Chapter 3: Mordecai s Enlightenment

"Dude, wake up, we're late!" said Rigby, who was shaking his friend s shoulder.

"W-what?" Mordecai was just barely aware of everything after his short rude awakening.

"Benson's gonna be here in like 10 minutes!" he shouted.

Mordecai understood it now. Everything after the sleep-walking... The cuddling, the kiss, the heartfelt words... All just figments of his imagination. He had mixed feelings about it... Was it a good thing or not that it wasn t real? He was just so stricken by it... It seemed to be overwhelming, clouding his thoughts.

All he thought about for the next week was that dream. The park and crew resumed their normal activity, but Mordecai was afraid. Afraid of his true feelings for Rigby.

He slammed his foot on the ground and screamed. "I can't take it anymore! Rigby!" he yelled.

Rigby came running. "What's wrong man?"

"Rigby, I can t take it. I had a dream about you last night... We cuddled, we kissed, and I don t know if I really want it or if it was my subconscious so... I need you to help me... Just kiss me once so I'll know."

Mordecai was in tears as he asked one of the biggest favors imaginable of his one best friend, the one he d known since they were toddlers. Now, at adulthood, he realizes there was always more to their friendship.

Rigby, without hesitation, replied to Mordecai s sudden outburst. "Mordy... there have been times I had the same thoughts but I never had the courage to tell you..."

Mordecai was struck by this as well. He hadn't been called Mordy since he was 8. Mordecai sat down in the grass and sighed. "I'm so sorry, I didn t mean to just come out like that all of a sudden."

Rigby sat down next to his lifelong pal and placed his fuzzy paw on the blue-jay's soft wing, and they both blushed. "I was hoping you would..." said Rigby in the most comforting tone he could.

"One little kiss? Just to see?" asked Mordecai.

"Say no more..." trailed Rigby.

After a few silent moments of gazing into each other's eyes, they leaned in for a kiss. Mordecai's beak touched Rigby's lips, which wrapped around it in response. The kiss was magical, Rigby let his eyes fall shut and Mordecai followed his lead, while holding Rigby in his arms. After a few more moments of their saliva exchange, Mordecai stopped the kiss abruptly.

"Dude, what's wro-" Rigby cut off his sentence when he saw Mordecai's eyes wet with tears, and he began sobbing, as he got up and ran off.

"Mordecai! Wait!" Rigby was left with nothing in front of him but an outstretched arm, and a memory of his recent encounter.

Meanwhile, Mordecai busted through the doors of the coffee shop and headed straight for the kitchen. Margaret saw him crying and set down the dishes she'd been washing to help.

"Mordecai, are you okay? Is something wrong? Did someone hurt y-" Margaret's sentence was interrupted by Mordecai's beak entwining to her own in a very passionate kiss, which Mordecai ended quickly, then wiped his tears and acquired a blank expression.

"Mordecai... I..." Margaret was speechless.

"Margaret, say no more." Mordecai began.

"But Mordecai, I've been in love with you for years... I never got the chance to tell you though."

"Shit... Margaret..." he continued, "I'm in love with Rigby. I thought I loved you but I felt nothing from that kiss, and the one with Rigby made me... I don't know, happy..."

"Mordecai, I understand. I always thought you two had a special bond but... I was hoping I could diverge you. I m so sorry."

Mordecai took both of Margaret's wings in his own. "Listen, it's fine. People will do crazy things for love but... I guess ours just wasn t meant to be." He began running toward the door and sprinted as fast as possible back to the park, where Rigby was still in the bedroom.

"Rigby... I need you... I want you. You've obviously been the one for me this whole time, not Margaret, but I was just too stupid to know. I'm so sorry." Mordecai sighed and began to cry again, burying his face into his wings and flopping onto the bed, laying by Rigby.

Rigby hugged Mordecai sympathetically, which he'd never have done had Mordecai not said his true feelings. Rigby held him close for a few moments. "There's nothing to be sorry for, sweetheart."

This nickname was a shock to Mordecai.

Rigby continued, "Mordecai, like I said before, I've had a crush on you since we were younger, but now it's something more... Mordecai, will you please be my boyfriend? I need a sweet, kind-hearted guy to-" he paused when he saw Mordecai beaming.

"Yes, yes I will Rigby! I ll be yours!" He was crying again, but this time it was because he was overjoyed.