The Wedding
The darkest fan fiction from Vivid Insomnia, an Astro Boy fan fiction series by Emicaustic and Kaidraman
Chapter One: Thanks For Not Giving.
Dr. Claire was walking out of Starbuck, planning to head over to the bookstore, but decided to take a stroll in the park instead.
Tenma was sitting on a bench in the park. He was thinking, holding something in his hands. He kept fiddling with it and couldn't sit still.
Claire crossed the street and entered the park, there were lots of little kids running around, couples were strolling about and holding hands.
Like Astro and Brianna, who briefly waved at her when they passed by.
"Hey Claire!" Astro waved.
"Hey Astro, Brianna!" Claire waved back.
Kaitlyn happened to be riding by on her roller skates.
"Oh! Hi Dr. Claire!" She almost fell over but gained back her balance.
"Kaitlyn? Aren't you suppose to be back in Pennsylvania, it's school, right?"
"It's Thanksgiving break, so I'm spending the week here." Kaitlyn made a circle around Dr. Claire
"Oh, cool... you must really like Florida.." Claire chuckled.
"Yeah. It's nice. Plus my parents like coming here."
Claire laughed.
"Well I'm gonna go over to Emily's now! Bye!" Kaitlyn rode through the park gates.
"See you soon!" Claire waved goodbye to Kaitlyn.
Claire kept walking and taking sips of her iced coffee.
She couldn't wait to get home and greet Tenma.
But she didn't have to,
She saw him sitting alone on a bench.
"Bill, what are you doing here? I thought you were staying home." Claire was confused.
"Cindy?!" He looked up.
Dr. Claire chuckled as she blushed.
"Ah... I didn't think you'd be here…."
"I didn't either, I wanted to go to the bookstore, but I decided to come here instead!"
"Oh." He smiled.
"Hmm?"
"Ah… well... I was just thinking…. I usually come here to think... it clears my head."
"Ahh yes, the park is a great place to think, as long as you don't mind the kids running around like mad men"
"They're just children having fun." He looked back at some kids running behind him.
"They're so small and cute, I'd love to have at least one myself."
"I'd like to have another. It'd be nice to experience that feeling again."
Astro saw Tenma and Claire talking, he butted in.
"You DO realize you have me, right?" Astro said to Tenma.
"Yes, but you're older now."
"And..."
"...You'll understand when you're older, Astro."
"Oooohhh, I get it." Astro winked and left to go catch up with Brianna.
"Not so great when they get older, eh?" Dr. Claire looked at Astro as he walked away.
"Haha. Well, he's different." Tenma chuckled.
Claire sat down next to him.
He reached his hand over and held her's.
Dr. Claire looked at him and blushed.
He looked back at her and smiled.
"Want?" Claire held out her iced coffee in front of Tenma.
"Thank you, dear." He took a sip and gave it back to her.
"So, what is it you've been thinking about?" She placed the cup next to her on the bench.
"Uh… Well… We've been together for quite a while now..."
"Uh huh... it will be 6 months in two days."
"And these 6 months have been great."
"Haha.. so many memories..."
"I want to keep these memories forever..." He looked down at the small box in his other hand.
Claire looked down at it as well.
"What's that?" She asked.
Tenma gasped and held it so she couldn't see the box.
"Huh?"
"Well, you see Cindy…. I've been thinking about our relationship…. And... taking it to the next level."
"What do you mean?" ((Lol Claire doesn't know much about relationships and marriage ~Emily)) ((haha she so oblivious. it's adorable ouo ~kate))
Tenma stood up and walked in front of her.
"W- what-" Claire stuttered.
He kneeled down, his hand still holding hers.
Claire had a look of shock and confusion on her face.
"Cindy Claire….
Will you marry me?"
He opened up the small box to reveal a beautiful ring that sparkled in the sunlight.
"Uh..." tears of joy streamed down Claire's face.
"Y- yes.." she whispered.
Tenma's face lit up.
She jumped off her seat and into his arms.
Everyone at the park turned around and stared at them.
"Woah, it just got quiet." Astro said.
"What happen?" Brianna asked.
"I dunno, and I don't care..." Astro kept walking.
Brianna turned around to see Tenma and Claire.
She gasped.
"What? Is there some weirdo standing there?"
"No! Just look! It's so sweet!" Brianna was smiling.
Astro turned around.
"What am I looking at?"
Tenma took the ring out and slid it onto Dr. Claire's finger. She pulled his face up to hers and gave him a big kiss on the lips.
"Ooh...THAT... pfft.." Astro turned back around and walked away.
"What?! That was adorable!" Brianna complained.
"Ehhh... not really my thing, if I get older and I decide to marry you, I wouldn't do that... I have a better idea" Astro smirked.
Brianna rolled her eyes, giggling and caught up with Astro. ((Olay ~Emily))
Tenma and Claire continued to stroll around the park together, everything returned to normal.
Astro walked into the doors to his house.
Kaitlyn, Emily, and Atom were sitting on the couch playing the Wiii
"Sup fart nuggets!" Astro greeted.
"Sup, Astro. So where'd you guys go?" Kaitlyn said while looking at the TV.
"Eh, just the park.. nothin' pervy or anything you'd be interested in.."
"So nothing exciting happened like you found a dog that was actually an alien and it landed in a ship that you found behind some trees?" ((Reference to a movie ;D ~kate))
"Uh... I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that and get some ham for breakfast..." Astro walked over to the kitchen.
"Its such as shame my twin won't go out with Emily, but he refuses and changed his 'background'." Astro laughed.
Atom rolled his eyes as he continued playing the videogame.
"Well ya did, you asked for it... not my fault." Astro took out the ham from the fridge.
"What do you mean by 'background'?" Emily asked.
"Uuuh... ask someone else, that's not something to speak about..." Astro cleared his throat and walked upstairs to his room.
"It wasn't MY idea... it just-" Atom blushed.
"It's complicated." Atom sighed.
"It's cool with me." Kaitlyn swayed over with the game controller.
"Hey, wait ya passed me!" Atom swayed the game controller as well.
Kaitlyn threw her arms in the air.
"I WON!"
"Ehh... I'm gonna go get a soda, want anything?" Atom stood up and asked Kaitlyn.
"Can you make me a chocolate cola?" Kaitlyn asked him sweetly.
"Hmm.. I can try?" Atom shrugged.
"Yay! Thanks!" She fell over onto the couch.
"Haha, your welcome!" Atom walked away to the kitchen.
Emily poked Kaitlyn in her side.
"Ah! Hey! That tickles!" Atom heard Kaitlyn squeal from the kitchen.
Astro came back downstairs.
"I need the mop." Astro passed the two girls and walked to the kitchen.
"Astro, you need meds or something, this is the third time this week you've thrown up after breakfast.." Atom grabbed the chocolate syrup from the fridge.
"I can't help it dude!" Astro folded his arms.
Atom put both of his hands on Astro's shoulders.
"You can get over this, just stop worrying.."
"Yeah sure... whatever." Astro grabbed the mop and left the kitchen.
"I'm only trying to help you know!" Atom called to him.
Atom decided to ignore Astro and made the drinks.
"Here ya go!" Atom handed a plastic cup to Kaitlyn.
"Awesome!" She sat up and took a sip.
Atom sat down next to Emily on the floor.
"So how have you been Emily?" Atom turned to Emily and asked.
"Great!" Emily smiled.
"Well that's good, at least you have people to hang out with..." Atom leaned his head on the bottom of the couch and put both his hands on his stomach.
"Why does Atom sound so different?" Emily whispered to Kaitlyn.
"I dunno." She took another sip of the soda.
"Eh." Emily shrugged.
Atom took another sip of soda.
"So what's been up with you?" Emily asked Atom.
"Well.. you see uh... Astro can tell you." Atom blushed.
"But I'm fine now, In fact, give me just a sec!" Atom stood up and ran off to his room.
Atom came back with a box, he placed it in front of Emily and Kaitlyn.
"Hmm.. what's in the box?" Kaitlyn asked.
"You'll see" Atom lifted the top off the box.
"I decided to get into scrapbooking, it's really fun actually!" Atom smiled.
"Ooooooooooo." Kaitlyn's eyes lit up.
"I wish I had the patience and money for these things!" She picked up some stickers.
"Oh it's not that hard, it's easy!"
"They're pretty fun to do, not to mention the endless possibilities." Atom took out a scrapbook from the box.
"This one's a work in progress, its pictures from when you guys came over for the summer!" Atom handed the book to the girls.
"Oh! I remember this!" Kaitlyn pointed to a picture.
Atom took a sip of his soda, Astro came back downstairs.
"Man, vomit stinks!" Astro pinched his nose.
"Ooh, what cha lookin at?" Astro peaked over the girl's shoulder.
"Atom's scrapbooks." Emily said.
"Scrapbooks, I didn't know you did scrapbooks." Astro replied.
"Hehe.. its a hidden talent." Atom blushed.
"Hmmm wanna guess what my hidden talent is?" Astro asked.
"What. Making out with Brianna?" Kaitlyn teased.
Astro blinked his eyes.
"Are you stalking me or something blondie?!"
"No. You're always talking about it."
"Ahhh... I can't help it... besides, Brianna doesn't seem to mind." Astro winked.
"Meh."
"I'm glad I can't take that in a wrong way..." Atom looked for more stuff in his box.
"Eh, you guys are buzz kills... no wonder you never get invited to my epic parties and shizz, you'd ruin it before even getting here!"
"Pft. What parties?... I'm not much of a party person anyways." Kaitlyn chuckled.
"Yeah but my parties are EPIC! I have like 35,080 followers on Picstagram, so I just post a bunch of crap and have a great time."
Emily's mouth dropped.
"How many followers!?"
"I can just about stand a wedding. Like one of those parties will be fun for me..."
"Aw, weddings are cute!" Atom made a girly face.
"Hehe. I haven't been to one since the summer." Kaitlyn giggled.
"I think Elefun fricked you up, or you made a poor life decision.." Astro folded his arms.
"Hey! Atom can do and say what he wants, you poop." She pouted.
"What? I couldn't hear you?"
Atom sighed and put the scrapbook away.
"That wasn't nice, Astro..." Emily folded her arms.
"No shit bitch, congratulations." Astro rolled his eyes and left to the kitchen.
"So did you hear about Claire and derpface?" Astro asked.
"What about them?!" Kaitlyn's head snapped up.
"Ahhh... I can't say, you're gonna have to bribe me.." Astro laughed.
"What?! No fair!" She folded her arms.
"Uh huh... it's how I work, unless my twin has an idea..."
Kaitlyn turned to Atom, who sat down and did nothing.
"Ugh. Do you want money or something else?"
"Haha, I know what I want, but that's for Brianna, but I'd like something else.."
"Ew… what?"
"I just love fooling with people..." Astro giggled.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"You heard me..."
"You almost thought... ah..." Astro giggled more.
"That I wanted..."
"From Brianna..."
"Just tell me what you want already. I gotta know if this is juicy info."
"So what, now you're a perv too?"
"Ah! I don't mean it like that!"
Astro laughed.
"Okay, okay!" Astro wiped a tear from his eye.
"I want..."
"...A new P-Phone, this one is outdated."
"What?! I don't have money for that!"
"Then no juicy gossip for you, thirsty blonde..." Astro snapped in a Z-formation
"I'll just go find out myself! Dr. Claire is my friend, of course!"
Atom gasped.
"Can I go with you?" Atom's voice became a little high pitched.
"Ah. Sure I guess." Kaitlyn grinned.
"Yay!" Atom exclaimed.
"Let's go!" Kaitlyn grabbed his wrist and pulled him over to the door.
"You know... I still haven't adjusted to you yet..." Astro said to Atom. ((It's actually really simple, stop being a homophobe lol thx ~Emily from later on idk))
"W-wait, I need my shoes!?" Atom reached his arm out.
"Emi, you coming?" Kaitlyn looked over at her.
"Yeah, whatever.. I can't stand him." Emily pointed her thumb at Astro.
Kaitlyn laughed.
They got into the car and Kaitlyn drove off towards Tenma's house.
Soon they arrived and she pulled the car into the driveway.
They all got out of the car. Kaitlyn walked up and knocked on Tenma's door. Emily and Atom stood behind her.
Tenma opened the door.
"Hey, Mr. Poop." Kaitlyn giggled.
"Hello, Kaitlyn. Why are you here?"
"Astro wouldn't tell us something, so Kaitlyn thought she would ask you." Atom grinned
"Pft. What?! No. Silly Atom. We were gonna go out to lunch and wanted to ask you guys if you wanted to come." She smiled nervously.
"What's wrong with Astro's twin, he seems... different." Tenma tilted his head.
"Haha. Ignore that. So you wanna come or not?"
"Uh... I actually have plans you see..."
Kaitlyn's eyes widened with stress as she continued to smile.
"Well. We kinda came all the way out here. Ya think we can hang for a sec?" She said through her teeth.
"Umm... I guess?" Tenma shrugged.
"Thanks, Tenma!" Kaitlyn said as they walked in.
"WAIT THE-" Tenma called out.
Kaitlyn slipped on the floor.
"Floor is wet..."
"I'm ok!" Kaitlyn held her hand up.
They all sat on the couch.
"So where's Claire?" Emily asked.
"Yeah we gotta ask her some-"
Kaitlyn covered Atom's mouth.
"We gotta act natural. You never know what they have to say so you don't wanna pressure them." She whispered into his ear.
"Ooh. Okay." Atom whispered back..
"So… Ten… ma…. The Ten Man… ah…. How's it been? Do anything exciting recently?..." Kaitlyn tried to think of what to say.
"Not really…. Just been hanging around the house… going to the store… taking walks at the park..." He replied.
"So you guys doing good?" Kaitlyn leaned back on the couch.
"Haha… Yeah..." Tenma blushed.
Dr. Claire came out of the bathroom and walked over to the living room.
"Hi sweety. I see we have visitors." She smiled as she walked up to Tenma.
Atom waved at Dr. Claire.
"So what's up guys?" She asked them.
"Seems they want to ask us something." Tenma looked at her.
"Oh. Well what would that be?"
She moved a piece of hair off her face with her left hand.
Kaitlyn saw a small sparkle in the corner of her eye.
"WOAHOOOOMAHGooo-" She almost flipped shit.
"Ah… What's that….. on your finger…. there?" Her face went pale.
"Oh uh..." Claire looked at Tenma and blushed.
"Well…. we're engaged." He smiled.
Everyone gasped.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so happy for you two!" Kaitlyn ran up to them and gave them a hug
"Congratulations!" Atom smiled.
"Aww, that's cute!" Emily smiled. ((Is it really Emi? Is it really? Lol jk but #atomphen tho ~Emily from the future way laterrrrrr))
"Can I see it?" Kaitlyn looked up at Claire.
"Sure!"
Kaitlyn stared in amazement at the ring.
"That's so pretty!" Atom walked up beside Kaitlyn and got a look..
Later on, Kaitlyn and Emily drove Atom home while Astro went to go visit a friend.
"Man, I can't wait for their wedding!" Kaitlyn said as they walked in the door.
"Me neither, Kait!" Atom exclaimed.
"I still don't get what Astro was saying earlier, what's changing your background mean?" Emily complained as she entered the house. ((Lol I know what it means, I'm just pretending to not know xD ~Emily)) ((lol and as it turns out, months after writing this chapter, I found out i was gay too lol what coincidence xDDD i feel ya atom ~Emily from future k bai))
"Should we tell her?" Atom whispered to Kaitlyn.
"She's gonna know eventually." Kaitlyn shrugged.
"Hmm.. okay" Atom walked away to the kitchen.
"Come on! Just tell me!" Emily whined.
"Uh... well you see.. um..." Atom blushed.
"A little help here?" Atom Asked Kaitlyn, smiling nervously.
Kaitlyn sighed.
"Well, Atom... uh.."
"Atom what?"
"I uh… well… hmmm…. I'm gaaaaaayyyyy?" Atom stared into the distance like they do on The Office™
"Please don't kill me….."
"Wait, that's it?"
"Yep, that's it."
"Pfft, wow, Astro made it sound so dramatic..."
"But ya gotta keep it under wraps, got it?" Atom sat on a stool.
"Haha, me and Kait are MASTERS at keeping secrets, right Kait?" Emily turned around to look at Kaitlyn.
She nodded.
"This suddenly became awkward.." Atom gazed around the ceiling.
"It doesn't have to be awkward." Kaitlyn grinned.
"It doesn't?"
"Pft. Naw."
