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34saveme34 · 29 days ago

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MG AU ep 4 - Where Truth Lies

Originally meant to title it "He didn't know" but I don't like that anymore

kind of emotional episode with gay ass pay off

words: 8.4k+

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The day started… oddly. 4 took longer than usual to get ready. Not to say he was faster at getting ready than 3 was but he was never really this slow.

“Yo” he knocked on the bathroom door, considering 4 had been inside for a while “Are you good? We’re gonna be late, dumbass”

But he could hear no response. He sighed. He knew he couldn’t be too hard on 4, he didn’t seem to react best to that stuff- Not that anyone would.

“Come on…” he started again, trying to take a softer tone “I don’t wanna go against my word”

The door finally opened, 4 had a normal expression yet there were some weird vibes.

“Will… you be good to go?” 3 asked.

“In a moment, yeah” 4 forced a smile.

After grabbing what he needed, they finally got going.

“So…” 3 tried to inquire just a little more “Any reason for… why you asked to come with me?”

“No..” 4 looked away from 3 “There’s no reason”

“Huh… well…” 3 sighed “Just know I don’t believe that”

4 looked tense over that.

“Whatever…”

4 was… colder than usual. 3 was a tad bit confused. But for now all he could do is bear this while they go through the day. Maybe 4 just needed someone. Sometimes he needs reassurance too… Especially when… No, let’s… let’s not think about that. Not now.

They got to class rather quietly. Somehow 4 ended up farther from him than how he was in the beginning. 3 sat beside his friends, now his attention diverted. But he couldn’t always be kept back, sneaking glances. Seeing the gloomy frown on 4 was starting to dampen his mood too.

Regardless he tried to pay attention during class though he barely remembered anything. Luckily this was one of the professors that was giving breaks at normal intervals. And a 20 minute one was coming, usually being used for lunch and such.

3 quickly found himself walking to 4’s seat. He sat down beside him. 4 wouldn’t look at him.

“Are you just gonna pretend I’m not here?” 3 asked.

“Maybe…”

“Dumbass”

“Maybe…” 4 sighed, as he sank with his forehead lightly hitting the table in front of him.

“You’re not telling me something”

“You don’t need to know everything”

“I-... 4. I just want to know if it’s because of me. If I did something I shouldn’t have”

4 looked up, like he was about to say something. And he really almost did but he noticed something. Or someone. And quickly shut his mouth.

3 never felt so frustrated. He got up and decided to go outside for the rest of the break, needing some air.

At just the right time he came back, taking a seat with his friends. 4 once again, not even once looking his way. It was like he was trying to ignore him for some reason. What reason would he have?

Rest of the day went by with more of 4 ignoring him and his friends’ words going in one ear and out the other. He was maybe… a little obsessed with 4 not talking to him. But he didn’t know why! He was trying to figure out what he was doing wrong, what did he do to hurt him? How could he actually fix this? Would he have to get on his knees and like, beg for forgiveness? He was so receptive to his hug yesterday- was he actually pushing it? Maybe he shouldn’t have offered despite seeing how important touch seemed to be for 4. Just because he notices these kinds of things faster, maybe he shouldn’t have… Did it have to do with 4 himself feeling left out? But he would’ve mentioned that more then, no? Ugh… He just couldn’t figure it out. It felt like he was missing something. Something very close to him. Closer than he realised.

“Dude, are you even listening?” one of his friends asked.

“Yea, you’ve been staring at the air for quite a while now” another joked.

“4’s not air, okay?” 3 said a little offended.

“Dude… what did he do to you?”

3 sighed.

“We just became friends? I already told you”

“But he’s so…”

“He’s what?”

“Annoying? Weird? A freak even?”

“Like totally, he’s such a freak! He doesn’t even talk to anyone in this class! Why does a loner like him even come to college?”

3 was getting annoyed. Very annoyed at that.

“To learn? Dude, it’s that simple, now get off me about it”

After that, they were officially dismissed.

“I’m off, with my roommate, like it or not, you guys go be immature as shit without me” 3 left his friend group behind.

“We’re off, 4” he said then grabbed 4 by the arm, maybe pulling him along with a bit too much force, his friends only watched in despair. They were walking along for a bit, noises of the halls slowly drowning out their thoughts. 3 grew a bit softer, his hand travelling down to take a firm hold of 4’s hand instead. 4 didn’t know how to feel. So he just stayed quiet all the way until they got back. Not to say he didn’t feel anything, the complete opposite actually. So many things racing on his mind… His head felt like a merry-go-round malfunction.

They entered their room. 3 finally let go of 4’s hand.

“Damn, I just realised I’ve been pulling you all the way back… sorry about that”

But 4 still wouldn’t talk.

“Can you… can you at least tell me what I did wrong?” 3 asked, feeling defeated. He wanted to scream but he couldn’t make this worse. Not again.

4 looked at him then.

“You… the fact that you chose to befriend me… Like, I’m the freak of the class, right?”

“Who told you that?” 3 asked.

“... Everyone really? Why would it matter… maybe I really should just… stop…”

3 was hardly believing what he was hearing.

“This can’t be the same 4 I was talking to yesterday. The same one that accepted a hug from me despite everything” 3 was starting to get emotional.

4 didn’t answer, instead sitting down in front of his computer with a blank expression.

