Chapter Text
-- carcinoGeneticist [CG] opened memo on board FUCKING IMPORTANT --
CG: EVERY ONE OF YOU ASSHATS DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION HERE IMMEDIATELY. I KNOW IT CAN BE PRETTY DIFFICULT TO FOCUS ON SOMETHING OTHER THAN YOUR OWN VASTLY INTERESTING EXCEPT THE EXACT OPPOSITE LIVES BUT JUST HUMOUR ME FOR TWO MINUTES HERE. THAT MEANS STOP WATCHING PORNOGRAPHY YOU LONELY VIRGINS, I’M SURE YOUR ACHING ERECTIONS AND EVER MOUNTING SHAME WILL STILL BE WAITING FOR YOU WHEN I’M DONE.
CG: NOW, BEFORE ANY OF YOU LOSE YOUR SHIT OVER WHAT I’M ABOUT TO ASK, AS IT IS A RULE INSTATED BY NONE OTHER THAN ME, AND STILL MAKES SENSE SINCE I’M CERTAIN AT LEAST ONE OF YOU IS A POTENTIAL RAPIST, MAY I POINT OUT THE MEMO TITLE FOR ANY OF YOU WHO AREN’T PAYING ANY FUCKING ATTENTION: IT’S FUCKING IMPORTANT.
-- twinArmageddons [TA] responded to memo --
TA: 2hiit, get two the poiint.
CG: OH, I'M SO SORRY FOR TAKING UP SO MUCH OF YOUR PRECIOUS TIME, CAPTOR. EXCEPT THAT WAS SARCASM AND YOU CAN JUST STOP READING THIS AT ANY TIME. BE HONEST, YOU’RE LIKE THOSE PEOPLE WHO STAND AROUND WATCHING A TEN CAR PILE UP AND, INSTEAD OF DOING ANYTHING TO HELP, YOU JUST RECORD IT ON YOUR PHONE OR FACEBOOK STATUS THE CARNAGE. I AM THE CRASH AND YOU’RE JUST BEING AN IMPATIENT PRICK, WANTING TO GET YOUR ROCKS OFF AT THE SIGHT OF SOME BLOOD.
CG: SO LEAVE. I’M FULLY EXPLAINING SOME THINGS HERE SO CERTAIN MORONS WON’T START FLIPPING THE FUCK OUT LIKE “BUT YOU SAID NO REAL LIFE STUFF ONLINE BLAH BLAH BLAH” EVEN THOUGH APPARENTLY WE PRETTY MUCH THREW THAT OUT THE WINDOW SINCE IT TOOK ALL OF TEN MINUTES FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW EVERYONE ELSE’S FULL NAMES. JUST HANDING THEM OUT LIKE IT WAS GOING OUT OF STYLE. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT SO MANY BABIES WERE DROPPED ON THEIR HEADS BY THEIR NEGLIGENT CARE GIVERS?
CG: SERIOUSLY, DO YOU FUCKING WANT STALKERS? DO YOU WANT PEOPLE LIKE ERIC FLIRTING WITH YOU FOR REAL? SINGING LOVE BALLADS AT YOUR WINDOW EVERY NIGHT, WRITING NOTES IN HIS OWN TEARS AND SLIPPING THEM UNDER YOUR PILLOW WHILE YOU SLEEP? NO. IT’S STUPID.
TA: ii2 there EVEN a poiint two any of thii2?
TA: or ii2 thii2 another memo of you arguiing wiith your2elf?
CG: I WILL BAN YOU, SO HELP ME CAPTOR.
TA: ii am 2hakiing iin my boot2. ii’d hate to mii22 out on thii2 amaziing memo.
TA: iit’2 not at all liike any of the other2.
-- [CG] banned [TA] from responding to memo --
-- caligulasAquarium [CA] responded to memo --
CA: i wwouldn do that kar
CA: wwhy wwould you say that
CG: IT WAS JUST AN EXAMPLE. LET IT BE KNOWN THAT I, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY FANTASTIC LIFE, REGRET SAYING SOMETHING. I’M AN IDIOT. ETC. ETC. BUT I KIND OF DO NEED TO GET TO THE POINT HERE.
CG: FUCK I’M RUNNING OUT OF BATTERY.
