Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Ash.”

“Ash!”

“ASH–”

“WHAT!”

Ash opened his eyes to face the voice, irritated that someone had interrupted his rest. The last thing he could recall was Squiddo, practically sleep-walking, urging him to go to bed. It had gotten quite late, and the first day of university was right around the corner, but Ash ignored her, continuing to face his screen instead. He was regretting staying up for that long, his fatigue swelling into a mild headache. It didn’t help that Squiddo was now nagging at him.

“What do you want?” He snapped. You could tell at first glance that he hadn’t slept for long, the bags under his eyes a dark shade of brown.

“I told you to sleep earlier last night.” Squiddo sighed, looking at him with mild disappointment. “Staying up that long cannot be good for you. Anyways, it’s the first day of uni, you gotta get up.”

“I’ll just skip.” Ash buried his face into his pillow and shut his eyes, hoping to drown out her persistence.

“Come on, you can’t just skip out on orientation. Plus, I don’t wanna have to go alone. It’s scary out there.”

“I couldn’t care less about my impression on the staff,” Ash mumbled, annoyance still lingering in the air. “You’re not alone anyway; you have 4C and Cube. I’m off to sleep now.”

“Yeah, I do have them, but you’re also my best friend. And friends are meant to be there for each other, right?” She lets out a soft chuckle.

“Friends are also meant to be supportive, and right now, I want you to be supportive of the fact that I want to sleep.”

Squiddo rolled her eyes. “Come on, just this once.”

Ash doesn’t respond.

“Please, Ash.” Squiddo sat next to Ash and rested a hand on his shoulder.

Silence filled the room once more, before Ash begrudgingly replied. “Fine, I’ll go.”

Squiddo beamed, and she quickly wrapped Ash in a warm hug. “You’re the best.”

Minute stood at the front door of his apartment, his gaze anxiously switching between his watch and the door. “Hurry up, we’re gonna be late for the bus!” He called.

“You think I’ll need a compass, or does the campus provide those?” A voice called back, the sound of paper ruffling and stationery clattering faint in the background. His twin brother, Spoke, had only just started getting ready to leave, and was frantically packing his things.

Minute fidgeted with his hands. “Oh, for god’s sake, just hurry up or I’m leaving without you!”

“Give me like 30 seconds and we’ll be out of here!”

Minute sighed, glancing at the elevator light. “I’ll just meet you at the stop!” Before Spoke could protest, he began power-walking down the hallway towards the elevators, and pushed the button going down. As the hum of machinery signified its imminence, he pulled out his phone, noticing a couple notifications from Clown.

> on the bus yet?
> dont tell me you missed it on the first day

bro spoke’s taking years i just left without him <
elevator just arrived soo <
yeah i might be cooked <

> 💀
> imagine needing to wake up on time to catch the bus

you don't deserve that licence <

> wow ok
> jealous much?

stfu <
oh shit bus arrives in 1 minute <
catch you later <

> lmao good luck, see you later 🙂

As Minute put his phone back into his pocket, the elevator doors slid open with a ding. He immediately rushed towards the exit, almost tripping over a bystander in the process. “Sorry!” He called out, not checking to see if they heard him.

He bolted down the street, his heart rate picking up as he weaved between pedestrians and swerved around corners. Time continued to tick as he turned the last corner, almost slipping into the wall, and his stop came into view, the last passengers already boarding. He picked up his pace, willing his legs to move faster.

100 metres.

50 metres.

25 metres.

10 metres.

Minute stumbled onto the bus just as the doors closed, completely out of breath. A couple passengers turned to look at him, some stifling laughs. He fumbled around in his pockets before handing the driver a dollar, his legs barely able to hold him up. Trudging to the nearest seat, he collapsed into it, head laid back as he breathed a sigh of relief. I hope Spoke can somehow arrive on time, he thought to himself.

Reddoons got out of his car and began walking towards the main campus building. It was unmissable - a massive brick behemoth with imposing white pillars surrounding a lush green garden. He walked along the winding path through the garden, occasionally stopping to take in the scenery and the fresh air.

As he climbed up the concrete steps leading to his future, he spotted two familiar faces in the parking lot: a short girl with shoulder-length hair and pink glasses, wearing an orange sweater and jeans, contrasting heavily with the background greens. She was dragging a much taller guy in a purple suit, his signature streak in his hair of the same colour and a glitch on his left eye. Squiddo and Ashswag.

“Yo, over here!” Reddoons called out, waving in their direction.

Squiddo turned in the direction of his voice, her eyes spotting his bright red skin and hair, dressed in an equally red suit and donning a pair of sunglasses. He never seemed to take them off, even during the night, and they always piqued her curiosity. Continuing to haul Ash, she made her way up the stairs to greet Reddoons.

“God, I’m not doing this ever again,” Squiddo complained, her arms about to be pulled from their sockets.

“You want me to be here, you gotta put in the effort,” Ash remarked.

She gave Ash one last heave up the steps, before dropping him onto the concrete.

“Ouch. Zero stars.” Squiddo scoffed at his response, a playful smirk forming on her face.

“So, you guys made it! Didn’t think Ash would get out of bed today, I saw his messages from this morning. Three a.m. this morning, that is.” Reddoons chuckled.

“Begging can do wonders.” Squiddo shot Ash a smug look.

“Oh shut up. You should be more grateful that I even agreed to be here.” Ash protested, making himself comfortable on the ground instead of getting up.

Squiddo rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. “My gratitude was shown through me literally dragging you here.”

Ash sighed dramatically, and tilted his head back, admiring the clouds. “More like a disservice than a favour,” he muttered.

“Honestly, you two are just something else,” Reddoons said, shaking his head. “So, who’s ready for eight hours of explanations on the history of this place?”

“I sure hope it isn’t eight hours.” Squiddo replied.

“I hope it is. Great time to catch up on sleep,” Ash grinned.

Squiddo lightly punched him on the arm. “You’re impossible sometimes, you know that?”

“Nice work, Mrs. Detective.” Ash shot back, his voice filled with sarcasm.

“Hey, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two,” Reddoons chimed in, “like how to get more than three hours of sleep for once.”

“I would’ve today, if someone didn’t wake me up so early.” He shot a glare at Squiddo, prompting a laugh from her.

“Okay, okay, let’s at least try to stay awake,” Squiddo said, shaking her head but unable to suppress a smile. “For now, we gotta find the auditorium. Anyone got a map?”

“Right here,” Reddoons responded, pulling out his phone.

> where are you

idk tbh <
theres like this arcade nearby <

> ah i know where you are
> omw
> how’s spoke doing lol

i mean i hope he made it <
somehow <
orientation starts soon <

> btw you guys weren’t the only ones who slept in

for the record i wasnt the one who forgot to set an alarm <
i was waiting for him for like 20 minutes <

> some girl was dragging a dude like twice her size up the steps 🤣
> hilarious
> they kept arguing too

lmao i wish i couldve seen it <
I think i see you <

> oh is that you?

yeah <
wheres branzy <

> he’s on his way

alr <

Minute glanced up from his phone as the light turned green, spotting Clown weaving through the crowd. He stood out from the other pedestrians, with his red and black jester’s outfit and mask. He’d admit, he looked pretty terrifying for a simple college student. Then again, he couldn’t say much—a walking void with glowing white eyes in a suit isn’t something you see every day.

“Off to the campus we go then?”

“I mean…I’m not opposed to wagging orientation if that’s what you’re implying.” Minute could feel Clown grinning under his mask.

“No, of course not. Let’s just go, I’ll probably phone Spoke if he hasn’t arrived by the time we’re there.”

“Alright.”

The pair set off towards campus, with Clown leading the way. Minute had only arrived a couple weeks ago, and was still getting used to his new surroundings. Along the way, Minute inquired some more as to what happened when Clown arrived.

“Not much more than what I said. This girl with short brown hair and an obnoxiously bright orange sweater was dragging this, like, 6’3 man in a purple suit. Why do so many people wear suits nowadays anyway? Like, you wear one, he wears one, even some red guy atop the stairs wore one.”

“I mean, I didn’t know they were so popular. Never seen people matching those descriptions before. Also, a purple suit?”

“Purple’s a pretty colour, okay?”

“Are you just saying that because Branzy likes purple?” Minute playfully glanced at Clown.

Clown didn’t respond with words, instead giving Minute a friendly shove.

“Hah, knew it. So, anything else about these people.”

“Oh, actually, the tall one had like a glitch on his eye.”

“A glitch?”

“Yeah, it was like glitching and stuff.”

“Strange, never heard of something like that before.”

“Maybe you’ll see it once orientation starts.”

Spoke rushed down the hall and into the elevator, barely managing to squeeze in before the doors closed. Why hadn’t he just listened to his alarm? He was now going to be late, on the first day too. Once the elevator doors opened on the ground floor, a distressing thought crossed his mind. Minute was the one who memorised the route to campus. He didn’t know where to go. He pulled out his phone, hoping that Minute could tell him where to go, or that Clown would be kind enough to pick him up. Of course, his phone was dead. Great, just great. Of all the days I could’ve messed up, it had to be the first. Minute always has himself organised, why can’t I just be like him for once. Spoke stared into the dark screen of his dead phone, cursing under his breath.

“God, god, why am I so stupid today.” He muttered, burying his face into his palms.

“Hey, you alright?” a voice called from behind him.

He turned. In front of him was a bright blue humanoid slime, in what looked to be adventuring gear—a blue coat with shredded edges and black goggles perched on his head. Spoke didn’t have time to ask questions, though. He just needed to get to campus.

“No, actually, so I was meant to be at university right now, but my brother left early, and I don’t know my way around here. Can you please help me?”

“You also going to Evenshire?”

“Yeah. Can you take me there?”

“I’d be more than happy to. The name’s 4CVit by the way, but you can call me 4C.”

“Thanks a million. I’m Spoke.”

4C grinned, adjusting his goggles casually. “Don’t sweat it. I’m headed to Evenshire too. Let's get you there before orientation starts without you.”

In his rush, Spoke hadn’t been able to have a proper look at 4C’s attire. A white shirt under a loyal blue coat, the hem shredded, leather fingerless gloves, and a leather strap over his shoulder. Black goggles rested on his forehead, and white cloth resembling bandages wrapped around both of his upper arms. He was about to ask about the bandages, but hesitated, anxious that it would be a sensitive subject.

