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Kid had never felt so full in her life. Well maybe except for that one night at the queen’s place but she decided not to count it for now.
With all the dead people they had killed during their raid of the radio tower Wolf and Tank had enough meat to prepare a whole feast for them in celebration of their victory. Dolly also managed to get some cans of fruit and even some bottles of alcohol from some of the other raiders in exchange for some ammo. Wolf had been mad about it when he first found out but from the way he was now chuggin one of the alcohol bottles, Kid could assume he got over it already.
“Don’t hog the goods Kid, pass the cans,” Wolf told her when he finally put down his bottle. Kid happily dug out a can of peaches, Wolf’s favorites, from the pile and tossed it to him. He caught it with one hand but made a dramatic show of almost accidentally dropping it which made Kid giggle. Wolf smirked her way and pulled out his knife to open the can.
Like always Dolly was the only one of them that managed to stay clean when eating. The rest of them made a show of getting their faces covered in fruit and meat juices. Kid's hands were especially getting sticky but that didn't stop her from lickin ‘em.
“Animals,” Dolly said sarcastically which made Kid blush lightly and Wolf chuckle. Tank had gone exploring to see if he could scavenge anything else and was making his way back now with a weird piece of wood that was shaped like a pear with a hole in the middle.
“Guys look what I got!” He exclaimed excitedly as he rushed over making his fat giggle. It was a pretty funny scene in Kid’s head and she couldn't stop giggling at the sight of him running like an excited toddler who just tasted sugar for the first time.
“Holy shit no way!” Wolf yipped as he took the pear shaped wood in his hands. Now that it was closer Kid noticed the seemingly metal strings that were attached to the wooden pear and stretched from the stem to the hole in the middle.
“Where the fuck did you find this?” He asked as he started plucking the strings which released a sour note. Kid winced at the sound but still scooted closer, wanting to get a better look at it.
“Ah, I found it in a bedroom. I guess whoever owned it was killed in the fight or just decided to leave it behind,” Tank heaved as he sat down. That rushing sure took a number on him.
“What is it?” Kid asked. She was practically on top of Wolf by now just watching him fiddle with the pegs at the stem of the wooden pear which changed the sound the strings made.
“This is a guitar. Not that valuable nowadays but it is fun to have around,” Wolf answered her. He continued to twist the pegs for a while longer as Kid watched curiously. Eventually the guitar sounded decent and Wolf stopped messing with the pegs.
Kid watched in amazement as he played little songs on the instrument and hummed some tunes. Tank hummed as well sometimes but whenever either one of them tried to sing, it sounded like a dying scream and Dolly would threaten them to shut up, which made Kid chuckle and Wolf pout.
After one such moment Wolf turned to Kid with a half hearted glare and shoved her into the dirt.
“Oh yeah? You think it’s so funny why don’t you sing us a song?” He said teasingly as he readied the guitar. Kid was about to reject when a familiar tune began to play. It was a song that her father used to put on. It was a recording, he told her, of her mother singing something from her childhood. Her father never told her where the song came from but it was her mother’s song. He used to play it all the time whenever he was having a bad time, but then the batteries ran out and they didn’t have extra so she used to sing it to him. When he left she didn’t have another reason to sing it but even after all this time she still remembered the words.
She looked to Dolly, who gave her a nod of encouragement, and then took a deep breath.
“Let's go in the garden, You'll find something waiting, Right there where you left it lying upside down,”
She began softly. Wolf’s eyes widened in surprise that she actually knew the song, but continued.
“When you finally find it, you'll see how it's faded, The underside is lighter when you turn it around,”
Tank who was familiar with the tune, from Wolf sometimes playing it, hummed along as well with his eyes closed just listening to Kid’s voice. Dolly just sat silently as she watched them, a small smile went unnoticed as she noticed Wolf’s eyes light up as he played.
“Everything stays right where you left it, Everything stays, But it still changes, Ever so slightly, daily and nightly, In little ways, when everything stays,”
Kid and Wolf trailed off as Tank hummed for a little longer. A small calm washed over the group as they thought over their time together. All their adventures and their mishaps.
Kid would have never survived the desert if she hadn’t gone with them. Never would have had her first crush. She never would have been shot at or run out of as many towns as she had by now. Never would have met the Queen or experienced a swim down a toxic river. Never would have gotten over her dad or killed someone. She probably wouldn’t have become a shark or had to see Pretty Boy blown up. However, even after everything. After all the chaos all she can do is feel grateful that a couple of Sharks saw her on the side of the road and decided to pull over.
“Not so bad pipsqueak,” Wolf commented after a couple moments. He wrapped her arm around her thin frame and brought her close in an almost hug before giving her head a light noogie. She quickly pushed him off as she gave a little chuckle. Her cheeks dusted pink at the compliment.
“Where’d you learn that song?” Tank asked as he made a grab for some more meat and offered her some.
“My mom,” she answered simply as she took the offer. Tank nodded in acknowledgement and started eating again.
“So did mine,” Wolf began, “real firestarter she was. Used to cause such a ruckus everywhere we went. When the world went to shit and everyone started putting women at the bottom of the pecking order she was one of the ones that started eating anyone who had the balls to say that to her face. Made a big name for herself that way. Got herself killed that way too.”
Kid sat silently and listened. Wolf’s mom sounded cool and made Kid wonder if her mom was in any way similar. She didn’t know much since she died soon after Kid was born and her father never talked about her either. She stewed in her thoughts for a while longer until Wolf bought her back in for another half hug.
She looked over at him curiously but he just offered her a crooked smile and a peach from his can. Kid accepted the peach as Dolly also came closer, and sat on Kid’s other side before stealing a peach for herself. Tank laughed when Wolf yanked the peach can back when he tried to take one as well. Instead he went to dig in the pile and brought out a can of assorted fruits.
They stayed like this for a while as the fire dimmed. Eventually Dolly and Wolf went to bed and left Kid and Tank on watch duty. They spent the night eating and talking about everything. When it was finally time to change shifts she settled down next to Tank and smiled at the thought of how far their small little family had come.