Alistair looked down at his feet, rolling them to the sides as he waited for Alexander to come out from the studio. His interview was already scheduled to be over by then.

He glanced at his watch. 2:19. He had forty minutes to drop Alexander home and head to Everett's.

He breathed a sigh of relief when Alexander opened the door of the studio at 2:30. When he saw Alexander beaming as if he had just won a million dollars, he bombarded the boy with questions.

"How did the interview go? Why'd you take so long to come out? Are you smiling because you got the job?"

"I got the job!" Alexander squealed.

Alistair gasped in joy, wrapping his arms around his friend.

"Congrats!" he cheered, "But now we need to get a move on, I'm meeting someone. You can tell me all about the interview once we are in the car. Not that I don't care about it."

Chuckling teasingly, Alexander mocked, "Does little Ali have a date again?"

Glowering at the younger boy, he scoffed, "No, of course not! I'm hanging out with a friend."

When Alexander raised an eyebrow at his claim, choosing not to comment on it after Alistair shot him a defensive glare.

"It's okay, Alistair, I'll walk home myself. Go have fun, and I'll tell you about the interview when you come back," Alexander assured.

Still not feeling completely qt ease with ditching his best friend, who had probably just had the third greatest day in his life, (his first was probably meeting Alistair and his second was probably becoming Alistair's best friend) he shook his head.

Irritated that Alistair was just about as stubborn as a mule, Alexander dragged him to his car, that was parked not too far away.

"Get. Your. Ass. In the fucking. Seat," he articulated, pushing him into the driver's seat.

"I'll be fine, go have fun, and I will tell you all about how impressed the interviewers were with my awesomeness," Alexander assured, for the second time.

Nodding in defeat, Alistair waved at Alexander, who was leaning casually against a lampost. The last thing Alistair saw before Alexander became a dot in his rearview mirror was him holding a peace sign over his heart: their symbol for good luck and good fun.

As he pulled into the turning of the mansion's driveway, he sent a quick text to Everett.

Stifling a laugh at Everett's reply, Alistair switched off the engine, waiting patiently for Everett to appear.

After about three minutes, he did, in all his awkward glory.

 Fumbling with a basket and a sling bag in his arms, Everett stumbled over to the car, almost tripping over his legs.

Chuckling at his antics,  Alistair got out of the driver's seat to offer help, but he refused it, and instead opened the boot and placed his things inside singlehandedly.

"Just let me help you, Everett. The Tupperware is falling out."

"I'm good, thanks," Everett replied, stuffing the Tupperware back into the picnic basket, before going to the passenger seat, Alistair following suit.

"So, where to Everett?" 

- - -

"I fucking love picnics, don't get me wrong, but it's half-past four, are you saying you haven't eaten lunch yet?" Alistair asked in disbelief as Everett set up the picnic in the city's most popular park, O'Hamington park.

That's right, it was built by the O'hamingtons.

"Yep, was too busy the whole day," he answered, pulling out a checkered red mat and handing it to Alistair.

Laying it next to a small tree to get some shade, Alistair raised his eyebrows. "And you were doing?" he trailed off.

"Well," began Everett, sitting down opposite Alistair, "I was working on my assignments the whole day, and my parents were fighting, I was feeling stressed, forgot to eat, decided to go to the supermarket, and here I am."

He let out a tired sigh, closing his eyes, the amber glow of the about-to set-sun illuminating every crevice of his upturned face.

Looking at the stress lines on Everett's face with a frown, Alistair patted the spot next to him. 

"Come sit here, you can lean on the tree. It's more comfortable."

Everett looked like he was about to refuse, so Alistair reached out his hand to Everett, urging him to take it, and sit next to him. Taking it, and allowing Alistair to pull him over, Everett leaned back on the tree, a content look on his face. 

"Just forget about your troubles for now okay? Focus on the present," Alistair said gently, brushing some hair away from Everett's face.

Blushing slightly, Everett nodded.

The pair ate the Pita bread, salad, hummus and crisps that Everett had made, with Alistair gushing over each food item and Everett growing red at every compliment.  When the Tupperwares were empty and their stomachs' full, the pair sighed as they leaned on the tree, and a little onto each other.

"Hey Alistair, do you steal a lot?" Everett asked, breaking the tranquil silence between the two.

Alistair thought for a moment, before nodding hesitantly. 

"I do, but not for the reasons you think."

"When was the last time you stole something?" Everett questioned, sitting up to face Alistair.

"Um, two days ago? It was a night-time heist at the Mantinea Mansion. Why do you ask?" Alistair stared curiously at Everett.

"Alistair, answer this honestly, okay? Why do you steal?" 

There was a beat before Alistair responded. 'Have you heard of anti-heroes? People, who do good, but have an element of evil about them that makes them unable to be a full hero? I'm not one of them. I'm an anti-villain." He paused. "I steal to help those who cannot help themselves."

Everett looked at him, a little confused.

"Who needs help? And doesn't my dad help?" Everett demanded.

"Everett? You don't know? Your father, he-" Alistair sighed, "-he increased the taxes to 10%, some even say for his own benefit, and the taxes were already so high, especially for those who don't earn much, but now it's even more and many people can't afford things. I'm here to help."

"I knew that, but I thought it was just false rumours and gossip," said Everett, faltering.

Smiling at Everett sadly, Alistair put his hand over the other boy's, assuring him," You don't have to worry about it, okay? But I steal to help, that's all you need to know."

Nodding slowly, albeit a little pale, Everett started to clear up the picnic, with Alistair following suit.

As they walked back to the car, Everett snuck a glance at Alistair, mind flooded with thoughts, smiling at how handsome he looked, his face aglow with the last orange rays of sunlight before twilight.

- - -

Everett waved at Alistair as he smiled at him, before driving off. 

"Everett, if you ever feel stressed, with your assignments or parents or whatever, give me a call okay? I'll help you out. I love your cooking too, by the way."

That was what Alistair had said to him softly before he left, with such a concerned smile that made Everett want to melt into a puddle.

Everett didn't know whether to believe Alistair on his motives for thefts, because as much as they were friends, Alistair still stole from him, and the government. But what he had said had awakened such a curiosity in Everett.

His father's study was right there.

Everett shook his head, scolding himself. Alistair had said he needn't worry, and so he wouldn't.

He'd decide whether to believe Alistair the next day. For then, Everett just wanted to curl up under his blankets, maybe drink some hot chocolate, and think about the picnic with Alistair.

In a totally platonic way, of course.

- - -

a/n: Thanks for reading! I've just published a new book so be sure to check it out! does anyone have any feedback for me?

-sky