“We’re just gonna have to pick up a friend of mine on the way.” 4C informed as he closed the door and started the engine. They were off.

“You’re the boss here; it’s your car after all.” Spoke responded, still not believing his luck. “What’s his name?”

“Cube. One of the craftiest and most intelligent people I’ve ever met.”

After a while of silence, Spoke tried to break it with some small talk. “So, what’s Cube like?” he asked, glancing at 4C through the rearview mirror.

4C grinned, the light reflecting off his goggles. “Cube? He’s a genius, no exaggeration. He can figure out a puzzle before you even realise there’s a problem. Last I checked, he was trying to make a robot assistant.”

“Wow, that’s really impressive.” Spoke leaned back in his seat, mentally preparing himself for when he eventually meets Cube in person. “He won’t mind me being here, will he?”

“He’ll be fine. Just don’t let him talk your ear off about schematics or something.” 4C chuckled.

Just then, they hit a patch of traffic, the car slowing to a crawl. “How far is he?” Spoke asked, hoping to gauge how far his nerves would continue to bubble for.

“Not too far now, just a few blocks,” 4C said, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. “He’s usually waiting outside the café, you’ll easily be able to spot him.”

The cars began to dissipate, and they made it to the spot where Cube was waiting. 4C lowered his window, beckoning towards someone. He strolled over to the car and hopped in, glancing at the other passenger. With pure white eyes and void-like skin, reminiscent of his brother, a rainbow bandanna, and similar rainbow stripes all over his black hoodie, it was no wonder Cube tilted his head towards the stranger.

4C noticed Cube’s curious look. “Oh, that’s Spoke by the way. He happened to need a ride today, and he also lives in the same apartment we do.”

“Nice to meet you, Spoke, I’m Cube.” Cube extended a hand.

Spoke shook his hand awkwardly, feeling out of his depth. “Nice to meet you, Cube.”

Chapter Text

“Hey, uhh, Squiddo. You know how to read a map, right?” Reddoons glanced at Squiddo with growing concern as they wandered around the campus in circles. “We’ve passed this lab at least three times now.”

“Sure I do, don’t you believe in me?”

Ashswag peered at Reddoon’s phone, which Squiddo was using to bring up the map of the campus. “Dude, you’re holding it the wrong way around. Look, the school logo’s sideways.” He pointed to the school logo, which was in the bottom left corner, turned 90° anti-clockwise. “No wonder we haven’t gotten anywhere, you’ve been holding the map wrong the entire time!”

“Ah, but, th—” Squiddo stammered, her face reddening. She took a moment to collect herself, before replying with a sarcastic tone, “W-well let’s see how you do it then, smart boy.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever. Watch how you actually use a map.”

Amongst their bickering, Clown led Minute through the halls, spotting the trio in the process, an amalgamation of red, orange, and purple.

“Yo, wait, Clown.” Minute tapped Clown’s shoulder, glancing towards the colourful trio ahead. “Are those the two you mentioned—the one who dragged the other up the steps?”

“Oh yeah, that’s them. Looks like the red guy’s with them too.”

Reddoons heard that last comment, spinning around to face the two. “Have we met before or something?”

Clown started pacing towards Reddoons, weaving through clusters of students, with Minute following close behind. “Don’t think so, just that your two friends over here have caused quite the scene a moment ago.” He gestured towards them, who were still shouting at one another.

Red chuckled, shaking his head, “Ah, them. The pair really are something special. They're almost always squabbling, yet they remain the closest friends I’ve ever seen.”

Minute smiled, his thoughts drifting to his own sibling. “You sure they’re not long-lost siblings? Sounds a lot like my brother and I.”

“Hah, they might as well be.” The three turned to watch the possibly-related pair, still arguing over the map. “The name’s Reddoons, by the way. And who might you two be?”

“I’m Clown, and this is Minute.” Clown said as Reddoons gave both of them a firm handshake. “So, I assume you guys are a bit lost?”

“Yeah,” Reddoons admitted with a grin, “directions would be greatly appreciated.”

“Just go down that hallway there, take the second left, then a right at the end. The doors are massive, you can’t miss them.”

“Thanks, dude. I take it that you two are also coming with, right?” Reddoons glances at his watch. “After all, we’d better get some seats before the place fills up.”

Clown glanced at Minute. “You think Spoke can get here by himself?”

“I’ll send him directions, it’ll be fine.” Minute responded.

Reddoons looked a bit confused, but composed himself quickly. “Right, Squiddo and Ash, come on. We’ve got directions to the auditorium, thanks to these two here.” He gestures to Clown and Minute.

Ash had a bothered look on his face. “I wouldn’t trust them if I were you, especially that one.” He pointed at Clown’s mask.

“Oh come on, do we have anything else to go off of?” Squiddo shot back.

Ash sighed. “Alright, fine, but if we get murdered in a back alley, I’ve warned you.” Clown giggled a bit at that comment, with the other four exchanging concerned glances.

“Good god, Cube, I don’t think I’ll have enough brain room to actually remember anything now.” Spoke commented as they stepped out of the car. His nerves had calmed significantly after getting to know Cube, who wasn’t nearly as intimidating as he’d originally thought.

Cube laughed. “Well, don’t say nobody warned you. I’m sure 4C over here already introduced my tendency to talk until hell freezes over.” 4C chuckled, nodding in agreement

“Alright guys, it’s time to go find a seat before the place fills up. Just follow Cube, he’s probably memorised every inch of this place.” 4C glimpsed at Cube.

“You bet I did.” Cube replied, the trio setting off in response. Cube knew every twist and turn off by heart, and walked as if he’d lived here for his entire life and then some. They arrived at the auditorium in no time at all, pausing at the imposing doors before venturing inside to find a seat.

Spoke’s eyes quickly darted around. Although he was grateful for his new friends, he was still looking for the comforting presence of his brother. Meanwhile, 4C and Cube were also having a quick scan over the ones who’ve already arrived, hoping that, just maybe, Squiddo actually came early for once. Cube caught the purple streak of Ashswag’s hair in his sights, which he quickly recognised as belonging to Squiddo’s best friend and roommate. He pointed it out to 4C, and the two started heading towards their friends. 

4C noticed Spoke was still frantically looking for someone, and offered some comfort. “If you want, you can come sit with us until they finish whatever presentation’s going on. Then we’ll help you find whoever you’re looking for.”

“Yeah…sure, that’ll be nice. Thanks.” Spoke agreed. 4C noticed his hesitance, but decided against mentioning it.

“Not like you found us the way here.”

“I didn’t have a chance to, did I? You had all that time, and yet you couldn’t even figure out what direction the logo’s meant to be! Have you tried replacing those glasses with actual glasses?”

“No point in arguing, you two. We’re already here, it’s not gonna fix anything.”

“She started it.”

“I did not ! You insulted my map-reading skills.”

“Because they’re actually garbage .”

Reddoons gave up trying to create a truce between the two at that point, trying to tune them out instead. He looked around, spotting two people shuffling down the row who he recognised as Squiddo’s friends, 4C and Cube, a figure reminiscent of Minute trailing behind them. He gave them a wave, and 4C and Cube waved back.

Reddoons gave Squiddo a nudge. “Hey look, it’s the slime guy and, well, the colourful one.”

Squiddo looks up, her face a mix of surprise and excitement. “4C! Cube! You guys made it!” She ran up to both of them, almost tackling them to the ground with a hug. “Ash’s being a big meanie again.”

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

The two devolved into another argument, with 4C, Cube, and Reddoons collectively sighing.

heyyy <
where r u 😞 <

> sorry got a bit sidetracked
> coffee took too long lol

lol algs <
minute’s here too <
we dunno where spoke went <

> oh nooo hope u find him
> oop traffic’s moving again gtg

hey u better not be texting me while driving <
dont want you dying on me <

> haha dw ill be fine
> i might be late today
> see you later

oh alr <
cya later <

“Are you texting Branzy again~” Minute was now peering at Clown’s phone after noticing his wide grin and flushed cheeks under his mask, a playful smile plastering his face.

“Shut up Minute.” Clown gave him a slap on the arm. “Not like you know what it feels like to have a partner.” He mumbled.

“Pshhh, you gotta focus, can’t let something like love distract you.” Minute retorted.

“You’re just jealous you don’t have someone like Branzy.”

Minute was about to rebut his statement, but his eyes caught a flash of rainbow behind the newcomers. He quickly melted into relief as a closer inspection revealed him to be Spoke.

“Finally!” Minute exclaimed, waving his brother over. Spoke’s eyes widened, a grin forming on his face as he walked over to where Minute was and took the seat next to him.

Minute gave him a light punch on the shoulder. “Look who made me worry all this time after missing the bus.”

Spoke shrugged, grinning sheepishly. “Thanks for abandoning me, by the way.”

Minute chuckled. “I did warn you. Good thing you found some company along the way.” He nodded towards 4C and Cube, who nod back in greeting.

As more people streamed in through the doors, the group caught up on everything that had happened during the hour or two it took all of them to get there. The lights eventually began to dim, the doors shut, and the first speaker of the day stepped upon the stage.

“Life’s never gonna be boring if every morning is like this, is it?” 4C remarked.

Spoke shuddered a bit. “I sure hope this doesn’t happen every morning.”

Minute smirked at his brother. “Easy fix, just actually wake up to your alarm next time.”

“Hmm, yeah, sounds like a certain someone who needs a friend to tell them to wake up.” Squiddo glared at Ashswag.

Ashswag rolled his eyes at her comment. “You didn’t need to wake me up, you’re the one who was begging me to come.”

“All of you really are quite the disarray, aren’t you.” Cube observed.

“Well, hey, maybe we’ll meet some people who aren’t as much of a chaos bundle as you guys are.” Clown jabbed.

Reddoons had a brief look of wonder. “Hopefully. If you can meet this many in a day, surely you’ll eventually find some balance to your mayhem.”

As the presentation began to unfurl, they all exchanged glances, a shared sense of wonder and anticipation hanging in the air. For a moment, no words were needed. An unspoken promise had been formed right there—of trials, tribulations, and tons of shenanigans.

