The Girl Who Chased Bugs
Ship: Aniol West & GraveRobber (platonic), Aniol West & Shilo Wallace (platonic)
Word Count: 1397
Summary: Wow, I did not mean for this to get this long but I don't really know how to split it up so bear with me. Aniol and GraveRobber have a chat when they are interrupted by a familiar face. Also this isn't necessarily canon to my ship timeline I just wanted to write Aniol and Shilo interacting. CWs for canon-typical themes, let me know if there's anything else that needs a warning, I'm tired and can't tell. (genuine)
Tag List: @canongf @futurewife
On the shadiest streets in the city, people like the GraveRobber dwelled. Illegal Zydrate dealers and Zydrate addicts, those just trying to get by and those looking to make a quick buck… there was no “middle class,” there hadn’t been one for a long time. There was the bottom of the beer barrel and the corked top of a bottle of champagne. Aniol was about the only person who existed and flowed between that high and low. He whistled a tune that connected him with the GraveRobber as he walked, drawing the eyes of the prostitutes on the corner and their potential customers. It didn’t take long for the pale man with colourful streaks in his greasy hair to materialise out of the darkness, whistling along with Aniol as he took up stride at their side.
“What’s new with you?” He asked as the tune came to an end.
“I was wondering if I could interest you in a job,” Aniol hummed.
“In addition to what I already do?”
“Never mind the Zydrate business, I want to put you in a film.”
GraveRobber slowed to a halt while Aniol managed a few more steps forward before turning to face him.
“I don’t know, pretty bird. Don’t you think that’s a bit risky, putting my mug on the big screen? You’re not trying to put me out of business, are you?”
Aniol stepped toward him, taking his angular face in their hands and examining his features closely. “A little make-up and prosthetics and you’ll be unrecognizable. I promise you, my artists are just as good as surgeons, and of course they’re under a contract that says they can’t say shit about dick unless I say so, so you wouldn’t have to worry about your identity getting out beyond the dressing room.”
The GraveRobber considered this for a moment before the two of them were distracted by the sound of a can bouncing off of the curb. A girl standing anxiously under a streetlight gasped and stepped back, obviously not wanting to be seen.
“What’s a girl like you doing out at this time of night?” Aniol called across the alley.
“Kid? Is that you?” GraveRobber added, curiously familiar. The girl hesitantly skipped across the road to join them.
“I'm sorry, I-I promise I wasn't stalking you, I was following a bug…” She looked around, “I’ve lost it, now…”
“You know this young thing?” Aniol asked, his expression slightly concerned. He lowered his voice, “She's not a customer, is she?”
“No! This is… well, I never did catch your name. But it’s kind of funny… you were chasing a bug the first time we met.”
The girl smiled coyly. “That’s right…” her brow then furrowed. “But you also got me caught.”
“I understand that you aren’t supposed to be out either way, so I’d prefer if you thought of it as me doing you a favour, kid.”
“My name is Shilo.”
Recognition flashed on Aniol’s face, and he could see that it made her nervous. “GraveRobber’s right, you shouldn’t be out.” He crossed his arms. “You’re clearly young and inexperienced, for one. This city’ll eat you alive if you’re not careful.”
She pulled her bag closer to her side, a determined look on her face. “Who’re you to say I’m inexperienced? I’m seventeen, I’m practically an adult.”
“And yet you’re sneaking around like you’re twelve,” GraveRobber quipped, making her face turn pink with embarrassment.
Aniol moved to whisper in his ear, “This is one of my friends’ kids.”
Surprise captured him and he huddled with Aniol in an attempt to talk more privately. “Really?? How do you know?”
“I’ve never seen a picture of her, but how many Shilos do you meet on a given day? She already reminds me of him, too.”
“What are you two murmuring about over there?” Shilo asked. The GraveRobber popped his head up.
“Nothing. Just discussing who should take you home.” He shoved Aniol forward. “How about my friend, here?”
“What? No, I don’t want to go home yet!” She frowned at Aniol. “And don’t I know you from somewhere…?”