CG: SO THIS IS PRETTY CONTRARY TO MY BELIEFS ON AN EPIC SCALE BUT I’M GOING TO MAKE A BIGGER ASS OUT OF MYSELF HERE THAN I USUALLY DO ANYWAYS, JUST PUTTING THAT ON THE TABLE WHERE EVERYONE CAN SEE IT. AND I NEED ANSWERS HERE.
CG: WHERE DO YOU ASSHOLES LIVE?
-- turntechGodhead [TG] responded to memo --
TG: a/s/l
TG: are you lonely tonight vantas
TG: where doing this man
TG: where making this happen
-- [CG] banned [TG] from responding to memo --
CG: STOPPING THAT HEADACHE BEFORE IT EVEN HAS A CHANCE TO STEAMROLL MY BRAIN INTO A FINE PASTE, BACK UP AND REPEAT UNTIL IT CAN BE USED TO PAINT HIPSTER IRONIC BULLSHIT ACROSS THE SERIES OF TUBES THAT MAKE UP THE INTERNET. EVEN IF STRIDER WAS MY ONLY OPTION I’D TAKE MY CHANCES HERE.
CG: OKAY. GETTING OFF TOPIC.
CG: IT’S NOT SO MUCH WHERE YOU ALL LIVE THAT I WANT TO KNOW, IT’S IF ANY OF YOU ARE WITHIN REASONABLE TRAVELLING DISTANCE OF ME. LIKE, IN THE SAME CITY. FUCK, EVEN THE SAME STATE OR SIDE OF THE COUNTRY, I DON’T CARE SO LONG AS I CAN THEORETICALLY GET THERE AND OUT OF HERE.
CG: IT’S JUST, YOU’RE THE ONLY PEOPLE IN MY LIFE WHO AREN’T TRYING TO FUCK THINGS UP EVEN MORE THAN THEY ALREADY ARE. WELL, SOME OF YOU ARE TRYING TO FUCK THINGS UP BUT NOT AS BADLY, SO THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS IS BASICALLY WHAT I’M HOPING FOR. WHICH IS PRETTY SAD IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT. I’VE NEVER EVEN MET ANY OF YOU AND YOU’RE ALREADY BETTER THAN THE ASSHOLES I HAVE TO PUT UP WITH, MYSELF INCLUDED.
-- gallowsCalibrator [GC] responded to memo --
GC: 4R3 YOU OK?
CG: WOW. GIVE THIS WOMAN A METAL. NO, I’M NOT O FUCKING KAY. I DON’T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE CLUED IN BY NOW, BUT I’M THE DEFINITION FOR “MISERABLE EXCUSE FOR A HUMAN BEING” AND LIFE LIKES TO RAIN ALL THE SHIT DOWN ON PEOPLE LIKE ME. ALL OF IT.
GC: W3LL YOU’R3 NOT R34LLY EXPL41NG TH1S V3RY W3LL >:[
-- ectoBiologist [EB] responded to memo --
EB: karl, i just got on and you’re kind of freaking me out here. what’s going on?
EB: ...
CG: YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON? WANT TO HEAR A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE GREATEST FUCK-UP IN THE WORLD, COMMONLY KNOWN AS KARL VANTAS? I’M CURRENTLY SITTING IN A DIRTY ALLEYWAY BESIDE A DUMPSTER, TEN BLOCKS FROM MY JERK-OFF FOSTER DAD’S COZY PIECE OF SHIT APARTMENT, STEALING WIFI FROM SOME PERSON WHO DIDN’T SET A PASSWORD ON THE SIDE OF TOWN WHERE PEOPLE STEALING IS LIKE PEOPLE FUCKING BREATHING, HOPING THAT THE HOMELESS GUY GIVING ME THE STANK EYE ACROSS THE STREET DOESN’T LIKE TO PICK FIGHTS WITH KIDS THAT HAVE A BLACK EYE AND WHAT FEELS LIKE A BROKEN ARM. I’M PRETTY SURE HE DOES.
CG: IN CASE YOU DIDN’T CATCH THAT, I’M A HOT MESS MINUS ALL OF THE SEX APPEAL AND HAVE NOWHERE TO GO EXCEPT FOR MAYBE INSIDE THIS DUMPSTER WHERE I SURELY BELONG. THAT WAS MY LAST HOUR. NOW TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAY.
-- [GC] unbanned [TA] from responding to memo --
-- [GC] unbanned [TG] from responding to memo --
EB: are you serious?
