Complications

Chapter Three – Stinky

The sun gradually rises on a serene Tuesday morning, the calm setting ironically marking the very day of Pascal's first discussion section. Vidcund is lying down on his full-sized bed asleep on his back. Vidcund moans as he shifts to his side, his nostrils taking in a foul scent in the process. Vidcund sniffs a few times, the odor now causing his eyes to water. He slowly opens his eyes, finding himself face-to-face with a skunk sleeping on the adjacent pillow.

"AHHHHH!" Vidcund shrieks, startling the small animal, and jumps out of bed. He backs towards the door, grabbing a nearby broom and attempting to shoo the skunk out of the room. The skunk races into the hallway at lightning speed, Vidcund still clutching onto the broom as he follows it into the kitchen.

"I see you met Stinky," Pascal states, sitting next to Lazlo at the kitchen table and scanning over Vidcund's chaotic appearance, "Yeah, he's a riot."

"Who or what is Stinky, Pascal?" Vidcund growls, still clenching onto the broom for dear life, "And why is there a wild animal in the house?"

Pascal tilts his forehead. "You mean Lazlo?" he questions, gesturing to their youngest brother who is halfway through a bowl of Fruit Loops.

"No," Vidcund answers firmly, "I mean the skunk, who I can only assume is named Stinky," he clarifies, "You can't keep that thing here!" he says, throwing his arm out towards the living room.

"You mean Lazlo?" Pascal repeats.

"No," Vidcund huffs, more irritated than before, "the skunk."

"Cause he's with Lazlo?"

Vidcund watches as Stinky scurries through the kitchen and jumps into Lazlo's arms.

"Now, now, Vidcund, I'm sure you'll change your mind once you take the time to get to know Stinky," Pascal reassures him, standing up from his seat and carefully taking Stinky from Lazlo's arms. He walks over to Vidcund and eagerly holds the skunk out to him. "Go on," Pascal encourages, nodding his head at his brother.

Vidcund sighs and rolls his eyes. "Fine," he caves, slowly reaching his hand towards the creature. Seeing this, Stinky tenses up and makes a horrifying hissing sound. Vidcund quickly pulls his hand away and takes a few steps back.

"Aww! Look at that! He likes you!" Pascal beams as Vidcund throws his head back and groans at the ceiling.

"Unbelievable," he mutters, turning to Pascal and pointing his finger in his face, "Just once, Pascal, just once I would like to wake up without screaming!"

Pascal shrugs his shoulders. "Then wear a sleep mask," he suggests.

Vidcund folds his arms and glares at him. "I am never living with you again!" he shouts, before turning around and storming into the bathroom, leaving his two brothers alone at the kitchen table.

Pascal looks to Lazlo, a smug smile spread across his face. "He says that now, but I bet he changes his mind."

…

A few hours later, Vidcund and Pascal are sitting in the center of Campus Coffee House having lunch at one of the small tables near the barista bar.

"I'm really excited to be teaching this physics section, Vid," Pascal states, unzipping his forest green backpack and pulling out a handful of pages while Vidcund continues eating a turkey sandwich across from him, "This could be my first chance to contribute something to society!"

"You've already done that," Vidcund states between bites, "What about the radioactive potato maker?"

"I meant something good," he clarifies.

Vidcund nods, setting the remaining piece of his sandwich on a clean napkin, "Ah," he says, dusting the crumbs off his hands.

"Eek!" Pascal squeaks, quickly cowering in his seat and covering his face with his stack of papers.

"What's wrong, Pascal?" Vidcund asks, clearly worried as he stares his normally-fearless older brother in the eyes.

Pascal says nothing and gently points his finger to the young dark-haired man dressed in business casual staring at an intricate landscape painting across the room. "It's Jim Mullaney," Pascal whispers, lowering the papers a tad as the man wanders out of the coffee shop. Pascal sighs as he watches him exit the area. "He's so dreamy."

"Then why don't you ask him out?" Vidcund wonders.

