He laughed a childish sound, but entirely true to himself. Iris reached out and poked his cheek playfully. "You look like you're starving, Kali. Eat."
Kilian froze, the small smile vanishing from his face. "What did you call me?" he mumbled, his voice suddenly shy. Iris looked at him, completely confused by his reaction. "Kali?"
He mumbled something else under his breath, quickly looking away as a faint flush crept up his neck. Not wanting to press him in the middle of the open alleyway, Iris grabbed his arm and dragged him along. She led him all the way to her secret hideout, inviting him into the safety of her strange, fort-like shelter.
They sat there together awkwardly for a long moment before she finally spoke. "Did you get lost... or are you from the slums?"
Kilian went silent, and a heavy tension filled the air. Seeing his reaction, Iris immediately began to worry. She shook her hands frantically, stumbling over her words as she stammered, "I—I didn't really mean to... I mean, I didn't mean it like that!"
He laughed it off like it was nothing, but she still worried and patted his head in comfort. Months went by like that her stealing food, him begging.
That day, they were about to steal, but she was caught."Iris!"
Iris pushed Kilian, hiding him from the guards.He stumbled back into the crowd, getting pushed around to the point he can't see her anymore.
They were separated just like that.