A/N: This is both a shonen-ai fic, and Jeff's perspective of his adventure in Earthbound. I'm pretty sure most of you know what shonen-ai (or yaoi) means, but if you don't, just means it centers around a love pairing between two males. So if you don't like the idea, then please just leave and do yourself a favor. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy nonetheless :D
Edit A/N 4/30/10: Just in case if people notice, I guess I'm going to start editing my chapters now, because this website deleted my transition marks in my entire story :C I don't know yet when chapter 25 will be done yet, I'm kinda busy right now. Just two more weeks though. Sorry for the long wait;;
Anyways, here's chapter 1 again. If something is missing, let me know please. C:
XxxxxxXxxxxxxX
I hated waiting. I would have rather spent the rest of my afternoon helping Mr. Maxwell with another failed attempt at an invention. It wasn't the fact I was forced to wait outside the theater, I made that decision all on my own. I watched as others would pass by in the hall, their eyes were skeptical when they spotted me. They didn't know what to think of me. Others sat at least five chairs away from me, only to re-tie their laces, and be off again. No one wanted to be near me.
Everyone knew why.
As drama class was excused for the night, I patiently stood by the door. I couldn't help but cringe when the guys would be talking about "the big scene" that involved my best friend. But all that anguish was all gone when he smiled up at me. I could tell by his lit up tawny eyes that he was pleasantly surprised to see me.
"Hey Jeff..." He said. I smiled; it was the first time I did so in almost a week.
"Let's go" I told him; walking hand in hand with him through the halls, just like I vowed all those years ago. I promised that I would protect you, Tony. And I always will.
I just don't know how to tell you... how I would have to leave you someday…
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
The Universe Will Die Without You
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxxxxxx
She was crying, and calling for my help.
"If you can hear my voice, please! This is your friend Paula, and Ness! We are stuck, and we need your help! I am calling a friend whom I have never met! Jeff! Please start, and head south. Jeff! Please...you're our one and only hope!" She kept repeating in my mind. It was surprising in my opinion, how young this girl's voice was. It was more mature than anyone I had ever met, yet it kept the innocence of youth in less than ten years. I opened my eyes feeling as if I had finally awoken from a deep sleep. I had a destiny that I didn't quite understand. Though, I didn't know what exactly was in store for me, I knew that I had to get going at that very moment.
In the middle of the night.
Rising from bed, I immediately grabbed my shoulders. There was always snow up here in Winters. My messy blond hair got into my light green eyes, and tickled my freckled nose, something I wasn't used to without my square glasses. My hand roamed the tingling cold night stand as it felt the thin cooler metal, grasping it, and bringing it to my eyes once more. I've worn glasses ever since I could remember. I checked the clock, which read 2:17 am, a time I wasn't used to waking at unless if I needed to use the restroom. My feet protested stepping out of bed, realizing that I had to keep quiet getting dressed, especially since I was not alone. My roommate, Tony, was still in dreamland. It was a shame that his own best friend was to leave him before his fourteenth birthday. I was caught out of my reverie when I was startled by one's cute little voice.
"Hey, Jeff...I just had a dream...me and you were having a walk..." Tony yawned. It was embarrassing for me as he watched me zip up my school pants. Especially since the last few years at this boarding school, I might add, he's been shyer and shyer around me everywhere we went. Frankly, it was enjoyable nonetheless, how he dressed, his innocence, his cheeks flaring up as I helped him with our chemistry homework. It's just the way he is. It was just the way it was between us. Students, even teachers disagreed, and argued with their eyes gaping, as I would hold his hand, to escort him to the nurse from the other thugs in school, me getting away with a pair of busted lenses, and a bruise here and there. Though I have to admit, I am smarter than my classmen, even some of my superiors. Over time, everyone learned not to mess with me, or Tony as long as I was with him. Hah… maybe that's why he always stood so close to me in the halls.
"Happy birthday, Tony," I chuckled cheekily as I straightened my black bowtie around my button down shirt. He brushed his red hair out of his dozy tawny eyes. Though, we both knew better that he could see right through it.
"What's wrong…?" He asked sympathetically. All I could do was shrug.
