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The P.W.E.I

The car ride had been long, and for most of it the two hadn’t spoken to each other. Luke sat in the passenger seat, his head rested on the window now as they pulled into the new city. Beside him in the driver seat was Karla, the woman who had picked him up and essentially saved him. She was young, looking to be in her prime 20s at most, maybe even a bit younger. Her hair was a sandy blonde and tied up in one big ponytail so it didn’t get in her bright blue eyes while driving.

She glanced over at Luke, then turned on the radio to break the silence again. They’d been stuck in a car together for 20 hours now, and while they had made some small talk most of it had been quiet. The radio would go on and off, depending on what was playing and what stations they could get. Right now it was playing “Despacito”, so the radio was quickly switched right back off, Karla letting out a long sigh.

“It should only be a few more minutes… Do you want to stop for lunch before we get there?” Karla spoke up after a few seconds, her voice attempting to be sweet, but Luke could hear the awkwardness hidden behind it. He just lifted his head and shook it no, not sure if he could manage to eat anything and get it to stay down right now. Karla frowned and focused on the road again, both of them going silent once more.

It gave Luke some time to view the new city at least, it was much larger than what he was used to. He came from a small town in the middle of nowhere, now moving into the heart of Toronto. The change was massive, cars and people everywhere, possibly too many people. The traffic was terrible too, and never seemed to end. He couldn’t see the end of the long stretch of cars they were now sitting in. There were shops at least, he’d be able to find whatever he needed here when he needed it, a big problem with his home town.

Still he would rather be there, or would rather be there if noting had happened. He left for a reason and likely wouldn’t be going back there again. His only true friend was no longer with them and all his other friends saw him as some kind of freak… Which he was. There was something special about him, which caused all this to happen in the first place. The same reason his hands were covered with thick rubber gloves.

As Luke looked down at them Karla spoke up again, seeming to know exactly what he was thinking, “It isn’t your fault you know. Everyone blames themselves at first, but you couldn’t have known what would happen.”

Luke still didn’t respond, clenching his fist and looking out the window some more, changing the subject, “Are we almost there? I’m tired of being in a car…”

“It’s just off the next exit.” Karla frowned at him and changed lanes, “You could stand to cheer up at least a little. Think of it as a new start, and new friends. Everyone knows you’re coming, and they’re all nice people.”

Luke grunted knowingly, she had said it many times before, but he found it hard to believe. Even when he wasn’t considered a freak not many people liked him. He made it a bit difficult on them by being grumpy all the time and rather hard to talk to. He was 6’3” with longer pitch-black hair and muscle built up from his athletic days. Not many people dared approach him, let alone try and get to know him, and the only person he had was dead. It made it hard to believe that all these people would just accept him now.

Karla didn’t try and speak to him again, driving the rest of the way in silence. It was a bit longer before they arrived, “almost there” in Toronto terms apparently meant 10 minutes. The car came to a stop in front of an apartment complex that looked just like all the others around it, a handful of other cars parked as well. Luke could see lights one in a couple windows, but it was later afternoon, so the sun was still up.

Once the car was off Luke hopped out quickly and stretched his legs. It was chilly, but the cold air was still better than sitting in a car. Karla got out as well and walked casually to the trunk and began pulling out suitcases. Luke stared at the building for a moment, then made his way over to help bring in his stuff. It was only two suitcases, mostly clothing, and one small box of sentimental items. He held both suitcases as Karla took her own and the box of stuff.

As Luke turned to head in he was met with a gaze, a woman standing there silently. He jumped a bit, not having heard her come up to him, but that just made her give an amused look. She was almost as tall as him but had a very slim build and fair Asian skin. She held out a hand and smiled, but Luke didn’t move at all.

“She’s just trying to say hello.” Karla spoke up, looking at the two, “That’s Marisa, she can’t make noise, so just try not to be too surprised when she shows up.”

Luke still looked a bit surprised, then reached out and shook her hand with his own gloved hand. She gave a firm shake and a smile back before reaching over to take one of his suitcases for him. Luke let it go a little reluctantly, then just stood there as Marisa walked off towards the building with it. The trunk closed, and Karla walked past him as well, humming a little to herself. Once both the ladies were past Luke started to trudge along as well, not having anywhere else to go.