Elefun opened the door.
"Professor!" Atom greeted him from the kitchen.
"Ahhhh, so nice to see you guys again" Elefun smiled.
"Hi Doc!" Kaitlyn waved to him.
"Hi Kaitlyn..." Elefun nodded his head.
"Hello." Emily smiled.
"Hey guys… should we tell him?" Kaitlyn looked at Atom and Emily.
"He already knows..." Atom said to Kaitlyn.
"No. I mean about… T and C…." She whispered.
"Ooh.. nope, he looks like he's in a good mood, I wouldn't ruin it..."
"But this is good news, isn't it?" Emily said.
"Not for him..."
Atom got up from the stool.
"I think I'm just gonna go take a shower, I'll be back." Atom walked to his room to get his pajamas and slowly made it to the bathroom upstairs.
"So then what are we gonna do?" Emily whispered.
"Do about what?" Elefun asked.
"Sup Fart nuggets!" Astro greeted when he entered the house.
"Astro!" Elefun greeted.
"Oh, i'm not staying, I just need to grab something…" Astro walked upstairs to his room.
Astro came back a few minutes later.
"Well I'm off again, see ya fartzos later!" Astro winked and stiffly waved his hand at the girls and the professor.
"See you at dinner!" Elefun called.
"Yeah, yeah.. sure.." Astro rolled his eyes and walked out the door.
"I tell you, that kid has some sass!" Elefun put his hand on his hips.
"Tell me about it.." Kaitlyn mimicked Dr. Elefun's pose.
Atom came back from the bathroom a minute later, he slowly walked downstairs and headed to the kitchen.
"Ah you're back!" Kaitlyn smiled.
"Hehe.. I don't take that long.." Atom blushed and rubbed the back of his head.
"Well, we better get going, it's getting close to dinner and i'm sure my mom's gonna kill me for staying out so late…" Emily said.
"Why don't you guys stay for dinner, I was gonna help the professor make something special…." Atom shifted his weight and moved side to side.
"Oh, I'm not sure my mom will let me, I can try and ask.." Emily shrugged.
"You don't have to…"
"No, no it's okay, I'll just go and ask… i'll be back.." Emily left the house to go call her mom.
"She didn't have to…" Atom sighed.
"What do you mean?" Kaitlyn asked.
"Well lately, i've felt like all I'm doing is pushing and forcing people to do things, but I'm not! I'm just giving out advice and help, i'm not pushy like Astro…" Atom looked down with an embarrassed expression.
"No you're not, you've never been pushy."
Atom sighed.
"I'm going to my room… I'll help with dinner later.." Atom walked away to his room.
Emily came back inside.
"She said yes, but we can't stay too long because I have to go to bed and stuff.." Emily said as she walked into the house.
"Where's Atom?" Emily asked.
"He went to his room.." Kaitlyn responded.
"Should I go talk to him?"
"Just wait it out and see…. then go talk to him" Dr. Elefun said to Emily as he opened the fridge.
Kaitlyn and Emily waited at the couch.
"Wanna watch TV?" Emily suggested.
"Eh, I guess…" Kaitlyn shrugged.
Atom came out of his room.
"Ready to make dinner, professor?" Atom asked excitedly.
"Sure, why don't you go get me the milk from the fridge."
"Okie Dokie!" Atom walked over to the fridge and looked for the milk.
"You know, I think that Atom seems a lot more social now, don't you think?" Emily leaned back and turned to Kaitlyn.
"Maybe." She shrugged.
"Well he doesn't seem very shy like before..."
"Maybe he feels a little more secure now."
"Hmmm... could be..."
"You sure you're ok? You're taking this pretty well..." She whispered.
"I'm just an open person, I don't like judging people..."
"I know that, It's just you seemed to really like him before. Like… like like him."
"Ehhh... I'm fine, I'll get over it..."
"Well if you say so. If you ever need someone to talk to, you know you got me, right?"
"Thanks." Emily smiled.
"Some things are hard to get over… I would know." Kaitlyn leaned back and looked at the TV.
"What else do we need?" Atom asked the professor.
"Hmmm... Get the butter and ranch, we'll need it for the mashed potatoes." Elefun replied to Atom.
"Ranch in mashed potatoes?" Kaitlyn looked surprised.
"Yeah, my mom uses it too, she says it makes it more creamy and tasty!" Emily exclaimed
"Huh. Well it doesn't hurt to try."
Atom laughed.
"So, you guys going anywhere tomorrow?" Atom asked the girls, handing Elefun the tub of butter.
"Well I hear it's supposed to be super nice out tomorrow. Maybe we can go chill at the park." Kaitlyn stretched.
"Oh I wish I could go, but I'm going to the arts and crafts store tomorrow with Astro.."
"Oh. Well. Maybe you could get me a new sketchbook while you're there."
"Haha... I'll see what I can find.."
"Thanks!"
"Oh, it's nothing..." Atom smiled
"Ok! Dinner's ready!" Dr. Elefun called from the kitchen.
"I'll go set the table!"
"I wanna help!" Kaitlyn jumped up from the couch and followed Atom.
"Sure! The tablecloth is in the cabinet next to the sink."
Soon everyone was sitting at the table with empty plates and bowls of food in front of them.
"Mmmmmm. Looks good!" Emily's mouth watered.
"You should go wash your hands first.." Atom said to Emily and Kaitlyn.
"Ah… uh… ok.." Emily got up.
"Pft. My hands are always pretty clean." Kaitlyn chuckled.
Atom glared at her.
"Hey. You'd think I'd know a thing or two about germs." She put her hands on her hips.
"Suit yourself." Atom shrugged.
Emily sat back down after washing her hands.
"I'm back!" Emily smiled.
"Ok. Dig in!" Dr. Elefun started to take some food and put it on his plate.
A few minutes later, Astro stormed in.
"Aw shoot, did i miss dinner?" Astro asked
"No. We just started." Atom looked at him.
"Oh good, now I can go back, see ya peeps later!" Astro left the house again.
"Ahhh. Ok?" Kaitlyn picked up some broccoli with her fork.
"Don't worry, he's just being a jerk face like that.." Atom folded his arms.
Kaitlyn looked down at her plate and started moving around the mashed potatoes with the fork.
"What's wrong? You seem bored?" Atom took a sip of his drink
"Oh… ah… No. I was just thinking..." She took a bite of the broccoli.
"Thinking about what?"
"Nothing important… Just being back in Florida makes me think of something."
"Hmmm... Okay, suit yourself."
Later, Atom helped clean the dishes while Emily and Kaitlyn prepared to leave.
"I wish you guys didn't have to go. We had so much fun today!" Atom said as Kaitlyn opened the front door.
"I know, but we can come back tomorrow if you'd like?" Emily said to Atom.
"That sounds good. I probably won't be back until 3 though..."
"Oh. That's ok. We can find something else to do until then." Kaitlyn picked up her bag.
"See you guys tomorrow!" Atom waved goodbye to them.
"Bye!" Kaitlyn and Emily smiled as they walked out the door.
Kaitlyn started the car when they got in.
She started driving towards Emily's house.
"That was a really good meal, eh?" Emily burped a little.
Kaitlyn stared down at the steering wheel.
"Kate?"
Kaitlyn started to slowly swerve over.
Another car was heading right at them.
"AHH! KATE!" Emily screamed.
She looked up and swerved back over to the right side.
"Are you ok!?" Emily looked over at Kaitlyn.
They were both hyperventilating.
"Y...Yeah..." Kaitlyn clenched the steering wheel tightly.
"What's going on with you?"
"I… just zoned out a bit is all…."
"You've been doing this a lot recently… are you sick or something?"
"No… I've just had a lot on my mind lately…." Kaitlyn had a somber look on her face.
"What do you mean?" Emily sounded concerned.
"It's nothing... I'm fine..." Kaitlyn drove on.
"Hmm... Okay then... Whatever you say..." Emily leaned back in her seat.
Atom wiped his hands with a towel after finishing the dishes.
"All done professor!" Atom smiled.
Elefun smiled.
"Thank you very much, Atom." Elefun said to Atom.
"Your welcome!" Atom walked away to his room.
"You know, we should invite Atom over for a sleepover" Emily said as she opened the door to her house.
"Yeah, that would be cool!" Kaitlyn said excitedly though she still seemed pretty down.
Kaitlyn and Emily walked inside the house and up the stairs to Emily's room.
Atom sat down on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
The thought of Stephen crossed his mind.
He hadn't seen him for a while since he realized he was gay, not that it made a difference.
They were just friends, and nothing more.
But he wondered if there was more, if maybe Stephen felt the same way he felt.
Atom didn't think it'd be possible, the fact that he himself fell for the "fall for your bestie" cliché he saw countless times in many movies was bizarre enough in times like these.
But regardless of what he felt, he wondered how in the world could he deal with one-sided love.
He leaned his head on the backboard of his bed, letting out a small sigh.
A notification lit up on his P-Phone, Atom grabbed it and checked what it said.
NEW MESSAGE FROM: ASTRO
Atom read the message and sighed..
Astro was ditching him for Brianna, again.
Well, at least now he could go to the park with Emily and Kaitlyn.
But for some reason, Atom didn't feel upset at all, still thinking about Stephen.
Maybe that was why.
He couldn't seem to get any sleep, he tried everything from relaxing music to curling up into a ball and engulfing himself in his bedsheets...
But he still stayed wide awake, with the same person on his mind.
Atom couldn't resist it.
He sat up and looked at the ceiling, his hands sweaty, heart pounding.
He stayed up all night, letting his mind wander while his body stayed overwhelmed with the idea of potentially calling Stephen his.
The next morning, Emily and Kaitlyn visited Astro's house to go pick up Atom to take him to the park.
Emily knocked on the door.
Atom sluggishly got up from his bed and walked out of his room to the door.
"I got it!" Atom called with a drowsy voice.
Atom tried to get a grip on the door, it took him a while, but he finally opened the door for them
"H-hey guys!" Atom yawned.
"What happened? You look tired." Kaitlyn asked Atom.
"N- nothing, I just couldn't get any sleep because I was thinking about S-"
Atom closed his eyes and snored.
Emily and Kaitlyn walked him inside to his room.
"We can come get him later. Let's just let him sleep." Kaitlyn said as she put the bed sheet over Atom.
"S- St-" Atom stuttered.
"Who is he talking about?" Emily asked.
"I dunno" Kaitlyn shrugged.
Kaitlyn and Emily left Atom's room, Astro came downstairs.
"Well, see ya fart nuggets later, I have an adventure with Miss Cookies 'n Cream herself!" Astro exclaimed.
"You're forgetting your breakfast..." Elefun said to Astro.
"And you're forgetting you're a dipshit!" Astro groaned and walked to the kitchen.
"Can you believe tomorrow is Thanksgiving?!" Emily sounded surprised.
"Haha, we don't Celebrate Thanksgiving, i
mean we DO we just don't do anything that day" Astro laughed.
"What!? What do you MEAN you don't do anything, you're kidding, right?" Emily sounded stunned.
"No, we didn't do anything last year..."
"You make me sick!" Emily stuck out her tongue.
"I don't really celebrate it either..." Kaitlyn walked past Emily.
"WHAT!? Okay, you people are driving me nuts, I think I need to sit down.." Emily placed her hand on her forehead and eased herself onto the couch.
"Well, I have an actual reason… I bet Astro just didn't feel like doing anything."
"Nah- ah! I DO feel like doing something, but old man Grandpa Sanders over there was all like 'I ain't got no time or no money to make a feast, we can just order take out from KCF, besides, that way I won't have to clean yo filthy mess!'" Astro snapped his fingers, pretending to be ghetto.
Kaitlyn rolled her eyes and slumped down on the couch.
"Hey i'm being honest here, now.. if Uncle Grandpa has an idea from his magic invisible hat, then maybe we can celebrate like normal people!" Astro folded his arms and looked at Dr. Elefun.
"I don't really care anyway..."
"You guys are poop faces, I LOVE Thanksgiving, my mom put my stepdad to work to watch my little half brother while me and my mom make food in the kitchen that's so good, it'll make your Grandma's recipes cry tears of gold!" Emily folded her arms.
Kaitlyn's stomach grumbled a bit.
Atom came out of his room and walked to the living room.
"Look who's awake!" Emily smiled at him.
"Oh hey guys..." Atom rubbed his eye.
"Well I gotta go meet up with Brianna, see ya fart nugget bitches later!" Astro walked out of the house.
"Ahh, I couldn't sleep at all last night, I'm so tired.." Atom yawned.
"What happen?" Emily asked.
"Uh... nothing! I- I was just uh.." Atom blushed.
"Well, are we going to go to the park now?" Emily asked Atom and Kaitlyn.
"Yeah, we can go, let me go change." Atom rubbed his eye and walked to his room.
Kaitlyn leaned over the arm of the couch. She rested her head on her hand and looked down at her lap.
"I wonder what's got him so red?" Emily put her hands behind her head and leaned back on the couch.
"Meh." Kaitlyn sighed.
"What's wrong?" Emily turned to Kaitlyn.
"Oh. Uh. Nothing…." She looked up at Emily and smiled softly.
"You've been saying that a lot, are you sure you're OK?"
"Yeah!" She looked over at the wall in front of her
"Okay..." Emily shrugged.
Atom came back from his room.
"Please don't question what I'm wearing..." Atom sighed.
"Aw, I think you look adorable in a hoodie!" Emily said in awe.
"No, I look like a homeless person... and the rest of what's in my closet is even more atrocious..."
"No, I think you look fine!" Kaitlyn smiled.
"Ehhh, whatever you say Ste- I mean, Kaitlyn!"
"What was that?" Emily asked.
"Nothing! Let's just go..." Atom blushed.
"No, you meant to say something else, who is it?" Emily looked straight at Atom.
Atom sighed "Fine... i'll tell you in the car..."
He waved goodbye to Elefun and walked with the girls to the car.
"You guys wanna walk instead?" Kaitlyn stood next to her car.
"But that's gonna be a while, considering the park is in downtown..." Emily replied.
"Fine..." Kaitlyn got in the car and started it up.
Emily sat up front as usual, Atom took the back seat and rested his head on the window.
"So about this 'person'?" Kaitlyn looked back to back up out of the driveway.
"Uh..." Atom blushed.
"Come on, you can tell us.." Emily fumbled with the radio, trying to find the right station.
"Well.. uh... t- there's this per- person, that I uh..." Atom couldn't seem to fix himself a well spoken sentence, words just kept spilling from his mouth like a waterfall.
"Calm down Atom. You don't have to tell us." Kaitlyn looked at him through the rear view mirror.
Atom sighed.
"Okay, I'll tell you..." Atom sat up.
"I have a friend named Stephen.."
"Uh huh..." Kaitlyn drove on.
"And we're kinda close, you know, typical friendship, the whole nine yards..."
"But now for some reason..."
Atom paused.
"I- I think I like him..."
Kaitlyn almost halted the car to a stop. The wheels screeched, but she kept driving.
"Did I say too much?" Atom sounded embarrassed.
"No. No. It's just…. uh..."
Kaitlyn tried to get the thought out of her head.
It was back in spring. The air was clear and fresh.
Kaitlyn was leaning back on the couch in Astro's living room. Her and Emily were visiting for the day.
"You ok, Blondie?" Astro asked Kaitlyn, who was looking up at the ceiling and smiling.
"Oh… y-yeah..." She blushed, sitting up in the couch.
"You sure? You look kinda sick." He tilted his head.
"Ah… well…. you know that friend of yours?"
"Which one?"
"Reno?"
"Yeah. What about him?"
"I… uh… I think I like him…."
"Hahaha, you're kidding, right?" Astro laughed.
"N-no…." Kaitlyn bit her lip.
"Oh." Astro's face went from happy to neutral.
"Is something wrong?" Kaitlyn asked Astro, taking note of the sudden facial expression change Astro had done.
"No, it just seemed unlikely that you would fall for him, you two have nothing in common..."
"Opposites attract, right?" She smiled nervously.
"I hope not... because I don't wanna marry The Grinch.."
Kaitlyn clenched tightly to the steering wheel. Her arms were stiff.
"But I'm not sure what to do.." Atom shrugged.
There was a loud pounding in her ears.
"Ah… I wish I could help.. but I don't know much about this kind of stuff." Kaitlyn's voice seemed to shiver.
They arrived at the park. Kaitlyn stopped the car in a parking spot near the gates.
"Yay, we're here!" Emily got out of the car first.
They walked through the big gates.
