A New Virus

What A Shame

Dark sat in his office, making a face of discomfort as the bandages rubbed against his shirt. They were practically healed at this point, but Anti insisted that he keeps them wrapped up for another few days since the overcharge had happened on Friday and it was only Monday morning. He was tempted to remove them anyways since Anti had been...himself. Anti had said there was to be no sex until Dark was healed and even taped a piece of paper on his back that read:

Do Not Enter

Dark had a plan to show Anti that he was just fine tonight, he was going to call Wilford after he finished this client's personal contract and have his friend take Annalise to the Iplier Manor for the night. Dark stopped his writing at that thought. Maybe he'll call Chase and have Annalise go to the Septiceye House instead. Dark's thoughts were interrupted by a ringing.

"Hello?" Dark said into his phone after answering it.

"Hi, Mr. Powell...Mr. Iplier...Darkiplier...what do I call you?" Keith asked, sounding a little winded.

"Dark will do." Dark stated, setting his pen down. "Is there something wrong?"

"Yeah. I just got out of school early because literally half of the student body is missin'."

"What!?" Dark quickly grabbed his laptop and did a quick search. "The average high school holds seven hundred and fifty-two people..." He read out loud and did some mental math. "That's three hundred and seventy-six people!"

"They made a big spiel at the school about goin' straight home and stayin' safe cause they all went missin' on Friday." Keith let out a chuckle. "I don't think they were supposed to say that last part."

"Annalise!" Dark called out.

"What!?" Analise called back.

"Keith, are you heading home?" Dark asked into the phone.

"You making me get up." Annalise groaned loudly.

"Nope." Keith popped his 'p'.

"Where are you heading?" Dark let out a sigh when he heard the doorbell ring.

"I'll give you a guess." Keith chuckled.

"I got it!" Annalise shouted.

"Teenagers are going to be the death of me." Dark grumbled, hanging up his phone and began calling the others.

"Keith? Why are you here?" Annalise asked when she opened the door. "It's not even noon."

"School's canceled because everyone's missin'." Keith stepped into the house and slipped off his backpack as he headed for the kitchen.

"Wait, what?" Annalise shook her head in shock.

"Literally half of the student body ain't home or at school." Keith opened the fridge and grabbed himself a juice packet.

"What happened?" Annalise asked out loud.

"I got a theory." Keith stabbed the straw into the packet. "They went missin' Friday, your dad did his over energy blow-up thingy Friday and y'all told me how that works so..."

"Do you really think my dad ate half the school!?" Annalise shouted.

"Well, that would explain the overcharge." Anti muttered, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"Dad, you're not wearing clothes." Annalise groaned while Keith was struggling not to look.

"It's too hot in my room because-" Anti tilted his head back and yelled: "-someone won't let me fix the air conditioner!"

"If you won't let father take off his bandages, he's not going to let you go into machines." Annalise said and Keith was now facing away from Anti, sipping on the juice packet. Anti grabbed himself a box a cereal and stuck his hand into it.

"He's probably calling everyone. Looks like you'll be seeing your boyfriend today. And so will you, Keith-ster." Anti winked and shoved a handful of dry cereal into his mouth.

"I'm not even gonna dignify that with a response." Keith held his head up and walked out of the kitchen.

"Anti, put on some pants, the others will be over soon." Dark stated as he passed by Keith.

"Do I have to wear pants?" Anti asked with his mouth full.

"The others are not allowed to see you bare." Dark said. "And I can't let them know what your boy looks like now or they'll be very confused the next time they see you after tonight."

"Y'all are gross!" Annalise shouted and left as well.

x~x~x

"Here you go, Bingy." Annalise said, handing Bing an ice pack as she sat on the edge of the bed with Bing.

"I have no idea where this headache came from." Bing sighed, pressing the pack to his forehead.

"My living room is currently filled with all of the egos, that would give anyone a headache." Annalise chuckled.

"I'm glad you suggested glitching over to the Manor, it's a lot quieter here." Bing said, blinking slowly as he grimaced.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay? Should I go back and get Google?" Annalise asked, rubbing Bing's shoulder.

"No..." Bing gently pushed Annalise's hand away. "I can't do this."

"It's just a headache." Annalise weakly laughed.

"I'm not talking about the headache." Bing lowered the ice-pack, looking down at the ground and shaking his head.

"Well...what are you talking about?"

"I can't do this." Bing used a finger to point at himself and then at Annalise. "I can't do...I can't...us."

"Bingy?" Annalise's voice cracked a little. "What are you saying?"

"It's just not...It's not working." Bing rubbed his eye.

"What do you mean, it's not working?"Annalise's voice was getting a little louder. "Am I missing something? Was I doing something that I didn't even know!?"

"I don't know. Something just doesn't feel right about us." Bing sighed.

"Bing...Bing please." Annalise was quiet again as she pleaded, placing her hand on Bing's thigh and staring at the spot when Bing got up and moved away. "Why? Why are you doing this?"

"I don't know." Bing answered, rubbing his eye again.

"Tell me! Tell me, please! Tell me what I did wrong!" Annalise screamed.

"Annalise...I think you should leave." Bing said.

"Bing." Annalise got up and went over to Bing. "Bing, wait, please." Annalise put her hands over her mouth to hold back a sob when Bing moved away from her. "I love you."

"I'll see you later." Bing whispered. Annalise choked on her sob this time before glitching away.

"It has to be the new virus that caused-" Dark stopped his statement when Annalise glitched in front of him, crying into her hands. "Annalise?"

"He...H-He..." Annalise stuttered while Dark stood up and hugged her.

"Why ain't Bing with you?" Keith asked when he left Annalise's room.

"He broke up with me." Annalise cried, holding onto Dark's shirt as she sobbed harder.

"What a shame." Mac muttered, rubbing his eye.