The call box on the front of the building read “Pwei” at the top and a list of names beside all 20 apartments. Pwei to most would just look like some silly family name to people, but it was really an acronym. “People with Extreme Inconveniences.”, people like Luke and Marisa. A home for those with uncontrollable abilities that tend to ruin normal day to day lives.

Luke glanced over them all until he found his own name beside room 13 on the third floor, “Are all of these people like me…?”

“We just fill up the name slots so people don’t ask about renting rooms. There are only seven of us, well eight if we include you. Three of the rooms are for agents when they need to come and stay, the top floor isn’t rooms anymore, it was converted into an open hangout, and the last rooms are in case anyone else is found.”

“Can I know what all their abilities are?” Luke asked, scanning the names again. He of course didn’t know which were fake and which weren’t, other than himself, Karla, and Marisa.

“They’ll all tell you when you meet them. Let’s get you settled into your room first.” Karla pulled out her key and opened the front door, leading Luke in. They took the elevator up with the stuff even as Karla gave a small lecture about preferring the stairs the entire way. Luke tuned out most of it, even though it wasn’t that long anyway he didn’t feel like listening.

His room was left of the elevator, the door in view as soon as he turned. Marisa was already there, having beaten them up the stairs and waiting by the door patiently. The door was open, having been left unlocked since he was arriving today. Marisa made her was in as the other two approached and did a big, “Here we are!” gesture as they walked in.

“Thank you, Marisa.” Karla sounded a little amused by it, even though Luke didn’t really react. He was looking around at his new home instead. It was beautiful, laminated floors, light green walls with décor hung all over, a window looking out at the city, and a wide-open living room with a hall leading to the rest of the apartment. Best of all, not a single plant in sight.

“Do you want a minute to get settled?” Karla asked, setting down his box on the pristine looking coffee table.

“A-a few minutes would be nice.” Luke nodded at her and moved in more, making sure to kick off his shoes as he entered.

“Well I’ll gather everyone on the top floor, just come up whenever you’re ready. It’s movie night tonight, so we’ll be up for a while.” Karla informed him, moving past Luke to the door. Marisa smiled and nodded, moving with Karla, her feet not even making a sound as she walked. Luke just nodded at them, watching the ladies go all the way until the door shut, leaving him alone in his new home.

He immediately started to look around the place. It was more than he could have ever wished for. Everything looked new, and like it was designed just for him. He even had a TV and PlayStation, which he had to leave behind when he left, though not all the games from before. His room was far bigger than his one at home with more than enough shelving for everything he brought times two! He felt a bit giddy now, feeling far more optimistic about it.

When he had been told he was being moved to a secret organization he’d been expecting metal barred doors and tight security. This was living in luxury though, at least compared to the humble home he shared with two siblings and his mother. He moved all his stuff into the bedroom for later before moving out towards the hall. It had been a few minutes of exploring the apartment, and he didn’t want to leave everyone waiting for too long.

Luke moved to the elevator, paused as he remembered what Karla said, then started on his way up the stairs. This was he could also slip in undetected instead of having the elevator announce his arrival. Just slip in and get a look at everyone before they got a look at him, as if he were sizing them up for a competition.

He got to the top of the stairs and was met with a door. Luke paused for a few seconds, listening in to the voices on the other side for a bit. He couldn’t make out what they were talking about, but there were a few of them out there. He hoped the door wouldn’t be too loud when he opened it, or his idea of just slipping in would go out the window. He put his hand on the knob and pushed the door open slowly.

The door opened to a much wider space, the size of four apartments in fact. The stairs were in the middle, a small square in the center of the room that acted as supports and a cover for the staircase. To Luke’s right he could see a kitchen, much larger than the one in his apartment. It had three fridges covered in papers and magnets, two stoves, three microwaves, a coffee maker, one of those fancy pod coffee makers, more counter space than he knew what to do with… Pretty much anything anyone could want in a kitchen.

