#but he’d also not outright get eid of it that’s for sure

[georgiaswarr]

i wonder what jimmy does with his knife after iwbft

[bedbellyandbeyond]

A Mess

(Story Post)

“Rheni? Rheni, get up…” Rheni took a few moments to reshape his eyes before blinking them open and looking up. He’d passed out on the couch and was essentially just a puddle in the rough shape of a man inside one of Camilo’s sweaters. He didn’t bother to put in the energy for a whole head so he just made a simple face to address his sleep disturber. “…Fay?” “That’s right.” Fay stood over him, his hands on his hips. He'd come in and was immediately appalled by the complete mess of the apartment. Cupboards were open, a plant was dying, bottles were everywhere, cans were open, video game paraphernalia was strewn across the floor near the TV, and there was Rheni in the middle of it looking like a purple pancake. “You look like misery.” “…I am misery.”

“When was the last time you ate something?” Fay asked. Slime on either side of Rheni’s face shrugged. “…What day is it?” “Tuesday.” “Tuesday the what?” “The 29th.” “…Bout a week.” “…Mon dieu… Stay there a second.” Fay disappeared so Rheni just relaxed again, letting his face melt away. A moment later something was being pushed into his side and he woke up again. “…What’s that?” “Bread with hazelnut spread. Most of any other food was gone. Did you eat the whole fridge yourself?” “Can’t get groceries.” “Sure you can. You can order groceries online these days. And of course you know how to order delivery.” “What’s the point?” Rheni asked. “There’s no reason for me to live…” Fay sighed. “...You know that’s not true.” “Do I?” “Rheni...” Fay rubbed the back of his neck. “You need to be alive to be a parent.” “I can't be a parent anyway...” Rheni said. “I can't go to soccer games, recitals, amusement parks, family trips...the park.” “There's more to parenting than that,” Fay said. “Listen, my husband is secretly, slowly, and meticulously trying to turn our home into a farm so that we can be self sufficient and he'll never have to leave home again. I'm not going to let that happen, but in the meantime, he's been nothing short of an amazing parent. And times really are changing. We have Yulinians in the news these days and showing in public. Extraterrestrial faces will start to become commonplace. Soon enough, we'll be seeing you outside too.” “...I want to go outside now though,” Rheni groaned. “I want to go to the beach, run into the lake and let it pull me apart and wash me away...” Fay sighed again and pulled out his phone. “Is Chinese good?” “Huh?” “I'm ordering Chinese food.” “Camilo loved Chinese food...” “And he likely still does. You're talking about him like he's dead,” Fay said. “I'm dead to him.” “You’re not dead to him.” “He said I didn't even exist whenever he's out. And now I've pushed him out forever...” “Not forever,” Fay said. “You too are just having a quarrel.” “A quaffle?” “A quarrel. A fight. You both just need to apologise to each other and have makeup sex or whatever... Wantons?” “How can I apologise if he won't answer any of my calls or texts?” Rheni asked. “Then he's not ready to forgive you yet,” Fay said. “Just give it time.” “But what if I shouldn't?” Rheni asked. “Like, how am I supposed to believe he didn’t cheat on me?” Fay rolled his eyes. “Do you really think Camilo is the type to covet more than one person at a time? How long did it take before the two of you even had sex? He's shy and timid and only feels comfortable undressing in front of people he is very close to. That's literally just you and his sister.” Rheni looked directly at Fay. “...Then how?” “I don't know.” Fay shook his head. “But I'd like to think that somewhere in all that fluid of yours is a part of the real you. And that's what made your baby.” Rheni frowned and made arms just to cross them. “As much as I'd like to believe that, it just sounds like wishful thinking.” “Well, you've got the energy to make arms so can you get up and clean up this mess?” Fay motioned around. “Camilo would have a heart attack if he saw this...” He picked up an empty bottle of vodka. “...Can you get drunk?” “No...” Rheni said. “But if I drink enough at once, I can feel the burn.” “You're insane. Get up.” Rheni groaned and sat up, looking around for the closest thing he could tidy up. He found the TV remote imbedded in his side, thanked god he hadn't unconsciously dissolved it, and placed it on the coffee table. “Good start,” Fay said patting him on the back and receiving a wet hand. “...Ah, you're not holding up very well are you? Well if you don't have the energy, I could do the clean up for... $30 an hour.” “No. I've got it...” Rheni tightened up and stood. His feet remained puddles until lifted but he could work with that. He started gathering up all the accessories for Camilo's Switch and tucked them away in their places. Camilo had a bin with dividers for each of his consoles’ accessories which made clean up easier but also led to a lot of arguments when Rheni didn't put things away properly. Now Rheni slotted joy-cons on charge stands wishing he could show Camilo his good work. Fay took care of most of the garbage lying around and set the table for the Chinese food when it came in. They ate mostly in silence only ever talking about the food itself. When they were done, Fay threw out the packaging and crossed his arms. “So, what necessities do you need to bring with you?” Rheni looked at him from his chair. “...Where am I going?” He blinked and then terror overwhelmed him. “I don't want to go back to the EID!” “You're not going back,” Fay insisted. “You’re coming to my place.” “Yours? Why?” Rheni asked. “Isn't it full?” “Hah, you can tell my husband that when we get there...” Fay chortled. “But seriously, pack up.” Rheni got up and trudged towards the bedroom. “What if I don't want to go?” “Tough. You have to go,” Fay said. “...Camilo's kicking me out,” Rheni sighed. “Figures...” “No.” Fay put his hands on his hips. “If you must know, surveillance has had you on suicide watch since Friday. The APID intended to have you readmitted into the EID but I, as your case worker, convinced them I could help if I took you in. But, yes, it would benefit Camilo to have access to the apartment without you around since the nursery is already made up and all.” Rheni sighed. “...Either way, I'm being kicked out.” “Everything is temporary,” Fay said. “Besides, you can get used to taking care of children chez moi. I have plenty of spawn for you to practice parenthood with.” “Geez... I haven't even met your husband or any of the kids yet, Fay. In fact, I haven’t met a new person face to face since...I don't know, Dr. Gardi I guess.” “No time like the present to flex those social skills,” Fay said. “Go. Get. Packed.” “Alright, alright...” Rheni slunk into the bedroom. He dismantled his computer setup and threw it in a bag with the few clothes he owned outright and a couple books. He didn’t really have many other belongings considering how he didn’t need toiletries or clothing so he was done decently quick. He took the couch and bed covers too so that he wouldn't ruin Fay's furniture. “Ready?” Fay asked as the slime man trudged out with his bag. “Yeah. All good.” “Alright then. Allons-y, donc. Van's waiting,” Fay said motioning to the door. “Yeah, I'm sure it is...”

