Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Obituary Boys ❯ User's manual ( Chapter 15 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

The trio walked to their vehicles with grim air surrounding them. No one knows what to say at the moment. Gev looked from Hakuo to Will then back again; and with a tone the Krenn teen has never heard from the usually cool-demeanor Russian, they were ordered to his house.

With his new license, Hakuo, with Yakusoku and Ludwig, climbed into his mother's car. He started the engine and put it in gear. Will looked green; and Hakuo was pensive to start conversation. Maybe he should just talk about anything to ease the guys' troubled minds. Gev will understand. That's the thing between them. They get each other, even in a weird situation such as this.

"So, my family is gonna be changing houses some time this year," He said casually, inviting Will to say anything.

The conversation about moving went surprisingly well, actually. He invited his parents into the kitchen Friday evening after school, made them a cup of tea and then broached the subject.

"Oyabun Trevor, Onna Oyabun Emiko, thank you for showing up to this meeting of the 3 Families."

His father snickered behind his tea cup and his mother raised a brow in wonder of why her son was being so serious - though still in his usual mood-lightening manner. She thought he'd been joking a bit, wanting to ask for a car or something, but this seemed like more than a teen excited to convince his parents he's more than a learners' permit.

Hakuo looked from his mother to his father when stating. "You know how we've been living here, in this house, since the very beginning?"

"Yes," Trevor nodded.

"I think it's time that we talk about moving," There. He put it out there.

Trevor looked at his wife, who looked back at him. Both sat silent, but the reason why was unknown.

"Well? What do you think?" Hakuo sat down in his chair. He held onto his mug extracting warmth from its exterior into his ice cold hands. He just can't get that circulation to flow through enough to give him warm hands. "If it's money that's a problem, I'll donate all my paychecks to the house savings account to help pay for the cost."

Trevor raised his hand to silence his son. "Hak' it's not about the money, but, why do you want to move?"

"Well, I've been on the news; and just everybody knows where we live - - I get junk mail from strangers saying they're happy for me, or they tell me about situations where they've been molested or raped by someone - - like I'm a trauma counselor… It's really very strange." He looked into the wiggling waves of chamomile tea then back up to his parents. "I just don't think this house is suitable for us to live in, with my being home, and every creep and their friend knowing it."

"Aaah, I see." Trevor nodded.

"Yeah," he beamed, glad that the picture was coming in clear. "And I've been having these horrible, and I do mean grisly-nasty nightmares about some of them coming over and hurting me, and worst of all Celie," He closed his eyes, feeling the chill run through his blood over the last one. "I can't have her being attacked because she's at home alone, and is seen as a good consolation prize." Looking from his mother to his father, he asked. "So, what do you think?"

"I think you should keep your hard earned cash for yourself, save up for a car or something," Trevor stood up and touched his son's shoulder to comfort him. "We've been doing well enough for years; so a project like this is entirely doable. But, have you spoken to 'Onna Oyabun' Celes about this? Moving affects her as well?"

Setting down his cup after taking a sip, Hakuo shook his head. "I wanted to ask her about it but only after I talked to you guys; no sense in working everyone up on a maybe,"

"Changing states… we'd have to relocate; it'll affect our jobs, too. This isn't just a transfer for me, I work in an auto-body, not a firm."

"I know. That's why it's important to really discuss it. Besides," he stood as well, not about to feel forced down in his stand. That isn't what his father was doing; however, the teen still didn't want to feel like a little kid who's shyly asking for a new toy. "We don't have to change states; mom, you're a realtor. Who knows where empty homes are better than you?"

"That's true, but for us?" She lifted her mug and took a long drink from the cooling liquid, that isn't quite cooled enough as there is still a bit of steam billowing from it when the angle is shifted.

"Mom?" Sitting down to face this new beast, his eyes plead with her's; his father seemed somewhat onboard with the idea.

"You know I'd do anything for you," It was not a promising way to begin a yield of approval, but in this case he'd won the day. "I'll keep my eye out for a vacant home in the area. But, only if your sister agrees to move as well. This isn't just our decision."

"Yes!" He popped back up from his seat and cheered with a fist in the air. Wrapping his arms around his father, who'd been replacing his tea with coffee, he hugged him tightly then gave the same treatment to his mother. "You won't regret it! I'm gonna ask Celes now,"

And he asked her later that night before bed. She agreed, though she thought it would suck to have to change schools and have to meet all new people. But he assured her that they might be able to find a place still in the area, and they may even be closer to the school! Although, to be fair, no one in Williamsport is close to the high school, it's in the boonies in the middle of a forest for Pete's sake.

Hakuo pulled the car into driving traffic and started down the street after Gev's bike. There was a plus to the tension in the air, the Russian-nut didn't walk to the park but drove over on his bike so they didn't have to sit uncomfortably in the car all the way to London's place.

"Not one for small talk, huh?" Krenn's attempt to strike up conversation didn't seem to phase the pair. They just glared at him from the side of Will's eyes. "Why so serious, Batman?" He laughed maniacally.

"Why so serious? Are you kidding me?" Asked one of the two. "I thought I told you to be tactful? How the hell am I gonna explain a black-eye and busted lip to that lunatic Renee Hyde?"

"Umm," He shrugged his hand. "Anyway, I was being tactful, you're the ones who'd gone slipping around like you had a mission; or were trying to wake up a sleeping limb."

Lamely, one of them muttered. "...I wanted to hear."

"Duh." He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I'll explain it to him - - simple and clean - - and all will be well. I never should have left it up to you goobers anyway."

"Oh, yeah, that's great on paper, but did you ever think of the situation?" Yakusoku asked. "We live so far apart; and we can't exactly visit each other or be in a relationship. This is only gonna make Gev even more miserable."

"And you're not? You two will clearly never stop stalking him because you miss him," Hakuo gave the kid a shove. "He's on to you from that, and likely would have beaten the living shit out of you for continuing to do so. Would you really want that?"

"...No."

