Chapter Two
Trigger Warnings For This Chapter: Cursing, Mental Illness Traits, Hallucinations, and Time-Period Accurate Homophobia Mentioned.
Brain led Pinky through the grossly carpeted hall up to his apartment door. He placed a hand on the doorknob, and his other held the key. "Now, it isn't much, so don't be expecting something nice." He warned his guest and unlocked the door. They both walked in, and Brain sat Pinky on the loveseat.
Pinky eyed the apartment thoroughly before shrugging at Brain. "I don't see what you mean. This place is wonderful." The short man even had a TV! Now that was fancy.
Brain looked around his own place and ignored the other's statement. He really didn't live in a spectacular space. "Stay right here, Pinky. I'm gonna go grab a medical kit."
Pinky looked past Brain and pointed at the wall behind him. "There's a medical kit right there, Brain." Pinky thought it odd that Brain had one on the wall and not in his bathroom cabinet but didn't ask about it.
Brain glanced at the small box and waved a dismissive hand. "That one is strictly for emergencies. Sometimes I work in the kitchen and…." Brain stopped talking and mentally berated himself for almost giving away his secret. He couldn't just tell a stranger he just met about how he sometimes attempts to create mind control serums that need boiling.
Brain cleared his throat. "I like to cook, and sometimes I cut or burn myself. Anyway, I have a better kit in my bedroom. Allow me to go and fetch it."
Pinky hummed in response and began to look over the apartment again.
Brain looked back to make sure he wasn't being watched and quickly opened and closed his bedroom door. He slid halfway under his bed and moved aside his beakers and pipettes. He grabbed the large box and backed out from under the bed. "There we are." Before going back out into the living room, Brain considered again what he was doing.
He was allowing this man access into his home… because he was nice. Brain blushed as he thought of all the compliments he had received today. Very nice. Brains blush deepened. If he had to admit it to himself, it was also because he was pleasant to look at.
He exited his room and grabbed a chair from the kitchen to pull up in front of his guest. When he sat down and opened the box, Brain took notice of the other's gaze. The tall man was staring at the corner of the room rather concerningly. Brain looked over and saw nothing. "Uh, Pinky. Are you okay?"
"So, silly question out of the blue, but… do you live here with anyone?"
Brain hesitated before answering. Letting someone he just met know that he lived alone could be dangerous… but the way he asked… it was just so innocent. "No. I live here by myself." He pulled out some sanitary wipes and began wiping Pinky's face. There was still some dried makeup and a little bit of blood.
Pinky seemed to relax at the answer, and he looked away from the corner in favor of watching Brain's movements. "Okay. Just curious. Sorry if it was a weird question."
"It's alright. Hmm. Your nose isn't broken. I'm going to have you open your mouth. I need to make sure the heathens didn't break any teeth."
Pinky obediently did as was asked.
Brain grabbed the other's chin and tilted his head from side to side. He was thankful Pinky's breath wasn't bad. It kind of smells like bubblegum. It was, however, mixed with the unfortunate scent of iron. He tilted Pinky's head once more and clicked his tongue. There was a painful-looking gash on the side of his gums.
He released Pinky's chin and left for the kitchen. He returned with two glasses. One had foggy water, and the other was empty. He handed both to Pinky. "It's going to sting, but you should go ahead and gargle some saltwater. You have a decent cut on the side of your gums."
Pinky groaned. He'd gargled salt water before. It was horrible. "Do I have to?"
Brain raised a brow at the childish behavior. "I suppose not. But you risk getting a horrible infection if you don't."
Pinky gulped but did as recommended. He twisted his face in weird ways and shut his eyes until he spat it out. "I hate salty water. Poit." He whined and handed Brain the cups.
Brain placed them on the coffee table for now and crossed his arms. "Your acting rather childish, you know?"
Pinky frowned and looked down at the ground. "Sorry."
Watching the other's smile turn upside down made Brain feel ill. He wanted Pinky to stay happy. Needed Pinky to stay happy. He didn't know why, but he just had to preserve this man's shine. "It's… fine. I suppose saltwater is rather unpleasant."
Brain coughed into his hand. He needed to make an awkward request. "They kicked your torso quite hard. I uh, may need you to remove your jacket and shirt. If you're comfortable with that."
