Chapter 11

"You've got one more week, Mordecai, before you're back to your old self again." Skips said to the blue jay. A test tube filled with blue liquid was held up high in his hand and he was peering at it, moving it around to check for any mistakes.

"Another week!" Mordecai asked, throwing his hands out. "Are you sure? It feels like it's been longer than 3 weeks."

Skips looked at Mordecai from the tube and he mused the blue jays words in his mind before going back to the blue liquid and answering "It just feels like that because of so much that's been going on since you've changed." Something turned in Skips' mind and his eyes went to the avians face, a look of realization coming upon his features. "Speaking of time, what's been going on with you and Benson?" He asked, placing the tube back into its holder.

Mordecai swallowed. "Well, um, that's uh kinda why I wanted to see you." He fiddled with his fingers and refused to look into the yetis wise eyes incase Skips saw something that Mordecai didn't want him to. "I um well I've been talking to Benson-" When he saw the yetis eyes narrow in anger, Mordecai raised his head hoping to lower Skips' temper from his next words. "No, no! I didn't mean physically talk, I meant like we um we passed messages to each other through Eileen and-"

"Do you want to change back to yourself, Mordecai?"

Mordecai stopped, irritated at being interrupted and surprised at the question that Skips'd interrupted him with. "Well, yeah of course."

"Then you gotta stop communicating with Benson. Even the slightest brush of your hands could cause even worse damage than what happened last week, especially since you've spent so much time avoiding him."

Now Mordecai began to grow nervous; the yetis words weren't helping. "Y-Yeah I know."

Skips sighed. "Carry on."

"I um anyway me and Benson communicated through messages with us going back and forth between Eileen then she called me up and cancelled on us because of work. And um I went into the kitchen and when I turned around I saw Benson and..." He swallowed again, thicker this time. "We-we passed each other and I went upstairs and I-I..." Mordecai felt choked up. He didn't want to admit it to Skips' since he knew the yeti would get mad at him, if not disappointed. "It just hit me that I like him. Like, like like him."

Mordecai finally looked up and waited for Skips to blow out on him from doing exactly the opposite of what Skips told him but instead the yeti was quiet; he was thinking over Mordecais words and trying to get through to the reality of it all. "I was scared of this." He finally muttered.

"What?" Mordecai asked worriedly. Skips went quiet again, making the blue jay go cold. "What? What's going on?"

"I-" Skips looked at Mordecai then closed his eyes, sighing. "When you both passed through the kitchen door, did you and Benson make eye contact or touch hands or have any physical contact or momentary connection?"

"We made eye contact I think but I do-"

Skips cut in before Mordecai could finish. "Because you've avoided Benson so much and haven't seen him for so long, that one look must've triggered something in your mind that let all yours and Morgans emotions out and stir together and, thinking through from what you've told me, because Morgans love is so strong for Benson it must've joined with your feelings for him and caused a "mix-up" that made you feel something more for him than before."

Mordecai felt like he'd been kicked in the gut; he was finding it hard to breath at the new information sinking in. "You think so?" He choked out.

"There's a high chance, but it looks to be the most likely possibility."

"So-So I've never liked Benson before? And it was all Morgan?" He couldn't help the "thank goodness" smile that slowly grew on his lips.

"Well, you might've had some subconcious one time feelings for Benson-" The avian went red "-Other than that, yes it was all Morgan." Skips saw the smile on Mordecai's face that soon vanished when the yeti continued. "This also means that Morgans persona is growing strong, Mordecai, and you have to take extra caution around Benson especially since what happened last night. One more glance, touch, or word to Benson and Morgan could take over you completely, leaving no trace that you were ever here."

Mordecai stared at Skips with wide eyes. "WHAT? Are yOU SERIOUS?"

"Well, I'm not joking that's for sure."

"How the heck am I going to avoid Benson even more than before?!" Mordecai's distraught tone made Skips let out a long breath.

"The only way I could think of is for you to take the next week off work and just say that you've got a stomach bug but with Benson being so head over heels with you, I don't think that idea would last very long. You're probably going to have to talk to Rigby about this and maybe he could sort something out as a distraction for you."

"Alright." Mordecai nodded, his stomach churning. He stood. "Thanks Skips."

"Remember, be extra careful from now on. The best way would be for you to avoid Benson completely till the week is up. And hopefully I'll have the antidote finished."

"Is that what's in that test tube?" Mordecai asked, motioning to the blue liquid.

Skips nodded. "It's almost done; just needs a few more ingredients and touch ups then you'll be back to your original self."

Another relieved smile broke through. "Thanks Skips, really."

"Ah it's no problem. Now go. I've got some work to do." And with that, the yeti turned to the test tube, leaving Mordecai to step out the room and shut the door.

When he turned to face the outside world, his smile once again faltered and a horrible feeling stirred in his gut. Still, he made his way back to the house wishing that for the first time in forever that he had eyes in the back of his head to watch out for Benson though he doubted his boss would be out here so early. Nonetheless, he still didn't want to risk it. Once he got to the porch, he ran inside, up the stairs, and burst through his and Rigbys bedroom door, waking the raccoon who'd been sound asleep on his trampoline.

Mordecai, with his heart in his ears, watched Rigby rub his eyes, groaning. "Ugh dude, what the heck are you doing up? It's..." His eyes went to the clock on Mordecai's desk and he squinted at it with burning eyelids. "5am."

