Staaare-
Lorne keenly sensed that gaze. When he looked up, the sickly little boy immediately noticed him looking back and instinctively shrank away.
What is this kid looking at?
Following the boy's line of sight, Lorne looked down at himself, then at the ice cream on the table.
Is he looking at me, or at my ice cream?
Probably the ice cream, right? He's a kid, after all. What kid doesn't like sweets?
Unable to bear that longing gaze any longer, Lorne spoke up, making an offer in as gentle a voice as he could:
"Hey, buddy, would you like to come over and try some?"
"Uh-"
The little boy didn't answer. He simply stared at Lorne with clear eyes full of doubt and scrutiny.
Lorne reached out and beckoned him over. At the gesture, however, the boy abruptly took a small step back, seemingly terrified of him.
"Looks like he's scared of you?" Xio set down her black tea, amusement in her eyes.
"Do I look like a bad guy?" Lorne asked in confusion. He thought that, while his current face wasn't particularly handsome, it shouldn't have been enough to frighten a child.
"Hmm-" She actually looked Lorne up and down, making a show of examining him carefully, before smiling with pursed lips. "No-but sometimes you really are a little naughty."
"Really?" That left Lorne rather baffled.
He stopped dwelling on the question and beckoned to the boy again. "Hey, little guy, want to come over and try some ice cream?"
"I'm not a bad guy-" The moment the words left his mouth, Lorne felt something was off. That sounded like something only a bad guy would say.
Somewhat embarrassed, he pointed at Xio beside him and added, "Little guy, I really am not a bad guy. This lady