Notes: This chapter is just one big wall of dialogue.
And also features a very special "guest character" *hehe*
I also never wrote this particular character, so if their characterization is off, yeah, you know why.
Chapter 5: The Doctor Is In, Your Secret Is Out
A few days passed after that fateful Saturday, with things being mildly uncomfortable for a while, but that feeling started to dissolve with time.
Dave was beginning to slowly - but surely - get over his overall insecurity about the whole deal. Sure he wasn't all smiles regarding it, neither was he strutting proudly around the neighborhood, but that nagging voice on the back of his mind was gradually shutting up.
After all, maybe his brother did have all his bases covered and there was nothing to worry about. It wasn't that Dave didn't trust him, but they were brushing far too closely with illegality, and Dave wasn't looking forward to the repercussions their actions could bring upon them.
But, by the middle of the week, his worries were alleviated considerably, especially when his brother assured him it would take a while for them to go through another session of photographs. He told him they had enough for a month, and that was a more than relieving thought.
It was Wednesday night, and Dave found himself sitting at his brother computer, scanning through the messages sent by the site, as his brother sat on the couch, sewing smuppet after smuppet. The demand for those things had sky-rocketed in the past days. So much, Bro had to stop selling them for a short while. He could only sew so fast…
"Bro, these people are sick…" Dave glanced over his shoulder, his gaze finally leaving the computer's screen after almost one hour. Dave realized the more he read those perverted messages which were more or less directed at him, the less bothered he was about them.
There was a hearty laugh from Bro as he stopped sewing for a moment, placing a half-finished yellow smuppet on his lap. He actually did need a break. He had been on it all day, and as much as he loved those little puppets, he could use a small break.
"What is it this time?" Bro smirked, leaning back on the couch.
"How about everything these people write? I mean, some of them seem to have a foot on reality, but others…" Dave let out a distressed groan, eyes back on the screen.
"Don't think about it too much. Most of these things are probably written on impulse. I'm pretty sure most of them regret what they did the minute they hit the 'send' button." Bro stretched his arms, putting his hands on the back of his head. "I haven't read those messages in a while though. Can you fill me in on what people have been coming up with?"
"Well, let me find a less horrible one…" Dave looked through the little over sixty messages piled in the inbox. Their frequency was slowing down, but Dave was pretty sure that, as soon as his brother fed the visitors with new pictures, the inbox would implode on itself again.
"I'm a fucking adult Dave. You don't need to make this PG-13 or something." Bro rolled his eyes, while getting a glare in response.
"I'm not doing it for you, asshole." Dave let out a huff of air and went back to scanning the messages. "OK, found one."
"Hit me."
"… Are you kidding? I'm not going to say this shit out loud. Get your ass out of the couch and come over here to read it." Dave lashed out at his brother, spinning in the chair to face him.
"Fine you big baby." Bro placed the doll he had in his lap onto the couch and got up, stretching a bit before walking to the computer desk and staring at screen.
Dave kept sitting there, eyes on the monitor but not really looking at it. He had read that message not too long ago and he surely didn't need repetitions. When Bro was done with reading, he let out a quiet "hm" sound and Dave looked at him, waiting to see if he had something to say.
"So, they want to stuff your ass with three smuppets. I don't see what's so wrong about that." Bro said flatly, and Dave's face became even more pale than usual.
"Bro, what the fuck?" Dave's voice came out full of exasperation as he glared at his brother for the second time in less than ten minutes. That had to be a new record for them.
"Don't get all worked up about it, I'm just fucking with you." Bro smirked, punching Dave lightly on the shoulder. "You are so easy to fool when it comes to these things."
"You have a fucked sense of humor, Bro…" Dave murmured, letting out a sigh. He could barely believe he would joke about something like that. He didn't even know if he was doing it for the irony or if he genuinely found it funny.
"I've seen and heard shit far worse than that. It's easy to take it lightly when you are me." Bro just kept on smiling, taking a hold of the chair's back. "Now scram. I need to check my stuff."
"You don't need to kick me out of the room." Dave got up from the chair, still looking a bit shaken by Bro's little "joke".
"Don't you have your internet friends to check on? I haven't seen you talking to them in a while." Bro said, taking a seat on the chair and opening a few tabs on his browser.
It had finally downed on Dave he really didn't talk to anyone in the past days. He was so wound up on the recent happenings, he didn't even remember checking Pesterchum almost every day like he usually did. He was pretty sure everyone was flipping out by now thanks to his absence.
Or they didn't give a damn. Sometimes, those guys could be really insensitive.
Dave was going to tell his brother he was going to do just that, but decided not to. He didn't need to report every single step of his.
Already in his room and with his computer properly booted, Dave took his time to check on a few sites before logging in on the chat client. He didn't need notifications and windows popping all over while trying to see his stuff.
Almost one hour after idling surfing through various sites, Dave finally decided to open Pesterchum and check to see if anyone was online. The fact that it was a Saturday night didn't make much of a difference when it came to his friends being on-line, the only exception being John, because his father liked dragging him out to eat on Saturday nights, even if John, sometimes, wasn't in the mood.
