NoV: Yep's been awhile since I've updated. This could be the last update for awhile…I'm working on other stories, plus work and school….so, remind me once and a while and I'll try to update this, k?

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Two days later—band practice

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Finny was running amok setting up equipment and making sure everyone was ready to go. Brinker had decided to permanently give up his band position to Mallory. He either wanted to spend his free time studying, or he just didn't want to get involved with something that he'd eventually have to give up. Gene's patience with their houseguest was growing thin. Every morning, very early, he'd wake them both up when he stumbled into the dorm after spending the night drinking out at the bars. Finny couldn't go back to sleep after that and stayed on the computer all morning until time for class when he finally got back to bed.

"So," Finny said, screwing the drumset together, "I think I want to change the band's name."

Gene rolled his eyes. "To what?"

"Well, I mean we're not the same band anymore," Finny explained, not answering the initial question right away. "We should change the name, shouldn't we?"

"What was the old name?" Mallory wondered. She strummed her bass, tuning it.

"Eclectic," Gene answered. "What are you changing the name to?" he asked Finny.

"Hypoallergenic," he replied, as if that were a perfectly normal answer.

"….and why?" Gene said.

"I don't know!" Finny snapped. "Maybe I'm obsessive-compulsive and afraid of germs!"

"Fine," Gene said, throwing up his hands defensively. "Don't get so uppity."

"I wrote a new song too. I want to try and work it out today," Finny mentioned.

"Cool, what's it called?" Tabitha asked.

"Nice Shoes, Let's Fuck," Finny said calmly. At this point, Gene and the others realized that all was not well in Finny's world. They looked at the note sheets he handed them and played a rough version of the song. Finny belted out the lyrics, which were dirty and full of curse words.

At the end of the song, Finny just sat there, drumsticks still in his hands hovering over the drums. Tabitha and Mallory gaped at him, their mouths open in shock. Gene set his guitar down and went to Finny. He gently took his friend by the arm, saying, "Come with me." Finny allowed himself to be taken into the adjoining room.

Gene let go of his lover once they were alone and watched him lean against the wall and slump down to half his height. "You haven't been acting like yourself since the other night when you went to find Brinker," Gene informed him. Finny stayed silent. "What happened? I know you're not telling me the whole story."

Finny hung his head, concealing his eyes under his long bangs. "It wasn't that," he said softly. "I mean…..at first it was, but then….I just…." He couldn't continue. Gene heard a hushed sob escape him.

"You've got to tell me what's wrong," Gene said, getting closer to him. "I won't know how to help if you don't." For once, Gene wasn't conjuring up any unreal scenarios that his friend may be involved in. For once, he had no idea what was wrong.

"You're right," Finny said after a long pause. "And I want to tell you everything….and I didn't when I should have…..a guy did steal my watch the other night, but not because I set it down. Some guy mugged me in an alley while I was on my way to the bar."

"Oh my god," Gene whispered, stooping down and wrapping his disconcerted companion into a loving hug. "I—I—people suck," Gene finally said, not knowing what he should say at this point. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" This thought made Gene's breath catch in his throat. God, Finny had been through so much pain in the last year and he never deserved any of it….

"I could have handled it," Finny went on. He didn't act like he had heard any of what Gene had said. "I could have kept it to myself and you wouldn't find out…..you wouldn't worry….."

Gene shook his head. "I love you, Finny. There's no way I couldn't worry about you."

Finny took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "But then, Mom called me yesterday….." He paused for what seemed like twenty minutes before he finally said, "She has cancer."

Gene's stomach flopped. He felt tears stinging his eyes. "Oh god…..I'm so sorry…."

Finny buried his face in Gene's arm, rubbing away a few of his owns tears. Looking back up again, he said, "Lung cancer…..she smokes and I didn't even know…..doctor said…." He began to choke on his sobs, but tried to continue. "….she's got three months…..three fucking months….."

Gene opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't find a single word. He shook his head over and over, staring into Finny's eyes, which were looking elsewhere, dazed. Finally, Gene just pulled his lover closer to him and held him, wishing that holding onto him would make all the bad things go away.

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NoV: Ooh, a dramatic turn! What shall we do?? 'Nice Shoes, Let's Fuck' belongs to my Lit teacher's band Tankini, which I do not own but shall forever be amazed by.