"Exactly. It's better that he know, so you can at least meet up and hang out without it being weird," the car turned at the light. "Even I know that he has a hair-trigger from content to pissed, and he doesn't care who's face his fist has to become acquainted with."

"Yeah."

"Ssssooo, smile, man, smile," He hyperextended his grin and winked at them.

"Y'know, you really shouldn't smile like that," said Will. "It makes you look insane."

"Oh, good, I wasn't sure the message was coming across." He laughed.

The laughter quickly ceased because they arrived at the London home; the trio watched as the grouchy teen stormed into his home. The doorknob hitting the wall was heard even inside the parking car. There was a hole likely to have happened - - or a crack to start one.

"Well, here's to luck that things turn out alright." Hakuo crossed his fingers then corrected himself and gave the pair a thumbs up and a normal smile.

"Any chance you can just take me home?"

"Nope. Let's mooove out." Opening the door he exited the car, making sure to remove the keys to keep the underaged package from driving off via a knowledgeable older brain. Walking into the home he sees Gev pacing angrily back and forth like a big cat in a cage. "I'll make us some refreshments."

Gev paused his pacing hearing that. It was bizarre the way that kook operates. When Will walked in he went over to the armchair, ready to sit but stopped.

"Don't get comfortable, you won't be here long." Gev snipped. "That 'bizzaro Yakusoku' is gonna explain that it's a joke. I'm not going to find it funny at all. I'll beat your ass black and green, then send you home; and then we'll all be on with our merry existences."

"It's not a lie, Gev," Yakusoku said, looking his friend and lover in the eyes pleading with him to see them. To understand them. "It really is me - - us, it's us…"

"See! That's where I know it's a lot of shit; and I've had to understand a lot of weird shit in the past year, but something like this...?" He scoffed. "Don't fucking try to pull this shit over on me." He stood still, hands on his hips with enough force to leave indents in his flesh.

Yakusoku and Ludwig could tell just by looking at Gev that he's pissed beyond belief. They've never seen their normally pale lover red, not even when he strongly voiced how much he wanted to 'exact revenge' on Chester Flint for sneak attacking him, and pissing on him with his buddies. And that right there was some burning red stuff.

"It's true, though, Gev, with all you know,"

"Don't act like you know me!"

Hakuo grimaced at the sudden uproar. He was about to stay in the kitchen and eavesdrop their reunion, but that apparently wasn't going to happen. Gev was too much of a hothead and the pair were too intimidated by it. But when one of the two began to speak, his step forward waned back into hiding in the kitchen, with the refreshments, in order to listen.

"With all you know, don't you believe that something like this is possible?" Asked the, in Gev's eyes, stranger. "You can understand that psychics are real, but you can't understand this?"

Gev scoffed. "It's because I know what I know about psychics that I don't believe this bullshit. I heard that creeps like you can disguise your looks, you can manipulate thoughts and whatever the hell else; who's to say you didn't trick Hakuo with this made up piece of shit, and are now doing the same to me?"

"Psychics can put thoughts into a person's mind, yes, but overall you can't truly pull things out of thin air…" He took a step forward until seeing Gev's hand ball up then he stepped back. "Gev, listen to us, please… I'll tell you something about yourself that no one but you and I knows - we both can."

Gev snorted.

"When you and I had sex for the second time,"

"Gross, are you retarded? Don't say shit like that," he snipped.

"Fine, but, the next day when I saw your feet I noticed that you have a little beauty mark there on your second toe, left foot." Ludwig said. "Remember what I said then? It was that you have a lady's foot. And you told me to stop laughing at you, before you kicked me to the floor?"

Seeing that as a good idea, Yakusoku does the same.

"Your father, Randall, isn't really your dad," he left it at that, since he wasn't sure if Gev had ever told Ludwig about his birth situation of being a child of rape, and his mother becoming a purchasable Russian Bride just to get out of the country. And if he didn't tell Ludwig, he surely wouldn't want it spread to a near stranger like Hakuo.

Gev seemed to relent a bit. But the 'psychic whammy' thing was still throwing him. Yakusoku told him that Marissa Ashford knew things about him because she read his mind. "I don't believe it, and I never will."

Hakuo entered the living room with a serving tray that held 3 mugs of tea. Tea makes everything better, as far as he's concerned. Setting the tray down on the coffee table he looked between them then firmly said: "Sit." before doling out the liquid relaxer.

Gev was still glaring at Will, but does as he's told - - despite the evidence that the boy, internally, does know him. He's still got his sanity to not just believe anything told to him. Will sat, as well.

"Will you please explain to him how this happened?" Will asked, choosing to speak to Hakuo instead of the disbelieving and angry London.

"I need you to listen to me carefully, okay? Because everything I'm about to say to you is the absolute, one hundred percent, truth." Hakuo gave Gev's shoulder a squeeze. "I have no reason to lie to you, because I don't know you; and telling you hurts me in no way whatsoever."

Gev couldn't argue the logic.

"It happened that night that Yakusoku dropped at the hospital..."

December 2015.

Ludwig's inner sanctuary was crumbling down in a smoke filled haze.

Hakuo hovered around the pair, who were joined together in a hug so tight they could become one person.

"I'm not going anywhere." Yakusoku repeated with more resolve; even while feeling the burns crack and peel at his legs, he knew he was making the right decision.

"You don't seem to understand me, this place is going down. Lights out! Ludwig is dead out there, his brain is about to go next. We need to leave." Protested Hakuo, who seemed to be the only sensible one in the room.

"And maybe you don't seem to understand me, I said I'm not going." He wiped his tears. "I love you, Ludwig… I'm not letting you die alone... I'd be dead myself... There's no me without you, not anymore." To Hakuo he says. "Please, tell Gev that we're sorry. Tell him I love him. But don't take me with you."

"Are you sure?" A teary Ludwig asked in an exhausted breath the question that Hakuo was about to.

"Completely." Looking at Ludwig's charing face, though he's talking to Hakuo, he says. "Now leave."