Currently in the kitchen he could see Maria, an apron covering his shirt and covered in flour as she rolled out some sort of dough. And beside her cutting up some apples was a young man who looked not a lot older than him. The man was chatting up a storm and Marisa, as she always had been, was silent beside him while working.

The other side seemed to be where all the bustle was happening. Luke tried to not let his jaw drop when he looked over. There was a huge flat screen TV with all the current consoled hooked up and a stereo system connected. Couches were littered all over there, as well as a ping-pong table, and a pool table. Everyone else seemed to be over there, but were all caught up in their own conversations, not hearing him come in.

Good, slip in quietly, just as planned. Luke nodded and closed the door behind him. Once he closed it someone called out, “Hey! The new guy’s here!”

The voice made Luke jump, looking for who had seen him only to realize they were above him. Floating weightlessly above him was a small skinny white guy, who gave a small wave before kicking off the wall towards the rest of the group. They had all turned to look at Luke now, he could feel his face getting very flushed at it all. Karla’s head popped up from behind the TV, “Well come join us then!”

He nodded and looked at the kitchen before meandering over to the couches where everyone else was hanging out. They all watched him, but the looks weren’t unfriendly, they were excited if anything. He took a seat cautiously on an unoccupied couch, everyone gathering around it in a sort of circle so he could see everyone. It was a fairly diverse cast of people, almost something you would see in a sitcom or some silly story.

“Usually when we get a new person everyone goes around and introduces themselves and their ability. Gives a good idea of how to act and what to watch out for. It’s a bit cheesy, but gets the job done. Assuming you’re fine with it.” Karla explained as everyone got there. He could feel most of their eyes on him, but Luke just nodded. He looked at the person next to him, who smiled back.

“Guess I’m starting then.” He looked quite a bit older than Luke, having a strange air about him that Luke couldn’t explain. He was bronze skinned with freckled all over and messily cut hair, Luke’s observations cut off as he spoke, “I’m Marlow, the accidental time traveler. If you couldn’t guess by the name, my ability is uh… I tend to accidentally travel forwards in time. Only forwards though! So if I disappear randomly don’t sweat it, should be back in a day or two.”

Next was a red headed woman, giving a slightly nervous smile before speaking in a loud clear tone, “I’m Sam… My ability… If you can call it that… I uh… Technology doesn’t work when it comes close to me. So uh… Be careful when you try and make a… Make a call around me.” She took constant pauses in her words, almost like it was a pain to talk. She was cute at least though, a firm athletic build below the locks of red hair she let hang down. She looked like the type of girl who would ignore him in high school, but Luke shook off the thought quickly.

Karla was next, grinning a bit, “You already know me, but what you didn’t know is I’m one of you as well. My ability is not aging, though we’ve yet to see how long I can go. Bet you couldn’t guess by looking at me I’m just nearing my 83rd birthday.” She gave a prideful smile, still not looking a day over 21 in her opinion. She was rocking it for a grandma.

“I’m the resident hothead.” The man next to her spoke up in a commanding tone, “I produce high amounts of body heat, my temperature is always high, and if you aren’t careful I may burn you. Oh, and my name’s Nick.” He was the guy who everyone looked up to in high school. Tall and muscular with dark black skin that made him stand out from the mostly white society Luke had grown up in. He felt a little intimidated, but the others just looked amused. Same even piped in, “He’s basically a walking radiator if the heat goes out.”

This got giggles all around the group, the folks all taking jabs at each other for a bit before calming back down to continue. Next was the floating guy, who’d been doing his best to stay in relatively one place while they spoke, “Hey! I’m Markus, the resident Nerd. Need any help with tech stuff and I’ll surely be able to figure it out. If you hadn’t noticed, I’m perpetually stuck in zero gravity, so I don’t leave the place much in fear of floating away.”

“There’s also Marisa, working off in the kitchen. She doesn’t usually join us for these, for obvious reasons.” Karla added in once Markus was done talking, gesturing to the kitchen, “She loves cooking too, so don’t be surprised if she randomly tries to push dishes onto you.”

