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Who: Pokey Minch and Lil Slugger
What: Two best friends find themselves at one of the most important questions any best friends will ever have: what happens after a flower-induced kiss?
Where: Around 726 Anderson
When: February 17th
Warnings: Awkward bros

[Pokey had been avoiding Slugger for the last few days, and he got the feeling he was probably avoiding him. Which kind of hurt, but then again? He guessed he was somewhat of a hypocrite. And he thought they would only avoid each other for one day. Then one became two. And two three.

And on the third day of avoidance, Pokey had had enough. It was the town pulling crap again, he knew that, even though it was still awkward as hell to even think about what happened. But in the end? He knew he couldn't avoid it forever. He had to do something, say something, so Slugger at least knew it alright. And just hoped that Slugger wouldn't hate him.

So, early Saturday afternoon, Pokey will be knocking on the door of 726 Anderson. And he won't stop until someone answers.

He's seeing you one way or the other, Slugger.]

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[By this point, Slugger recognizes Pokey's knock and comes to unlatch the door. With no one else in the house right now and Giygas droned, he can allow Pokey inside without feeling as if someone might be eavesdropping. Taking in a breath, he opens the door and keeps his eyes lowered.

Before Pokey can even speak two words, he holds up a silencing hand... then gestures for Pokey to come inside.]

[The fact that Slugger won't look up at him...kind of hurts. And just increases his fear that he may have ruined everything. And that kind of kills him, to even think that, that the town may have destroyed one of the few meaningful relationships he's ever had.

He nods and comes in, not speaking unless Slugger makes another motion to say it's okay.]

[Behind them, the door is firmly shut and bolted. Slugger climbs the stairs, pausing halfway up to turn toward Pokey as a cue to follow, then proceeds upstairs to his room. Once there, he'll speak.]

You came to talk about... that day.

[That Pokey came to the house and followed him inside at all signifies that perhaps he doesn't hate Slugger for what happened. However, this didn't mean everything was fine. It's the last thing in the world he wants to hear but he's prepared (or as prepared as he can be) for Pokey to tell him that it's too weird for them to be friends anymore.]

If we have to.

[Well shit that's not what he meant to say, and he cringes a bit at his own stupidity. Okay. Calm down. Think.]

...I just.

...We should talk about it but...what's to talk about.

It was the town. Right? So like....

[God. He isn't to blame. Please. Say he isn't to blame he's so scared.]

...We aren't at fault. The town was lying. Right?

[Until now, Slugger in his defense has been wearing his best poker face. But as Pokey speaks, the hardness fades and he lifts his head just enough to peek at his friend from beneath his cap.]

Right.

[Even if it wasn't, he really, really wants to believe it was if it means you'll still be his friend. A gap of silence follows as Slugger prepares to ask his next and most important question.]

You... wanna stay friends?

[Please. Please say yes. Because if you don't, he hasn't got a single clue what he'll do.]

[Pokey can't help but breath a small sigh of relief as Slugger finally lifts his head. Just getting to look you in the eyes helps so much for some reason Slugger.

Pokey looks taken aback for a moment by that question. Does he still want to be your friend? He shakes his head a moment.

And then speaks.]

Why would you even ask that? Like I've told you this crap once already.

[He pauses again, his voice slightly low. There may not be anyone else around, but he just needs to make sure.]

You're my best friend. I don't think I could stand being here if you weren't my friend by now.

Please. Don't be mad at me.

[Just a moment, Pokey. It's necessary for him to let out this massive sigh of relief before he's able to go on. Three days of waiting in suspense to talk to you about this had been killing him, but he'd wanted to give you as much time as you needed in case you were angry. To be sure, Slugger wouldn't have waited much longer to come find you himself. It isn't often that someone comes to relieve him of a burden.

When he's ready to reply, he looks much less tense and pushes his cap a little higher on his forehead. Then, resting a hand on Pokey's shoulder, he gives it a light shove.]

Idiot. I thought you were mad.

[Pokey let's out a small laugh.]

Moron. Why would I be mad? I mean, it was just-

You know.

