"Abnormalcy" - (M; sci-fy/slice of life) [8/?]

[SterlingSilver]

My brain is fried from essays and exams, so sorry if I sound totally out of it. The plot is getting thicker now and I'm only getting more interested now that I can sort of see what direction it's going in. I love the cast of FLCL, and your characters really stand up on their own while still reminding me of them in their own way, which makes this read so nice. I hope your finals went well too and look forward to chapter seven, whenever it gets written!

Reeeeeeed~! *glomp*! I look forward to your reviews, because it makes me so happy that you are enjoying this so much! I'm glad it hasn't lost momentum, which is something I was worried about~ I think you're going to like some of the new developments this chapter >w>~.. Also, I am really, really, really glad you like my characters too QwQ.. I think that characters are always really important, and I'm enjoying giving them life My exams did go well! And now it's break-time, yaaaaay~! I hope yours weren't too hard on you and you are getting some good relaxation time in now :3.

WOOOO-HOOO! For a moment I was worried that you haven't been into the mood for writing... Thank you!

You're so welcome! Thank you for always reviewing! And don't worry~ I want to have an ending for this <3

A/N: Hello, everyone! Hope you're all have a happy winter break~ Merry Early Christmas~!

Here's the next chapter~~

Warning: Nose-bleeding in this chapter!

Part 7

We barely made it. Literally, we piled into the truck about one second before the police shut down the perimeter to keep anyone from fleeing the scene. They’re all pretty convinced someone bombed the building, either accidently or on purpose. We know because we heard it on the radio after we hit the highway. Best possible scenario is they think the Price family committed a very dramatic suicide. I’m crossing my fingers for it.

Once we’re a town over, Liam pulls over and tells Marley to get on out and go back to her family. He doesn’t want her tangled up in this terrible mess, but she refuses to move. Eventually, for time’s sake, we get back on the road with her still in the passenger’s seat. Liam’s not speaking, and it’s a brooding silence. Brows knit, lips moving as he sucks on a piece of chalk. There’s about four boxes sitting on the dash, all of them new. We had to make a Wal-Mart run the moment he realized he was out.

All our bags are bungeed into the bed of the truck, along with Royce, who’s got her tongue out. She’s probably the happiest one here. Chel, being kind of on the small side and an android that could not feel pain, allowed Marley and Liam to zip her up in a duffel and fling her in the back. I wonder if she’s bored back there. Or scared. She said she could use the quiet time to analyze what few pieces she collected from the robot and contact her agency, but if I were her I would be pissed. Who wants to be boxed up and flung in the bed of a truck? Feels like a mafia move.

The radio’s going, and its late afternoon before anyone says anything. Both Marley and I are too nervous really to talk, and we just sit holding hands. It’s Liam who says the first words. Well, scratch that. He doesn’t actually talk, he—

“ik’TSCHOO!” And then he coughs a few times after, holding his chalk between two fingers like he needs a light. He tries to blink the tickle away, but it’s no good. I know my brother, and he always sneezes in even numbers. It takes another second, but before long he’s huffing in a slow breath. He turns to the window. “ik’TSCHUU!”

“Bless you,” Marley murmurs. Oh, of course when Liam sneezes, no one bats an eye. But when it’s me, everyone loses their shit. Understandable, I guess. Big brother doesn’t have an alien portal connected to his head. Liam doesn’t say anything. Just sets his jaw and adjusts his hold on the steering wheel. After a second, he turns up the radio volume. He’s still fuming because she didn’t leave the car when he asked her to. It could be days before he calms down. I wish I wasn’t in the middle between them. I can feel both their elbows shifting against me sometimes. No privacy.

But hey, this is what happens when you blow up your apartment. I still feel like it’s my fault, even if Liam tried to be a champ and let me off the hook. We have nowhere to live now, are probably wanted by the government, and it’s because of me. I look past Marley, watching strips of roadside gas stations and dirt get left behind. Ahead of us is the open road, sun casting orange over everything. We’ve been driving all day, so we’re out of state lines.

“Liam?”

He doesn’t answer me and keeps hunching over the wheel. How hard he grips it tells me he’s still not in a mood to say anything to anyone, but maybe if I get my voice just right, he’ll soften up.

“…Liam?”

Mm, there we go. Quiet, and just pathetic enough to get his shoulders to slump. Using his tongue he shifts the chalk in his mouth, the dust coating his gums as he tries to lick it away. His brown eyes, the gold in them bright today, click over to me and back to the road.

“Where are we going?”

On second thought, I probably shouldn’t have asked that particular question. Liam’s stuck between a freshly, frothing anger and a dash of helplessness. I get it now…he doesn’t know, and neither do we. But he’ll pretend he does, just for us.

“North.”

North, eh? He’s either aiming for Canada, or just a place deserted enough to offer some kind of cover. Ugh, no… I can feel it again. Fuckity fuck fuck itch again, down in my head. If I sneeze a spider thing out in the car, I will hang myself with Royce’s leash. This is the last thing anyone needs right now. Hell, I am the last thing anyone needs right now.

But still, it comes. Just like it always comes. Though as it gets closer, I can feel that it’s not so much a portal itch as it is just some kind of…residue tickle. I can’t really explain it, but I don’t think anything’s going to come out. At least, nothing large. It’s too light and feathery for thaa-..

“hh-.. hi’esschh!”

“ick’ttsCHOO!”