CG: WHY WOULD I LIE ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS? JESUS, EGBERT, YOU’RE A FUCKING IDIOT.
TA: 2hiit, KL. je2u2 chrii2t.
EB: you should go to the hospital!
TG: fuck
GC: 4ND TH3 POL1C3!
CG: THAT WOULD BE GREAT EXCEPT, LET’S JUST ADD SOME MELODRAMA HERE, NO ONE CARES. THIS ISN’T THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. IT’S NOT EVEN THE WORST. I’M NOT QUITE OLD ENOUGH TO GET OUT OF THE FOSTER PROGRAM DUE TO ME BEING A MORON AND MESSING SHIT UP SO I HAVE TO STAY IN IT UNTIL I’M EIGHTEEN, SO I’D JUST END UP GETTING PASSED OFF TO SOMEONE NEW. WITH MY LUCK, IT WILL BE ANOTHER ALCOHOLIC WITH A HARD ON FOR BEATING KIDS. HOW PEOPLE LIKE THAT ARE EVEN DEEMED SUITABLE PARENTS IS BEYOND ME. I’M JUST DONE WITH IT. I KNOW YOU GUYS WOULD GET THE SHITTY END OF THE DEAL, BUT I DON’T THINK I CAN DO IT AGAIN.
CG: I COULD JUST
CG: just
CG: use some help here please
CA: kar i livve in wwilliamsberg brooklyn
CA: fif is here too
GC: 1 L1V3 1N 4R1ZON4
GC: 4NYWH3R3 SOUTH 1 W1LL DR1V3 4 C4R FOR YOU
GC: TH4T 1S BOTH D4NG3ROUS AND 4G41N3T THE L4W
CA: but if you livve anywwhere near the east coast and evven if you don’t
CA: i can be there
TA: you are an a22hole. why would you block me when thii2 ii2 fuckiing 2eriiou2? iif you’re iin caliiforniia ii’m gettiing you now.
TG: houston texas
EB: i’m close to seattle in washington state. i’m not sure if rose or jade could help, they’re pretty far off the grid and don’t have cars. jade’s on an island, actually. seriously karl, you should have told us sooner.
EB: hey are you still there, karl????????
CG: SORRY. I WAS KIND OF JUST STARING AT THE SCREEN FOR A SECOND. TO BE HONEST I’M A LITTLE BIT SHOCKED BY THIS. I MEAN, WITH HOW THINGS USUALLY GO, I DIDN’T ACTUALLY THINK I’D BE CLOSE TO ANYONE.
CG: EGBERT. I’M IN TACOMA.
EB: um, wow. that’s really close.
TA: go get hiim now, JN.
EB: i’m going! jeeze. i can be there in less than half an hour. actually, i’m going to drive really fast.
GC: 1 W1LL 4CC3PT TH4T TH1S T1M3 >:O
EB: i’m going to give you my phone number in private um, if you have a phone? you can tell me where exactly you are.
CG: YEAH. OKAY.
CG: THANKS EVERYONE.
CG: I MEAN IT.
CG: I THINK THE ONE GOOD THING I HAVE GOING FOR ME IS THAT I KNOW ALL OF YOU.
GC: <3
EB: stop memoing and start texting. also you’re getting such a brohug when i get you.
TA: aw KL aw.
CG: THAT WAS THE SAPPIEST THING OH GOD. I CAN’T BELIEVE I JUST TYPED THAT. FUCK. I’M CLOSING THIS NOW SO I CAN JUST PRETEND IT DIDN’T HAPPEN.
GC: 1 PR1NTED 1T 4 HUNDR3D T1M3S 1T’S GO1NG TO B3 MY N3W W4LLP4P3R >;]
CG: SHUT UP.
-- [CG] closed memo --
It was cold for summer. A gentle, chilled breeze rolled in from the North, which made wearing only a thin outer layer not the brightest of ideas. Not that there had been much time to grab much of anything, between all the yelling and hitting and storming out. Karl Vantas huddled in the dimly lit alley and attempted to draw further in on himself, a warm laptop cradled close to his chest. After the embarrassingly revealing memo – which he was seriously regretted writing, since he pretty much made the biggest ass out of himself while literally begging for help – and sorting things out with John, he patiently waited for the buzz from the archaic cell phone nestled in his pocket.
