Texas was at the campus gym, working out after feeling embarrassed about coming in second place during an obstacle course race during PT.
"Tex? Holy sh*t dude, you're gonna be sore tomorrow," Said one of Texas's classmates, who worked part-time at the gym.
"Eh, It's fine, it's how I'll know I made progress," Texas said.
"Your kinda stupid,"
"Kinda? I was aiming for full-blown dumb*ss," Texas joked. His classmates rolled his eyes.
"Whatever, don't die of exhaustion," His classmate said. Texas shrugged, continuing to lift the biggest weights he could.
As he walked back to the dorm, he mentally criticized himself for being an idiot.
"Texas?" He heard a familiar voice say. He turned around and gasped.
"BRUNO!" Texas exclaimed, giving Bruno a big hug.
"Heya coz! It's been a while!" Bruno exclaimed.
"What are you doing here?" Texas asked.
"Landscaping. The campus supervisor wants a fresh look," Bruno said.
"What? I thought you were going to become an actor? You always talked about it!" Texas exclaimed. Bruno chuckled.
"I built my ego on it... turns out, it's easy getting the lead role in a high school play when you're the only one who has the guts to audition for that part. Acting professionally just wasn't working out, it crushed me... so, I'm workin' for my old man now, until I figure something else out," Bruno said.
"Oh... Bruno, I'm so sorry-,"
"Don't be! I loved acting in high school, but waiting two hours to get into the audition room, just to immediately being rejected for some arbitrary reason? Are you kidding? I wanted to have fun, not play a game of living off five bucks an hour, just hoping for some sort of miracle!" Bruno said.
"But you're such a good actor! You can't just let that go!" Texas exclaimed. Bruno chuckled.
"Oh primo, you are so young, so innocent," Bruno teased.
"You're only two years older than me! What will you do instead of acting? It's not like you'll work for your dad forever! Right?" Texas exclaimed.
"Tex, we are immortal... I have all of eternity to look for something new. If one thing doesn't work, it's onto the next thing. If an opportunity arises, I take it. Even if I got some huge role in a movie... I don't think I'd act forever and ever," Bruno said.
"But it was your dream! What could get in the way of that?" Texas exclaimed. Bruno laughed.
"Kids? Finding a wife? Making a family? Traveling? Tex... have you ever even considered what happens after you become a sheriff? What's next? Chief of police? Or just do the same thing for the rest of eternity?" Bruno asked.
"...I'm too tired for your psychic a**," Texas joked, smiling tiredly. Bruno sighed, smiling forlornly.
"You still have my number, right? We can get a drink sometime soon," Bruno said.
"I'm not 21," Texas said. Bruno laughed.
"Ah, yes, I forgot your dads weird rules... well, call me sometime anyway," Bruno said. Texas smiled and nodded, before continuing to walk to his dorm.
When he got there, he was hit with the smell of Carbonara before even opening the door. His heart spiked, and he barged in, seeing exactly who was hoping to see in the kitchen.
"TITO!!!!" Texas exclaimed, sweeping Tito off his feet in a big hug.
"Ah! Amo', you scared me!" Tito laughed, wrapping his arms around Texas.
"I didn't know you were coming over!!! Who let you in?" Texas exclaimed.
"We did! He was standing outside our door with a bag of ingredients, and we were NOT passing up the opportunity to eat something other than instant ramen!" Sunny exclaimed.
"B*TCH YOU CANT KEEP YOUR SEXY ITALIAN MAN A SECRET, THATS SO NOT FAIR!" Lynn exclaimed. Texas and Tito laughed.
"Grazie! I'll come over as often as I can!" Tito exclaimed. Texas wrapped his arms around him.
"Keep your hands to yourself though," Texas said, sticking his tongue out at Lynn who rolled her eyes, smiling.
"I got a girlfriend, dork. I'm just sayin, you're lucky as hell," Lynn said. Texas smiled, nuzzling close to Tito. The four of them ate and socialized, when suddenly there was frantic knocking at their door. Texas opened it, and a small, slim guy ran in and shut the door behind him.
"If anyone comes looking for me, I'm not here!" The guy exclaimed, hiding in the vacant fourth bedroom. They were confused, until they heard another knock. Texas opened the door and saw the biggest d-bag on campus, his girlfriend and two other guys.
"Hey, did you happen to hear a small guy running through here? He's a heavy breather, I'm sure you must've heard him from a mile away," The d-bag said. Texas did his best f*ck-boy laugh, nodding.
"He tried to come in here, but I told him to f*ck off. I saw him head towards the doors to the parking garage, just down the hall," Texas said, pointing towards the parking garage. "I think he's probably heading to the lowest level, that's where the exit is," Texas said.