Last person before him was a fair white skinned young woman. She looked nervous as well, and cleared her throat before speaking, making sure there was no hair in her eyes far too many times, “I’m Fleurisse, or Fleur for short.” She had a thick French accent, making her a little hard to understand, “Animals have an unnatural attraction to me, and try to protect me if they get too close. I don’t leave much either.”

Luke nodded a bit and looked around the group, who were all watching him now. He felt nervous again, despite all of them having just introduced themselves. He tried to speak up a bit louder, “I’m Luke… Uh… Thanks for having me. My ability is uh…” He held up his hands to make sure they all saw he was wearing gloves, “I kill and decompose organics at an exponential rate if I touch them, i-including people. So just be careful, a-and I’ll try to as well.”

It was out there now, his terrible ability. All he did was kill things, anything he touched really would slowly rot away. He could melt an apple to mere much by just holding it all day if he wasn’t careful. He looked at his shoes, expecting to get hateful glares and disapproving looks from all of them, but instead he heard a chuckle, “Not much of a hugger then I guess.” Nick teased a little bit.

“Would be great for compost day too, maybe use the stuff for my garden.” Sam said softly, smiling a little bit. Luke looked up at them, all of them exchanging looks and smiles, not seeming to mind at all. Karla was smiling at him, the sort of smile your daycare teacher gives you when everyone is sharing and being polite… It felt a little condescending, but she was right about everyone being nice.

“Don’t we have a movie night we’re supposed to be doing?” Fleur spoke up over the rest of them suddenly, getting a sort of half cheer from the group. They all moved closer to the TV, except Sam who kept her distance so she didn’t break anything. Markus tried to get to the TV first, but having nothing to really push off of well he just floated over mildly while Marlow rushed to the movies.

Karla stayed back with Luke, moving over to him and giving a pat on the back, “Settle down Luke, I think I almost see a smile.”

He felt his cheeks fluster up a bit, then sighed, “I just… I don’t know. This wasn’t what I was expecting. I-in a good way, but it’s a lot to take in.”

“You’ll get used to it after a bit, and I’m sure you’ll make friends. You’re welcome to leave as well, if you want to go meet people outside instead, just be careful.” She sat on the couch as well.

Luke smiled a little, though it wasn’t as hard to do so as it was in the car. He felt actually happy now, at least a little bit. It would take some getting used to for sure, but he had planned on moving out anyway, and this was a best case scenario. Karla got up to join the others, but Luke quickly spoke up, “O-oh, and I meant to ask. What about the guy who’s with Marisa in the kitchen?”

“Him? That’s agent K. He’s one of the government agents meant to keep sure we aren’t becoming a supervillain organization, cause we totally could and we would kick ass… Not that anyone has any plans.” She winked playfully, “Him and agent Kim drop in from time to time, as I said before. They’re both friendly as well, so don’t sweat it.”

He looked over again at the kitchen, then the other who were all getting set up for the movies. Karla started to walk, looking back with a playful grin, “Oh! And I hope you’re not a wimp. We’re doing a horror movie night!”

Luke hated horror movies, but he didn’t want to seem like a wimp now that he was called out on it. He let out a sigh and got up, moving closer to the rest of the group to see how he could help, if at all.

He ended up just playing table tennis instead, facing Fleur in a few rounds even though he was way better than her. She still seemed to be a good sport about it and it gave them time to chat. She told him about coming from France, her family planning to move to Canada already when the organization heard of her strange animal friends. She had to leave her family behind for secrecy sake, but they still met up every now and then since they just lived in Hamilton.

Luke in turn told about his family back in the middle of nowhere and how he had quickly become a small town phenomenon. They shared a laugh about how he was probably some urban legend who would be turned into a tourist trap to get people out there. The infamous “Boy with the death touch”! Most of them had stories like that he would find out later, after having their traces removed they became nothing but legends. The man who was on fire, the real life princess who animals loved, the levitating boy. To everyone else it was a huge fairy tale that brought people in, but to everyone here it was just real life.

All the while the room started to slowly smell like apple pie, fresh baked right out of the oven. He hated to admit it (And wouldn’t if she asked), but it even smelled better than his mother’s pie. His stomach let out a low grumble, making him wish he hadn’t skipped on grabbing lunch with Karla. They finally got the movie set up, having argued about it then fought over how to set up the speakers, despite Markus being right the whole time.