Me and Liam look at each other, and Marley leans forward slightly to look at both of us. No one says anything, but the air is electric with fear. We’re all afraid of something, but it might not all be the same thing. Could be. I’m kind of betting it is. Then again, the way Marley’s frowning at Liam while he scrubs his nostrils with his palm is evidence enough of her worries. Big brother doesn’t exactly have a good track record when it comes to respiratory afflictions. I’m waiting for his second sneeze.

“.. ick’SCHHUU!... Mars,” he grunts, eyes and cheeks burning. It’s a warning, and he doesn’t feel like finishing it. She knows what he means. I’m just playing translator for you guys. He’s Mr. Tough Guy who never gets sick, even though he always does. And each time, he puts on a great big show to prove he isn’t. It makes for a day or so of amusement before he ends up with a flaming fever, because he’s an idiot.

Again my sinuses undulate, shivering with something. It’s heavier than it was a second ago, and I have an ominous feeling about it. Maybe if I can just-… well, pinching my nose doesn’t make it vanish, but it does halt its progress. Still, there’s this haze around my head. Prickling. It’s not going to go away, and this is how I know it’s not a sneeze. It’s an ejection. Something’s going to come out, and I really don’t want to know what it is. No one else in the car does either, I bet. I wonder how long I can do this. It’s uncomfortable, sure, but it’s effective. Even if mouth-breathing will give me a dry throat within an hour, I’m all for it if it keeps us safe. Can’t help but feel like I’m fighting an instinct, regardless.

“Jude?”

Marley, babe. Not now. Let’s not do this. Let’s leave me alone. Come on now.

“Jude, do you have to sneeze?”

“He better not,” Liam grumbles, now chewing up his chalk like its hard-candy. An uneasy silence descends upon us, and I can feel it start to stain my clothes. There’s too many of those recently.

“I d-d-duhh-uhh..” Okay, talking wasn’t a good plan. Like somehow the humming of my stutter gave the tickle a boost. And now I can feel it boiling, sloshing farther up into my head, between my eyes. My vision gets watery. It’s strong-.. too.. I can’t-..

“uhh-!.. UHH’HH’MMPXTT!”

First thought—someone’s got me in a gag-position.

Second thought—my brain is catching on fire. And suddenly I’m crying.

“Dammit, Liam!” Marley’s voice carries through the ringing in my ears, and if she’s swearing, there must be something to swear about. I cup my hands over my nose, which is throbbing like a stubbed toe, and it’s wet and warm. Vision stabilizing, and I see that it’s blood. Copious amounts of blood are pouring from my nostrils. I don’t bother looking at Liam—(I assume he plugged my nose and mouth to prevent my sneeze—but I can feel how still and cold he is beside me. He must feel like shit.

Serves him right, the asshole. My face is lava thanks to him.

“What did you do?!” It’s Chel from the bed of the truck, voice muffled through the glass, and we all jump. I had almost forgotten she was back there. Marley’s holding a tissue from her pocket to my nose, and it smells like her fabric softener. It’s nice. Shifting my eyes, I can see Chel looking like a vengeful angel, her hair fire-red and grey eyes glinting as she’s framed by the setting sun. She looks really, really sexy when she’s angry. Is it weird to think that if she’s not a human being…?

“Did you interfere with his ejection process?” Her tone is accusatory, and Liam stiffens like he sat on a tack. This won’t be good. When he doesn’t answer her, she persists. “Did you?!”

“If you’re asking if I tried to pinch off his sneeze, you bucket of bolts, then yes.” The voice is just dripping with contained ire. Chel is damn lucky we’re on a highway, Liam’s driving, and the All-Thing is in a suitcase. He’s already steaming from the events last night.

“You mustn’t do that again!” she says, shouting against the wind of the road. Chel’s grateful when Marley unlatches the back window and slides it to the side. When she leans in, Chel’s hair brushes against my cheek. It feels softer than any human hair I’ve felt—synthetic.

“Revoking the portal ejection process is akin to ripping out an aircraft’s landing gear during decent.” When Liam does not react as she wants him to, she tries again. “In other words, stopping a sneeze could cause major brain damage or death.” This gets everyone’s attention, and the tension in the car gets brittle.

“Look,” Liam grunts through gritted teeth. He’s trying really hard to keep his cool. His knuckles are white, tendons standing out on his neck and arms as he grips the wheel, eyes still on the road. “The last thing we need is him sneezin’ out some-… alien thing in the middle of Interstate 40.”

“No, you look.” Oh, damn. The only person I’ve seen get away with that tone is Marley, and even then she’s careful to pick her battles. Liam’s never laid a heavy hand to her or I in fury, but he’ll lay waste to anything but. You guys are probably starting to think my big brother’s a nutjob, and he very well may be. I love him anyway, and Marley would have left him long ago if she couldn’t handle him, trust me.

“You are the only being on Earth capable of wielding an All-Thing, and that single feat makes you defender of this world. Liam Price, you have an incredible responsibility now, and it is more important than your home, than your commodities, and your anger.”

Marley and I wait for some volcanic eruption to come from the driver side, but Liam just sits. Staring. Driving. Listening, it would appear. Only when the rage starts melting away can I see how tired he looks. Worried too. Confused.

“For the next 5.3 days, you must protect this planet from whatever threats your brother produces. That is your purpose for living, if you needed one.”