“4… 4 please. I can’t deal with this right now. I want to know what the FUCK happened this IS SO INFURIATING!! I JUST- I just,,,” the tears. Let’s pretend they never happened. He wiped away those not tears.

“JUST TELL ME IF YOU DON’T WANNA BE MY FRIEND” 3 was having none of this.

4 broke. Not yet with words but his neutral way of holding himself broke. He slowly turned away from his computer, his hand raised up and shaking a bit, trying to reach out yet so unsure. He looked back at 3.

“I… I’m just…” he was trying to convey what he was feeling, not too successfully though.

“Y…Yeah?”

“I’m just… scared”

“Of… is… is it me..?”

4 shook his head.

“No… it’s…”

“Just tell me! I want to help, alright?? Like, promise, I’m not playing you”

“But… if I tell you…” and so it slipped that 4 was keeping back something.

“Anything it is, please, I’m tired and I just… please”

“Your… friends… they’ve been… not the nicest to me…”

3 blinked as it settled in.

“And…” 4 said “They… told me to stay away and-… and…” but 4 couldn’t finish, the words left unspoken.

3 was mad to say the least.

“Really now? What the fuck… What the fuck?? How can adults be so fucking immature!” 3 paced in the room while the anger settled in “Like genuinely, how can thry be such a pieces of shits… thinking they can fucking control who I’m talking to, not even my parents could stop me from talking to people they didn’t want me to, what makes them think THEY can??” 3 rambled on then stopped by 4 in his anger induced state. Looking at 4, all he could see was worry. Did 4 ever even not worry? He sighed, hugging 4, telling himself that it was only 4 that needed it and not him.

“You don’t need to stay away. Don’t let them tell you shit”

“...Alright..” 4 took a bit to hug back “I’m… I’m sorry I’m causing so much trouble”

3 only hugged him tighter in response. It… did feel nice. It felt like an eternity until 3 let go. 4 was starting to think he wasn’t the clingy one in this room.

“All that for calling me the clingy one…” he joked, trying to ease some tension.

And it did fluster 3.

“Look, man, I’m just trying not to isolate you! Or is that not allowed anymore?”

“You fought for your right to do so”

“I sure damn fucking did. I think I deserve to listen to some Peach now”

“... Is her music comforting to you?”

“In a way, yeah”

“Huh… I mean I guess it’s an idyllic image of a world… kind of the definition of escapism”

“It’s also about her performance to me. There’s something about it�� Like she reaches beyond that, she’ll always have something we don’t, it’s like-”

“A lot of money”

3 stared for a second then laughed.

“Yeah alright I walked right into that alright, you got me there”

4 laughed.

“But I get it. I’m not as fixated on it but I see what you mean. I do really like her outfits though”

3 thought for a bit if he should ask what he was about to.

“Well… would you wear her outfits?” 3 asked, he really had no ulterior motives despite 4 getting quickly flustered.

“What makes you think thaat?”

3 looked at him like he was stupid.

“Am I- Am I missing something?” 4 asked again.

“Your guardian outfit?”

“That’s- that’s a…totally special case”

“But you like it?”

4 was slowly starting to sink in his seat.

“I mean” 3 was trying to think of the right way to say it “Not that it’s a bad thing this- isn’t some stupid ass interrogation, I just wanted to say you do look nice in it, it suits you”

“Are you lying?”

“Nah, I told you before, I still think you look cute in it”

“Oh- Oh huh” 4 was gonna think about that longer than he was probably ever meant to. Not that stopped a smile from creeping on his face. It did make him happy.

And the conversation was left there. Despite some feelings lingering like a strong perfume that could chase the writer (me) out of the world.

4 turned to turn on his computer. He was still feeling flustered. For some reason when it was someone who was a friend to him and not just some guy it just hit more? He didn’t quite understand what this feeling was really. But he was kind of happy. Maybe he could look into… dressing like it too… maybe one day. Not that he would know where to start… or how to actually be confident enough for that. And the prices, and if he gets into it he would have to buy more stuff to actually be able to put together outfits- And he would have to be so selective too- AND oh OH the nightmare of sizes, especially with his physique, if it wasn’t for the guardian outfit, he wouldn’t have any of the sort. He’d be…. so miserable. But oh if none of these were a factor. He could still dream despite being 999% sure that the only way anyone will ever see him in a dress will be only through his guardian form. At least he had that if nothing else. Like a beacon of a rainbow among a sky of gray so blurry and weird.

While he was deep in thoughts he barely even noticed Puzzles popping up who looked a little concerned.

“SMG4! SMG4! Can you hear me?” they sobbed.

“Oh! Oh, yeah uhm, sorry. Hey, can you fetch me what I worked on last? It’s been a bit”

“Of course!” and they went to fetch the file “Here it is, this script was the last thing you worked on, where Bowser was planning to steal the Moon to impress the Princess. And yes, the snapcube reference is in it already!”

“Mhmm…” 4 thought for a bit then started writing.

He knew he wanted the ending for Bowser to be pathetic, he thought it was really fun to see brutes like him fail. Not that the actual games were much kinder, his episodes were just more direct about it. He was debating on whether or not to make Mario piss on the Moon. Sure it would be great if he took the reference that seriously… Maybe have Eggman appear for comedic effect? Maybe thanking Bowser so he can piss on the Moon easier? And that leaving the Princess disappointed and disgusted and leaving? This is a possibility… But he gotta think about it harder, if there could be anything else he could come up with. He can only deliver the best comedy he could think of or else.