Hakuo looked at Ludwig as if he would help him out, but he shook his head and mouthed Yakusoku's dying request as his own. Tell Gev that he's sorry and that he's loved. Hakuo thought them both fools, but he didn't need to be told twice to leave. Krenn teen bolted from the privacy of their world. But he paused at the exit, and watched the couple holding each other, whispering something sweet and consoling to each other as they kissed and sobbed.

"Fuck!" He shouted angrily at the reddening sky of the created space. "Mamoru, where are you?"

The alternate personality appeared with an impish smile on his animated face. "Is this about trying to trick you out of the merge? I was only trying to be cute." He made a meek laugh, ready for the reprimand. When nothing came, he looked over to where movement caught his eye. Seeing the couple by the tree he cocked his head in their direction and silently asked what that was about, before he whirled his finger around at his temple indicating that they were nuts.

"No kidding, but take a look around you, winner, I need your help - - fast,"

"Just tell me what to do."

"Follow my lead, grab Ludwig and head out."

It was risky, but the risk was going to be taken.

No living person could see the psychic flow of energies ripping through the hospital halls and out of the building into the busy midtown. It's a flurry of timespace hitting them like thick clouds through a wind tunnel. One could liken it to being on the wing of a plane without the audio or wind slamming into the ear canal.

Mamoru wondered where the heck they were going and what on earth was going on? Because he's been sort of AWOL in order to prepare for the ambush, gotta keep that psychic strength up. And now they're whipping through timespace with Yakusoku and Ludwig's unconscious sparks like a couple of paramedics going to the E.R. Was this Hakuo's rebuttal? He had to wonder about that. The double-cross was likely known and counter strategized. But what's up with Ludwig?

They ended up in a dark and very cold place. Mamoru looked around seeing and sensing nothing. Wherever this was it was devoid of life.

"Where are we?" He asked.

"Some kid in the next part of town," he put down Yakusoku's unconscious body, then he proceeded to remove his sneakers. "Come on, I'm not sure how much longer we have." He noticed Mamoru's image had dimmed. He could imagine that if the alternate hadn't copied him by putting Ludwig down he would have unintentionally dropped him. "Take off his sneakers and bend his legs so his feet can touch the surface."

Doing as he's told, he again questioned the situation. "What are we doing?"

"We, my double-crossing little friend, are going to perform a transfusion." He tucked Yakusoku's fingers into the moist surface below, then did the same with his toes. "Thumbs up, it takes."

"Why is Ludwig here?"

"He was murdered by a shithead; I'm improvising on his part. He may wake up, he may not… Neither of them might. Dunno - - never done this before." Standing, he brushed his hands clean of the matter peppered there.

"Now what?"

"Now, I need to get the hell out of here," Grabbing his alter's hand, he then opened a portal of exit from the devoid space and using the last ounce of his psychic strength he vacated the area.

"The last thing I remember before waking up in the hospital," said Hakuo present. "Is Mamoru told me to wait. I haven't heard from him since."

Yakusoku and Ludwig tried to remember any of that, but they couldn't. It was obviously true, otherwise they wouldn't be in the present situation. They had no idea. The pain of being burned alive must have knocked them out, because they could recall being very hot before a nothingness engulfed them.

"But why? Why not tell me? Why keep it to yourselves, if it's true?" Gev snarled. "Am I nothing? Do I seem that easy to cast aside?" His sharpened anger looked from Will to Hakuo then back. "Fuck all of you! I'm sure you must have had a good laugh together watching me flailing like a little shit over Ludwig's death and Yakusoku's disappearance… Why the fuck am I the odd man out?" He got up and stormed upstairs to his bedroom, slamming the door with enough force to rattle the windowpanes down in the living room.

Will looked hurt. Guilty. It was true. They decided to die and leave Gev alone. They chose not to tell him when they woke up, and found out the reason for how. And even now, they didn't want to tell him.

"I'll talk to him." Hakuo volunteered. "I don't care if he's mad at me, and it's likely he won't listen to either of you… not right now."

Wiping tears from his eyes, he nodded.

"Have some tea, it'll make you feel better." Getting up from the couch, he walked up the stairs towards the noisy bedroom that's blaring rock music, and angry fumes.

Hakuo tried the knob but there was resistance from the lock. Using his gift, he turned the bolt over and allowed himself in.

"Whoa!" He ducked when a plaster skull came flying at him. "Big girl in a mood,"

He may as well have said that to himself because the music was so loud the projection of his audio practically remained in his mouth. Walking over to the Mp3 stereo he turned it down. Hakuo got into a staring contest with the room-owner that lasted for a full five minutes. It wasn't to see who'd blink first, because neither ceased blinking when the need arose; it was more of a challenge to see who would break and speak first.

Gev cracked. He's never lost a staring smackdown but his embittered gaze has never come across the calm nothingness of Hakuo Krenn. The blank slate was off-putting. Heaving a sigh, he got up from the bed and restored the volume on the stereo. He could win in other ways, like showing Hakuo that he has no intention of ever speaking to him, nor that mutant downstairs, ever again.

Hakuo turned the volume down, Gev turned it back up. The dance went like that until finally Hakuo turned it down and said to Gev. "Don't do that again." Giving him a light shove towards the chair at his desk, he calmly told him to sit.

"Fuck off, weirdo, I don't wanna see your face anymore."

"Yeah right," scoffed Krenn. Having a seat on the floor in front of the desk's chair, he pulled his legs into his chest and wrapped his arms around them. "You know the worst part of all of this?"

"That you're a bunch of shitheads who're babying me?"

"No. It's that neither of them asked to be saved," Hakuo rests his chin on his knee. "I chose to do that for them."

"But when they found out they should have told me,"

"And would you have believed them?" He looked Gev in the eye daring him to lie.

But he couldn't, instead he just blew out a breath and leaned back in the chair.

