Chapter 21 : It's a goodbye

Larry woke up, near his lover in a big and comfortable bed. He noticed Fiskmeyer already was awaken, sitting up on the bed and reading a book while drinking a cup of tea. He was dressed back with a bathrobe, smiling to him.

"Hello" He said.

"…Hello" Larry blinked. Once his mind was clear, he moved to kiss Fiskmeyer. A kiss he returned. "…My gosh. It had been so long since—"

It had been so long since they didn't share a moment like this.

"I know." Fiskmeyer chuckled, turning pages of his book. "What are you reading?" Larry asked.

"Lady boss."

"Jackie Collins" Larry wrapped his arms around his shoulders. Fiskmeyer had been the one who introduced him to this author. He read all of her books since then. He just liked it, no matter how many times he read it.

A long silence came between them, only interrupted by Fiskmeyer's coughs. Both of them were reading the same book. That was nice.

"I think they are worried about you now." Fiskmeyer spoke up. "Shouldn't you go back to them?"

Larry frowned. "After all this time, I'm finally with you. I intend to enjoy it." He leaned his head on his shoulder, inhaling his scent. He just took a shower before.

"I wish to stay" He said. "…Now that everything is settled down, we can move in together. If you still want me."

Fiskmeyer froze. "You have a job to do, Larry."

"Yes!" He nodded. "But I never said I would stay in Time Squad permanently. Now that we are together again…we could start from scratch."

Fiskmeyer closed his book. "Larry, it isn't a good idea now. You need this job. Then…what about Otto? And Tuddrussel?"

At this remark, Larry fell silent again. After all, he joined Time squad because everything was over with Fiskmeyer. Because he didn't have any other choice. Now he was sure Fiskmeyer loved him, nothing held him back here.

But he wasn't wrong about Otto. To be honest, Larry didn't wish to leave him behind. He needed the boy and the boy needed him.

He felt a pair of lips on his again. Fiskmeyer pulled back, though his lips were still close. He whispered: "You should think about it a bit longer, Larry. You can't throw your new life like this."

"But I miss it" Larry protested. "I can't move on. Every time I try, I realize I can't"

Fiskmeyer kissed him again. "You can. Please…think about it again."

"Why don't you come to join me so?" This idea suddenly came in his mind. He stared at Fiskmeyer, hopeful. "If you don't want me to quit the job, you can quit yours. You would travel in time with us."

Indeed, that would be perfect. In this way, he wouldn't have to make a choice between Otto and Fiskmeyer. He could have both of them. Tuddrussel would be tolerant. After all, he took a liking in him too. It would be the greatest life he dreamed of.

"It would be awesome." Larry paused, dreamy look in his eyes. "We would accomplish missions together. You would help us with historical figures. We would work together, like old times. Not only that, but we would see each other every day. We would cook together, we would go and watch Jezebel's shows, we would visit countries while Tuddrussel and Otto would play together to Future Man and Sidekick boy."

Fiskmeyer shared his thought, smiling. "I always liked to visit countries. Egypt, Canada, Germany…"

"We can" Larry pointed, cuddling Fiskmeyer again.

"…But I'm not sure if I could help you with missions, Larry. I'm not an expert in history and…I wouldn't be able to deal with people like Hitler."

That was the reason why they disagreed about joining Time Squad. "Then" he added, "it would be contrary to laws. I don't wish to put you in trouble."

"We already took Otto from past while it was forbidden" Larry snapped. "It wouldn't make any difference, Fiskmeyer! Why refusing?"

He sighed. "…I just want to be with you again."

He felt a hand caressing his face. Fiskmeyer gave him a tender look. "I would be with you. Just give me some time to think about it, okay?"

Then, he kissed him again. Larry moaned when the kiss turned into something deeper. He closed his eyes, caressing his lover's cheeks. He was right. They had all the time of the world to think about it. They shouldn't care about what would happen next.

Later, Larry came back on the satellite. At the second he opened the door, he realized immediately that something wasn't right. In the computer room, Tuddrussel and Otto were here, waiting for him. Tuddrussel had his arms crossed on his chest, giving him a glare while Otto looked worried.

"Ah! Here you again!" Tuddrussel cried out, anger in his voice.

"What? Did something happen?" Larry immediately imagined the worst. All scenarios involving Tuddrussel causing a big damage: hole in the satellite, set fire in kitchen, crushed the computer…Though the last hypothesis wasn't unfounded because he noticed the keyboard thrown on the floor. He frowned. "Dang it, Tuddrussel! Didn't I tell you not to using the computer? It isn't a toy for the last time!"

"Oh shut your big mouth, Larry!" Tuddrussel shouted. It surprised Larry enough to make him stop. "Excuse me?"

He didn't understand. What the Hell happened here? He turned back at Otto, demanding explanations. "Tell me what's happened, for crying out loud!"

Otto glanced back at Tuddrussel, before taking a breath. "…Alarm went off."

He raised one eyebrow. That's all? "You are angry because there is a mission? Why didn't you tell me?"

Tuddrussel clenched his fists, moving closer to Larry. This latter stepped back, unsure of what Tuddrussel intended to do. "Not ONE mission. 10 missions! Alarm didn't stop beeping!"

Larry felt a bit bad. He didn't expect they would have such missions in one day. "I'm sorry but…Why didn't you warn me?"

"We called you many times, you tin can!" Tuddrussel informed him, spitting. "You never replied! What do you think we did? Without any stupid robot, we can't travel in time!"

