Ocean Depths part 5
#5 of Ocean Depths
Ocean Depths
Chapter 5
By Roofles
Lucas slammed the door behind him, making the shutter shake in their frames. He half expected the cheap pieces of shit to fall off. Wouldn't surprise him in this pit hole he found himself in. The apartment was rank, it was dark and empty. The rain had started outside again making the whole place leak from every corner of the room. The dirty laundry was still on the floor and the messaging machine was blinking with several messages he knew he wasn't in the mood to handle with.
How one hellish day possible lead into another hellish one, he wasn't sure. It was as if life had just unloaded itself on top of him, just a stinking pile of life. Someone who he thought to be his best friend was now probably in the hospital with a broken nose, HE had given him. The other two probably by his side. The three would never talk to him, they'd leave him to being just another sorry sob in life, "with all his fucking furry friends." As he was so colorfully told before he had made his way out.
He thought this whole deal would just blow over as it always did. They joke and laugh about it and then it'd be gone and that'd be that. They'd just go on with their merry lives again. Like every other Friday night. And then why was his chest hurting. Why had he gotten so mad over it? Over something so simple, something they always ended up joking and talking about. Why had this time been any different?
The doorbell rang. A key jingled in the doorway and the door creaking open.
"Hey, you alright in here?" An all too familiar voice called from the entryway. "Could hear that slam from across the complex."
Lucas wasn't sure if he wanted to reply, that aching dull pain in his chest had grown greatly and he couldn't explain the tears in his eyes. Or why he was so happy to hear that voice again. More so; than he wanted of anything else in life was to hear that voice again.
"I brought Chinese." The otter offered shutting the door behind him. His voice was hesitant, as if he were trying to give a peace offering.
"In the living room....bring the Chinese." Lucas slumped down onto the couch covering his face with a hand.
The last thing he wanted was to see him like this. Again. In such a pitiful state. He had hoped that the next time they saw each other, it'd be simple and straightforward. Just another 'how's your day' or 'see you later'. They wouldn't make plans. They wouldn't hang out. They'd just be the good neighbors again and that would be that.
He didn't think about the fact that two keys had been left behind by the landlord and that he found himself with only one.
"Hope you don't mind, heh." Carlson went about placing the various boxes on the small table before him. "You gave me a key last time, so I wasn't sure if you'd wanted to do the same. Was in the middle of work when I realized I had it, you can have it back if you'd like." He said a bit embarrassed about the whole issue.
"No. Your fine. Just been a rough day." Lucas wiped his eyes, focusing on the food before him. "I can pay for half of this..."
"Hm?" Those round beady ears swiveling upwards as he looked at him, a mouthful of noodles. "Nonsense!" He said covering his mouth. "I bought more than enough. I couldn't possible eat this all by myself."
"Really, I can pay for half. It's no biggie." Lucas pressed.
"Look," Carlson pointed a chopstick at him. The cheap piece of flimsy wood wasn't much help for the large otter, more of just a scoop to shovel the food into his muzzle. And wasn't very threatening compared to the much larger fingers holding them. "I'm doing something nice. Cause ya need it. What are..." He trailed off going back to his food.
Lucas took one of the boxes, a pair of chopsticks and dug in. It'd be nice to forget the day, to kill his buzz and just take an early night. At least the Chinese was good.
"Look, sorry 'bout the mornin'." Carlson began, putting down his food. "I just had a lot on my mind and...stuff. Plus work has been hell recently, so it's...well, I mean to say..." His whiskers drooped as he scratched his chest, the same white wife beater he'd seen the other day on. Or one that looked remarkable like it.
"Where do you work?" Lucas tossed in. He wasn't sure if he was actual curious or if he simple wanted to change the subject.
His ears bounced up and he straightened up in his seat. "There's a med fac downtown where I work."
"Med fac?"
"It's like a facility place, for those in need. Like for those without much money or insurance. I work there, during the weekends." It was obvious that he cared deeply about the place. The way he seemed to bounce in his seat, or just how when he talked about it his eyes lit up and that smile never left his furry mug. "We're short on help, and funds, but we get by with what we can. We have to turn down a lot of people...but those who really need the help we're able to help! It's really amazing."
"Sounds like it." Lucas said opening another container, shrimp fried rice. The excitement on the otters face quickly turned to hunger as he stared at the container. "Shrimps mine." Lucas pulled the box towards him protectively.
"I pay, I get." Carlson said standing to his full height, staring down at him. "Don't make me, make you, give me that."
"You said I can help myself. So," Lucas took a shrimp neatly between two chopsticks. "...never mind," Lucas said giving up. It wasn't worth it. He wasn't in the mood.
Placing the shrimp back he handed him the box.
"I was just kiddin'," Carlson ears drooped as he took the box, uneasily switching his weight from one leg to the other.
The air had grown stiff and the silence was heavy between the two. The creak of the coach was all that could be heard as the large otter sat down next to him, wrapping his tail around him.
"Is everything alright, I mean I know it's not. But. It's like..." he fumbled with his words as he looked down at his paws. He stretched his fingers, tracing the webbing in between. "If there's anything you want to talk about. I'm here. You know that, right?"
Lucas looked at him before placing a hand on his thigh. It tensed up. "I know, thank you. Carl. Really, it's nice to have a friend at a time like this."
"Right! Friend...of course, it's what I'm here for, heh." He tossed an arm around him giving him a reassuring squeeze. "Now you going to help me finish this or not?"
"Better bet your tail on it," Lucas laughed nudging him as the two dug in.
The food had been cleared and eaten, the trash been piled up on the table in a make shift pyramid. Picked clean like the bones of a wilder beast in the savanna. The two lounging back on the couch. Carlson rubbed his belly, tossing a paw up on the table.
"Every Friday. Chinese." He mumbled. "Never regretted it."
Lucas belched his agreement. Getting up, preparing to clean up the mess before them but a skilled claw had snagged the back of his jeans abruptly pulling him back onto the couch.
"Look. We need to talk about the other night." Carlson said, shifting uneasily and holding his gut. "Ate too much."
"You ate more than half of it. That could've fed a family of four easily." Lucas joked, hoping to change the subject.
"Yeah, yah." Carlson covered his muzzle. "Urgh, coming back up for seconds." He groaned shifting his weight again so he was facing him. He hung a leg off the couch, the other resting a bit nervously on it. "I just wanted to clear some things up, is all..."
"Look I know already," Lucas cut in a bit harsher than he meant. He bit his lip trying to keep his voice even and leveled. "It was just physical. That's all. I needed it, at the time and so it was just... We can leave it at that, be friends, be neighbors. Never talk to each other again. It's up to you."
"That's the thing. Lucas." Carlson leaned forward, placing a hand on his shoulder looking at him eye to eye. "If it's up to me, I never wanted it to be just physical."