“Are you stumped?” Puzzles asked, noticing that 4 stopped.

“Oh, I’m just considering the possibilities, lot of ways this can go”

“Well, isn’t that always the case?”

“Most of the time… sometimes endings will be incredibly obvious, sometimes not”

“Huh…” Puzzles pretended to understand 4’s wisdom.

“Hey, 4?” 3 piped up suddenly after looking at his phone for a bit, disturbing the brainstorming.

“Yeah?”

“Y’know, I actually added Meg and she’s asking if we’d like to come down to the beach, considering the weather’s not that bad yet”

“That does sound nice…but my script…” 4 lamented.

“Honestly… maybe I could help- but don’t rely on me too hard. But I could maybe help with some stuff”

“Oh? Oh like- audio, right?”

“Yeah! But honestly I did dabble a- teeny tiny bit in video editing but it really wasn’t much. Aaand I’m also not proud of it-”

4 was looking at him like he REALLY wanted to know what those videos could be.

“You’re not gonna see them, 4, they’re EMBARRASSING” 3 looked a little flustered.

“Aw man… My first works are embarrassing too though!”

“Look, us being friends won’t give you the right to see the worst things I’ve ever done”

“So I just need to get closer to him to see it…” 4 thought out loud then realised what he did as 3 was looking at him a little flustered but more annoyed.

“Awful reason to get closer to me”

“But it is one…” 4 said, trying to make it sound like a joke. 4, you really suck at this.

“So! Anyways! Beach?”

“Y-. Yeah right! Yea! Maybe I’ll get an idea there too…”

“...Should I do anything until then, SMG4?” Puzzles asked, rather timid. 4 then just realised that he was silent all throughout their conversation.

“Uhhh… well actually… how about you look for some marble models for me? It’s for… a future idea I have but…. anything marble related is good to go”

“Oh? Uhm… Like the material?”

“Like the little glass balls, while you’re at it, maybe some marble raceway models too if you can find any, if not I’m sure we can work something out”

“Uhuuuuh. What do you plan to do with them?”

“No spoilers” 4 asserted dominance, as if he actually had an exact idea for the plot.

3 chuckled.

“Then I can write back to her about it?”

“Yeah”

The 2 got ready to go out, dressing somewhat warmer. 4 put on a hoodie, while 3 put on a thin coat which kind of looked like a dress when zipped up. And 4 sure thought it fit him.

They got going, this time 3 leading there because 4 had never been to the beach.

They got on the bus that would take them there, once again ending up sitting next to each other.

“Good you at least know where it is so well” 4 said.

“Of course I do, the city is like my second home. I didn’t spend- too much time at my actual home”

“Oh, that explains that part of your rant…”

“Huh?”

“You don’t like your home”

“...I…” 3 thought for a moment “Damn it, I didn’t even realise I said that”

“It… happens… I don’t like home too much either. I was left alone a lot, especially after my sister left home”

“You.. have a sister?”

“Yeah. Half sister at that… We were still talking for a bit but she got too busy… I wonder what she’s up to now”

“What’s she like?” 3 asked.

“Oh? Well, if you want to know… She was so- so different from me. So chaotic and fun but still caring, always so full of energy, knowing how to make me feel better… The best sister someone could ask for” 4 rambled a little, a sort of bitter sweet look on his face.

“Hope you get to see her soon again” 3 pat him on the shoulder.

“Yeah… anyways how long until we get there?”

“Oh this is… longer than how far you usually go I think. About a hour despite the bus going directly there”

“Wow…”

“Do you regret coming now?”

“I mean, I would’ve wanted to know but- I uh… I guess it’s not the end of the world”

“I’ll tell you next time”

3 looked out the window now, relaxing a little. Just as he would’ve fully immersed himself in the little sounds and feels of the bus he felt 4 lean on him. He was kind of glad 4 was there. He leaned on 4 a little bit too. He looked at 4, expecting him to not show much but instead he saw such a peaceful smile on his face… Yeah, let’s not dwell on that.

They spent the rest of it peacefully like that and almost forgot to get off but thank god it was the last stop.

As they got off, the beach was visible from the stop. 4 found the view pretty. He then regretted coming just a little bit less. Though he’d be lying if he said 3’s simple presence wasn’t also at least a little bit nice.

“Don’t just stand here, we can’t have Meg wait for us forever”

“Oh- OH! Right! Sorry, it’s just really pretty, with the sky too…”

“Yeah yeah” 3 said then pulled 4 along. He found the view pretty too but they couldn’t leave Meggy hanging on just like that.

It didn’t take them much walking to spot Meggy with someone else with her, being Tari who seemed to be deep in making an absurdly large, detailed sand castle. Nobody else was there, probably because not everyone likes to visit beaches when it’s cold.

“Hey, you two!!” Meggy walked up to them, greeting them, Tari didn’t notice the 2 as she was rather fixated on her diabolically large fortress, it was taller than her!

“Heya” 3 said, with a relaxed smile. He did feel pretty comfortable, with that good old beach breeze and all that. Very good fresh air after today.