He was going to meet John Egbert, face to face. John, who was a derpy nerd who knew how to frustrate him to no end, but who was also positive insisted that they were best bros or some variant of that sentiment at least once per Pesterlog. John was okay, really okay actually, if any real honesty was applied to that personal impression. Because of John, Karl was maybe going to be okay too – he had a hard time believing that luck was actually going to be on his side for once.
A car crawled down the dimly lit road after twenty long minutes, suspiciously pulling to a near stop at the opening between each set of buildings. A few vehicles passed it by with quick honks of irritation before they speed into the night towards whatever important destination they needed to get to. Karl’s attention was zoned in on the car as he shifted his laptop nervously against his body, waiting in anxious anticipation to see if the driver would be someone that could save him. He watched cautiously from around a brick wall as the car stumbled along, his brows knit together as he tried to make out the figure behind the wheel from over a block away. Not that he knew what exactly he was looking for. He had never seen John Egbert, though he had a basic idea of noticeable characteristics from various conversations over the past years of begrudging friendship: thick glasses for bad eyesight, bucked teeth and a bit of an overbite, and more height than anyone rightfully should be entitled to without playing some kind of sport.
His phone buzzed noisily. He jumped, feeling like an idiot for the hundredth time that day as he shifted his laptop onto his knees to fish out his phone. Once he had wasted a ridiculous amount of time trying to coordinate his electronics, Karl was able to scan the text:
okay where are you?
Karl looked back to the car again. It has pulled up to the curb on his side of the street, headlights on but the engine now off. The silhouette of the driver was fiddling with something in his lap. Biting his lip thoughtfully, Karl stepped out of the alleyway and walked towards the car. The driver looked up quickly in his direction, then swiftly back down to his lap. Another text alert buzzed insistently. Oh god, it was actually happening.
oh, that’s you right? uh, i hope. he he he
Okay, so it was obviously Egbert. Karl flipped him the bird when he looked up again. Buzz.
so you.
The passenger side door opened long before he was even within reach of the car. Karl rolled his eyes but quickened his pace, heart pounding wildly in his chest. He could feel the blush flaring on his cheeks, the nervous desire to see the man behind the blue text and stupid screen name twisting his stomach into knots. What he had expected was the clichéd definition of a nerd, who was all kinds of limbs with little to no social sense.
“Hi, Karl!” What he got was a raven haired teenager with the most charming smile he had ever seen outside of the movies. Maybe including the movies if only because John was right in front of him, grinning like an idiot. Buck teeth front and center.
“Hi, idiot,” Karl grumbled, ducking his head and slipping into the leather seat. He closed the door and locked it with purpose – he hadn't been kidding about the homeless population or the high concentration of thefts in the area. A short bubble of laughter replaced the irritating ‘he he he’s Karl associated with Egbert. He found that the real giggling was much more tolerable than it rightfully should have been: deep and melodious and just so perfectly John that the sound could define him.
“Wow. You look totally different than how I pictured you!” He drew his black rimmed glasses down and craned his neck, trying to get a better look at Karl’s face. He evidently wasn’t the only one who had imagined someone different. After a minute of John struggling, Karl sighed and turned only to have his eyes meeting the bluest blue since the fucking heavens happened. After a momentary lapse where his brain short-circuited over the sheer impossibility of what he was seeing, Karl decided that they had to be coloured contacts. There was just no way someone was allowed to have eyes like that naturally. Except this was Egbert so of course those were his eyes. It was dark but Karl could still see how fucking blue they were. “You’re kind of short and not really all that angry looking and stuff.” John laughed again, though this time more of a soft chuckle – the annoying, repetitive online laughter did no justice to the real thing at all. John’s eyes suddenly lit up, a curious expression rapidly painted on his face. He slowly lifted a hand, reached out, and tugged back the dark hood Karl had drawn over his head. “Oh gosh. Are you an albino?”
“Is that a fucking problem?” Karl snarled, used to the gawking when people took in the practically white hair and freakish red eyes that he had been so graciously been bestowed. John's smile was back though, a hand patting the top of his head gently.
“No, it’s just, so is Dave. That’s hilarious, since you’re both my best pals.” The grin melted into a frown, followed by a furrow of brows as overly large teeth worried at his bottom lips. Goddamn, was John ever expressive. “Um, your arm?”
