Where the fuck is your belt?!"

He shrugged. "When you're high on Dylakane cobra poison you don't stop to think before you run for it," he told her. She cocked her head. "True, but still..."

"I lied," I smiled widely, interrupting. Fallout looked at me like I was mad. "About what?"

"I have a name," I admitted, still smiling. He smiled back.

"Well, what is it then?"

I thought.

"Suicidal Saint."

Fallout laughed. "Like the guy from that Green Day album. St Jimmy."

I nodded.

"Yus, yus and yus."

Insulin was still glaring at me. "Whoever she is, why are you with her?" I'm sure I looked hurt, because he quickly replied, "She's another Dylakane victim, and we met up about five miles out of the Zones, in the empty desert. We just stuck together for safety."

She didn't look impressed. "I never thought my bro would be so stupid! She might be a Drac, Dusty." So they were siblings. Explained a lot.

Fallout snorted and unexpectedly grabbed my shoulder, pulling me up next to him with no warning. He glared back at his sister. "She's. Not. A. Draculoid," he enunciated slowly. I tried to play along, but I think I just looked like I was about to pass out. Fallout smirked and brushed a piece of hair away from his face. "Don't look so bored," he told me, right into my ear, much to his sister's disapproval. Then he got even closer to my ear and whispered, "Play along with whatever I do and say, okay?"

Unable to move, I murmured an "Uhkay."

He pulled away from me, smirked at Insulin and kissed me briefly on the cheek.