AN/... So, I'm back! Sorry for the long wait since last update! Also sorry to those people who think this story is getting weird because of Rick, I promise all will be revealed in most likely chapter 11 or 12. Enjoy!
Chapter 10 - Bad Weather
Wheatley POV - Rain poured down, soaking me to the bone and running off my skin in little icy droplets. Black clouds hovered in the sky like a bad smell, leaving the world cowering in the shadows, awaiting the sun. My hair clung around the back of my neck in curling wisps, and shivers wracked my body. All I could do was pull my hood even closer to my eyes, and hope that it would pass soon. I hate rain. Some part of me still expected to immediately malfunction and die whenever water hit me. Of course humans are waterproof, but my natural instincts from being made of electrical circuits and metal still lingered on the edge of my mind, like an appendix. Completely useless, yet still able to kick up a problem if it wished to.
After returning Chell to work, I obviously tried to find Rick. But he was nowhere to be found. Not at the park, or the nursery, not in my home or his own, not at the shop or the skate park. I began to worry slightly, because I had kind of gotten used to hanging around with him all the time. It was weird not having his ever sarcastic, cocky, adventurous opinion gabbling in my ear, and as much as his personality was hardly a winning one, I really did feel obliged to find him. God knows what sort of trouble Rick could manage to get in. Pretty big trouble I would imagine. Although I didn't predict the weather would turn for the worst not five minutes after I left, perhaps if I did I would have found incentive to delay the search process a little while. But of course it didn't work like that, I couldn't predict the future, so instead I trudged through countless puddles, crossed many abandoned roads with the odd car zipping past, wandering around and am most likely getting myself lost too. I didn't really know where to look. Just around the whole village seemed decent, if a little vague.
So, first item on the to-do list, find Rick. Second, moan at Rick for disappearing. Third, go home and sleep. The plan would be slightly enjoyable if I hurried up and achieved the first goal already. Hugging my jacket closer and wrapping my arms around each other for warmth, I suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Here I was moaning about the cold and wet, but assuming Rick hadn't changed outfits since I last saw him (I mean, why would he?) he would only be wearing short sleeves. No hood or umbrella. However, the guilt wasn't quite enough to encourage me to be kind and lend out my own coat to him, because if I took it off I think I would turn into snowman on the spot. And then I would melt because I don't think snow agrees with rain. Just like electricity doesn't like rain. Hell, who does like rain?! Apart from... Nope can't think of anyone. Rain is just cold, wet, dark, dull, and it stops you doing fun things unless they're inside.
Nearly tripping over due to being lost in a daydream about snowmen and rain, I realised what had caused me to stumble. A leg. A leg belonging to a familiar man sitting on a bench with his head in his hands. Rick. A relieved sigh crossed with a gush of worry filed out of my lips, causing his head to incline in my direction. Green eyes met my own, looking deflated and tired. Water dripped down his face and body, emphasising his cheek bones amongst sunken grey skin. In a nut shell, he looked terrible. In all fairness, I hardly wanted to ask what happened. To make Rick look like this it must have been bad. At any rate, I doubted he'd want to talk about it anyway, he hates looking scared or weak or otherwise 'unmanly'. Which is dumb, because men can be frightened too. I speak from experience. Although I suppose it is debatable whether I'm a man or some form of AI. Didn't really know myself.
"Let's go," I commanded emotionlessly, not wanting to upset my friend further. He just followed, like he was hypnotised. Creepy. Unfortunately, I wasn't particularly sure of where exactly we were, so it took a while for me to navigate us through the thick rain towards recognisable ground. Eventually I spotted the shops, then later our street. Don't think I've ever been so relieved to see the little thing standing strong on the roadside, quivering slightly in the strong wind. Rick parted ways with me and headed off to his own home in a state of zombified ambling. My mouth curved into a concerned grimace as I unlocked my door and stepped into the dry and warm, leaving damp footprints behind me as a sign of my treacherous journey. Vowing to clean later, I decided to put off moaning at Rick for a while and go straight to part three of my plan; have a warm shower, get changed and have a nap.
Rick POV - after a hot shower had thawed me from my unresponsive stupor, I sat thoughtfully on the edge of my bed, looking up at the ceiling as if it held all my answers. Surprisingly, it did not. Instead I had to come up with solutions alone. After an indefinite amount of undisturbed musing, I decided at the moment I had worked myself up too much, and pretending like nothing happened to Wheatley and Chell until a good moment reared its face for me to explain was probably the easiest and best solution. I mean, what would they think of me? Especially Wheatley, who came from Aperture with me. As always, that evil laboratory was the root of all my problems, and it felt wrong to bring it up with them whilst they were so desperately trying to be normal humans. Trying to forget memories of a little metal ball and a test subject. Trying to have a family without any input from an evil super computer or a bunch of deranged corrupted cores. I didn't blame them, I mean why live in the past? Unless you're me, in which case you just can't forget.