"Ahh... she's here!" A mysterious voice said from a distant.
"What was that?" Kaitlyn looked around.
"I gotta go!" The voice seemed like it was in a hurry.
"Sounds kinda familiar… what ever..." Kaitlyn shrugged.
"Phew! She didn't notice me.." the voice relaxed and changed their position.
Kaitlyn heard the voice and she turned around.
"If you're a stalker, I'll just let you know that I can take you down in an instant! Don't even try messing with me!" She bellowed out.
The voice covered their mouth to stop words from coming out.
"Who are you yelling at?" Atom walked up behind Kaitlyn.
"Oh... uh... It felt like someone was following me or something." She said to Atom.
They continued walking.
The voice crawled out from behind the bush and tiptoed over to an unseen area.
"She'll never find me here" the voice whispered.
"Hey guys! Look who's here!" Emily called out to Atom and Kaitlyn.
She was pointing at a tall figure in the distance.
"Dr. Claire!" Atom jumped up in excitement.
Dr. Claire turned around and noticed the three standing near a bench.
"Hello, guys!" She waved as she walked up to them.
"Hey Doc." Kaitlyn smiled.
"What'er you doing here?" Emily asked her.
"Oh. I was just taking a walk since Bill is a little busy with one of his 'inventions'."
"And I'm guessing you three are just walking too, right?"
"Yup." Atom nodded.
"AHHHH!" There was a loud yell from the distant.
"Huh?" They all looked over towards the sound.
The voice had come out of the unseen area and was running away from a stray dog.
"Hey is that..." Emily squinted.
"Oh no..." Kaitlyn whispered.
"Let's go walk over here..." She pushed everyone towards a path that went a little out of the way of the normal ones.
"GET AWAY FROM ME?!" The voice begged, yelling.
"GET OUT!"
Kaitlyn bit her lip as his voice rang through her head.
"Why now?" She said to herself.
"Who was that?" Emily asked Kaitlyn as they all started walking again.
"He looked a lot like… um…."
She could tell Kaitlyn saw him. She was walking with her head down, kicking rocks into the grass.
"Someone you know?" Atom finished her sentence.
"I don't think I know him." Dr. Claire looked back.
"You wouldn't..." Kaitlyn said.
"I wish I didn't have to." She almost sounded angry.
Atom felt like this walk was uneasy, like there was an unbalance of energy in the air around him.
He didn't like this.
"Are you ok?" Dr. Claire put her hand on Kaitlyn's shoulder.
"Oh… yeah..." Kaitlyn snapped her head up and grinned
"Uh... guys, I think I'm gonna go get some water, I'll catch up with you later..." Atom walked away from them.
"Oh! Wait! I wanted to ask you guys something!" Dr. Claire called out to him.
Atom turned around.
"Bill told me yesterday that you wanted to go to lunch… or something like that. Well, we already had plans for lunch. But I wanna make it up to you guys and go today since my schedule is open." She smiled.
"Sure, I guess.." Atom shrugged and walked away.
"Sounds good to me! We can wait until he catches back up with us to go." Emily walked next to Claire.
Atom headed over to the water fountain, finally everything felt at ease.
As he kept walking and making his way through crowds of kids, he finally made it to the water fountain.
Atom caught up with the group after taking a while getting back.
"Hey, there's Atom!" Emily exclaimed.
"Haha yeah, it's me, ha…"
"So you guys wanna get going now?" Dr. Claire looked at Kaitlyn and Atom.
"Sure!" Atom smiled.
"Doesn't the driver have the say?..." Kaitlyn looked serious.
Everyone looked at her, almost scared.
"I'm joking! Let's go!" She smiled.
"Oh okay.." Atom sounded relieved.
"And we're gonna be there soon!" Kaitlyn pointed in front of them. The path went in a circle around the park and they ended back at the gates.
"So, where to?" Emily asked Dr. Claire from the front seat.
"I don't know..."
"How about a diner?" Kaitlyn suggested.
"I dunno... I'm not sure about what's around here?" Atom shrugged.
Kaitlyn looked at Emily.
"Know any?"
"Nope, maybe Astro does, he comes here with Brianna a lot.."
"Hmm… Oh! Actually I know one! Me and my folks went there once!" Kaitlyn started up the car.
"It's not too far from here."
Emily fumbled with the radio again.
Atom still looked out the window.
Dr. Claire tried to get a glimpse of Kaitlyn through the rear view mirror. She could tell from her eyes that something was wrong. She knew that feeling.
"Ah I give up! There's nothing good on the radio!" Emily turned the radio off and leaned back in her seat.
"We're almost there anyway." Kaitlyn turned a corner.
A small diner poofed out of nowhere. It was surrounded by parking spaces.
"I never noticed this place before..." Emily looked around.
"Well, it's a little out of the way. Almost like a hidden treasure. It's really nice there, trust me."
They all walked into the small lobby and into the restaurant.
"Wow, this place looks retro!" Atom gazed around the area.
"Yeah. I always like these kinds of places."
A hostess walked up to them.
"Welcome. How many?"
"Four." Kaitlyn smiled.
The woman grabbed four menus and sat them at a booth.
Atom got a call from Astro from his P- phone, he answered it. ((Don't you just love parodies xD ~Emily))
"Yes?" Atom answered.
"Where are you? We're suppose to go to the arts and crafts store?!" Astro sounded annoyed.
"But you said we were gonna go another day?" Atom replied.
"No, I said we were gonna go when I got back!"
"S- sorry..." Atom sounded ashamed.
"Where are you?"
"Eating out for lunch."
Atom heard Astro sigh.
"Fine... we can go another day."
Astro hung up the phone.
Atom felt terrible.
He didn't mean to upset him.
But it was just a misunderstanding...
Atom sighed.
"You ok?" Emily asked him.
"Yeah... I'm fine..." Atom's voice sounded upset.
"No you're not…."
"I'm okay..." Atom put his head down.
"I'm sure Astro will forgive you." She smiled.
"He is your twin. You guys are brothers. That's a bond that can never be broken."
"I guess you have a point..."
Atom lifted his head up and looked at the menu.
A waitress came up to the table.
"Hello. I will be waiting on you today, Would you like anything to drink?" She smiled.
"May I have water, please?" Emily looked up at her.
"I'll take a water, too." Dr. Claire said.
"Umm… I'll take a Cola." Atom was skimming through the menu.
"And you, hun?" The waitress looked at Kaitlyn.
She seems to be zoned out again and was staring at the menu in front of her.
"Kate?" Emily tried to get her attention.
"Yes? Oh. Um... I'll have a diet Cola." Kaitlyn glanced up.
"Are you sure you're fine?" Dr. Claire asked Kaitlyn as the waitress walked away.
"Yeah..." Kaitlyn rested her head on her hand and tried to smile.
"Kaitlyn, I've never been more serious in my whole life as a twin, some things wrong and you gotta tell us, hiding it isn't gonna make you feel better, just look at Astro and see where that's led him..." Atom stared at Kaitlyn with a serious face.
"No. I'm fine…"
"Kaitlyn, something's up!"
"Kaitlyn, look at me." Dr. Claire said sternly.
Kaitlyn looked up at her.
"Those eyes… they just seem so hurt." Claire thought.
"I don't wanna hurt or force you into anything... so if you chose not to tell me, I won't force you..." Atom folded his arms.
Kaitlyn took in a deep breath as her face turned to a sad expression.
"Ok… Fine… I'll tell you… I'm getting sick of holding it in." She looked away.
"It's just..."
"Everything that's been happening these past months… and I don't know… things have come up. And I can't help but remember things. About my life and how depressing it is..."
Atom sighed.
Sometimes he felt the same way.
But not always…
"Just too many things have been happening lately… When I got back to Pennsylvania, I learned that one of my classmates committed suicide. Then I feel like my friends don't care that I exist. And… I get ignored by everyone as usual. I try to change things but I can't.. I just can't….
"And now that I'm back here… I can't help but think about… him… and what he did… and… and... how he crushed my heart and my soul…."
"Who's him, if you don't mind me asking?" Atom asked.
"R-... R-…." She started to cry.
"Ahh.. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry..." Atom walked up to Kaitlyn and gave her a hug.
"I… I think I'm gonna be-" She held her hand over her mouth.
"Let's go to the bathroom. Kaitlyn." Dr. Claire got up and walked her to the ladies' room.
"Do you need to go?" Claire asked Kaitlyn as she opened a bathroom stall.
"N-no… I… I'm good…." Kaitlyn stuttered.
Atom sat back down in his chair and put his head down.
"I- I think I've hurt enough people today..." Atom sniffed.
"You didn't hurt anybody..." Emily placed her hand on his arm.
"Yes I did..."
"No. You didn't. Kaitlyn has been acting weird for a while now, It was bound to happen. But it's not your fault."
Atom only responded with a sniffle.
"It's ok..." Dr. Claire walked up to Kaitlyn and put her arms around her.
"I… I thought I loved him... And that he loved me back… But I was wrong." She sobbed.
"I thought he would be my first and only…."
The waitress came back with everyone's drinks.
"Are we ready to order?" She asked.
"Uh... we need some time." Emily looked at the waitress as she rubbed the back of Atom's head.
"Sure! I'll be back later!" The waitress walked away.
"I know how you feel..." Dr. Claire slowly stroked Kaitlyn's hair.
"Y-you do?"
"I was dumped when I was your age too. He was my friend. My only friend. He always wanted me to go and do things with some of his other acquaintances, but I would refuse… I was so shy… But one day he took me out. Just me and him. I thought I was in love….. But unfortunately, he left me for another girl… I felt dead on the inside."
((OMG Kait, you do Dr. Claire so accurate! xD ~Emily))
((I never realized how much she is like me. It's easy to write about someone similar to yourself owo ~kate))
((lol then you must be a lot like me... ~Emily))
((hehe u ~kate))
"I-I'm so sorry..." Kaitlyn sniffled.
"Sometimes things just happen when you're in a relationship. But you just have to wait for the right one to come around." Dr. Claire held Kaitlyn's head in her hands and smiled.
((which ended up being me, thanks Claire! ~Emily from months after this chapter was published))
Kaitlyn smiled back as more tears ran down her face.
Emily came into the bathroom.
"Geez, water can really make ya gotta go!" Emily walked into a stall.
Kaitlyn giggled.
"Thanks, Dr. Claire." She looked at her.
"You can call me Cindy. You don't have to be so formal around me. We are friends, you know!"
They both laughed as they walked out of the bathroom.
"Yeah! Of course we are!" Emily called from the other stall.
"Wait? Guys? Hello? Did you leave?... ugh..." Emily sounded annoyed. ((XD ~kate))
Kaitlyn and Dr. Claire walked back to the table, Atom was still sitting with his head down.
"You ok, Atom?" Kaitlyn placed her hand on his shoulder.
Atom only responded with a sniffle.
"Hey look. It's all ok now..."
Atom looked up at Kaitlyn, his face was red and tears were streaming down his face.
"I- I'm sorry..." Atom looked down.
"What do you mean?" Kaitlyn kneeled down next to the seat and looked at him.
"I think I've hurt enough people today..."
"But you didn't hurt me… If anything I was hurting myself by not letting it out."
"So... you're okay?" Atom looked up again.
"Yeah… pretty much." She faintly smiled.
Atom smiled back.
"It's still in me. But it's ok. Cuz I'll forget about it like I always do." Kaitlyn sat down next to Atom, putting an arm around him.
Atom wiped the tears from his face, resting on her shoulder.
Emily walked out of the bathroom.
Kaitlyn, Atom, and Dr. Claire were talking and laughing about something.
"So what did I miss?" Emily chuckled.
"N-nothing." Kaitlyn tried not to laugh as Emily sat down.
A loud fart noise came from Emily's chair. ((*dies from laughter* ~Emily))
"Ah! That wasn't me! I swear!" Emily shook her hands.
Kaitlyn burst out in laughter.
"HAHA! You feel for it!" Atom bellowed.
"This wasn't funny guys!?" Emily folded her arms as she pulled a whoopie cushion out from under her.
"I don't know… That was PRETTY funny." Dr. Claire smiled.
"Meh." Emily sat back down.
The waitress came back and took their orders.
"I have something to ask you guys." Dr. Claire said.
"Ooh! What is it?" Atom sounded excited.
"Well. Bill and I thought it over… and… we'd like you guys and Astro to be part of the bridal party."
"Really?" Emily's jaw dropped.
"Wow! Thank you so much Dr. C-... I mean Cindy. Kinda feels weird calling you that." Kaitlyn blushed.
"I'm so used to just Bill calling me that too." Clai-… ah… Cindy chuckled. ((Even professional fangirls make mistakes! xD ~Emily))
"You're not being serious when you're including Astro, right? From a twins perspective.. that's a recipe for disaster!" Atom folded his arms.
"I'm serious. I believe he can grow up and change."
Atom gulped.
Later on, Kaitlyn, Emily and Atom got back home from the diner, Astro was sitting on the couch drinking an energy drink and watching anime on TV.
"Sup Fart nuggets!"Astro greeted, taking another gulp of his drink.
"What does that even mean?" Emily walked past Astro.
"If you're stupid it's a compliment, if you're smart… then you should know its an insult.." Astro smirked.
"Fart nuggets back at ya then." Kaitlyn said.
"Why thank you blondie, i'll never forget that…" Astro laughed, trying to annoy Kaitlyn.
"Whatever..."
"Hey, have you guys ever seen this anime before? It's SOO good!" Astro took a sip of his drink and exclaimed.
"What's it called?"
"One Pieces, DUH?!" Astro folded his arms.((ref to One Piece even tho I don't even watch anime ~Emily months after this fic was published))
"What? You're watching it without me?!" Atom sounded shocked
"Haha…." Astro laughed.
Astro stood up from the couch to throw away the can, he took another one out of the fridge.
Kaitlyn sat on the couch.
"Uh- Uh blondie, my couch, my seat." Astro walked up to Kaitlyn.
She looked up at him.
"Fine." She sighed.
Astro happily sat down on the couch and opened his energy drink.
"How many of those are you gonna drink?!" Emily's eyes widened.
"Hm…. I never thought of that.." Astro had a thinking look on his face.
Atom walked away to his room.
Dr. Elefun walked through the door.
"Ahhh!" Astro dropped his drink and turned off the TV.
"You're home early." Kaitlyn seemed surprised.
"Y- yeah, what's up with you?!" Astro began to panic
"Work was just getting too stressful." He hung his coat on the coat hanger and slumped down in the couch next to Astro.
"Ugh! I'm going to my room…" Astro groaned, grabbing his drink and walked upstairs to his room.
Emily walked away to Atom's room, Kaitlyn followed.
"Doc seems really tired and upset." Kaitlyn sat on Atom's bed
"Really?" Atom looked up at Kaitlyn, his cheeks were red again. ..
"What's wrong, your cheeks are red?" Emily asked Atom.
"AH!" Atom covered his cheeks.
"Anyways.. me and Kaitlyn wanna ask you something…" Emily turned to Kaitlyn.
"We do?"
"Yeah we do…. me and Kait feel terrible for not hanging out with you so much, so we wanna invite you to my house for a sleepover!" Emily smiled.
"Well... uh.. I don't know.. you see, uh…" Atom rubbed the back of his head.
"Oh come on! it'll be fun!" Emily shook Atom's shoulders.
"Okay… I guess I could go.."
"Yes!" Emily made a "yes" motion with her arm.
Finally after a while, Atom crept out of his room with a bag over his shoulder and a pillow in one of his hands. ((*Visually imagines this* *Fan girls over cuteness* *dies of cuteness overload* ~Emily))
"Aw, you look adorable!" Emily and Kaitlyn cooed.
Astro came downstairs.
"Where the hell are you guys goin?" Astro asked.
"For your information Mr. Kool-aids Donald Dock! WE are gonna have a sleepover at MY house, and YOU'RE not invited!" Emily folded her arms.
"Wait.. what?" Astro tilted his head.
"Yeah, you heard me… " Emily smiled.
"Well.. uh.. we gotta go now, see you tomorrow!" Kaitlyn turned Emily and Atom around and escorted them out of the house.
Kaitlyn pulled into Emily's driveway, the three of them got out of the car and walked into the house and upstairs to Emily's room after she opened the door.
Everyone put their stuff down, Emily jumped onto her bed, messing up the sheets.
"This is gonna be so fun!" Emily exclaimed.
"Yeah!" Atom said with wide eyes, he acted almost like he was a child.
