Elle was sitting in the passenger seat using his thumbs to move the small paws of his plushie. He was soaking wet and hardly listening to the soft music on the radio.

Vlalan pulled into the drive way and used the automated control he found earlier to open the door from the car. After the garage door was open fully, Vlalan drove in and put the car into park, closing the door. He turned off the engine and unbuckled himself, resting his hands on his thighs after he backed his chair up.

Elle sat quietly in the shadowy darkness the garage gave after the car light went off.

"Look, Elle," Vlalan started after a few minutes of silence. "I honestly didn't think you'd wait for me if it was raining." He turned his head to Elle whose expression was blank. "Were you waiting in the rain the whole time?"

"I sat under the cover for most of the time," Elle answered.

"Elle."

Elle turned his head up, looking to Vlalan, his brown eyes having a slight emotion of loneliness.

"I'm sorry."

Elle shrugged. "Don't. I couldn't have called you or anything--"

"You want my cell's number?"

"Huh?"

"My cell phone number." Vlalan repeated pulling his cell phone out of his pocket. "You can put in yours, too."

Elle looked at the cell for a moment before he nodded and fished his black flipphone and handed it to Vlalan, taking Vlalan's. "Sure."

A moment for them to punch in the numbers and names and they traded back, taking a look at the numbers.

"I like your wallpaper," Vlalan smiled. "You really like flowers huh?" Elle nodded. "What kind are they? On the wallpaper I mean."

"Forget-Me-Nots," Elle answered. "Your's is pretty basic."

"Yeah," Vlalan chuckled, "But I'm kind of attached to it you know?"

Elle nodded. Vlalan caught a slight glimpse of the pendant's chain around his neck. "I let you down today." Vlalan said resting a hand on Elle's shoulder. "I should be more responsible to keeping you safe."

"You're just volunteering."

"Yeah for a good friend of mine's request." Vlalan answered.

After a few more minutes of silence, Vlalan shifted, tilting Elle's head towards his and leaned forward. He whispered "I will always protect you" before he gently kissed the young boy on the lips.