“Oh yeah, hi! Sorry just… wow” 4 was belated as he was absolutely enamoured with Tari’s work.

“It sure is something” 3 and Meggy somehow managed to say in sync which made 3 chuckle.

“Copying me now, are you?” he teased her.

“Not my fault you decided to express yourself the same way as I did” she teased back.

“I’ll make you somehow believe that it is” 3 said, clearly knowing he could never do that but it made Meggy chuckle nonetheless.

“I’ll listen to your argument alright, lay it out for me, I did some debate stuff before”

They proceeded to argue for fun, as it turns out after talking about it, they both really like to do that so it was way less tense compared to what happened at that freshman event.

Meanwhile 4 watched what Tari was making. She was carefully carving out her castle of excellence with how precise she was. Crazy precise actually, 4 thought she could maybe even…. do surgery…. on a grape even.

4 laughed at that thought which alerted Tari all of a sudden, as she almost fell into her castle but 4 grabbed her by her arms before she could, although he had to put his weight into it a little bit considering that her arms weren’t exactly the lightest. And she’s walking around them so casually…

“Sorry, Tari! I should’ve said something but you were so focused on your castle”

“Wuh- Uh yeah! It’s fine, 4, really! I only smudged a little part” she pointed to a place where she accidentally smeared away a part of an intricate pattern that was running along the walls.

“So, sand castles, huh?”

“Yeah! Actually the idea came from Meggy, we were like- looking at the best ways to make a sand castle and I-” she chuckled “I really optimised it. It’s cool, right?”

“More than cool” 4 smiled, sincerely.

Tari was flustered over the compliment but she looked so giddy.

“Yeah!!! It’s so nice to hear that you know! Getting praise for something you have fun with? So cool”

“I get how you feel. That’s how I am with my videos too”

“Videos?”

“Yeah like… they’re basically animations that have some story but some memes too- sometimes more story, sometimes more memes, depending on how I feel and what the plot demands.”

“Wow” Tari said, genuinely invested “And how do you decide what the plot demands?”

“It depends how I can implement memes! I can’t just put in random ones, they have to do with the plot! Like I can’t put uhm…. I can’t put cat videos as a meme in a villain’s monologue- unless if it fits… if it’s more serious I wouldn’t do it but if it’s to maybe give the viewers some space to breathe with maybe there being previously a lot of action…. heck, cat videos could even be an important plot point!”

Tari looked on him like a little baby, so interested in what he’s saying, so inquisitive but barely understanding what he’s saying as well.

“Wow- This whole video making stuff sounds so complicated!! You’re so talented”

“We’ve all got our strengths, Tari”

“Yeah!” she said, punching forward and her fortress suffered the blow. She looked ahead of herself a little shocked. She forgot how close she was to it.

“Aww, sorry” 4 said almost instinctively.

“It’s not your fault!! At least it wasn’t something actually important” she said while looking away.

“Tari?” 4 noticed something off.

“Tari, are you okay?” Meggy noticed the feeling of something off too. 3 looked on too.

“If I… ever made a… no” she muttered under her breath “No! No, I gotta work on my attention span! This- This can’t happen again” she spoke rather loudly then got up and tried to fix her castle as fast as possible. She looked scared. This wasn’t something entirely unfamiliar to Meggy.

“Tari…” Meggy spoke softly “Just- Just make sure not to burn out your arms, last time it took a bit to get them back to their usual state”

But Tari didn’t seem to hear her.

4 froze up while 3 tried to talk to Tari.

“Yo, Tari, it’s okay, even with mistakes your build looks great! It’s natural to mess up sometimes, sometimes worse than usual… it sadly happens”

Tari stopped.

“Life ruining mistakes too? Are they natural?”

“Sure are”

“...I wish I had nothing natural about me…”

But at least she stopped before she could fry any circuits. Meggy sighed in relief.

“Wow, I didn’t know you could give pep talks” Meggy teased 3.

“I just acted cuz no one else would- don’t feel miserable about that” 3 said while pointing and looking at 4.

“Geez- um, alright” 4 was taken aback. Was he… that obvious?

Suddenly, Tari started crying, which alerted all three of them.

“Oh, dear! Tari” Meggy got the closest to her, wrapping an arm around her back in an attempt to comfort her. 4 froze for a bit. What could he even say? He had nothing. But that was when it hit him.

“Wait, Tari, are you… are you sad because it’s not perfect? You know I… tend to be a perfectionist too” she looked up at him, as she had been kneeling beside her ruins.

“And like, of course it’s not comparable to the amazing things you can do but… I know when I get lost in the idea that I might mess up well… I mess up more, inevitably. There’s- so much out there and uh… focusing on your worst moments can really ruin what good you have”

Tari thought for a bit. She wiped her tears away, now looking more sorrowful.

“I… hadn’t been too truthful. I- broke down this bad because… I remembered what happened last time I messed up like this… it wasn’t a great time to say the least… but, thank you, 4 I… do think you have a point… if maybe one day I won’t be able to come out from Tascorp again, I’ll remember what you said” she smiled by the end, although a bittersweet smile.

“And I assure you, you’d be missed the same way, I won’t ever forget you, Tari” Meggy added.

Tari felt emotional again, almost throwing herself on Meggy, hugging her tightly.