Chapter Text

“You know, this Clown guy doesn’t give me the best vibes. I mean just look at him, he looks like he skins people for fun.” Ash muttered to 4C. They were in the same orientation group, and Ash had much rather spend his time with someone his friend trusted than a potential serial killer. Clown simply stared ahead, humming a low tune.

“I mean, you can’t always judge a book by its cover. Maybe he’s a nice person. He offered to guide you to the auditorium after all, and you’re still in one piece.” 4C whispered back. He was annoyed at how Ash was acting, already attributing personalities to a person he hadn’t even spoken to. Still, he could see where he was coming from. There was an undeniable creepy aura around Clown, one that even 4C found hard to ignore. Despite that, he tried keeping himself open-minded.

Ash scoffed. “He could’ve just been in a nice mood, or because that Minute guy was there.”

“Y’know, it’s not nice to assume someone will murder you just because they wear a mask.” Clown turned to face Ash, the wide grin on his jester mask freaking him out.

Ash jumped at the comment, while 4C’s face morphed into one of alarm. Ash stuttered, looking for an excuse to please him, “Uh- I didn’t- it was just- I swear-”

“No no, it’s fine. I get impressions like that all the time, used to it at this point.” Clown’s voice was unsettlingly cheerful, making Ash’s hair stand on end. The mask further intensified his unease, its grin almost predatory.

4C, sensing the tension, attempted to defuse the situation. “Ash didn’t mean any harm! We’re, uh, just nervous meeting other people, that’s all!” He tried to flash an apologetic smile.

Clown considered it for a moment, before chuckling. “Relax guys, I’m not one to hold grudges.” He leaned in closer, sending shivers down their spines. “At least, not grudges like these.”

Ash swallowed hard, and managed to utter a shaky laugh, trying to play off his discomfort to no avail. Clown straightened, seeming satisfied, and continued to act as if nothing happened. 4C exhaled slowly, and Ash shot him a look. 4C whispered again, his lips barely moving, “Let’s just, not mess about and find out around him.”

Ash nodded, before straightening back up, trying to build his confidence back up and get rid of the lump in his throat. How does Minute even manage with this guy , he thought to himself.

The tension hung in the air even after Clown turned away and resumed his humming. Ash tried to compose himself, fiddling with the hem of his suit as if it might calm him. It didn’t.

“You okay?” 4C leaned in, concern filling his voice.

“Yeah yeah, I’m fine,” Ash mumbled, letting out a forced laugh. “Just a bit startled, that’s all. I mean, who even talks like that?”

4C frowned. “He’s…unique, that’s for sure. But maybe he’s just trying to be edgy. You know how some people are.”

Ash shook his head, unconvinced. “This doesn’t seem like someone still in a high school phase.”

The group continued to move through campus, the guide’s voice droning about various traditions and landmarks. Ash found it too hard to focus, so he took another peek at Clown, only to find him already staring back, a wide smirk on his face.

Cube didn’t know anyone in his orientation group, but he didn’t mind too much. As the guide explained the history of the university’s layout and buildings, Cube hung behind everyone else, his mind already wandering to the projects waiting for him back home. Perhaps some optimization was due, or he could rewrite a program in another language again. He had a plethora of trinkets he’d been working on over a couple years at this point, none of which were finished. Some require minor tweaks, others missing major components that he didn’t exactly have the time for. 

As the guide’s voice faded into the background, Cube’s hands itched for something to do. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out an electronics kit. Although basic, it could still keep him entertained during times of boredom. He sat down on the wall behind him, and started meticulously arranging the components. He wasn’t going to make anything too complex, just something to keep him entertained. While the others laughed at something the guide said, he was engrossed in the small project, completely tuned out from the outside world. His flow was briefly interrupted by an outside voice, appearing to be directed at him.

“Hey, what’re you building?” he asked. Cube could make out a hint of curiosity.

He glanced up at the voice. “A vehicle of sorts.” he replied, polite but quick, before returning to his work. He doubted he was actually interested; most just got a quick insight of what he’s doing before moving on to something else. A brief feeling of doubt washed over him. How many times had he treated his projects the same way?

The onlooker didn’t leave immediately, instead lingering around Cube some more. Actually curious, lonely like he was, or just deciding if he was worth his time, Cube’s mind started detaching from the project and towards the fact that someone hadn't immediately left after a word or two. He had a moment of fiddling without accomplishing much, his mind distracted.

“A vehicle? All I really see is a fan, is it meant to fly or something?” His head tilted slightly. Cube couldn’t help but notice the way he leaned forward, as if drawn in by the mess of wires, motors, and resistors laid in front of him. It was unusual for him, seeing as most people just glanced over before dismissing it entirely.

A small nervous laugh escaped his lips, “Well, I guess hovering is a form of flying. I’m trying to scale down hovercraft technology. An all-terrain RC sounds useful.” Cube was unprepared for an actual conversation. 

He smiled and sat down next to him, his blue eyes fixed on the contraption. Cube dared a real look at him. He had short brown hair and wore grey jeans with a slate shirt. Over the shirt was a yellow and orange chequered gilet with a blue hood, and yellow pads were perched on his shoulders.

“An all-terrain RC, huh. What’ll that be used for?”

“Recreational purposes most likely. Delivery of goods across uneven or non-solid ground could be another.” He was slowly easing into his speech patterns with his friends, his focus diverting towards the stranger instead of the electronics.

“You ever thought of attaching instruments to the end of this thing? This could totally revolutionise tasks like the surveying of marshes or glaciers. The fact you’re making it out of something I could probably buy from the store too, that’s amazing!”

Cube’s face felt a sudden rush of warmth, and he couldn’t help but feel a spark of pride. It wasn’t every day that a stranger appreciated his ideas. “Eh, I haven’t even tested this one out yet. If you think this is impressive, you should see some of the other things I’ve created.”

The guy’s face morphed into one of surprise, his eyes still sparkling with interest. “There’s no way you can get better than this with basic kits from a tech store.”

“Oh, but they aren’t made of kits. I’m talking chemicals, programming, steel, the lot!” Cube’s voice began to rise in excitement, mostly at the prospect of sharing his interests with another person.

“You definitely need to show me these projects of yours one day, they sound amazing.”

“I’m glad you're interested. My name’s MrCube6, by the way, but you can call me Cube.”

“I’m Rekrap, but you can just call me Rek. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.”

The duo looked back up as the guide wrapped up her lesson and began leading the group towards another section of campus. Suddenly snapping back to reality, Cube quickly stuffed another half-finished project into his bag and followed after the group, with Rek right behind him.

Apart from pointing out the occasional landmark, Minute and Reddoons walked together in silence. Although they were grateful they weren’t in a group alone, they both also quietly wished they’d been paired with someone a bit more familiar. Someone they hadn’t just met a few hours ago.

After several quiet steps, Reddoons cleared his throat, looking to break the awkwardness between them. “So…you’re Minute, right? I assume you’re friends with that Clown guy.”

Minute nodded, his eyes fixed forward. “Yeah, you were, uh, Reddoons? The one keeping the orange and purple guys in check.”

Reddoons formed a light smile. “No other choice. They’d go on forever if I’m not there. Thank the heavens they’re in different groups.”

The two shared a chuckle, amused at the thought of Ash and Squiddo bickering for all eternity. For the first time since their tour started, Minute felt a bit more at ease.

“Tsk, I can’t believe they’re actually best friends,” Minute said with a chuckle, “You’d think the world would’ve burned down by now if they were allowed more than 5 minutes of interaction without someone like you to stop them."

“You never know,” Reddoons replied with a shrug, “There’s a big difference between friends and best friends. I’m sure that, deep down, they actually really care about each other. I mean, it seems like Ash genuinely listens to Squiddo, even if he’s trying to hide it under a sarcastic facade.”

Minute raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “You really think so?”

Reddoons nodded. “I mean, Ash is known for being a bit rebellious at times, but when Squiddo asks, even if it takes a while, he always listens. Of course, he never makes it easy for her. I assume you witnessed what happened this morning."

“I’ve heard details from Clown.”

“Ah, okay. You gotta understand though. Squiddo is like 5'4, Ash is 6’0, and she looked like she wanted to die by the end. If that isn’t dedication, I don’t know what is.”

“Again, sounds just like me and my brother.” Minute replied with a smirk.

Reddoons laughed. “Actually, speaking of which, what’s your brother like?”

“Honestly, you might see him as a little shy kid right now, but trust me, he can get very annoying at times. It’s like I can’t even walk into my own room without him dropping a bag of flour on me.”

Reddoons chuckled, picturing the scene. “He sure sounds like a handful to deal with.” He paused, lost in thought for a bit. “But hey, I bet you’d do anything for him, right?”

Minute’s expression softened, just for a moment. “Yeah, I would, even if it drives me crazy sometimes.” He glanced ahead. “I don’t know, I just feel like he’s…my responsibility, you know? I often feel like I’m the one making sure he doesn’t get lost.”

“I see,” Reddoons said, his voice quiet but understanding, “I mean, I’m sure he notices and appreciates the effort. Maybe he’s even trying to be like you. Point is, you’re definitely both his role model and the most important person in his life.”

“Maybe,” Minute replied thoughtfully, “Hopefully. It’s hard though, being the one who’s meant to have everything figured out.”

“Maybe you could talk to Squiddo about something like that someday. She’s actually also Ash’s roommate, and looking after him can certainly qualify as the thirteenth labour.”

Minute chuckled at that comment. “Yeah, sounds about right.”

Reddoons grinned, his tone lightening. “If anyone knows how to take care of a difficult person, it’s her.” He glanced over at Minute. “You might find it helpful to share your experiences with her. You never know, maybe she’s going through something similar.”

Minute thought for a moment, a bit hesitant  “I mean, sure, maybe I’ll try it. The problem is…we haven’t even met yet. I don’t really know how to talk about it, you know?”

“I get that. If you want, I can set up a meeting for the two of you or something. Having someone who understands can really help. And remember, you don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be trying.”

Minute nodded, the thought lingering in his mind for a bit. Maybe he really should talk to Squiddo about it. Maybe she really was going through the same with Ash. Maybe, just maybe, he could get some help figuring this out.