Pinky began removing his ridiculous clown jacket. "I followed a complete stranger back to their apartment. I may as well, eh?"
Brain couldn't argue with that. He would've felt embarrassed, but he wasn't the most attractive person.
Pinky pulled his shirt over his head. "I trust you, though. I can tell you're good. It's a talent of mine. Narf!" When the shirt was off, Pinky blushed. The shorter man was eyeing him intensely. He didn't mind, though… Brain was kinda cute.
Abs!? And such clear skin! … minus the horrific bruising … Brain snapped out of his trance. "I'm going to need to touch a few areas and gauge your response to pain. That way, I can determine if there's any internal bleeding. Or fractured ribs. Is that okay?" He was gonna touch him. Though briefly, Brain was admittedly eager.
Pinky nodded his head yes. He sucked in a quiet breath when he felt the cold fingers brush his skin. First, they moved up the middle of his chest. He swallowed and tried to keep his voice from sounding stupid. "I-it doesn't hurt there."
Next, they slid down to his stomach, pressing gently around his belly button. Pinky averted his gaze. He could no longer keep watch of what was happening. It was too… intimate. "Doesn't hurt there, either."
They brushed back up but headed for the side of his ribs. They stopped momentarily on a particularly dark bruise, and Pinky hissed. "Okay. That hurts. Bad." He clenched his teeth together and shut his eyes.
Brain removed his fingers for a moment. "I'm going to check the other side as well." When he did, he got a similar response. Brain pondered. They didn't feel loose, so they weren't broken. But, they could be fractured or bruised. "How many sick days do you have, Pinky? I'm sorry to say, but you need to heal up."
Pinky leaned back and gave it some thought. Sick days? Hm. "Brain, I don't think I have those."
"You've used them all?"
"No. I never had any to begin with. I don't know if my kinda work has things like sick days. It's sort of a gig-by-gig deal. It's hard to explain." Pinky looked down at his ribcage. "Why do I need to heal up, Brain? Is it bad?"
Brain grabbed some sanitary wipes and cleaned up a few tiny cuts he noticed. Then he rummaged for the antibacterial cream. "Well, your ribs are either fractured or bruised. You either need to take yourself off as an option for gigs temporarily- or ask for very light work." He applied bandages next.
Pinky sighed. He couldn't just say he was out. They'd fire him. He also didn't have any control over what jobs he could have. He admired Brain's handiwork and decided to lie. This man was so kind to him; he didn't want Brain to feel bad for him. "I can ask for an easier workload. Zort!"
Brain closed the kit and stood up. "Good. You'll need to be very cautious. I suspect they're just bruised, but you never know." He held up the box. "I'll be right back." He went to put away the supplies and came back in to see Pinky staring at the corner again.
Brain sat next to Pinky and tapped his shoulder.
Pinky turned to him and smiled. "Sorry, Brain. I was… just thinking." Brain lived alone. The creepy lady in the corner wasn't really there.
Brain shrugged and reached for the phone on the wall near the loveseat. He took a shaky breath. All he had to do was call and let them know this was a sick day. No big deal. Everyone else calls in when they need to. He lifted his finger to type in the number and froze. Why was this so hard!
Pinky tilted his head as he observed Brain tense up. "What's the matter, Brain? Poit."
Brain exhaled deeply. Was he really going to tell Pinky about his anxiety? He peeked at those famous blue eyes which held no judgment. "If I tell you something, will you promise not to laugh at me?"
"Well, of course, I promise. And I don't break promises. Not like scary ghosts do." He shivered. Sometimes he saw a ghost guy, and it always promised not to scare him. But then it would anyway.
Brain didn't know how to respond to that. He had no idea what that could have possibly meant. "Oookay. So, you won't laugh?"
"I won't laugh."
Even though they were in the walls of his apartment, he motioned for Pinky to lower his head so Brain could whisper into his ears. It was such a shameful attribute for a man of his age. Almost fifty and phone calls were difficult for him. "I have… anxiety. Diagnosed anxiety. It makes it difficult to do certain things that may be normal for others."
Pinky sat up straight again. "Anxiety?" He said it quietly.