“I have plenty,” he says, and I know what he’s talking about: me, Marley, Royce, his business, my future. Big brother reaches for another piece of chalk. The stress kills him, I know it does. He’s already Atlas with the world on his shoulders, but now it’s real. It’s happening.

“But I guess,” Liam leans back against the headrest. “I could use one more.”

“UH’HITSCHH!!” Blood spatters the windshield. I swear I didn’t mean to—it came on so fast, I couldn’t stop it-… Already there’s another one building, but as I begin to squint I can make out a shape about the size of my hand skittering on the dashboard. It’s flat, like a drink coaster, and has crab-like little legs and a glowing, cubic center. Liam slams on the breaks.

“hht’iescchh!!.. ip’eshhh!.. hiesshhh’uh!” I’m sneezing over my lap, and I hear Liam yelling for Marley to close the back window. Catching a break, I fight to open my eyes to see what’s happening, but I just can’t. The itch is too much, like those little legs are rubbing the sensitive depths of my nose, asking politely for passage. Coaxing my sinuses into a frenzy as they ripple and clench from the gentle stimulus. Oh-.. uhh-.. hhhhh—

“HIESHH! ‘TISCHH! HH’ZZSHH! HIESSHH’UU!” I know now is not the time, but I’m immensely glad this fit wasn’t prefaced with a splitting headache. It’s very nice to just sneeze freely without a pounding pain in my skull. “HET’ISHHHUH!.. HP’PISHH!!.. ET’SCHHH!...hh-h-ii’shhhh!.. hht’tieschh!..iih-… ih’HIISCHHHUUU!!”

Finished. Finally finished, thank goodness. Never had allergies before, but I’m guess that’s what it feels like. I open my eyes to a metallic blood bath, which is pretty grim. Not only have I managed to spray what looks like half my weight in blood all over the interior of the car, but Liam’s kept up with me and Falcon-punched every last one of those little spider things into the dust. Well, almost all of them.

Liam’s unbuckled himself long ago, and is now wrestling underneath the dash of Marley’s side, his body heavy across our legs. I can feel his muscles tensing and releasing as he fights to catch one of those saucer-like bugs, and Marley’s pale and clammy from the ordeal. Ugh, heart clenching to see her. I’m a douche, and from the looks of it, every one of my sneezes must have summoned one or two bugs at a time. No one speaks until there’s a keening, electronic whine and Liam leans back up with a hunk of metal in one fist. He lets it drop onto the floor.

It’s probably best for me not to talk, so I just sniffle back blood and snot until Liam just takes off his T-shirt. It’s white, cottony. Smells like chalk. He shoves it to my face.

“Mop up, chief,” he says. “You’re leaking.”

It’s like the whole thing didn’t even happen, even though I still feel guilty as hell. Chel’s speech must have gotten to him, which I’m both relieved and mortified for. Marley’s wiping the blood off her cheeks with the edge of her blouse, reaching back to re-unlock the window for Chel when the android knocks.

“Those were spy spawn,” she says immediately, no preface. “Basically like moving security cameras, and they multiply at an alarming rate. Did you get them all?”

“Near as I can figure,” Liam says, snatching his shirt from me when I’m done with it. He uses it to try and clean the windshield, though without any moisture it ends up smearing the blood all around. “Looks like we killed somebody in here.”

I’ll be shocked if we don’t get pulled over at this rate. Being parked on the edge of a highway is already a huge gamble. Marley, still shaky but functional, thumbs towards the bed of the truck.

“I packed some wet-wipes in my suitcase,” she says. Another LifeSaver Moment for the album, one in the fight. His hair, black like mine, hangs a little over his eyes. It’s getting a little long; he has to shake his bangs out of his face sometimes. But a haircut is the last thing on his mind. I can see his necklace now, which is a set of military dogtags my mother passed down to him from our great-grandfather. He never takes them off, so they’re a little rusted and tarnished with age. He wears them under his shirt always, so I rarely see them. They clink as he sits back, head tipping.

“ik-…TISCHHUU!” Fifth one so far. Yes, I’m counting. Liam really doesn’t need a cold on top of all this, so naturally that means he’s going to get one. He snuffles back something thick, and cringes. Yep. He knows it too, as do I. Now, for number two… His abs clench, and out of the corner of my eye, I watch Marley watch them. “ick’KITSCHHIII!... kk’TSCHHUU!”

I try not to grin outright when Liam’s brow knits with his Fuck-Everything expression. Three sneezes means at least one more, and he really doesn’t want to. Marley reaches across me to take his arm, resting her hand there. And she can pretend all she wants that she’s offering support, but I know she just wants to feel his biceps tense. And they do. Liam always gets taunt for a sneeze, like he’s waiting for cannon-fire to breech his fortress.

“ick’KIISCHHHUU!” We wait, and when he doesn’t give another one, we relax. I may sound like a teenage girl when I sneeze, but my brother sounds like a rabid bear. He snortles back another gallon of congestion, and then turns to check his blind spot. Marley’s hand returns to her lap.

“Liam Price, are you ill?”

Chel. I will choke you dead. I will strangle your hot, robot body, and will heave you into a ditch. Or I need to teach her about Liam, since she fails to understand him at all. Swiveling around, I fix her with a very stern look of disapproval. Liam, meanwhile, reverts to denial mode.

“No, now shut up and shut down,” he says. And it’s almost civil, the way he says it.

“My core does not require recharging at the moment,” she assures him. Meeting my eyes, she cocks her head in some question of my behavior. I’m praying whatever liquid she inserted inside me gives her a connection to my intentions as well as my vital signs, but apparently no cigar.