The group all gathered for the movie, at least most of them. It took her a few tries, but Marisa pegged someone in the head with a note that said, “Give me five minutes!”

And so, they delayed the movie further, everyone chatting with those around them again. They all seemed like good friends. Just looking at them like this you wouldn’t even think they’re strange… With the exception of Markus, who was quite obviously floating around. They looked like normal people trying to live normal lives, not crazy test subjects who’s day to day lives are altered by uncontrollable phenomenon.

They even made use of some of them, Nick proudly boasting about being able to pop microwave popcorn without a microwave. It wasn’t really an impressive talent, but it was amusing to watch a butt man holding onto a slowly popping bag of popcorn. He could do it at least, so his boasting about it wasn’t really misleading.

Marisa joined them by the time he was done showing off, holding plates of perfectly sliced pie a la mode for all of them, minus the ice cream for Nick. She got comfy beside Marlow, then the movie finally began as everyone started to eat. The pie was delicious, once again better than his mother’s (And once again he would never tell her that).

One movie turned into two, and two started into a third before Luke decided to call it a night. He wasn’t even unpacked, but he hadn’t been able to pull himself away from the people. He made his way sleepily downstairs and to the bed waiting for him. He slipped off the gloves and flopped into the warm sheets, not remembering much else before he was fast asleep.

He didn’t have an alarm that morning and had no reason to wake up, so he slept in until about noon. The sun was well in the sky when his eyes finally opened, a few moments of alarm racing through his mind before he remembered where he was. He sat up slowly and stretched out, scanning lazily through his suitcase for something else to wear. A pair of jeans and a t-shirt of a band nobody else had ever heard of.

He made his way over to the kitchen and opened the fridge expectantly, but there were only some basic ingredients here and there. He had enough to whip up some sloppy scrambled eggs, so he did so and pretended like he enjoyed them too despite being alone. He had a dishwasher, which was nice, and once all the dishes were loaded… He didn’t know what to do.

He wandered about the apartment again, taking a quick shower in the new looking bathroom, then sitting on the couch. Everything felt so new and different, and yet at the same time he had no idea what to do with himself. He flicked on the TV for a bit, then off again, scanned over games, put his stuff away, then finally decided to go out. He grabbed his gloves and made his way out and down the stairs slowly.

“And how do you plan on getting back in?” Marlow asked as e got to the bottom floor, “I’m going to take a swing in the dark and say Karla forgot to give you your keys.”

“I thought it would just be unlocked or something…” Luke said, pretending like he had thought about that at some point.

Marlow chuckled, seeing his expression and walking closer, “You’d get yourself lost anyway. Toronto is a big place, and you come from a small town right?” Luke just nodded a bit, “I can show you around, then we can get your keys when we get back huh?”

Luke just nodded in agreement again, moving out of the way so Marlow could go ahead, “So long as you don’t disappear on me.” Luke grumbled shyly, not sure if he wold take the joke or not.

To his relief Marlow chuckled, “I’ll do my best Lu- er, Luke right?”

“Luke.” He confirmed, heading out into the streets. It was a bit brisk for a fall afternoon, but Luke didn’t want to run back and get his coat, so he manned it out. He walked alongside Marlow quietly now, keeping his gloved hands in his pocket so people didn’t give him looks. Marlow had it lucky, or so he thought at least, since he didn’t have anything to make him different. He was just a regular guy, who occasionally warps forwards a few days. He reminded himself.

“S-so if it’s not too awkward for me to ask… When were you born? I mean like… How often do you move forwards.” Luke asked, trying to think of something to talk about with a total stranger.

“I was born in 1938.” Marlow said with a grin over at Luke, “Outlived all my siblings and scared my religious grandchildren into thinking I was some kind of demon, which is why I don’t age quickly.” He seemed to love telling the story, “Made it to all my brother’s weddings, and I’ve met all my nieces and nephews at least once. Time skipping ranges from time to time, and I can cause it intentionally if I want to. Got upset once and skipped fifty years, boy were my brothers surprised when this guy showed up at their door.”

