By animeninjaNIPPON
Nny looked at his younger companion. "I...I do care." He didn't realize it until he said so himself, but he did care. Because he did, he figured Squee was entitled to the truth. "When I care, and I know someone else cares for me back...then I have to freeze that moment."
"What do you mean?"
"When something beautiful starts..." Johnny stared down at his feet. "...I have to keep that moment in my mind...immortalize it. If I don't, it will deteriorate into something old and bitter. Like with Devi... I didn't kill her, and now we have nothing."
"You're...you're going to kill me?" Squee's voice got higher.
Johnny nodded. "I don't want to - but I have to...before you turn on me, too. You like me now, and I like you, and I want it to stay that way."
Inevitable tears slid down the small teen's pale face.
"But..." Johnny went on. "But this time, I don't have the motivation to do that. I can't hurt you. You're the one good thing left in this world for me. God, I sound like one of those songs they never stop playing in the Taco Hell..." When he picked his head up, Squee was standing in front of him, eyes still misty.
"I don't know what to say. I want to..."
"To what? To...leave?" Johnny's disappointment was evident on his face. "Then go...I won't stop you. I'll just obliterate what's left of my feeling. Then you won't have to be bothered by me anymore for Band-Aids and stuff." He sat down.
"No...I want to stay." Tears rolled down again. Squee sat down on the opposite end of the couch.
"Squee..." Nny reached out a hand to Squee, then pulled back in hesitation. Touch would ruin everything. "What's your real name?"
Squee smiled. "Todd."
"Todd." Nny smiled back. "I remember now...I like 'Squee' better."
"Me too."
Johnny leaned back against the couch, noticing that the television was off for a change. Suddenly, he felt something warm over his hand...
Squee had placed his hand over Nny's subconsciously. When he realized what he had done, he recoiled nervously. Instead of lashing out, Johnny tentatively reached out and gently brushed Squee's shoulder. "So, you want to stay with me?"
The younger of the two nodded. "Can I? My parents won't miss me, and everyone at skool hates me... Besides, I'm almost an adult."
Nny frowned. "That's not good...a kid's got to have an education..."
The rain outside beat against the roof and loose soil even harder than before.
"Well, I don't want to go out there again...it's cold...and now it's dark."
Johnny smiled again. "Well, we'll figure something out... As for right now...stay."
This wasn't the power of FEELING, of that Johnny was sure. At least, not in the way Rev. MEAT spoke of it. But wasn't it Rev. MEAT himself who said, "What's real can't die"?
Johnny closed his eyes. "This is nice..."
End of part fourteen
End of story
And that concludes Distant Proximity. I know, a little inconclusive...but it kinda leaves room for a possible sequel... Anyhoo, hope you enjoyed!
animeninjaNIPPON