“Jude, what is this expression you are giving me?”

“Nnn.. nnnnn-nuh-nothing..”

Liam floors it, hoping to catch the thin opening in traffic, and Chel almost gets acquainted with the pavement.

[a red nine]

Happy break, m'dear! Isn't it wonderful to be done with all those finals? Of course, now I should be applying for jobs... groan... but, there's still plenty of time for lax activities, and I'd much rather read this story than do chores. So I'm so glad you updated!

Once we’re a town over, Liam pulls over and tells Marley to get on out and go back to her family. He doesn’t want her tangled up in this terrible mess, but she refuses to move. Eventually, for time’s sake, we get back on the road with her still in the passenger’s seat. Liam’s not speaking, and it’s a brooding silence. Brows knit, lips moving as he sucks on a piece of chalk. There’s about four boxes sitting on the dash, all of them new. We had to make a Wal-Mart run the moment he realized he was out.

See, Liam has proven to be a rather likable character over these past few chapters. I don't know if we'd be friends in real life, but he's cool in a unique way, protective of his brother and respectful to his girlfriend, while also having enough muscles to pack a decent punch. So he's pretty great. You could have left him at that, but you balance him out with this very extreme addiction he has and I like that

Chel, being kind of on the small side and an android that could not feel pain, allowed Marley and Liam to zip her up in a duffel and fling her in the back.

Omg Chel

“ik’TSCHOO!” And then he coughs a few times after, holding his chalk between two fingers like he needs a light. He tries to blink the tickle away, but it’s no good. I know my brother, and he always sneezes in even numbers. It takes another second, but before long he’s huffing in a slow breath. He turns to the window. “ik’TSCHUU!”

Yeah, remember that part when I was listing reasons to like Liam

Oh, of course when Liam sneezes, no one bats an eye. But when it’s me, everyone loses their shit.

The attention aspect isn't lost on this reader

If I sneeze a spider thing out in the car, I will hang myself with Royce’s leash.

Do you ever realize you've written a sentence you'll probably never have a reason to write again in your life? I think this takes the cake

“hh-.. hi’esschh!”

“ick’ttsCHOO!”

Me and Liam look at each other, and Marley leans forward slightly to look at both of us.

Sneezing in unison, that's just peachy with me *leans both palms against face and observes*

He’s Mr. Tough Guy who never gets sick, even though he always does. And each time, he puts on a great big show to prove he isn’t. It makes for a day or so of amusement before he ends up with a flaming fever, because he’s an idiot.

Liam you just get more appealing by the second

“Jude?”

Marley, babe. Not now. Let’s not do this. Let’s leave me alone. Come on now.

“Jude, do you have to sneeze?”

*casually leans closer to the screen*

“What did you do?!” It’s Chel from the bed of the truck, voice muffled through the glass, and we all jump.

At first I read this seriously, but then the image of a duffle bag just sitting up in their direction from outside the back window popped into my head and I kind of couldn't handle it

“If you’re asking if I tried to pinch off his sneeze, you bucket of bolts, then yes.”

That phrasing was kinda okay with me

“In other words, stopping a sneeze could cause major brain damage or death.”

That part is less okay yikes

It’s probably best for me not to talk, so I just sniffle back blood and snot until Liam just takes off his T-shirt. It’s white, cottony. Smells like chalk. He shoves it to my face.

“Mop up, chief,” he says. “You’re leaking.”

C-Cute…

Three sneezes means at least one more, and he really doesn’t want to.

Hey-ho-whoopty-do, did I mention I love this kind of scenario

I may sound like a teenage girl when I sneeze, but my brother sounds like a rabid bear.

Currently appreciating both

Chel. I will choke you dead. I will strangle your hot, robot body, and will heave you into a ditch.

Aww, you need no further proof of the brother's bond. Well I think "aww" anyway;;

This chapter was as good as the others, but it was an in-betweener to let us settle with the characters and the situation they're now facing. That gave it a strong emotional tug as we delved into the weight of what's actually happening to these people. I really felt anxiety with Liam and guilt with Jude when they had to face reality. The dilemmas of both the brothers are wrapped around the problems the other is facing, and it's so sweet that the last thing they'll do that would solve both of their troubles is separate - it doesn't really even occur to them (though that's liable to change, of course). It's interesting that the angle of the story has built mostly around their relationship. I wasn't expecting it, which makes the story that much better. In fact, when I read the first chapter, I thought it was going to result in more of a tug-of-war love triangle between Jude, Liam, and Marley. Jude may still have feelings for her, but the lack of romantic drama while there's so much action going on is appreciated. There are far too many TV shows that try to balance both emotional and physical problems and flop. It's really better to just hone in on one major aspect at a time.

That said, you're keeping things crazy enough that we can see why Jude and Liam feel so nervous. Oh yeah, and of course the fetishy stuff is all good too, no complaints to be had, and I am getting curious about what the "grand finale" is going to be. As Chel put it, 5.3 more days of their lives to find out!

[Salamander]

I only just started reading this, so i got to enjoy the whole thing in a chunk, and HOLY SHIT this is excellent. I love the fetishy stuff, the body-horror type stuff and I'm really into Jude's voice. He's spunky and interesting but not over-the-top belligerent. He's still likeable.

