𝐎η𝙎̶𝙇̶𝘼̶𝙐̶𝙂̶𝙃̶𝙏̶≛

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗬 ' 𝗥𝗘 ⠀ 𝙂𝘼𝙉𝙂𝙄𝙉' ᵁᴾ ⠀ 𝖮𝖭 ⠀ 𝑼͟𝑺͟.ᐟ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ 𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗟, ⠀ 𝗟𝗘𝗧 ' 𝗦 ⠀ 𝙂𝘼𝙉𝙂 ⠀ 𝘜𝘗 ⠀ 𝗢𝗡 ⠀ 𝑻͟𝑯͟𝑬͟𝑴͟.ᐟ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ “ 𝖢𝖮𝖬𝖡𝖠𝖳𝖨𝖢𝖮𝖭𝖲, ⠀ 𝘛𝘙𝘈𝘕𝘚𝘍𝘖𝘙𝘔 ⠀ 𝖠𝖭𝖣 ⠀ 𝗕͟𝗘͟𝗖͟꩜𝗠͟𝗘͟ ⠀ 𝐁𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐔𝐒.ᐟ ” ⠀

⠀ “ i’m— busy. ” ⠀

⠀ “ yes? ” ⠀

⠀ ( all of that sounds so awful. ) ⠀

⠀ “ what’s there to socialize about? ” ⠀

⠀ “ i believe it does. ” ⠀

⠀ “ i do go out. ”⠀ ( outside to smoke does NOT count. ) ⠀ “ you really don’t need to do any of that. i’m content. ” ⠀

⠀ “ i’m not lonely. ”⠀ ( rolling his eyes SO HARD before traveling over to take his seat back. leave it to vortex to assume so. ) ⠀ “ i read. maybe do some graphing or investment planning. you can trust i keep busy. ” ⠀

⠀ ( don’t feel bad for him. onslaught would choose to be alone 75% of the time anyways. a little quiet never hurt him once. ) ⠀ “ seems that way. ”⠀ ( they’re all big mechs— though brawl is questionable, so he’s not really concerned. ) ⠀

⠀ “ it’s fine. hadn’t seen you on the news so i figured all was well. ”⠀ ( spares a short glance and nod for the triple changer, pulling away from and stepping aside for the two to enter. ) ⠀ “ the others are— somewhere. ” ⠀

⠀ “ vortex. ”⠀ ( he knows this about her yet miraculously gets caught off guard by the gesture still, awkwardly patting her back. ) ⠀ “ what brings you out here? ” ⠀

⠀ “ DOOR. ”⠀ ( a moment of silence, glancing up after his call is unheeded. ) ⠀ “ SWINDLE. ”⠀ ( blinks, frowning deep beneath the barrier of his mask. crickets. ) ⠀ “ i’m coming.. ”⠀ ( he calls out, rising with a grunt and pulling the door open. ) ⠀

⠀ ⠀

⠀ ( playfully tugs at the covers, relenting after a moment and patting them back down. ) ⠀ “ very well. five more minutes. ” ⠀