Day 16.
Fan brought in dinner today.
"Heyyy," The door creaked open, MePhone sitting up from having been laying down for most of the day to see who it was.
"Huh? Why are you here?" MePhone didn't mean to sound so aggressive, watching as Fan walked over, carrying the tray of food, trying very hard not to drop it as he carefully put it on the table next to the bed
"Oh, I was uh, suggested to bring you dinner tonight, since it didn't seem like you were going to leave your room today,"
"It's evening already?" MePhone raised an eyebrow. He really wished this room had a window or something.
"Yep!"
"So uh, wh- why you then?"
"Oh, uh-- I mean no one else really wanted to, so I volunteered!" And Fan realized a bit too late how he made that sound
"Ah- not that nobody wants to see you or anything, just um, after you came in the other day avoiding everyone, well..."
"Right." MePhone sighed.
"Anyways, how are you? Doing any better?"
"I'm doing... Fine."
DAY 17.
OJ threw himself back into the hotel manager duty role at full force. Sure, he was avoiding a very important problem, but he was advised to give him time, and with how their last conversation went, MePhone surely didn't want to talk to him anymore anyways. It wasn't like the very thought of that made OJ's heart ache, but he went on with his work. Paper would insist for him to take it slow, or take a break, but there simply isn't time for that. Even though Paper and Soap had been taking care of the hotel while he was too busy being worried about MePhone, there was still so much that didn't get done. So obviously, the smart thing to do was keep working.
...
While this was going on, Paper was plotting. This was because of what happened between OJ, and MePhone, meaning the sooner they actually talked, or got rid of that awkward air between each other, the better. Paper had a plan. Sure, it was a bit risky, but neither of them were making a move to talk to each other, so he was sure giving them a little push wouldn't hurt. He would need some help though.
"You want me to do what?" Fan raised an eyebrow, having been pulled to the side before entering his room for the evening.
"Just keep it quiet but I need you to get MePhone on the top floor sometime tomorrow."
"Do you know how sketchy this sounds? What are you plotting?"
"OJ's overworking himself again to avoid talking to him, and I need to get them to talk, so I've come up with the perfect plan of locking them in a room until they make up." Paper smiled, explaining the plan as if it didn't sound incredibly risky, and kind of stupid.
"I don't think forcing an interaction is going to work out as good as you think it is... Trust me, it never works in the fanfictions I read." Fan crossed his arms.
"Listen, they're never going to talk if we don't give them a push. I told OJ to give it some time, and that completely backfired because he isn't even taking breaks! For the past two nights I've found him asleep in his office, Fan. This needs to happen."
"If he took your advice the first time, with suggesting to give him space, couldn't you just tell him it's been enough time, and that he should go talk to h--"
"I've tried! I've tried everything I could think of, and none of it's been working. It's frustrating. He's frustrating. He does this all the time, and doesn't realize how bad this is for his health. Honestly, I'd lock him in a closet anyways if this wasn't happening, just to make him take a break!" Paper waved his hands above his head, exasperated.
"Okay, fine. I'll help, but don't blame me if it goes wrong, please" Fan sighed. This didn't seem like it was going to end well.
DAY 18.
"Why... are we up- up here? You know how ann- annoying it is for me t- to go up stairs? What's so important that you had to- had to drag me up six flights of them? What's even up here?" MePhone huffed, leaning heavily against his cane as he and Fan made it to the top floor of the hotel.
"Um, uh, There's actually something up here I want to show you! Yeah, that's it!" Fan shuffled nervously, still grinning his same usual grin.
MePhone raised an eyebrow. This was incredibly suspicious. Fan must have caught on to MePhone's hesitance, as he quickly tried to reassure the phone;
"Trust me, it's super cool, I know you aren't impressed by much, but this is really cool!" Fan walked ahead, opening a door on the far end of the hall. MePhone huffed again, before making his way over, peering into the room.
"It's... A storage closet-- Fan, did y- you really have to waste my ti-- woah-" MePhone scrambled to keep his footing as he was shoved into the room, the door being slammed behind him. He quickly whipped around, his eyes not taking long to adjust to the darkness of the room-- why wasn't there a light on in here? As soon as he regained his balance enough to walk stable, he rushed to the door, trying to open it.