When Pesterchum connected, neither John nor Jade were on, and only Rose's name was active. He sat there staring at her handle, not sure if he wanted to talk to her. So many strange things had happened and he was such a mess of thoughts and emotions, if he let anything even remotely unusual slip into their conversation, she was going to probe into his mind until she found the source of it. And pretty much the last thing he wanted was psychoanalysis on his recent situation.
He didn't have much time to think if he should message her or not though, because soon enough a window with her handle on top popped up on his screen and those purple letters were right there in his face.
And because he didn't want to be rude – or at least not more than usual – he decided to answer.
tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG]
TT: Hello.
TT: Couldn't help but notice you've been absent for a long while, and I was almost ready to send Search And Rescue after you.
TG: how considerate of you to assume the worst
TG: only because i didnt get online for a week
TT: One week and a half.
TG: you sure are keeping track of my schedule over there arent you
TT: I wasn't aware of the fact that it was a crime to worry about my friends.
TT: Either way, how are things? I'm pretty sure you have a good reason for being away for such a long time.
TG: just busy with some stuff
TG: you know how it is
TG: with my life
TG: its just one thing after the other and i can never catch a breather
TG: its like every corner i turn theres something waiting to blow at my face
TT: Sounds like you had a rough week.
TT: Would you like to talk about it?
TG: hell no
TG: im not going to give you room to get into my fucking brain and dig around with a shovel until you find some psychological gem to over analyze
TG: ive fallen for that trap before
TG: im ready for you now lalonde
TT: Are you now?
TT: Don't try too hard to hide your thoughts though.
TT: You know I can help.
TG: look can we change the subject
TG: why don't we talk about you and your problems for a change
TT: I have no problems at the moment, but I've seen something a few days ago which made me very… thoughtful.
TG: well lets roll with that then
TG: what did you see that ground your gears or whatever
TT: I don't think you want to know.
TT: It might upset you.
TG: i cant be more upset than i already am
TT: Oh, so there's something bothering you after all.
TG: you are never going to stop are you
TG: you are like one of those miners in rivers
TG: with a sieve looking through little rocks and shit
TG: hoping to find that little sparkling speck
TG: and then go
TG: holy shit i found gold someone call the press this is fucking big news right here
TG: i found riches among all this garbage
TG: im the fucking best there is
TT: I wish I could say finding something worth analyzing inside your mind could be as valuable as finding gold, but unfortunately I would be lying.
TG: that was really nice of you rose
TT: I know.
TT: Now why don't you tell me what's afflicting you?
TG: look lets do it like this
TG: you tell me your unsettling discovery
TG: and i spill the beans
TT: Something tells me you aren't going to honor your part of this deal.
TG: jesus fucking christ just tell me already
TT: Alright, but only because you seem really annoyed.
TT: Now, I was sitting here, minding my own business and going through my usual web surfing routine when I was reminded of a certain site.
TG: yes
TT: Please let me finish.
TT: And I won't lie and say I don't like said site despite its… dubious content.
With a sensation similar to his stomach dropping to the floor, Dave sunk on his chair, feeling what could only be labeled as absolute horror. Such feeling lasted only a few seconds though, as his fingers jumped to the keyboard and he pretty much mashed the keys.
TG: FUCK ROSE NO
TT: What?
TG: im not a dumbass I know where this is going
TG: shit
TT: You are a sharp one Dave.
TG: im not fucking sharp you literally spelled to me what you saw with all the letters
TT: So this is the source of your annoyance then?
TT: It figures.
Dave patiently waited for Rose's next line, which would probably involve heaps of psychobabble about his present situation. Strangely enough, nothing came from her, and he was genuinely surprised.
TG: is that all
TG: you dont have any sort of mind game you want to throw at me
TG: like me telling you details about how I ended up neck deep into puppet ass
TG: and on the fucking internet no less
TT: I admit the first time I saw it was a bit of a shocker.
TT: Not only due to the nature of the image, but also because I didn't know you could be so…
TG: dont you dare
TT: … Cute.
TG: im going to murder you in your sleep lalonde
TG: when you least expect it im going to be under your bed
TG: like the freaky clown from the poltergeist movie
TG: and im going to drag you under the bed
TG: and no one will ever see you again
TT: A little bit bitter aren't we?
TG: really fucking easy for you to say that rose
TG: its not your ass thats on the line
TT: There seems to be new photos now.
TG: are you on the site like right NOW
TG: while talking to me?
TT: It seemed appropriated.
TT: These are really good shots by the way.
TT: Didn't know you had a future in the modeling career.
TG: i fucking loathe you so much right now
Dave just wanted to disappear into nothingness. That wasn't happening, and he had to fight the urge to just get up and go to the other room and murder his brother in cold blood. No jury in the world would ever be able to convict him if he did so, if he told them his story.