"Thanks dude, nice job on the course today," the d-bag said, him and Texas doing the police academy handshake that the cadets made up. They left, and Texas closed and locked the door. They then convinced the smaller guy to come out of his hiding spot, and Lynn immediately recognized him.
"Prairie? What were you doin getting chased by those a**hats?" Lynn exclaimed.
"I was randomly assigned to be roommates with them... they were doing unholy things very loudly while I was trying to study... when I complained, they started making fun of me for being virgin and blah blah blah suddenly I was running for my life because they were playing with a taser and wanted to use it on me, because isn't that the most hilarious thing to do to someone?!" Prairie exclaimed.
"Damn, sorry man... we have an extra bedroom, we're keeping you," Sunny said.
"Oh? Which one of you doesn't go here then?" Prairie asked.
"Me, I just came over to cook," Tito said.
"Oh, cool! Sorry for barging in by the way," Prairie said.
"No problem! Let's get you somethin to eat," Texas said, before letting Prairie serve himself some of the carbonara Tito made.
That night, Texas and Tito were hanging out in the common area, lost in conversation, when suddenly Texas's roommates walked over to the front door, putting on coats and whatnot.
"Where're y'all goin?" Texas asked.
"We decided to hang out at the nearby hotel/casino tonight to gamble and sh*t, you two have the place to yourself," Lynn said. Texas smiled and nodded, watching as his roommates walked out. However, Sunny peaked his head back in.
"I got condoms from the school health center, they're in the bathroom! I of course got the extra big, but I think there are some XS ones if you need-,"
"LEAVE EM ALONE YA DUMB*SS!" They heard Lynn exclaim, as Sunny gave them a thumbs up and left. Texas and Tito laughed.
"You're lucky you have such fun roommates, all the people in my class are so... boring. Sooo I just moved to Francesco's guest room," Tito said. Texas nodded.
"How's he doin?" Texas asked. Tito giggled joyfully.
"I'm gonna be an Uncle soon," Tito said. Texas gasped.
"Really?! Oh my god! Does your dad know?!" Texas exclaimed. Tito nodded.
"Mhm... he's excited to be a grandpa," Tito said. Texas smiled, but a small thought ate away at his mind.
Later that night, Texas and Tito were in bed together, but Texas couldn't get to sleep. Not only were his muscles still sore after working out from dawn till dusk, but the conversation he had with Bruno still ate away at him.
"Tex? I know you're awake," Tito whispered sleepily. Texas sighed, and Tito cuddled close to him. "What's wrong?" Tito asked.
"I dunno...," Texas said. Tito rested his forehead against Texas's bare chest.
"Do you really not know? Or do you just not want to tell me?" Tito asked. Texas pressed his lips against Tito's head, hoping that Tito would let him stay silent. Tito pushed himself away, and Texas knew Tito wasn't going to give up without a clear answer.
"It's just existential sh*t, I dunno...," Texas said. Tito frowned.
"Do you always get this way after...?" Tito asked.
"No, no, I just ran into Bruno and he made me think about life... I just... I realized that we really are here forever... unless something bad happens I guess b-but... I'm kinda scared. What happens one hundred years from now? Will I still want to be a sheriff? Will I be a dad? W-will...," Texas said, before faltering. Tito scooted closer to him, and Texas held him close once more. "Will you still love me?" Texas asked quietly. Tito nuzzled close to Texas, kissing his collarbone, however Texas still began to cry. "I-I don't wanna lose you... Maybe we should just... maybe we should stop this...," Texas cried.
"Stop... being together...?" Tito asked, surprised. Texas just shut his eyes tightly.
"I don't want to... but...," Texas cried. Tito sighed, holding Texas close.
"Texas, I don't know if we'll still be in love a hundred years from now.... But if we just... stopped now... we'll never know," Tito said.
"I just don't want to worry about it ever happening-,"
"Worrying about it won't help... people come and go from each other's lives, even immortals. Loss may hurt in the moment, but that doesn't mean all the love shared before no longer matters. I don't like the thought of us falling out of love, but we don't have to prevent it from blossoming. That's like cutting the Bud of a flower you're scared of watching die," Tito said. Texas was quiet for a moment.
"You're too good for me," Texas said. Tito shook his head, giving Texas a long, loving kiss.
"I love you, you hear me? I'm so lucky to have such a caring and thoughtful person in my life," Tito whispered.
"I love you too...," Texas said softly. They both drifted off to sleep shortly after, Texas having an all-too-familiar nightmare...
