Quoted By:
<span class="mu-r">“Ben Parker. My name’s Ben Parker.”</span> you blurted out. <span class="mu-r">“You?”</span>
Prowler breathed out through his nose and nodded slowly. <span class="mu-g">“Hobart Brown.”</span> he said without looking at you. <span class="mu-g">“Most people call me Hobbie.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“Ah. I don’t think I’ve ever met a ‘Hobart’ before.”</span>
<span class="mu-g">“Yeah, well not many people have.”</span> he said with an expression that could almost be described as a rueful half smile.
Another heavy silence fell between you, and you found yourself searching for another topic to latch onto. Your gaze fell on Miles, who was looking at a map of the campus with Cindy.
<span class="mu-r">“That’s a nice kid you’ve got there. Is he coming here too?”</span>
<span class="mu-g">“I hope so.”</span> Hobbie said. <span class="mu-g">“Miles is a smart kid. He deserves better than what I got.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“I don’t know. You’re not doing too bad.”</span>
Hobbie smirked. <span class="mu-g">“Yeah, but I’m not exactly a model citizen. So long as I can watch him grow up, happy and successful, I don’t care about anything else.”</span>
You were momentarily at a loss for words. For words so warm and human to come from a face that hides behind a cold, scrutinizing mask; it was such a major shock to your system.
<span class="mu-r">“Same here.”</span> you added, watching Cindy laugh a breathless laugh. <span class="mu-r">“Even though she’s growing up to become some sort of monster slaying, crime-fighting ninja, all I want for her is to be happy.”</span>
<span class="mu-g">“Girls are a bit harder than boys. And she’s already hitting puberty.”</span> he said, nodding at her. <span class="mu-g">“Just be prepared to catch some serious grief in the near future.”</span>
You chuckled at Prowler’s silly notion of Cindy not wanting to hang out with you, but had otherwise refused to comment on the matter.
You and Hobbie spent the next few minutes sharing idle conversation, cracking wise, and sending out the occasional barb. Both of you were still a bit wary of the other, and you felt as if you were stress-testing the new state of your relationship, neither sure of how they would proceed from here.
Later on, when you were watching Miles and Cindy asking questions about the various programs available to the school’s students. Ironically, it looked like Cindy was doing most of the communicating. This particular faculty member seemed to know sign language. Even now, Cindy was signing very enthusiastically at the older woman.
<span class="mu-g">“What do we do about Cat?”</span> Prowler asked, so suddenly and abruptly after a long silence that it momentarily left you speechless.
Your attention was still on Saya, who was sticking very close to the Engineering Department guide, and listening with rapt attention.
(Cont.)