Kaitlyn crawled onto the big full size bed ((which is kinda stupid since I have a small room, well it's not THAT small, it just looks small with all my furniture in it… ~Emily))
"So? what do you guys wanna do?" Emily laid back and rested her head on her pillow.
"Well we could-
"OOH! OOH! OOH! I have an IDEA!" Emily got excited.
"We could play matchmaker on everyone!" Emily threw her hands up in the air and smiled.
"What do you mean?" Atom sat by the foot of Emily's bed.
"Well, maybe we could plan dates for everyone, starting with you Atom!" Emily replied.
"Uh… maybe not…" Atom blushed.
"Oh come on Atom! Let's see…. who would you go out with?"
"Ahhhh…" Atom thought out loud.
"Oh yeah, that Steve guy, right?"
"It's Stephen, actually." Atom corrected Emily.
"Oh yeah, right, maybe we can set you guys up?"
"Hahaha, thanks… but I don't think he likes me…"
"Well of course he does! maybe he's like you and is just, ahhh… too shy to say it to your face!"
"Well you do make a reasonable point there…."
"Ya see Atom! Me and Kaitlyn can TOTALLY set you guys up, am I right senpai?"
"Well, ahh.." Kaitlyn stuttered.
"Oh don't mind her, she's just confused… now, what are some places you like to go to?" Emily asked.
"Hmmm…. I liked the park!" Atom exclaimed.
"Hmmm.. maybe we need to pick a better place, the park to me doesn't seem like the best place to plan a date..."
"Well what about the diner?"
"Ah.. the diner! whatcha' think Kait?" Emily looked at Kaitlyn.
"What?" Kaitlyn looked up.
"Ahhhhhh... never mind, that sounds like a great idea Atom, I'm sure me and Kaitlyn will get working on that soon..." Emily smiled.
"Uh... thanks?" Atom replied.
"No need to thank us, now since we have a place, we need to figure out a bunch of stuff like what day, what you're gonna wear, how your gonna ask him out, how much this should cost, who's gonna take you there, how long the date should be, how much we owe you if you don't get a second date out of him..."
"Emily?"
"Yeah?"
"I think you're worrying too much.."
"Well of course, this is gonna be your first date! why wouldn't I?"
"Well, ahhh..."
"Pfft.. you're just jelly YOU can't be as organized and thought out as I am.." Emily folded her arms.
Atom walked over to the desk next to Emily, he pulled out the office chair and sat in it.
"Nice laptop..." Atom looked at the thin laptop that was lying on top of the desk.
"Aww thanks, I don't like it.. but thanks anyway.."
"What do you mean?"
"Well... that laptop doesn't seem to like me so much, so I don't seem to like it at all.."
"Haha... I feel the same about my TV..." Atom laughed.
Early in the morning, Kaitlyn was the first to get up, Emily was gone and Atom was curled up into a ball at the end of the bed.
"Where did Emily go?" Kaitlyn thought.
Kaitlyn slowly walked down the stairs, adjusting her glasses.
Emily wasn't downstairs.
"Emi?" Kaitlyn looked around.
She opened the front door.
Emily was sitting outside with her head down into her knees.
"You ok, kid?" Kaitlyn sat down next to her.
"y- yeah, I- i'm okay.."
"Hey! I'm the one that's supposed to be depressed. What's wrong?"
"I'm just tired of everyone and their high expectations for me.. that's all.." ((*fails at giving myself feels* ~Emily))
"I know how you feel." Kaitlyn leaned back against the wall.
"But i'm okay, I'm just rethinking life, that's all.."
"And you know, everyone out there that's achieving more stuff than I am, being better than me, always doing things so perfect with little ease… not to mention all the smart kids in my math class and all the artist in my yearbook that draw so good, it makes my art run away and become hobos on the street, and the people who look pretty and have more friends, and the friends i ONCE had, but they deserted me and went with someone else, and my mother who think's i'm like some wizkid and puts me under the most pressure, and now I gotta deal with someone I used to like, who doesn't like me back, and it's so jumbled up in my head, ooohhh…, oh no…. It's just too much!"
Kaitlyn had tears in her eyes.
"You're more like me than I thought…."
She leaned over and put her arms around Emily.
"I just wish… I could be like them, the kids that are just, cool.. the smart ones who excel in math, the artist with great talent like you, Kaitlyn… but i'll never be like them, i'll just be dumb Emily, that no one knows about, because that's just who she is?!"
"I may be smart and all and I may be good at art. But what's the point if no one notices… I've always tried to get noticed. My whole life.. I've worked towards being seen by someone. I've wasted my time doing that. But I've been too shy.. too insecure to make friends… and just… it's too much to think about... I can't even count the number of times I've cried myself to sleep over this kind of stuff…." Kaitlyn sat back up and wiped some tears off her face.
"I just want people to see I'm not some Barbie doll, I'm just a regular person you can't pick on because they don't speak, and get right up in their face and talk to…. I'm not some person that you can just ditch for no reason…."
"I just want them to see, that's not who I am…" Emily sighed.
Kaitlyn had her head resting on her knees. She was staring out into space again and crying.
"But i'm done with this, I stopped caring a LONG time ago.. so you know what, the world can kiss my tushie and eat my dust for days… I've tried.. but I see trying just isn't working, so i'm done… i'm over with it!" Emily's voice began to get angrier.
"You're not saying what I think you're saying?" Kaitlyn began to shiver.
"No, i'm just done trying… i think i'm just gonna live life like a normal person and just stop trying to get noticed…"
"S-so many times.. I've told people it get's better. to just hold on. That things will change… but really. It's all about… you... not the world. You need to change your viewpoint."
Emily remembered what Atom was talking about last how he realized the same thing.
"Like Atom did." Emily said to Kaitlyn.
"I wouldn't really say that…." Kaitlyn rubbed the back of her head.
The door opened and Atom came outside.
"You guys okay, you look upset?" Atom asked.
"Not really….." Kaitlyn tried not to look at him with the tears streaming down her cheeks.
Atom didn't even bother asking them what's wrong, he just sat next to them and tried his best to comfort them.
"Don't do what I did and waste your time trying to be someone you're not… Don't try to get others approvals... You'll get them if you wait." Kaitlyn said to the two of them.
Emily and Atom smiled.
"I think I feel better now… let's go inside, i'm sure there's breakfast in the kitchen!" Emily stood up.
"You guys can go… I'm just gonna sit out here for a few more minutes..." Kaitlyn leaned back against the wall.
"Um.. okay, let us know if you need anything..."
Atom and Emily walked inside.
"Any ideas for breakfast?" Emily asked Atom.
"Hmm… not sure…" Atom wondered.
"Ehh.. I'm not hungry, we got to get going soon though, we gotta help plan your date and take you home!" Emily ran upstairs to her room to get ready, Atom slipped away to the bathroom.
"Can't I ever go a day without feeling like this?" Kaitlyn sniffled.
"Well I could when….. No, I promised myself not to think about that ever again..."
Atom walked back outside again, he sat next to Kaitlyn and took in the beautiful sunrise that was taking place at this very moment.
"Don't you just love watching the sun rise? I think it's quite beautiful!" Atom smiled and leaned back against the wall.
"Yeah..."
Atom giggled.
"It's so strange how a robot like me, seems so much like a human, but yet.. humans seem nothing like robots, It's hard for me to fully understand…"
"Humans already have a hard time understanding each other… It's not surprising that a robot wouldn't understand them."
"But it's more than that…. it's… I can't seem to find a word.."
"I think I'm gonna go inside now..." Kaitlyn slowly stood up and opened the door.
"Oh, Emily says to get ready because we have places to go.." Atom said to Kaitlyn.
Kaitlyn sighed.
"Fine…."
She walked through the open door.
"It's just so… ahh.. still don't have the word.." Atom thought to himself.
"It's peculiar..." Kaitlyn said to herself.
Emily walked downstairs.
"Oh Kait, your back! Want anything to eat?" Emily offered.
"No, i'm good."
Atom stormed in.
"I think I got the word! it's um… ahh.. gosh darnit, I had it a second ago!" Atom argued with himself aloud.
"What word?" Emily asked.
"Oh, nothing. It doesn't matter." He blushed when he realized Emily was there.
"okay people, lets hit the road!" Emily pointed upward, signaling everyone to get ready and leave
Kaitlyn's shoes plopped slowly on the stairs one by one.
"Ahh.. be gentle, don't wanna wake up the little devil!" Emily whispered.
"I'm trying to be quiet..." She made it off the last step. .
Atom opened the door to the bathroom and stepped out.
"Aw, that looks adorable, it really looks great on you!" Emily complimented.
" That's what you said, yesterday." Atom gave Emily a sarcastic face.
"Pfftt... wha... I think this looks cute, at least I'd wear it if I could!" Emily folded her arms.
"Let's just go, we can talk about my sweater later..." Atom escorted the girls outside.
"So where are we going?" He asked as he slipped into the back seat.
"Ahh.. well let's ask the driver.. driver, where are we going?"
"I don't know…. I'm not in the mood to go anywhere, honestly..." Kaitlyn said, her voice deeper and softer than usual.
"Oh come on! Fine then... then we'll just drop Atom off at home!" Emily huffed and folded her arms.
"Sure… whatever..." Kaitlyn started up the car.
"BUT WAIT!? T-the, d- date! We gotta plan Atom's Date!" Emily started to freak out and lose her mind.
"Calm down!" Kaitlyn snapped.
"I know but, we.. I mean I promised him that, and Emi- Chan doesn't break a promise!"
Kaitlyn sighed.
"Are you guys okay, you seem to be fidgeting about something?" Atom asked from the backseat.
"Look, Emily. Atom has a right to do this on his own. You don't need to help him."
"Fine! Then let's just drop him off at home and I go do something by myself, because CLEARLY, I can't be the nice one in this world and help a friend out!?"
"It's not like that!" Kaitlyn raised her voice.
"Then what is it?"
Atom began to worry.
"I-I don't know! OK?!"
"Then good! Now just drive so I can go back home again and figure out something NICE to do today!"
"You're already home! You don't have to come with me everywhere!"
"Fine!" Emily got out of the car and stormed back into the house.
Kaitlyn hit her fist on the steering wheel.
"I- I'm scared..." Atom whined.
"I-It's ok… Atom….." She started crying.
Atom covered his face with his knees.
"I'm sorry you had to see that….." Kaitlyn wiped her face with her sleeve.
"I- it's okay... I'm okay..."
"I haven't felt myself lately…. I really didn't mean to yell at her... And she probably thinks I hate her now..."
"No she doesn't and even if she does, I'm sure she will forgive you.." Atom looked up again.
"Why?... Why do I keep messing up?"
Atom didn't respond.
"L-let's go now..."
"Are. You sure you're okay? I don't want us to get hurt.."
"I'm fine." Kaitlyn pulled out of the driveway.
Atom leaned his head against the window as Kaitlyn drove.
"Wake up, Atom."
Kaitlyn shook him from the front seat.
"Huh? What happen?" Atom said with a tired voice.
"We're at your house. You can get out now..."
"Oh. Okay." Atom got out of the car and grabbed his stuff, heading to the front door.
"Do you wanna come in, Kate?" He called out to her.
"I guess... " She took the keys out of the ignition and locked the door behind her.
"Ah! T- the door!" Atom and Kaitlyn heard a voice from inside.
"Well answer it, Astro!"
"Naw you go..."
"N-no, YOU go..."
"But I c- can't-"
"Fine, I'll get it!"
"Mmm... thanks."
Brianna opened the front door.
"Oh wait! No, don't open it, I ah..." Astro struggled to get off the couch.
"Quite a skimpy outfit." Kaitlyn said to Brianna.
"Ahh... I have my reasons..." Brianna blushed.
Astro finally made it to the door, half of his jacket hanging like an off-shoulder.
"i'm not even going to ask..." Kaitlyn walked past Brianna and Astro.
"Where's Emi?" Astro asked.
"At her house..." Kaitlyn stopped in the middle of the living room.
"Cool." Astro let Brianna catch up with him so they could both hold hands.
Atom slowly walked into the house.
He walked past Kaitlyn.
She walked behind him and walked into a hallway, to his room on the far left corner.
"I'm sorry if I ruined this morning for you..." Kaitlyn stepped into his room.
"No its okay.. its just, life happening..." Atom shrugged.
"Yeah…. sure..." She looked down as she sat on Atom's bed.
Atom put his stuff away and took out his scrapbooking box.
He sat next to Kaitlyn on his bed.
"Care to learn a little scrapbooking?" Atom beamed.
"Not really at the moment…."
"Okay.." Atom organized everything so he could begin.
Astro stormed in.
"Ahhh.. you guys gotta help me, Brianna is a maniac - well I am too, but that doesn't matter, anyways, she's gonna get me and engulf me in-" Astro was panicking.
"What?" Atom tilted his head.
"Pookie face, where did ya go?" Brianna called.
"Please help me, I'm too young to make out with her!?" Astro pleaded.
"Too late, you've already done it." Kaitlyn said.
"I know... but... this is serious now, we can't make this a normal thing!?"
Brianna crept up behind Astro.
"Oh gawd." Astro mumbled.
"Brianna, are you really trying out with Astro?" Atom asked.
"Pfft... what? He's too badass for that..." Brianna folded her arms.
"Aww thanks..." Astro turned around.
"Don't mention it, pooks!" Brianna turned around and slapped his ass before walking away with confidence.
Astro closed the door with a red face.
"Hahaha, do you think they bought it?" The two of them laughed.
"Hahaha, yeah!"
Atom continued cutting and sticking stuff onto the scrapbooking paper, he kept humming a random tune.
Kaitlyn looked over at the scrapbook in his lap, Atom kept working and didn't pay much attention to her.
Atom switched the tune and hummed something else.
Kaitlyn sniffled and rested her head on Atom's shoulder.
Atom looked over to see Kaitlyn resting her head in his shoulder, he smiled and laughed softly. ((This is the cutest thing like i am the #1 platonic Kaitom shipper and u can't stop me~Emily from l8ter))
"What's in this scrapbook?" She asked.
"Oh! This one? These are just random pages, not really a specific topic of some sort..." Atom replied.
He flipped a page over. There was a picture of Kaitlyn, Emily, and him.
"I don't remember you taking this…."
"Because I never did... Astro gave me this drawing and I didn't know what to do with it, so I put it in the scrapbook..."
"Oh…."
"Yeah, I almost thought it was a picture myself... but no, it's just a drawing..."
"His proportions are a tad off, though..." Kaitlyn lightly giggled.
"...Yeah I can kinda see it the more I look." Atom looked over at her and smiled gently.
He put down the scrapbook, moving it away from Kaitlyn and put his head down on the bed.
"D-do you think I should call her?"
"If-If you want to."
Kaitlyn started to whimper like she was crying again.
"N-n-no- i-I'm sorry…." Atom waved his hands, trying to calm her down.
"You don't have to get upset over me, Atom..." Kaitlyn stuttered..
"B- but... I-I didn't mean to..." Atom replied.
"That's not what's bothering me… I just… don't know what to do…." She sat up.
Atom got up from his bed and tried to walk to Kaitlyn, but he almost tripped, Kaitlyn caught him.
"You ok?"
"Y- yeah.. I'm okay!"
"Please don't cry….." She put her hands on his shoulders.
"I- I can't help it..." Atom cried.
"I… I'm done just sitting around waiting for something to change and get better…. I'm gonna call Emily."
Atom sniffled.
Kaitlyn walked out of the room and upstairs to the bathroom.
She dialed a number on her P-phone.
"Kaitlyn?" Emily answered.
"I.. I'm sorry, Emi.."
Emily gasped.
"It's okay.. I've cooled off now... but I still don't wanna do anything anymore... i just... I thought... never mind..."
"And your right Kait, I shouldn't be helping people, I should just worry about myself and go on... so I am..."
"No, Emily. I was wrong."
"No no no... you're right... I was wrong, and i'm sorry for picking a fight with you when I was wrong all along..."
"And I'm sorry for annoying you with a stupid idea that's never gonna happen... I'm just gonna stay home today..." Emily sighed.
"B-but…."
"You can go wherever, I don't care..." Emily sounded like she had giving up.
"That's not really the point…."
"Ahh.. I gotta go..." Emily hung up the phone.
Atom was sitting on his bed and watching TV, he was still crying but seemed to settle down as he watched what was on the television.
Kaitlyn walked in.
"I'm just… done…." She sat on the floor next to the bed.
"W- what happen?" Atom looked down at Kaitlyn and asked.
"I give up…." She leaned her head back.