"I wanted them to tell you, but they were afraid you would reject them - - look at them! It's not enough they're a stranger, but they're younger than you... And, worst of all, they're inside the same person - - one left and the other right… But unlike those lame Twix commercials, there's actually a difference. If one moves the other speaks and vice versa, or they can choose to be a soloist." He smirked. "My Frankenstein is a lovely creature, but unusual, too."

"But they didn't tell me..."

"Can you blame them?" He held his hand out towards him. "Look at how you reacted?!"

"Oh, come on! Wouldn't you think it was a crock if some random person came up to you claiming to be your missing boyfriend and the dead one? It's insane!"

"Strange, but true." Lying back on the floor, knees bent, arms spread, he sighed. "It's bad enough being forced into living someone else's life, but then to be rejected by someone you love when all you wanted was to be able to continue seeing them…" He huffed. "It's a damned shame. I don't know what I'd do if my family threw shade at me when I got home. Like I'm the fly in the room aiming for their soups."

"Spare me the sob story, I've been debating, low-key attempting, and begging for some nasty accident to take my ass so that I could be with them..." Shaking his head, he dropped to the floor and leaned over Hakuo, studying his handsome face. "I was still holding out, though, hoping that Yakuza would still be inside of you somewhere," The back of his hand caressed Hakuo's cheek before it rested on the floor beside his head. "waiting to come back to me, or even Mamoru… All I wanted was for them to come back. And now that they are... I don't know what to feel. I'm just supposed to throw a fucking party when I've been lied to, made a fool of? No one cares how I feel."

"I don't." Hakuo replied, closing his eyes from Gev's intense stare. "But they do. If you knew... you'd want to see them, wouldn't you?" He nods, his hair rubbed into the carpet bristling with static electricity so that the exposed parts stood on end. "If I'd told you from the beginning, then you'd hound the lifeless body while he was in the hospital. The Hyde family would have you black-barred because you're a stranger. Then you'd bug him once he woke up, and you'd continue to do so because you crazy kids can't stay away from each other - - hence the stalking."

"But when you knew, you, or they, should have told me," he smacked Hakuo on the chest, before grabbing him by the shirt and tugging him up to stand.

"It was up to them to tell you, because they have a lot to handle; how the Hydes would respond for one; and what exactly can you mean to each other in this situation for two; and three, who's to say the transfusion would have taken for long? They could have been up and about for a week and then whoops, gone."

"At least I would have had the week. A chance to talk to them again…"

"Yeah. Take it up with them, oh but that's right, you've rejected them."

Gev shook his head. "I never said I was rejecting them. I'm just fucking pissed that everyone keeps lying to me, and leaving me out of important shit. 'You got what you wanted. So buck up, Gev' isn't gonna fly all the damned time!"

"Oh boo hoo, you're gonna cry to me about getting bitchassness pulled on you?" Hakuo waved his hand. "Let me tell you the days of my life; just from you four idiots alone, I've suffered much in the sense of an attempted coup to never be heard from again - - and from my own alternate, and your body-snatching boyfriend." He bit out. "And then there was that round of assault to my body because of abductions and molestations, shock treatments! Self-harm - - because there's no better way to express how unhappy you are than to open a vein - - who really does that?!" He showed off his very sliced up wrists. "My gawd. This white hair ain't goin' away, sonny." He restored his sangfroid. "Point being, I'm swimming in it, and none of it was by choice, but que sera because your feelings were hurt."

Gev shrugged.

Hakuo mimicked it with the addition of a dumbfounded moan. "If you're not rejecting them then what are we arguing for? Get down there and love them, fool. You're wasting more time choosing to be pissy when happiness is staring you in the face - - with an ugly package, yeeees, but it's there all the same."

"I'm so stupid; how did I never notice that you never really said that they were gone? You'd kept dancing around it." He rubbed his eyes with finger and thumb, recalling all the conversations he's had with Hakuo about them and all the things he's said. He should have known something was fishy. "And you're saying that that's really them down there? In that kid? How fucking old is that kid? Who is he?"

"His name is Will Hyde - - or that was his name before he became a vegetable. But, if it's any consolation, he'll be fourteen in September." Hakuo hid his laughter by turning to the exit, but the look of disgust that displayed itself across Gev's face made Hakuo laugh out loud. It was kind of funny.

"Well, you were friends before. Just go back to that state-of-mind, and everything'll be cool." He snickered.

Gev couldn't help but smile, small as it was, but he smiled. "So, what the fuck… He has to be this kid?"

"Ask him yourself. I have things to do today. And staying around here playing nursemaid to you babies ain't one of 'em," Hakuo waved off the question. "I only came here to correct the kid's issues, and give you the head's up - - tch, that got ruined. I would have h.." He got yanked into a firm hug.

"...You weird little spook; I hate you, but I love you for this…"

Returning the hug briefly, he muttered from a place of embarrassment. "Oh, shut up." He smiled.

Moving away from the hug, he looked at Hakuo because it would likely be the last time he sees him. Now that he knows the truth, he has no reason to call on him or look at him. Not when he can talk to the real Yakusoku, and Ludwig, too!

'Holy fuck.' He thought with more clarity. They're back! Cupping Hakuo's cheeks, he stole a kiss as it will also be the last time he'll ever, sorta, feel Yakusoku's lips again. And he could put to bed his sordid feelings for Hakuo Krenn, that luckily never bloomed to fruition beyond himself.

Hakuo seemed to get that much, because he rolled his eyes but smiled. "Just go and talk. I've gotta get out of here."

Gev left the room and hurried down the stairs, his hurried pace came to a halt upon seeing the stranger's bruised face. Unfortunately, joy had blinded him to the fact that his two is now a one, their faces are no longer even there. They are this Hyde kid.

Hakuo stood beside their stand-off, and smiled. "Gev, Will," to the pair he said. "Will, this is Gev. I believe you already know each other." Patting their backs, he then excused himself from the home.

The door closed on Hakuo's departure.

