[He hastily throws on his track uniform and goes for a jog. It takes him a bit to get over to Paulo's place, mostly cause he's wrapped up in his own thoughts. Half an hour later, there's a knock on the door.]
[Mike's a bit sweaty from running, he's wiping it off his forehead a bit when Paulo opens the door. The smell of food hits him like a truck and his stomach makes noises at it. He'd been skipping too many meals, only stuffing enough in him to get by. Not nearly enough.]
[Paulo hears that grumble and isn't sure what to say. Part of him wants to be his usual self but another part of him screams to not be that. He swallows.]
[He isn't sure what to do other than step inside. He looks around unsure of where to go and checking the place out. He says nothing to that, just looks at Paulo with an unreadable expression. He knows he's in trouble here.]
[Normally Mike would make a crack about someone being named Dick, but he's not in the mood for that. He looks in the directions that Paulo's pointing out and quietly heads for the kitchen. He slides into a kitchen chair where the food is and ignores the burger. He pokes at the fries waiting for Paulo to join him.]
[Paulo follows and sits down. He takes a burger and eats a fry, watching Mike intently. His ears fold back and he doesn't say anything for a moment. Just watching his friend and feeling at a loss about what to say.]
[Mike's own ears fold back. He can't even pretend with the food right now. He sighs and shoves the burger away, gently though. He twirls the fry between his fingers.]
... You remember the day when I mentioned a fight with Sandy? That's when she said she'd cheated on me. I don't know how far it went, but she told me she loves him. [And he called him a "needless distraction" the day after their fight.]
[Paulo's worry is quickly redirecting to anger. Anger at Sandy. She cheated on Mike and told him she loved the dude she CHEATED on him with?! He has to tap his claws on the table to keep from screaming again.]
[Mike winces a little, watching Paulo tap his claws on the table.]
.. A few weeks later, we had another phone call discussing it again. She said that her mom was suspicious of him at the start, that she would've killed them over what they were doing.
I don't know when this started or how far it went, but isn't this more just just catching feelings?
[He sighs sadly.]
I don't know what to think of it, Paulo. [He has some time to think at least.]
[Paulo knows the tapping isn't going to do much soon. He gets up slowly and starts to pace. Fire ignites on his fingertips. He rolls little fireballs around his fingers. It gives him something to focus on. He does want to throw a fireball through a fucking window but he holds off.
Amazing self-control for Paulo. Well physically anyway.]
Dude, you realize it sounds like they were fucking, right?
[Oh right, the seasonal powers. He hasn't been focusing on his own powers due to his guilt and feelings. He swallows thickly at that.]
I don't wanna picture it. [His own tone is rising a little, but he's not mad. He sounds sad about it all.] Why would she guilt me back into the relationship then?
[Oh right.]
She broke up with me temporarily. So why go that far with him just to ... get me back?
[It's all he's known really. His parents aren't the best role models either.]
I'm not awesome. [He thinks he's a terrible friend after all.]
She thought I was unhappy. [Well duh, when you're own girlfriend ghosts you for months, of course you're going to be unhappy.] She... thought I was broken and didn't want to fix it, I guess.
She called me later that night, thinking I might've done something stupid to myself. I wouldn't. [He can't bring himself to go through with it. He'd understood Sandy's worry, it was the same as his when Jordan let it slip that Lucy had been in the hospital.]
[Fuck it. He might as well fucking follow through. He already said it. Not like he can take it back when Mike looks like a lost unemployed kitten with a cold. Fuck, Rinku is rubbing off on him more than he thought.]
I feel like everyone's leaving me behind. Lucy and I don't talk, James left me for David. I saw how he took an interest in David after the race we had.
[Mike sighs again, breaking the fry in half.]
Before you, David and Daisy found us, he kissed me. He thought he could "change my mind" over Sandy. I thought it was just a friend date, not a date date.
[Paulo doesn't answer right away because that's a hard question to hear. And a harder one to answer. Everyone is leaving him behind? Fuck...he knows what that feels like. And James...dammit.]
...You're nice. You're fun. You try. I know...shit goes all fucked up and I haven't been the greatest friend ever. But you never...gave up on me. You've been there for me. When I felt like everyone was leaving me behind too.
Like after the closet shit.