[bedbellyandbeyond]

Round 2

(Story Post; No Art at End)

“Hey! Welcome back!” Rheni said as Camilo came through the door. “You hungry?” Rheni was in the living room on his computer. Over the past four years he’d been studying programming and found that he actually had a knack for it. About a year and a half after starting, he picked up a job online programming for a small game company based in town. With the second income, he and Camilo were able to move out to a two bedroom apartment. Camilo had finished his undergrad and started graduate school. For his work excellence and high GPA, the EID subsidised his tuition so long as he remained in the astronomy major so he was shooting for a PhD. It felt like everything was on the right track now. And yet Camilo was in no proper mood when he got home that day. Pickle ran to the door to see him but he didn’t really have the energy to engage her. “I’m not hungry…”

“That’s too bad cause I ordered Greek for you,” Rheni said pointing to the food on the kitchen counter. “Guess you can have it later? Or for lunch?” “Oh… Yeah, thanks Rheni,” Camilo said. He trudged into the kitchen and looked into the bag. “My favourite. I’ll save it.” Rheni looked away from his laptop to look at Camilo and frowned. “What’s up, babe? You don’t look too good.” “Rheni, it’s alright…” Camilo went over to him and put a hand on his head. “What are you up to.” “Work,” Rheni said as Pickle ran over and hhoppedup on the couch beside him. “Editing game code.” “Sounds fun,” Camilo said, although sarcastically. “Actually, it’s pretty fun,” Rheni said. “It’s like I get to see what the game looks like but in written form sort of.” “Uh huh…” Camilo sat down beside him and pulled his dog into his lap. He started petting her and she wagged her tail, nuzzling up against his neck. “…I’m pretty sure I’m pregnant again.” Rheni let go of his mouse and turned to Camilo. “You’re not serious.” “I am,” Camilo said. “I haven’t been feeling well, and I bought a pregnancy test after work and it was positive…” He dropped his head into his hands. “Oh god, Rheni, I don’t want to go through that again…” “Have you seen Syd about it yet?” Rheni said wrapping an arm around his partner. “They’d help.” “I told you, Syd’s in Europe,” Camilo said. “They left a couple days ago.” “Right… Well I’m sure there’s a replacement.” “Rheni, I don’t like seeing all different doctors…” “Well, what other options are there?” “We could just wait til it happens.” “You need to be checked out. It we find out early on, it might be possible to change the result.” “Change the result?” Camilo asked. “You were there. Syd said we’re not genetically compatible as parents. We can’t have kids. It’s just going to end like before. We’ll just be prepared this time.” “But what if this time is different?” Rheni asked. “What if it survives?” “Rheni, it can’t,” Camilo said. “And even if it could…” He frowned. “I don’t even want to think about that.” Rheni frowned. “Think about what? Us having a child?” “Well, yeah.” Camilo rubbed his stomach. “We can’t have kids, you and me. It’s too much.” “…Is it?” Rheni asked. Camilo frowned. “We can’t have kids. We’re both studying and working. You can’t even leave the apartment. I don’t want to be pregnant ever. Do you even know how much dysphoria I was dealing with during that miscarriage?” “Well… Okay, I get that you don’t want to be pregnant,” Rheni said. “But maybe after this, however it turns out, maybe we can adopt or something?” “Rheni, I don’t even know if we can think about that kind of thing right now,” Camilo said. “Not as we are. We already have a goal. That’s getting you into society. Maybe even getting your body back. The EID is working hard alongside our allies to look for the people that did this to you. We should