"Wait...it's not even seven yet...why are you up so early putting on your uniform?" I was stuck. It was hard to explain, even I wasn't sure exactly where I was going, I could only trust my instincts. I traced the conversation into a different direction.
"Do you like your new hat?" I asked him. There went Tony with his cute little smile again, happily grabbing out his flat black hat that he surprisingly hasn't let go of since I gave it to him. He plopped it onto his curly red head, and grinned.
"I love it Jeffery, and I always will!" He blushed. I couldn't help myself but smile back at him. I wanted to go over there, and pinch his adorable little cheeks. Wait, what was I thinking?
"That's good. It wouldn't have been good to get you something for your birthday that you didn't like." Tony nodded his head negatively.
"Anything you can give me, even just your presence means the world to me..." He smiled. My insides twisted as I sighed.
"I'll be right back, alright?" I muttered heading towards the door.
"What…? Wait! Jeff, just where do you think you're going? No one's supposed to be out in the halls this late!" Tony was worried for me again. What the heck was I going to reply with now?
"I..."
"I'll go with you...just in case...I won't be able to stop you anyways..." I sighed at his offer.
"Alright, alright, just don't slow me down," I told him as we entered the dim hallways.
xxxxx
Knowing that I had to go south, outside of the boarding school, I needed to optimize myself with protective equipment at the least. It was surprising how many kids were still awake at this hour I thought. Luckily for us, it was no one we either knew, or disliked, and wasn't fazed as we made our way downstairs to sneak into our science teacher's room, Mr. Maxwell who I might add was working on a project I wasn't even aware of. He seemed slightly startled as we approached him.
"Oh hey, Jeff and Tony! What are you two up to this late at night, getting a midnight snack?" Maxwell said putting down his wrench.
"Well…not exactly" I replied quietly. I wasn't sure what to say, yet here I was. The moment grew awkward for me.
"By the way, Tony, happy birthday, you just turned fourteen?" Tony nodded and smiled, a sense of worry appearing on his face. Maxwell sighed, glancing between the two of us.
"Ok, something is obviously up, especially with you, Jeff, you look stern and tense. Don't try hiding it from me. We both know how your actions speak much louder than your words." I winced averting my eyes and clenching my fists.
"It's time for you to leave, isn't it?" He said. I swallowed my pride and looked him in the eye and nodded. "That means you'll have to run into him…" My sigh was staggered and full of venom. I felt Tony put a hand on my shoulder.
"I shouldn't say this, but I actually wished he was here right now, he would probably be able to figure out the mess I'm in right now, since they claim he's smarter than Einstein or Heisenberg…" Maxwell sighed rubbing the back of his neck. Both of us drifted our eyes to a very sad looking Tony. I frowned.
"Well, you need some crap to take along with ya, right? Here…" He handed me an old key.
"Take whatever's in my locker room. You never know, there could be something useful in there. And don't worry. Tony and I won't ruin your reputation here, right?" We both saw the pain in his light brown eyes as he nodded.
"Yeah, don't worry, Jeff...we'll just say that you transferred for a little while..." Tony's voice faltered towards the end of the sentence. I furrowed my eyebrows as we took the key, and headed into his locker room, which was more of a storage room now, filled with science projects, and tools for different classes. Tony didn't make one peep as I tried every locker with the key. Every time, the key failed.
"Is this key bad, or something? I can't seem to unlock any of these!"
"Maybe...he gave you the wrong key..." Tony's eyes were averted to the ground when I looked at him. I sighed.
"Ok, let's go back, and ask" I said.
xxxxx
"Hehe, I thought that may have been a problem, considering how many times that single key has been used, we never used the budget to get duplicates. So, I made this today, just in case, it's the bad key machine! Made for when you have a slightly bad key!" He chuckled as he handed me the gadget.
"How the heck do you predict the future so vividly?" I asked. "And why didn't you just hand us the gadget in the first place?!" There he went with that laugh.
"It's no different from a hypothesis, believe me. We were bound to need something like this in the future one of these days. Now that should work, alright? Come back to me if you have any questions. Otherwise *yawn* I'm heading off to bed, I'm beat!" He stretched. I felt my smile curve upwards.