Just-

[Just his first kiss. Nothing important about that.

He struggles to put what he wants to say in words, how it isn't a big deal, how they can just forget about it, but considering the subject it's outlandishly hard, and he ends up looking at the ground a bit, trying not to blush.]

[Slugger saves Pokey the trouble of finishing that sentence by cutting him off.]

Yeah. ...At least it was us, and not-... I don't know...

[Not someone else. If he had to kiss someone aside from Ai under such weird circumstances, you'd be his first choice. Now it's his turn to look away and pretend as if his face isn't changing shades.]

[Well. He's not going to lie. He far prefers you to a stranger or most others, Slugger. And it's not like it was really...unpleasant.

Okay yeah time to stop thinking about that.]

...You wanna go throw rocks at one of the drone houses?

[Truthfully, it hadn't occurred to him once that kissing Pokey was "gross" or even all that weird. He was only concerned about whether Pokey and Ai would forgive him.]

Sure.

[Grabbing his skates, Slugger sits at the edge of his bed to put them on. They slip easily onto his feet and their self-adjusting straps snap themselves into place with a series of clicks. Ai might have forgiven him and Pokey might not have been angry, but there was still another side to this.]

I told Ai.

[It was pleasant, in it's own way. Not that he would tell Slugger that. Or even fully admit it to himself. But there were worse ways to get a kiss.

Pokey's quiet for a moment at that. And just nods a little.]

Alright. If she wants to talk to me about it, that's fine.

[He isn't dreading talking to Ai as much as he was talking to Slugger. If she's reasonable, great. If she's going to punish him, that's fine too. Either way, it doesn't frighten him the way talking to Slugger could have, doesn't frighten him with the possibility of losing his best friend.]

Just tell her the truth.

[By which he means "don't spin it to make everything your fault, dumbass". Standing, he picks up his bat and heads for the bedroom door.]

It wasn't your fault. I don't think she'll hurt you.

I always tell the truth, c'mon.

[Which is just a ridiculous load of horseshit, but he will do it this time at least. He doesn't want to risk the possibility of you and her's relationship getting even more screwed up on his part.]

It wasn't yours either.

She gets that, right?

Yes.

[But that didn't necessarily mean she wouldn't burn someone's face off. If anyone deserved the punishment, it was him, not you. Ball bat on his shoulder, Slugger steps into the hallway where he pauses in case anything else needs to be said.]

Ready to go?

[He'd debate that. He really would. But he'll shove it for the moment.]

Sure. Let's get going.

[Precisely why he won't bother saying it aloud. Slugger will accompany Pokey out of the house and onward to their next act of delinquency, just relieved and elated to have his best friend back.]

[Well it's a small town, they were bound to run into each other sooner or later....sooner, considering Ai has simply appeared next to Pokey. Hey bro, there's a pale deadpan girl standing behind you. Staring. Impassively.

Though, since that's her default expression it's hard to tell if she's angry.]

[He stares back. And just nods. If he's frightened, it's hardly showing.]

We should talk.

[She nods. And waits for him to continue.]

[So that's how she wanted to do this, huh? Alright. He leans back against one of the light poles as he speaks, making sure to keep eye contact with Ai.]

It was the flowers. Different flowers had different effects on people, and you could get effected more than once. I got hit three times. The first time was with Slugger. We both got hit with the same effect - I don't know which flower it was, but I assume it to be the same one by how we were behaving. He led, I followed, and neither of us were really there or ourselves.

And I am sorry. That you and Slugger got hurt by this. This isn't what I wanted but then again? The town doesn't give a damn about what any of us want. He had no choice in the matter, and neither did I. I'm at fault for having been there, but it was the town playing it's usual game to ruin people's friendships and relationships. I expect you get that too.

[He pauses for a moment.]

I love Slugger, but I'm not in love with Slugger. He's my best friend, and the last thing I want is for him to get hurt. Or you, if just because you're so important to him. Nor would I intentionally do anything to hurt either of you.

Either way? If you still want to punish me some way, I won't fight you on it.

