The Celestion-5's new crew member is causing quite the commotion, just in time for some birthdays. With one birthday boy dejected and the other missing, how will the rest of the crew be able to handle these changes? (Galactiquest Arc 1: Moon, Episod...
Leon woke up earlier than usual, in a good mood. A great mood! The kind of mood to nearly make him forget about his family being in shambles. Then he picked up his phone and looked at the date. August 23rd.
Angelo's birthday.
Normally, their family didn't celebrate either brother's birthday separately since they came so close together. Not that it mattered. He knew it would be tough for them without Angelo there. It might be tough for him with Angelo there, wherever he was hiding.
Tough or not, he knew that he was done moping. It was time to start hoping. His problems, while far from over, were much easier to face now that he had a friend by his side. Things would turn out alright in the long run. All he had to do was focus on the positives and put his best foot forward into a brighter tomorrow.
That foot collided with something squishier than carpet. It coughed.
Leon shined his phone at the floor and saw familiar eyes staring up at him. "Ángie?"
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He prodded at his brother a few more times to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Once Angelo clutched his side and sat up, he knew he'd stumbled on the real deal.
"Ángie, what–?" Stirring in the other bed reminded him to whisper. "What are you doing here? Where have you been? Why were you hiding?"
Angelo's eyes darted around. His arms and legs tucked in toward his body like a dying spider. Leon couldn't help feeling a little sorry for him even though he was still kind of mad.
He lifted a finger toward Leon's bed.
"You wanna come up?"
Angelo nodded ever so slightly.
"C'mon." Leon patted the area next to him. He watched his brother scramble up the bed and against the wall. "Were you sleeping on the floor? Why?"
"I can't reach my bed. And," Angelo managed to make eye-contact with him, "I-I wanted to t-t–," he took a breath, "I wanted to talk. If that's okay."
"That's okay, me too. What did you wanna talk about?"
"I-I just wanted to say," he sat up straight, "you're allowed to pinch me whenever you want, wherever you want, however hard you want."
Leon blinked. "What? Roxie's next door."
"I don't mind if you want to punch me either, but we'll have to figure out a way to do it s-so that the cameras won't s–"
"Ángie, what are you talking about? I don't wanna hurt you."
Angelo lowered his head. "I thought you might s-say that. Th-That's why you're allowed to use my money to buy your next girlfriend whatever you want."
"I don't want your money either." Leon felt more tired than when he first woke up. "All I want right now is an apology."