"Alright...thanks, really, I needed something like this. Maybe I'll be able to unlock the front gates with this," I thought out loud. Our teacher threw out a finger.
"No can do, I'd need to make a Grand bad key machine to open that lock. You're stuck with only unlocking the simple stuff with that." My smile disappeared.
"But as a bonus, I'm letting you keep that with you. Who knows? You may need it..." I nodded as I headed out the door.
"Oh, and Jeff?" I looked around my shoulder. Our teacher yawned again.
"Good luck, bad boy. You really need it," He smiled. I paused for a moment before waving him goodbye silently before heading back to the locker room.
xxxxx
Unlike the slightly bad key, this machine opened every locker with ease so far. The first one I unlocked had a bread roll. I was skeptical at first, but decided why the heck not? I only had two dollars, and food would have to be a necessity eventually. It was when I made my way towards the back row of lockers that Tony accidentally made contact with my arm. I looked at him as he shied from the look, cheeks tinting a soft pink.
"I...I'm sorry!" He apologized. I smiled honestly in reply before resuming what I was doing, grabbing out a pop gun in the process, which I was surprised to find. Tony made a quiet sound. It was small, but it was enough to get my attention. I sighed.
"You can head back to the dorm if you're tired Tony. You still have to get up early for school..." I was caught off guard as his hand was struggling to gravitate towards me. I was in a matter of seconds when Tony tackled his body into mine, pushing my back against the locker, almost forcefully, and nuzzled his forehead into my chest. I felt my blood rush to my cheeks, and my heart starting to race slightly. His embrace was tight, he obviously didn't want to let go, his hands grasping the back of my coat. I haven't been hugged like this in years it seemed. Have I ever been hugged before? My arms were shaken, as I tried to return the gesture, eventually wrapping my arms around his back, and resting my chin on his curly red head, for his little black hat fell on the floor. He was shaking, or was it shivering? It shocked me as I heard Tony weeping. He said something, but his mouth was smothered in my chest so much, that it was hard to decipher exactly what he was trying to tell me. He seemed to repeat it, until I caught on.
"I don't want you to go...why are you leaving on my birthday?" I squeezed him tighter, but was silent listening to his next bundle of words, "You're my...best friend...why..." We stayed like this for what seemed several moments, just holding each other alone in the locker room, our grips softening over time.
"It's not like I want to leave on your birthday..."
"Then don't! Just stay here until my birthday is over. I wanna celebrate with you..." He replied. I sighed, bringing my hands to his shoulders, to slowly separate our bodies. My eyes hardened when I saw his eyes weak from flooding, his entire face a shade of magenta, and damp from his sobbing. I rested my forehead against his. Both of our eyes averted to the ground.
"I don't know if I've ever told anyone this, but...I knew deep inside me all my life, that something like this was going to happen. Right at the very worst moment. Right when I have to leave behind what I've worked so hard to earn. Believe me, Tony, leaving you is the last thing I want to do. But if it's to prevent something horrible from happening to our planet, to our home...to you...I'll do anything with my power to stop it. That's why I have to leave...but I promise...I'll come back, just for you." I spoke softly, feeling the heat rise to both of our cheeks once more. His mouth curved slightly up.
"And...I promise that I'll stay out of trouble for you...I'll try to find something to laugh about each day..." He said, the weepiness still lingering in the edge of his voice. I couldn't prevent my smile from happening. His hands squeezed my sleeves.
"Can...can I open at least a couple of my presents with you...before you leave?" Tony asked timidly. I breathed.
"Alright. I'll do it just for you," I said as I raised my head away from his. However, Tony refused to move as his eyes became cloudy again from tears.
"Hey..." I cupped my hand to his chin and lifted it to see his timid sparkling tawny eyes.
"Chin up, alright? I promise I'll write to you, to keep you updated on what I'm up to." I smiled softly as we looked into each other's eyes for a moment until I couldn't help but bring my lips to his forehead. I chuckled inwardly as I heard a shy squeak escape his lips. I removed mine, and ruffled my fingers through his hair, almost getting tangled in the process. When I saw a smile spread across his now brilliant red face, I grabbed his hand.
