Hostile 18, everybody! Woohoo!
Who wants to read some stuffs!?
Mia Teresa Davenport: "No one does."
ShyMusic: We'll find out in time.
AllAmericanSlurp: "She called me 'studmuffin,' and I sure as hell wasn't laughing! ._."
So let's go! Ysthry?
"Zara doesn't own Lab Rats or anything you recognize. If you don't recognize it, it's probably hers."
"If you love someone, let them sleep."
Unknown
"Sometimes, I wonder how you put up with me. Then, I remember, 'Oh, I put up with you.' So we're even."
Unknown
Kevin
Who was texting him? Couldn't they see he was sleeping? Did they have to make his phone vibrate?
Kevin yawned, stretching a bit and opening his eyes. After a moment of reflection, he figured that whoever it was likely didn't know he was asleep. That didn't stop him from being annoyed, though. He felt like he hadn't slept in days. Weeks, even. He had no idea why, but he was exhausted.
A few pills would fix that, he thought. He felt a strong pang of longing for the euphoric rush of manic energy that let him concentrate with unbreakable focus. He felt like he did when he was crashing from that high, honestly. Tired. Depressed. Anxious.
It was annoying.
"Hey, honey."
Kevin glanced at Douglas, who plopped down on the couch beside him with a smile.
"How long was I out?" Kevin asked, yawning again.
"Well, it's almost five, so about twelve hours," Douglas answered with a shrug.
Kevin sighed, draping an arm around Douglas' shoulders. "So we missed the N.A. meeting?"
"You'll probably miss the Hunter one, too," Douglas answered. "But that's fine."
Kevin nodded, shifting a bit and wincing. Sleeping on the couch was apparently bad for his back. "I didn't mean to sleep all day. Don't know what came over me."
"It's a withdrawal thing," Douglas explained.
"Oh," Kevin responded. Withdrawal was a major pain in his ass. It made him want to cling to his addiction forever, but he knew he couldn't. It wasn't healthy.
"Hello," came the hellish voice of that Eddy program, laced with amusement.
Kevin pressed against Douglas, glaring at the program that had leapt up onto the screen. "Why is that thing back?"
"He's the security system, babe," Douglas responded gently, rubbing Kevin's shoulders. "He won't hurt you."
"Yeah," Eddy confirmed. "I won't hurt you. Much."
Kevin winced. ATM machines might not start the robot rebellion after all. That Eddy program would. Had it already achieved singularity?
Could it put thoughts in his head?!
Kevin suddenly wished he had foil. As cliché as it sounded, maybe the thin metal would deflect any thought-controlling beams the program could use.
He wouldn't be a robot's slave. Everyone else might have been fooled, but he wasn't! They would have to fight for it!
"What woke you up?"
Douglas' question brought Kevin's attention away from Eddy. "Huh?"
"Well, let's see here," Douglas started. "Tasha was yelling at Hellcat earlier about stealing lunch money with card tricks, and that didn't wake you up. Before that, Don and I were arguing about how to keep silver off of demons, and you still didn't wake up for that. And we were not quiet. Then, there was Perry chewing out Summoners. You missed that, too. You were out."
Kevin rubbed his eyes, trying to remember why he actually did wake up. "Where are Donald and Perry, anyways? Wait, hold on; just Donald. I don't really care where Perry went."
As long as it was far, far away from my boyfriend, Kevin added in his head.
"Perry is long gone for the day, and Don went to get Tasha's anniversary present," Douglas answered. "Figured that we needed time to cool off. No idea why. It's like he thinks I'd attack him."
Kevin nodded. "Well, you do have a temper, honey."
Douglas glared at Kevin, who was smirking playfully. After a second, Kevin broken the silence. "What? You can get pretty violent sometimes."
"And you're way too paranoid," Douglas huffed, crossing his arms.
Kevin gasped as if he'd been wounded. "You must be confused. I'm not paranoid."