“Woah, careful!” Meggy giggled.

“So…” 3 attempted to change the topic “What made you 2 come down here, anything specific?”

“Last week there was a huge storm that brought some stuff up and I wanted to look around!” Meggy said, although still stuck in Tari’s grip.

“Some stuff?” 4 asked.

“It’s the BEST time to collect pretty rocks, especially with the fact that it’s too cold to go in the water at this point… aaaand other things of course…..”

She had a devious grin which had both 3 and 4 share a look, unsure of what they got themselves into.

Meggy was finally let go from hug prison and they went on a search. Turned out she had a metal detector so they could use that as well. 4 decided to show Tari more memes to which 3 kind of joined in after a while. It was… a little bit funny. Especially when they watched a meme that actually made 3 chuckle which of course got those 2’s attention.

“Oh, quit looking at me like that!” he stood for himself, though flustered “It’s not like I have seen anything else you guys watched!”

4 looked at him like he was stupid.

“C’mon, 3, watch memes with us, it’s fun!” Tari was trying to convince 3.

“With this guy I’m seeing memes all fucking day”

“I’m just ‘this guy’ now?” 4 pouted, clearly trying to get a reaction out of 3.

“Would you rather be ‘that guy’ instead?”

“Oh, are you implying with words that you’re distancing yourself from me?”

“Or, I could go with my guy”

“Now I’m owned”

“Nothing’s good for the guy”

“You guys…” Meggy looked back at the 2. She was entertained although their stupidity might’ve caused her some psychic damage.

“I don’t know, Meggy, I think they’re rather entertaining”

“I’m trying to concentrate though”

“Damn” 4 said.

“I guess you can’t be guy no more…” 3 pat him on the back.

“You can be guy despite whatever Meggy’s saying” Tari whispered to him, making him chuckle.

Then Meggy suddenly fell over on something.

“WHOAH!” she exclaimed only after she already fell. Talk about delayed reaction.

“Meggy!!! Are you okay!!?” Tari immediately got beside her, helping her up by her waist. Rather fast at that. Meggy didn’t look fazed at all. Does this happen often?

“All good just… lemme see…” She reached down and grabbed what looked to be a choker with a pendant embedded. It looked to be a circle but cut into even, but sort of curved slices, and everything else but one slice being gray while the odd one out was light blue. It was also colder than the other parts of it. And had a strange aura. Weird.

“Woah” she looked at it, a little mesmerised “You guys think this was fate?”

“It’s a necklace?” 3 said.

“It’s a pretty one though! I bet it’d look good on you, Meggy” Tari said.

Meggy put it on. It really did feel like fate. It fit her perfectly. Maybe too perfectly.

“This alone makes today ultra successful” she exclaimed with a big smile as they then continued going around.

3 got to the tail of the group now, being the straggler while 4 and Tari went right back to memes. He was just thinking about stuff… Time heals they say, yet he felt the same grief he did last year and before that when coming closer and closer to a certain date ingrained in his mind. He shook his head, he couldn’t think about that right now.

Then he heard barking. He looked around to see what looked like an eggshaped dog. No one else seemed to notice the lil guy yet, who, after being noticed, decided to run up to him.

“Woah! Little guy!” he exclaimed.

4 and Tari looked back to see him talk with the eggdog.

“Woah, really? I wouldn’t have guessed but that sounds awful!”

“3?” 4 asked which got his attention.

“Wow, I didn’t know 3 liked dogs so much!” Tari said, finding the display cute. Meggy noticed all the other 3 stopped.

“What kinda animal is that?” she asked, although it would’ve been more of an inside thought she said that outloud anyways.

“Well… appears to be a meme actually!” 4 said, as he pulled up his organised meme folder on his phone. He showed Tari and Meggy, indeed confirming the lil guy as such.

“4…” 3 started, whining “Can we keep him? Please? He promises to be a good boy”

“H– Huh? 3- it’s a dorm-”

Both 3 and the eggdog were giving him the best puppy eyes they could muster. It flustered and made 4 laugh at the same time.

“Geez, you…”

“Look, he can turn into an egg!” 3 said very excited and then the eggdog turned into an egg “It’s the perfect disguise!!”

Meggy looked on baffled.

“What kinda sorcery is this???”

Tari was more excited in awe.

“Memes? I already said so?” 4 said.

“Why are you 2 so casual about this? This- This thing isn’t a normal animal!”

4 froze up while 3 got rather offended.

“Hey, don’t you say that about Eggy, he lives and breathes just as much as any other animal!”

“And why are you so casual? Do YOU just see living, breathing memes everyday?”

3 was taken aback now too, while 4 settled even more in his panic.

“Well- guess so. You don’t?”

“No??”

“They like, attack cities every once in a while, though more times lately than usual.”

“HOW can memes ATTACK??”

“Like- the monsters you see around are like, irritated memes or something like that! After being defeated they turn pretty docile, like Eggy here!”

“Why do you know so much?” Meggy was clearly suspicious.

“I just live and go out enough to see them”

“I’ve never seen a picture of a harmless one of those creatures”

“I saw them with my own eyes”

“How are they even real?”

“I don’t know but I’m glad they are” he hugged Eggy. 4 took a second still, as he froze up but the sight of 3 looking happy like that was sort of reassuring. Maybe they could go through this without-

“4, what is your opinion on all this?” Meggy asked him with quite the accusatory tone.