"Wh- what the hell, Fan?" MePhone yelled, very annoyed by this. This is not how he wanted to spend his afternoon. TestTube was supposed to check on him today, what would she think if he was missing again.
"Sorry! It- Um, You'll thank me later!"
MePhone could hear the footsteps of Fan running back down the hall, his voice growing quieter as he made his distance.
Just great. MePhone sighed, turning to face the rest of the room. Surely enough, it was a small storage closet, a shelf with a locked box at the very top-- MePhone would definitely have to see what that was about, and various other supplies on the rest of the shelf. In the other corner of the room was a mop, and a bucket. He stared at it for a few moments, before coming up with an idea to at least entertain himself for the time being, considering he still couldn't exactly generate any items to help with the boredom that was sure to come. He was also sure it wouldn't be too long until someone came looking for him. He'd just have to tell Fan off later.
...
"Hey Paper, have you seen the keys?" OJ leaned into the kitchen as Paper was preparing some kind of drink for himself.
"Huh? Oh, no, I haven't sorry, I can help you look though, if you'd like!" Paper smiled.
"No, no it's fine, just swinging by to ask, see you around--"
"Oh, actually, wait OJ, I think I remember where they are, I borrowed them to get something out of the supply room on the top floor, they're probably still up there!"
"Oh, thanks Paper! Can always count on you!" OJ smiled, before ducking out of the kitchen again. Paper could hear him making his way up the stairs not soon after. He couldn't believe that it actually worked-- wait, It wasn't going to work unless he was there too-- Paper rushed out of the kitchen to catch up with OJ, he could go back for his drink later as long as nobody else took it, but this was more important. Paper finally managed to catch up on the last flight of stairs, huffing like he had just run a marathon to catch up with the manager.
"OJ!"
"Oh, hey again Paper, what do you need now?"
"Something from the closet, yeah, that's what," Paper smiled sheepishly, now walking beside OJ to the room.
As soon as the door opened, OJ stepped in, and the door was shut behind him.
"Um, Paper?" OJ turned around to face the door. It didn't take long for it to click in OJ's head what had just happened.
"Oh come on, not this again, I have stuff that needs to be done!" OJ jiggled the door handle, before glancing around the rest of the dark room-- and noticing the other object in the room, staring back as if he had just been caught committing a murder, holding the mop that was in the room like a guitar.
The two stared at each other for a moment, before MePhone's arms shot up, dropping the mop.
"Sorry OJ, but this needs to be done!" Paper spoke through the door. He could hear the jingling of keys on the other end, quickly turning back to the door-- he could process what he just saw later, right now he needed to get out of there.
This wasn't the first time Paper had locked him in a closet, surprisingly, but every time it happened, OJ kept falling for it. This time though, MePhone was here, for whatever reason, and OJ didn't think it was the right time to be in a room with him again.
But Paper was leaving him with no choice.
"I'll be back later, okay? Just please, this is for both of your own goods,"
And they both could hear Paper's footsteps walk away from the door.
OJ groaned, leaning his head on the door, with his hand still on the handle. This couldn't get any worse.
He turned back around, realizing how dark it actually was in this room, the only light being provided by MePhone's screen, which had dimmed in embarrassment after dropping the mop. He was sitting against a wall now.
"So uh... What was that about?" OJ cringed at himself-- out of all the things he needed to say, he asked that, instead.
"Uh... It isn't important..." MePhone coughed into his hand, glancing to the side-- looking anywhere but at the beverage.
OJ sighed. Of course.
"Sorry you got dragged into whatever Paper's doing this time. This is probably my fault," OJ slid down to a sitting position against the door.
"Why- Why is he doing this anyways?"
Both of them opted to ignore the awkward air between them, not daring to bring up the argument they had days prior.
"He thinks I'm overworking again. I fall asleep at my desk two nights in a row and suddenly he's freaking out about me not being able to put my job down for two seconds..." OJ sighed, before continuing; "I get it, he cares about me, but locking me in a closet is not how this should be solved."
"... You said 'not again'... Has- has he done this before?"
"Five times. This makes the sixth." OJ let out, exasperated.
"Jeez, really?" MePhone raised an eyebrow in shock.
"Yeah, but honestly I guess I can't blame him... Say, can you turn your brightness up at all? I can barely see..." OJ asked, a bit nervous.