"I know man, but listen-" Mordecai started, stepping away from the door.

"No man, tell me in the morning. I'm going back to sleep." With a sigh, Rigby fell back onto his trampoline and turned so he was facing the wall. Soon, he was fast asleep and Mordecai went round and sat on his own bed, watching Rigby.

He needed to tell him what Skips'd said. But sadly, it had to wait till they were both out on the steps and Rigby was wide awake from drinking the usual three coffees he had every morning. Mordecai lay down on the mattress and moved himself up till his head was on his pillow and, pulling the covers up to his chest, he closed his eyes but sleep didn't come. After trying countless times to get to sleep, he ended up staying awake with his eyes on the ceiling and Skips words in his head.

As soon as the alarm for 8:30am went off, Mordecai hit the button and a groan emitted from Rigby, who kicked off the clothes that he used as a blanket and he sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Ugh morning, dude. What was it you...wait, did you go back to sleep at all?" He asked the avian, noticing Mordecai just lying there with his gaze still on the roof.

Mordecai moved his head and Rigby cringed at the state his friend looked in from staying up for so long. "I couldn't sleep. I was up all night thinking about what Skips said."

"So is that why you were up so early?"

Mordecai managed a nod and he pushed himself up to a sitting position. "I needed to talk to him about what's happened between me and Benson..."

Standing up, he stretched. "Wait, what'd you mean what's happened between you and Benson?"

Mordecais eyes went to Rigby and he frowned at having to spill all the information to him cursing himself at not keeping his best bud up to date with what'd been going on. "Ugh I'll tell you when we get our jobs."

Rigby fell silent. "Is it bad?"

"Sorta, yeah, it's bad." He didn't want to lie to him but he wanted him to have that much for Rigby to get an idea in his head. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom, clean myself up. I'll meet you downstairs for breakfast."

Rigby watched Mordecai go to the door and he frowned when the avian stopped as he opened it slowly and did a double take before stepping out and shutting it behind him. "What the heck?" Rigby said aloud to no one.

The raccoon went downstairs and to the kitchen where he fixed him and Mordecai a bowl of cereal each. Soon, the avian came downstairs, looking more presentable than he did 20 minutes ago thanks to a shower and he was surprised to find that Rigby'd made him breakfast. That was a surprise. Nonetheless, he slipped into the seat next to his friend and began to eat but the atmosphere felt tense and heavy and both of them could feel it. They finished off their breakfast in silence then dumped their bowls in the sink.

10 minutes later, Benson arrived and the employees all sat on the steps waiting for their assigned jobs. Mordecai and Rigby were the last to come out of the house and without a word, they lowered themselves on the top step from Mordecai having explained that part to Rigby, the blue jay staring at the wood below him to stop him from looking at Benson who's eyes were on his clipboard anyway.

Thankfully for the avian, the duo'd been assigned the most difficult jobs to make up for their continuous abscences and although it irritared the raccoon to no end, Mordecai couldn't be happier; having the three laborious tasks meant that Mordecai could spend more time away from Benson without using a lame excuse and he could have enough time to explain everything to Rigby.

Despite this however, as they all parted ways to their assigned chores and Benson made his way up the stairs, Mordecai couldn't help but notice as he stood up to follow the others, that Benson didn't look at him once and he realized that he'd somewhat given up on trying to get the avians attention.

Mordecai hadn't felt happier in a long time; finally Benson was avoiding him! With a slight spring in his step, he followed Rigby to the shed to grab the gloves they needed to wear to pull the weeds out the Park garden. Still though-his heart broke at hurting Benson even more and for a brief moment, a shot of selfishness went through him because of his actions but it slipped away when they reached the shed.


"Ugh!" Rigby pulled a huge clump out and threw it in the wheelbarrow that was placed in the middle of them, Mordecai working on the other side. Thankfully it was a cloudy day so the two didn't get the heat; the job was enough anyway. Mordecai glanced at Rigby and it hit him that he needed to let the raccoon know what was going on before it was too late or Rigby'd be asking even more questions with the more things that went on as the days passed.

"Ahem, Rigby?"

"Yeah?" The smaller male looked up, out of breath from the 5 minutes they'd been working.

"Do you want me to tell you what's been going on?"

Rigby paused. "Well, if it's bad, then yeah, tell me."

Mordecai swallowed and looked back down to get back to work, just so he couldn't look at Rigby as he spoke to him. As soon as he uttered the first word, the rest spilt out and Mordecai told Rigby everything. Although the raccoon'd followed suit and had gone back to pulling out the rest of the weeds on his side, he glanced up every now and again in disbelief and disgust at what the blue jay was telling him.

"...And now I have to avoid Benson completely if I want to change back." Mordecai finished with a heavy heart.

Rigby was silent for a long time which didn't surprise Mordecai in the slightest. Finally, Rigby opened his mouth and finding his voice for the first time since Mordecai'd spoken, he said "And you've got a week till you change back?"

Mordecai nodded. "That is if Skips is able to finish the antidote. He's pretty sure that it's almost done."

"Don't worry man, I'll make sure Benson doesn't try to talk to you."

"Thanks dude, but I think Benson's already got the hint." Mordecai smiled.

"Alright."

The duo finished off the weeds, a lightness in Mordecai; something he hadn't felt in ages. With Benson finally having noticed, he'd spend the rest of the week avoiding Mordecai and the blue jay wouldn't have to worry; his boss' realization making it a whole lot easier for him.