Perceptional - Pt 6: Hodgepodge Fix'er Upper
#6 of Perceptional
I'll probably go back to Jale and Peter later, maybe next part.
This one was fairly entertaining to write. Trying to compensate for the fact that the characters themselves can't really see into each others' mind (barring some specific exceptions) becomes somewhat of a puzzle, and a fun one at that. I've been noticing little things like that while writing this 'story'. It kind of gives one some perspective on how much time and effort needs to go into a good story. (You know, for those that are actually writing good stories)
But anyways, I'm rambling.
You're here, so you might have either some interest or curiosity, about the story. If you found it somewhat interesting, then I suggest you start from the first part. It's kind of stringing along two separate sub-plots at once, so it's not a college-drama-fest story, and I totally understand if that's the vibe it's giving off. If you did already go back to the first part, and maybe enjoyed it, then I'd suggest you subscribe or something. I plan on stringing along the plot in directions that you can't really anticipate from what's been going on so far.
Anyways anyways, if you found something that was wrongly written, something that simply doesn't make sense, or you know, typos and the usual, then don't hesitate to slap it on my face. I can't improve if I don't know what's wrong. In the same vein, if I'm doing something right, tell me too! I won't be able to keep doing it if I don't know what it is, if anything.
Lucas
That couldn't have gone worse.
Lucas hadn't meant to be so hard on the poor guy. It's just that it really did freak him out. But, that's not much of an excuse isn't it?
He remembered that the last few "tests" really put him on edge. It was actually pretty scary. The detail that went into the different scenarios the small ferret thought up was somewhat astounding. He would actually be in awe if not for the fact that it was downright horrifying. He felt like he just walked into some episode of My Little Psychopath or something like that. It scared him to such a degree that he just couldn't take it anymore. He rarely flipped out on someone, usually "going with the flow" for others' sake, but enough was enough. Lucas was sure he would have nightmares for the next month or so. He thought that if he just said he wanted out it would stop, maybe Mark would move onto some other topic next. But, the way he reacted. Mark seemed genuinely shocked, even scared that his little project would so abruptly end.
It was plainly obvious that this was very important to the black ferret. Seeing him so suddenly, even if only momentarily, devastated, made him regret his decision to back out. But he already opened his mouth. He already screwed it up. Again.
Mark seemed like an open-minded guy. Maybe if he was just honest, he would understand. Of course, trying to fix things made them worse. He wasn't sure what exactly happened, but he knew that he had dropped some sort of bomb. He saw how Mark looked at him seriously, and Lucas thought he would flip out. He actually expected the kid to take out some knife and start stabbing him to death or something. But that didn't happen. Mark didn't get angry. He didn't get aggressive. He got sad. Really sad. He had seen out of the corner of his eye the notebook that had been set on the ground. It glowed red. Lucas had only stared at Mark then. He was waiting for some sort of response. Then he got it. He hadn't noticed it before but Mark was tearing up.
Great job jackass he had thought at the moment.
Lucas really didn't know what he should have done at the moment. He still didn't know. He saw that a tear rolled down and fell on one of Mark's hands, and only then did he seem to notice that the floodgates were being opened. Lucas simply looked at him. He looked at him as Mark got up. He looked at him as he walked to the door. And he only looked at him as he left.
He looked down at the notebook that was only partly out from under Mark's bed. It was still red. Whatever Mark took from his words, it made him suddenly want to get rid of his little project. The same little project that he reacted so suddenly at when it was threatened with termination. When Lucas said he didn't want to continue, Mark seemed to hold on to the notebook as if his life depended on it. That same project which he was willing to spend hours upon hours trying to make it complete. Now, for something Lucas said, he really wanted it completely destroyed.
How could he have possibly screwed up so bad?
***
The sun was setting. Mark still had not come back, and the notebook had been constantly flipping between purple and red for the longest while. He got his cellphone and scrolled through his contacts. Mark's number was there, as they had exchanged them the first day they spent together. He had delayed making a call so the other had time to sort out his thoughts, and he thought maybe it was enough. He would apologize for his outburst. Try to make amends. Lucas thought much about the way he acted, and it was indisputably a big overreaction. Anybody can imagine bloody or gory scenes. He could have just asked for a break, or something along those lines, but instead he waited 'till the last minute and yelled.
He pressed the 'call' button.
Almost immediately he heard a voice.
Mark
Mark stopped walking as he took the call.
"Lucas."
"Hey. Mark. Listen, I wanted to apologize-" Lucas trailed off as Mark butted in.
"Lucas."
"... yes?"
Okay. So how should he go about this? While he was out he had some time to clear his thoughts. He knew he shouldn't have gotten so worked up- no. He shouldn't have gotten worked up about this. At all. It's just that Lucas caught him off guard. Mark hadn't seen any reason that his project would stop, so when Lucas seemed to simply want to quit, well let's just say he didn't take it well. Then suddenly came that mental blabbering about psychic privacy and all of that nonsense. He guessed it was just some sort of attempt at rationalizing his sudden panic.
Anyway. That's not here nor there. Well technically there but that's beside the point. Somehow he got worked up enough to flip out, burst, explode, whatever you want to call it. It seemed that Mark had gotten really attached to what he was working on. He'd have to deal with that later. At least, after he was sure that Lucas understood that it was Mark's fault. He should have paced himself or something, because to be honest, he was basically working non-stop on his little 'research'. It was almost obsessive. Actually, it was incredibly obsessive. Because of that, he couldn't afford all of that effort to go to waste. At least not at the time. Yeah. That was it. That made sense.
"Okay. First of all, this whole 'thing' is just senseless. You got scared and you reacted. I got worked up and I reacted. We both know that neither of us intended any harm, so the only reason left for apologies would be from those who actually led to the end result. That would be me. I was the one who wanted to do the notebook thing. I was the one that led you through each, quote on quote, test, and you just went along with it. I pushed too hard and you reacted. What I did was conscious, what you did was reactionary. You can't possibly put yourself at fault for that. I am the one who should apologize." Mark leaned against the wall. For a while he heard nothing.
"That's... an awfully cold and clinical way of putting it. But, yeah. I guess I accept your apology?"
Close enough.
"But..."
Uh oh.
"You kind of stripped out all of the important details. You either overlooked it or ignored it, but I actually do have a reason to apologize."
No he didn't!
"I could have reacted in so many ways, and yet I chose the one that made you feel bad."
"But that wasn't your fault. I actually thought about that. That actually ended up being my fault too. I shouldn't have given so much attention-"
"Mark I'm not going to argue with you. I appreciate that you're trying to make it seem like you're to take the heat, but that's stretching it. No matter how you put it, I said something that hurt you, and that's that. So, no, Mark. Not everything was your fault, so just accept my goddamn apology." By his tone of voice, it was obvious that Lucas was annoyed. And now that he thought about it (again), Lucas was right. He was kind of stretching it. Why would he do that?
"Alright."
"Alright what?"
"Alright Lucas. I accept your apology."
"Good."
"Also this is still pointless. There are much better reasons to get worked up and angry about." Now, that was something Mark was sure he wasn't exaggerating about. He heard a snort from the other end of the line.
"Alright. So now that that's over with, when are you coming back?"
"Oh. Actually I was just about there. You're still in the room right?"
"Yeah."
"Good. I forgot my keys inside."
He heard Lucas laugh from the other side and across the hall. Loud.