"Oh, yeah, I guess I can." And with that, the room was a little brighter, and OJ could at least make out what else was in there with the two.
It was silent for a bit, neither of them having the courage to speak. For once, it was MePhone who spoke first;
"Wh- what's in that locked box?" He blurted out. Really, that's not what he meant to say at all. He wanted to apologize, he really did, but apparently his curiosity was getting the better of him.
"Oh, huh?"
MePhone moved his screen to illuminate the shelf.
"Oh, that one, uh... I don't actually remember, I think that's where we keep Soaps confiscated cleaning supplies, but... uh..." Oj stood up, walking over to reach the box. It took a bit of effort, the shelf being taller than him, but eventually he got it down.
"This is way too small for cleaning supplies... Hm..." He shook the box in his hands lightly. Whatever it was, it didn't sound like much... if OJ had to make a guess, there were papers in there, or something like that.
"I don't actually know what's in here-- wait, MePhone, you can generate stuff, maybe you could generate a key for this-- oh! And the door! We could get out of here!" OJ smiled at MePhone, clearly believing in his idea. MePhone couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. Right. He had hid the fact he couldn't really generate stuff from OJ.
"Hate to break it- it to you Citrus, but that's not how it- how it works... First of all, I can't just generate s- some key and expect it to open every- every single lock, that's not how keys work, and secondly I- I kinda literally can't... Sorry." MePhone rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, still sitting mostly against one of the room's walls.
"What do you mean, literally can't?"
MePhone frowned a bit, before coming clean;
"My systems are messed up. My object generation abilities are totally screwed up."
"Oh... oh." OJ's expression dropped. "Does that mean you can't revive people either?"
"I don't know, but- but we certainly aren't going to test- to test that out, but also, she was supposed- supposed to tell you, did she not?!"
"No?? I didn't have any idea!"
"She- she said she was going to, I-- ugh, she forgot didn't- didn't she." MePhone groaned, dragging his hand down his screen to show annoyance.
"So we're stuck in here then. Like really stuck, until Paper thinks I've had enough time working, which is... usually about four to five hours... In a small, dark room," OJ's expression grew visibly stressed as he kept talking, it not taking him long to start pacing. He couldn't be standing still. This really did just keep getting worse. OJ would never consider himself claustrophobic, nothing of the sorts, but this room was really getting to him. For some reason, there wasn't even a light source in here-- he'd have to get that fixed, and he was stuck in here with MePhone, who very clearly hated him by now. Why was MePhone even involved in this one? Surely Paper hadn't used what he had learned against him or anything, Paper would never intentionally do something like that, unless--
OJ's thoughts were running wild, his breathing growing a bit erratic as he put the locked box down, and kept pacing. It didn't take a genius to realize he was panicking, thankfully MePhone picked up on that fact very quickly, as he hoisted himself up with his cane, and walked over to OJ, who still paced, his hands gripping the top of his cup.
"OJ," MePhone spoke, trying to keep his voice non-confrontive. OJ kept pacing, not even registering. He really didn't want to overstep, but he had to make sure the other wasn't going to have a panic attack, that was the last thing either of the two needed.
"OJ." He placed a hand on the other's shoulder, OJ finally stopping his movement to look up at MePhone.
"They aren't going to- to keep us here forever, okay? You're going to- going to be okay."
OJ stood there for a moment, registering the phone's words.
"Just take a- a minute to breathe, okay?" MePhone squeezed the other's shoulder a bit, trying to help ground him-- hoping that would actually help. OJ did as he was told, taking a few deep breaths, successfully regulating his breathing. After this, he went over with MePhone to sit against the wall with him, trying to keep his worry levels low.
It was silent again for a bit.
"I'm sorry."
"...What?" OJ glanced at the phone next to him.
"For the other- other day. For what I- I said to you. I was- I was having a bad day, but that- that doesn't... It doesn't excuse how I- I acted towards you." MePhone kept his eyes on the floor in front of him, unable to meet OJ's gaze.
"When-- When I went outside... the other day, I- I got caught out in the rain, it wasn't... originally on purpose. I- I tried to generate an umbrella, and it- it just didn't- didn't work, and--" OJ put a hand on MePhones shoulder, letting him silently know he didn't have to continue explaining himself if it was upsetting. MePhone stopped talking, looking down at his hands.