Chapter Text

“So, how’d it go for you guys?” Minute, Spoke, and Clown had trailed off to find Branzy, leaving Reddoons, Ash, Squiddo, 4C, and Cube behind. Rek had also waved goodbye before heading off to get lunch with some friends. “It was super boring being by myself, you know.”

“Oh, everything went swimmingly. Isn’t that right, 4C?” Ash nudged 4C in the arm, before being met by a look of confusion.

“Yeah…yeah…swimmingly…” 4C stammered, clearly caught off guard. He tried to play along, but Reddoons caught his hesitance anyway.

“Ohhh, you guys were with Clown, right? Come on, the guy isn’t that bad.”

“Keep saying that when he’s busy tearing your heart out,” Ash shot back, “We’ll see who gets the last laugh after that.”

“What, is a little clown mask too scary for you?” Squiddo mimics a clown honking its nose.

Ash scowled, crossing his arms. “Real mature, Squiddo.”

“Oh come on, you’re the guy scared of a bit of plastic stuck to a guy’s face. It’s honestly hilarious.” She grinned, earning a string of muttered curses from Ash as Reddoons tried and failed to stifle a chuckle.

“Guess we know Ash’s weakness now. Shall we invest in some jester decor for his dorm?” Cube chimed in.

Ash shot him a glare, but even he couldn’t suppress a slight smile tugging at his lips.

“Well then,” Reddoons interjected, “I suppose we should also go get lunch. Can’t last the rest of the day on an empty stomach now, can we?” The rest of the group nodded in agreement.

“There’s a café just down the road, right? Let’s just head there.” Squiddo suggested.

“Alright, but try not to annoy all the other customers with your…shenanigans”

“No promises.” Squiddo replied with a wink, leading the way as the group set off for food.

“You know, this uni isn’t so bad after all.” Pentar remarked, his words muffled by the egg sandwich he was still chewing.

“Dude, eat with your mouth closed, come on.” Jumper chuckled, a slight hint of seriousness in her voice.

Pentar grinned sheepishly, covering his mouth with his free hand. “My bad,” Pentar mumbled, swallowing hard.

The cheerful jingle of the café’s bell interrupted their exchange. They both glanced towards the door as Rek stepped in, his face lighting up after spotting them.

“Well look who decided to show up,” Jumper greeted, leaning back in her chair. “How’s it been, Rek?”

Rek gave a casual wave as he strolled over. “It’s been pretty good, actually. I met the next Einstein, too.” He plopped himself down next to Pentar.

“Next Einstein? Come on, stop playing.” Pentar snorted.

“No kidding. He’s busy building a whole RC hovercraft during orientation . Like this is what he does when he’s bored.”

Jumper blinked, clearly intrigued but skeptical. “What, like a party trick?”

Rek leaned back, a smug grin forming on his face. “I’m dead serious. He had his whole electronics kit laid out like it was no big deal. Wires, circuit boards, the works. And when I asked about it, he went off explaining the mechanics like he’s been doing this since he was born. His name was Cube, by the way. You know, the rainbow-headed guy in Group 7?”

“The one in the grey hoodie? I guess he did kinda have that vibe radiating from him in the first place,” Pentar commented. “Honestly, casually building that in the middle of orientation? Respect.”

Jumper laughed, shaking his head. “Man, and I can’t even build IKEA furniture without breaking a sweat.”

“Honestly, that man is something else,” Rek said, reaching over the table to grab a menu. “I should introduce you guys to him, he seems pretty cool.”

Jumper smirked, resting her chin on her hand. “Yeah sure, why not? Maybe he can help Pentar build a shelf without turning it into modern art.”

“Hey!” Pentar protested, mock indignation in his voice. “It didn’t turn out that bad.”

Rek snickered, flipping through the menu. “Right. Because you’re meant to insert the screws perpendicular to the shelf, not parallel.”

Pentar rolled his eyes at the reference. “Alright, alright, I get it. I’ll give him a shot if you bring him around.”

“You’re gonna regret that after he starts to explain how quantum physics relates to the construction of a desk.” Jumper teased.

“Probably,” Pentar shrugged. “It’s better than having to spend another six hours with an Allen key.”

Rek grinned, glancing at the counter. “Well, let me know if you wanna meet him. Meanwhile, I need coffee. This place smells too good to ignore.”

As Rek was ordering, the bell jingled again, a blend of colour catching Pentar and Jumper’s attentions as 5 figures strolled in.

“Hey, this place is pretty cozy!”

“Dude, keep your voice down, nobody wants to hear it.”

“Oh my god, I seriously can’t with you two.”

The group sat down in the booth next to Jumper, with Squiddo glancing around before swiping a chair from a nearby table, setting it on the end with a satisfied grin.

Ash leaned back in his seat, his head tilting to one side as he gave in to his exhaustion. Squiddo immediately seized the opportunity, leaning forward to make exaggerated faces at him, her giggles barely muffled by her hands.

Meanwhile, 4C and Reddoons huddled over a menu, debating over what to order. “What about this?” 4C asked, pointing to an item. “It sounds good.”

“Isn’t that just glorified toast, though?”

“I mean, when you put it that way, I guess.”

Cube sat in the corner, having already decided on what he wanted. He attempted to tune out the commotion around him, before getting his concentration shattered when Ash, half-asleep, suddenly slumped sideways onto Cube’s shoulder.

“Wha–!” Cube jolted upright, a panicked expression on his face, drawing laughter from the rest of the group. Ash, unmoving from his position, mumbled something intelligible.

“I guess your shoulder makes the perfect pillow for Ash.” Squiddo teased, leaning back in her chair with a grin. Cube groaned, but the faint hint of a smile betrayed his lips as the group burst into laughter once more.

“Looks like you guys have seen Cube already.” Rek gestured to the booth next to them as he slid into his seat.

Pentar leaned back, crossing his arms. “I mean, he hasn’t done anything crazy yet.” Then, with a nod towards the commotion, he added, “By the way, are those the purple and orange guys from this morning?”

“Word really gets around, huh.” Jumper remarked with a raised brow.

Pentar shrugged. “I mean, when something like that happens, it’s not surprising it does. Sounds like an everyday event for them, though.”

“Hear that Ash? Your laziness made you famous,” Squiddo poked, followed by another round of laughter.

Ash sighed, breathing a curse under his breath before collapsing onto the table. “It’s called better time management,” a muffled voice muttered from his arms. “Not like you guys would understand.”

Jumper turned back towards Pentar and Rek and huffed, an amused look on her face. “So this is who Einstein hangs out with?”

“It’s pretty strange, isn’t it.” A new voice chimed in.

The trio glanced over as 4C turned to face them. “Someone like him with so much potential really shouldn’t be around idiots like us. But hey, even a genius needs comic relief, right?”

Jumper chuckled. “I dunno, sounds like comic relief is a full-time job within your group.”

“Hey, if this was our full-time job, we wouldn’t need to be at Evanshire,” 4C shot back with a grin, drawing scattered chuckles from the others.

“Have you guys finished ordering yet?” Cube asked, still slightly embarrassed over the incident.

Red glanced from the menu. “We can’t think at the speed of light like you can, Cube.”

“Come on, it’s been at least ten minutes. Orientation will start again before you finish.”

“Relax, Cube, we’ll be fine.” Squiddo leaned back in her chair. “Some of us need to savour the options, y’know? Mr I’ll-have-the-first-thing-I-see-on-the-menu.”

“Or,” Cube rebutted, “you just don’t know how to make a decision.”

4C turned back around, hands raised in mock surrender. “Hey now, we don’t want to ruin the vibe of this place now, do we? What if we just…pick something random and call it a day. You never know, it might surprise you.”

“You’re just gonna pick toast.” Ash murmured, now slumped on the table.

“Hey, you can’t tell me this doesn’t look good!” 4C defended, pointing at the menu.

Ash gave him a skeptical look, and Squiddo leaned over to peek. “Huh. You might actually have a point. I’ll also have that, then.”

“See, problem solving at its finest.” 4C declared proudly.

Cube groaned, resting his face in his hands. “You’re all hopeless.”

Reddoons chuckled. “You’ve gotta admit. Hopeless people are great to be around.”

“That’s…debatable.” Cube replied.

“Alright, alright, let’s just order before Cube combusts.” Reddoons said, signalling a waiter.

The group gave their picks, a mix of indecisiveness and impulsive orders. As the waiter left, Cube sighed and pressed his hands against his face again.
“Finally, we can stop embarrassing ourselves in public.” he muttered.

“Personally, I think we’re making this place more interesting.” Squiddo corrected, a self-satisfied grin on her face.

“Yeah.” Ash added lazily, his head resting on his hands.

“Like you’re doing anything,” Cube shot. “You could be dead and that wouldn’t make a difference.”

Ash tilted his head, his expression half-amused, half-indifferent. “And you’re the one who’s all about efficiency. I’m saving energy .”

“You don’t seem to be very efficient, taking all that time just to order fancy bread.”

“Relax,” 4C chimed in. “This is called bonding time.”

“I’d rather be in actual bonds.” Cube joked.

Reddoons chuckled. “At least this is pretty fun.”

“That’s an optimist’s way of thinking. I’d say this is more of a test of patience.”

“Patience builds character,” Squiddo smirked. “We’re doing you a favour.”

“Somehow, I doubt that.”

The arrival of food interrupted their exchange. As the waiter placed their plates on the table, the aroma of fresh dishes replaced their banter.

“Alright, no complaints now.” Reddoons said, picking up a fork. “Let’s eat and make it back in time for the second half.”

The group dug in, their earlier chaos turning into a mix of chewing and the tapping of ceramic, with the occasional playful jab mixed in. Even Cube, for all his grumbling, couldn’t help but feel a sense of ease settling in.

“That slime dude wasn’t lying, huh?” Pentar murmured.

Rekrap let out a quiet laugh. “And to think one of them is Cube.”

Chapter Text

The second half of orientation started off uneventful. Pentar recognised Reddoons in his orientation group, connecting him back to one of the figures in the cafe earlier. Rek continued to converse with Cube, who was still recovering from the embarrassment after the incident. Jumper endured another lecture from her guide. At least Derap and Pentar’s texts kept her entertained.

