"Matt! Matt! Guess what?!"

Allen's excited voice greeted Oliver's awareness the following morning. His housemate must have been talking on the phone, based on the lack of response. "No, you gotta guess!" Oliver looked around the floor for something to cover up with, and opted for the bathrobe hanging on the back of the door instead of the clothes strewn around his bed.

"What? No, I didn't fall down the stairs! Why would you ask me that?!"

Creeping out into the hall, Oliver casted a last glance to his warm bed before deciding to prop himself on a nearby wall, and wait out the conversation. "What the shit, Matt? Are you gon' guess or what? Fine!" His partner exclaimed, "I just got myself laid!"

A blush broke across Oliver's face, countering the cool air blowing around his bare legs. "Wha-"

"Uh, 'cause you're my bro?" The baker used the short moment of silence to ball his hands into fists. "I know a shit ton of people do it. I was just tryin' to make conversation! Eugh! I don't care what you and Siegmund do!"

Perhaps Matt could lash his brother for Oliver's sake. He smiled a little despite his looming embarrassment, knowing the blond was putting Allen in his place, based on his groans of annoyance.

"How 'bout I come over there an' kick your ass? You sound like y'need a good ass kickin'! Yeah, y'better be waitin'!" Allen slammed the phone on its receiver. Oliver pushed from the wall to take slow steps to the kitchen in order to ward of the possible suspicion of eavesdropping. The other man lumbered into view, and his frazzled expression melted into one of pleasant surprise. "Oh, hey, babe."

"Who were you talking to?" Oliver asked, despite it being obvious with all the shouting.

Allen's eyes flickered to his bathrobe before limply gesturing to the kitchen, "You know, just Matt. I gotta head over to his place, an' give him a good kickin' fer pissin' me off!"

Oliver padded closer, too attached to the warmth radiating from his partner's still bare chest. "Were you planning on leaving now?"

"When I get dressed, yeah." Allen furrowed his eyebrows from the weird look Oliver felt that was permanent on his face. "Why?"

"Oh," the baker made sure his sigh blew across his partner's collar bones, "I was thinking of drawing a nice...hot shower...for two." He reached one arm around the back of Allen's neck while the other hand fiddled with the waistline of his salvaged boxers. "How's that sound?"

Allen seemed to forget how to think. "I...uh...I was gon' go..." he trailed off as Oliver's nails sunk into his skin with the slightest pressure, but he tipped his head, smiling innocently. "I was gon' call Matt back real quick, so he ain't hangin'."

"Good," Oliver raised his hands to pat his cheeks. "I will get the water running."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Later on that morning, Luciano offered Oliver over the phone, "Since you are the host for the past like, three parties, I can bring some food. Believe it or not, Lutz can bake cakes, very good ones, I must add!"

"Ooh, give me a break from washing all those dishes..." Oliver tapped his fingers against his mouth in thought. "If you are offering..."

"Si, and Kuro can bring balloons or something. You know, the more we talk about this, the more excited I get! We can work together and make a party like they do in that other universe!"

Oliver began quietly, even though he was the only one in the bakery at the moment, "Luciano, this is not just a random gathering. I hope to achieve a loose meeting-like party, where we can start talking about more serious things."

"Really? Like what?"

"I was thinking something casual at first. Something to make our peers open themselves up a tad more. Like you with your art, for example. I want our friends to be more comfortable and open with one another."

"Then we can move onto people outside!"

"I knew you would understand."

"You are not the only one with crazy ideas, Oliver!"

"There has to be other people out there. They need to learn to be unafraid. Even on a small scale, it would be marvelous to make a difference."

Luciano gasped excitedly, "Everyone can pull those sticks out of their asses!" Oliver flinched, and pulled the phone from his ear to put it against the other one. "Oh, good morning, Lutz!"

His housemate must have made an appearance. Oliver heard him sputter, "Feliciano?"

"Um, no. What, you can't even tell us apart now? Why don't you stop being stupid, and make a cake for Oliver's upcoming party?"

"Ja, you're definitely Luci."

"So, anyway," Luciano focused on his phone conversation. "You have to get Matt and Siegmund to bring something, too. Maybe some chips and dip?"