The trio just stood looking at one another. It was a mixture of emotions coursing through them. Eager to flee. Eager to love. Eager to have things back to the way they were, while knowing they could never be. Each of them is afraid to make the first move. And afraid to make the second once the ice was broken. Too many things to say... No way to begin saying them.

Gev went down the list of things he wanted to know, but English suddenly escaped him at the moment because he merely swallowed and remained silent. Neither occupant inhabiting Will knew what to say. They could answer questions, if asked, but they couldn't speak, for lack of what to say.

Setting his hands down on Will's shoulders, Gev pulled the young teen into a firm hug. Will closed his eyes and inhaled a smell as familiar as their own. His heart began to race from that scent, combined with the hug - - now at a new angle because of the new height difference - - it was euphoric.

'Crap. Don't cry like a bitch.' Thought Yakusoku. But it was no use, the moisture from tears was already pressing into Gev's shirt and dampening the tear owner's cheeks.

"Have I done something wrong?" Gev asked into the air over Will's head.

Will shook his head.

"Then why hide your identity? Why leave me behind?" He blew out a breath. "You told me you love me, and you just ditched me like I never meant shit - - Ludwig couldn't help it, but you could Yakuza. You just left, and gave me some half-assed goodbye through that emotionless prick." He felt a little guilty mixed with a little pleased that their silent tears suddenly became audible. He doesn't care what Hakuo says; they're dicks and they need a little punishment.

Gev made to move back, but his shirt was latched onto by Will who continued to hide his face in his chest. He doesn't want to be seen, not like this. It's better just to hold on tight and imagine things how they once were.

"I'm sorry," Yakusoku sobbed, his voice was muffled by the face-plant, on top of the fact that his volume level is softer from his pain.

"I don't want "I'm sorry", I want an explanation."

Will sniffled before responding. "Ludwig was all alone; he wanted to save us by taking it all on himself. It was supposed to be the three of us dying in a fire - - he saw the vision with his gift."

"What?"

"But when the visions stopped it was only because Hakuo and I were going to merge. Then we plotted against him, and they crept up again. Ludwig saw a way to save us and he took it. I couldn't just let him die alone… I love him." He sniffled again. "And believe me, if it wasn't a spur of the moment decision... if I hadn't gone inside and found him like I had... I would have stayed with you - - it wasn't about picking favorites, Gev, you have to believe that."

Gev's jaw clenched in agitation. "But you did."

"He didn't," Ludwig butt-in. "He told me to get out, that I should fight it... but I told him it was too late for me - - and it was. He made his decision right then and there, it really wasn't about picking favorites." He closed his eyes feeling Gev's embrace shift and tighten, and he basked in the hand rubbing lightly up and down his back.

"I've mourned you for so long... Even now I've been in mourning trying to cope with it. But you've been alive all this time, but said nothing."

Ludwig shook his head that it wasn't like that. "We've only really been awake for a month and a handful of days. The day before that stupid party you catered for, that's when we woke up. I was aware, but I was too afraid to exist. I didn't understand what was going on..."

"I didn't either, not at first," commented Yakusoku. "I saw you in the backyard; I wanted to tell you then, but you were going around all puffed-up and annoyed. And your mom was there, and Will's brother showed up… It was a mess."

"You have my number, you could have met me anywhere to talk."

Will was silent then. Gev was right, they could have called and met up somewhere. Maybe, just maybe, they could have made sense of all of this.

Yakusoku wiped his tears. "I'm sorry, about everything; not telling you, and ditching you… Everything."

"Me too. I should have told you guys about the visions, but I'm self-centered like that." Ludwig admitted. "I wanted us to be happy, not living in constant worry and fear of accidents. I figured if our breaking up would end the 'gazes' then I'd accept the merge without complaint - not sincere complaint anyway. But, it was hard…"

Gev took all that in; along with Hakuo's words about how hard things are going for the two of them - - for Christ's sake look at them! Yeah. They've suffered enough.

"I'm still annoyed, but I'm not mad at you. I just wish you wouldn't pull this bullshit with me," Resting his chin on Will's head, he sighed. "No more secrets or lies, and no more treating me like an outcast who won't get it. I've understood so far. ...Why shut me out now?"

"I don't know. When you're in these life or death moments, you lose your senses,"

Gev wondered who said that? And wondered how in the world he would talk to them and know who he was talking to? Hakuo had it right, this Frankenstein was unusual. Able to move away, he faced the new face of his boyfriends.

The pair looked back at him and rolled their eyes at the grimace, but they smiled, too. It was better than being hit, anyway. And, Gev didn't outright call them ugly. Will isn't ugly, he's just… not attractive in the eyes of Nineteen year olds, if that makes any sense. He's just a tween not worth any special consideration outside the label of: kid.

"It was either this or a fat old man who ate himself into a coma," Yakusoku said with a mock-pout, and his eyes smiled.

Snickering, Gev looked Will over and shook his head. "Grim. Maybe if you wore a mask. I've got that Undead mask Yakuz - I mean - you gave to me. But I'd never loan you that."

Will smiled. Yakusoku was glad that Gev liked his Christmas gift.

Gev sucked in a breath and sniffed back his unshed tears. "Fuckers, turning me into a punk all the time." He laughed out; and they laughed with him.

Not because it was funny, just because they were relieved that they were believed, and could possibly get through this. They stood silent, staring at each other again. It was so much to take in. Three long months without each other's company. And though the conjoined pair have each other, they don't quite feel complete anymore without Gev.

"...I'm sorry I hit you," Gev popped them against the chest with the back of his hand.

"What, these love-taps?" Ludwig scoffed. "I've been hit harder."

Gev looked disturbed, but the expression then became thoughtful and he wandered over to the television. Reaching around in a cabinet in the entertainment center the flat screen is placed upon, he removed a flip of post-it paper then wrote something on two sheetlets. When he returned to where he was standing he placed them on Will's shirt, one on the left side and one right.

Looking down, Will cocked a brow when seeing their names.