That said, I'm really falling for Liam. Maybe it's because I'm older and I like a tough guy, but he's just KILLING me. So, so good. This:

“ik-…TISCHHUU!” Fifth one so far. Yes, I’m counting. Liam really doesn’t need a cold on top of all this, so naturally that means he’s going to get one. He snuffles back something thick, and cringes. Yep. He knows it too, as do I. Now, for number two… His abs clench, and out of the corner of my eye, I watch Marley watch them. “ick’KITSCHHIII!... kk’TSCHHUU!”

I love watching them both realise he's getting sick, how attuned the brothers are to each other. So, so great. Please do keep going.

[SterlingSilver]

That said, you're keeping things crazy enough that we can see why Jude and Liam feel so nervous. Oh yeah, and of course the fetishy stuff is all good too, no complaints to be had, and I am getting curious about what the "grand finale" is going to be. As Chel put it, 5.3 more days of their lives to find out!

Red, it really means a lot to me how much time you take to review every chapter QwQ~

You help me feel motivated to keep going, because it's really nice to know you care to find out how this ends <3

You're just the best *huggle*! <3

THANK YOU~ <3

I only just started reading this, so i got to enjoy the whole thing in a chunk, and HOLY SHIT this is excellent.

Thank you very much~!

I'm very glad you're enjoying Liam~ He seems to be a popular side character, so trust me, I'll be working a lot more with him before this is over >w<

A/N: Sorry this took so long to do~ UGH SCHOOL. But I definitely want to finish this *^*.. Not finishing things makes me feel crappy x'D. Again, thank you for all these sweet reviews~! <3 Keep them coming if you have the time ;D

Part 8

Something divine is on our side, folks. Otherwise we wouldn’t have made it to a seedy motel without getting our chain pulled by some smooth-cruising cop. And it’s seedy all right, complete with busted, sauce-caked microwave, rusty shower head, and lumpy pillows. Marley looks like she’d rather sleep in the truck with Royce, but knows better than to priss about the state of things. It’s already past midnight—too late to be picky.

The marathon packing adventure was successful, so none of us’ll have to slot quarters at the Laundromat for a while. On the bright side, no school tomorrow for sure. We’re well over a hundred miles away from that place. Bet my classmates won’t notice. If they do, I hope they heard about the Price suicide pact on the news. That’ll spice things up. You know, when I think about it, I can’t imagine myself going to school again. How can I? S.W.A.T.’s got my name on a list now.

“ik’…ITSCHUUH!”

Oh, yeah. That’s another poop platter to add to our entrée. Liam’s definitely, undeniably, without a shred of a doubt—

“ek’SCHHAHH!”

—caught one hell of a head cold. Those sneezes came from the shower, and they were still clear as day. He’s a bear, I tell you. Won’t let any of us close enough to check his temperature, but to be frank the pink hue on his cheeks looks more like a frustrated, slow humiliation than a fever. Marley’s using it as an excuse to make a drug-store run. We all know the real reason for that—to escape this disgusting motel room.

Just me and Chel now, playing pinocle. Well, not really. But we would be if I had a deck of cards. Liam and I used to play a lot more when I was younger. I forget when or why we stopped. Life, I guess.

“Jude,” Chel says, staring. She reaches up to tuck a lock of curly red silk behind her ear, and it’s such a human thing to do. I wish my nether-regions could tell the difference between flesh and synthetic polymer.

“Y-Y-Yeah?” There’s no pinocle, so what am I doing? Watching a soap on the shitty, bunny-ears television set. It’s Italian, I think. No English, and the reception is fuzzy at best, but it’s something to do. Keeps the mind humming about something other than sneezes of death.

“I do not understand your brother,” she tells me. Her tone is forlorn and shamed, as if it’s her duty to comprehend the wackjob that is Liam. No big travesty. I don’t even understand him, and I’ve known him my whole life.

“Nnnnnno one d-d-does.” Just how much emotion is Chel programmed to feel, anyway? The pouty expression she’s wearing is adorable, and I don’t even know if she’s properly feeling what she’s expressing. From the bathroom comes the echo of Liam’s chalk cough, though there’s a wet edge to it now. It goes on for a little while, fading like a howl in the dark. Chel leans toward me with wide, pleading eyes.

“You hear how he suffers, yet he insists he is operating normally!” The shock in her voice is almost funny. She swells. “This is no laughing matter!” Oops. I guess I was smirking or something. My thumb finds the volume button on the remote and I crank it up. The static-y Italian dialogue isn’t a fantastic soundtrack, but it’s better than Liam hearing us.

“There’s a lllllot y-y-y-you nnnnneed to lllearn ab-b-bout humans, Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-…” Pause. Gather yourself. “Chel.” Fuck yeah. Nailed it. She’s in her body suit, by the way. Random, I know, but my brain wanted to remind me since now she’s reclined on the bed like fucking Rose on Titanic. Her eyes are anything but machine-like as she stares up at me, hair framing her face and shoulders. Breasts rising and falling as she breathes. Do machines breathe?

“Your pulse is accelerating.”

No shit, Chel. If you’re spread eagle on a bed like you belong there, no heterosexual high school male is going to turn a blind eye. Or not go into cardiac arrest. Hell, you guys are lucky I haven’t short-circuited. This is straight out of fantasy-ville, friends. Boys dream about the day a girl lays on a bed next to them, and looks up at them like this.

“Do you want to kiss me?”