"I'd give up too, but I have nothing to give..." Atom sniffed.
"I think I gave her the wrong message. I was just getting fed up with everything and I lashed out at her for no good reason…."
Atom rubbed his eye as more tears poured out.
"I just wanna go back. Before all of this.. Before I ever dated….. him… before he ruined my life."
"I- I'm afraid I- I can't h-help you K-kait..." Atom shuttered and covered his face with his hands.
"It's ok, Atom. I'm not asking anything of you." Kaitlyn got up and sat next to him.
"I know.." Atom tried to say.
"If you're ever in a relationship, don't be oblivious like I was…. If there's a problem you see starting, fix it as soon as possible. Anyway you can."
Atom tried to smile and nod his head.
"I should get going now..." Kaitlyn grinned and stood up.
"S-see you..." Atom sniffed and waved goodbye.
"Stay strong, buddy." She glanced back at him as she walked out to the hallway.
Atom turned over to his side and took a nap, Kaitlyn said her quick goodbyes and left the house.
Emily sat in her room typing on her laptop, she heard someone walk into the townhouse..
Emily wanted nothing to do with the person who walked in, regardless who they were.
Kaitlyn made her way upstairs into Emily's room, Emily ignored her and continued to type.
After a few minutes of words spoken with no response, Emily got up from her office chair and turned to Kaitlyn.
"So? you're really sorry?" Emily sounded surprised.
"I am..." Kaitlyn shifted from foot to foot.
Emily sighed.
"I forgive you..." Emily muttered.
"Do you still wanna help me, or are you gonna yell at me again for being nice?" Emily folded her arms.
"I'll help..."
"Great!" Emily squealed.
"But it's almost lunch time and i'm sure my mom's gonna start cooking the feast, so we should wait a while..." Emily sat back down in her office chair and continued typing.
An hour later, Astro opened his front door to see Kaitlyn and Emily standing in front of it. Again, he was still wearing the same thing.
"What happen to you?" Emily asked.
"Ehhhh, a couple of root beers never hurt anyone..." Astro shrugged
"Gross." Kaitlyn and Emily walked inside and into the hallway that led to Atom's room.
"We're taking you out Atom, lets go.." Emily said as she walked into Atom's room.
"Oh! Umm… okay… ha… get a load of that…. ha…" Atom's voice slowly drained out as he looked more and more ashamed.
"Ooh... what about this?"
The three of them were at the mall shopping, trying to find something for Atom.
Atom looked at what Emily was holding up.
"Hmm.. it looks okay, but the color..." He replied
"Okay..." Emily put it back on the rack.
"Ooohhh... I found it!" Kaitlyn handed something to Atom and urged him to try it on.
He did as told and walked over to the fitting rooms, coming out a few minutes later.
"This doesn't look half bad!" Atom smiled and adjusted his sleeves.
"Ghosh Kait! You sure have a sense of style, this looks perfect!" Emily walked up to Atom and examined his shirt.
"Hmm…. but those jeans… they won't match your shirt…." Emily said.
"What do you mean? Jeans look great with a button down shirt.." Kaitlyn walked up next to Emily.
"Yeah, but not these kind…"
"I think it looks great, what do you think, Atom?"
"Ahhh…. I'm not sure…" Atom blushed.
"Hmm…. maybe it's the shoes…" Emily stroked her chin and looked down at Atom's shoes.
"Emily…" Kaitlyn looked at Emily.
"Oh, right.. duh.. well, maybe we can compromise…"
"Like how?"
"Hmmmm… you know…. I really don't know- in fact, maybe black and white id the new trend?"
Emily, Kaitlyn and Atom walked out of the store with bags in their hands.
"Where to next?" Emily asked.
"Well.. I'm getting hungry, shall we try the food court?" Kaitlyn suggested.
"Sure, I think I need to sit down anyways.." Emily laughed
The three of them took a seat at a table in the food court, Kaitlyn got up and went to go place orders for everyone at the food place in front of them.
"Ah… I'm so nervous... " Atom squirmed in his seat.
"Nervous about what?" Emily asked.
"T-The date..."
"Oh, it's gonna be ok.."
"But…. It's more of a good kind of nervous..." He leaned back and looked up blushing.
"Well as long as you're okay... im ok.."
Kaitlyn came back with a tray filled with food.
"Mmm... looks yummy!" Emily smiled.
"Eat up!" Kaitlyn said as she sat down. placing the tray on the table.
For a moment it was quiet while everyone munched on their food.
"So what do you guys wanna do after this?" Kaitlyn wiped her mouth.
"Well now we gotta PLAN the date!" Emily chuckled.
"Don't you think he should actually get the date before planning what they're gonna do?"
"Yeah, but... uh... i got nothing..."
"What do you think you should do, Atom?"
Atom was staring into space.
"Atom?"
"GAH!" Atom shook and looked all around.
"W- what was that?" he asked.
"Atom…. how do you wanna ask him out?"
"I- I.." Atom blushed.
"Well.. I'm not really sure myself… I never asked anyone out. I've only been asked." Kaitlyn chuckled nervously.
"Haha.. i'm not sure either..." Emily laughed as well.
"It can't be that bad though…." Atom looked at them.
"No… I'm sure it's not." Kaitlyn shrugged.
"It's all about keeping your cool and being yourself. At least that's what I've heard…."
"Hmmm... Okay." Atom nodded his head.
"Just don't let things get awkward… I guess… And get right to the point."
"And if it doesn't work out, try again later on..." Emily added.
"Yeah."
Tenma was sitting on his couch as usual. He had a pencil in his hand and a crossword puzzle in his lap. ((PFT wut a nerd ~kate)).
He heard the front door open.
Dr. Claire stood in the doorway.
"Hello, dear." Tenma glanced up at her.
"You're home early." He placed the puzzle and the pencil next to him on the couch.
"B-bill..."
"Cindy?" He looked up at her.
She was crying.
"Sweety. What's wrong?" He ran up to her and put his hands on her arms.
"I… I…..." She stuttered.
"You what?" He looked into her eyes.
"I got fired….."
"What? How?"
"Bill… he still doesn't trust you…."
"Elefun?"
"Mmmhmmm." She nodded.
"It's ok. I understand why he wouldn't." Tenma wrapped his arms around Cindy's waist.
She moved in close to him and rested her head on his chest.
"I know what he is to you. He must be hurt that he had to do this." Tenma stroked her hair.
"It doesn't matter anymore…. because now it's just you and me…." Cindy looked up at him.
"Don't say that, honey. I know how much you love your job."
"Being with you means so much more to me." She smiled gently.
"But. Cindy, dear-"
Cindy pulled Tenma's head down to hers. She interrupted his sentence with a kiss.
Tenma looked up for a moment.
There were a few kids that have been playing on the sidewalk.
They were now looking at Tenma and Cindy with their eyes widened.
"D-dear..." His voice was muffled.
She let go.
"The neighbors can see us..."
She closed the door with her foot.
"Problem solved." She smirked.
Tenma leaned his head back down and pressed his lips against Cindy's.
They walked over to the couch and made out like they do in the movies.
A few hours had passed and Cindy was laying on the couch next to Tenma. They were watching TV.
"I think I should make a call…." Tenma looked next to him at Cindy.
She was asleep.
He let out a sigh.
"I love you..." He got up and kiss her forehead.
His P-Phone was sitting on the kitchen counter and he picked it up.
(OOH I forgot to tell you guys that a P- Phone is a parody of the I- Phone, k? HAVE A GREAT DAY! ~Emily))
Dr. Elefun was sitting on the couch in the living room reading a book.
He couldn't concentrate.
"I can't believe I did that to her… I feel terrible..." He said to himself.
Atom came downstairs and walked into the kitchen, trying his best to hide his face.
"Atom?"
Atom sighed and leaned his forehead on the front of the fridge.
"I'm okay professor, my head just really hurts again..." Atom lied through his teeth.
For a moment, he felt like collapsing and falling to the ground.
Atom moved over and opened the fridge, grabbed another juice carton and scurried off to his room.
Dr. Elefun looked back down at the book. He was finally able to read something without thinking about-
Suddenly the phone rang.
"Why now?" Dr. Elefun sighed.
"Can't a man just read a book?"
"Hello?" He picked up the phone.
"Ahh…. Taki-senpai?"
Dr. Elefun's heart skipped a beat.
There was only one person who ever called him that….
Tenma had just finished college. It was his first day on the job.
He walked up the stairs and into a large laboratory.
Machinery covered the walls. Scientists were scattered around with clipboards in their hands.
"Hello. you must be the new intern." A man walked up to him.
"Ah.. uh.. yes, Yes I am!" Tenma stuttered.
"I'll put you with one of our best!"
"Ah.. th-thank you!"
"Hello!" A younger (and thinner) Dr. Elefun walked up to Tenma.
"H-hello!"
"I'm Takahiro Elefun. You'll be working with me now!"
"Konnichiwa, Elefun-Sensei!" Tenma bowed politely.
"Haha! You don't have to call me that. We're partners!" ((OOHH *facepalms* Dat makes sense ~Emily))
"Ah… ah…."
"Just call me Taki-senpai!" Elefun joked..
"Y-yes, Taki-senpai!"
"Hahaha! I was joking!"
"D-do you want me to call you something else?"
"No! You can call me Taki-senpai if you want!"
"Haha… ok..."
They both smiled as Elefun showed Tenma around the lab.
"Tenma?! Why are you calling me?" Dr. Elefun snapped.
"I know you fired Cindy because of me…." Tenma sounded like he was hurt emotionally.
"You can't bribe or threaten me into hiring her back."
"I wasn't going to…. There's another reason why I'm calling you."
"Why would you want to call me?"
"To apologize…."
"You can't apologize for all you've done."
"Takahiro. You can't possibly hold it in for that long."
"What you did was horrid."
"How can it come to this? We were best friends."
"Maybe you don't understand why it was so horrid."
"Taki… I'm sincerely sorry.. From the bottom of my heart."
"I'm not going to forgive you! Not only did you abandon Astro, but you wanted him back. You tried to force him back. And what you did to me! You crushed my dreams!"
Surprisingly, Astro was hidden away eavesdropping on their conversation.
"Taki. I can explain!"
"You know I wanted to be Head of the Ministry. You know I dreamed of that ever since I started studying robotics. But you took that away from me!"
"I can't help that they promoted me so suddenly. I was so caught up in the moment…. I didn't think of declining the offer for you….. But you still got the job, Elefun."
"It's different. I worked my entire life to it. Seeing you lose your mind like that… and then being your replacement…. is just... different..."
Astro suddenly felt the urge to storm in and butt into the conversation.
"Taki-senpai…. I'm... I'm sorry….."
"But… Tenma… You're mad…. Crazy…. Nutso… How can I trust you anymore?"
"Because you have to" Astro said to himself.
"I changed."
"I... I… "
"Even if you don't believe me… just hear me out… For Cindy…."
"What do you mean?"
"I have something else I would like to discuss..."
"Go ahead…."
Maybe this was his chance.
Maybe this was it.
But what if it wasn't.
It had never occurred to Astro, that no one seem to ask how he feels, never seemed to wonder.
"Hey, let's see what Astro thinks for once!"
Astro swears up and down that THAT thought hasn't crossed their heads at least ONCE in their whole life.
Astro took a deep breath.
Atom walked out of the hallway and up the stairs, not noticing the Astro that was standing by the top step, and waiting for the right moment to jump in and let himself go free,
Astro stormed downstairs.
"NOW HOLD IT THERE JUST A SECOND GRANDPA SANDERS!" Astro yelled as he walked closer to Elefun with an ever so increasing pace.
"Astro… I'm talking to someone on the phone. Don't be rude."
"Hahahaha, rude is my middle name.." Astro laughed.
"And I think I have a lecture for the both of you!"
Astro walked over to the counter and sat in the stool next to Elefun.
"You know... I simply can't allow this..." Astro looked down and shook his head, he voice sounded scary and threatening. ((Oooh, evil Astro, me likey! ~Emily))
Astro decided sitting wasn't gonna get his point across, so he stood up instead.
"You don't understand do you, do you even care? You waste your time talking bull shit about everyone and yet, you don't seem to look like a basket of fruit yourself! You always have something to say, don't ya gramps? I never liked you... there I said it! I can't stand people who talk BULL SHIT about everyone else, if your gonna rant on the world, be my guest and i'll be happy to wipe my ass clean for you, but this is too much... you can't stand him, right? Or am I speaking some foreign crap, hmmm?"
Astro paused.
"And I bet you talk about me too..." Astro's face looked hurt.
"W-what?! I would never!"
Astro glanced at Elefun with an evil look.
"You expect me to bow down and believe you? I don't trust anyone, sometimes, I can't even trust myself.
"Astro…."
"I'm sick and tired of being your Barbie doll, and i'm sick and tired of hearing the bull crap that comes out of your mouth! And if i have to move to Canada and change my name to Ludwig Van Dumbass, you best your luck I will..."
"Because you always have something to say, do you ever ask what I think, how I feel? You could care less and throw me down a ditch... you claim that you 'care' when all you really do is talk bull shit, its no wonder-"
Astro refused to finish that thought.
"And mister happy hands- sluts a- lot! I'm not care bears cupid about you, either!"
"Elefun does make a pretty damn good point about you being the biggest A-hole of this generation... but..."
"Somehow, I still care, somehow... I- I want this to work, I wanna be in a real family, not a fixed family with a bunch of weirdos that 'claim' they love me, but we all know its a fake word used just to get by and slip away from what we're facing.. heck, I even do it myself!"
"I mean I hate you... but I'd to call it a hate to love type thing, you hear me?"
"I don't think you understand the true meaning of family, Astro…." Tenma said.
"Great, like I care anyways... no one gives a damn about me..."
Astro chuckled.
"So why should I give a damn about them?"
"We all know the truth, this is just one big pot that everyone is stirring... and I know this because I was born into a riot, I live in a riot, and ill die butt naked and the pot will still be stirring..."
"Need I explain the actions that torture my soul?" Astro asked.
There was a silence.
Astro sighed.
"Can't someone, anyone, tell me what i'm doing wrong, why am I not good enough for anyone, why can't I understand..." Astro covered his face with his hands as he began to sob.
"Astro." Elefun walked up to him,
Astro turned around as if rejecting Elefun's comfort and sign of affection.
"I… I… I'm going to go back up to my room." Astro ran up the stairs to his room, slamming the door so hard the whole house shook.
Elefun felt terrible.
"Why does all of this have to happen now?" He put his head down on the kitchen counter.
A confused Tenma was still on the other side of the conversation.
"Takahiro… are you ok?"
"Y-yeah…."
Atom came downstairs and into the kitchen, he noticed Elefun looked different...
Atom walked up to him.
"Professor? Y- you okay?" Atom tried to sound comforting.
"Y-yeah…."
"I heard yelling while I was taking a bath, and I wanted to make sure you were okay..." Atom smiled gently.
"I'm fine Atom." Elefun looked up and put his hand on Atom's shoulder.
Atom leaned in close for a hug.
"Well as long as you're okay, I'm okay!" Atom laughed.
Elefun laughed back as he hugged Atom. ((Ya see Kait, Atom is soo much nicer than Astro, am I right? ~Emily) ((yup. that's why I still ship u two :3 ~kate)) ((lmao u still ship us now xDDDDDD ~Emily months after this fic was published laughing because me and Kaitlyn are dating now and it's fun to go back and see all these relationship stuff not matter anymore))
"Ahh... I gotta go do something, but I'll come back, professor!" Atom broke off the hug and walked away to his room.
Even though Atom felt quite guilty for leaving the professor behind, he decided now would be a great time to call Stephen.
He looked around his room for his phone, finding it after tripping over something and seeing it under his bed.
"Should I really do this?" Atom thought to himself.
His hands trembled as he picked up his phone and walked over to his bed.
He took a deep breath.
"I can do this..." Atom told himself, turning on the phone
He never asked anyone out before, so he didn't really know what to say, but he recalled the advice given to him by Emily and Kaitlyn to help him out.
Atom's heart began to pound as he waited for Stephen to answer.
((Can weeaboo me just not?~Emily months ahhhh u get it already))
Finally there was a noise and then a voice that spoke after.
"Astr-Atom!?" Stephen stumbled in shock.. ((as we know, atoms name used to be astro so Stephen probably still hasn't gotten the hang of "atom" yet ~Emily l8ter))
"H- hi!" Atom replied goofy.
"You okay?"
"Yeah.. I'm fine, i just ahhhhh... wanted to ask you something?" Atom blushed.