"We tried to use the computer but Tuddrussel…broke the keyboard." Otto added, shyly. Larry gave a sharp look at Tuddrussel. "No wonder"

"Oh no, don't blame me!" Tuddrussel cried out. "If you had been around, we would have been able to accomplish our job. Instead, it is another team who did the deed!"

Otto slightly nodded in approval. So the boy agreed with him. "Well, excuse me!" Larry shouted back. "It isn't so serious. It isn't the first time we miss missions. After all, remember the last time. We didn't get any mission because you unplugged the entire computer system in order to BRUSH YOUR TEETH!" He pointed at him. "And that's your entire fault, Tuddrussel!"

"Don't blame me again! It's about you now, Larry!" If they kept on, another fight would break out between them. Larry didn't care.

"So whenever you commit mistakes, I can't blame you but whenever I commit a slight one, you can blame me?" Larry couldn't believe it. Tuddrussel was just a hypocrite…

Or completely stupid. Maybe both.

"A slight one? Are you kidding?" Tuddrussel punched the wall, right near Larry's head. It made him jump in surprise. Larry wasn't afraid of Tuddrussel…nevertheless, he didn't want to be his target whenever he was angry.

"Because of you, we missed the promotion!"

"Which promotion?" Larry frowned.

"The promotion I should have had!" Tuddrussel spat again. "Instead, Sheila got it!"

"Oh I see!" Larry shouldn't have been surprised. Sheila would have been brought to the surface sooner or later. "You are jealous because another team took our missions. Well, if you were smarter, Tuddrussel, maybe you could be promoted."

"Don't you dare, Larry!" Tuddrussel whispered, a more threatening tone. "Don't you dare…"

"Why couldn't I? After all, I'm the one taking care of this stupid satellite here! I clean, I cook, I check if Otto does his homework. Heck, I even check if you take a shower, Tuddrussel!"

"What's your point?" Tuddrussel screamed, ignoring Otto trying to calm him down.

"My point is: if you helped me more, maybe you wouldn't be forced to wait for me at home whenever I go outside. Instead, you absolutely do nothing but sitting your butt on sofa and waiting for me to bring your lunch and resolving any problem!"

"You are a robot, Larry! You are supposed to do all these things!"

"I may be a robot, but I'm not forced to obey you every time! You can take care of things yourself but apparently you are too stupid for this!" Larry paused, trying to calm down. "…No wonder why Sheila dumped you."

"Oh!"

Tuddrussel was about to say something else…or punching him. instead, he quickly left the computer room, slamming the door behind him. Otto watched him go, taken aback.

"Serve him right" Larry commented.

"Larry…I think you vexed him." Otto replied, turning back at him.

"So what? He hurt me every day, reminding me I'm a robot while I'm not only a robot!" Larry picked the keyboard up to fix it.

"That's not true…But you have to admit, Larry: you are the one who is wrong this time."

Larry froze. "Excuse me? I just left for two hours!"

"More than two hours, Larry." Otto pointed. "Without you, we can't make missions."

"Well, that's only because you need me for missions?" Really, Otto may be smart but he was very dumb here. "Do you only care for me because you NEED me?"

Otto looked surprised. "No, that's not what I meant. You know it isn't true."

"Well, that's how I feel, Otto! You only play with Tuddrussel, always hanging out with him when you want fun. You definitely like him! While I'm the one here, settling rules, putting limits, using the computer and always giving you homework!" Larry took a breath. "You think I'm annoying yet you stay up with me because you need me for missions."

This time, Otto glared him. "That's unfair, Larry. You know that's not true. I love you both, guys! You know it."

"Oh yes, you definitely display it to me." Larry tried to fix the keyboard. Not to avail. "Prove you don't, as you didn't keep Tuddrussel from break things I care for!"

"But you know how Tuddrussel is…" Otto tried to justify himself. "…He is unstoppable whenever he is angry."

"Yes, yes, always the same excuse! You know what, Otto? Even machines have feelings, if you still don't know." Larry didn't stare him back.

"I know but…"

"No but" Larry cut him in. "After all, you need me. Because if you didn't accomplish missions, you wouldn't be here. If you didn't know so much about history, we wouldn't have taken us with us."

He suddenly realized what he just said. This time, he turned back at Otto. The boy still glared at him, though he could see some tears in his eyes, behind his glasses.

"…I thought I was more now. I thought I was part of your team." Otto paused. "…I thought I had a family now."

Larry wanted to apologize. However, anger took over him. Right now, he thought that Larry was the victim here. Indeed, he was the victim of two selfish and unbearable humans.

"We are not a family!" Larry shouted. "We are a team, that's all! We just work and live together, only this!"

Otto stayed open-mouthed. He could only stammer at Larry's sentence. "…But I thought…I thought we were more than this."

"Well you were wrong, Otto!" Larry clenched his fist.

What am I saying? Larry thought.

"I'm not your parent! Tuddrussel isn't your parent! Your parents left you!" His voice broke now. "You are an orphan, Otto!"

He blinked. Otto fell silent. This time, tears were running down in his cheeks. Larry knew it. He hurt him.

"Otto…That's…"

However, Otto didn't reply. He just followed Tuddrussel, quickly leaving the room. His sobs could be heard from far.

My God, what have I done? Larry thought. Regrets immediately followed anger. Now he felt ashamed.

What did he just say?

How could he say such things to Otto?

He had been unfair.

Your family is waiting for you.

You have a little family now.

Of course he had! Of course, all of them were a family now! Otto, Tuddrussel and he!

Why didn't he say he wanted to be Otto's parent? Because he was afraid that someone would take him?

He shook his head, trying to ignore tears falling on the floor.

OOC: Don't hesitate to review. I would be glad to have some critics it helps me to improve. Thanks you!