I choke on my own throat. Metaphorically. Reality: just kneeling here, butt resting on my ankles, knees digging into the mattress. Do I want to kiss her? If I say yes, does that make me a robot-molesting freak? We’re staring at each other, and I swear, her eyes are smoldering. Her top teeth, white and perfectly straight, bite a little over her bottom lip and that’s it—

She feels good under me. Soft. Just like I hoped she would be. And no cold fluid down my throat this time. Only lips on my lips. Her hands around my neck. Darkness, because my eyes are closed. Kissing isn’t like the movies—you have to be good at it for it to be fun. And hungry, apparently, since all those actors look like their trying to eat each other’s throats out. Her nose bumps against mine, which tickles a little. Not enough to sneeze. It’s… kind of hard to focus right now, so… Oh, yep, she’s… damn, since when does sucking on someone’s earlobe feel this amazing?.. Where’s the… zipper…

“HEY.”

Both Chel and I jump, sitting up and scrambling to put some distance between us. Too late though. Liam’s standing there, pale and clutching a towel around himself like a woman would. He looks scandalized, and we all just look at one another for a little while. I wet my lips with my tongue. I can still taste her.

Liam points at me sharply. Then at Chel. Narrows his eyes. He doesn’t say anything, but I get the message. Not sure if Chel does; to her credit, she doesn’t say anything horrendously awkward about it. Instead, she turns her nose up at him and glances away, smoothing down her curly, red mane. Magically, Marley jumbles through the door juggling plastic bags a second later.

“Hey, sorry that took a while. They only had one register open,” she says, dropping all the bags on the rickety table by the corner lamp. Whatever tension left in the air goes out the door when she kicks it closed, but she does give Liam a strange look when she sees him. Her mouth turns up in a grin.

“Doing all right?”

And he does look a lot like a surprised, sodden old woman, the way he’s stealing to himself by the bathroom door. Marley’s mocking question spurs him into a sense of man-pride though, and he unlatches his towel and tosses it over his shoulder like a torero testing a bull. His pinched, “I dare you” expression just makes his girlfriend roll her eyes and go back to organizing groceries. Chel stares pointedly at Liam’s junk until he notices.

“Take a picture, princess,” he snarls, turning on a heel towards his duffel bag. “It’ll la-hahh…” His expression collapses, vulnerable and waiting. Mouth opening and closing, reacting to whatever nasty, cold-heavy tingle working through his nose. I can empathize, truly. Eventually he grimaces, bracing a hand on the wall as he ducks forward. “ik’ISCHHUH!.. hck’KSCHHAA!”

“Cover your mouth, baby.” It’s Marley, still organizing provisions. A lot of it is medication or various comforts for Liam and his stupid-ass cold. Her tone isn’t disgusted or derisive—just a reminder—but big brother pounces.

“I’b dot condagious,” he growls, but judging from the defeated look in his face, he’s regretting his stuffy nose. Chel’s still staring at his junk, which is insanely uncomfortable, so I elbow her. Her eyes track to mine, heading cocking. Hah, that’s a poor choice of words, am I right? Buh-dum-tsh, everybody.

Marley slams down a bottle of DayQuil. “Really, Liam?” Her head whips to him, blonde hair a little limp and in need of a brush. She hasn’t had the time. “You’re going to get us all sick at this rate.”

“Shud ub,” he says, yanking out a pair of boxers. As he steps a leg in, he sniffles deeply. The mucus in him gurgles backward into his sinuses, and Marley balls up one of the empty bags a little violently than necessary.

“Blow your nose! You’ll give yourself a sinus infection!”

“Doe I won’d! Your being dumb!..h-.. hck’SHHUU!”

“I’m being dumb?! Are you kidding me?!”

A sluicing sniffle, and then a shuddering breath. “HK’KISSCHHUU!!”

Ah, fuck. Not again. They love one another, yeah, but they fight like Tasmanian devils. You remember him from Looney Tunes, right? Yells gibberish and destroys a bunch of stuff? That’s them all right. I yank Chel’s head down to avoid a projectile lamp. It shatters against the wall behind us.

“Oh, real mature, dear. Now we get to pay damages.”

Count on Marley to be bitchy when the rest of us are fucking terrified. Chel’s eyes are wide as dinner plates, and I’m guessing she doesn’t understand the human dynamic here. I barely understand it myself. Marley’s a sweetheart most of the time, but when she gets icy, she gets frost queen.

Liam’s not a very good negotiator. He’s actually one of those poor guys who can never think of a comeback at the right time. All he can manage is some sputtering and fury most of the time, so I’m thinking that’s why he resorts to vandalizing things. He’s starting to pick up the night stand when Marley makes a beeline for him, trying to put herself between him and the furniture.

“We can’t afford this, Liam! Calm down.”

“Ged oud of by way,” he says, and the effect is shattered by the congestion. It’s more pitiful than menacing. And the way his eyes are fluttering is incriminating. Using this moment as an opening, Marley jerks at his wrists until his grip falls slack on the edge of the small table. With the speed only a true nurturer can muster, Marley cushions his crumbling features with the towel he left on the bed.

“kk’ISHHUHH!” There’s a winded pause. We all wait. After a moment of calm, he tries to lift his head; Marley cradles the back of his neck and keeps the towel firmly in place. It’s like taming a lion with a chair or something. Liam grumbles, but it’s muffled in the thick, scratchy fabric. I’m assuming it’s a death threat with a side of swearing.