Derapchu
> haha how’s school

boring asf <
better than being sick tho <
how are you feeling<

> like shit
> i don’t think i can make it for the rest of orientation

seriously? <
dude you should see a doctor <

> nah i’ll survive

Pentar
> bro jumper pay attention to your guide
> this is important information

you can’t say anything you aren’t even here <
this is too boring <
i’m actually gonna start playing minecraft at this rate omg <

Derapchu
> 💀

Pentar
> it can’t be that bad

bruh <
where’s rek <

> probably talking to cube

Derapchu
> who’s cube?

new guy rek’s obsessing over <

> lmao ok

Rekrap2
> hey man not cool

Derapchu
> AHAHAHA

Pentar
> LMFAO

whoops <
sorry rek <

Jumper chuckled, slipping her phone back in her pocket. Her friends certainly made this more bearable.

Her guide clapped her hands, signalling the end of the session, and her group shuffled to the next station.

Along the way to the next activity, Jumper passed by another orientation group. Not paying much attention, she jumped suddenly when a hand grasped her wrist, pulling her out of her group.

“Oi, what are you-”

She looked up at the perpetrator, meeting the gaze of yellow-pink dichromatic glasses.

“Hey, you’re that girl from the cafe, right? What’s your name? J…J…Ju…”

“Jumper.” Jumper interrupted.

“Yeah, Jumper! That’s the one! What’s to say we go explore this place? I’m about to die of boredom.” Squiddo pointed her thumb behind her.

“I mean…I’m not sure…What if we get caught or our guides realise we’re gone?” Jumper looked slightly nervous at the suggestion, but a part of her wanted to get out of here.

“Pshhh, don’t worry about it!” Squiddo waved a hand dismissively. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it!”

Jumper glanced towards her group, then back at Squiddo. She had to admit, the idea of ditching was tempting. Before she could fully process her decision, Squiddo tightened her grip and yanked her towards the nearest doorway.

“Wha–Dude–”

Jumper barely managed to catch the door frame as they slipped inside, the drone of orienteering fading out behind them. She stared into the dimly lit hallway ahead of them. They definitely weren’t meant to be here.

Jumper swallowed. “So, uh…now what?”

Squiddo’s grin widened.

“Now? Now we find something interesting.”

Pentar heard a ping coming from his pocket. Pulling his phone out, his face suddenly turned into one of shock, before a smile formed across his face as he attempted to stifle laughter.

“Isn’t this one of your friends?” Pentar showed the messages to Reddoons, a giggle escaping his lips.

Jumper
> @Everyone
> GUYS PLS HELP US
> SQUIDDO GOT US LOCKED IN A STORAGE CLOSET
> [A picture of Squiddo sitting cross-legged on the floor, a massive self-satisfied grin on her face]

Derapchu
> im sorry what

Rekrap2
> holy crap
> dude how

Reddoons groaned and immediately buried his face into his hands. “That girl, I swear.”

Minute, who had been absentmindedly scrolling his own phone, peeked over Reddoon’s shoulder, before he burst out laughing. “Dude, is she always like this, or is today her special day?”

Reddoons gave him a flat stare. “This isn’t even the worst she’s done.”

“I feel sorry for you, man.” Pentar pat Reddoons on the back.

Jumper
> GUYS THIS IS SERIOUS

Rekrap2
> how tf did this happen

Jumper
> SHE SAID ‘TRUST ME’ AND I WAS A FOOL

how long do you guys think you can last in there - reddoons <

Jumper
> IDK SHE SAYS SHE HAS SNACKS

we’re coming to get you lol <
squiddo when the day ends im killing you - reddons <

“Does this mean we’re sneaking off now?” Minute quipped. The three were now huddled over Pentar’s phone, with Reddoons cursing under his breath.

“I guess so.” Reddoons reluctantly pulled out his phone, dialing Squiddo over Facetime. The phone didn’t even get to ring twice before her grinning face filled the screen.

“Heyyy, what’s up?” she greeted, stuffing a handful of chips into her mouth.

Jumper shoved herself into frame. “Help us! The storage closet locked on us!” she shrieked.

Reddoons exhaled sharply. “Where exactly are you?”

“I dunno, th-uh…” Jumper pulled out her map. “Block 307, I think!”

“Relax, man. We’ve got enough snacks to last a couple hours.” Squiddo spoke through a mouthful of chips.

“We are not leaving you in there for a couple of hours.” Reddoons responded, visibly restraining himself.

Pentar laughed. “Alright, alright, hold tight. We’re coming to get you guys.”

Rekrap2
> you guys need help???

Jumper
> idkkk pentar said hes coming with reddoons and minute

Derapchu
> sounds like youve made a bunch of new friends

Rekrap2
> wait minute goes here?
> dude haven’t seen the man in years

huh <
what’re you guys talking abt <

Jumper
> old friend

“You know Jumper and Rek?” Pentar asked as the three hurried off, careful to stay out of sight of any guides or staff.

“Jumper was an old friend of mine. We haven’t talked in a long while, though.” Minute replied, a look of reminiscence washing over his face. “This sure is one way to meet her again.” He chuckled. It wasn’t long before they reached the building, the dark, empty hallways filling them with a sense of unease.

“Can you knock on the door?” Reddoons asked, being met with a faint thudding echoing from down the hall.

Pentar pointed. “Over there.”

The three rushed over. Reddoons tried the handle. Locked. “Figures.” He muttered.

Pentar cracked his knuckles. “Okay, stand back. I’ll kick the door open.”

Reddoons grabbed his arm as Jumper’s muffled voice came from the other side of the door. “No! Don’t do that!”

Minute examined the lock. “Maybe we could pick it?”

“You and what tools?” Pentar retorted.

“...”

“...”

Reddoons groaned and leaned against the wall. “Unbelievable…”

“We have some paper clips if you can pick locks.” Squiddo’s muffled voice suggested, a couple brightly-coloured paper clips sliding from under the door.

Minute picked them up, straightening one and shoving it into the lock, jiggling it uselessly. “So, uh, can any of you pick a lock?”

“You don’t know?!” Jumper yelled from the inside.

“...I watched a YouTube tutorial once.”

“Okay, but like, what if we just never leave? We could live here now.”

“Some of us actually want to graduate, Squiddo!”

As they bickered, footsteps approached from down the hall.

“Dude, someone’s coming.” Pentar hissed.

“I’m getting somewhere, gimme a sec.” Minute whispered back.

“We don’t have the time! Come back later!” Pentar attempted to pull Minute away from the lock.

“Fine, fine!” Minute put the paper clips in his pocket. “We’ll be back for you, someone’s coming.” The three took off, spotting an empty classroom and deciding to hide inside.

The three barely duck into the empty classroom as a staff member rounds the corner. They press against the door, holding their breath as footsteps pause right outside.

Jumper
> they ran away
> we might actually have to live here

Derapchu
> its your first day of uni and youre already going feral

Rekrap2
> ill start writing your eulogy

“Anyone there?” The staff member called out. Silence stretched endlessly before the footsteps finally resumed, fading into the distance. Only when the footsteps had fully disappeared did the trio let out a collective breath, cautiously stepping out of their hiding spot.

Pentar slumped against a desk, exhaling sharply. “Well, that was close.”

“Tell me about it.” Minute ran a hand through his hair. “Alright, time for round 2.”

“Or,” Pentar cut in, “we leave them there and pretend this never happened.”

“Pentar!.” Reddoons gave him a deadpan stare.

Jumper
> oh hey theyre back

hell yeah we are <

Derapchu
> you guys didnt get caught right

we would never <

> good good

Jumper
> can you guys please hurry
> what if someone comes

Derapchu
> i thought you didnt want to do orientation

Jumper
> orientation is better than this

Jumper turned to Squiddo, who was still happily munching on snacks. "Do you even care that we might be here forever?"

"Not really. I've got chips." Squiddo grinned, an innocent look on her face.

Just then, the door clicked, swinging open to reveal Minute, looking triumphant as he twirled a bent paper clip between his fingers.

“Freedom!” Jumper rushed out, almost tripping in the process.

Squiddo, meanwhile, stayed seated, leisurely munching on her chips. “Oh. Hey guys.”

Reddoons pinched the bridge of his nose. “Squiddo, I swear to god-” He grabbed onto the back of her collar, dragging her out of the closet. “Cmon, we’re going back to orientation.”

Pentar laughed. “Mission accomplished, I suppose?” The group promptly exited the building, Squiddo still being dragged by Reddoons.

“Let’s just hope they didn’t notice us missing.”

Chapter Text

Surprisingly, none of the guides noticed any of them gone. A few students, however, gave some of them skeptical looks when they returned to their groups.

Jumper tried her best to act casual, but the faint smell of chips lingering on her sweater wasn’t helping. On the other hand, Squiddo walked in with zero shame, smiling like nothing happened. Reddoons exhaled in relief as he returned to his group–until he met the suspicious gaze of another student. “Don’t ask.” He muttered, shuffling to the back.

“You think we got away with it?” Pentar elbowed Minute.

“Hopefully.” Minute said, back to scrolling his phone. “I wouldn’t push our luck, though.”

Rekrap2
> are you guys out

Jumper
> yeah thankfully
> pentar can you tell reddoons to kill squiddo for me pls

i dont think i need to tell him <
he looked infuriated <

Rekrap2
> is he alr?

he’ll be fine <
this seems to be common <

> dang what

“I swear, Squiddo is such a handful sometimes.” Reddoons complained, exasperated. “You see why she needs someone to keep her in check?”

“You might as well keep her on a leash at this point.” Minute chuckled.

Pentar grinned. “Let’s be honest–she’d probably chew through it and run rampant anyway.”

Reddoons let out a tired sigh. “Don’t remind me. Honestly, I’m surprised she hasn’t been kicked out of somewhere before.”

“She’s got plot armour.” Pentar joked. “She does stuff like this, but people just roll with it.”

Minute smirked. “You sure you’re not impressed?”

Reddoons shot him a glare. “I’d rather die.”

Spoke absentmindedly kicked a pebble as he trailed behind his group. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out.