Brain looked down at his lap. "I know. It's ridiculous, isn't it?" He could threaten strangers and give attitude to employees of varying establishments, but he couldn't make a phone call. Something about not being able to see the other person bothered him. He struggled to do other things, but it always seemed random.
Pinky put a reassuring hand on Brain's shoulder. "I don't think it's rickyless. Everyone is different. Narf!" The taller man pointed at himself. "I mean, look at me! I'm sitting here saying weird sounds out of nowhere. You're not judging me for it, so I'm certainly not going to judge you for your problems."
That… actually did make Brain feel better. "Well, thank you. For not judging."
Pinky giggled.
Brain quirked a brow. "What is it?"
"Oh, it's just that you're showing your lovely smile again. It's simply gorgeous."
The shorter man caught his reflection on his TV screen. Two smiles in one day. Had he met some… angel in disguise? "Well, so I am." He felt his smile disappear when he glanced back at the phone. He still had to make a call.
Pinky gasped out of nowhere and raised his hand.
"Uh, yes? Pinky?"
Pinky put his hand down and lit up. "What if I make the phone call for you! Just tell me what I should say, and I'll do the talking!"
Honestly, Brain was touched that the taller man would offer such a thing. But… "Unfortunately, Pinky, they know what my voice sounds like. They'll know it's not me calling. I'd let you call on my behalf… but they also know I have no family. If another man picked up the phone to call in sick for me… they might make assumptions." They'd be partially correct assumptions, but he knew that if they found out he was gay, he'd be fired.
Pinky seemed confused. "Like what, Brain?"
Brain felt his face heat up, and he stared at the ceiling. "They, uh, may assume you're a boyfriend or something of that nature. If they found out I was gay, I'd be fired." Brain slapped a hand over his mouth. "Not that I am! They just might think that!" He was sweating bullets.
Pinky laughed in his own head. Oooh! In the closet, I see. Now all the staring made sense, but Pinky didn't mind. Brain was cute, and it made him feel tingly knowing that the shorter man had been ogling him the whole time. Pinky had assumed Brain was just shocked or curious about how he looked. He didn't want to make Brain uncomfortable, though, and went along with it. "I see. Weeellll…" He thought a little more. "If you're calling in sick, they might think the voice change is 'cause of that. I can just say I'm stuffy or something."
Brain hummed. That actually might work. "Okay. Let's do it." He handed the receiver over to Pinky. "When they ask who it is that's calling, say that your name is Mr. Brain and that you're calling in sick today. If they ask anything more, just say your stuffy, as you suggested." As Brain dialed the number, he felt a silly rush of excitement.
Pinky also felt the rush in his own body. This was kinda fun!
The phone rang on the other end a few times before a lady answered. "Hello, A.C.M.E temp. Agency. This is Jenny. Are you looking for a job?" The agency itself wasn't temporary work, but a place where people went looking for work.
Brain gave a thumbs up to Pinky, who winked back in return. Pinky "coughed" into the phone rather convincingly. "Hello, Jenny! This is Mr. Brain. I'm afraid I'm calling in sick today."
There was some keyboard typing that could be heard before the lady spoke up again. "Ah, Brain. We were wondering why you hadn't shown. So you're sick, you say?"
Pinky nodded even though she couldn't see. "Oh yes. I'm very under the weather." He coughed again.
There was some more typing. "Okay. You're good. Get well. You sound god awful."
Pinky placed a hand on his chest. God awful? He didn't think his voice was that bad. He pushed through the insult and smiled. "Will do, Jenny! Have a splendid day, okay? It's a crazy world out there!" He hung up, gave Brain a double thumbs-up, and grinned wider. "How'd I do, Brain?"
Brain burst out laughing. "Pinky! That was wonderful!" He almost couldn't believe it worked! Pinky told her to have a 'splendid day.' Oh, they definitely thought he was sick after that! He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye as he calmed down. How long had it been since I laughed?
Pinky's mouth hung open a little. It was the most precious laugh he had ever heard in his life. He wanted to hear it again sometime. Oh, he'd have to try and come up with some jokes in the future… if there was a future. Suddenly Pinky felt very solemn. What if after today, he never saw Brain again?!