Marley flashes me a look, eyes drifting to the table by the door that’s still strewn with medicinal goods. Like an alter to the sick. There’s a box of Kleenex there, fresh and unopened. More than one, actually. Good thing too, because all this sneezing and sniffling from Liam is making me feel like I need to… sneeze too-….

“heisshh!”

“hsck’CHUUU!”

Marley’s eyes are panicked, laying on me, but it was just one sneeze and nothing came of it. No robots, no blood, no nothing. Chel’s relaxed as she can be, and I’m thinking she’d have an alarm going off if this was another portal attack. Liam straightens up, though his energy from earlier is sapped. He shivers stiffly, muscles locking to keep himself still. I can still see the tremors when I hand Marley the tissues.

“All right,” she says on a sigh. She’s in Marley-In-Charge Mode, pinching a couple Kleenex over Liam’s nose. He snatches them from her, irate, but at least turning to blow his nose. The thick, unfinished sound of it is only evidence of how stuffed up he is.

“We’re all going to get clean, get into pajamas, and go to bed. No more shenanigans. Am I clear?” She stares pointedly at Liam, who glares. A tilt of Marley’s hip and crossing of her arms has him nodding. Her eyes, blue as death, rest on me.

“Chief?”

“Aye, mmmmma’am,” I say, saluting. Might as well lighten the mood. Chel herself nods an affirmative before Marley can train a dead stare on her too. With that clear, Marley excuses herself to the bathroom as Liam gets dressed, too cold and probably too fevered to keep naked for long. The beast is subdued for now.

The time passes quietly. Chel and I try not to look at one another, because the bed-kissing and the junk-staring were weird as hell. Liam pretends to be sharpening the All-Thing, which has morphed into a machete, while he nods off. I would be worried he’ll slit his own throat by accident, but Chel assures me that it’s impossible for the All-Thing to harm its wielder. The sharp edge would do nothing but leave a faint imprint while resting against him—like sheets do to your skin while you sleep.

Marley takes her time. Must feel deserving of a good wash. Once she’s out, she quietly fishes the weapon from Liam’s hand and rolls it with a dull thud onto the floor, nudging it under the bed. Even if it’s only a big knife, it weighs tons or some shit like that. I dash into the bathroom and take a lightening shower, but by the time I’m out, Marley’s already cuddled up against her man and asleep. It’s been a long 24 hours thus far.

And I’d like some shut eye myself. I crawl into bed, alone, as Chel chooses to sit in the sole chair at the far side of the room. She doesn’t sleep, I suppose. Just recharges somehow. I wonder if I should ask if she wants to share, to be polite.

“Chel,” I whisper. She looks up, grey eyes glinting in the darkness. Sexy. A little scary. “Y-y-you wannnna-?..” To make it easier, I gesture to the empty spot next to me. It’s a queen, so there’s plenty of room. We’re both small people. But she shakes her head.

“I will keep watch,” she says, as if there’s something we need to watch out for. Her voice is soft, but still resonant. Not quite hushed. “You sleep, Jude Price.”

I wrinkle my nose, feeling something tickling it. It’s familiar by now—more familiar than ever. Feels like I have allergies and can’t seem to get away from the stimulus. In other words, it’s really, really annoying. And slightly disheartening. Because it will be another five days before I get away from it. Chel sits forward. I feel a little cold.

“What?” I ask. Man, I’m doing fucking good! Listen to me, talking without any jittery consonants. Some days are better than others. “Wh-.. What’s wrong?”

“By now I have acclimated to the portal’s energy spikes,” she explains, sliding off the chair to stand over me by my bedside. I feel like I’m getting a bleak diagnosis after surgery. I wish she would turn the light on. It would make everything less creepy. “Something is happening.”

I swear to myself. No no no! Liam just fell asleep. I would be a huge bastard to wake him up to a robo battle now. He needs to get at least a little rest; he’s been up for over a day, I realize. Chel can sense my panic, and she puts a hand to my cheek.

“Try not to raise your pulse,” she councils. Too late, I’m thinking. “It will compound the process. Stay relaxed.” Easy for her to say. I’m starting to feel that tickling feeling spread out, just like it always does. Starting to consume me. That hateful, insidious sneezy feeling that I know isn’t a natural response to anything ordinary. Her thumbs smooth under my eyes.

“Do not fight it.” Don’t fight it? Is she nuts? Water’s collecting at the corner of my eyes, and I reach up to rub under my nose. Damn this itch. It’s moving into my head; I can feel my nostrils flaring. I don’t want to. I can’t. Not again, and not yet. My eyes keep trying to close.

“Listen to me,” she’s saying. I’m trying. “From what I can analyze, the mass of this object is too large to dispel at the moment. It will need time. What is happening now is preliminary.” One of her fingers chuffs softly against the septum between my nostrils. The tickle lurches.

“uhh..”

“That’s good. Allow it to pass.” Again, another feathery rub at my nose. It surges through my senses, electrifying me. My head throbs.

“ihishh!” It’s a pitiful size for such a powerful itch, which is why it’s not the last. I convulse forward, bending with each and every one. Chel never lets go of my face. “heishhh!.. ishhh! ishhh!.. hieshhh!.. ischhhuu!.. tischh-UU!”

I get a breather, at least. But I still don’t feel done. Whatever these sneezes are doing, it’s not relieving a single fucking thing. Her hands are smearing tears from my face. Feels like my whole face is running—shit-!