Chell POV - Everything was quiet when I unlocked the door. I nearly slipped over on some oversized muddy footprints, and rolled my eyes. Would it hurt to clean their own mess up? At least, I assumed Rick was also here. He practically lived in mine and Wheatley's house. Unless they were both out, which would explain the unusual silence that filled my ears. Pulling off my wet coat and hanging it on a hook to dry, I removed my shoes and went to investigate. To my shock and surprise, Wheatley was actually fast asleep on the bed, and Rick was nowhere to be seen. Wheatley was still wearing his clothes, and his hair was dripping, either from rain or a shower. Even with his knees curled to his chest, the overgrown man still took up most of the bed. He kept twitching and murmuring, obviously deep in a dream. As quietly as possible, I let him be, shutting the door softly behind me and going downstairs to make dinner - after tidying up the footprints in the hallway.
At some point, Rick knocked on the door, interrupting my being a clean freak. Not that that annoyed me. He seemed exceptionally smiley, but I dared not ask. My suspicions changed direction when I told him that Wheatley was asleep and he released the most forced laugh I have ever heard. Intuitively, I figured something was up. After years and years of being 'a mute' I easily knew all body language in the book and then some. Again, I didn't ask, because it wasn't really my place to. I wouldn't want people to ask me questions, so I don't bombard anyone else if I can help it. They'll tell me themselves if I deserve to know. Rick appeared grateful of this, and left with mutters of 'tell Wheatley that I'm alright now', and I agreed politely. So something was up. Is up. Guess I'll have to tell Wheatley Rick's message, even though I knew it must be a lie. Sometimes I can't help but think life was simpler as a test subject.
After that house call, Rick went back to normal, acting as if nothing had ever happened. Wheatley didn't notice at all, and after a while I also forgot. Life carried on in a pretty ordinary circle for us. I worked, came home, cleaned, made dinner then hung out with Wheatley until we went to bed. On weekends we took to going on dates or simply moping around the house being stupid. Either way, Autumn passed, and we were cast into a cold Winter. Nothing much happened quite a bit later, but when it changed it changed fast.
Wheatley POV - Thick sheets of hail hammered down on the windows, keeping anyone from emerging outside. Chell would be nearly finished with her shift, I hoped her umbrella is bullet proof because those little frozen raindrops hit like bloody ammunition. Sucking air through my partly ajar jaw, my eyes left the window and looked over to Rick instead. He was pacing up and down the room with an extremely bored expression. We hated being cooped up inside like this, it was no fun. We are way too active.
"Can we play indoor rugby or something? Or indoor cricket?" Rick suddenly piped up, eyes glowing like little emerald tinted torches.
"Nah, they're not so good for indoors, it's hard to control the ball in both of them. What about football?" My grin widened, acknowledging the fact that I adored the game with passion. Couldn't say I particularly enjoyed watching it though, because it just made me want to be out there kicking a ball around my self. I guess that's a good thing though, since Chell hates football on TV anyway.
Talking of Chell, she had really gotten a... What were they called?... a bump nowadays. That's a darn big kid. The bump actually got on my nerves, it was rock solid so I couldn't hug or kiss Chell from the front anymore. No, I've been hugging her from the back and side more than ever recently. Rick's hand waved slowly in front of my face, and I looked up at him questioningly.
"I said, yes, let's play indoor football," he repeated in a dragged out voice with long gaps between every single syllable. Shoving my vain thoughts on kissing aside, I decided to ignore Rick's lack of sensitivity to my low intelligence and relish the fact he was prepared to play with me despite the horrible weather defects. Running off swiftly then returning with a ball, we chose our goals. Mine was the open doorway leading to the hall, Rick's was between two chairs he had nabbed from the kitchen. Finally we could start.
About fifteen minutes into the game, the score was an even of two all. My competitive side boosted its aggression by about ten, and I tackled the ball off Rick with lightening-speed precision. However I came to a standstill when I heard the front door open.
"I'm home!" Chell announced, taking off her coat and shoes and putting down her umbrella. Since it wasn't covered in a million holes, I assumed it was hail resistant.
"Hi love," I called out to her, a grin pushing my cheeks upwards happily. "How was work?"
"Good, I have a doctors appointment tomorrow, can you come?"
I agreed solemnly, Chell being the only thing that can coax me into medical establishments like the doctors or the hospital. I felt Rick's ever curious eyes on my face, then they sank down to the abandoned football at my feet. With a lighthearted chuckle he whipped over to my side, and kicked the ball into his goal.
"No fair!" I cried, stomping my foot angrily like a little human.
"So fair! You took your eyes off the ball!"
"I was having a conversation with my girlfriend, it was practically like a halftime!" I yelled, waving a hand in Chell's direction. At the time, I didn't see her move softly into the shadow of the doorway.
"Fine, then I get to do this!" My foot rolled the ball towards me, my back facing Chell.
"Wheatley don't kick that you might break something or hurt-" Chell's voice rang through the air, then suddenly just stopped with a thwack.
Her warning was too late. I had already booted the ball with all my strength and then some, and it hurtled towards the doorway. With a sickening thump it rocketed into Chell, and she fell to the floor.
"The baby," Rick finished her sentence, glaring angrily at me.
AN/... Oooh stuff just got serious! I promise after the dark bits of the story it will go happy again, so I hope you can all endure it for a few chapters haha. Sorry about the short chapter and the cliffhanger, please please please review your opinions on New Life so far! I'm losing faith in you guys =/, you've left me with a cyber silence!