At first, Oliver thought of French fries. "Oh? Oh," he shook his head. "I will talk to them next."

Lutz's voice reached the phone, "Plotting with Oliver again?"

"Don't you have a cake to bake?"

"I don't have a choice, really..."

A figure whisked by the front windows, and ripped open the door. The baker quickly sputtered, "I need to go. I am getting a customer."

"See you Saturday-" Luciano's statement was cut off by Oliver setting the phone on its receiver. Speaking of talking to them next...

"Siegmund! What brings you here?" Oliver tipped his head in concern as the mute's mouth gaped open and close. He was not there for cupcakes, based on the flush on his chalky face from running in the heat, unless he had a desperate craving. The baker snatched an old print out from a spindle by the register, and a pen. "Write it down on this receipt."

The other man grabbed the stylus, and furiously scribbled on the paper. He flipped it upright, showing Oliver what he wrote. 'Matt has gone out to do something with Allen. Tried texting, and even a call, but he won't pick up.' He added a little frowning face.

When Oliver glanced up to meet his urgent gaze, Siegmund's expression matched his drawing. Allen had just left no more than two hours ago, and could possibly getting into trouble, but he did not want to jump to conclusions. "Something stupid? Siegmund, are you sure they are not being their usual selves?"

Siegmund slapped the receipt back on the counter, and the pen scratched across the sheet. 'NO TIME.' He did not hold it up again; the large letters were clearly visible. He dropped the stylus onto the counter, and left Oliver to catch it when it rolled away, matching its wielder's escape.

"W-wait!" The baker further abused the pen as he recklessly tossed it in the direction of the cash register, and pelted after Siegmund. His bony shoulder crushed against the glass door was it swung open. He took a quick pause to twist the lock, and let it close by itself. He growled, "I thought we established the fact that none of us like running." He chased after the glimpses of white peeking through the passersby that ambled so patiently around him. They were not kind enough to move for them, and instead glared in confusion and sanity.

Oliver tried calling out, but had to jerk to the side to avoid a burly business man who was too busy snarling in his phone to acknowledge him. The baker huffed, and cut across a woman pushing a stroller to dive into an alleyway. He crouched close to the biting asphalt, and dug in his trousers for a stick of chalk. "My apologies, Siegmund, but I have to do what I can in times like these." The tip scratched on the hot ground for one summoning sigil, and other for teleportation.

He slipped the chalk back into his pocket, and inhaled to brace himself. A clasp of light shot from the first circle, strong with the natural sunlight. The symbol produced a bewildered Siegmund, who stumbled away from it, and into the adjacent building. The mute jumped from the gray bricked surface, tossing his head in all directions. His eyebrows mashed together when he spotted Oliver crouched over a strange design on the asphalt.

"You did not hear me calling out to you," Oliver claimed. "I have a way to get to our boys quicker than our feet can. Would you mind?"

Siegmund was keen enough to situate himself in the middle of the second circle, nodding. The baker put a hand on the brick wall to rise to his feet. "Then let us make haste." He hooked an arm around his company's, and muttered, "Pardon the intrusion, but this is necessary."

The other man nodded again, despite the worried grimace he wore on his face. It worsened as Oliver began chanting odd phrases. Their eyes jumped from one another to the pedestrians obliviously passing by, too caught up in their own world to worry about theirs. Oliver told the circle, "Take us to Allen and Matt." Siegmund flinched when a snap of light blinded them before the darkness of a new alleyway immediately took over.

The grimy walls of decaying grays chased them from the foul lane, and into an equally uninviting street in desperate need of renovation. The mute tightened his arm around the baker's, and they took a quiet step onto the broken sidewalk. "This is horrible," Oliver whispered, constantly looking all around them as if some rancid soul would leap from one of the surrounding apartment buildings. "None of us have a reason to be in this part of town again."

Last time, a spy mission was necessary to find out what Crookednose's gang was up to. At the current moment, none of that worry was necessary. As they crept down the desolate street, Oliver felt a heavy weight sink from his stomach at suspicion of what his partner and his brother could possibly getting into. Siegmund shot him a strained look when he accidently bumped into him, and detected a sheath of a blade or some sort beneath his baggy sweatshirt.