"Oh! Well… uh… I guess? Uhhhhhh…. "
"Well.. ahhh... I was wondering..."
Atom sighed.
He knew he had to keep his cool.
"Well... how can I put this..." Atom gazed around his room.
"Well... I was uhhhh…. wondering if… uhhhhh…. you- I mean we- wait no, is it we or you I-I don't know…."
"I just uhhh, ughhhhh- do you wanna go out with me?!" Atom fell back on his bed.
"Ummmmm…" Stephen tried to keep his cool while his face turned red.
If only Atom could see him nod.
Atom heard a faint "yes" on the phone.
"Really?! Oh my god!" Atom exclaimed, his face lit up with tears streaming down his cheeks as he laughed.
"Well- well… I was thinking, this Saturday…. we could go out… on a date!"
"It's a little… soon… but it's not too bad, right?"
"Yeah…. we can… we can uh-go…" Stephen replied.
"Haha, hope you wear your best!"
A minute later, Atom remembered about the professor.
"Oh! Ahhhh... I'll call you back, Stephen!" Atom quickly spoke.
"Oh... Okay."
Atom hung up the phone a little later and left his room to go back to sitting in the stool next to Elefun.
"I'm back, sorry I had to go, I uh... needed to do something, but I'm back.." Atom sat in the stool next to Elefun.
Tenma was still on the other side of the conversation, he took a moment to pause and figure out what to say.
"If it's be easier for you to talk some other time… I could go…." Tenma sounded sincere.
Atom wasn't really sure what was going on exactly, but he assumed Elefun was talking to someone who sounded a lot like Tenma.
He felt tired, so he let the conversation go on as he put his head down and allowed himself to fall into a small nap.
"No. No… You can continue. Things can't possibly get worse." Elefun responded.
"I'm not sure how you will take this… but…."
"Yes?"
"We both know that Cindy's father has been gone for a while now…."
"Yes…. It broke my heart when she told me back at her first interview…. But why does that matter?"
"You're the closest thing to a father to her."
Atom couldn't help but let out a snore. ((Haha, you get it? He snored after Tenma said- never mind... ~Emily)) ((Hey! Tenma is not boring! Stop snoring at him, Atom ~kate)) ((xD chill Kate, it's just a coincidence okay? ~Emily)) ((pft sure ~kate))
"Really?" Elefun said as he looked back at him..
"That's what she tells me.. I almost feel... ashamed… That I didn't ask for your blessing before I proposed….. But I'd like to do it now."
"Tenma.. you don't have to… It's not like I'm her real father... I… ah…. and it's a little late isn't it?"
Tenma sighed.
"This means a lot to Cindy, though….
"I… I…."
"The least you could do is…. walk her down the aisle…. She really wants you to do it. We've talked about it numerous times before."
"Ah… I don't know what to say… I never really knew she thought of me that way…. I mean she almost feels like she would be one of my own… but..."
"Taki-senpai…?"
"I… ah… ok… I will do it…." Elefun smiled.
Atom felt like asking what was going on, but he didn't wanna be rude, so he just put his head down and took another nap.
"G-great! I'll let Cindy know when she wakes up."
Atom put his head up, all the noise bothered him, and he couldn't take a nap.
"Not to be rude professor, but what's going on?" Atom asked as he rubbed his eye.
"Ahhh... I'm just talking to Dr. tenma, that's all..." Elefun responded.
"Oh... really?" Atom tilted his head.
"Hi Tenma!" Atom greeted with a sound of excitement.
"Oh. Hello, Atom!"
"I should get going now. Maybe we can talk later?" Tenma said to Dr. Elefun
Saturday morning, Atom was in his room putting his shirt on, with the TV in the background.
Someone knocked on the door.
"Hey Atom, can we come in?" The voice sounded like Emily.
"Just a sec!" Atom called as he put his jacket on over his V-neck shirt and walked to the door.
"Hey Atom, going anywhere?"
"Uh.. yeah, I'm going to the grocery store with Astro..."
"He's going on his date, dummy." Kaitlyn said from behind Emily
"No, you're the dummy cuz his dates not until tonight!"
"Pft. No you're the dummy.."
"Well I better get going, see you guys later!" Atom walked away.
"But we just got here!" Emily yelled out.
"I know, but I have to go, sorry" Atom shrugged as he walked away.
"Hey, at least he left his TV on." Emily lightly elbowed Kaitlyn.
A few hours later, both he and Astro came back from the store with a buttload of bags in each of their hands.
"Do you think we got too much?" Atom asked Astro.
"Naw, we got everything on the professor's list, this is great!" Astro walked further and put the bags on top of the kitchen counter.
Emily and Kaitlyn were in the living room, sitting on the floor and working on something.
"Hey Atom, your back!" Emily greeted.
"Oh hey Emily!" Atom cheerfully greeted as he put the bags on top of the kitchen counter as well.
The professor came downstairs.
"Great! Now I have everything for dinner!" Elefun sounded pleased.
Atom smiled at Elefun.
Then, after a split second, he looked at the time.
"Oh!" Atom thought.
He walked away off to his room.
"Uh... " he seemed nervous.
Atom sat on his bed and pondered on about the date.
What if something went wrong?
What if he messes it up?
"Maybe I shouldn't go…" he thought aloud.
Emily and Kaitlyn walked in.
"So? Are you excited?" Emily sat down next to Atom.
"I'm not so sure I wanna go on this date anymore.." Atom said shyly.
"So we went through all that for nothin'!" Kaitlyn threw her hands in the air,
"Kait, don't say that... Atom's probably just nervous about the date..."
"There's nothing to be nervous about, Atom."
Atom shifted around.
"I don't know, but what if something bad happens..."
"Nothing bad's gonna happen. If anything, worrying too much will make bad things more likely to happen."
"Well I guess if you put it like that... " Atom gazed away.
"Everything will be fine!" Kaitlyn put her arm over Atom's shoulder.
"Okay! I got this!" Atom said with confidence.
"Great!" She smiled.
"Umm..." he made sweeping motions with his hands.
"Yeah?"
"I uh..."
"Oh yeah! We'll wait outside for you." Emily dragged Kaitlyn out of the room and closed the door.
A few minutes later Atom walked out of the hallway.
"Oh, so not only are you nice to my father, but now you dress like him too?! The hell is wrong with you?!" Astro complained as he eyeballed Atom and looked at what he was wearing.
"Lay off him, Astro!" Kaitlyn said.
"Pfft… Sure….." Astro rolled his eyes.
Brianna came downstairs, she was wearing one of Astro's hooded sweaters and came down with a giant smile on her face.
"What happen to you?" Astro asked
"What, I can't show my boyfriend spirit?" Brianna folded her arms.
Astro tilted his head, confused.
"You honestly don't know what boyfriend spirit is?"
"Nope. Not a clue…." Astro gave Brianna a toothy smile.
"You know what school spirit is?"
"Yeah, something I no longer have…"
"It's similar, but instead of it being for a school, it's for your sexy boyfriend!" Brianna giggled as her cheeks went red. ((I swear, this bitch has been horny since she was born, straight as a ruler I tell you! ~Emily many months after this fic was published))
"Let's go, we wouldn't wanna be late…" Kaitlyn dragged Emily outside, Atom followed them.
Kaitlyn buckled in her seat belt, Emily fiddled with the radio again.
"So, do you know exactly where Stephen lives, because i'm sure with our crummy government, Kaitlyn's not gonna wanna pay a lot of money at the gas pump.." Emily said as she tapped the touch screen and changed stations.
Kaitlyn chuckled as she rolled her eyes.
"Well… I think I do…" Atom looked around.
"I can always search for his address on my phone if it comes to that." Kaitlyn pointed to the P-Phone in her pocket.
"Yeah, but that's just the same as texting and driving… first of all, it's illegal, second of all, you could kill a pedestrian, and third of all, it's bad.." Emily looked at Kaitlyn.
"I would pull over first, geez, silly."
"Well, you should've said that then.." Emily folded her arms.
Kaitlyn continued to drive along the busy streets of Metro City. During a moment though, while waiting at a traffic light, someone's phone rang.
"Yellow Blondie!" Astro greeted ((I put yellow because that's what it sounds like he's saying, but he's actually saying hello with an accent xD~Emily))
"Sup, Butt?"
"Nothing, just watching a movie and pretending to act drunk while drinking root beer, the usual.." Astro shrugged.
"Why ya callin' then?"
"Because Brianna is in the bathroom and I need someone to annoy…"
"Of course…."
Brianna came back into the room.
"Who are you calling?" she asked.
"Hmm… blondie whitey pants? Yeah " Astro laughed
Brianna rolled her eyes and laughed.
"Put her on speaker phone!"
"Haha, okay!" Astro put Kaitlyn on speaker.
"Hi Kaitlyn, what's up man, how yuh durn?"
"Haha. Hey. Just driving."
"Dat sound real fab i'm craaaazzzyyyyy today!"
Astro laughed so hard, he almost dropped his phone.
"Yeah. Super fab. You so cray."
"I know right, hey hun, pass me the root beer, i'm on a roll here!"
Kaitlyn laughed.
"Yeah man, maybe we should hang up before uh…"
Brianna looked at Astro.
"Oh! Yeah, we uh… wouldn't wanna miss the ending, gotta go bye!" Astro quickly hung up the phone.
"Well, that was random." Kaitlyn said as she put her phone back in her pocket.
Atom blinked his eyes.
"That was the most random thing i've ever heard in my life…" He blinked his eyes again.
"Meh." Kaitlyn shrugged.
"Was Brianna really drunk?" Emily asked,
"Nah."
"Okay, we're here!" Emily said.
Atom squirmed in his seat, he didn't know what to do.
"Well? Go." Kaitlyn look back and smiled
"Uh... " Atom's face went red.
He finally mustered up courage and got out of the car.
"I shouldn't be long.." Atom said to the girls.
Atom walked up to the door of Stephen's house, but to Atom's surprise, Stephen opened the door before he could knock.
"Atom!" Stephen smiled
"Hi Stephen!" Atom waved
"So, you guys ready?" Kaitlyn smiled at the two of them through the rearview mirror.
The both of them looked at each other, then back at Kaitlyn, in which they nodded.
Kaitlyn started the car back up again and drove off to the diner.
"We'll be back in a few hours to pick you guys up!" Kaitlyn called to Atom as Stephen as they walked inside the diner.
Kaitlyn pulled away.
"Where are we gonna go now?" Emily asked her.
"You'll see." Kaitlyn had a smirk on her face.
"Wait. why are we pulling back into the diner?"
"Shhhhh. Emi. We gotta be stealthy. Like ninjas."
"What?! are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"
"I called the owner of the diner. He'll let us in the back door. I just have to find a place to park where they won't see us…."
Atom finally sat down and took a quick peek at the menu, he had been here just a few days ago, not like anything could possibly change drastically in just a few days.
He looked up at Stephen's face, he almost wanted to melt into liquid.
"...Yesterday I went shopping for another sweater, just to come back home and find out it doesn't fit, but i'm too lazy to return it.." Stephen shrugged..
"This way, Emi." Kaitlyn whispered as she and Emily crawled out the doors to the kitchen.
Kaitlyn quickly made her way over to a table and pulled up a menu, blocking her face from Atom and Stephen's view. Emily followed.
"So are you gonna buy another one?" Atom asked.
"Nah, I think I have enough sweaters for each day of the week…"
Atom chuckled.
"Haha, sweaters are fab to begin with, we agreed on that, remember?"
"Oh yeah, two weeks ago…"
Stephen slowly covered his face with the menu.
"I regret nothing." He said.
Atom gazed around the diner with his eyes and blushed.
"So, what are we even getting anyways?" Stephen put the menu down.
"I-I don't know.. What do you want?" Atom looked down at the menu in front of him.
"Hmmm…." Stephen observed the menu.
"There's so much stuff here…" Stephen flipped a page.
"Ah! Neh, not really… Oh wait! never mind…" Stephen couldn't make up his mind.
"Maybe we could get something simple.." Atom suggested.
"Hmmm… guess…" Stephen flipped through the menu some more.
"Ew.. who gets a salad?" Emily whispered to Kaitlyn.
"I do sometimes…." Kaitlyn whispered back.
"Ew, I hate salads.." Emily made a squeamish face.
"They're good if you use the right dressing."
"Eh, I guess salads OK…" Stephen put down the menu.
Astro took a sip of his cola.
"What?"
"Uh…" Atom looked down.
"Maybe i'll just get a salad too.."Atom shrugged.
"There's not much to talk about these day,, have you ever realized that?" Stephen looked at Atom.
"Not really, but we did agree that-"
The waiter approached the both of them.
"Ready to order?" they asked.
"Uh…" Atom stuttered.
"We'll just have a salad.." Stephen said to them.
"Great" they typed it on theirelectronic thingy ((cuz this is the future people!~Emily))
The waiter walked away.
"So like I was saying, we both agreed that if anything was boring, it'd be staring at the ceiling and contemplating our life decisions, right?" Atom rested his head in his hand.
The waiter came back later on with both their salads and placed them gently on the table.
"Thanks!" Atom smiled.
Atom took his fork and grabbed a few things and took a bite out of it, ((I suck at writing how to eat salads, BECAUSE I DON'T EAT SALADS. DUH?! ~Emily))
"Kinda quiet here…" Stephen put his fork down.
"There are other people here. I wonder why they aren't talking."
"Are they staring at us?! Oh gawd, please no…" Stephen looked around super fast.
"Emi. Emi. Evasive maneuvers. EVASIVE MANEUVERS" Kaitlyn whispered.
"What does that even mean?"
"Under the table now! They saw us!"
Emily got down under the table.
Kaitlyn slid down with Emily.
"I hope they didn't notice us." Kaitlyn held her knees.
"I think we have to stay and listen from here now…." Kaitlyn sighed.
"If we come back up they may become suspicious."
"Hmm.. i'm in the mood for ice cream, what about you?" Atom asked
"Hmm.. I could go for some mint chocolate chip…" Stephen rubbed his stomach as he spoke.
"Ah, yes! My favorite!" Atom exclaimed.
"Wait a second, who's paying?"
Atom didn't realize that going out on a date cost money.
"Uh…"
"Don't worry, I got this…"
A few minutes later, Atom and Stephen walked out of the diner.
"Where to next?" He asked, lacing his fingers in with Atom's.
"I- I think we agreed on going to get ice cream, right?" Atom asked, blushing.
Atom all the sudden felt warm inside, he wanted to melt again.
"Going in?" Stephen asked, as he held the door for Atom.
"Thaaaank you." Atom proudly walked into the Ice Cream Place, with Stephen behind him.
"Ah, it's so empty, that's strange…" Atom seemed confused.
"Man, it's so empty in there Kait…" Emily said to Kaitlyn as she peeked through the window.
"Good. It'll make it easier for us to keep an eye on them." Kaitlyn moved down a little, making sure they could see them.
Stephen and Atom both ordered mint chocolate chip ice cream, they walked over to a table in the far right corner.
"Mmm…. this ice cream is my favorite flavor…" Atom took a bite of the ice cream and chuckled.
There was a silence for a moment. ((Ahh, time to get my kawaii feels on! ~Emily))
"What do you think's going on?" Emily asked Kaitlyn.
"I dunno." Kaitlyn shrugged.
"Uh, hey.." Atom looked at Stephen.
"Yes?"
"Oh nothing, hehe.. it's nothing, it's nothing, I just ah- forgot what to say.."
"Suit yourself." Stephen took another bite of his ice cream.
"I love you!" Atom blurted out.
Stephen froze.
"W- What?"
"I- I.."
Stephen leaned forward and gave Atom a kiss on the lips, which caused him to gasp as his eyes widened.
"Oooohhh, look kait!" Emily exclaimed with a red face.
"Ah." Atom leaned back in his chair. ((I'M DONE WITH THIS COLLAB, GOODBYE *dies* ~Emily))
Emily looked over at Kaitlyn.
She was holding her hands over her eyes, peeking through her fingers and her cheeks were a bright red.
The ice cream on the table looked like it was about to fall off.
"S- Stephen.. th- the... ice cream!" Atom exclaimed.
"Ah!" Stephen leaned back in his chair to catch the cup of ice cream.
"Phew! That was a close one!" Atom giggled.
"There's like nothing in here, man.. I think I ate this too fast..."
"Don't worry, we can always get another one, agreement number 56!"
"Why did we make these agreements for anyways, they seem quite stupid now..." Stephen folded his arms.