“I don’t think I would even believe it if my brother showed up looking the same in 50 years…” He thought about it, not sure how that conversation would even go. He let it occupy his mind for a while before Marlow started to tell him stories of things he had seen over the years, mixed in with sights they passed along the way.

The Pwei house was closer to the edge of town, a little disappointing since Luke would have liked to see the CN tower, but Marlow assured him they could go out and see it soon anyway. He claimed they got something better anyway and gestured for Luke to come along. They passed the local grocery store, where they did almost all the shopping.

“Usually Marisa and Karla will do all the grocery shopping. It’s easiest for them since their abilities aren’t likely to be spotted. We tried to do a rotation before but ran into some complications with people. They don’t mind the company though, if you want to go along with them though, and you should be fine as long as you wear gloves, right?” Marlow explain, glancing at Luke while they walked by.

“It would pretty much only be for produce anyway, I only wither away organic stuff. I could help bring boxes and whatnot. And if I wore gloved then I would be able to help with all of it.” Luke confirmed, “And if I didn’t they would just be a little brown by the time we got back, so they could use them for baking still right?”

“Don’t ask me. I’ll burn anything I try to cook.” Marlow chuckled a bit, “Ovens are not my friend, and neither is coordination, a bad combo when you’re trying to make food.”

Luke couldn’t help but laugh at that. His father had been the same way, their mother or himself always being the ones to cook. Usually his mom, but he really did like to help out when he could. He didn’t claim to be an amazing chef or anything, but cooking was fun… Once again his ability got in the way though. He’d ruined many ingredients by accident, or messed up some dough when they had to knead it by hand.

“Gloves make it a little weird to cook for me, but I still do my best. So long as I don’t use my hands too much I can cook without them.” He pulled his hands out and looked at them, taking the gloves off for a few seconds. It did always feel good to remove them, especially out in the open air, but they had become a part of his life now. He felt nervous when he took them off, like everything would just fall apart in an instant now that he could touch things again.

Marlow looked at him for a couple seconds, then reached over and snagged the gloves from Luke’s hands. Luke wasn’t expecting him to try, and thus lost the gloves without much of a fight. He reached for them to take them back, but pulled his hands away so he didn’t accidentally hit Marlow. It wouldn’t be lethal if he did, but he wanted to be sure. He pulled back more, looking at Marlow with a mix of worry, annoyance, and a bit of anger.

Marlow looked at the gloves and put them in his pockets firmly, giving an almost fatherly smile to Luke, “You just said they were uncomfortable did you not? I don’t see why you’re so upset about me taking them.”

“Yeah I don’t like wearing them! But what if I-“ He lowered his voice, looking about at passersbys. Despite him raising his voice a little nobody seemed to have even glanced their way. All of them were occupied on phones or chatting with other people. He spoke again in a quieter tone, “But what if I hurt someone?”

“Do you plan on going around and shaking hands with everyone you meet? Cause they might not be open to the idea.” Marlow asked, giving a small shrug.

“Well no I-“ Luke started, but Marlow cut him off, “Yeah you got kind of the shit end of the stick with your ability, but you have to live a little still. I get you’re trying to not hurt anyone, but it’s not like one touch will kill them, right? And you don’t plan on touching too many people. Aren’t your hands feeling more comfortable out in the open?”

Luke looked down at his hands quietly, feeling the wind flowing through them. They felt a bit chilly now that they were out, but it was better than being in slightly sweaty rubber gloves. He didn’t want to admit Marlow was right to his face however, so he looked away and stuck his hands in his pockets. He glanced over at the grocery store, then turned his attention to Marlow again, who was just giving him a grin.

“If everyone was so scared of their ability nothing would be accomplished you know?” Marlow started again after a little silence, “If I was scared of people knowing about my time travelling tendency I wouldn’t leave the house, since I can’t control it, but here I am. Marisa can’t make noise, but she knows sign language and goes out all the time. Nick’s skin feels like a radiator, but he just makes hot puns and plays out in the snow all winter. Even Markus, who can’t leave the house without floating away. He took online courses and helps people with programming for commission online. Yeah the only people he can talk to in person is us, but he’s constantly on voice calls or chatting online.”

