"Hey, uhm... Worm?"

"What is it, babe?"

"I'm going on a walk. I think I'll be back by 10 or so."

"Okay! Stay safe out there. Love you!" 

"Love you."

EX stepped out the door, locking it behind them. 

Walks like this calmed EX. It would start out weird- just walking down the street, trying not to pay attention to anyone passing by or waving. They would get used to it after 20 or so minutes, then finally start to zone out. They had a route they would go, set themselves to autopilot. Ponder things. Anything on their mind, really.

The sidewalk is dirty and cracked. Some people wave, others nod. That streetlight still needs fixing.

Reach the end of the street, go right. After that they take another right at the next intersection, then go straight forward for a mile or two. They zone out in that mile.

—————

Worm sighed, laying in bed. He turned onto his side, looking at the pink clock on his side table. 11:17 PM. "I stayed up late for you..." the blonde grunted, pulling his glasses off and setting them on the table. "Why are you always so late? 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30, 40- an hour! If you keep doing this without calling me, I'll think you're kidnapped! Fallen down a hill! Dead, why not!? You're so annoying sometimes."

He sighed, rolling onto his back. "Sometimes I wonder why we're even dating."

—————

EX zoned back into reality. They were standing at their front door, the porch light still on. The sky was pitch black, with little white stars sprinkled across it. They slid the key into its lock, opening the door.

The living room was dark as EX pulled off their jacket, setting it on a hook. They turned around to the room's light turning on.

"Where were you!?" Worm stood on the stairs, hair frazzled and eyes wide, dark circles under them. "Why didn't you call me!?"

"Wormy, I was on my walk! Down the road, turn right, right again at True's house, then past Grim's place. You know that!" 

"I do, but that takes you an hour at the most! Not three hours, you absolute idiot! Why are you like this!? Why don't you ever call me? Say you're okay and not dead? Not cheating on me, or whatever the hell you get up to on these 'walks'!? I was okay at 5 minutes late; 10, why not! But over two hours!?  There's no good answer why you were out so long!" Tears started to trickle down Worm's cheeks as he continued.

"Wormy, I-"

"Don't 'Wormy' me! Just tell me! Tell me why you were gone so fucking long! I know what you'll say, but it's better than nothing at all."

"...I swear, I was on my walk. Cross my heart."

The blonde huffed, turning to the staircase again. "You're staying in the guest room tonight. One of us is leaving in the morning." He turned his back, climbing up and out of sight.

EX stood in silence for a minute, eyes filling up with tears. They took their phone out of their pocket and walked down the hallway to the small guest room.

—————

Xisuma chuckled at his friend, falling into his beanbag. "Bdubs, oh my-"

Bring-bring.

Bdubs sighed. "Who could call you so late? It's-" he checked his old watch. "It's 12:47."

"Maybe somebody needs help, who knows?" Keralis pointed out, looking towards his friend. "Answer it, Shashwammy."

"'Course I'm answering it, it's my sibling!" X grinned, picking up his phone. Immediately, his smile dropped.

"Hey X, you good? Do you need to put your helmet back on..?"

The man shook his head silently, a serious look on his face. After a pause, he spoke back into his phone. "Of course, yeah... Mhm. You can, don't worry... You remember the address? Okay... Okay- see you later. Love you, Y." He hang up, falling back onto his beanbag, sighing loudly.

"Shashwammy, you okay?" Keralis asked, hugging his friend.

"EX- they broke up with their boyfriend. They're going to live with me until they can get a new place."

"When are they coming?" Bdubs frowned, glancing at Keralis.

"Tomorrow morning. I'm going to get their room ready now, I have some old things still in there." He noticed his friend's questioning expressions. "And they won't be like last time you saw them. They feel really bad, so you better treat them well."

"Of course, of course." Bdubs nodded. "I bet h- they're I bet they're doin not too good, so I'm gonna- I'm gonna be real nice."

"I'll draw something!" Keralis stood up. I'm going back to my house to do that. Goodnight Bubbles, goodnight Shashwam," he waved, taking a running jump off into the night.

—————

Ding-dong.

"Let me get it!" Xisuma called, nodding at his friends. "They're here, be cool." He stepped up to the door, swinging it open. "Hello!"

EX stood there, old communicator in one hand. In their other was a thin suitcase. Earbuds came from the cassette player on their belt- They wore a thin magenta scarf, long maroon jacket, and red shirt with jeans; along with their regular crimson face mask. Their eyes had large dark circles under them. "Hi."

X smiled, stepping forward to give them a hug. "I missed you."

"Missed you," they leaned in, putting their head on his shoulder.

X pulled away, hands on the other's shoulders. "Let's go inside, I've made tea!"

"Nice," they nodded again, stepping inside. "Hi, guys."

Bdubs smiled and waved from the couch nearby, Keralis following in suit. "Hello!"

"You can put your bag down here, I'll bring it to your room when I get the tea ready," the brunette followed him in, closing the front door.

"Mhm," they hummed, dropping the suitcase onto the ground with a thunk. They slid off their scarf and jacket and put them on the tall coatrack by the entrance. "Like your house, s'cozy." They slipped off their boots, setting them by the coatrack. 

Keralis scooted to the side as EX sat down between him and Bdubs on the couch. "I drew you something!" He held up a drawing of a dog.

EX raised an eyebrow, taking the paper in their hands. The leaned back, holding their arms out, then holding it an inch from their eyes. They tipped it to the side, then turned it upside-down. They turned it back to normal and scratched the crayon-colored head. They finally set the drawing on their lap, turning back to Keralis.

"I like it."

"Really?"

"Mhm," they nodded. "It's nice."

"Thanks!" Keralis smiled, readjusting his hat.

"Keralis and Bdubs."

"What?" Bdubs looked up from his lap. "What?"

"You're- nice. I don't remember you well, though."

Bdubs nodded, continuing to do so as he looked away. "Nice. Nice! Yep, nice. I- I'm nice." He turned back, nodding again. "You are, too."

"Keralis smiled, hugging EX's side. "You are, too!"

EX smiled under their mask, standing up. "Do you want to show me my room? While X makes tea."

"That's a good idea."

—————

(1,179 words)

Hope you enjoyed! Sorry that I've been gone so long, I've been busy! Hopefully, new works comin out soon, who knows.

What'd you think?