Chapter 8: Something Has Changed Within Me

"You couldn't fathom it because you and Vermillion are abusive assholes! and you scarred him for life! No wonder I found you suspicious. No wonder he escaped from you…" Blue stormed out of the house, running, and Edina just stood there.

"I'm so SO sorry, Red…" the blue-haired man cried as she ran back to the spaceship, having a recurring vision of the past 20 years. She ran for a long time, as she heard ear-bleeding "music" and more couples making out in nearby restaurants, yet the flashbacks of him and Red with smiles on their faces and getting into shenanigans overshadowed it all, even as he had a small desire to wave hello to Rukhaw one last time.

When Blue was done running, he spotted the shorter redhead sitting on top of the rocket, looking out into a nearby solar system.

"Red…" Blue was short of words, but full of empathy. He finally knew.

"Hey Blue, you little dingus! How's it going?" Red put up a fake smile and playful tone as he flashed a wink at him. Clearly his eyes matched his name.

"Red…please stop pulling on me, I can tell you're not fine," the worried man replied, starting to get concerned. He hated lies in serious moments, especially if they were obvious.

"So this is love…? Right? I should 'go back to my home planet- but I don't even belong-"

Blue stared at the redheaded man, wondering who said that to him, more tears forming in his eyes as he listened to his best friend say more hurtful things about himself in a playful tone and broken laughter, smiling & laughing. Each word pierced Blue's heart. Red never said those things, ever. It was so unlike him to say that. It petrified Blue. It made his heart sink. Red stopped for a moment, as he became aware of the latter staring with remorseful intent.

Blue was about to give Red a tight hug when the redhead immediately wrapped his arms around him tightly and started shooting out electric waves, burying himself into the embrace of Blue.

Red's voice was hoarse and rusted from the excessive crying, as if he were calling back to something. "H-I-I don't even know WHY I act the way I do…nothing seems to add up..."

He looked up at him with glowing golden eyes, his usual hazel eye contacts he wore so no earthling would get suspicious were no longer in the latter's vision & his tears were a pale blue, ever-so vulnerable. He needed Blue more than anything.

"I know better now," was all Blue could utter. Then, the world around them became very silent, not even the distant parties and districts were audible at this point and the only thing audible was Red's sobs and Blue's breathing.

"Prsh'í'haet, Retvaert." a male, condescending voice from behind spoke up. Red got the shivers at being called by his full name, he started spazzing out electricity from his body again, and was frozen in place.

"No…" he thought. Red started trembling, and started to gain horrible flashbacks and memories of the times before he came to Earth. He couldn't understand a word being said, but understood the abuse and horrible memories by the provider. Every insult, every day feeling helpless, every rewire with every vaccine injected into him, every one never seeing him as a person, but rather an object to exploit. Blue noticed he hadn't taken out his earplugs yet, and handed one to Red.

"Why hello, my son. It's a pleasure to see you again after 20 years, we've missed you!" Edina said sarcastically. She grabbed Red by the arms, despite his attempts to resist it, and Edina pulled out a needle from her pocket. "Now we just need to inject the last thing into you and you'll become just like us."