BOYS WILL BE BUGS ~ Warren x Shrignold

11. hug all your friends

TW: mentions of homophobia

~hug all ur friends - cavetown~

WARREN POV

I sulked home and collapsed on my bed, burying my face in the thick quilt and holding back tears. I really didn't know what to think, or to feel...maybe I should just be ok. But I don't feel  ok...

I held back tears, even though I didn't feel like crying. I didn't feel anything, only numbness. Just a dark, empty void in my heart and stomach. Sometime later, I heard a knock at my door. I sighed to myself. "Go away, Larry..." I grumbled into the quilt. 

Another series of knocks. Seething with annoyance, I got up and opened the door. To my surprise, I not only saw Larry at the door, but also Sketchbook, who had hitched a ride atop his lampshade. Sketch look at me with concern brimming their eyes. "Hey there Warren...can we talk to ya' real quick?" They asked politely. 

"Sure, why not." I shrugged, opening the door to let them in. 

I sat myself down in my wheelie desk chair while Larry sat on the bed facing me. Sketchbook gave me another concerned look. "Warren..Larry told me about you and Shrignold, and-" I flashed Larry a look of hate, which he immediately defended himself against. "I was weak! They gave me a tip to where the alcohol was hidden! Which- by the way, was a big fat lie." He crossed his arms and huffed in anger.

Sketch simply rolled their eyes and continued speaking. "-and we noticed you coming back into the house little bleak..." they pinched their fingers together, leaving a bit a space in between. "And we assumed the worst." Larry stated.

"Yeah, Larry. Maybe you should've told me that Shrignold was a tad bit, Y'know, homophobic?" I sneered. Larry shrugged. "Must've slipped my mind." 

Sketchbook glared down at Larry, who again defended himself as if he were innocent. "What? I'm serious! You know that not enough booze makes my brain go haywire, maybe you and the people of this house should take more consideration into how I  feel." He scoffed. I almost wanted to smile, but then remember that I was supposed to be serious at the moment.

"Anyways, both of us support you one-hundred percent! And we understand that you're conflicted with the fact that...Shrignold may not be supportive to you liking him." Sketch gave a soft, sympathetic smile. Even though I still felt kind of empty and miserable, I started to feel just a bit better...it was nice having friends that really cared about you and your life...

"And who knows? Maybe the little freak will come around. You're a nice guy, compared to the other toolbags in this house, and if he doesn't- then that just proves that he was never worth your time." Larry chuckled smugly, Sketchbook gave him an odd look, but nodded in agreement. "Shrignold has always been one of the more optimistic characters here, I can imagine what you see in him-"

"I can't." Larry commented simply. "Larry Lamp! You're not helping!" Sketch snapped. 

I though I began to tear up, but quickly wiped it away as I smiled with calm happiness. "You guys-...I don't really know what to say..." I took a deep breath and looked up again at them. "You guys are so kind. Thank you for talking to me. Everything-..." I sighed heavily and held the bridge of my nose before going on. "everything has been so complicated. I don't really know what to feel..." 

Larry stood and stepped over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder and smiling. "We'll, we're here for ya' man." Sketch hopped from Larry's head and onto mine, wrapping their arms around they could of my hair and head. "We love talking to all the new teachers. It's hard settling in, it was for me, and I was the first one in this house!" They chuckled. 

For now, almost all of my sorrow had been brushed away like dust on a countertop as I smiled in the supportive warmth of Larry and and Sketch...

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