He looked at her like she was eldritch horror with how pale he looked.

“U-Uhhh…Uhm…uh…” he couldn’t find the words.

“Meggy.” Tari put a hand on Meggy’s shoulder pretty firmly “Let them be, I… really don’t think this is necessary”

“I’m just- I’m bothered by this. I don’t like secrets, I hate when- I hate when…” she went quiet.

“It’s… not anything like that…” 4 broke a bit, showing there was indeed something “There’s just… some things you might not be safe knowing for all I know ahah,,” he laughed awkwardly by the end.

“Besides if we told you, you wouldn’t believe it” 3 said pretty nonchalantly.

“I would!” Tari cheered for them.

“I don’t know what to believe. The world is strange…” she looked like she lost hope then sighed “But I can try at least. I… hope you guys can trust me…. trust us. And maybe we could- even help, I don’t know- I don’t know what I’m saying anymore” she felt lost in some way. And slowly, not just mentally.

“Meggy…? Are you alright?” Tari looked at her concerned.

“Uhmm.. probably… nooooot no uh… maybe? I don’t know…” she felt the world spin a little.

“I- I think I’ll take her home! You guys take care and… don’t get in too much trouble alright, I hope to hang out again!” Tari waved them goodbye and then helped Meggy get going too.

3 and 4 started to walk back too, with Eggy following behind them calmly, looked like he was a little sleepy. Poor little guy had probably travelled a lot.

“Did… Did we really almost tell them?” 4 asked 3.

“Eh… I don’t know what it is but… wait…” he got his phone out “That necklace…”

“What about it?”

“I don’t know, it had a weird aura? I don’t know if you could see it too”

“Like…? I… might’ve”

“In a way it felt like the… stone thing in it had a weird weight to it? I hope it’s not like… deathly. Which is why I want to warn Tari and Meg about it”

“Ah! Yeah, I get what you mean but… besides the weight…it was… really strong?”

“Something to tell about to 1 and 2 I guess, huh?”

“You think they might know something about it?”

“Definitely more than us”

4 stayed silent after this while 3 wrote the message to Tari about warning her.

By the time they got to the bus stop, the sky started to get darker and darker. And it showed because Eggy was now eggified and 3 was holding onto him in the space between his overalls and top, considering his lack of front pockets. Maybe he would invest in more clothes like that just for his little guy…

4 didn’t really like being out in the city when it was past such an hour. He seemed to be visibly scared as he noticed 3 looking at him rather concerned.

“Dude… are you scared or something?” he asked 4 quietly, trying not to disturb him further.

“Juuuust uneasy” 4 lied “I totally don’t have a reason to be scared haha”

“I’ll just say” 3 leaned closer to talk even more quietly to 4 “I’ll beat up anyone who tries to mug you or some shit, if I get a felony I get a felony, who cares”

4 wasn’t sure if to get baffled by or to laugh at 3’s nonchalant behaviour. So he did neither, just looking at 3 with a weird grin with how he was stuck not knowing how to respond.

“You look like a dumbass right now, 4” 3 teased him but it came off more lovingly if anything.

“I’m not the one who wants to get arrested for his friend”

“I didn’t say I wanted to! I said if I have to then that’s not a problem. Besides I’ve been before and it’s… eh”

4 had to do a double take.

“Huh I? You know, I don’t know why I’m surprised”

“Maybe you need to spend more time with me to never be surprised by such facts about me”

“I already spend enough time by you I think”

“Maybe it’s YOU who wants me in jail….. then you can have the whole room to yourself!! How clever”

4 looked at 3 as if he was stupid.

“That was awful”

“Aw, not liking the bit anymore?”

4 thought for a second.

“Oh, it was just a bit?”

“Damn considering throwing me out, just like that?”

“You’d come back anyways”

“If you push me away enough I might not” there was genuinity “Just kidding, I’m a cockroach of a man” and there wasn’t.

“Didn’t know I was such a desirable roommate”

“I didn’t know either”

4 laughed at the comment.

3 could maybe listen to it forever. But whatever, no he wouldn’t. He heard it enough anyways. But he smiled either way, seeing that sticking to the bit helped 4 feel better. At least for him to feel better while he-

But then he noticed 4 didn’t seem fine, as if something struck him and was on his mind.

“Are… you good?”

“I just… felt like someone was staring at us”

“Huh… Hopefully it was nothing?”

“Yeah…”

Just as they’d get comfortable, someone approached them from the back, coming beside them.

It was… a girl from their class, someone who was fond of 3.

“Yo, dude!” she said, fully ignoring 4 “Didn’t think I’d see you on this bus! Where to?”

“Back to dorms. Today’s been a bit long”

“Honestly, I was kinda hoping you would come with us to hang out. I recently found a pretty cool place”

“Maybe next time? Today was exhausting, really, sorry”

“Is it because you hung out with this guy?”

Oh, was she really about to…

4 sunk in his seat.

“Hey now, he’s alright. I really…. I really don’t feel like this right now. I’m tired”

“You’re not fun anymore…. like, you used to be cool”

3 was really not having this.

“I said I’m tired. I promise you I’m not fun to have around when tired”

She took a bit but then went back to where she was originally, though not looking pleased or satisfied with the answer she got.