“hischh! tischh! ii’HIESH!..TISHHUU!” Balls, that last one was loud. Both Chel and I flicker glances to the other bed, but no one stirs. Liam’s knocked out with NyQuil, and Marley’s not a light sleeper. I flop back against the crappy pillow behind me, closing my eyes while Chel cards some fingers through my hair.

“You will feel ill when you wake, just like before.”

Before. When that robot destroyed our house. Fuck. We’ll have to get someplace deserted tomorrow. But Chel’s comforting touch makes it hard for me to worry much. It’ll be okay. Always is, somehow.

“P-.. P-p-p-promise?”

“Trust me. And get some rest.”

I do. And I do.

[a red nine]

GEEZ it's about time I showed up! Sorry for taking ten thousand years to respond. I am here, and I loved this chapter. I read it a while ago, and I just reread it to make sure I milked all I could from it, but during the first read I was half-awake and had this work-related thing hanging over my head, so I knew my review would be crappy. This story deserves a quality review to match its writing! Okay, I'm full of baloney. Anyway, without further ado -

The marathon packing adventure was successful, so none of us’ll have to slot quarters at the Laundromat for a while. On the bright side, no school tomorrow for sure.

Jude knows what's up

“ik’…ITSCHUUH!”

Oh, yeah. That’s another poop platter to add to our entrée. Liam’s definitely, undeniably, without a shred of a doubt—

“ek’SCHHAHH!”

—caught one hell of a head cold. Those sneezes came from the shower, and they were still clear as day. He’s a bear, I tell you. Won’t let any of us close enough to check his temperature, but to be frank the pink hue on his cheeks looks more like a frustrated, slow humiliation than a fever.

You know, usually when I read stories, I prefer if it just centralizes on one person sneezing, and I also particularly prefer that person to be shy? So the fact that I'm delighted that the outgoing Liam has this cold on top of Jude's own sneezing is a sign that you wrote this awesomely. Did I mention I'm delighted

Just me and Chel now, playing pinocle. Well, not really. But we would be if I had a deck of cards. Liam and I used to play a lot more when I was younger. I forget when or why we stopped. Life, I guess.

Nice detail, love it

From the bathroom comes the echo of Liam’s chalk cough, though there’s a wet edge to it now.

And while we're on the subject of nice details...

“Your pulse is accelerating.”

No shit, Chel. If you’re spread eagle on a bed like you belong there, no heterosexual high school male is going to turn a blind eye. Or not go into cardiac arrest. Hell, you guys are lucky I haven’t short-circuited. This is straight out of fantasy-ville, friends. Boys dream about the day a girl lays on a bed next to them, and looks up at them like this.

I've said this before, but this is an interesting perspective for a female author to write from - at least that's how I feel, I'm sure it happens, but you know what I mean. I can just completely buy that this is a teenage boy talking to me, and the voice is exactly what every author strives to convey when they write.

Liam points at me sharply. Then at Chel. Narrows his eyes. He doesn’t say anything, but I get the message. Not sure if Chel does; to her credit, she doesn’t say anything horrendously awkward about it. Instead, she turns her nose up at him and glances away, smoothing down her curly, red mane. Magically, Marley jumbles through the door juggling plastic bags a second later.

*the sound of my laughter*

“Cover your mouth, baby.” It’s Marley, still organizing provisions. A lot of it is medication or various comforts for Liam and his stupid-ass cold. Her tone isn’t disgusted or derisive—just a reminder—but big brother pounces.

I agree that you needed the description about her tone there at the end, but you should know I totally read her words in that voice prior to being informed, due to what you've shown us about Marley in past chapters. Nice work, compadre

“Ged oud of by way,” he says, and the effect is shattered by the congestion. It’s more pitiful than menacing. And the way his eyes are fluttering is incriminating. Using this moment as an opening, Marley jerks at his wrists until his grip falls slack on the edge of the small table. With the speed only a true nurturer can muster, Marley cushions his crumbling features with the towel he left on the bed.

“kk’ISHHUHH!” There’s a winded pause. We all wait. After a moment of calm, he tries to lift his head; Marley cradles the back of his neck and keeps the towel firmly in place. It’s like taming a lion with a chair or something. Liam grumbles, but it’s muffled in the thick, scratchy fabric. I’m assuming it’s a death threat with a side of swearing.

Marley flashes me a look, eyes drifting to the table by the door that’s still strewn with medicinal goods. Like an alter to the sick. There’s a box of Kleenex there, fresh and unopened. More than one, actually. Good thing too, because all this sneezing and sniffling from Liam is making me feel like I need to… sneeze too-….

“heisshh!”

“hsck’CHUUU!”

ahhhhhHH I am slain by this scene WOW, lately I've been a big fan of using towels as a tissue, so yeah that was totally groovy with me

Feels like I have allergies and can’t seem to get away from the stimulus. In other words, it’s really, really annoying. And slightly disheartening. Because it will be another five days before I get away from it.

*grabs the popcorn* I am so very ready

Yay for character building and shenanigans! I feel like each chapter I learn something new that brings me closer to your cast even more. This time in particular I enjoyed reading the parts with Marley because of her maternal instinct and leadership. The character I feel like I know the least about so far is Chel, because she's an android and because the way you're writing her conveys she's supposed to be a bit secretive by nature, but I don't doubt when the time comes you'll warm me up to her too. Also I commend you on your ability to balance the romantic bits with the adventure rather seamlessly, while once again not inserting any useless drama. It's just plain nice! So keep it up