chapter 1

Sorbeko was someone you could call on if you needed a place to stay for a few days. Or months. The guy didn’t care; as long as you cleaned up after yourself and kept him out of your troubles. It’s surprising, considering not many people ‘like’ Sorbeko. And I don’t mean they dislike him— they just have this weird fear that Sorbeko himself thinks, “oh, uh, okay” to. It’s weird to him, considering his days of catching people are over. Long gone, years ago.

Catching people. Sorbeko, to put it simply, took jobs. Odd jobs, sometimes. The stuff that other people wouldn’t do. He didn’t have a need for it that much anymore, although every now and then he took a job. Mostly, he was tracking someone down and either bringing them in alive- or dead. It didn’t bother him too much, but Sorbeko could understand why people were afraid of that. Since he was incredibly effective at his job.. though he had stopped 2-3 years ago, for the most part.

His mind trailed off to Penn, the Terran woman. Terra-born, anyways. Some hybrids looked remarkably human. Sorbeko would know, considering he is one. Mostly human, aside from some biological features - like better senses and whatnot.
Penn was an interesting woman. He knew that, going back to the time the two of them met...
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4 YEARS EARLIER
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Feet clashed with the wet ground as a woman ran through the alleyway, making quick turns. She knew someone was there, but she wasn’t waiting to find out who- or what it was. She held her bag with her, careful not to leave it behind. She had valuables; well, valuable to her; in there. She did not want to accidentally drop them.

She ran into a small shed, hearing the silence, besides the light rain that dropped from above on the metal rooftop, and closing the door behind her. She exhaled, almost dropping to the ground but remembering she was probably still being tracked. Scanning the room, the woman looked for some place to hide her stuff. She brushed her auburn hair from her face and found a suitable place to store away her bag. Light peered in through the window, the raindrops moving down the glass.

That light was interrupted when something arrived onto the window. Someone was looking in on her. She felt her heart almost drop as she turned around, but no one was there..

..and then the cool air from outside brushed against her face. With a soft gasp, the woman turned and stepped back. Her pursuer was standing in the doorway, looking at her. She grabbed her bag again, hugging it to her body.
It felt like hours before the pursuer spoke.

“Relax,” his voice identified him as a man. “Why are you afraid?”

She stayed silent.

He seemed to hold her gaze for a few more moments then moved into the shed, giving her some space. The man seemed more focused on getting something else from the shed.
The woman stayed quiet, going into her own personal corner in the room.

The man finished what he was doing and seemed to get ready to leave. That was it? What about...

“Wait.” She called out, watching his form pause in the doorway. “I thought you were someone else, which is why I ran.” She watched him turn around again.

He didn’t press further, it wasn’t his job to police other people’s lives after all. He did, however, ask her name.

“My name is Penn Flair.” Penn admitted, looking up. “And you are..?”

“Sorbeko.” Was all he responded with. Penn almost gasped.

“Sorbeko..! The..”

“Yes, I know what I am.”

Penn went back into her silence again, unsure of what to say. Sorbeko moved away, going back to exiting again. Penn faltered, suddenly realizing something.

“Now, where will I stay..” she whispered, under her breath.

Sorbeko stopped. Without turning around, he replied. “You can come with me.”

She looked up. “Really?”

A slight nod was all she got, and all she needed.
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NOW
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Sorbeko found himself opening up to Penn as the time went on. He also learnt more about Penn. apparently, on that night, Penn was out with a few friends. It had been a dare to steal something, and Penn completed it. She was not expecting her friends to rat her out, and that chase ensued.

Penn was not a quiet girl if you got to know her. Compared to some people she definitely had her volume turned down, but she was energetic around Sorbeko. She felt comfortable in his presence, so Penn would be comfortable speaking to him. Such a thing made Sorbeko smile, a rare thing.

In those years since Sorbeko had slowed down with his work, he definitely changed a bit. Not so much personality wise, if you catch my drift.
Sorbeko, even in times of work, was never that thin. But now? While he does sort of have an expectation to live up to (which really sucks, by the way) he can sort of..well, be himself. It’s good to be yourself, and Sorbeko never really got to be himself for most of his life. He’s gained some pounds, but they don’t impede on his lifestyle, and he feels good. And that’s pretty important to him, feeling good about doing something.
Because if you weren’t liking something, you shouldn’t be doing that something, in his opinion of course.
He told those words to Penn some time ago when she told him about ‘that night.’ Penn didn’t have that many friends herself. It was hard for someone as quiet- on the outside, anyways- as her to make them. But her old friends weren’t good people. Penn didn’t want to break away from them since they were the only ones she really had; and Penn is a social person; while she doesn’t talk often, she still needs the interaction.

So Sorbeko helped her with that by introducing her to some other people, and she took a liking to them. He was glad. Even if Sorbeko might seem a bit cold at times, he still didn’t like others to be in any sort of pain. Most others, anyways.

He opens his eyes. Penn should be back, soon. Penn works at a bar. It’s a nice job, from what Penn’s told him. She works shifts, and gets to express some of her more talkative nature there. He’ll have to come visit someday.

But not now, Penn is back.