"You're scared of a computer program on a screen," Douglas pointed out.
"He should be," Eddy cut in cheerfully.
Kevin shuddered. "See? I should be."
Douglas rolled his eyes, his hard glare faltering slightly as he tried not to smile. "In about ten or so years, robots will be more prominent in society. You won't know what to do with yourself."
Kevin forced himself not to think about it. Instead, he smiled. "See, I'll have you to yell at them for me."
"Why would I yell at robots?" Douglas rolled his eyes. "I like them. They're useful."
"Because I'd be scared," Kevin argued. "You wouldn't protect me?" He started pouting.
Douglas cracked up after a second. "I'd twist a robot's head off if you gave me that look."
"See? Temper," Kevin reiterated, going back to his original point.
Douglas rolled his eyes again. "If I have a bad temper, why do you put up with me?"
Kevin grinned. "I'm only dating you for your looks."
"Hey!"
"And your hair."
"Damn straight."
As comfortable silence settled around them, Kevin's phone buzzed again, reminding him why he had woken up in the first place. He frowned, pulling his phone out of his pocket. It was a couple of text messages. One from somebody he'd talked to at the first NA meeting, asking where he was and noting that they hoped he was maintaining sobriety. He sent a reassuring response before looking at the second message.
This one was a group text from James.
Kevin sighed, getting a concerned look from Douglas. He didn't want to have to invent a reason why Sandra had gone missing right then. He hesitated for a second before opening the text, bracing himself.
It took a full second for Kevin to start repeatedly smacking Douglas' arm like a child. "Babe, babe, babe-"
"What?" Douglas whined, obviously becoming annoyed. When Kevin waved the phone in his face wildly, Douglas grabbed his wrist to read the message. "Kevin, I swear to..." He trailed off, paling visibly before releasing Kevin's wrist and fishing his own phone out of his pocket.
Kevin watched anxiously as Douglas dialed rapidly. "This is a crisis! Who are you possibly calling?"
"Don."
"It's a father's duty to give his sons a fine chance."
George Eliot, Middlemarch
"There are two circumstances that lead to arrogance: one is when you're wrong and you can't face it; the other is when you're right and nobody else can face it."
Criss Jami, Diotima, Battery, Electric Personality
Leo
Crucifix that Sara gave him?
Check.
Ysthry hiding discreetly in his pocket?
Check.
An eager-to-kill-demons façade?
Check.
Leo was all set. He'd show Mr. Davenport. He'd show everybody. He wasn't useless. He could spy on those Hunters perfectly fine. Hell, he would do better than Kevin could. He wasn't some anxiety-riddled spaz. He could get much, much better information. James and Sara seemed open enough yesterday. Hopefully, everyone else would be, too.
"Ready, Master?" Ysthry asked from his pocket.
"Ready," Leo confirmed, reaching down to rub her spider back. He looked at James' home with a spark of excitement. This was too easy. The Hunters had just invited him to come. No initiation period, no test, no nothing. Idiots. Didn't they know better than to trust just anyone?
Of course, that just made everything simpler in the long run. They wouldn't hurt him. They thought he was one of them.
Leo took a deep breath and glanced both directions to ensure the street was clear when he noticed a car pull up in front of him and stop. The window rolled down, revealing a sight that made Leo's blood turn to ice.
Mr. Davenport's expression was a mixture of fury and relief. "Leo, get in here right now! Those Hunters in there are planning to kill you!"
Leo's mouth went dry. "But...that means-"
"They laid a trap," Mr. Davenport confirmed, "And you almost walked right into it. Now, by the Gods, get in this car immediately!"
Oops.
How did they know?!
And what will happen because of it?!
Free internet cookie to anyone who guesses the major repercussions of this!
Or maybe just one or two of them. Because, unless you're excellent at recalling small details, you likely won't get it all. :3
So feel free to review. Or don't. Eh.
And enjoy.
*Bows and exits*