be thinking about that, not children.” “…I just don’t see why we can’t think about both,” Rheni said returning to his programming. “But that’s fine… I guess I’m just getting ahead of myself.” Camilo sighed and kissed Rheni’s cheek. “…I’m not outright saying no to kids. But…If we looked at it like we were a typical couple…like two honeymooners or something…I still feel like we’re not in a stable place to raise a child. I know I’m not. I’m young and I feel really overworked these days between school and work. And if I pursue my PhD, that feeling probably won’t go away for a very long time. And you, you also have work and classes. We just don’t have that kind of time.” “Well, I… I don’t really have that much work,” Rheni said. “The programming classes could end whenever I want. I’m not bound to a curriculum… And the work is really flexible. I’ve just been doing a lot of it, because I don’t really have anything else to do. And it helped us get this apartment.” “I hear you but if I may be selfish, I can’t and don’t want to have a kid right now,” Camilo said. “As I said, it’s too much.” “Okay. I understand,” Rheni said. “Either way, I want you to see a doctor at the EID. Do you know who’s replaced Syd?” Camilo shook his head. “No, but I’ve heard Fay talk about him. He thinks the guy’s crazy.” “Crazy in a personal way or crazy in being a doctor?” Rheni asked. “What?” “Well, like you can be crazy on your own time as long as it isn’t hurting anyone, but like if he has crazy medical practice, then I don’t want him anywhere near you.” “Oh… I think it was personal crazy…” Camilo said. “Fay was going on about ghost hunting or something.” “Ooh, a ghost hunting doctor!” Rheni started wiggling in his seat. “Can he make a house call? I want to meet him!” “You’ll meet him at your next physical,” Camilo said. “I should go on my own.” Rheni pouted. “I want to meet a ghost hunter… And my next physical isn’t for another month. Syd could be back by then.” “I don’t know what to tell you,” Camilo said. “I’m gonna go by myself.” “Okay, fine…” Rheni sighed. “Maybe if I fake an injury, they’ll have to visit.” “You can’t get injured,” Camilo said. “I can too!” Rheni said. “I can get burned or evaporated or my nucleus could get separated from my body.” “Those all have simple solutions though,” Camilo said. “Add water and put your nucleus back in.” “Well… my nucleus could get damaged,” Rheni said. “Do you know what to do if that happens?” “Um, no…” “Well me neither so we’d have to call a doctor,” Rheni said. “You’re not going to fake an injury,” Camilo said. “Just wait until your physical.” “Can’t you at least tell him I want to meet him?” Rheni asked stroking the back of Camilo’s neck. “I want to know if the bathroom ghost is real.” “There’s no ghost in the bathroom!” Camilo said. “The vent is under the toilet paper. That’s why it floats.” “There’s a presence. I can feel it.” “What do you even do in the bathroom, anyway?” “Practice faces.” “You’re so immature.” “Hey I’m getting a lot better at colours,” Rheni said holding out a hand and giving it a slightly skin like peachy colour. “If I can get the shape just right, I might pass.” “As human?” Camilo asked. “Yeah. Like if I can get the shapes and colours right… Hair is the hardest. It’s so wiry… I can’t get the texture right.” “Babe… I’m gonna go lie down,” Camilo said setting Pickle down on the floor. “Not trying to ignore you… I’m just not feeling well.” “Aw, do you want me to come give you snuggles?” “Naw, you finish your work. I might be up later.” “Okay. Rest up. Take Pickle with you at least for snuggles.” Camilo gave him a kiss on the cheek then went to bed, their peppy pup bounding after him to give all the snuggles she could.

Rheni: We’re gonna get through this, you know?

Cam: Yeah…