Cliche Serotonin Ending(pt. 7)

CW: Language, that awkward misgendering/dead naming you gotta do around families if you're not out

*Note: This is part seven of my Cameron & Archer series. This series is officially named Always.

This story has a masquerade, not a global fashion event or a carnival ball. I hope that's still okay.

I leaned against the wall inhaling the air. The strange scent of hospital rooms. I'm done though. I thought closing my eyes. I can leave.. I heard chairs scraping against the floor. I look inside and gulp. The cop met me with the same look as the doctor. He set his hand on my shoulder. "You did something good, kid." He says quietly. 

"What do you think Vic would do?" I ask just as quiet. I felt his gaze turn to me. "If I didn't show up there.. What would have they done?" I ask looking at him. He does that sigh adults do, when they're not sure what to tell a kid. My gut twisted. 

"I don't know. But sh-.. They." He nods a little as he turns away. "They care a lot for their family." I comb a hand through my hair following after him.

"Right- I know that.. But you saw that video-"

"It's nothing like the Vic you know, huh?"

"No!" The cop sighs.

"Apparently it's quite common for Vic to be more.. Firm, when around their dad.." I felt like I saw something I shouldn't have. 

"You- you saw that." He shifts uncomfortably. 

"Sh-" He stopped, a little annoyed. "They, did nothing wrong. Self defense." I clenched my jaw, concerned. That only grew when he matched my expression. "Keep an eye on them. They're good- it's just.." He trails off, searching for a word. 

"Concerning." I fill in. He nods a little. 

"Don't think about the video, okay? You two are good, and we have proof of all Ivan has done." He says. We were walking now. "Dumbass boasted over everything in the damn thing.." He mutters. I glance at him, and at the door leading to the cafeteria. 

"What will the judge, jury and all that think about Vic?" I ask just before he opens the door. He pauses, doing that stupid adult sigh again. 

"I don't know. She-" He lets out a frustrated groan. "Habit-" He whispered to himself. "Is stupid." My eyes widen, but I act like nothing was said. "They didn't do anything, like I said, self defense." 

"So they're innocent?" 

"Should be. Ivan's lawyer might twist it some other way though, against Vic or Jack." I felt my hand sting, and notice I was scratching my hand. I quickly pull it away. Fuck off, anxiety. I yell at myself. 

The cop and I walk through the door, us both heading to the main room. Immediately I noticed Jack, Tenshi's dad. He quickly stood up, following the cop. I stayed there for a bit, watching them before heading over to where Jack was. I looked at the chairs and saw Tenshi fast asleep. I couldn't help but smile a little. I sat next to them before ruffling their hair. "Hey kiddo." I say softly.

"Hm?" They replied sleepily. They looked up, eyes still closed a bit. 

"Good rest?" When I asked this, their eyes shot open. I ruffle their hair before they lunged over the arm rests to give me a hug. "Ack!"

"Tsu-san!" I chuckle, hugging them back. Holy sh- I wince, ruffling their hair again. Apparently, they give really tight hugs. They pull away, standing up. I raise a brow as I watched them check my head and any other visible skin. 

"I'm okay, you know." I tell them as they checked the back of my head. I clenched my jaw as they touched a sore spot. 

"I know I just-" They stopped. I tilt my head looking at them.

"What's wrong-" I stop, standing up. "Hey hey-" I ruffle their hair, bending down to meet their eyes. "I'm alive, okay kiddo?" They looked at me, eyes still watery.

"You almost didn't make it." They whisper. My eyes widen. "I-..." They shook their head before wiping their eyes. I gulp, standing straight as they looked over to their dad. He just completed talking to that one guy. I let out a long quiet sigh, looking between Jack and Cameron. 

"What's today?" I ask. Cameron seemed to pause, thinking. 

"What is today?" They asked, heavily confused. My chest tightened. Just how long have I been out?

"It's the eleventh." Jack answered. "You kids ready to go?" Cameron blinked before nodding their head. I nod too, and the three of us head over to Jack's car. I stumbled to a stop, looking at Jack confused.

"Ca-" I stop. Fuck shit- "Tenshi told me you had a truck-" I said confused looking at the gray car. It was a hamster car- that weird little KIA. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Tenshi give their dad a look. I look at the two, watching them. Jack's shoulders drooped.

"It needs a new transmission." He muttered walking to the drivers seat. I opened the passenger's side for Tenshi. They rose a brow, nodding for me to go. I shake my head, nodding for them to go. They let out a sigh entering the passenger side.

"Okay- so who's car is this?" I ask closing the door, and opening the backseat door.

"It's my nana's." Vic replied. 

"Ah- that makes sense." I comment shutting the door before buckling. Jack looked in the rearview mirror before starting the car. A few minutes of strangely comforting silence went by before, naturally, Vic speaks.

"Can we listen to music?" Jack groaned, pulling out his phone. I rose a brow, watching the two. He pressed a few buttons on the car, where the radio would be. My eyes widen when I realize this car could only play music via Bluetooth. 

Jack handed over his phone to Vic, who happily searched something up as some random 90's metal band played. I watched the little dashboard, staring at the artist and song title. I glanced at them as they hit enter. I blink. Is this who I- I looked at the dashboard again. My eyes narrow in confusion. Since when did they listen to XXXTENTACION?- I thought thinking back to where we only knew each other by Tenshi and Otsutsuki. 

I nod, remembering one of their ex's. I lean back into the seat, staring forward as the song. I blink. It was SAD! 