Both tensed as something scratched on the ground. He yanked Oliver against the closest building, and the rough material bit into his clean clothes. The mute pointedly stared at nearby opening to another alley as the owner of the noise spoke up, "What gives? Are you still pissed at me?" At first, the duo glanced to one another, wondering if the stranger was talking to them, despite being out of sight. The nasally voice continued, "Tough shit, that was more than a year ago. Things change, or at least I have."

Oliver murmured, "I wonder who he is talking to." Siegmund crept closer, as if to find out, and he followed closely behind. His company peeked into the side street, only to snap back against the stone wall. "Was someone there?"

Siegmund nodded, then shrugged before the baker could ask more questions.

A lower voice rasped, "You sure? So many in the past had said the same thing, only to prove themselves wrong when we turn our backs."

"Yeah!" A loud tone baited, "You're just sayin' that 'cause you don't got your buddies wit' you now!"

Oliver's jaw clenched as Siegmund gave him a blank look. They had found their significant others. Both glowered toward the alleyway as the stranger announced, "Some people grow up."

"What?" Allen snorted, "it ain't like that no more? You're a better person all o' a sudden?"

"I don't have to hear this," the other man snarled. "I don't have to make anything up to the likes of you two, both still the same idiots I remember from the House." He began approaching Siegmund's and Oliver's spot, revealing the unmistakable bumped nose that was plastered in the middle of his gnarled face.

Siegmund slipped away from Oliver to step into view. Their old fiend skittered to a halt, and his eyes widened. He tossed a glance between the two groups. "What the fuck is this?"

Oliver hurried to the mute's side, glaring pass the middleman. "That is what I would like to ask."

Both brothers' jaws dropped. Allen sputtered, "Ollie? What are you doin' here?"

"Trying to find the answers to that question."

Crookednose nervously glanced to all of them, but still wore that horrid snarl to warn not to provoke him, despite being outnumbered.

Oliver continued, "Is there a reason you followed this man to these parts, or were you not thinking once again?" Siegmund tossed a worried look in his direction as his voice weakened. He cleared his throat, trying not to falter to angry tears because of him, since they just woke up from bliss several hours prior.

Allen's expression soured, and he jerked his head toward Matt. "It was his idea."

Matt lashed out, walloping his brother in the back of his head hard enough for his sunglasses to try flying lessons. "Fuck you. You were the one whining about the little shit."

His twin clamped a hand on the offended area, and plucked his shades from the asphalt, lamely retorting, "Fuck you."

"Fuck you!"

Allen simply spat, "Fuck!"

Crookednose loudly sighed. "Can I leave now? I am losing brain cells by the second."

Siegmund glanced to Oliver, as if it were his decision. The baker beckoned, "This way. I need to give them a thought or two, and you would do well to get away from it."

The other man stuffed his hands in his jean's pockets, breezing past him and Siegmund. "Have at it."

None of their old unpleasantries were exchanged. Oliver watched his old fiend sharply turn to the street, sparing him a silent appraisal. However, he had to turn around to face a completely different level of maturity. Allen slowly held up his hands, and muttered, "No sudden movements."

Matt copied the gesture. "We're in trouble, aren't we?"

Oliver answered for the both of them. "I do not know what to do with you, that is how deep in trouble you are in!" Siegmund agreed to the spittle ungraciously flinging out of his mouth with his own slow shake of the head.

Allen cleared his throat, forcing down a snicker. "Yes, mom." His brother shot him a look that could have meant anything behind his glasses.

The baker scoffed at the comment, and spun on his heel to leave the squalid alley. "We are leaving this place." Hopefully, for whatever reason, none of them would be back.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Oliver made no attempts to pass himself off as sleeping that night. The footsteps pattering into his bedroom suddenly stopped, and their heaviness was replaced by a deep sigh. His shoulders remained tense when the mattress dipped beneath him, squawking from the intrusion. He gritted his teeth as the blanket pulled against his body in small, timid motions, as if to avoid confrontation, but for his poor bedmate, he was already provoked.