[He looks away, feeling his cheeks warming up.] Like come on dude. You're like...the guy who made me realize I like guys too.
... You always made sure that me and Sandy were doing okay. I just snapped at you until we had that fight. I haven't been the greatest friend ever either. I've been pretty crap at it really, but you stuck at my side.
You only looked out for my own happiness, Paulo.
You know I tried to get them to stop, but... [Sue threw Lucy back into his face over that one.]
[He remembers that conversation in his room that day. The talk they had over Sandy, then Paulo's weird day.] You haven't done anything with a guy yet, right?
You deserve it too, you know? [Paulo had been through his own version of hell. The car crash, the hints of him and Lucy not talking--- ]
On Halloween, you said something about Lucy not wanting to talk to either of us. I just recall you saying something about wanting to be with her if she ever came back at Rachel's party. What happened between you two anyway?
[Mike has been eating very little so it feels weird to stuff a fry in his throat. Paulo did go through the trouble of making food after all.]
[He's opened the floodgates so he really can't stop now. He swallows when Mike asks about Lucy.]
You remember when I asked her to the carnival? It was in town when she came back? ...Well I told her I wanted to be with her and she...told me she would never be with me. She didn't like me that way. Never would. Said...anything she showed me that I thought meant she liked me back was just pity.
And...before coming here...a long time ago. Like during the trip with Tess long ago, I got pulled to another world. And I was there for around two years. And I met someone. A guy named Edaniel and he helped me realize I also like guys.
[Mike's not sure he deserves either, not after all of the shit he put Lucy through, his own friends through after she'd came back.
His ears fold once more as he gets another fry down.]
But she... went to you after I'd rejected her. You were her first crush so I'd thought her feelings for you were back. I told you that I really loved her, well... [Mike scratches the back of his head.] Before Sandy, I told Lucy how'd I felt and kissed her. She rejected me too. So I know how it hurts, Paulo.
[Paulo eats a few fries himself and swallows before he speaks.]
I know. But turns out...if she did feel anything...I ruined it.
He was amazing. The first thing he ever said to me when we met was "Do you wanna make out?" And I kinda freaked but then we got to talking and...he was nice. He was this like almost thousand year old guy who could turn into a green cat but on four legs and sharp teeth. He would sit in my lap and let me pet him.
He got me. He helped me realize I liked guys and I didn't have to be like scared or freaked out about it. I didn't remember any of it when I got sent back home so I had to learn it all over again and I was such a fucking douche about it. Especially to Matt.
I miss him but I know I'll never see him again so that's over.
You're not the only one. [Mike's tone grows sad at that. He misses Lucy, but there's not much he can do about it now.]
.. A shapeshifter? [Mike, meet Tobias] He sounds like a good guy.
You didn't recall your time in the last world? You mean, if we leave here, we won't remember a thing? [Ouch. Mike had been back and forth, but no time has passed back home for him. Always the same last memory of new years eve.]
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[He hastily throws on his track uniform and goes for a jog. It takes him a bit to get over to Paulo's place, mostly cause he's wrapped up in his own thoughts. Half an hour later, there's a knock on the door.]
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Hey. [He steps out of the way.]
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Hey. [He says sheepishly.]
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I made plenty of food. Let's eat.
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Hey. So this is my apartment with my brother. He adopted me. His name's Dick. I'll introduce you. He a talking fox. Wears pants too.
Uh. Dining room is here. Kitchen through here. My room is over there and that's Dick's room.
...Oh. Bathroom is in there. Don't worry, I cleaned it yesterday.
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... You remember the day when I mentioned a fight with Sandy? That's when she said she'd cheated on me. I don't know how far it went, but she told me she loves him. [And he called him a "needless distraction" the day after their fight.]
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...
She...fucking said what?
[Paulo's worry is quickly redirecting to anger. Anger at Sandy. She cheated on Mike and told him she loved the dude she CHEATED on him with?! He has to tap his claws on the table to keep from screaming again.]
She is the fucking worst.
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.. A few weeks later, we had another phone call discussing it again. She said that her mom was suspicious of him at the start, that she would've killed them over what they were doing.
I don't know when this started or how far it went, but isn't this more just just catching feelings?
[He sighs sadly.]
I don't know what to think of it, Paulo. [He has some time to think at least.]
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Amazing self-control for Paulo. Well physically anyway.]