“Hurts,” Karl replied shortly, casting a quick look down at his left arm. It had since stopped throbbing and had entered into the stage of being an irritating, dull but constant pain. He flexed his fingers carefully, cringing openly from jolt brought on by the movement; he was just full of poor decisions lately. “I might have overreacted a little in the heat of the moment during that little heart-wrenching memo of mine. I think it’s just a hairline fracture. That’s what it feels like, anyways. Can we get fuck out of here?”
John stared at him a good minute before his lips tugged into a forced smile.
“Oh, okay.” He turned his keys in the ignition, engine springing back to life. Karl appreciated the heater blowing hot air directly at his face as he could at least argue that it was partially to blame for his blush. John turned to look at him again, that first charming, devastating grin reappearing. The seat squeaked in protest as Karl shuffled back into it, feeling more self-conscious than usual with how John was opening staring at him. “I can’t believe I’m meeting you! I wish the circumstances could have been less... you know. But, um, it’s really nice to meet you, Karl!”
“Yeah,” was all Karl could muster in response. If John knew him well enough, he would know that the sentiment was reciprocated. The grin didn't falter regardless, so Karl figured that John had actually picked up on a thing or two about his personality from their many years of chatting.
“Okay, so, I’m going to need to explain this to my dad.” Now that, that was something Karl should have expected. This was, after all, still John Egbert, just now with ridiculous blue eyes and a movie star smile.
“Wait. Wait a fucking second, Egbert. You mean to tell me you didn’t even inquire if you could temporarily adopt some strange man for an undetermined length of time – one who you met from movie chatrooms and played a terrible game with once – who you hadn’t even seen or spoken to in real life? What if I turned out to be some forty year old, serial killer mastermind, leading all of you assholes into a false sense of security before dangling that memo out in front of you and waiting for the one dumb enough to actually buy it? Except everyone seems all aboard the gullible train on a one way trip to Derp Town, where you’ve already been sworn in as mayor for a fifth consecutive term. You didn’t even say where you were going, did you? This could have been really fucking dangerous!” When Karl was finished, winded slightly from the speed in which he had delivered the words, John side-eyed him carefully. Out of literally nowhere, he was laughing and just would not stop laughing. Karl had really missed the joke but apparently it was funny enough that John had to pull over because he couldn’t concentrate on the road while being a fucking moron, apparently. When the last of the giggles bubbled out and he wiped a nonexistent tear from his eye, John pulled back onto the road.
“You totally rant the same as you do online. I was kind of not at all expecting it. So, okay, one, I really don’t think some serial killer would have gone on for years about shitty romcoms as avidly as you do. If one did, I’d probably applaud their extreme dedication before spreading my arms wide so that they could stabbed me or whatever.” Karl glared pointedly, twisting to make a quick jab at John with his good arm. “Ow, hey! Not nice, Karl.”
“Romantic comedies are under-appreciated works of art, you uncultured fuck. You’d get that if you cared to watch movies that weren’t complete and utter abortions of cinematography. Not even the clinically safe abortions done by doctors in sterile white buildings that have religious activist protesting constantly outside. No, your movies are the abysmal coat hanger abortions done in dirty gas stations by teenage girls who were just looking for a good time and oh, he pulled out so how could they possibly get pregnant, that show up on the local news as some shock story between sports and the weather. Those are your movies. Gas station trashcan babies.”
“Okay no, gross, Karl. Also, you said some of my movies were pretty alright.” John actually had the nerve to pout after he finished speaking. A nearly full grown man pouting like a five year old girl who had just dropped her ice cream cone and was expecting some sort of condolences. It was the most stupid thing.
“I lied.” John very lightly knocked Karl’s shoulder, little more than a brush of knuckles against fabric.
“You did not. That’s unacceptable. We’re going to watch all the movies. All of them.” Karl examined John’s profile until the other boy tilted his head, smirking confidently. The area around his feet became very riveting and not at all because he could feel more than just hot air heating his face.
“We’re not watching Con Air,” Karl conceded with a huff and crossed his arms with just the slightest flinch. Watching movies together with John wasn’t exactly the worst thing in the world to do.
“We’re watching Con Air until you love it like I love it—that is a whole pile of love right there—and that’s final. We’re having a Nic Cage-athon. That is the first thing we’re going to do together beyond this car ride.”