"To be organized, remember?"
"Ahhhh... now I remember!"
FLASHBACK
Atom and Stephen were busy playing a videogame in Stephen's room, someone came in and left two cans of soda for the both of them, each a different flavor.
"Ah, i'll get it!" Atom got up from the squishy chair and picked up the two soda cans that were left by the table near the entrance.
"Grape and Orange..." Atom handed a can to Stephen.
"Wait, can I have orange instead..."
"But I love orange, i like it more than grape, actually..."
"But how about i get orange, and i let you get orange next time?"
"But..."
Atom sighed.
"Fine." he handed Stephen the can of orange soda.
Suddenly a thought came into Atom's mind.
"Hey, how about we make an agreement?" Atom suggested.
"Agreement?" Stephen was lost.
"You know, in case something like this happens again where you and me take sides..."
"Hmm... I guess" Stephen shrugged.
"Okay then, let's agree that I like orange more than you do, therefore, I will always get the can of orange soda..." Atom held his hand out.
"Agreed." Stephen shook Atom's hand.
"Agreement number one, Atom always gets the orange soda..." Stephen chuckled.
"Yep." Atom chuckled as well
"Where to next?"
"Hmm...maybe we can just walk around, i'd love to see the lights!" There was a look of wonder and amazement in Atom's eyes as he spoke.
"Emi..." Kaitlyn poked Emily in the side.
"Yeah?"
"We should go back and get the car before we have to pick them up. They're probably going back to the dinner after and if they see the car parked in the back, they'll know we've been stalking them."
"Okay..." Emily happily skipped alongside Kaitlyn as the two walked to the diner.
They walked out together, hand-in-hand yet again as the bright lights of downtown Metro City twinkled in the night sky.
Atom was taking in all the lights and the colorful experience that was going on, but he was getting quite tired.
"Maybe we should start heading back…" Stephen turned around.
"Okay, fine by me." Atom replied.
"My goodness Kait, the diner is so far way!" Emily huffed as she skipped alongside Kaitlyn.
"We gotta go faster Senpai, FASTER!" Emily sped up and eventually was running like the wind to the diner.
A few minutes later, Emily and Kaitlyn showed up to the diner, they both got in the car.
"Ok. I'm just gonna go pull up over here. And… DONE." Kaitlyn moved the car to another parking space that was closer to the front of the diner.
"Now we have to pretend to wait." ((XD ~Emily))
"Ooh.. I like waiting, just kidding, I hate it."
Emily and Kaitlyn waited a few minutes until finally Stephen and Atom showed up.
"Hey guys!" Emily greeted.
She looked at Kaitlyn.
"Did you enjoy yourselves?" Kaitlyn asked.
Atom nodded.
Emily smiled..
Kaitlyn and Emily drove into Atom's driveway after dropping Stephen off at his place.
"Astro, what are you doing?" Atom asked as he walked inside.
"Uh… I can explain…." Astro's face went red.
Atom rolled his eyes and went to his room.
"Did you find the other case?" Astro asked.
"Yep." Brianna handed Astro another bottle of root beer.
Emily and Kaitlyn walked inside.
"Oh yeah, today's your last day blondie, i'm gonna miss annoying you…" Astro shook his head with a phony smile.
Kaitlyn rolled her eyes.
"We are coming back for winter break you know…" Emily folded her arms.
"You are, yay!" Atom ran up to the girls and toppled them over with a hug bear hug.
"Haha, of course! We love hanging out with you guys!" Emily laughed.
"Pffft… you're not coming over here… winter break is my vay cay where I get to do whatever the hell I want, i'm not letting bitch 1 and bitch 2 ruin it.." Astro folded his arms.
"I'll ruin your face!" Kaitlyn pushed Atom out of the way.
Astro shook his head.
"You couldn't even do it even if you tried… I know you're too nice…"
"Not when someone calls me a bitch and calls Emily one too." She clenched her hands into fists.
"Guys, we just need to calm down a take a ride on the chill train…. Astro is just blowing off steam, okay…" Brianna shrugged her shoulders.
"I have some steam I need to blow off too." Kaitlyn smirked.
"Oh really?" Astro gave Kaitlyn a sarcastic face.
Brianna pulled Astro by his jacket away from Kaitlyn.
"Hehe, stupid Astro acting all drunk, no more root beer for you, pookie face!" Brianna laughed nervously as she dragged Astro away.
"But wait, i'm not done! Blondie hasn't learned her lesson yet?!" Astro fidgeted.
"Too bad, pooks!" Brianna continued to drag Astro until they got to the kitchen. .
"WAIT BRI! I haven't even gotten to throw a punch yet!" Kaitlyn yelled out.
"No punches!"
"Wait!" Astro yelled out.
Brianna sat Astro down on the tile floor of the kitchen, he leaned against some cabinets.
"From experience and life, you beating up Kaitlyn isn't gonna do you much, wish my mom knew the same…" Brianna folded her arms.
"And that goes for you too Kait!" Brianna called out to Kaitlyn.
"Pft." Kaitlyn pouted.
"Now, I'd like you two to apologize in a formal manner, please!" Brianna demanded.
"Finnneeee!" Astro groaned as he got up from the ground.
Astro walked up to Kaitlyn.
"I am terribly not sorry, blondie." Astro held his hand out. ((Why am i laughing so hard at this? ~Emily))
"'NOT sorry' doesn't count." Kaitlyn folded her arms.
"It does in my vocabulary…" Astro raised his eyebrows.
"Then you must have a pretty messed up vocab." Emily chuckled.
"No duh? Haha, i'm just kidding… I love being a jerkface…" Astro laughed.
Atom raised a finger and opened his mouth, but then after a second put it down and closed his mouth.
"Well, I'm not saying sorry until you say it right!" Kaitlyn turned around.
"Fine…." Astro smiled.
"Astro!" Brianna scolded.
"Pfft, you can't get to me anymore... that bitch is stuck in a hole she dug herself, i mean think about it…"
"Sorry is never gonna be enough to get her out, because sorry will never be enough to get me out…" Astro folded his arms.
"Because you know, everyone cares about everyone else, but everyone else, doesn't care about me…" Astro's eyes began to water.
"Do you have to go there now, Astro?" Kaitlyn snorted.
"Yes, because it took them too damn long to notice how much pain i'm in, and by they time they did, I was gone, disappeared, i'm practically dead! I don't even know how the hell i'm still here?! I don't wanna be here, I wanna be up there with them." Astro looked up at the ceiling. ((TnT that was so deep ~Emily))
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Kaitlyn took a step back.
"What did you think I was saying?!" Astro sounded cross.
Astro turned around, he wanted to walk away a leave everything behind.
There it was again.
The thoughts.
No, stop, stop it!
Please, leave me alone!
Astro stormed away off to his room, hiding away any trace of disappointment and pain.
"Astro! Don't do this again!" Kaitlyn took a step forward, reaching her hand out.
"No, stop… please go, stop hurting me!" Astro yelled, his thoughts were becoming screams and all he could do was yell at them.
"Astro…. I'm sorry. ok?!"
"No stop- sorry isn't gonna, STOPPPPP!" Astro could swear he broke a glass somewhere in the house.
"What else am I supposed to do?!"
Astro stormed away.
Atom shuttered and turned away from everyone,
"He's always doing this to himself…." Kaitlyn sighed,
"But…. Astro's just like that, ever since the corruption, things got worse, and he makes a good point, we were all too late to catch it, now, we just wait till he blows.." Brianna tried not to tear up and cry.
"I wish there was a way of fixing it."
"We all do, Kaitlyn, but there will never be one, because Astro is too smart, he has such a precision, he…..
"He's too strong for us…."
"He's too stubborn."
"Not really, that's just who he's become… not who he is…"
"I know….."
"But now it's too late…" Brianna turned around and covered her face.
"It's…. a-all…." Brianna began to sob.
"Bri…. don't cry….."
"But….. it- it's, just- t- t- terrible!"
"I just feel so helpless…."
There was a loud slam.
"W- What was t-that?" Emily sounded scared.
"I'll go see…" Kaitlyn slowly walked slowly up the stairs to Astro's room.
"Astro?" She knocked on his door.
There wasn't a response.
"ASTRO?!"
Still, nothing.
"I'm coming in there!"
Kaitlyn stormed into Astro's room,
But no one was there…
The window was open,
But there was no one.
"No….."
Kaitlyn ran down the stairs.
"What's wrong?" Emily asked.
"A-Astro…." Kaitlyn hyperventilated.
"What?"
"Astro's… gone!"
Emily exchanged looks with Atom.
"Should we go after him?" Emily asked.
"Who knows where he could've gone this time…." Kaitlyn finally caught her breath.
Brianna walked outside.
There was a loud scream afterwards.
Emily and Kaitlyn ran out.
Brianna was outside sitting down in front of Astro, who was lying down in front of her, his eyes were closed shut.
"Not again…." She whispered.
Brianna lifted up Astro's face that was all covered in red stuff
"I'll call Tenma. He should be home." Kaitlyn pulled out her P-Phone.
Back in Tenma's house, Claire was sitting on the couch skimming through a magazine, the house phone rang.
"Hello?" She answered it.
"C-cindy!"
"Kaitlyn?"
"Is Tenma there?"
"Umm…" Claire looked around.
"He might be, or he's at the store again…"
"Can't you keep track of your own fiancee?" Kaitlyn muttered to herself.
"Ah.. I mean. Thanks. I'll call his cell phone."
"What's wrong? You sound like you're in a hurry."
"Astro shut down again."
"Y- You don't mean…" Claire gasped.
"He collapsed on the sidewalk. This time it's really bad."
"I'll call Bill. You just get Astro inside."
"Y-yes, ma'am!"
"Gosh, he's so heavy!" Brianna tried to pick up Astro.
"I'll take him inside." Kaitlyn put her phone back in her pocket and walked up next to Brianna.
Brianna handed Astro to Kaitlyn.
She carried him inside.
She took him down to the basement and set him down on the table, he was all covered in cuts and bruises, not to mention the red stuff…
A few minutes later, Tenma came storming through the front door.
"Wow. You got here quick this time." Kaitlyn looked up at him from where she was sitting on the couch.
"I wanted to get here as soon as possible." He walked past her.
"He's down in the basement…" Kaitlyn said to Tenma.
"Thanks…." He walked through the basement door and walked down the steps.
Brianna came in the living room.
"Everything okay?" she asked.
"I'm not sure." Kaitlyn sighed
"This is his…"
Brianna counted on her fingers.
"Fifth time he's tried to kill himself, I don't understand why?"
Kaitlyn rested her head on her hand and looked away.
"I don't either…."
She lied.
"Maybe we should just leave him, you know.. let him go on with this, nothing we can do anyways, can't sew back something that was meant to have holes and rips…"
"N-no. We can't do that!..."
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing…."
"There has to be a reason Kaitlyn, just face it… this was his destiny, this is what he wants, why should we take away what he wants, it's a terrible thing that he wants, but there's nothing we can do, all we can do… is give him what he wants…"
"Yes, because it took them too damn long to notice how much pain i'm in, and by they time they did, I was gone, disappeared, i'm practically dead! I don't even know how the hell i'm still here?! I don't wanna be here, I wanna be up there with them."
"I'm not letting anyone else slip through my fingers like that ever again." Kaitlyn gripped the fabric on the couch. She looked down, trying to hold in her tears.
Brianna nodded.
"I agree."
"We're all here for a reason. If we weren't meant to help each other then why would we be living in the same houses or towns or even the same planet. I… I just can't let anyone else die..."
"But then, what can we do to stop this?"
"I don't know….."
Brianna sighed.
"I'll go check and see how Tenma's doing…." Kaitlyn sluggishly got up and walked downstairs.
"Hello, Kaitlyn." Tenma glanced behind him.
"Hey…." She walked up to him.
"So uh.. Is he going to be ok?..."
"I- I i'm not sure…"
"I feel so horrible…." A tear ran down Kaitlyn's face.
Tenma put an arm around Kaitlyn's shoulder.
"It's not your fault."
"Y-yes it is! This time it really is my fault. He always tells me how much I bully him, but I always thought it was because of him calling me names and that he deserved it." Kaitlyn's voice cracked as she spoke.
Tenma sighed.
"I- I never thought it was because…"
"I…. I just don't want anyone else to die….. I could've prevented so many deaths… but…. I was too late…." ((you may understand in some other fan fic ouo' *whistles* ~kate))
"Riley…. and now Astro… and… and…." Kaitlyn turned around and buried her head in Tenma's chest. ((poor tenma. he's always the guy that has to deal with emotional ladies -u- ~kate))
"Shhhh. It's ok." He tried to sooth her.
"I don't wanna go back home… but I don't wanna stay here… there's just too much. Too many memories. Too many things that happened that are being shoved back in my face!"
Atom came down into the basement,
"The professors back.." He said to Kaitlyn.
"Oh..." She lifted her head up and sniffled.
A few hours later, Atom was sitting on the couch watching TV, Brianna was gathering her stuff to leave, Emily was in the kitchen blowing her nose.
"Gee, I must be getting a cold or something?" Emily said before she blew her nose again.
Kaitlyn came back upstairs with a faint smile.
"Is he okay?" Atom looked behind him.
"I think…" Kaitlyn pushed up her glasses.
"Tenma said he's gonna need to work on him alone now. It shouldn't be too long tho. He said it could've been a lot worse."
A small smile appeared on Atom's face.
"That still doesn't mean it won't happen again..." Kaitlyn sighed
Atom sighed and slumped back down on the couch.
"What a great day for my last before I have to go back to Pennsylvania..."
"But it's more worse for me because I live with him…" Atom replied.
"But you can help him. I can't…."
"If only it was that easy.." Atom rubbed his eye.
"I kinda know how Astro feels….." ((lol Kait almost wrote that in caps xD ~Emily)) ((Caps Lock snuck up on me n ~ Kate))
"What do you mean?" Atom turned around
"He's in pain…. I'm not exactly sure why he is. I have a good idea though…. Well, i know what that pain is like…."
"I think we all do, Kaitlyn.." Emily said, throwing away her tissue.
"But I know it at Astro's level."
"Wait, i'm confused, what's 'Astro's level'?" Emily asked.
"His level of that feeling is more intense than you would probably understand."
Atom gasped.
"Me and him. I think we both know it… We have different pains and different ways of expressing them, but it's still feels about the same."
"Must be terrible.." Emily whispered.
"Kinda is…."
Emily looked at her watch.
"Ah! I gotta go soon…" she gasped.
"Oh. I'll take you home now if you want."
"I dunno, I feel guilty leaving everyone behind like this…"
"I'll come back later to check on Astro then I'll text you."
"Sure." Emily walked over to Kaitlyn.
"I'll see you later, Atom!" Emily smiled and waved to Atom.
"Bye Emily!" Atom smiled and waved back at her cheerfully.
Kaitlyn came back an hour later. ((Omg this fan fic touches up on so many things man… ~Emily)) ((ikr ~Kate)).
"Hey Kaitlyn, back already?" Atom was glued to the TV, but greeted her anyways.
"Yeah.. I'll be back up in a sec." She walked past him and started to walk down the stairs to the basement.
"How is he?" Kaitlyn asked Tenma.
"Quite great, actually…" Tenma sounded surprised.
"Really?" She walked up next to him.
"Ooh look, dinosaur chicken nuggets!" Atom exclaimed.
"Why can't the professor buy us the dinosaur chicken nuggets like on the TV commercials!?" Atom folded his arms.
"Don't mind him, he's just being a little kid..."
Tenma laughed.
"So… you can't fix the corruption, can you?"
"I wish I could, it could put an end to all this drama..."
"You sure there isn't some way? Just one way?"
Tenma shook his head.
"I'm afraid not..."
"Oh well… looks like we're just gonna have to deal with it then..."
Atom came down to the basement with a book in his hand.
"You know, Astro needs to stop leaving his journal around the house, unless he wants someone to read it..." Atom handed the journal to Kaitlyn.
"Well what am I supposed to do with it?" Kaitlyn looked at Atom,.
"Oh! I'm not sure, I was hoping you'd know..."
"Well. I have an idea..." She smirked
"Oh, hi Tenma!" Atom greeted.
"Hello., Atom." Tenma looked over at him.
Atom chuckled.
Tenma smiled.
"Astro should be waking up soon." He said, looking at the young robot on the table in front of him.
"So what are we gonna do with his journal?" Atom asked.
He looked over at Kaitlyn.
Her back was facing him and she looked like she was skimming through something.
