"That'll be $140 for the night. Enjoy your stay at the Monotoli Grand Hotel!"
Jeff could never wrap his mind around the way Ness would act. For a man who cared about his friends more than anything else, Ness sure as heck didn't act like it. With Paula currently missing, kidnapped right under their noses, Ness chose to stay in a hotel instead of look for her immediately.
"Perhaps tonight" Jeff thought, "I can get the Broken Can repaired".
Hours went by as Jeff tinkered away, his own thoughts running rampant. So much has changed in such little time, yet all he could ponder on was the past.
Winters was a paradise to Jeff. The cold and constant snowfall matched with Jeff's shy personality all too well. The weather provided a perfect excuse to stay in his dorm at the Snow Wood Boarding Academy, where he would tinker with gadgets. No one would bother him; he would stay a social recluse. That is, if it wasn't for…
"I miss Tony and the Boarding School" Jeff spoke aloud, his hand shooting to his mouth to silence him as he remembered how Ness slept beside him. These outbursts happened often with Jeff, his awareness of his surroundings would often slip away as he tinkered. Left unchecked, he would stay in a room for days, lost in his own thoughts.
Tony was an… interesting fellow, to say the least. Instead of going out and interacting with others, he would watch Jeff, his best friend since early childhood. Tony knew all too well the issues with zoning that Jeff demonstrated. As small children, both just short of 7 years old, Tony and Jeff played outdoors every day. They did everything together, until, of course, Jeff discovered the joys of machinery.
"He never wanted me to mess around with Broken items." Jeff thought to himself, "I wouldn't give him attention if I was building Bottle Rockets". A jolt of pain shot through Jeff's heart at the thought as his cheeks grow a bit red. He just shrugs it off, shaking his head to rid off the intrusive thoughts. "Crud! I forgot to buy rust remover".
With that, Jeff pulls himself away from the desk and Broken Can which he has been diligently working at for the past two hours. It was quarter to five when the boys first checked into the Monotoli Grand Hotel, and another 3 hours before Ness passed out. Ness had been scrubbing down his brand new Bat when a wave of fatigue washed over him, leading to him slack and slumped over. Through cautious, precise movement, Jeff managed to position Ness into a relaxed pose on the bed.
At nine, Jeff began to look at Tony differently. No longer were they just roommates, put together by the academy. No, they were much more. At the time, the young Jeff labeled these feelings as "Family", something he was bereft of. His mother had died at the time of his birth and his father was pretty much dead to Jeff. Neglect led to more neglect, which led to the boarding school. The only person who hadn't neglected him in his lonely life was the boy he shared a room with.
"Had it not been for that fateful encounter," Jeff contemplated as he made his way to the exit, "I'd have been alone". Just the word, "alone", caused him to tremble. He felt that arduous emotion for years, an affliction he'd not wish on his worst enemy. Making his way downstairs, Jeff began to feel uneasy. The flashbacks have been hitting him harder than normal, to the point of causing physical pain. Jeff has been stricken with a condition that normally impacts Ness. Jeff feels Homesick. He brushes this feeling off and walks out of the hotel, his destination being the department store. He was alone again, much to his chagrin. Fourside is a dangerous place, especially at night. One wrong step could lead to a battle, and Jeff hasn't brought anything to defend himself.
At the age of eleven, Tony and Jeff were spoken to by their behavior towards each other was "against school policy". Tony, overzealous as always, had attempted to argue with his teacher, exasperated by the negative, backwards-thinking mindset displayed by his educator. Back then, Jeff was too afraid to fight. He allowed his teacher to push his best friend away. He was afraid of confrontation, terrified of being anything less than the "perfect" son of the "perfect" Dr. Andonuts, but when Jeff saw the tears in Tony's eyes, he knew he chose the wrong path. He had cast his only family to the side, solely to please the bigoted views of superiors. Tony refused to look at him, and their friendship deteriorated.
Not even five feet from the entrance of the hotel, Jeff encountered two enemies. Though they were the weakest, he stood no chance, resorting to running back to safety.
"I'll have Ness stop at the store tomorrow." he thought. "I'll just stay in the lobby for a bit".
The night before Tony's birthday, Jeff heard a voice calling out, begging him to come save them. Jeff hadn't truly patched up anything with Tony, their feelings brushed underneath layers of guilt. Tony had no idea why Jeff wanted to leave, but would do anything, including breaking him out of the school, for him. With hushed voices and rheum-filled eyes, Tony and Jeff made their way to the entrance.
"Okay, now use me as a step and climb over the gate. Well… I'll say goodbye for now".
Another jolt of heartache rang through Jeff's body. He could have given Tony a proper goodbye, or at least called him. He could've called Tony whenever they stopped to rest, but something blocked him. Weeks have gone by since he left school, yet he hasn't once called. He knows Tony, and knows this behavior would cause him terrible anxiety. Ten minutes pass before Jeff rises from his seat, his mind beckoning him to the rotary phone in the room. Like clockwork, Jeff dials the number to Tony's receiver phone.
"Tony? It's Jeff. Um… I'm sorry. I should've called a long time ago. I messed up. Big time. Ever since our teachers spoke to us, I've been distant. You're my best friend and the only person I've ever been able to trust. You… you stayed by me when no one else did". Jeff takes a deep breath before continuing. "Through everything I've done, or the lack of action, you've stayed by me. Why? Why would you choose to stay by me? I know you can't answer me and that you can do nothing else but listen". After a quick pause to compose himself, Jeff continues to speak. "I'm sorry. I don't deserve forgiveness, but I owe you an apology. I treated you like nothing more than an acquaintance. You're much more than that in my mind. You're my best friend. You're the closest person in my life. I need to go so I can rest but…",with his voice shaking and tears streaming down his face, Jeff says something he's wanted to say for years, "I love you, Tony",
With that said, Jeff hangs up and hurries his way back to the room. For the first time since his adventure began, he sleeps peacefully.
Working through the night, Jeff repairs the Broken Heart. Jeff acquires Tony's Heart.