When Allen pressed closer, he lifted an arm to settle over Oliver's side. A hand lashed out and smacked his away. The other man jerked, and yanked back as if the sting hurt more than it really did. The sliver of moon struggled to light the room, but Oliver knew that would not prevent burning eyes from boring into his dark form.

Allen disturbed the darkness with a low grumble, "Ollie."

Oliver did not make any detectable movement, save for his shallow breaths.

"Ollie, come on." With another lapse of silence, Allen tried again to ease closer, but Oliver flipped over to shove his chest.

"What do you not get? Leave. Me. Alone."

His bedmate shot to a sitting position. "It's that big o' a deal?!

Oliver glowered at his broad silhouette for a fierce moment before heavily flopping over once more. "I am trying to sleep."

"Ollie!"

He snapped up, cutting the night air with a sharp exhale through his nose. His bedmate remained stiff in his upright position as the hot breaths slapped his chest, warning of any movement. "The first thing you do is run off to beat your brother, as if that was not stupid enough, but I let that slide, not believing for a moment that you would wind up doing something even worse! Then, you proceeded to stalk somebody into one of the most dangerous areas in town!"

Allen lamely explained, "It wasn't just a random somebody."

"What were you hoping to achieve? Knock him around a few times, let off some steam? Were you so overcome with anger that when you saw him, you could not help yourself?"

"M-Matt and I had shared some drinks beforehand...babe, we weren't thinkin'..."

"Oh! You were tipping bottles before it was even noon!" Oliver scoffed, but the noise crumbled to a choked sob. "No, you were not thinking." He weakly swiped away the hand that crept toward his, and twisted around to angrily scrub at his watering eyes. "Why would you..."

"Babe, I won't do it again. Babe!" Allen repeated, trying to get the other man to look at him again. "I promise! No, wait, promises are for pansies. I...I vow not to do it again. Yeah."

Oliver slowly slumped against the mattress, still not facing his bedmate. "How could you be so stupid?" He asked aloud, mostly to himself.

"Aw, shit, don't cry! I won't drink before five! In the evenin', I mean."

"Get away," the baker mumbled, smacking his partner's fingers when he leaned against him.

"Stop cryin'."

"Stop doing stupid things!"

"All right, all right!" Allen shot up, and quickly scooted away at his shout. "I-I'll stay on this side o' the bed then." He was silent for a soundless moment. "Ollie? Ollie, I'm sorry."

Oliver bunched his pillowcase in his fist without picking up his head. He pondered if apologizing really did anything to better the situation. After all, how many times had his father apologized to his mother, only to end up the way they did? The man did not witness many other outcomes, save for those sappy ones in fictitious romance novels. Despite his anger and dejection, he felt as if he needed, perhaps both of them needed to think long and hard on what to do about something like this, and what to do to prevent it from happening.

Certainly not that night, though. Oliver needed to let himself steam without risking in getting more irritated from his bedmate. However, his silence, which was very good for him, must have tore Allen in distraught. "Ollie, please." His voice waned, "Are you...are we...are we breakin' up?"

Only that statement was able to make Oliver snap open his eyes. He turned his head to give his partner's looming shape a sour look. Out of the possible outcomes he racked himself in, that one did not shoot by once. He furiously whispered, "Why would you ask that?"

"I...well...'cause you're all pissed off an' everythin'..."

"I have every right to be!" Oliver hit his pillow a few times to fluff it, but stopped to gawk at the pale fabric. "What makes you think that would be what it takes to do such a thing? U-unless...you want to?"

"Fuck no!" Allen smacked the mattress on both of his sides, as if his shout did not convey his thoughts on the matter enough. His shoulder's slouched, and he murmured much more quietly, "No, I don't want that."

"Then why did you bring it up?"

"Couples had broken up for less."

"Those are other couples."

"So...we ain't breakin' up?"

Oliver loudly sighed, and flopped his head into his pillow. "No, Allen." He jabbed a finger in his bedmate's direction when he began creeping closer. "That does not mean I am not furious at you. Stay on your own side of the bed."

"Uh...yeah, sure...I guess..."