"I'm... sorry too. For being so pushy. I just... I really was terrified when I found you-- both times... All I've been is worried for you-- and I promise you none of it has ever been pity, because I--"
MePhone looked up, finally meeting OJ's gaze as he spoke, and as he did this, OJ immediately cowers out of what he was originally going to say, saying something else, instead; "I- I um, I just care about you, okay?" OJ glanced away, growing a bit flustered as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.
MePhone glanced away again, his screen growing warmer. He didn't say anything, just listening.
"Thank you for- for caring. It's just... hard to accept some- some days, but... I really do appreciate it... I... um, also, I... I- I care about you too... So uh... Maybe it'd be better if you- you don't overwork y- yourself?"
"Oh don't get on my case too," OJ groaned, moving to hold his face in his hands for a moment as he did so.
"Sorry for caring, I guess," MePhone shot back the same phrase OJ had said to him, trying to be sly. OJ rolled his eyes half-heartedly before responding;
"Yeah, yeah, okay, I get it. I'll take it slow for a few days."
"I don't think- think that's what Paper meant--"
"Fine. I'll just... take it slow in general-- or, at least I can try to. It's just... It's so busy all the time here, for like no reason! I swear some of the residents here cause problems on purpose."
"Me, being an ex- example of that?" MePhone grinned.
"Yeah, I mean, well, you used to be like that. Not so much anymore, thank the Gods."
"Well you better expect- expect I go back to it as soon as I'm able to- to. I have a title to uphold, after all." MePhone elbowed OJ lightly, the sly look still on his face. OJ scoffed.
"Of course. Am I going to have to start using the spray bottle again?" OJ elbowed back, playfully.
"Nooo, not the spray bottle!" MePhone grinned, lightly shoving OJ away a bit, the both of them laughing.
For an afternoon stuck in a closet, it wasn't that bad.
It was about seven when OJ perked up, mid conversation, at the sound of the door unlocking.
Paper opened the door slowly, peeking in, almost awkwardly, hoping he wasn't about to get yelled at for pulling this stunt AGAIN, but OJ didn't scold him this time. He had other things on his mind as he stood up, helping MePhone get to his feet too. OJ glanced to Paper, then back to MePhone, the two finally stepping out into the hallway, squinting at the sudden change in light level.
"Sorry I meant to come back sooner, I promise, I just-- um, busy day!"
"I told you, Paper, there's a lot to be done... But... Thanks for doing this anyways. I guess I really did need this break." OJ smiled at MePhone while he spoke, who was fiddling a bit with his cane.
MePhone wouldn't admit it, but his screen was definitely warmer than usual. The time spent in that closet may have not been ideal, but OJ being there definitely made it better.
"Well, guess we should go make dinner, huh?" OJ looked at Paper.
"Yes, please, lets just forget about all this, huh?"
"Oh I'm definitely going to talk to you about your habits of locking me in a room, but for now we can move on." OJ patted Paper's shoulder, before walking towards the stairs.
As he was walking back down to the infirmary, on the first floor, he passed Fan in the hallway, for once not telling him off, but just staring at him intently. He had no intent to actually be angry at Fan-- not anymore at least, but it was fun to make him worry just a little.
TestTube came by, thankfully after dinner, having apparently been told by Fan what had happened today, and to not come by before later. She brought in his dinner tonight, setting it on the table as she pulled her clipboard out again, ready to ask questions as he idly ate away at the dinner;
"So, first question I'm going to ask, because apparently you've been in a closet all day, how are you mentally?"
"I'm... Actually really good." MePhone smiled, almost wistfully. MePhone realized his tone a bit too late, but TestTube thankfully didn't say anything about it, just smiling as she wrote down the evaluation.
"Glad to hear you're doing better mentally, how do you feel physically?"
"Uh, well, my- my generational abilities st- still aren't working, uhh, I- I mean nothing hurts if that's what you're asking?" He shrugged, finishing up the meal he was given.
"Good enough of an answer... Now, about the screen, I'm definitely getting closer, but it still isn't good enough yet. It may be a month after all, but who knows! I promise I am still working on it though." She smiled a friendly smile towards him.
MePhone smiled back, genuinely feeling good for the first time in a while.
Today was nice.