"I'll never know who I'm talking to otherwise, well, maybe not never," Because he does know them and their speech patterns that well, but with benign conversation and someone else's voice, inflections tend to get lost in translation. "but it'd take too long to catch on." Tapping Ludwig's name he says. "It's easier if you point first."

Will tapped Yakuza before saying. "Idiot."

Gev grinned at how clever he was, then pulled them in for another hug. He really did love Hakuo for this. It was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for him, indirectly, maybe, but right now he doesn't care why it was done, but just that it was done. And he now has back two of the most important people in his life.

…..

Gev led them upstairs to his bedroom. His mother and sister were going to be home any minute and he wanted privacy.

They were out shopping for work later tonight. It's another job at a birthday party. Early April seemed to be a big hit with popping out babies because this was going to be the fifth party they cater. Not to mention they're booked for Easter. Luckily, it's early in the day for a function at the park. Victoria was attending, so it worked out. Once they stopped working they could egg hunt with her and Randall, who was taking the day off from work.

"You moved everything around?" Ludwig noted when they crossed the threshold.

The bed was no longer the first thing you see when you walk into the room, it now resides beside the stereo and the stand it's on. A brand new entertainment center that he must have gotten as a holiday gift, because he didn't receive it for his birthday, is where the bed used to be. The desk with his laptop and tablet was now blocking some of the window. It left a lot of space in the center of the bedroom. It was strangely nice. But the unchanged parts are all poster plastered walls, and the heavily nicotine scented everything; candy wrappers, some empty and some still have bits of candy inside.

"Here," Gev was in the closet, and when he emerged from the short step forward, he's holding two boxes. "These are your Christmas presents,"

Yakusoku pointed to his nametag. "You kept them?"

"Of course I kept them, I couldn't throw them away," He handed the boxes to Will.

Sitting on his bed, Will removed the wrapping from one box then the other. It was freaking Gev out, a lot. Some stranger was in his bedroom, opening gifts meant for his boyfriend's, while intending to claim them as his they should, because this stranger is in fact them. Life was so fucking weird.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

Gev smiled. He didn't need Yakusoku to touch the nametag to know that he was the one who'd said it. The gift was meant for him, so naturally, he'd respond to it.

Will's eyes shined as he admired the velvety soft robe from the Ashba Swag clothing line. "I can't believe you got me this?"

"I'm just glad you didn't get it for yourself," He stood up; taking the robe and opened it. "I don't think the size is right anymore, but try it on."

Will was on his feet and happily slipping his arms through the arms of the robe. "Man this is soft, it's like I'm wearing water." He rubbed his hands down the front of the garment. "Thanks."

Gev unintentionally lurched backwards when Will flung his arms around him for a hug, but he accepted it once he closed his eyes.

"Well, come on, me next." Ludwig dislodged them so he could open his gift. "Nice, I always wanted one of these,"

"But, that's the gift that I gave you," said Yakusoku, noticing the wrapping paper he'd used and the gift itself.

"Yeah, I put yours up there," Gev pointed. "I didn't know what to do with your violin, but your parents said that I could take whatever I wanted from your room."

Ludwig admired the instrument shelf holding his beloved new violin. He also noted the shelf housed photos of the three of them on the glass surface, that through a slit between glass and framing back could be interchangeable. The violinist held his breath as he grabbed his violin from the shelf. It was like returning to his favorite place on earth, and in more ways than one he was. He's here with Gev and Yakusoku, and he's happy.

"Play my song, bitch, play it live!" Gev cheered with applause.

Laughing, Ludwig rolled his eyes. "How can I turn down such a wonderfully worded request?"

It was like breathing holding the instrument in place, and with muscle memory he began to play the song he'd scored for Gev and recorded to the digital picture frame that he'd gifted him last year.

Both the receiver and Yakusoku listened, eyes closed, to the lovely tune playing. And they applauded wildly when the last chord faded.

"What can I say, I'm awesome." Ludwig preened.

The trio talked and laughed; Gev caught them up with everything that's happened over the past three months. Nono is going to culinary school; he's deciding not to go to college and to just get a job at a restaurant somewhere. He told them about Vicky having a boyfriend, which she thinks he knows nothing about; and how he and Hakuo have been sort of befriending each other. He told them why he'd kissed him, both times, when they were around to see it, and they understood.

They told him about the life and times of William Hyde; and how incredibly awkward it was just about all of the time; and how other times it was like staying with relatives. You know them, but you don't know them. They told him about McKenna and Bishop, and how gross the whole thing was because of the age. And that they have to deal with a break-up situation in the near future because they simply could not bear it anymore with fighting the girl's advances.

They talked about Zane and Renee, and the absent-minded Arthur. They talked about it all, even the doors. And awkward reliving puberty. They left nothing out. They didn't want Gev to feel excluded anymore. He wasn't wrong in seeing things that way, because they have excluded him. But now that he's back in their lives, it was going to be true and honestly all the way - - same as before.

It was impossible to get themselves together and go back to the Hyde's home. But they knew they couldn't stay forever. And after a long motorcycle ride through the streets of Groton into West Hartford, they had to think of mutilated puppies just to deflate the tent in Will's pants.

"Thanks for… everything." Will said. Gev could have remained angry. He could have hated them. But he doesn't. They agreed to work around this new life. Work around having to be friends. Just friends…

"Yeah… Well, I'll see you next weekend."

"Yeah!" He cleared his throat, embarrassed by the eagerness. "I mean, sure."

Gev closed his eyes and placed his hand on Will's head in a comforting manner. With his eyes closed, they could be there.

"Bye."

Gev nodded. The bike jumped to throttle and he began his trip home. Will watched after him until he was gone, then he took himself up the street to his home.

# #

Hakuo sat idly in traffic, waiting for the jam to clear. It's really all one can do when in a traffic jam. The car was quiet on his part and the stereo was off. He's just enjoying the sounds of the wind blowing, cars humming beside him, and bits of music and lyrics playing from the other fellow man stuck in the jam.