Meanwhile, California was being driven home after a late night photo shoot. She stared out the window into the pitch-black night, Canada sitting next to her in the drivers seat.
"....don't you want to take off your wig?" Canada asked. California just realized she was still wearing it. She tugged it off, a small lock of her curly red hair being tugged away with it. California didn't care. It's not like her fans cared about the hair under her wig. "Isn't that makeup a bit much? I have some makeup wipes in the glovebox," Canada said. California wiped the makeup caked on her face and shoulders, that covered her ever-growing bounty of freckles. She looked just like her surrogate mother.
She used to love that, because she thought Canada was gorgeous.
But Hollywood always gave Canada a pitiful smile, telling California she was glad she got her papás smile and facial structure, rather than the 'average' looks of her birth mother.
She hated that, because she still thought Canada was gorgeous.
Although, California started to question if she knew anything at all.
"Oh love, what's wrong?...," Canada said gently, looking over to see California sobbing. Canada pulled over at a gas station, and held California in a tight hug. California sobbed louder and louder the more Canada gently told her that she was allowed to cry.
Once California got it all out, Canada took her hair out of the tight bun Hollywood would make her put it in so her wig would fit. It bounced out, falling to her shoulders, the crease from the hair-tie almost vanishing. California always used to admire how all her papá and birth mom needed to do to achieve a perfect hairdo was to flick their hair once and let it fall into place. California knew their hair was more perfect than the blond wig she had to constantly brush, wash, and curl (only to a small wave, never to a coil).
"Y'know, the bob haircut is cute on you... I thought you liked it long though," Canada said softly. California was silent for a moment.
"It's easier to have it short... the wig will fit better," California said. Canada lifted her daughter's chin. Though she knew she was 'Auntie Canada,', she never considered California to be any less of a daughter to her.
"Cali, what hairstyle do you want?" Canada asked.
"It doesn't matter-,"
"Why not?
"...because everyone likes it blond,"
"I don't," Canada said. California teared up.
"I-I'm so sorry...," California cried.
"You don't have to be sorry, darling... nobody has to like your hair... what matters is if you love it or not... don't you love your natural hair?" Canada asked. California didn't want to say yes out loud, but shook her head yes, because she really did.
"B-but I c-can't... who wants a white-trash red-headed pop-star?" California echoed Hollywoods remarks about her hair. Canada chuckled a bit, albeit sadly.
"How come, when it's your beautiful natural color, with the same perfect shine and texture as your very obviously dark-bronze skinned father, it's 'white-trash red-head'... However, when it's dyed onto a naturally blond, British actress like -Emma Stone-, it's suddenly a 'gorgeous fiery auburn'? That's not fair at all, and it's total connerie- pardon my French," Canada said, California laughing shakily.
"I just... what if I wear my real hair onstage, and people start recognizing me offstage?" California asked. Canada sighed.
"I don't know...," Canada said, before a lingering silence. "...hon, do you really want to be a singer?" Canada asked. California was silent for a moment.
What else am I good for?
"I don't know...," California whispered, as Canada hugged her close.
Meanwhile, Texas bolted upwards in bed, waking Tito up too.
"Tex?! What's wrong?" Tito exclaimed sleepily, grabbing Texas's hand. Texas took a deep breath.
"N-nightmare...," Texas said. Tito sighed.
"You keep having them... do you have any clue why?" Tito asked. Texas held his breath, but decided to just let it go with a big sigh.
"I don't even remember his face, his name, or what happened..... my dad explained it all to me when I turned ten... or, well, he explained it in as little detail as possible... when I was three, my uncle took me from the park we were at when my parents weren't looking and beat the sh*t out of me. My brain purged that memory, but I still held the fear deep down... my parents were determined to never ever let it ruin my childhood, and I'm glad that it didn't... but those damn nightmares.... They still get to me," Texas said. Tito was shocked, trying to find the right words.
"Y-your uncle? N-not Aussie or Kiwi... right?" Tito asked. Texas shook his head.
"Not them, those two are the nicest... My dad assured me he would never ever step foot near any of our family again...Nobody will even say his name out loud, so I don't know...," Texas said. Tito nodded.
"I understand... I...I'm so sorry...," Tito said.
"It's ok, don't worry... besides, I know it'll never happen again to me... and, when I become a sheriff, I'll do my best to make sure the monsters like him end up where they belong...," Texas said. Tito smiled and nodded, noticing the time was 8:30.
"I should get going... I promise I'll visit soon," Tito said. Texas smiled and nodded, and they shared a parting kiss.
Goddamn this chapter has 2600+ words
Sh*t, guess I had some stuff to say
Sorry this chapter is emotional btw, guess I was tired