"I need to open a couple more lockers, alright?" Tony nodded in response as our fingers intertwined.
xxxxx
The last somewhat useful item I found in any of the lockers was a broken spray can (or air gun). I figured after examining it for a little bit, over time, I'd be able to pin spot the problem, and tackle it, and put it to use once more. When we were off, Tony wrapped his arms around my right one, and refused to let go. I wasn't sure how I was going to get rid of my little leech soon. Up the stairs, the room we went in, wasn't even our own. Instead, we went into the dorm next ours, which belonged to some of his other good friends from his drama, and theater class. We always heard them acting next door if we really needed our sleep, practicing for their next big stage scene.
"Tony! Oh, and Jeff. Happy birthday, Tony!" One of his friends cheered.
"Wait, Nathan, weren't we going to surprise him in the morning?" Another one of the kids said.
"Well, he's here now, so we might as well turn on the lights." Both of us squinted as we saw multiple presents spread out on the floor wrapped identically, scraps of wrapping paper and ribbon here and there.
"*Guuuh… Geez, everyone, its three o' clock in the frigging morning..." Another one yawned before realizing who had entered the room. "Oh, Tony! Happy birthday...why are you up so late...? Why are you with Jeff?" Some of the guys "ooed."
"Maybe they-" Nathan covered one of their mouths.
"Maybe, it's none of your business! Well...we don't have the balloons yet, Tony, I hope you don't mind!" Tony gravitated away from my arm, and finally had a sense of happiness appear on his features.
"It's alright...umm...I know this might sound too early, but can I open three of my presents? Before Jeff...has to leave?" He asked fiddling his fingers together looking shyly over his shoulder towards me. One of his friends awed before they were silenced by Nathan.
"Its fine with us, it's your birthday after all! Right, guys?" The other three boys agreed. All of us in the room sat in a circle, me sitting between one of the boys, and Tony, who sat next to Nathan on his other side. I couldn't shed off the feeling of awkward eyes glancing at my nerdy appearance, especially Nathan, whom seemed to have some sort of "disapproval of me" Though I might add, he was a total fruit in my opinion, so maybe it was the way I dressed in my uniform? My glasses? I had no frigging clue. Well...maybe I did.
"I'm picking this one first, because this one looks like it got the best wrapping job!" Tony smiled.
"That's from me!" One of the boys said in the circle as his friends joked along. I smiled modestly, my eyes locked to his cheeky expression as he opened his first present, which was a chocolate chip cookie, moderately fresh from the cafeteria, and made especially for him.
"A cookie! I love cookies!" He smiled bringing his gift to his nose. "Was this cookie made fresh today?" He asked. One of the boys nodded. "Yup. If you like that gift, hopefully, you'll like the next gift!" Tony grabbed the second neatest present that read on the package in neat writing "To Tony, From Nathan." "OOooo, I wonder what this could be?" Tony spoke sarcastically. When he opened yet another pink box, inside was another big cookie, this time a peanut butter one.
"I love peanut butter! Thank you so much!" Tony gave Nathan a hug, while Nathan smirked evilly at me.
"My pleasure is always yours, Tony" Nathan smiled. Tony's third present expectedly was a cookie, this time shaped as a star with green and yellow sprinkles on it, Tony's top two favorite colors. I watched as Tony grazed his fingers over the multi colored sprinkles, almost awed at all the different cookie possibilities the future held for him. I was caught out of my reverie when Tony pushed all his cookies towards me.
"Jeff...pick one..." He asked his voice becoming quieter though everyone could see.
"Tony, they're your cookies, not mine. I'm not allowed to pic-"
"Yes, they are mine. And I want you to pick one of my cookies" He emphasized. Even as a genius as I was, some of his mind tricks still left me dumb struck.
"If you don't have a preference, than take this one..." He mumbled handing me the box with the peanut butter cookie inside.
"But you love-"
"Just take it, please!!" He ordered. Even Tony could make me feel smaller than him sometimes, obviously now was one of them. There was a tense silence in the room, Tony's eyes shut tightly, refusing to look at me.
"I...I'm so sorry, everyone. It's so...wonderful, guys, you really didn't have to..." His voice started cracking. Except I knew what was going to happen.