“I’m throwing myself out right now,” Karl stated, completely deadpan and he unlocked the door and motioned to undo his seat-belt. When he made for the handle, John tugged at the shoulder of Karl’s hoodie as if that would be enough force to keep him inside the moving vehicle.
“Dumb. Two. I told my dad I was picking up a friend and bringing them home, just not the circumstances. I didn’t really have much time what with Soll freaking out that I need to get to you, sending me like, a hundred texts as soon as I signed off. I’m almost positive I never gave him my phone number. Seriously dude, you need to talk to him. And everyone. Let them know you’re okay.” He shifting uncomfortably with the thought of worrying all of his friends. For as much grief as he gave them all sometimes, Karl really didn’t want to make any of them upset. He bit down on his bottom lip out of habit and he drew a sharp breath. It had apparently been split sometime during the scuffle and was bleeding into his mouth thanks to his sudden abuse.
“Yeah. Okay. I’ll have to do that once we get to your place.” John silently handed him his smart phone, Pesterchum already up and running. Apparently he was doing it then and there. It was probably for the best, since at least he wouldn't be able to stress over what he could possible say following his hideously mass memo. Karl typed a quick message of reassurance that John had picked him up so they could stop bawling their eyes out and pulling their hair in worry over, then held the phone back out without waiting to see any replies. John pocketed it before continuing.
“Three! You’re totally – what does Teri always call you again, oh! – adorabloodthirsty. Online you always are screaming and swearing, but underneath all that you really care. If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t have put up with Eric’s romance issues for years, or have convinced Gadi to check himself into rehab, or have stayed up with me all night when my dad was in the hospital and tried to calm me down. You are really cute, in a yell-y kind of way, and that’s part of the reason why we all trust you.” Karl’s cheeks were positively and undoubtedly burning at that point. No one had ever said anything like that about him let alone right to his face. He turned sharply to looked out at the passing cityscape, chin propped up on his right hand. He hoped John wasn’t paying enough attention to notice how red his ears were turning.
“You did not just call me cute,” he mumbled darkly, trying to make it sound as much like a threat as he knew he could. John just laughed again, happy and carefree and god this whole thing might turn out to be an extraordinarily bad idea. A hand once again touched the top of his head, brushing through the mess of white in quick movements that probably left it looking like a tornado just hit. He turned back to John and glared venomously – the look that had made kids cry and dogs bark at him – and met soft eyes as vast and unclouded as the summer sky.
“You’re way cute, Karl. Pretty sure we’re going to have to get some kind of photo sharing happening with the rest of everyone, since I can’t keep all this cute to myself. It’s totally not fair.” John pinched his cheek for good measure, Karl instinctively moving to swat away the hand but hissed in pain and recoiled half way through the action. There was a quick apologize accompanied by a nervous chewing of lip; Karl groan in frustration.
“I look like a car ran me over, haven’t slept in three fucking days, and could desperately invest in some personal hygiene care immediately. How is any of this cute to you?” John made a sound of disapproval, then another and another. Karl twisted to punch him again.
“Hey! No hitting, jeeze. You’re supposed to be all bark and no bite and are kind of ruining that with all the violence. Also, I call ‘em like I see ‘em.” Karl snorted, resting his head against the seat.
“You’re almost blind and your night vision is, as you have mentioned time and time again, the worst thing ever. Which works out for me since you won’t kick me out for being an ugly son of a bitch after taking me all the way to your house because you’re John fucking nice guy Egbert. Prepare yourself for the sheer horror that is my face and try not to cry.”
“Bleh. I can see you fine.” They sat in silence for a good ten seconds before John decided he was the worst at the quiet game. “Are you hungry?”
“Fuck yes.” John laughed at the eager response but if he hadn’t eaten much of anything in the past couple days he’d want whatever food could be shoved in his mouth too. With a moment’s hesitation he flicked on the radio as they set their sights for what was undoubtedly going to be a fast food drive through. An all too familiar song starting up in a techno beat and Karl carefully watched the other to see how he’d react. This was a critical moment in their potential friendship building exercise; this could very well make or break things. But John just bashfully nudged the volume up a few points. Then a couple more.
“Lady Gaga,” John explained simply, shrugging his shoulders.
“Egbert, if you do not crank Poker Face to the full capacity of your stereo system I will end you.”