“...Will…. Will this be… ok?” 4 asked, quietly, as if someone could hear him who wasn’t supposed to.

“I’m not going out this tired no way”

“Yeah…”

“Besides, she was being rude to you”

“...Riiight”

“Our stop seems to come soon so at least there’s that, bet you need a bit of rest too”

“Well… Yeah, I do”

They got off the bus, walking back to their dormitory. It was rather quiet, maybe both were too tired to speak much by this point. 4 wasn’t realising it as he was thinking about other stuff but he was leaning towards 3. He only realised that when they actually made contact, with his head on 3’s shoulder. 3 didn’t react much, just looking at him. 4 realised his error and straightened up, not saying a word about it. 3 tilted his head, maybe looking a little concerned.

“Are you good?”

“Yeah! Yeah… ah..”

“You don’t have to jump around over the smallest things. I don’t mind you being close, really”

“I didn’t uhm… I didn’t mean to either way”

“I see” why did that hurt a little?

They finally arrived inside, 3 wordlessly sat down on his bed, getting his phone out to see if Tari wrote anything back. Nothing much could he see at that moment so he moved onto other things. Eggy rolled out from 3’s overalls and landed on his bed, quickly finding comfortable space on it. Such a good boy.

4 was standing there for a bit before going for his pc, finally booting it up. And so the night would pass. And both went to sleep, not exchanging too many more words. It felt weird. Like they were supposed to say more but it would all just stay in the back of their minds. Feeling tense in a way that didn’t feel right at all while feeling like addressing it would just make it worse. Especially if they were to address it and maybe it would just turn out to be nothing. There was a chance for that right? 4 had a hard time falling asleep but he did regardless, trying hard not to think about the awful things such wretched things as tomorrow could bring.

It was foggy and the air felt like it could eat a hole through you. And people that would look on with delight, not seeing the way you suffer. Or maybe they were enjoying seeing you like this. You would never know why it even began like this. They would just like for specifically you, YOU to not achieve anything. They just wouldn’t want you to have what you might think you deserve. You’re not even sure if you deserve anything at all anymore. Do you even deserve the air you breathe, even if it’s made of everything that should’ve killed you long ago? Or maybe it’s just waiting for you to do it. Especially because they laugh, unafraid of how you might take it, maybe even relishing in the idea that you could hate this. They’re entertained because of you! Isn’t that wonderful? You, on the top of this stage, and the air is still weird. And they gasp for air from laughing so much because you make a fool of yourself even just standing there. And when you would fall.

Was when 4 woke up, gasping for air, wide eyed, scared. Then nothing much. Looking in front of himself he felt miserable and miserably stupid. He got up to go out and wash his face. He glanced towards 3 while going, seeing he was still sleeping made him feel less tense. He didn’t want to bother 3 about… whatever all that nightmare was.

He washed his face, finally feeling some relief on his skin. He looked at himself in the mirror, the misery couldn’t hide behind his eyes at all. It was written all over his face with obvious signs. His face truly screamed that he hated living. He sighed, once again feeling hopeless about himself. He felt like the next day was gonna be real long.

He left the bathroom, not really masking away his feelings. That was a mistake.

“...4?” he heard one single word, his name, coming right from 3 and all that fear he thought he lost, all that anxiety came back tenfold.

“I’m good!” he immediately protested, trying to push all that dread to the back.

“Dude” 3 said as if he thought 4 was stupid.

“You don’t need to worry”

“I woke up because of you”

“Huh?”

“I mean uhm… you know how like this…” he yawned “this guardian thing… I woke up because I had this like, dreadful feeling that you feel like shit”

4 blinked, oh my god, of course this thing would work like the most evil telepathy. Can he hide ANYTHING in this room, anything at all??

“Well… what else can I say that I didn’t say before?” 4 said, halfly telling the truth.

“Are you gonna be… fine?”

“Probably…”

“Do you need anything?”

“Uhm..” 4 stood there, almost motionless. A question that caught him in stasis. He wanted something but even he wasn’t sure what. Or maybe he did he just wasn’t sure. Did he even deserve comfort?

“Are you just gonna stand there?”

“Uhmmm! Uh,,” 4 kept standing though more urgently now. Really trying to speed up hesitation. As if that could ever work. The words burned in his mind and maybe they got further with how his face felt. His breathing became a bit louder because of it.

“You can just say if you don’t want anything you know” a slip of honesty with a hint of sorrow. Weird.

4 felt something then. His feet gained feeling. And so he moved, each step towards 3. 3 looked at him confused. But then 4 reached out, hugging 3 close without another word. 3 only took half a moment to hug back. Almost felt like he was expecting this. Or he just wanted it so much he willed it into existence. And he hugged him tighter, whatever it was it couldn’t stand between them. 3 never felt so… hellbent on helping someone. He pulled him in and down a bit, 4 ended up half laying on 3’s bed, not that he realised that. He was busy slowly starting to cry. As soon as 3 heard the first sob, he held on tight. He didn’t think he’d be comforting 4 so late at night but here he was. And it felt kind of cathartic. He was just a little confused with 4’s behaviour. Once so intimately close then suddenly acting so cold and then running right back to him. It was frustrating. And he thought sleeping would make him forget but it didn’t.