Dude, you realize it sounds like they were fucking, right?
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I don't wanna picture it. [His own tone is rising a little, but he's not mad. He sounds sad about it all.] Why would she guilt me back into the relationship then?
[Oh right.]
She broke up with me temporarily. So why go that far with him just to ... get me back?
[It's all he's known really. His parents aren't the best role models either.]
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[The words come out before he really thinks about it. The fire disappears as he realizes what the FUCK he just said.]
And maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it was just making out or something. What did she say was why? Did she even give a reason?
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I'm not awesome. [He thinks he's a terrible friend after all.]
She thought I was unhappy. [Well duh, when you're own girlfriend ghosts you for months, of course you're going to be unhappy.] She... thought I was broken and didn't want to fix it, I guess.
She called me later that night, thinking I might've done something stupid to myself. I wouldn't. [He can't bring himself to go through with it. He'd understood Sandy's worry, it was the same as his when Jordan let it slip that Lucy had been in the hospital.]
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[Fuck it. He might as well fucking follow through. He already said it. Not like he can take it back when Mike looks like a lost unemployed kitten with a cold. Fuck, Rinku is rubbing off on him more than he thought.]
Do you feel broken?
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I don't know what I feel anymore. I...
I feel like everyone's leaving me behind. Lucy and I don't talk, James left me for David. I saw how he took an interest in David after the race we had.
[Mike sighs again, breaking the fry in half.]
Before you, David and Daisy found us, he kissed me. He thought he could "change my mind" over Sandy. I thought it was just a friend date, not a date date.
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...You're nice. You're fun. You try. I know...shit goes all fucked up and I haven't been the greatest friend ever. But you never...gave up on me. You've been there for me. When I felt like everyone was leaving me behind too.
Like after the closet shit.
[He looks away, feeling his cheeks warming up.] Like come on dude. You're like...the guy who made me realize I like guys too.
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You only looked out for my own happiness, Paulo.
You know I tried to get them to stop, but... [Sue threw Lucy back into his face over that one.]
[He remembers that conversation in his room that day. The talk they had over Sandy, then Paulo's weird day.] You haven't done anything with a guy yet, right?
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I know you did. They still said it. They meant it.
[He rubs his arm for a moment and blushes.]
...Not here I haven't.
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On Halloween, you said something about Lucy not wanting to talk to either of us. I just recall you saying something about wanting to be with her if she ever came back at Rachel's party. What happened between you two anyway?
[Mike has been eating very little so it feels weird to stuff a fry in his throat. Paulo did go through the trouble of making food after all.]
What do you mean not here?
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[He's opened the floodgates so he really can't stop now. He swallows when Mike asks about Lucy.]
You remember when I asked her to the carnival? It was in town when she came back? ...Well I told her I wanted to be with her and she...told me she would never be with me. She didn't like me that way. Never would. Said...anything she showed me that I thought meant she liked me back was just pity.
And...before coming here...a long time ago. Like during the trip with Tess long ago, I got pulled to another world. And I was there for around two years. And I met someone. A guy named Edaniel and he helped me realize I also like guys.
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His ears fold once more as he gets another fry down.]
But she... went to you after I'd rejected her. You were her first crush so I'd thought her feelings for you were back. I told you that I really loved her, well... [Mike scratches the back of his head.] Before Sandy, I told Lucy how'd I felt and kissed her. She rejected me too. So I know how it hurts, Paulo.
What was he like?
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I know. But turns out...if she did feel anything...I ruined it.
He was amazing. The first thing he ever said to me when we met was "Do you wanna make out?" And I kinda freaked but then we got to talking and...he was nice. He was this like almost thousand year old guy who could turn into a green cat but on four legs and sharp teeth. He would sit in my lap and let me pet him.
He got me. He helped me realize I liked guys and I didn't have to be like scared or freaked out about it. I didn't remember any of it when I got sent back home so I had to learn it all over again and I was such a fucking douche about it. Especially to Matt.
I miss him but I know I'll never see him again so that's over.
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.. A shapeshifter? [
Mike, meet Tobias] He sounds like a good guy.You didn't recall your time in the last world? You mean, if we leave here, we won't remember a thing? [Ouch. Mike had been back and forth, but no time has passed back home for him. Always the same last memory of new years eve.]
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