Midge the Neko - Boyxboy -complete-

Chapter 74 -- Returned

Midge rummaged through his overnight bag for several minutes before giving up and dumping it out on his bare mattress.  No, not here.  He looked around the room, then walked back to the living room to see if he had left her on the couch, or in the kitchen.  He was still prowling around when he heard Esther and Kelly at the door.  "Coming."

        "Hey hon, take this" Kelly said, handing him a gallon of milk.

"Thank you so much!"  He put it on the counter and went back to walking around the apartment.

        "K-poof, what is he doing?"  Esther asked.

        "No idea.  Midge?  What are you doing?"

"I can not find Marley.  Have you seen her?  I am trying to remember if she was here earlier."

        "Who's Marley?" Esther asked

"My stuffed cat.  She is black and white, and stands up, and is about this big" he answered, holding his hands out.

        "I don't remember a stuffed cat, but this place is a disaster -- who knows?" Kelly said.  "Midge, make sure the cold stuff gets in the fridge, okay?  I have GOT to get home and walk Olaf, poor boy has been cooped up for hours."

"Okay" he mumbled, walking into Scott's room to look.

        "Okay Esta, we are OUT.  Byeeee Midge, and Scott, wherever you are!!" she called, closing the door behind them.

Scott came out of the shower a few minutes later and swore the apartment had somehow gotten messier.  The food was still sitting on the counter, including Midge's beloved milk and his first thought was to panic when he didn't see him anywhere.  "MIDGE???" he called, walking towards his room.  He knocked, then peeked in the door but he wasn't there.  MID--"

"Yes?" he asked, standing in his doorway.  His eyes were red and his forehead was furrowed down.

"God you scared me.  What's wrong?"

"I can not find Marley.  She is gone.  Will you help me?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course.  Um, let's get the groceries put away though, don't want to ruin your milk."  He walked into their new kitchen and started going through the bags, throwing the cold stuff into the fridge and freezer in no particular order.  "Okay, are you sure she made it here?  Could she be at Zac's?"

"YES!  Maybe she is there.  I do not remember if she was here.  It was such a busy day."

"Okay, let me find my............ phone, where's my phone, ah." he said, wandering back into his room and grabbing his jeans "and call him real quick."

        "The answer is no.  Whatever you want.  No." Zac joked before Scott had a chance to ask him anything.

"Is Marley, the stuffed cat, at your place?" Scott asked.

        "Uhh, fine, I'll look.  Let me check the room.  Hold on."

"What's all the noise?  Having a party?"

        "For your information I am alone.  I'm rocking my tiger onesie and singing my heart out while drinking several alcoholic beverages."

"I knew we were keeping you from the things you love.  I can't believe you let us stay as long as you did.  Any sign of her?"

        "I'm only looking for Midge.  You understand me Hoying?"

"Yes Captain" he answered sheepishly.  "Are you actually serious?"

        "Mmmhmm, want a snap?"

"Absolutely.  Midge will get a kick out of you dressed like a cat."

        "I'll think about it.  I don't see the stuffy."

"Did you just call it a stuffy?"

        "Shut up Scottie.  I'll let you know if I find it."

"Thanks.  Have fun tigger."

        "Tiggers are wonderful things Pooh."

"Boing Boing."  After hanging up he turned to Midge who had a hopeful look on his face.  "Sorry, he didn't find her.  He's going to keep looking though."

"Oh.  Alright.  I was just hoping."

"She'll turn up tomorrow Midge, don't worry.  It's just chaos with all the moving.  I'm sure she's fine."

"I did not want to sleep in the new bed and new apartment alone.  I ... I will be fine.  I am sorry, it is fine.  Thank you for asking him."

"You can sleep with me, although I'm not quite as snugly as Marley.  We should try out your new bed, don't you think?  I'll help with the sheets."

"I like you MUCH more than Marley, well, this Marley.  You will sleep in my bed?  That would be wonderful and I would like it very much.  I am doing much better you know."

"You're amazing, but what in particular?"

"I am telling you what I want and you do not get mad.  It is very nice." Midge said, throwing a pillowcase at Scott.

"You're right, you've been doing great.  I appreciate it, too."  He dressed two pillows and sat them to the side.  Once they had gotten the sheets and blankets on, he threw them back onto the bed and then belly-flopped onto it.  "Oh yeah, this will work.  Come here, you."

Midge crawled in, burrowing under the blankets and cuddling up with Scott.  "I am glad we did not misplace your nook.  I would rather have it than Marley."

"You're sweet, and it will always be right here if you need it.  I am literally exhausted.  I own too much heavy shit.  Next time I move I will hire people to lug it around.  I am SO done."

"I am sorry you went to all this trouble for me."

"Don't do that Midge, don't put that on your shoulders.  I was glad I did it BEFORE that fucker broke in and now I'm extra glad.  I obsessed with this place, so no regrets.  Okay?"

"Thank you.  Someone is here, I think.  I do not know the sounds here yet."

A moment later he heard the knock at the same time his phone went off.  "I'll get it.  It had better be important" he grumbled, climbing out of bed.

Midge followed behind as Scott looked through the peephole.

"I can't see.  Who is it?" he asked.

        "It's Captain, with a runaway." Zac answered.  "Open the damn door before someone sees me and calls the cops."

Scott opened the door and sucked in such a big breath he could barely close his mouth.

"You are a tiger!!!" Midge exclaimed, clapping.  When Zac brought his hand out from behind his back and showed him Marley, he grabbed for her.  "Marley!"

"You, you came out in that.  You went in PUBLIC like that.  I can NOT with you!" Scott said, still laughing.

        "I knew you'd be all 'oh please, I'm so tired, please bring it over here' but we'd talk and I'd try to get out of it for half an hour but you'd finally convince me so I saved the time and just did it.  I'm going home now so shut up.  And you owe me Scottie.  I WILL collect, so be ready."

"Bye Cap, thank you!" he said, closing the door.  "So, one big happy family again.  Is the TV up and running Midge?"

"I believe so.  Avi was watching it a bit earlier to test things."

"Okay, movie time.  The couch is definitely big enough for all three of us but if the blanket isn't, furriest gets left out."

Midge tilted his head to the side.  "That..s fair."

*** There is a 74 and a half in the Excerpts book ;)  Enjoy!