Marlow moved closer and put a hand on Luke’s shoulder, even though he had to reach up a bit to reach it, “Just because stuff decays at your touch, doesn’t make you any less of a person. We’re called people with inconveniences, not outcasts. You’re what? 19, 20? You’ve got so much life ahead of you still.”

Luke just stared at him the entire time, listening to the whole schpeal, then turning his head away. He felt like he would tear up a little, but kept himself from doing so since he didn’t want to look like a softie. He stared at the people walking in and out of the grocery store, completely unaware of the two of them, and what kinds of things they could do.

Marlow’s smile faded to a frown and he sighed, “Ah, shit… I’m sorry I- “

Luke looked over, not sure what he was apologizing about, but by the time he looked Marlow had vanished. He looked about for a second, then sighed. Apparently that was the time travel he was talking about. Luke had been expecting a little more of a show to it, but it made more sense for him to just pop forwards. At least he knew his way back on his own, but he wouldn’t know what Marlow was going to show him.

Perfect way to ruin an emotional moment huh? Luke chuckled a bit to himself and turned on his heels. He looked around once more as if expecting Marlow to just be back, but he was alone again. He didn’t feel lonely though, the speech leaving a slight warmth in him as he started to walk back. His hands stayed mostly in his pocket, only coming out to press crossing buttons. He still felt defensive about touching anything, even after the speech. It would take more convincing than that.

He got back to the house around three o’clock pm, realizing as he got there he didn’t exactly have keys to get in now. He stood at the door, then turned his attention to the call box. Fleur, Karla, and Marissa were his best options, but Marisa was ruled out for obvious reasons. He thought for a couple seconds, then tried Karla so he could ask for his own key at the same time.

It rang a few times, then she finally picked up, coming down to let Luke back in. She apologized a few times, then offered him the keys to his room. Luke looked at them hesitantly, then reached out and took them from here, expecting a comment on bare hands. Karla didn’t seem to mind though, rushing back up to her room to resume the call she was taking before she went to let him in.

Luke started on his way up to his room, then continued up to the hangout on a whim. After the heart to heart with Marlow he wanted to get to know people better, hoping someone was up there. If not, there was a better TV up in that room anyway he could use.

Upon entering the room he found Markus engaged in a round of some shooter game. The controller was wireless, so he could idly float around while he gamed. Luke came up quietly and sat on the couch close to him, not thinking Markus had seen him come in and just watching.

“Want to join in for next round?” Markus asked suddenly, making Luke jump a little.

“I’m no good at shooters, but I could play if you want me to.” He responded honestly, staying mostly focused on what was going in on game.

“We’d be playing Co-op, and I think I could carry you.” He gave a teasing grin at Luke before looking at the game again.

Luke nodded a bit in response, only half watching the rest of the game as a smile spread on his face. He thought about what Marlow said to him, looking down at his hands again. He hadn’t even said anything, and Markus was more than happy to let him join. Hell, he hadn’t even talked to him before. Just willing to accept someone like him, maybe just because they were one and the same but… It felt nice.

He joined in the game in a couple minutes, not being very good at it but the two still enjoying their time together. As time passed Fleur joined them for a bit, and she was far worse than Luke, but they still had a good laugh. Marisa came up at some point, none of them noticing until they could smell what she was cooking. Some sort of dumpling she wanted to try making and use the group of them as guinea pig taste testers.

He hardly even realized he was smiling the entire time, ever since the incidents in his home town he’d found it hard to even force one. Now it came naturally, spending the rest of the day with these complete strangers as if they’d known each other for years. Before they knew it, it was late. The small group upstairs parted.

Luke made his way back to his own small apartment, the smile not fading at all. He laid in bed before finally realizing the stupid grin on his face. It felt strange even to him, but not in a bad way at all. He closed his eyes, realizing he had found a place he could belong in, a place he could truly be happy. The smile spread on his lips once again and Luke slowly drifted off to sleep.

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