[Ai for her part listens intently. Watching him speak. And the selfish part of her, the part that still fears that anything good she ever has will be taken away simply because that is how things work, would very much like to set him on fire. Show him hell. To make it clear that Slugger is hers.

However she simply listens. And in the end she speaks up.]

You love him as a friend.

[She...understands that. She loved Saki. Not like she loves Slugger. But she loved her. Like a sister.]

I'm not going to do anything. It was the town. I understand that.

[There's a small pause.....and Ai keeps focussed. A dark expression passing over her face for a moment.]

However, if you are lying to me.....to him about this. Any of this. ...I will show you the fires of hell.

[And just like that, the dark shadow is gone. And Ai's normal deadpan expression is back.]

[And part of Pokey, at that, cringes. Just that constant reminder that, no matter how sincere he might be, he's always going to be distrusted. It's a feeling that no matter how hard he tries, he might always just be who he always was: a liar and a coward, even when he wasn't trying to be one.

But he couldn't think about that, not right now. Didn't have the right to dwell on it.]

If I ever do betray you, either of you? I'd deserve it.

.....

The two of you are lucky, you know that?

I don't believe you will. ....Even if you are human.

[And it's sincere. Ai has trust issues of her own. But Pokey is low on her list of people to distrust. She just distrusts all humans by nature, not him personally.]

Yes. I know.

I suppose I had to have some luck eventually, that wasn't bad.

Human. Sure.

Glad you got it, then, at least.

Is there anything else you needed to talk with me about?

I find it hard to trust humans after observing them for so many years. It is nothing personal.

I don't blame you. I don't trust people either.

[He also doesn't consider himself a human by this point, and his trust has been improving, but that's a different matter entirely.]

[She nods, and then remembers a previous conversation they had.]

Why do you wish to see Hell?

...I guess because I want to see where I'm going to.

You believe you're going there?

I don't believe it, I know it. I can't imagine where else I'll go if I die.

I see.

Why do you believe that? Have you damned yourself in some way?

I'm a thief, liar, kidnapper, murderer now that I've been here, and attempted world destroyer. And will go on to destroy the world in the future.

I'm pretty sure if anyone was destined for hell, it's someone like me.

[Ai is unjudgemental in her words. World destroyer is grand, but after years, and years of the horror she has seen....the small things add up to overshadow the larger ones.]

Yes.

Unless you die in some way to become a spirit trapped in the world of the living. I believe you are right.

[Pokey just shrugs. It's not as if it was unexpected.]

I know so. It's deserved, and I know I'm never going to make up enough to avoid it. I'm fine with it, I guess.

[Ai continues.]

Or if whoever serves as your Lord of Hell wanted to make a deal with you.

...I'm tired of deals, and I'm tired of doing things.

I just want to rest, even if it's a painful and uneasy one.

[She nods.]

Then I advise you to refuse any deals if possible. If you are lucky, none will be offered.

[They have a way to make them....hard to refuse.]

[Pokey just nods a minute. And then stops. He tries to say something once, and stops, before managing to say what he wants.]

Do they ever punish good people, decent people who wouldn't be punished except for the fact that bad people care about them, and thus punishing them would punish bad people?

[There is a long long pause. And it might be fair to say that he's hit something. However she finally replies.]

No. Not in the way you're thinking.

Good people can be sent to Hell if someone hates them enough and calls on me.

But if they are good, they would not end up in hell simply because a bad person cares about them. Though the bad person might believe this to be so. Hell ....twists their reality to cause the most pain possible. They might believe a dear friend is being hurt because of them....but it would not really be them. Just an illusion.

....though in certain cases, good people...innocents can be held hostage....if they wish someone to serve them. Not in hell, but a limbo of sorts.

[Pokey just listens, and absorbs what Ai has to tell him. He can make some connections, or at least guess at them, to try and explain some things. He remains silent a moment longer, before nodding.]

All right. Thank you.

I should probably be heading home.

[She nods.]

Thank you.

[And with that, she'll vanish.]

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