Minute
> guess who picked a lock today

Spoke read the message, confused.

what <
wdym <
why <

> had to break some girls out of the storage closet

tf <

> yeah
> pretty crazy
> jumper was one of them

how the hell did jumper get stuck in a storage closet??? <

> the orange girl led her exploring

jeezus <

> her caretaker is fuming rn

caretaker? <

> the red guy

ah <
figures <

> how are you doin

bad <
this shit boring asf <
they’re lecturing us on hallway etiquette 😭<

> sucks to suck

die <

Spoke chuckled, shaking his head as he pocketed his phone. At least he wasn’t completely alone in his suffering.

4C hummed as he spun a pen between his fingers. “You know, I feel like we haven’t done anything particularly noteworthy today.”

Clown, who had been leaning against a nearby railing, grinned. “You mean you don’t find mandatory campus tours exhilarating?”

“I’d rather be anywhere else.” Ash complained.

4C checked his messages. “Squiddo apparently got locked in a storage closet earlier. That’s fun.”

Ash turned to him. “What.”

squiddo wtf <
how do you get locked in a storage closet <

> it was all part of the plan
> trust me

for some reason i dont wanna <

Ash sighed, closing his phone. “Why am I roommates with this gremlin?”

Clown chuckled, resting his chin on his hands. “At least she keeps things interesting.”

“Do you want a Squiddo in your life? I’ll gladly shove her onto you.”

“Nah, it’s more fun being on the sidelines.” Clown grinned.

Ash groaned. “Just one more hour, and then I’m free.” He muttered to himself.

“Aw, cmon, don’t be such a downer.” Clown’s ever-present mask left Ash with a sense of unease. “We could cause some chaos to match theirs–”

“Absolutely not.” Ash interrupted.

4C laughed. “You really think you could outdo Squiddo? She’s practically a chaos incarnate.”

Clown shrugged, his grin never faltering. “Doesn’t mean I can’t try.”

Ash rolled his eyes. “4C, stop feeding him ideas. And here I was thinking you were meant to be the peacekeeper.”

“Boo, lame,” Clown teased, giving him a thumbs-down. “You’re such a killjoy.”

Ash scoffed. “Just one more hour.” He repeated.

As the rest of the afternoon passed, everyone found themselves back in the auditorium for some closing speeches.

Clown nudged Ash with his elbow. “You sure you don’t want to sneak out sometime? We could make it interesting.”

Ash shot him a glare. “If you suggest one more dumb idea, I’m throwing you into the nearest trash can.”

“Try me.” Clown squared him up.

“Whoa, whoa, let’s not get too hasty now, shall we?” 4C leaned over Ash to push Clown back, who was surprisingly strong.

A nearby staff member turned, eyeing them suspiciously. Ash stiffened.

4C coughed and straightened. “We love rules.”

“Yep, love them,” Clown agreed, grinning under his mask.

The staff member frowned, a long, uncomfortable pause simmering, before he finally turned away.

Ash exhaled and slumped in his seat. “God, I should’ve just skipped.”

The speeches dragged on for what felt like forever, but eventually, the students were dismissed. Ash was one of the first to bolt, followed by Squiddo and Reddoons chasing after him.

Spoke stretched, yawning as he idly checked his phone, before a voice called out to him.

“Yo, Spoke, you got anything on today? Cube and I can take you home if you want.” It was 4C, exiting behind him with his easygoing smile.

“Minute will probably tag along, if that’s fine.”

“Sure, the more the merrier.”

Just then, Minute exited the auditorium, chatting with Clown and Branzy when Spoke waved him over. He bid the pair farewell before going to join them.

Minute glanced at 4C and Cube, nodding in recognition. “Thanks again for getting Spoke here on time.”

“No worries.” 4C shrugs. “We can keep taking you two if you want. It’s not much of a hassle for us anyway.”

“That’d be awesome.” Spoke said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Way better than walking or taking the bus.”

The four climbed into 4C’s car in silence, still adjusting to each other’s presence. As they merged onto the road, 4C glanced at the others and spoke up.

“So, how’d you guys find the first day?” 4C inquired.

“Honestly, if every day was like this one, I wouldn’t want to leave.” Minute replied, a smile on his face.

“Easy for you to say. I was stuck in my group learning about some old guy who built the place.” Spoke complained.

Minute waved a hand dismissively. “Psh, details, details.”

“Come on, you literally got to sneak around school!”

4C suddenly perked up as he navigated the roundabout. “Wait–sneak around school?”

“Yeah,” Spoke leaned forward, “he had to, like, break these girls out of a storage closet!”

“Whoa, whoa, it wasn’t that dramatic.” Minute interjected, a small smirk betraying his true emotions.

4C shot him a knowing look through the rear-view mirror. “Oh, don’t tell me. Was Squiddo one of them?”

Spoke snapped his fingers. “Yeah! I-I think that was her name.”

“Good lord, Reddoons is gonna kill her.” 4C chuckled

“He was angry by the time we got back.” Minute added.

“Figures.” Cube muttered, not looking up from some sort of puzzle. “Squiddo likes to annoy him and Ash. Luckily we aren’t on her roster of people to piss off.”

“Let’s just hope they keep her satiated.” 4C

The car fell into a brief silence, before Minute grinned. “So, are we expecting a new school record for detention speedruns or what?”

Cube chuckled. “Reddoons is gonna go ballistic.”

“Must be a hard job, huh.” Spoke mused, leaning back into his seat.

“I can’t imagine taking his position, honestly.” 4C added, shaking his head. “We’re lucky he’s as patient as he is.”

The conversation trailed off as they pulled into the parking lot of their apartment complex. One by one, they stepped out, stretching their legs after the ride. The evening air was cool, a welcome contrast to the stuffy auditorium they had spent hours in.

As they entered the lobby, Cube hit the button for the elevator, and they waited in comfortable silence. The soft hum of the elevator and the occasional distant conversation filled the space.

“So, you guys have Discord?” Spoke asked idly.

“Sure. You want ours?” 4C and Cube both pulled out their phones, and everyone exchanged contacts with each other. As they finished, the elevator dinged, signalling for one pair to get off.

“Alright, this is our floor. We’ll see you guys tomorrow.” 4C bid Minute and Spoke farewell as the doors slid open, with Cube waving behind him.

“See you guys then. We’ll keep in touch, yeah?” Spoke waved back.

Cube gave a small nod. “Yeah, sounds good.”

4C and Cube stepped out, the doors closing behind them. Spoke glanced at Minute, slipping his phone into his pocket.

“Well, guess we’re stuck with them now.”

Minute chuckled. “They aren’t so bad, those two.”

The elevator chimed again as they reached their floor. The two stepped out, heading toward their room in silence.

“Well, that was one hell of a day, huh.” Minute remarked, unlocking the door.

“This place sure won’t be boring. Not for the whole year, at least.” Spoke followed inside behind him, tossing his bag next to the doorframe.

Minute huffed a small laugh as he flicked on the lights. “Yeah. If every day’s gonna be like this, I don’t know if I should be excited or concerned.”

Spoke kicked off his shoes, flopping onto the couch with a groan. “Let’s just hope we don’t get dragged into any more Squiddo-related chaos.”

“Give it a week.” Minute smirked, setting his phone down on the counter.

Spoke peeked up from where he was sprawled. “What, you think we’ll be the next ones locked in a storage closet?”

Minute shrugged. “Wouldn’t put it past her.”

Spoke sighed dramatically. “God, just gotta hope we aren’t on her ‘list.’”

Minute laughed as he disappeared into his room. “Good luck with that.”

Pentar unlocked the door to his and Derap’s room, Jumper and Rek following closely behind.

“Hello, guess who’s back from uni.”

There was no immediate response. The dorm was dim, the only light coming from the faint glow of a table lamp. Pentar frowned, stepping inside first and glancing around. “Derap?” he called.

A muffled groan came from the couch, where a pile of blankets shifted slightly.

Jumper peered over Pentar’s shoulder. “Is he dead?”

“I wish.” A muffled voice came from the pile, from which Derap’s head emerged. His hair stuck up at odd angles, and his blue hoodie was completely disheveled. “Feel like I got run over,” he mumbled hoarsely.

Pentar sighed, stepping further inside and dropping his bag by the door. “Yeah, you look like it too.”

Derap sluggishly waved a hand. “Welcome home. Hey, Rek. Hey, Jumper.”

Jumper leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “I told you to go to the hospital.”

Derap rolled his eyes. “I’ll live through this. It’s just a stomach bug.”

Rek raised an eyebrow. “You sure? This looks pretty serious.”

“Just gotta sleep it off, y’know?” Derap chuckled weakly, shifting slightly under the blankets.

Pentar wasn’t buying it. “You haven’t eaten all day, have you?”

Silence.

Sighing, Rek turned toward the kitchen. “I’ll make you something light. You’re not starving yourself on my watch.”

Jumper sat down on the arm of the couch, studying Derap critically. “You even taken anything for it?”

“Some meds earlier.”

“And?”

“…Didn’t help much.”

Pentar let out an exasperated sigh. “Of course.”

Silence dragged on for a while, the sounds of pots and pans coming from the kitchen, before Rek returned, carrying a bowl of soup. “Alright, drink up.” He set it down on the coffee table.

“If I puke, it’s your fault.” Derap sluggishly picked up the bowl and took a small sip. His face scrunched slightly, but he kept drinking.

“See? Not so bad.” Rek muttered, leaning against the couch.

Derap swallowed with effort. “Tastes like cardboard.”

Jumper crossed her arms, watching him closely. “You keeping that down?”

Derap hesitated, before giving a half-hearted thumbs up before taking another sip. “For now. No promises.”

“If you’re gonna puke, don’t do it on the couch.” Pentar said dryly.

Derap groaned. "So much compassion in this room."

Jumper smirked. "What, you want me to hold your hand too?"

Pentar rolled his eyes. "No, but if he passes out, you're carrying him to bed.”

“But he’s your roommate.” Jumper scoffed.

Derap huffed but kept drinking. Despite his complaints, the warmth of the soup was helping. His body still ached, and his head felt foggy, but at least the hunger had dulled.

Maybe he'd survive after all.

Ash sat down at the dining table with his cup of ramen, stirring it absentmindedly. The distant hum of the air conditioning and the occasional slurping of noodles were the only things he’d hoped to hear tonight.