TT: Although, when I saw the first pic, I honestly believed that your brother was only trying to mess with you.
TT: I thought this was just one of your usual games of upmanship.
TT: But when the same picture stayed up for almost a week I started to reevaluate my conclusion, because no game can go that far.
TT: And now that new pictures were posted, I'm lead to believe you are complying with this, at least at some extent.
TG: theres no upmanship here
TG: just complete and utter shame
TG: and me not really thinking straight before jumping into my brothers stupid plans
TT: Well, this being his idea goes without saying.
TT: Just what triggered this whole chain of events though?
TT: I bet it's a riveting tale.
TG: its a pretty dumb tale thats what it is
TG: it involves my bro being on a fix and me being clumsy as fuck
TT: You sure know how to tell a story in minute detail and keep an audience captivated.
TG: i just dont really feel comfortable talking about this
TG: can you respect that for a change
TT: OK, I'm not going to ask you any more questions on the subject.
TG: thank you
TG: you didnt tell anyone did you
TT: You mean John and Jade?
TG: no your mom
TG: or course i mean john and jade
TT: No.
TT: I never brought such subject up with them, because I've never saw a point in doing so.
TG: oh ok
TT: You thought I had?
TT: Dave, I'm offended that you think I would spread such a thing around.
TG: sorry its just that im really paranoid about this whole thing
TG: like the day it happened
TG: when i went to school i was behaving like some sort of fugitive or some shit
TG: scurrying around the school corridors like a little mouse and hiding my face to avoid looking at people
TG: it felt like everyone and their mothers knew
TT: Can't say I wouldn't react the same way.
TT: I admit you are taking this a lot better than I expected.
TT: Maybe I'm psychoanalyzing you all wrong.
TG: what is that I hear
TG: is that lalonde admitting her analytical skills arent as impressive as she claims
TG: stop the fucking presses this is our new headline
TT: I never said my analysis were perfect.
TT: The only thing I ever said is that my skills are higher than average for someone my age.
TG: yeah whatever
TG: but thanks for not telling anyone though
TG: i mean i know john and jade don't really go to that site so they probably dont know shit
TG: and i want to keep it that way
TT: Can't condemn you for thinking like that.
TG: and thanks for not freaking out either
TT: My first instinct was to go down that path.
TT: But then I realized just how unusually exciting all this is.
TT: How you and your brother are punching law right on the face and not really caring.
TT: Not to mention seeing you in a vulnerable position isn't something I expected to witness in my lifetime.
TG: you could have asked me for naked pictures or something if you wanted to see photos like those
TG: i could do that for you
TT: I'm sure you could, but this way is certainly more fun.
TT: I can't wait for the next update.
TG: cant really block you from seeing those I guess
TT: Why? Can't you ask your brother to block my IP or something?
TG: you would find a way around rose
TG: you always do
TT: Was that an attempt at complimenting me?
TT: If so, I'm flattered.
TG: take it as you want to
TT: You are so charming Dave.
TG: im a real gentleman
TG: all im missing is the monocle and the top hat
A small smile appeared on Dave's lips. He wasn't really sure as to why he felt a bit comfortable talking to Rose about the subject. It was probably due to the fact that she wasn't judging him, but he didn't want to jump to conclusions.
TT: Can you wear those on the next photos?
TG: sure thing
TG: im going down to the store right now to fetch me some dapper clothes
TG: next update will be the classiest update of all adult sites in existence
TG: we will start a new trend and everything
TG: next thing you know theyll be making porn movies with women shyly showing their ankles
TT: How scandalous!
TG: shit will need to be rated 30+
TG: it will be that sick
TT: I'm looking forward to your revolution on the industry of adult entertainment.
TG: thanks rose
TT: For what exactly?
TG: this is the first time i was able to joke about this
TG: my bro is joking about this all the time but he takes little to nothing seriously
TG: so i kind of expected that from him
TG: i guess i needed to talk to someone about this besides him
TT: Well, if you want to talk again, I'm always here, and I assure you my lips will forever be sealed regarding this subject.
TT: Oh, fuck.
TG: what happened
TT: I heard a pretty loud sound of glass shattering from downstairs.
TT: I guess it's be wise to check on my mother.
TT: Saturday nights are a bit wild over here.
TG: ok I hope your mom didnt die
TT: Thanks for the comforting words.
TT: I'll be back soon, I hope.
tentacleTherapist [TT] ceased pestering turntechGodhead [TG]
Dave leaned back on his chair, looking at his computer screen, still not quite believing the conversation he just had with Rose.
He honestly thought that, if anyone close to him ever found out about those pictures, they would cut ties with him completely. Although, he should have guessed Rose was a bit more mature than that, and she would be the only one not be completely weirded out by it, enough to even show a really accepting demeanor.
Rose was a really cool person, and sometimes Dave kind of forgot that.
Still, he thought it was wise not to tell Bro that she knew about their little "endeavor". He honestly didn't know how he would react to such news.