"Are you reading it, you know Astro doesn't like it when you read his journal..."
"W-wut?! No. No I'm not reading it….." Kaitlyn turned around, holding the journal behind her back.
"Kaitlyn..."
"Yeah?" She looked away.
Atom sighed.
"Never mind..."
Kaitlyn walked sideways over to the table and placed the journal on it.
"You saw nothing..." She said as she walked back over to Atom.
"Riiiigggghhhtttt..." ((haha imagine tenma's face watching all this lol like: o_.o xD ~kate))
"I'm gonna go get some apple juice, be right back!" Atom happily walked upstairs to the kitchen to get some apple juice from the fridge.
Atom opened the fridge and pulled out two juice cartons.
"I keep forgetting how small these are!" Atom giggled as he closed the fridge.
"Here you go Kaitlyn!" Atom handed a juice carton to Kaitlyn, when he got back down to the basement. ((Aww thats so sweet of ya Atom, but wut about Tenma? xD ~Emily))
"Oh! Ahh… thanks…" Kaitlyn took the carton from Atom and poked the straw through the hole.
Atom stood around the basement standing in the middle of the lab gazing off into space (as usual), he kept taking sips of his juice and letting himself, just…. think.
Think about anything that comes to mind.
And the more Atom thought, the more he began to smile, Kaitlyn looked at him from a distant and noticed how his facial expression was changing.
"You okay Atom?" she asked.
Atom gasped and dropped his juice carton.
"Y- yeah, just… you know, thinking…" Atom laughed nervously as he blushed.
Atom quickly bent down and grabbed the juice carton before the juice spilled out and made a big mess.
"Ah… Atom…." Kaitlyn facepalmed.
"Y- yes?"
"You got juice all over the floor." She waved her juice box around in the direction of the small puddle.
"Ah! I better go clean it!" Atom walked away to go find something to clean it with.
"There, I think I got most of it off!" Atom said proudly after he cleaned the puddle.
"But be careful around here, it's still a little wet." Atom tiptoed away from the wet area.
"Well. I have to go now anyways..." Kaitlyn yawned.
"Have a safe trip!" Atom smiled at her.
Astro moved his hand around the table, he wasn't sure what was going on.
"W- W- Where a- am….. I?" Astro mumbled.
Atom and Kaitlyn turned around.
"You're in your basement, Astro." Tenma said to him gently.
"A- Astro?" Astro was confused.
"Oh great. He lost his memory. I thought you said you had this handled!" Kaitlyn threw her arms around
"I remember an Astro… he's not here, he's gone…" The person sat up.
"W-What?" Atom stuttered, dropping the sponge that was in his hand.
"He- He couldn't take it, I assume he's gone…"
"Astro. Stop fooling with us!" Kaitlyn put her hands on her hips.
"Fooling?" The person tilted their head.
"T-Tenma?" Kaitlyn looked over at Tenma.
The person got up from the table.
"I think I was suppose to say something…"
"Oh yeah…"
"I'm not sorry…" The person looked around the basement.
Kaitlyn, Atom, and Tenma stood speechless.
The person shook their head and looked the the three of them, unsatisfied with "dumb dumber and dumbest" jaw dropped as if seeing them was a whole new concept.
"I… I think Astro's still in there…." Kaitlyn took a step forward.
"Of course he is.. because…" The person turned around, a devious smile came over his face.
"I took him."
Kaitlyn stepped back and behind Tenma, peeking her head out the side of his arm.
"He was nothing but a jerk, he never listened to me, so I punished him, and now… i've taken him, that's why you should
obey your consciousness…" The person turned back around swiftly. ((Oooh, such suspense! ~Emily))
"And there's nothing you can do to save him… nothing."
"Tenma… what's going on?" Kaitlyn began to shiver.
"I… I don't know…..." ((wow Tenma… you're such a help… n ~kate))
"Hey, you leave Astro alone! You can't just take over him because you want to, yeah sure, he has feelings and problems like everyone else in this world… but that gives you no right to do such a horrific thing?!" Atom yelled at the person.
"Who said this was horrific? I'm only making life better for everyone else." The person said in a sly tone.
Atom clenched his teeth.
"Now if you'll excuse me, I have a life to live, see you on the dark side, eh?" The person left the basement.
"Ah… ah….." Kaitlyn stuttered.
"We can't just let this happen! Why are you just letting him go?!" She yelled at Tenma.
"Hey! I have no idea what the hell is going on. How do you expect me to know what to do?!" He yelled back at her.
Atom began to hyperventilate.
"I- I'm s- scared…" Atom shivered.
There was a sound of glass breaking and cabinets slamming.
"I can't let this happen!" Kaitlyn ran up the stairs.
"N-no! You could get hurt." Atom screamed out. But Kaitlyn was already gone.
The person was in the kitchen, standing around, doing nothing.
Kaitlyn ran up near him.
"So you're Astro's conscious, you say?"
"I guess when you word it like that, yes… yes I am.." The person replied.
"But the conscious is only a function of the human brain. A part of thought. It cannot take on it's own thought processes enough to run an entire body and think like a normal person."
"Guess it proves i'm that, and more.." The person said with a dark wonder.
"You must be what's causing the pain too."
"Haha, you're really smart, eh?" The person smirked.
"Ever since that little devil got corrupted, I could do so many things, I could make him realize, he's no hero… he's… a rebel, a full, blown out, rebel."
"And I use the pain to fuel the rebellious side of him, to get him to crack and change, but he's very stubborn, you know…" The person folded their arms.
"Oh I know."
"So now, he's punished… ." the person chuckled.
"Y- You can't do that to him?! T- That's not right at all!"
"And how would you know, hmmm? What have you done besides call him out and make him feel bad, you worthless fleshbag, you're ruining my plan! He can't be a rebel if you keep pushing his limits?!"
"He's not a hero… he's a villain, he's…. your worst nightmare!" The person smirked again with a chuckle.
Kaitlyn gasped.
"N- no, don't say that, he will be evil, he's not a villain-"
"Shut your mouth! He is too 'villain' material, but you idiotic, stupid, humans don't see it! You think this is some jungle gym, some sand at the beach, this is real stuff here?! And when I finally release him, and let him take over, you better run.."
Atom came up the stairs.
"Kaitlyn! A- Are you okay?!" Atom called to Kaitlyn.
"Atom! You shouldn't be up here right now!" Kaitlyn turned around.
"Ahhhh, Atom, nice time to drop in, isn't it?"
"Why don't you come over…" Atom could swear the person's voice changed to match Astro's.
"A- Astro?" Atom tilted his head and walked closer.
"Come on, can't a brother give his twin a hug?"
"No! Atom! Don't!" Kaitlyn held her hands out to stop him.
"I- I guess…" Atom got closer.
"NO! That's not Astro!"
Atom finally reached within the person's grasp, he took Atom by the arm, and suffocated him.
"A-Atom…."
"What's it now, hmm… wouldn't wanna hurt your little would you?"
"The only villain here is you!" Kaitlyn yelled at the person,
"Ah ah ah... can't do anything now, you kill me, you'll kill him too…"
"K…." Atom tried to gasp for air.
"N…..NO!" Kaitlyn screamed.
"NO! NO! NO!"
"So what's it gonna be, blondie?" The person looked deviously at her.
"I'm gonna show you who I really am."
She held her hand out towards the person and Atom.
She began to clench her hand.
The person tugged super hard on Atom's ear, causing him to yell.
Atom kept screaming until it came to a halt,
The person released Atom, he collapsed to the floor, looking dead.
"Here, take the stupid kid back, he's useless…. I should recruit someone better, not a wimp like him…"
"I'm not done with you." Kaitlyn said.
"Oh yes you are!"
Everything went to black.
A minute later, the lights came back on again, but the person was gone.
Kaitlyn was on her knees, clutching her neck as she gasped for air.
Soon, Atom slowly got up and kneeled beside her.
"A- Are you okay?" Atom put a hand on Kaitlyn's back.
"I…. I think I'll be fine…" she slowly got up.
Uran walked downstairs.
"Guys! look on the TV, I think I found Astro!" Uran kept yelling until she got to them.
Kaitlyn walked over quickly and turned the TV on.
"So he's running out of the city?" Atom asked.
"I'll go get him." Kaitlyn walked towards the door.
"Wait! Kaitlyn! Don't go, you might get hurt, y- you could die out there! At least take me with you?!" Atom yelled.
"No Atom. This is something I have to do alone. I can't let you get hurt."
"But Kaitlyn…" Atom whispered in a sad voice.
"i'm sorry, Atom." She ran out the door.
The person was near the entrance of the city.
"Haha, we fooled them, great job there, huh sport?"
"What? Of course not! We're not done yet, look, there they are, we better run"
"No, we gotta outrun them first, remember?"
"You see, I told you I could do it, just needed a little push, that's all…"
"Haha, you could say that again!"
"You'll see…"
"You're not nuts?! You're just…. filled with potential.."
"Hey! Don't piss off your conscience, You know what I can do to you!"
"Mmm.. I like the sound of that!"
The person continued running.
"Yep."
"I know what it is, dumbass?!"
"Now go ahead, play around, try something."
"Oh yeah right."
The person blinked.
"This'll be fun." Astro looked back before walking with a smirk.
Astro walked into the underground city, choosing the sidewalk and made slow strolls across the semi- empty city.
He walked alone, his thoughts returned again as he took in the beautiful city and finally had a moment to be himself, to ponder on about lots of things, and to not have someone control him.
Kaitlyn made it to the entrance of the city, but the person wasn't there.
"Hmmmm." She thought as she looked around.
"I think he's head for the underground city!" A police officer said to another officer.
"And how do you know?"
"Because I saw him run in that direction!"
"AH." Kaitlyn heard what they had said.
"I know where I'm going."
"Hey, hey.. conscience?" Astro asked.
"Right." Astro nodded.
"N- No, not really…"
"But I have no-
Astro looked in his pocket, he pulled out a five dollar bill and chuckled.
He walked into the store nearby.
"Ah- ha! The underground city…" Kaitlyn gazed the the city's name written in fancy letters in front of the city.
She continued her way in.
Astro gazed the the menu on top of the worker that stood in front of him.
"I'll have a chocolate glazed donut.." Astro said,
"Sure, that's all?"
"And some juice."
"Okay, that'll be $4.68"
Astro handed them his five dollar bill, they gave him his change and receipt.
"It'll be out in just a moment.."
A few minutes later, Astro walked out with a donut in his right hand and his juice in his other.
Kaitlyn finally caught a glimpse of Astro.
"Ah- ha, gotcha!" Kaitlyn went increased her pace.
Astro kept walking the streets until he looked back and saw what looked like Kaitlyn in the distance chasing after him.
"shiiiiiiiitttttttttt." He ran at a faster pace, hoping to try and lose her.
Eventually he turned a corner and lost her.
"Wait? Where did he go?" Kaitlyn looked around after realizing that she had lost the person
"He's gotta be here somewhere, can't run forever!"
Astro sighed, shoving a hand into his pocket and continuing his walk.
"Was that… her?"
I'm not even sure.
"Could've sworn it was, how did she even find me?"
Dumbass, that's not important right now, you got a whole lot ahead of you, no time to worry about who's coming who's not, none of it matters.
Astro sighed again and continued walking.
He saw an alley not too far away, but he wasn't sure if that was an OK place to go.
"Do I…."
Not my choice, you're the one in control, sadly.
Astro chuckled with a smirk. "You know you like me."
Hmmm… that has yet to be seem, huh?
" 'Fraid not…" Astro shrugged.
How about this, take the rest of the night off, my treat.
"You sure about that?" Astro raised an eyebrow.
Yes, now hurry up before I change my mind!
"Alright, alright, chill bruh." Astro walked down the alley.
"This good?" Astro sat down on the ground.
It'll do.
"Whatever." He lied on his side and closed his eyes.
Astro? Astro? You still awake?
Oh wait, he just fell asleep.
Astro tossed and turned across the hard floor
He made creaking noises as he moved his legs around and banged into things.
"W-What was that?" Kaitlyn sounded a little spooked.
Sssshhhh... don't move a lot.
Kaitlyn soon made it to the street Astro was on earlier.
Again, another creaking noise was heard.
"It came from there!" Kaitlyn crossed the street.
ASTRO GET UP! SHE'S COMING!
"W-What..." Astro sluggishly got up.
"Oh!"
Let me take over
"As you please."
Astro blinked his eyes.
A human-like figure stood at the entrance to the alley.
What are we gonna do?
"You'll see…"
The figure looked confused at the person, they looked nothing like Astro
"So what is it now, hmm... want something MORE?" The person walked closer.
"No. I want you to stop this. Now." The figure snapped.
"Ha, you think you have a chance..."
The person got super close to the figure, he took his finger and scratched upwards from their neck to their chin.
Uh... I don't think now is a great time to seduce them…
"Seduce them? I'm just trying to be nice..." The person spoke innocently
The figure took a hold of the person's arm and held it tightly, their grasp getting slowly tighter.
The person did not react, they just stood there and did nothing
"I'm already broken, sweetheart..."
"Breaking me more is only gonna break yourself."
Maybe I should take over…
"Fine, go wild... my, apprentice..." The person blinked.
They're all yours.
Astro nodded his head.
"And you are?" Astro asked in a rather evil tone as he smirked.
"What was that? I can't hear you..." Astro tilted his head.
"You know who I am"
"Ahhh... I like that name? Gonna be hard to remember though..."
"Stop fooling around."
"Wait, I thought you were 'you know who I am' ?"
"This isn't funny."
"You're right, it's not..."
"What do you even want anyways? Are you obsessed over me or something?"
"I'm fixing this. I'm fixing everything."
Astro let out a short cackle.
"Sure you are, whatever you say..." Astro shrugged.
"You'll never fix anything, because no one's gonna listen to you... oooh, but when I get up there and do my thing... honey, things will get fixed." Astro chuckled
"D-Don't talk like that!"
"What do you mean? This is who I really was, who I really am... afraid to stand up to a rebel?"
"Afraid? In your dreams."
"Good, you're gonna need it..."
"I realize now what I was born to do, to defy society and rebel against everything, and to get people to care, not to overlook others or be bitches all the time..."
"And come to think of it, I've been doing just that since I was born..."
"No You're wrong. That's not your destiny."
"Mmm... thanks for helping, but I think I know what's in store for me now, I don't need you to be my crystal ball..."
"I'm trying to tell you that you're sick."
"Thank you!" Astro smiled
"You don't know what you're doing"
"Oh yes I do... I've been planning this for months and years..."
"But you don't understand. This is affecting other people."
"Other people? You mean the CARELESS people, the ones that I hate, the one's that deserve hell?"
"You really don't get it, do you? They DO care."
"You THINK they care..." Astro corrected
"They really do, you idiot. You're just too busy caring about yourself to see."
"Caring about myself? No one cares, they say they care, but I see it in their eyes, their voice, their face... they don't care, they have no clue...no one knows what love truly is, so when they say it, they never mean it, because they don't know what it even is..."
"I care..."
"No you don't Blondie, don't lie to me... you've never cared... and you never will care... now just leave me alone, go back to stupid Pennsylvania, and let me be who I wanna be!"
"I DO CARE. MORE THAN YOU WOULD KNOW."
"Stop... just stop, please! Conscience help, she's hurting me with her lies!?"
"I'm not lying!" tears began to stream down her cheeks.
"Yes you are! I can see it in your face!"
"You can't read minds, Astro! You don't know what I'm thinking. You don't know how much I care!"
Astro shook his head
"You. Don't. Care."
"SHUT UP!" She screamed, her voice echoing through the city.
"Exactly..."
She threw Astro's arm out of her hands.
"If I didn't care, then why would I be here?!" She yelled out.
"To stop me… because I'm simply one hell of a bitch!"
"I could've been on my way home now! But I care about you! I don't want this pain to take you over."
"Pain? I have no more pain, I traded in my pain so I could be a rebel..."
"GAH! Why is it so hard to get to you?!"
"What was that?"
Before Kaitlyn could speak, Astro gave her a kiss on top of her head.
"AH! Stop playing with my head like this!"
"I'm not trying to play with your head..."
"Y-YOU IDIOT! DON'T MAKE ME HURT YOU. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO BUT I WILL!"
"What? I can't be nice?"
"I'm sorry, but I can no longer live the life I had.. I have no desire..."
Astro walked away from Kaitlyn.
"Goodbye." Astro whispered, and it all went to black.
(END OF CHAPTER ONE!)