Mart's pov:
It was now early August, and nothing had changed in the situation that was The Boiling Isles.
Of course now, things were starting to look a little bit bad. It had been about 9-10 months since the day of unity and there hadn't been any improvements on waking anyone up.
This particular day however, Matt felt extra crummy. He knew today was supposed to be happy, he knew he should be 'celebrating' or anything of the sort. But it was all useless. He didn't have anyone to celebrate with.
You see, today is Matt's birthday.
Matt is now a year older.
After all, that's how birthdays work... people say "happy birthday", you vlow out some candles, you turn a year older, and you don't feel any different.
Today was probably the worst birthday Matt has ever had. He wished he could spend it with someone who cared about him. He wished he could spend it with Gus.
He lay on his bed, covered in blankets. He turned on his side and curled up his knees to his chest. He didn't cry, he just sat there, wishing he could. For some reason right now he just couldn't cry. He tried to, he tried to make himself cry to feel better, but it failed.
He sits up and closes the blinds on the window right next to his bed. Then he lays back down, hoping to sleep the whole day away.
After about an hour of trying to sleep, he gives up. Tossing the blankets off of him with his legs, he sighs and heads downstairs. He takes a monster-cake from a container and heats it up. Then he gets a single candle from the cabinet and puts it in top. Lighting the candle he let's it sit for a bit. Then he says, "Happy birthday Matt..." to himself and blows out the candle and eats the monster-cake.
A/n (momster-cakes are pretty much pancakes in the Boiling Isles, I just made it up)
He walks back up to his room and lays back on his bed, hugging Gus' journal. He doesn't want to be alone anymore. He just wants someone.... anyone.... he wants someone to hold him and let him know they won't leave. He wants to know he isnt alone. He wants to have someone else to talk to. To talk about all the things that have went on the past 9 months, it's almost been a whole year!
Wow.... it's almost been a whole year?
Those are the words that set off the time bomb in Matt's mind. He feels himself begin to shatter from the bottom up. His eyes fill with big tears, making his vision blurry.
He quickly wipes his eyes with his sleeve and tries not to cry. He lays there and tries to do the one breathing exercise that Gus had taught him.
1..2..3..4..5.....5..4..3..2..1...
He closed his eyes and whispered to himself. "1..2..3..4..5.....5..4..3..2..1.." and after a minute-or-so, his breathing was more normal. He stopped crying as much, although a few tears snuck out every one in a while.
He sat up and turned on his TV to take his mind off of things.
In the end, it was a pretty xrappy birthday.
Gus' pov:
Today was Matt's birthday. And Gus wasn't there to celebrate it with him.
He had told everyone a month or so ago about his sexuality and about Matt. They were all super supportive and it was really nice.
Gus kept pacing around or fidgeting with his hands the whole day. He couldn't stand the idea of his boyfriend being alone on his birthday. It made him sick to his stomach.
Everyone could tell that something was wrong, but they didn't want to ask. Gus was in one of his old moods. The kind of mood where he basically shuts down and doesn't talk at all. He never meant to, but it was all he could do to keep himself from absolutely losing it.
It was around 9pm and the 6 teens were heading out to the shack to work on the portal.
Since figuring out that the window-portal worked, they had started working on a portal that you could actually walk through. And it took everything in Gus to not walk through it every time they saw the tiniest flicker of success. But he didn't.
Today wasn't a very successful day in particular. The 5 were hiding behind shields made of flipped over tables, and Luz was holding an old door as a large shield. After she had turned it in, they all ducked behind their protection. And, to none of their surprises, it blew up. Not like a nuclear explosion, but a magic one.
There was smoke everywhere, they all coughed and stumbled out of the shack. Once they were all out they sat around on the front porch of the shack and waited for the smoke to clear before trying again.
Gus sat on the stairs and listened to them talk. He couldn't take it anymore. He was just so tired of it. He was so tired of being kept away from Matt, from one of the first person who ever made him feel truly loved.
He buries his face in his hands as the unexpected tears suddenly start falling from his face.
Everyone else stops what they're doing and rushes over to Gus.
"Gus what happened? Did you get hurt?"
"Are you okay Gus?"
"What happened?"
They all asked him questions along the same lines. Gus doesn't give them a direct answer, he just wipes his eyes and says, "I-I'm sorry. I don't know w-why I'm crying, i-its stupid... r-really..."
They all move closer and surround him in a big, warm, group hug. He smiles as he wipes his eyes some more and sinks into the hug. "...thanks guys, you're the best" he says quietly. Luz replies sarcasticly with "I know we are" while striking a dramatic pose. It makes everyone laugh.
"Oh hey, the smoke seems to have cleared out. We can head back in." Amity points out. Luz shakes her head, "how about we just call it a night. We can go home early and watch a movie or something. Get a little break."
They all agree and grab their stuff from inside and head back.
When they get back to the house they all gather in the living room to watch a movie. Amity and Luz are on one side of the couch, Vee is on the recliner chair, Hunter and Willow are laying on the floor, and Gus is on the other side of the couch, leaning on the arm rest.
Not even 30 minutes into the movie all of them fall asleep. The two couples snuggled against eschother. Meanwhile Gus and Vee both curl up against themselves and wrap up in blankets.
(Remember, they're both on separate furniture things, hope that didn't sound too confusing the way I said it)
When they woke up Luz was nowhere to be seen. Panicked, they all looked around for her. Gus rushed past the table where he was a note;
~~
Hey guys, I went out to the shack to work in the portal some more.
-Luz
~~
Gus takes the note and shows it to the group. Immediately they all relax. Then, they all get shoes on and he'd out to the shack to see Luz.
(End scene)
Sorry for the crappy end to this chapter- I didn't know how to end it soo... yeah.
I'm sick now.... yay... fantabulous.
Also- the rankings!??! WHAT!?!?
(As of November 20 2022)
Thank you so much- I never would have thought that you would like my writing THIS much. I'm kicking my feet and grinning like I just sent a risky text bro- I can't believe it. Thank you guys so so much for all the support!
Also! As the story draws to a close, im going to do a QnA, so don't forget to ask any questions.
(To my ghost readers, I'd like to know who you are, so maybe say hi? If you don't want to that's fine, just want to know who all you guys are)
I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!
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