He watched her with a cocked head for a moment before sitting near the window, resting his head on his hand with a soft sigh. *** "Shrimp aren't smart!"
Val woke suddenly, her eyelids shooting open as she looked across the room. She sat up, brushing her hair back sleepily as her eyes landed on Landon. "Oh. Hey." * * * "Watch what you say; they could be listening."
She frowned, rubbing the back of her neck tiredly. "What are you doing?" she asked, wrapping the blanket around herself and standing up. * * * "That doesn't matter. They have spies."
"Nothing," he replied casually, turning back to the window. "Just watching." *** "Oh yeah?" she teased. "Where?"
"Oh?" she asked, joining him at the window. "Watching what?" * * * He hesitated. "In... in the walls."
She stood next to him, squinting out the window in the bright sunlight. "It's pretty," she agreed, unsure of what to say. * * * "Silly human. Your skepticism will get you killed."
She looked down at him in surprise. "Sorry? Why?" * * * He twitched nervously. "Right. I am totally a human and not a bunch of mantis shrimps."
"I probably bug you," he said. "And I know you don't like me." *** "Mantis shrimp are incapable of feelings!"
Her brow furrowed. "What are you talking about? We literally slept in the same bed last night." * * * He chuckled. "Ha. You're right, we- I mean, they don't."
"That doesn't mean anything." *** "Then you couldn't like me if you are a bunch a mantis shrimp.. I knew it!"
"Trust me. I wouldn't let you breathe the same air as me if I didn't like you." * * * He pursed his lips, obviously conflicted. "Well... what if a bunch of mantis shrimp learned how to like someone?"
"No," he said. "Not like that." *** She shook her head. "Mantis shrimp are incapable of feeling. Life doesn't work in favor of non-crustaceans like that."
Her brow furrowed even more and she sat on the windowledge, her head tilted as she tried to understand. "Landon, you're not making any sense." * * * "Typical human ignorance..."
She watched him for a moment before slipping her arms around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder. * * * "You think that, but wait until we take over the world."
He was surprised, not moving at first. After a moment, he rested his hands, on her back without a word. *** "I will still think that."
"You're not exactly subtle," she muttered in his ear, turning her face into his neck. * * * "Can't think it if you're dead."