“There’s a reason you were off when coming back” 3 said matter of factly.

“It was her”

“...Eh? Wait my… Did she do something I didn’t see?”

“Not… this time…”

“4…”

3 pulled out of the hug enough to make 4 face him.

“4, what do you mean this time”

4 looked scared.

“What did they… do to you?”

“Where do I… start… I- hm… do you uh… promise not to freak out?”

“I can try”

“Well uh… their first movement was to… push me off the stairs once. And we…weren’t even talking then. I was just your roommate…And other than that whenever they could get away with… actually just… hitting me…telling me to hide anything unless I want more… like I should hide myself” he cried by the end.

3 wasn’t even sure what to say. He was really mad by all this, for more than one reason.

“You’re staying here”

“...H…Here as in?” 4 was confused, seeing how his words were received.

“Here” 3 said sternly, fully pulling 4 into his bed. That was when 4 fully realised his situation. He felt hot, like this was…Wrong?

“What… uhm what… do you mean?” 4 was trying to keep his calm.

“I just… feel guilty even letting you out of my sight. It feels like if I do even for a second… something could happen and then you seemingly want me gone all over again”

“I didn’t want you gone at all, 3… Just…felt scared to… talk with them around and… felt like I don’t… deserve it at all”

“Nonsense… look, I… I may be tired but I know that’s stupid”

“But I…” 4 was flustered. Very. He was full of so many conflicting feelings, it was driving him mad.

“I mean I… guess you can just go back but… yeah you can just go if you… want to, yeah” 3 was now the one being stupid about his words.

4 thought for a moment. He closed his eyes to think, to feel. Maybe it was weird but the idea of indulging felt so enticing. But it felt wrong too! For some… reason…

“Is it… Is it weird to feel guilty about it?”

“You’re allowed to indulge” 3 said the right words. Never did he say words that had 4 so convinced. It was like the stars aligned just for 4 to stop thinking so damn hard. He could indulge, he really could, this was okay. At least 3 found it okay and… 4 loved the idea so… Who could ever… Who could ever tell them this isn’t fine? Besides, he hadn’t had comfort like this since his sister moved out, the only other person who was as clingy as him. He could really let himself have this, at least this once. Just… this single time.

4 basically lept further into 3’s arms, who took him in. Never did the urge to protect make him feel so stupid, like a guard dog. Did 3 ever change?

But maybe he could indulge too, just for a little bit at least. He deserved it after such a long day. He held 4, with everything in him, nothing to hide. 4 finally felt real peace even if it came in such a weird form. But he was allowed to indulge, he really was. They fell asleep like that, though couldn’t fully take the bed with Eggy around, he took up a bit of space around them. But damn, was it so comfortable and didn’t it feel so right when they didn’t think about anything else.

The next day, 4 was the first one to wake up, feeling a little confused at first but then the situation really settled in his brain. His tired, sad brain really thought it would be cool to just- sleep beside 3, of course, a marvelous idea! Though when he’d look at 3’s face, it felt like worries could melt away and leave as fast as they came. Was it weird to think that 3 made him happy? Well… friends are meant to make you feel happy so maybe not that weird. Besides, the way he could listen to him made him feel nice. He wished he could repay him somehow so he wouldn’t feel so indebted to him.

Though he couldn’t be lost in 3 for too long as he did stir awake. Now he was stuck in a bit of a staring contest, neither saying much.

“...Morning?” 3 finally pulled through his morning confusion to be confused about the situation instead.

“I.. yea uhhmm, morninng hahhhaa”

“You’re so awkward” 3 chuckled.

“I-.. I guess”

“Don’t like… overthink it… that’s gonna ruin it”

“Uh… huh”

“I mean, you can also always just get up”

“Right”

But he didn’t. Damn, getting up sounded even worse!

“So?”

“Soo…”

“What are you gonna do?”

“You’re really putting me on the spot”

“Oh well”

4 rolled his eyes.

“I thought you cared” he said dramatically.

“Yeah, like I totaaaally invited you to sleep in my bed with me fooorrr fuuuuun”

“Why did you anyways? I mean… we’re adults and it was just a silly nightmare…”

“Uh- heat of the moment” 3 got up, a bit flustered, looking away from 4 “Don’t think too hard about it”

“So it wasn’t out of you caring?”

“4… 4….” 3 sighed “Of course it was because of that, maybe the guardian link too I don’t know… I guess I just wanted you to feel safe”

4 smiled, that felt nice to know.

“Yeah… you did succeed”

Brief moment of happiness. Guards down.

“Wait, shit, what time is it?” 3 reached for his phone to check “5… That’s crazy early actually”

“Huh…It felt later to me but sure”

“Yep” he laid back “That’s nice”

4 thought for a bit, for some long, painful moments, before pulling himself close to 3, resting his head on 3’s chest, which did leave 3 a little surprised, not that he minded all to much.

“Hope it’s cool of me to take advantage of it” 4 said. Indulging was fun.

“Sure alright” 3 chuckled, wrapping his arm around 4 in a way so he can’t squeeze the feel out of it. That stuff is uncomfortable!

Finally, despite everything, things started to look up. Hopefully that would keep up.

#smg4 #smg34 #smg4 au #nicc's-magical-au #nicc's-fics

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