Chapter Text
Keefe Sencen had been in the Forbidden Cities for a few months , and he’d decided a few things:
Humans had too many rules.
Not the big, obvious ones—those he could handle. Don’t steal. Don’t punch people (apparently frowned upon here too). Try not to cause chaos in public places. Fine. Easy.
It was the small rules that were ruining his life.
“Wait,” Keefe said, staring at the self-checkout screen like it had personally betrayed him. “I have to scan it before I bag it? Why is there an order? Who decided this?”
The machine beeped angrily.
“UNEXPECTED ITEM IN BAGGING AREA.”
“I didn’t even do anything!” Keefe snapped back.
“Hey.”Keefe turned to see a girl about his age standing a few feet away, trying—and failing—not to laugh. She had a basket in one manicured hand and the kind of expression like she’d never seen this situation before.
“Why you arguing with the machine?”She stepped closer, setting her basket down. “Here. You scan, then bag. Not the other way around.”
Keefe sighed, feeling a bit embarrassed. “I should have known that.”
“Yeah, I mean it’s a bit of common sense but it’s okay.” She reassured him, helping him bag the rest of his groceries. “I have to help boomers all the time.”
Keefe drew a blank. A boomer? What the hell is even that? “I don’t think I know what a boomer is…” The girl stared at him like he grew a third head.
“You don’t know what a boomer is?” Keefe shook his head sheepishly as she handed him his last shopping bag.
“You gotta be Amish or something.”
“Amish…?”
“Holy sh- a boomer is an old person like over 70.”
“Oh? Okay well you learn something new every day.” Keefe says, heading towards the exit.
“Um, you forgot to pay.”
“Oh, flip yeah.” Keefe quickly back tracks, whipping out his spanking new debit card. “Hey, uh…so what do I do now?”
***
“Thanks a lot for your help,” Keefe said as they walked out of Walmart. “You really saved me there.”
She smiled. “It’s okay, you don’t have to thank me ten thousand times.”
“No, but really. Thank you…uh,” Keefe just realized that after all her help, he still didn’t know her name. “sorry, what’s your name?”
“Julia.”
“Thanks again, Julia.”
“What’s your name, Mr Clueless?”
“Um it’s actually Keefe, just f.y.i.” Keefe nearly gave himself a high five for dropping in a hint of human slang in his vocabulary. I guess the mindless scrolling on TikTok has payed off in the end
“Cool.”
“Yeah thanks, I try.”
“So, lemme get your snap?”
“…Snap?”
‘Snapchat…you know, the communication app?” Julia raised an eyebrow, watching Keefe suspiciously.
“Sorry, I uh don’t know what that is.”
“Instagram?”
“…”
“You gotta be joking with me.”
Keefe sighed in frustration, running his free hand through his hair. Maybe he should have been doing more research on what human teens do because he would really need that info right about now.
“Oh, uh I think I have uh whoots up?”
Keefe watches Julia as she tries her hardest not to laugh in his face. But she ends up doing it anyway, laughing a bit harder than what is a bit necessary. “I don’t think I get the joke.” Keefe mumbles, fidgeting with the hair on his nape.
“Don’t mind me,” she waves him off, gathering her breath. “I just find you a bit odd that all.”
“Wow, thanks.”
“Will you ever stop thanking me?” Julia smirks, leading him over to one of the benches away from the entrance.
“Probably not.” He says, putting down his bags and sitting beside the girl.
He can feel Julia’s eyes observing him, like he’s a new concept. “You know, I never met someone like you before.”
“Really?” Keefe tries to play it cool, not to seem overly suspicious.
“Yeah, you’re different than the others- hey, hey, that’s a good thing, okay.” She reassures him, throwing her arm over his shoulders. “No really, It’s okay, being different.”
“Okay, whatever you say.” Keefe mumbled, kicking at his new shoes.
“Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.” Julia turns to face him, nudging his shoulder and giving him a small smile. Here, lemme get your WhatsApp.” She extends her hand out to him.
Keefe looks at her puzzled, before slowly putting his hand in hers. Julia stares at him for a split second before bursting out into laughter.
Keefe pulls his and away, shoving them both in his hoodie pockets.
“Sorry. I’m sorry” Julia huffs between breaks of laughter. “You were supposed to give me your phone.”
“Obviously,” Keefe scoffs, reaching into his pocket, and giving her his phone.”who wouldn’t know that?”
“Maybe unlock it?” Julia suggests hanging back his phone with a giggle
“Oh…yeah.”
***