𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐉𝐄𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐓 𝐔𝐏.
"holy fucking shit." i admired the machine.
"away we go." older adam said.
absentmindedly, i took adams hand in mine and we stepped onto the platform together, holding onto each-other.
the platform was small, too small for three people to stand comfortably.
we got into the jet, where adam and i had to share a seat, because there was only two.
"can you move?" i asked.
"no." adam shrugged.
"i'm about to shove you off." i said, and sat down on my half of the seat.
"let's see what we're dealing with. minor shield damage. coolant leaks." older adam checked the system.
adam admired everything, while i stared in shock that i was actually seeing things from the future.
a triangle with an exclamation mark flashed on the screen, making beeping noises.
"i don't know what that is, but when is a flashing red light ever good?" older adam pointed.
adam leaned forward, and older adam shoved him back down.
"god damn." i said, trying to adjust myself to sit on the jet comfortably.
"i know you wanna touch all the pretty buttons with your sticky little child fingers, but the reactor has a quantum signature. if you set it off, they can find us." older adam explained.
"are they hot?" i asked.
"who are they?" adam questioned.
"i'm glad you didn't ask me that, because they are classified." older adam replied.
"god fucking damn, everything's classified." i groaned.
"come on, i alrwady know you're from the future." adam encouraged.
"believe me, i regret that. i had no intention of coming back to revisit.. this. jesus. okay." older adam complained.
i blew my bubblegum, making a loud popping sound.
older adam ignored the popping noises, clicking around on his screen while younger adam looked around once more.
"okay, i've isolated the damaged relays, so the ship should be able to start repairing itself." older adam told us.
"how long will that take?" adam asked.
"it's at fifty percent capacity, so hopefully less time than it takes me to heal."
"wait. do you remember this?"
"remember what?"
"this. right here, right now. you being here in 2022?"
"i know where you're going with this, but-"
"if this is happening to me, that means it already happened to you, unless it works like a multiverse, where each ripple creates an alternate timeline-"
"that makes so much sense. maybe i'm stuck in a different universe where i don't think you're annoying." i agreed.
"you definitely don't think i'm annoying." adam teased.
"it's not a multiverse! my god, we watched too many movies." older adam interrupted.
"i just wanna know." adam complained.
"okay. okay, the prevailing wisdom is that when i go back to my fixed time, my memory- our memories, they reform, reconcile. but not while i'm here." older adam explained.
"what the fuck does that even mean?" i questioned.
"fixed time? what's that?" adam agreed.
"there's only one place in time where you belong on a quantum level, where you're not screwing around with the cosmos like i am. that is your fixed time. where you actually belong." older adam explained.
"i belong with peter parker but i'm stuck here with you." i frowned.
"you love me." adam defended.
"i'm gonna punch you in the face." i glared at him.
"you love me, whatever!" adam looked back at his older self. "so, by being here and telling me this, you may have just changed my whole future?"
"honestly, your future is pretty tragic either way. i'm kidding! i'm kidding." older adam joked. "i'm not kidding. i'm kidding! let's go."
he motioned us off the jet, and we walked back to the little shed behind the house.
"adam, where is your mother?" i yawned.
"i dokt know." adam shrugged.
"it's like, three am."
"why don't you just stay here for the night?"
"that's so smart. i can sleep on your bed, and you can sleep on the ground."
"other way around."
older adam shoved open the shed door.
"so, what happens now?" adam asked.
"nothing. i'm just gonna lay down, let this bullet wound heal. think about some key investment opportunities for your future." older adam laid back down on the couch.
"wait, like biff, from back to the-" adam began.
"are you out of your tiny mind? get back in the house before our mother gets home, and don't make it weird."
"hey!"
"yes?"
"this is amazing."
"isn't it, though? mind hitting the light on your way out?"
adam and i walked out of the room, and he flicked the lights off.
the door closed behind us.
older adam was surrounded by darkness, and he reached for a familiar photograph in his pocket.
a weirdly technologically advanced picture of an older woman.
he admired it, pressing it close to him and staring off into the distance.
adam and i had made our way back into the house, and took a seat on the couch.
the front door opened, and we pretended to act normal.
i yawned once more, my body realizing how tired it was.
"oh, hi. i'm surprised you guys are still up." adams mom greeted.
i smiled and waved.
"well, this night has been full of surprises, mother." adam said.
"i bet. cherry's wearing your sweatshirt, and when i walked in, you guys weren't cussing at each-other." the woman nodded and smiled.
"what?" i asked, surprised.
i looked downwards, and immediately peeled the sweater off of myself.
"excuse me?" adam asked.
"i'm not stupid, just because you guys think i'm old. i can tell you guys don't like each-other. at all. and last time i told you to lend cherry a sweater, you got upset." adams mother reminded. "what changed?"
"nothing." i shrugged, folding the sweater and setting it on the couch.
"not cherry's lipgloss." adam said, under his breath.
i elbowed him.
"anyways, how was your not-a-date? will you be seeing him again?" adam changed the subject.
"no. i don't know, i don't think so." adams mom shrugged.
a loud knock interrupted.
"maybe he's gonna give you his credit card." i wondered.
adams mom opened the door.
i keep forgetting she has a name. she isn't just adams mom. ellie. her name is ellie.
"hi." ellie greeted the man.
"me again." the man said.
"yes, it is."
"you left your scarf in my car."
"your mom needs to leave that man alone and marry me." i told adam, staring at his mother.
"you just kissed me, an hour ago, and now you wanna marry my mom?" adam asked.