'Why would anybody want to die? How can things become so horrible that that's the solution?' He wondered. Folding his arms on the edge of the open window, he then rests his cheek on the soft fleshy barrier.

He tried to imagine having gone through everything he's gone through, and going home just to kill himself in the middle of the night while his family slept soundly, happily, believing him still alive until the next morning. What would they do?

'They'd likely blame themselves for it - - I would, if it were me in their position.' Hakuo rolled the car forward a few inches. It was great to finally have an official license instead of always having to have an assistant full-blown driver next to him in the passenger's seat. 'It sucks, though, because it wouldn't be their fault if I chose to be dead. Hmm, what if they were happy? What a rude mess that would be to my lost memory!' Mused the teen, as he then imagined their somber faces with words that don't quite match the mood.

They'd say things like: "Maybe it was for the best, I'm sure he's suffered a lot. Now he can finally be at peace knowing that he's home, and no longer anyone's captive."

His buzzing phone called him back to the real world. Lifting it, he smiled seeing Gansta Nathe across the screen. It's strange having someone, outside of family, like him enough to call him. He happily answered the phone.

"Yyyyes?"

"What happened to you? I heard you have the day off and I thought we'd hang out, but your sister said you're gone."

"I've run away. I won't be back until five thanks to this lame traffic jam," Smug tone, he asked just to tease him. "Will you cry because you miss me?"

"What if I did?"

"I'd call you a name and hang up. What can you do? When you're in a traffic jam, you're in a traffic jam - - hold on, the cars are moving," He pressed down on the gas.

Hakuo expected the car to roll maybe one or two feet along but as the cool Spring breeze came in through the window from a long driven distance, he realized whoever was holding everyone up finally stopped and they could all get along to their destinations.

"Are you still there?" Nathen asked.

Hakuo ended the call without so much as a goodbye. He'd be home soon, he'll explain himself then; although, it was pretty obvious why he hung up on him and Nathen should understand that without having to hear it. It's dangerous to drive while distracted. The smoking car off to the side of the road was proof of that. That appeared to be the reason for the traffic jam; although the sincere reason why the car was there would be a mystery as everyone continued on.

The mixed teen stopped for tacos when he was ten minutes away from his house; with his five dollar box of food splayed out over the tabletop; he called Nathen. "Hey, do you still wanna hang out? I'm at Taco Bell if you wanna meet me over here,"

"Okay. I'll be there in a little bit, eat slowly, you rat."

Chuckling, Hakuo agreed, then he hung up the phone.

"Umm, excuse me?" A couple of girls stood just off to his side. "Aren't you the boy from the news?" The one speaking has black hair in a long singular curl resting over her shoulder, her brown eyes are stunning, that was for sure, but the rest of her face wasn't much to flutter a heart; she must know that much about herself because the smokey eye makeup accented the irises very well.

Hakuo cast them a sidelong glance before looking directly at them with a bored expression. "That's me, but, if you're looking to get a reward or something for finding me, you're more than a little late as I'm clearly no longer a boy."

They giggled to each other.

"No, nothing like that," said the other girl with a high ponytail; she kind of looked like a beaver because her front teeth were bigger than the others, and her cheeks are puffy though her body is thin. "We just wanted to say that you're amazing, and it's great that you're home."

They paused in wait as if he had something to say; they stared at the scars decorating his face as they did so. The visual tour always ends with strangers looking at the discoloration on his neck where the metal collar had been.

Hakuo was tempted to shout "Boo!" while lunging at them; he was also tempted to ask them what they would think of him had he killed himself a week after that interview - - would they think him so brave then? But he wasn't bored enough to further indulge the situation, so, with a burrito in hand, he gave them a toast to thank them for the sentiment, then he went back to eating and left them figure out that the conversation was over.

"Take care," said the black haired girl.

"Mhmm," he mumbled around a mouthful. 'To think I could have stayed in CT and watched the emotional outpouring of the three lovers. I wonder what they're doing back there?'

He hoped it was nothing naughty. Although, thinking about it, what did he have to care? His hands are clean from any responsibility for their screw ups. Lucky. He started in on his Locos taco when Nathen walked into the restaurant.

"Over here," He waved.

"Hi."

"Hi," nodding to the food, he asked. "Want anything?"

"Umm, maybe some soda," He took a long sip from the straw, then he swiped two nacho chips from the pile. "It's brutally hot out there. Say, what were you doing in Connecticut?"

"Visiting."

"Your old family?" Knowing that that's where they reside, because of the news of his being found after the abduction not long ago.

"Dear god, no," he balked. "A friend of a friend."

"Oh." He took another nacho.

Joining him with the last leg of the overkill amount of food, he asked. "What did you wanna do, anyway?"

"I wanted to show you some new videos I made." Nathen wiped his salt and grease covered fingers on a napkin after sucking them clean.

"Okay. Then we can shoot some nature scenes - - do it up Thornberry style."

"I loved that cartoon!"

"Right!" They high-fived. "Come on," he gathered the trash and dumped it into the wastebin, then he said good bye to the girls who'd bugged him before. They were staring the entire time he was eating, so he figured they wanted something more from the encounter.

"Who are they?"

"I don't know." Walking outside, he looked around the area, and something felt weird. "Did you walk?"

"Yeah."

"Great, you can ride with me." Hakuo jingled his keys. "I'm official."

"Cool. I've been 'official' for a while, but I don't like borrowing my parent's cars." He climbed into Hakuo's mother's car.

"I don't mind it, I don't use them often." Sitting in the driver's seat, he starts the engine.

"I'm gonna save up and get one once high school is out," Nathen muttered about it being something cheap and durable.

"Same here. Cars are a point A to point B, why get pricey over something like status?"

They laughed about that episode of Seinfeld and how the wheelchair failed that woman, Lola, and it was only used to feed a cat and pee; imagining themselves with a lemon of a vehicle because they'd wanted to save a few hundred bucks.