Instead, what started as a civil discussion between Reddoons and Squiddo erupted into a fierce argument inside her room.

“You can’t just do stuff like that! And dragging others into it?”

Ash sighed, stabbing his chopsticks into his noodles as Squiddo’s voice shot back, her words too muffled by the door to make out, but definitely defensive.

Great. Another argument. Sometimes he wonders how Reddoons still deals with Squiddo.

Another sharp retort from Squiddo. Reddoons’ voice escalated.

Ash sighed and took a bite of his ramen, chewing slowly. If this kept up, someone was going to storm out of that room, and he’d rather not get dragged into it.

But the yelling continued.

Ash groaned, setting his chopsticks down with a clack. If they were going to scream at each other all night, he might as well tell them to get it over with faster. He dragged his feet over to the door and knocked, sharp and deliberate.

“Can you two shut up?” he called flatly. “Some of us are trying to enjoy a meal in peace.”

Silence.

Then, Squiddo’s voice, smug and sharp, though a hint of aggression was present in her tone: “Oh, sorry, Ash. Didn’t know we were interrupting your very important ramen time.”

“Damn right, you are.” He muttered.

The door cracked open, and Squiddo peeked out, looking slightly frustrated. Behind her, Reddoons looked done.

“I swear, this girl is impossible!” Reddoons spat, gesturing vaguely at Squiddo.

“Come on, figure this shit out before I have to pay for a casket.” Ash turned on his heel and walked back to the table. He sat back down to his noodles, the door still ajar. Unfortunately, this made their argument even more apparent.

Reddoons let out a bitter laugh. “Y’know what? Fine. Do whatever you want, Squiddo. Just don’t expect people to keep bailing you out.”

Squiddo’s expression darkened. “I never asked anyone to.”

Reddoons shook his head. “No. You just assume they will.”

Silence.

Ash glanced back at them, chewing his food slowly. He had a feeling this wasn’t going to get resolved tonight.

Squiddo stood frozen for a second, her expression flickering—anger, hurt, something else. Then her jaw tightened. “Go away.” Her voice wavered, but she shoved Reddoons out and slammed the door shut.

Reddoons stood there for a second before shaking his head and walking out into the dining room, rubbing his temples.

Ash finally spoke. “That go how you wanted?”

“Does it ever?” Reddoons scoffed.

Ash exhaled sharply. “You coming tomorrow at least?”

“Probably. I don’t know if she is, though.” He gestured to her door.

“I’ll figure something out.”

Without another word, Reddoons walked out. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Ash alone at the dining table, with the distant hum of the air conditioning being the only thing keeping him company.

Ash twirled his chopsticks in his half-eaten ramen, suddenly not as hungry.

Chapter Text

Reddoons stormed through the building, his footsteps echoing sharply against the wooden walls. He didn’t care who heard. He stabbed the elevator button with more force than necessary and the doors slid open. In the reflection of the elevator panels, he caught a glimpse of the state he was in. Unkempt hair, sunglasses slid off to reveal tired eyes, and a blaze still burning within.

The doors closing, the elevator descending, the doors opening again.

Everything was slower than they had to be.

Or maybe he was only looking for more reasons to lash out.

He stepped out into the parking lot, the cold night piercing through his suit.

Hands shoved deep into his pants’ pockets, he walked. Fast. Determined.

Like something was waiting for him back home.

Like it mattered.

His car came into view, and he caught another glimpse of himself in the window.

The ache in his eyes hadn’t faded.

He needed to say those words.
She needed to hear them.

And yet,

Something didn’t feel right.

Spoke
> you gotta tell me what happened last night
> between squiddo and reddoons
> 4c’s offline

He’s fast asleep right now. <
Last night drained him quite a bit. <
He spent his time trying to be a mediator between the two. <
He isn’t online often anyways. <
I’ll ask Squiddo what happened. <

She’s not responding. <

> huh?
> is she always like that
> i mean this seems pretty common right

This isn’t normal. <
Maybe Ash knows. <
I’ll make a group. <

A new group chat has been created with Ashswag, MrCube6, and SpokeIsHere.

Spoke
> ash what happened between squiddo and reddoons
> shes not texting

Ash
> …
> shes fine

Spoke
> bro what does that mean

Ash
> she should be alive

Is everything okay? <

> just leave it

Spoke
> come on
> dont leave us hanging like that

If Ash says to drop it, just leave it alone. <

> alrighttt

SpokeIsHere. Shares 2 mutual friends. Add friend?

> yo
> ash
> ash
> tell me what happened man

fuck off <
stop texting me about her <

6 blocked messages. Show?

Ash exhaled sharply, tossing his phone onto his bed. His fingers twitched with the urge to unblock Spoke just to tell him to shut up again, but that would just drag things out longer.

It wasn’t his problem.

He hoped that Squiddo would eventually come to her senses, that she would just show up at their door with her usual cheery demeanor, but a part of him worried she wasn’t coming back. He grabbed his suit off his chair and put it on, trying to shake off any unease. He wasn’t used to this level of quiet in their dorm. If Squiddo wasn't lecturing him on staying up until 3, he would've at least heard her quiet snores coming through the thin walls.

Every little routing, from making breakfast to packing his bag, came with the delusional hope that he would catch a glimpse of that short, messy hair and the orange sweater.

No such luck.

Ash left the dorm alone. He strode down the hallway, still on the lookout with wavering optimism that maybe, just maybe, she was somewhere he could find her. He stepped into the elevator with a sigh, barely glancing at the glowing floor numbers as the doors closed behind him.

The elevator hummed softly as it descended. After a moment, the doors opened with a chime to reveal a wheezing Jumper, her sunglasses pushed up carelessly into her messy hair. She quickly stumbled in, collapsing against the wall.

“Oh, hey. You’re the, uhh, the sleepyhead. Right? At the cafe.” Her words came between heavy breaths.

Ash ignores her, his eyes instead fixated far off in the distance, although the mirrored walls of the elevator made it hard to ignore her presence. She fished around in her pocket, pulling out a Snickers. “You want half? You’re not you when you’re hungry.” She uttered a weak laugh.

“No.”

“Suit yourself.”

She unwrapped the bar and took a bite. The elevator doors closed with a hiss, and a tense silence filled the air as the elevator descended, save for Jumper’s chewing.

“So, uh” she eventually asked, “do you…want any help, well- finding her?”

Ash jolted in surprise but said nothing, choosing to glare at her reflection in the polished panels.

Jumper rapped the wall with her knuckles. “These things aren’t particularly great at keeping secrets,” she mumbled. “Heard a bit of it last night. Sounded…rough.”

“Mind your own fucking business.” Ash snapped.

Jumper went quiet, staring down at her shoes as she quietly finished the rest of her bar.

“...Sorry,” she mumbled, “was just trying to help.”

A soft chime signaled their stop, and the doors opened. Jumper hesitated, then added, “If you change your mind or…I dunno. Need backup or something, I’ll probably be around. Room 824.”

Ash let out a sharp exhale and walked out without looking back.

“Did you at least get some rest in?” Pentar was digging through the cupboards, looking for more medication.

Derap, curled up on the couch with a blanket around his shoulders, let out a groan. “Not a wink. I swear, every time I almost fell asleep, they’d just get louder.”

Pentar sighed. “And I thought this was all just gonna blow over overnight.” He muttered.

“They were going at it for ages. What even happened?”

“I’ve got no clue. Ash made it sound regular enough for me to not pay any mind to Red’s temper.”

“Ash is…?”

“Squiddo’s roommate.” Pentar found a half-empty box of paracetamol. “Not part of the rescue team.”

A silence settled heavily between them.

“Y’know, I dunno if this was some fever dream or whatnot, but I swear I heard two people storm out of that dorm.” Derap murmured, curling into his blanket.

Pentar frowned, setting the paracetamol and a glass of water in front of Derap. “Why would they be leaving together? Weren’t they-”

“Oh, nonononono, like, one after the other. Different times. You think she might’ve, well…”

“Ran away?”

“Yeah.”

Pentar sat down on the edge of the couch, his eyes narrowed in thought.

“Damn.”

Another brief silence filled the room.

“This shit’s serious, huh. Like, real serious.”

“Do we, like, help them find her? I mean, I’d assume there’s a search going on right now.”

“ You’re not going anywhere.” Pentar said, grabbing his phone. “I’ll go see if I can locate Ash or any of his friends. You’re all good by yourself, right?”

“I’ll manage.”

“Cool. Call me if you start dying.” Pentar slipped out the door.

Once in the hall, he opened the group chat.

you guys know anything going on with ash and his gang? <

Rekrap2
> squiddo left her dorm sometime after the argument
> don’t think she’s come back

Jumper
> met ash in the elevator a couple minutes ago
> he definitely didnt want to talk about it

yo jumper <
could i get the user of that other guy <
the one you used to be friends with <

> minute?
> i should still have his info somewhere
> here ya go

Pentar. Shares 1 mutual friend. Add friend?

> yo minute
> did you hear about what happened?
> about squiddo

you’re <
uhh <
oh right you picked the lock <
hey pentar <
You are now friends with Pentar
my brother said ash isnt telling him what happened <

> oh
> well uh
> squiddo ran away
> and hasnt come back

what?! <
waitwaitwait what happened??? <

> i dont know
> any clue where she mightve gone?

nah <
4c or cube might <

> who???

some of her friends <

Pentar. Shares no mutual friends. Add friend?

> cube?

Yes? <
Who is this? <

> pentar
> one of the guys that broke your friend out of that closet
> anyways im wondering if you have any info on where she is

What do you mean? <

> you don't know?
> we think she ran away

Oh! <
No, I don’t. If anything, Ash’d be the only one who knows Squiddo well enough to pinpoint her location. <
He’s busy with class and doesn’t seem to be in the mood for questioning. <
Keeps telling us to drop it, which has proved…difficult. <
Although I believe Squiddo can manage on her own for a while. <

Cube hovered over the button before sending that last line.

And when it appeared in the chat, he stared at it.

He didn’t believe it. Not for a second.

Chapter Text

Cube groaned in frustration, hands over his face as he slumped back in his seat. He heard 4C’s door creak open, the blue figure shuffling out with bleary eyes.