"Why don't you ask Circe out?" Pascal counters.

"Cause she's dating Loki," Vidcund reminds him, his tone suggesting that it was obvious.

Pascal nods, seemingly satisfied with this answer, "Touché."

"Anyway, I really don't see what the big deal is, Pascal," Vidcund continues, "I mean, why can't you ask him to go out for coffee?"

"Because people like Jim Mullaney don't go out with guys like me!"

Vidcund scrunches his forehead, doing his best to follow, "Why? What's wrong with guys like you?" he wonders.

Pascal rolls his eyes and leans back in his seat, "Geez, where do I start?"

"Hey dingus, other dingus," Loki greets, giving a lackadaisical wave as he stops in front of their table. He stares down at the five coffee cups Pascal has spread out on the surface, "Getting drugged up for today's section, I see. Or did Vidcund decide to actually look awake for once?" he quips with a smirk.

"Wow, Loki. You're so hilarious," Vidcund states, deadpan as he takes a sip of his latte, "Did it take you all day to come up with that?"

"Loki, how do you get women to like you?" Pascal speaks suddenly, propping his head up on the table as he stares off into space.

Vidcund's eyes instantly widen at this question. He frantically waves his hands in front of his torso. "Whoa, Pascal. Don't-"

"Well, I was definitely not expecting to hear that from you today that's for sure," Loki begins, surprisingly unfazed by the grad student's outburst, "But usually if you want to attract a woman's attention, you need to be smart, successful, and attractive. So basically, me," he concludes as he turns slightly, "Cause honestly, who would be attracted to that?" Loki challenges, gesturing down at Vidcund's nimble, meager body.

Vidcund shoots Loki a glare. "You do know we have very similar body types, right?" he states.

"Yeah," Loki replies, sarcasm spewing from his voice, "You keep telling yourself that, Viddy boy."

…

Vidcund groans as his alarm clock goes off the following morning, the buzzing sound echoing throughout the entire room. "Wake up, Vid!" Pascal chimes, throwing the door open with his hand. Vidcund's eyes widen as Pascal shoves a camera in his face, the middle Curious brother quickly pulling a blanket over his halfway-decent self.

"Pascal! What the hell are you doing?!" Vidcund cries, staring down at the gigantic lens, "Why do you have a camera?"

"Oh Vidcund, I thought you'd never ask," Pascal says, giving a small chuckle and shaking his head at his brother, "I'm filming you for your dating video! It's time to get over Circe and find a new love!"

"What? No!" Vidcund squeaks, still holding the blue, fuzzy blanket over his body protectively, "Why don't you just make a video for yourself?"

Pascal sighs, moving his arms down slightly. "Because finding you a date is feasible, but finding me a date is inconceivable," he answers honestly. "Now, smile for the camera! We need a good opening shot to transition into the nature scene!"

"GET OUT!" Vidcund commands, getting up and pushing Pascal towards the open doorway. Vidcund sighs after he slams the door in Pascal's face.

Vidcund retreats to his bed, mumbling to himself when Pascal reopens the wooden door. "Okay, that was good," Pascal tells him, walking back towards his subject, "But could you try sounding a little more pleasant before you slam the door in my face?"

Pascal shifts his eyes from side to side as Vidcund shoots him the biggest glare he can muster at seven in the morning, "What?" he states, "Too soon?"

"Please get out of my room before I call the police."

"Okay, fine," Pascal caves, waving the dating project away with his hand, "I'll just go and make another potato montage. Psh, little brothers!" he huffs, rolling his eyes up at the ceiling. Pascal steps into the kitchen, locking eyes with Lazlo, who is petting Stinky on the kitchen island. The skunk is sprawled out on top of Vidcund's fruit bowl. "Geez, Lazlo, use a coaster!" Pascal instructs, pulling a small, wooden coaster out of utensil drawer and sliding it underneath the purple plastic cup that Stinky is sitting beside.

Pascal shakes his head, muttering to himself as he exits the room. "Unbelievable."