More Than Bullets in the Air [SelisaMaslan and SetMeFree]

[SelisaMaslan]

Walking through a fair in her formfitting leotard, tights with a sheer dance skirt, and ballet slippers wasn't exactly what she had in mind but the girls from the class she taught wanted to visit the petting zoo before their performance and she was their designated chaperone. This past week the girls had worked so hard and she was excited to see them show their skills.


"Miss Aria!" One of the girls tugged on the sheer and flowy skirt that was wrapped around her waist impatiently. "Can I have a dollar? I wanna play the duck game!" It wasn't but a second until the ten children were surrounding her for money like seagulls on a french fry.


"Okay, all right. Calm down." She laughed, bringing her small purse up to her face, grabbing out 20 single bills and holding them out. It was good thing she brought enough. "Two dollars for each of you, only if you promise to stay close to me." The kids shook their heads in agreement and snatched the money out of her hands as she handed it out. She was sure that none of them had taken the promise to heart but she followed them to the duck game, making sure everyone was there. They paid the vendor and began to play. Aria cheered them on and looked to the other side of the floating ducks. Her body tensed a bit when she saw Matt standing there. Their first meeting had been a nightmare and she didn't intend on finding out what the second one would be like but she noticed that he had a little girl with him. It must have been his little sister Mariana. Why else would he be at duck ring toss? Her attention went back to the children who tried their best to win.

 

[SetMeFree]

Mariana was happily playing away until a group of girls her age flooded around her. Her eyes searched their faces before coming to rest on the only adult among the group. Her head tilted this way and that before she darted over to Aria, smiling wildly. When she same up to her, she gently tapped at her thigh then put her hands behind her back and swayed lightly from side to side. "Miss?" she said in a meek voice with a heavy Hispanic accent. "You're really pretty!"


It took Mateo a moment to notice that the small form he saw bouncing off was his sister. "Mari! Ven aquí." He grumbled as he was forced to chase after her though he didn't bother looking at who she'd run to. Picking her up from the feet of a woman, he straightened himself to find he was staring at Aria. "I'm sorry for whatever she may have said. She has no filter."


The girl looked at him sincerely and smiled even more. "She's pretty. You should date her."


"Mari. I can't date her. I don't know her. You can't just go runnin' off to strangers. You nearly scared me to death..."

 

[SelisaMaslan]

The girls were tossing rings every which way, a few of them making it while the rest sunk to the bottom. A couple of them had asked for more and she had happily obliged, so when she felt the tap on her leg, she figured it was a request for more. The face wasn't one of theirs though, it was Mariana who looked up at Aria with a smile and told her she was pretty.


"Well thank you, so are you." Aria spoke down to her sweetly, returning a genuine smile. When Matt came up and swooped her up, her lips were still twisted into a smile. It was kind of cute to see a gangster that was in deep keeping such a careful eye on his little sister.


"What kid her age doesn't?" She chuckled and turned her head to make sure nobody had ran off. After Mari said that Matt should date her she bursted into full on laughter. There was no way that something like that would happen.


"Your dad is right sweetheart." Though she knew Mari was his sister, she decided to act like she didn't know anything about them. Aria was fine with being a stranger to Matt. "You shouldn't talk to strangers. You could run into someone you never wanted to," She sent a nonchalant look to him before retuning her attention to Mari again, "I've discovered that if you find something you like and focus on it, stranger danger isn't too big of a problem. What do you like to do?" Her voice was set in a soft tone when she asked Mari the question.

 

[SetMeFree]

Matt was slightly relieved that the woman was acting as if they'd never met, something he wished for daily. "Eh, I've met a few who have at least a fraction of one. And her favorite activity heightens stranger danger." He gently adjusted the girl on his hip as he laughed, making sure they were both comfortable before his eyes settled on the small face that was temporarily at eye level with him. While he hated people seeing his soft side, he couldn't help it when it came to his sister.


"I like to meet new people," she beamed. "They're interesting and I always learn something new. My big brother doesn't like a lot of new people though... so instead we play dress up and have tea parties. I like that too! I really really like spending time with him the best! He's such a good big brother!"


His cheeks turned a soft shade of pink at the mention of their secret tea parties but luckily for him, his skin was dark enough that it didn't show too much. "It's not that I don't like new people. I'm just afraid of them hurting you. Just because there's no monsters under your bed, doesn't mean that there aren't monsters on the street, mi vida."

 

[SelisaMaslan]

"Not one of these girls have any sign of a filter." Aria looked back again for a headcount, actually somewhat surprised when they were all still there. They may not have had filters, but at least they listened. She turned back as Mari spoke excitedly about her favorite thing to do. It was definitely dangerous for her to be running around meeting people. If she hadn't paid her brothers to leave her there for the day, this would have gone a totally different direction. She couldn't help but giggled aloud at the mention of their tea parties and dress up, though. The image of Mateo sipping tea from a small cup in a dress caused the giggling to continue.


"He definitely sounds like the best." Aria spoke towards Mari but found herself looking at Matt after he explained the danger of new people. It was like he became a whole other person when she was in his care and part of her wished that this really was the first time they had met. "You're a lucky girl. My big brothers wouldn't have played tea party with me in a million years!" She said with a slight overexaggeration to draw away from the fact that she was staring at him. A little tug came from her skirt and she looked down to meet the eyes of one of the girls.


"Miss Aria, who's that?" The youngest and Aria's shadow, Penelope whispered, pulling her down to her level and looking to Mari curiously. Aria picked her up and placed her at her side in the same manner that Matt had for Mari. "Penny, this is Mari. Mari, Penny." She poked at the girls cheek playfully and she finally gave a shy wave of her hand. Directly after she cupped her hands around Arias ear and whispered again. "Penny is a little shy but she would like to ask if its all right with you that she and Mari play until the show starts?" She gladly spoke for the girl and turned her head back to the children who continued to play before focusing on Matt yet again

 

[SetMeFree]

Mateo shot her a glare when she laughed, knowing what caused it. However, there was nothing he could do about it. He grumbled silently as Aria offered fake praises for the sake of his sister. He liked to protect her but he never blatantly lied to the child. Before he could get too worked up, his gaze shifted to a small child that scampered over to Aria. The gangster hummed in thought, more to tease his sister than anything else. "Of course but Mari, stay close. Remember, if you can't see me, you're too far away."


Mariana smiled at the girl, waving excitedly at her and looking to her brother, waiting for him to give her the right answer, the answer she wanted to hear. She squealed in excitement at his words, nodding in agreement. As he set her down, she squirmed, only to latch to his leg when her feet were on the ground. After hugging her brother, she looked up to Penny and reached up. "C'mon!"

 

[SelisaMaslan]

Aria made a nonchalant oops face at him when he glared in her direction. It was clear she had made him mad but from what she had seen, it didn't take a lot to do that. Her gaze went behind her to check on the kids, who were still going crazy over the game and back to Mateo and Mari. As soon as he said that Mari could play with Penny, the girl was jumping out of her arms and taking Mari's hand to join her.


"Stay close, Penny. We have to go on 20 minutes!" Aria called after the little girl who simply waved her hand over her head in agreement. She turned back to Matt and crossed her arms uncomfortably. The only reason she had not to be awkward had just ran off to explore and now it was just the two of them plus the kids she gave money to to keep them in her sight. There was too many of them to do otherwise. "I know you don't like me but do you have to keep glaring at me like that? It scared the shit out of Penny." Aria didn't make eye contact with him, she just kept glancing from Mari and Penny to the kids who threw the rings behing her.