Almost But Not Quite Human

Welcome To My House (P1)

(Backstory chapter, sorry idk where this would fit in the timeline but waaay before survive that's for sure)

Sorry about the re-publish, I forgot to title this properly first time around 😅

Disclaimer: I've never watched Soothouse so please forgive me if I mess up with this and if anything is terribly wrong don't be afraid to shout at me in the comments :)
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Phil sighed, and closed his laptop after a long Minecraft session with some of his friends. Feeling a strain on his back, Phil adjusted his wings that had came as a result of contracting the virus a few months ago. Mutations were a curse for surviving, people said - and it was different for everyone.

The sun streamed through the curtains, but it was low. Drawing the curtains shut against the light, Phil decided to run to the store before it closed. He was low on bread, and few few more drink for the fridge wouldn't hurt.

Phils apartment wasn't big, but for a place this close to the capital it was priced well, and Phil earned enough to live comfortably here. He trudged downstairs, pulling on a jacket. Even with practice, it was a daily struggle to wrestle his new-ish appendages into the hand-tailored holes in the back of his tops.

Jacket successfully doned, Phil grabbed his keys, bucket hat, and braced himself for the outside.
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There was alot of the usual side looks and mean stares. One person even shoved Phil as he walked past and had the gall to shout at him for 'not looking where he was going'. Phil sighed and didn't bother arguing. It happened often enough.

The sun was even lower as Phil arrived at the shop. Passing the cork board, Phil noticed there was a new flyer pinned there. More anti-mutated propoganda by the group known as the 'liberators'. Phil scoffed at the name: they weren't liberating anything.

The Liberators claimed that all mutated were dirt, no better than the mobs that rotted outside the city walls. What was their problem? It wasn't as if anyone chose to be like this. With only a one in fifty chance of any virus surviver becoming mutated, Phil was definitely in the minority. If only there was more of them, they'd be able to stand up for themselves...

Phil payed, and collected his shopping, and from the way the cashier purposefully squashed the bread and shook the fizzy drink, she was definitely a Liberator supporter.

Most people secretly were these days.
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"Hey guys, I'm home!" Will called as he stepped through the front door. He winced at the slight voice crack. Man, his throat was getting worse and worse.

Various calls of "Welcome back" and "Hey Wilbur" could be heard from his roommates in different parts of the house, and it was a big place. With a total of eight residents and two cats, the Soothouse was practically an apartment in itself.

Out of the eight residents, three (including Wilbur himself) were mutated, but luckily the other five weren't like those jerk-faces in the 'Liberators' and everyone got along nicely. It helped that most of them were long-time friends he supposed.

"Hey ghost boy, how was work?" Rihanna was the only female in Soothouse, but she wasn't bothered by it. In fact, Wilbur suspected she reveled in it. "Not too bad, only a couple douches gave me death threats today. What about you? Anything shocking happen?"

Rihanna's purple hair crackled with sparks as she laughed. "What shockers am I going to get working a desk job? Besides, you've used that joke waaaaay too many times man."

"And yet you laugh every time" Wilbur countered with a wink.

"Touché"
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The next morning, Wilbur woke up to a message from Philza.

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Hey mate, wanna meet up today?

Sure

Got a time in mind?

Idk it's Sunday so whenever

Tut tut, indesisive old man

At least I asked to hang out antisocial boy

What about lunch? I'll bring sandwiches

Lunch it is, and don't worry ab the sandwiches I'll make something

K
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With half a day to kill, Wilbur decided to work on his music for a bit. He practically glided downstairs and barley ate breakfast; eager to create.

"Someone's in a music mood today-"

"You're right David, I can see the cogs turning." George nodded towards the man in question, who was washing up a plate of crumbs from his toast.

George and David, two other Soothouse members, had just walked into the kitchen. They were both correct in their assumption, because when Wilbur was struck by creative inspiration it really showed.

David was a fairly tall guy, with short black hair and a stubble-beard. He was the other and final mutated in the Soothouse, with the obscure ability to make it sound like his voice was projecting from anywhere he wished within sight.

George's hair was pretty similar to David's, except it was more of a blonde colour and gave his face a sharper look. He had a slighter build, which gave him uncanny agility mutated or not. Many of them liked to joke that his agility secretly was a mutation.

"Hey guys" Wilbur greeted, swallowing the last bit of his jam toast, "Sleep well?"

George pouted his lips in thought before settling on, "Yeah man, bit of a late night but otherwise good. David?"

"Same here." Agreed David, "Hey Wilbur, we were thinking of going out for lunch today. You wanna join?"

"Aw man I'm really sorry guys, I'm going for lunch over Philza's today"

"Chill, it's fine, just means I don't have to pay as much," David punched Wilbur in the shoulder playfully, "You usually come anyway - have a day for yourself."

"Thanks David, see you guys later!"

Wilbur disappeared upstairs.
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A couple hours later, Wilbur set down his guitar, exhausted. Even with a couple throat soothers, practicing his songs for this long did numbers on his voice.

Lazily, Wilbur glanced at his watch.

12:36pm. Shoot.

Energy miraculously restored, Wilbur almost sprinted to the kitchen and made some sandwiches of questionable quality - completely forgetting what Phil had said. The house was mostly empty as Wilbur left to greet his friend.

If only he knew it would be the last time he ever stepped foot in the Soothouse.
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My broskis, I did not expect to have so much fun with this chapter. So now it is a two-parter! I mean - it's only fair considering this classifies  as two characters' backstories right?

I don't mean to jinx it, but I think my chapters are longer in general now. Dear readers make of that what you will quality-wise but it's a sign I have plenty of motivation right now!

Sincerely, a hyped up gummy bear