"I'll...I'll keep all these gifts in our refrigerator so they don't get-"
"No, We'll put them in our refrigerator...you go and get some rest, alright, and we'll talk to you again in the morning" Nathan replied rubbing his back as he gave me a cold glare, in which I mirrored back at him. I tried ignoring the peanut butter cookie, but Tony picked it up for me, and put it in my saddle bag almost forcefully, until I took his place and put it in my bag instead. Nathan glared at me, and muttered, "Jeff...I can't believe you would do something so nasty." I wanted to greet his face with my fist, but refused when Tony grabbed my arm, and dragged me outside the room.
"Bye...Tony?"
xxxxx
We stood silently in the hall holding hands leaning our backs on the wall outside of our dorm. I sighed, not meaning it to sound aggravated.
"Tony…I have to go soon, you know that, right?" I tried to keep my voice in a monotone manner, but Tony still squeezed my hand.
"I know…" He obviously wanted to keep me from leaving.
"Please don't get yourself hurt…" He started to sound weepy again. My eyes widened.
"What makes you think I'll get hurt?" I chuckled. Tony shook his head.
"Just don't, alright? I have no idea where you're going, or why, but obviously it's important and possibly dangerous…" I frowned.
"And don't do anything bad either, if you do, I'll rip your head off, got it?" My entire being shuttered from his bitter tone.
"I promise I won't do anything too reckless, alright?" I gave him a crooked smile. Tony looked down at me, though I still towered over him by a few inches.
"Too reckless? You can't even go through a chemistry lab class without making something explode, nonetheless Maxwell still rewards your bold, yet correct efforts" Tony muttered. My chuckle was nervous as Tony sighed. He enclosed the space between us by giving me a tight hug. Though I have known Tony for almost all my life, I was always caught off guard when he made contact with me. My heart skipped a beat.
"How are you going to face your dad if you run into him?" My eyes hardened as I looked in the distance.
"I honestly don't know…" I replied. I wasn't sure if I should be happy to see him, or if I would want to rip out his intestines.
"Just be careful" He said letting go so he wouldn't get too attached, grabbed my arm and literally pulled me down stairs.
xxxxx
We said nothing as we made our way down to the front doors, and outside. The only thing that seemed to block my path now was a lone pair of gates, locked with multiple locks, including number combinations. Now I understood why the bad key machine wasn't going to work.
"There's gotta be a way for you to reach the other side..." He said letting go of my arm and running up to the gates. He looked up, the snowflakes started coating both of our faces. I walked up to him, my feet crunching the snow beneath my shoes.
"What are you looking for-" My cheeks turned pink when I was caught slightly off guard. Tony got on all fours, and looked at me, his cheeks the same color as mine, steam rising from his slightly open mouth, and nostrils.
"Wha...what are you..."
"Climb on my back...I'll give you a boost over the fence" He said. My eyebrow perked up.
"Are you sure you can lift me up there?"
"We won't know if we don't try..." He smiled slightly, his fists balling up in protest from the snow. I nodded silently, as I used my best friend as a toad stool.
"I'm gonna stand up now...so keep your balance with the gate..." I heard him say before I was slowly risen to the top of the gate. Once he was actually standing, and I was balanced on his shoulders, I was able to get myself to the top of the gate, and jump down to the other side. My landing wasn't the most graceful thing in the world, Tony gasping my name as if I got wounded pretty badly. I stood up almost immediately, brushing the snow off my uniform, and turned to him.
"I'm, alright, Tony, see?" I said as I brushed some of his hair out of his face. Tony smiled worryingly, grabbing my hand, and locking his fingers into mine.
"Please be careful...I'll be thinking of you everyday...you're my best friend and always will be..." He said, eyes hardening. I frowned.
"I promise, I'll be fine. But please, just don't think of me too much, your school is much more important than me. Make it a priority, alright? When I come back, I want to see some more B's on your report card at the least." Tony gave me a firm squeeze, and then let go slowly.
"Get to bed, alright? I'll see you in the..." I sighed, as I realized the sudden truth. "Just...have a good birthday, alright?" I said. Tony nodded slowly.
"Goodbye...Jeff" He mumbled before turning to the school. I watched him enter inside the doors before I was off on my new journey.