I noticed Vic was leaning back, staring at the song like me. I chewed the inside of my lip for a moment before pulling out my phone. I've had it since the third test they've done. That I knew of at least. I thought, searching to see if anything interesting was happening in our area. "Do we have anything to do today?" I ask looking up at the two. I raise a brow hearing something much more, soft, playing. Sepha's Speak Thru Me was playing. I nodded a little.

"No. Do you have something planned?" Jack asked looking at me through the review mirror. I looked back at my phone, clicking on the link for more information. 

"There's a masquerade ball at eleven, at the Johnson Farm." I reply, looking up. Jack looked semi interested, and when I looked for Tenshi's thoughts, they were staring at me with wide eyes. I reel back. "Okay-" They turn to their dad.

"Canwegocanwego?" Jack laughed.

"What Victoria?" He asks looking at her. I tense watching the two. 

"Can we go?" They ask again and I relax. Alright. I shift a bit watching the two. Their dad was deep in thought before soon, he let out a long sigh. 

"Ask your mom." He says. Tenshi didn't wait, automatically they went to their dad's contacts clicking on their mom's number. 

"Now we wait." They said a few moments later.

I stayed near the entrance, watching Jack head into the kitchen and Vic to, what I assume, was a bedroom. The door was closed, so they knocked. "Auntie? Do you have some cash I could have? I'll pay you back." They say. I tense. 

"Tenshi-" They held a finger up, telling me to hush as they listened to their aunt's reply. A minute later the door opened. I blink folding my arms with a big inhale. Holy shit.  I did my best to stay hidden. Why is their aunt so- I stare at the floor.

"What're you doing?" Their aunt asked.

"They're going to a masquerade ball thing, apparently." Jack replied walking out of the kitchen. He had a bag slung over his shoulder. 

"They?" Their aunt asked, looking around. I tensed, seeing her gaze land on me. I meet her eyes.

"Hello ma'am.." I say quietly. Immediately Tenshi laughs.

"You don't have to say that Tsu." They say with a smile. Realization flashes across the aunt's face. 

"Well- I see.." She says going back into her wallet. "How much is the entrance fee?-"

"Ten per person." Jack answered. "I'll pay for-" He paused, looking up at me. My eyes widen. I've never introduced myself.

"Kasen." I reply. "I'd prefer Archer though." I say a moment later. Jack rose a brow. "It's my middle name: Archer. I don't like my father." I explain shoving my hands into my pockets. Awkwardness crossed his face, and immediately I knew where Tenshi got their lack of social skills from. 

He ends up nodding before heading over to the main part of the living room. I decide to look around the place. Two couches and a futon, along with various shelves filled of plants, and two tables each with a tank for a bearded dragon. I noticed there was a tank for another bearded dragon on the kitchen table. 

"Here's thirty." Vic's aunt said all of a sudden. Everyone stared at her, flabbergasted(so proud- I remember the day Tenshi reminded me of that word). "What?" She asked, shocked we were so surprised. "It's not that much, ten for the entrance fee, and then twenty for the two- oh.." She says digging through her wallet again.

"Auntie! That's enough- really-"

"Just pay me ten back, Vic." She says handing over another twenty. I looked at Jack, who looked much less surprised than earlier.

"Au-auntie.. You- fifty?" They asked with complete shock. 

"Ten for the entrance fee, forty for the two of you to spend on something nice for the event. Maybe some extra cash, who knows what'll be there?" I shift my weight a little. "It's okay, Vic- really." 

I glanced down at the outfit Jack helped me pick out. I shift a little, adjusting the tie. This is so uncomfortable.. I think to myself. This makeshift tux.. I wore black pants and suit jacket with a dark red button up shirt and a black tie. I frown looking at Tenshi. They wore black slacks, borrowed from their aunt, a white button up with tiny little stars(bought) and a cool black suit jacket. Their mask was white with various shades of gray feathers, reminded me of like an owl. 

They meet my gaze, quickly narrowing their eyes. I tense. They walked to me, motioning for me to lean down a bit. I did. I watched them do their magic with wide eyes. They loosened my tie and unbuttoned suit jacket. All the way. I stare at them. What they did was comfortable, but was so not formal. They looked back at me. "Don't worry." They say, reading my hesitation. "You chose a demon-esque mask, this'll work." I nod a little.

The two of us jumped hearing the sound of a car start. We look over just as that stupid little hamster car drove off. "Did he really just-"

"Don't worry, he'll come back. You said it ended at three, yeah?"

"P.M, Tenshi." I say looking at them. They merely blink.

"And? Let's go have some fucking fun, yeah!" They grin, grabbing ahold of my hand, immediately pulling me to the mass of people.

"Tenshi!" 

"What?" They ask with a laugh. I couldn't help but smile despite the crowd.

"Nothing." I say. I glance around. Everyone was dancing to classical music. I look at them. They were staring at everyone's costumes. "Do you want to dance or head over to the food table?" I ask, automatically searching for the food table. People stink. 

"Uh, let's do the food table.." They respond quietly. I nod, weaving through the crowd.

"Do you see the table?"

"No- can- hn.." I look down, seeing their nervous face. I wrap my arm around them. 

"It'll be okay." I scan the area. "Look- there's a clearing." I say leading the two of us there. 

"Thank you, Tsu-san." They smile. I roll my eyes, smiling. They chuckle. "So, how was the hospital stay?" They ask, poking my stomach.

"Eck!" More laughs. "It was alright. Mostly slept. Unless there was a test- there were so many-"

"Pft-"

"Seriously! You don't know how much…"