Brain noticed Pinky's troubled expression. Nope. That needs to be fixed immediately. "Pinky, what's wrong?"
Pinky looked shamefully down at his shoes. He was going to sound pathetic; he just knew it. He spoke his mind anyway. "Am I going to see you more? After today? Poit." Pinky gulped and went for it. "Maybe… we could see each other again this weekend?" Oh, wait. Brain's still in the closet. "As friends, of course." No one had ever been kind to him like this. This man saved him from being beaten into a puddle! Plus, people usually thought he was annoying, stupid, or… crazy. He hated that one the most. Brain didn't say any of those things to him.
Brain paused. This weekend? Hm. He did have plans. He was going to attempt to make a subliminal message radio wave. But he supposed he could do that Sunday. Hang with Pinky on Saturday, and try... No! Succeed at ruling the world on Sunday.
Should he? He had just met this man, but already he felt so comfortable with him. He was a star among darkness in Hamington. Hell, he felt better after a few hours with Pinky than he ever did going to his 'therapy' sessions. This was a lot. In a matter of one day, Brain's worldview was shifted around. He believed good people existed once again. "You know what, yes. I would love to see you again this weekend. Do you have a place in mind?"
Pinky put a finger to his chin and stuck his tongue out in thought. It couldn't be a restaurant. Too date-y. He didn't want Brain flustered in a public setting. The park was still a bit too romantic. …Oh! He knew! A bar! Pinky wasn't a fan of drinking, but guys hung together and got beers with each other all the time. At least, he's pretty sure that's what happens. "How about we go down to the bar on fifth street! The one with the blue neon lights!"
Brain was actually quite shocked at the suggestion. Pinky didn't seem like a drinker. But it did sound fun. He could scrape up a little bit of money before then and buy a couple of beers. He looked at Pinky in his eyes for the millionth time that day. Perhaps more than a little bit of money. He wanted to buy Pinky's drinks, too…. Pinky was the one to be vulnerable and ask to see him again. The least he could do was purchase the drinks. "That sounds nice. How does Saturday sound? It's when I'm free. We could meet about at around five or so."
"That sounds just great!"
Brain nodded. "Alright then. It's a date!... Er, like a meet-up." He waved a hand in an attempt at dismissiveness. "Oh, who cares. It's just a saying."
...
The two chatted for a few more hours before Pinky stood up. He'd been there long enough, and he didn't want to intrude. "I, uh, suppose I should get goin'. I don't wanna take your whole day from ya. Narf!"
Brain felt a little disappointment in his chest. He didn't want Pinky to go, but he supposed it was an appropriate time for him to do so. "Oh, you weren't stealing my day. I actually had a wonderful time talking with you." His heartbeat picked up when he saw Pinky try to hide some pain. It was to be expected with how badly he was kicked. "Do you need help going home?"
Pinky smiled at the offer. But… "No! I'm quite alright! Thank you, though!" He made his way to the door but was stopped when his arm was grabbed.
Brain didn't mean to be so brash, but he remembered something. "Sorry to stop you, but perhaps we should exchange numbers in case something happens with either of us before Saturday?"
Pinky turned to look at Brain. He wants my phone number? Part of him was swooning inside, but another part of him was panicking. He didn't have a phone. Hell, he didn't have a real place to stay. He showered and ate at the building where he was assigned jobs. He slept under a bridge… Hmm. Pinky grabbed a pen from a table next to him and scribbled down the number of the building he was employed at. "This is the number at my work… but you'll have a far better chance at reaching me there. Just ask for Pinky, and they'll hand it over to me."
Brain felt his pulse flutter as the number was being written down. Something about an attractive man writing a phone number on you instead of a paper was thrilling. He grabbed the pen from Pinky and did the same with his number. "There. Now we both have a way to contact each other."
Pinky turned back for the door and waved goodbye. "Bye, Brain! Thanks for everything! I'll see you on Saturday! Troz!" He slipped through the door and shut it. Then he immediately slid down nearly all the way to the ground with the goofiest smile. He was gonna see him again. He sighed longingly and popped back up. He walked down the hallway with fluttery eyelids.
On Brain's side of the door, he had completely slid down to the floor. He was as red as a tomato. He was gonna see him again.
