(based on original characters & story by princesskeda. 'the heirs' ch 22)

An Oppenheimer doesn't have friends. An Oppenheimer has associates.

The rule has never been blatantly stated, but M is a good learner. He watches his family, following in their footsteps like he's supposed to. He knows that, to succeed in life, you've got to be willing to drop people when they don't help you get where you need to be. Friendship, loyalty, the ooey-gooey i-love-you stuff – it's a burden that holds you back from your greatest potential.

M doesn't have a problem with that. He's decently popular, but ultimately independent. He takes care of himself, stays out of trouble. Anything to make the inevitable transition to becoming the next Marty Oppenheimer easier. It's not what he would choose, but it's all M knows.

When the Oni-girl arrives, everything M knows flips on its head. M has an enemy in the weird-eyed freak, then a partner, then... a friend? He doesn't quite know yet, and he's too proud to ask. But, if she were, she'd be a pretty good one. In knowing her, M finds he doesn't always like to be alone, doesn't always have to push people away. To his own surprise, he finds himself not only breaking the rules, but kinda enjoying it, too. And when they break apart, even when he's the one doing the breaking, it hurts. It seems like there will be no coming back from their falling out.

Then she goes and drags him along with her to the First Realm. They explore and dance and laugh like nothing ever happened between them, and it's a genuine kind of fun. She shows him the parts of her life that nobody else sees, tells him about her past even when he knows it's a hard subject. Guilt gnaws on M the rest of the evening; he knows he's the one who messed up, yet she's the one trying to piece their relationship back together. And even though he feels responsible, he doesn't know what to say to make it up to her.

Theo is the one to see them off. He gives Amber one last goodbye hug, so tight Amber turns a little purple, then they're ready to go. M closes his eyes tight and holds onto his new Oni pot with one arm and Amber with the other.

Transporting isn't as awful when he knows what to expect, but he still feels his stomach lurch in protest. A pop, then they're plunged into darkness. They're in Amber's dorm room again, in the dark save for the dim glow of the moon through her windows. A full minute passes before M can get ahold of his breath, his stomach swirling and hot and sick. Amber is quick to click on her nightstand lamp, and while he recovers, he takes in his surroundings. He doesn't know what he was expecting, but it surprises him that her walls are basically bare. She has a few trinkets scattered around – a mini picture frame, a classic vinyl player, a stack of books, and some sort of silver band. Otherwise, she doesn't seem to be the decorating type.

When the sloshing in his stomach wanes a little, he remembers to check his phone. There's no connection in the First Realm, not that he'd cared to use it on their adventure anyway. His notifications are empty, save one text from a kid in his geometry class. As far as he can tell, he's evaded his father for the day. He feels relief… until spotting the time.

"Holy cow, 3am?" he says, a little too loud for comfort.

Amber snorts from where she's unpacking her overnight bag. "Yeah, there's a bit of a time difference. You learn to deal with it the more you jump, but that doesn't make it any easier."

"I didn't even notice," he mumbles. When he looks up from his phone again, she's eyeing him worriedly.

"Are you going to get in trouble with your roommate? I mean, you didn't come back before curfew."

"Nah, he falls asleep fast. I'll just tell him I was out a little late with my dad."

At the mention of Marty IV, it dawns on him that his little escape from reality is ending. As soon as the sun rose, the loop of father-son drama would begin all over. Plus, with no classes together, lunch in his father's office, and a few big exams approaching, who knew when he would get a chance to hang out with Amber again?

Amber must be thinking the same. She picks up his little Oni pot where it landed unscathed while he recovered, handing it over a little sheepishly. "I hope you like your lucky pot. It's really not that special-"

"No, it's perfect. Thanks," M says, equally awkward as they move toward the door. Despite their fun day together, he can feel the tension of the past few weeks hovering between them again. The guilt from earlier creeps up on him again. "So… I guess I'll see you when I see you."

"Yeah. See you," she echoes.

The door is halfway closed before he blurts, "Wait, Amber?"

When she pauses, he curses his own dumb tongue, but it's too late to take it back. "We're cool, right?"

Amber cocks her head, expression unreadable. "Cool?"

"With… with everything that happened. Between us."

She exhales slowly, like blowing off steam, and M gets a pit in the bottom of his stomach. Maybe she still didn't like him after all, and taking him to the First Realm was just a way to keep him quiet about her secret escapades. "I'm sorry. I should have explained what was going on, everything my dad has done to keep me from seeing you. I tried to keep being nice to you even if we couldn't talk. But I didn't think there was any other option…"

She looks less than thrilled with his apology. M swallows.

"That… came out wrong. I'm really sorry, Amber. For everything with my dad and everything before that. I've been a real jerk and an awful friend this whole semester. I would take everything back if I could. But.. I get it if you don't want to be my partner anymore."

Amber is silent, and M is about to turn and leave when she finally mumbles something soft.

"We're friends?"

M's eyes jump to meet hers at the words. He hadn't even been thinking about what he was saying, but… wasn't it the truth? Haven't they been friends this whole time? M dares to hope so. "Sure. I mean, if that's what you want to be."

"I do," she says, lips twitching up. They stand there dumbly in the hallway, M hugging his lucky pot to his chest, Amber clutching the doorframe, long-unsaid words finally out there in the universe.

"Uh, I should go," M says eventually. "See you soon?"

Amber nods, the half-smile a little wider than usual as she waves a goodbye. M hears the door click shut long after he turns to leave.

M sneaks back home, and for the first time in a long time, he falls asleep with a smile.