"Oh, wait, stop over here," Nathen points to the photo shop beside the dollar store and small clinic. "I wanna get a new fish-eye lens."

The car pulled into the lot. The two exited the car. As they passed by the other shops, Hakuo peeked at the vending machine before going into the store with his friend. After the purchase was made, and they were on their way out to the car, Krenn stopped at the snack machine.

"Sweet, they've got my favorite," plunking a dollar and some change into the machine he purchased a bag of caramel popcorn. "Want anything?"

"Umm, Pringles."

Hakuo paid for the chips, then started for his car.

A small group of men are walking up to the sidewalk chatting with each other.

"Hey, Mr. Deakins," Nathen said to an Asian mixed man.

"Hello, Nathen,"

Seeing the look on Hakuo's face, Small explained. "That's Lee's dad."

"Oh,"

"Hello." Mr. Deakins held out his hand.

Hakuo looked at it then continued to get into the car.

"He's not good with people," Nathen explained on his behalf.

"That's alright," watching Nathen loiter beside the car since he's talking to him, he asked. "Lee's just sitting around at home; why don't you kids go over and hang out with him?"

Nathen nods in response, then says. "We'll think about it, he can come over to my house. We don't eat until six."

Hakuo cocked a brow at how strange it was to eat dinner so late. His family eats at four forty, and five twenty at the latest. They're a dessert family, and his mother likes to have clean up out of the way.

"I'll tell him that, if you're not there when I get home." He waved to the teen as he disappeared into the car.

Hakuo drove them to Nathen's house, where they called his fellow AV friend Lee on the phone to invite him over. He said he was fine just slumming it in his bedroom, but he asked if they'd like to sleep over tomorrow night since they don't have school on Monday. Hakuo agreed, but Nathen didn't want to.

And after the pair spent some time together, Hakuo went home.

It's 9:15 pm.

Shuhei was home now, but currently on his way out the door for a date. He gave his brother a friendly shove into the wall as he exited his bedroom and saw Hakuo headed for their sister's room.

"Don't stay up too late."

"Don't want me to catch you sneaking in with your clothes disheveled, and your body reeking of sex?" Hakuo teased.

"That's exactly why," He got him in a headlock and ground his fist into the shower-dampened white hair.

It wasn't hard for Hakuo to explain away the hair; everyone thought the poor returner was acting out to express himself from his troubled past. And dying his hair white was tame compared to what they believed Hakuo would have, and should have, been doing - - at least, in their minds. No one needed to know it wasn't dyed, nor the reasons why.

"Celie, can we talk?" He asked his sister once the assault in the hallway came to an end.

"Sure," She removed her earbuds and sat up from the lying position she was in. She's been on Facebook with Aisha and just got done chatting.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" He sat on her bed.

"O...kay.. ask away,"

Hakuo just let it out. He was going to ask anyway, why drag it out. "Are you a virgin?"

Celes paled then blushed. If the question had come from Shuhei she would have belted him one and told him to get out. The embarrassment would be too great! But, with Hakuo, it was awkward but only because he's always so open about everything and expects the same in return.

"It's embarrassing," she said quietly.

"Why? Was he a dick and you regret it?" He asked without judgement. Although, if the answer was, yes, he wanted a name and face, and some time alone with the dick.

"No. It wasn't a 'he'," she blushed.

Hakuo's eyes widened. "No way, you're a lesbian?"

"No! Not that either."

Brows furrowed, he asked. "What else is there, are you a perv into animals?"

"Rest your head, Hakuo, it's not like that," she bit her bottom lips and looked away as she pointed across the room.

Hakuo looked but he didn't see what she was pointing at. "What?"

"I used a hairbrush handle."

Looking at said brush, he asked. "But why?" Not judging, but curious, he commented. "You can have any guy you want; why would you do something like that?"

"Watashi wa hazukashii desu," she mumbled as English suddenly failed her.

"Don't be embarrassed, just tell me,"

"It's because of you."

Now that was a shocker. "Pardon?"

"Everything that happened to you was because of something as stupid as sex," She looked him in the eye now, defiantly, and boldly. "I didn't want someone to feel they had that over me, their being my first. And should someone take advantage of me, they wouldn't get the satisfaction either." There. She said it.

Hakuo was quiet for a long minute.

"Say something."

He blinked back tears then stood up from the bed. "Please, forgive me?"

"For what? It was my decision."

"Because of me you felt that you had to... it wasn't your decision." He wiped his tears. "So, I apologize. Please, forgive me?"

"But, it's not a big deal, really," Getting off the bed, she hugged him to calm his silent tears. "Why does everyone get so hung up on that sort of thing? Being the first and whatnot. I say anyone who loves me, twelve times over would be considered my first. That's how I see it."

"But, you're all screwed up because of me..."

"I am not. I was a shut-in, and an otaku long before anything happened to you,"

Hakuo chuckled. "That's true." Even at that young of an age Celes liked to hang out at home and just play the hours away by herself or with Hakuo. He had forgotten about that.

Smacking the back of his head, she said. "You're not supposed to agree with me."

"Sorry," he sniffled.

"Don't be. Not for anything." She twisted them back and forth. "Just, forget you know about this, okay? I'm embarrassed that I told you as it is. So, just forget about it."

"Alright. I'll forget."

"Okay then." Releasing him, she smiled at him and wiped his tears. "I'll see you tomorrow. We'll make breakfast together."

"Alright. Good night,"

"Good night."

He started to leave but then he turned around, crossed the room and swiped the brush. "Better not leave you two alone,"

"Oh, get out!" She blushed and threw a pillow at the closing door.

Brothers can be too much sometimes!

Hakuo still felt guilty and bad for causing his sister's strangeness. But he also felt relieved. Because if she's not a virgin, then that means he isn't Doom Gazing. He can sleep well tonight.

x x x

Commentary: Thanks for reading. Sorry it's late, I've had a trying week along with holiday brain ahaha. My attention is everywhere.