“Did they eventually sort themselves out?” He asked, rubbing at the corner of his eyes.

Cube shook his head. “Apparently not.”

4C straightened a little. “Damn. What happened?”

“Squiddo’s missing.”

4C blinked, taking a moment to process. “Missing, as in…?”

“As in left their dorm last night and didn’t come back.”

4C frowned, the usual spark in his tone dimming. “Do you know where she went?”

“No. Ash is keeping quiet about it. And before you ask, yes, I think he knows.”

4C crossed his arms, staring out the window like he was trying to piece together an impossible puzzle.

“...We should ask around the art department.” he said finally. “Maybe she went there.”

Cube sighed. “Don’t even know if she wants to be found.”

“Still, better than doing nothing. I’ll swing by later in the afternoon. You?”

Cube hesitated. “I’ll look around later.”

4C gave a small nod and slipped back into his room. The door clicked shut, leaving Cube alone in the silence. His phone buzzed again on his desk. He glanced at the screen. A text from Spoke. Sighing, he flipped his phone over.

Jumper drummed her fingers against her desk, her mind racing. The professor’s voice at the front faded away in her mind, being replaced with a low hum. She wasn’t taking notes. She hadn’t even opened her notebook.

Her leg bounced under the desk. The girl next to her shot her a look; Jumper responded with a sheepish smile, before looking back down. Her interaction with Ash in the elevator wouldn’t leave her mind. His glare, his bitter words

Mind your own fucking business

She shivered just remembering it.

She shifted in her seat, tugging at her sleeves. Maybe she shouldn’t have said anything. Maybe she should just wait, wait until this all blows over. Surely Squiddo shows up tomorrow, chipper as ever.

Right?

Her pen clattered to the floor. She ducked to grab it, heart racing like she’d drawn the attention of the world.

When she sat back up, the professor was looking right at her. “Is there something you’d like to add, Miss?”

Jumper forced a chuckle. “Uh- no. Sorry, just- ” She waved her pen in the air lamely. “Gravity.”

A couple of students laughed under their breath. Jumper wanted to crawl in a hole and die.

The professor sighed and turned back to the whiteboard. Jumper slouched down in her seat, wishing she could turn invisible.

Her mind eventually started floating back to the issue contrantly nagging at her. Does she stay put? Does she try to help? Where would she even go?

Reddoons sat in the corner of the student lounge, a mug of coffee cooling in one hand. His hair was unkept and his suit was messy and uneven, a lingering sign of the altercation last night. The hum of conversation drifted around him, cluttering his mind as he attempted to focus on the research at hand, his laptop’s glow serving as a constant reminder.

He rubbed at his temples. Every time he tried to focus, the memory of last night shoved its way back into his head. Squiddo’s raised voice, his own words thrown back at him with a new edge. He kept telling himself that she’d cool off, come back to her senses, and return with that stupid cheery attitude, just like every other time they’d clashed. But this wasn’t like every other time.

She still wasn’t back.

He glanced down at his phone, opening Discord and tapping on Squiddo’s name.

Let me know if you’re okay

He typed it out, stared at it, then deleted it.

Reddoons leaned back in his chair, letting out a deep sigh. Maybe he should walk past the art studio. Or the cafe. Pretend it was a coincidence. Pretend he wasn’t looking for her.

He sat up, shaking his head. “She’s fine.” He muttered under his breath.

But the thought lingered anyway. He couldn’t just leave her alone. If something happened to her…

He closed the laptop, quickly gulping down the rest of his coffee. He couldn’t sit there.

Reddoons stood and power-walked out of the lounge, hands in his pockets, already planning a route he would never admit to anyone.

“Damnit, why does the first day need to be so heavy.” Rek sat on the edge of his bed, earbuds dangling around his neck. He hadn’t slept particularly well; not when he could hear the shouting directly through the ceiling. With Jumper out, he would have to keep his own thoughts company. Quite hard when such a big quarrel kept him up all night. 

He picked up his notebook, absently flipping through some of the notes he’d made during orientation. The text all blended together as their words replayed in his head. The sharp back and forth constantly escalating, doors slammed in frustration, and the footsteps thundering through the halls. Even through the wall, the tension hung in the air like smoke.

Rek leaned back against the wall. The campus outside was waking up, the distant hum of footsteps and chatter faintly audible through the window. Part of him wanted to go up and check on Squiddo, but another part of him knew this wasn’t his trouble to deal with. Her friends will eventually find her, or she’ll find her way back. Either way, he had no place in this problem.

He sighed, glancing at his phone. Theories bounced around the group chat, wondering where she might’ve gone. He scrolled briefly, before tossing his phone to the side and relaxing, trying to let himself get carried away in the cadence of music.

Of course, that peace was fleeting. Might as well explore a bit, he thought, getting up and out the door. Maybe it’ll take my mind off things.

Ash slumped against the wall outside the lecture hall, arms crossed. He knew this situation was leagues different from every other time they fought, and it constantly bugged him. Throughout the whole lecture, he couldn’t get her out of his head. Although he would never admit it, he was truly worried for his friend. Where she might’ve wandered off to, what might’ve happened to her.

Ash let out a long, quiet breath. He pulled out his phone and stared at the notifications. He had messages from Cube, Minute, even 4C, but he hadn’t typed a single word back. What could he even say? It’s not like Squiddo was responding to his texts. He resisted the urge to hurl his phone in frustration.

His friend was out there. Alone. Vulnerable.

And what was he doing?

Ash shoved the phone back into his pocket, jaw tight. Standing there and doing nothing wasn’t helping anyone. He began to walk towards the cafeteria, scanning the crowd for an orange sweater or pink glasses.

As he glanced over every person laughing, chatting, or just sitting peacefully, his mind wandered back. Back to last night.

“Squiddo?”

“What!”

“Where are you going? It’s like midnight.”

“...”

“...Squiddo?”

“Fuck off, I’m done with you all!”

The words hit him like a punch. He winced, running a hand over his face.

He should’ve gotten up. Pulled her back. Stopped her in some way. Squiddo’s gone now, and it’s all because of him. “She’ll be fine. She’ll show up. She always does.” He’d told himself. Even though he didn’t believe it.

A part of him wanted to yell her name, to demand she show up just so he could stop worrying. He knew that wouldn’t help, though. Not when she was likely hiding somewhere where no one could bother her.

He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “Where the fuck are you, Squiddo?” he muttered to himself. “You have no clue what this is doing to us.”

Ash forced himself to start considering options. Sulking would get him nowhere.

Where could she have even gone? They had only arrived here a couple days ago, and most of the places they went weren’t the kinds of places she would hide in. The café, the arcade, the park…he made a mental checklist of anywhere she might’ve gone, and headed off, ready to search the whole city inside and out. 

Lectures be damned.

Spoke shuffled through the hallways, hands stuffed into the pockets of his hoodie. His backpack bounced against his shoulder with every hurried step. He wasn’t usually this tense. He liked to drift through crowds, letting the morning pass by. Today was different.

He couldn’t stop glancing at his phone, rereading the conversation with Cube and Ash. Did he do something wrong? Was this a sensitive subject? Why didn’t Ash want to say anything?

Spoke sighed. “What the hell even happened last night?” He muttered. Clearly there was something going on, but he hated not knowing what it was. Maybe his brother knows. He stopped near a stairwell, leaning against the railing.

any new clues abt squiddo and red? <

> OH YEAH
> squiddo ran away

she WHAT????? <
why <
how <
when <
what <
huh???????? <

Spoke staggered back a step, almost dropping his phone as he stared at the screen, gripping the railing tightly. His mind kept turning, but nothing came out. His thumb hovered over the keyboard, wanting to ask a thousand questions, but his thoughts were too jumbled.

> yeah, she left sometime after the argument
> ash probably knows more
> of course, he doesnt want to say anything

but why? <
where would she even go??? <

None of this made any sense. None of this felt safe.

> theyll figure it out
> stay calm for now
> dont do anything stupid
> itll be alright

Spoke exhaled sharply, trying to steady himself.

okay okay <
but we gotta do something??? <
we cant just sit around <

> this isnt our problem
> they know her far better than we do

Spoke stared at his brother’s defeatist response. Although he hated to admit it, his brother was right. Spoke forced down his emotions, trying to push through the hallways to class. However, his hands kept twitching, and his mind refused to let Squiddo go. Sitting around was not an option.

Squiddo rubbed at her eyes, her glasses sliding down her nose as she forced her aching body upright. She slumps against an AC unit, the faint vibration humming through her shoulder, pulling her back into reality. The skyline slowly sharpened in her view. Cars crawled like insects below and barely audible laughter drifted up from some distant street. What was she even doing up here?

Oh. Right. Last night.

The memories all came rushing back into her head.

Fuck off, I’m done with you all!

She winced. Hearing it now, outside of the heat of the moment, it sounded pathetic. Childish. Still, she hugged her knees, muttering, “I meant it.”

Her mind was a mess. Part of her believed she was still in the right, that what she’s doing is justified. Another part of her found it all feeble, proving that she needed someone to control her. A third part just wanted to be done with it all, to return like nothing happened and move on with life. All these thoughts were in turmoil inside her brain, and without a clear direction to follow, she just sagged in defeat.

Squiddo shifted slightly, letting her back rest fully against the AC unit. The sun was warm on her shoulders, though it did little to calm the storm in her head. She hugged her knees tighter, pressing her forehead against them.

Another thought appeared in her mind. Maybe she didn’t have to go back. Maybe..she could just…disappear for a while.

Maybe they don’t even want you around.

That thought hit harder than anything else. Did they really want her? Did they want her chaos, her stubbornness, her constant disruption? Or did they just tolerate her because they had to?

She tried to wave the thought away. They didn’t have to stay with her, they could’ve cut contact whenever they wanted. Ash even chose to share a dorm with her.

But, maybe they just put up with me. Maybe they just pity me.

She swallowed hard. Maybe she had been pushing too hard, expecting too much. Maybe she wasn’t the friend they needed. Or wanted.

Squiddo pressed her arms into her eyes until stars appeared in the darkness. She refused to cry. She refused.

Still, her eyes began to glisten, the tears vanishing into the sleeves of the hoodie as she furiously wiped them away.