It was Aniol’s turn to blush. “I assure you, you don’t,” he answered firmly. Not like my face has been in magazines and on posters and billboards, my trailers on public television screens…
“So you’re saying this complete stranger should take me home?? Doesn’t that seem a little against your ‘protect the child’ M.O.?”
“Yes, well, I trust Aniol very much--”
“Robber.”
“Aniol… oh my God, you’re Aniol West!” Shilo pointed at him while his flush crept into his ears.
“And you are not nearly old enough to be watching my movies.”
“Well I’ve never seen any of them… I just recognized you from one of my magazines. You know Blind Mag?”
Aniol sighed while his friend looked very bemused. “It’s none of your business, kid--”
“Of course he knows Mag,” GraveRobber butt in theatrically, “all good artists know each other.”
This made Shilo’s eyes sparkle. “Can you get me her autograph?”
Aniol frowned. This was far too complicated for his liking, knowing the history interwoven between Nathan, Mag, Marni, and Shilo, though Shilo didn’t know it. He spoke very deliberately, “If you promise me there will be no fuss in going home tonight, I’ll think about it.”
She thought hard about it before nodding in agreement. “Deal. But you have to walk me, and you have to tell me all about being a director.”
GraveRobber snickered at Aniol’s reluctant expression.
“Fine…” He glared at his friend. You ass… and you don’t know the half of it! “GraveRobber, turn around and plug your ears.”
“Why…?”
“Just do it.”
“Fine, fine,” the GraveRobber did as he was told while Aniol stepped closer to Shilo.
“A final condition, your father absolutely cannot see me.”
“Huh??”
“Trust me. I walk you to your house, and then I’m gone. Just be prepared to get inside as quickly as physically possible.”
“Okay…” Shilo studied him for a moment. He wished he knew what she was thinking. He tapped the GraveRobber on the shoulder.
“You can take your hands off your ears, now.”
He turned back to them. “All settled, then?”
“Yes, I’m taking Shilo back home right now. Don’t think you’ve escaped my film proposition, however, I will be finding you again later.”
“You want to put him in a movie??” Shilo asked, giggling.
“What, you don’t think I have the chops?” GraveRobber asked in a jokingly aggressive manner. She continued to laugh, doubling over slightly. It warmed something in his cold, black, Zydrate-slinging heart. Aniol checked his watch.
“C'mon, Shilo. Ciao, Robber.” He pat the GraveRobber's cheek affectionately. He took his hand and kissed their fingers.
“Until I hear your siren’s song once more, Aniol.”
Aniol smiled, then began leading the way out of the alley.
“How do you know where you're going??” Shilo asked, jogging to catch up with him.
“I thought we agreed we would only talk about my career?”
“Yeah, but you're acting weird. And like, a different sort of weird from… what did you call him?” She gestured back down the alley. The GraveRobber had disappeared.
“Robber. Short for GraveRobber. I don't think he remembers his first name. Shilo, there's a lot you don't know… about everything. At this point, I don't think staying inside or sneaking out can help you.”
She was quiet as they walked along the dirty road, their faces lit in a flurry of neons as they passed by signage and under streetlamps. “You know my dad, don't you?” She eventually asked. “How? Were you a patient of his?”
“I won't tell you these things,” Aniol insisted, turning the corner. “Now, either ask me something about movies or please, be quiet.”
Eventually, she did begin asking about Aniol's work, which he patiently explained each process of, from writing to casting to actually filming something. Soon, they appeared at the back end of Shilo and Nathan's home.
“Can you climb the fence?” Aniol asked. Shilo nodded.
“Of course I can, I've been doing this since I was thirteen.”
“Thirteen?!”
“Shhh!!”
“Shilo…” Aniol’s tone was distinctly parental as she began the climb. She looked down at him as she scrabbled up onto her balcony. They shared a long gaze before she slipped inside and drew her curtains. Aniol exhaled and made his way back to his own home. Oh, Nathan…
10 notes
·
View notes