Fic: The More They Stay the Same
Title: The More They Stay the Same
Fandom: Animorphs
Rating: G
Characters: Marco, Ax
Summary: Ax and Marco discuss their lives, televison, their friends' love lifes, and hot wings.
Spoilers: Post-54.
“I’m cancelled.”
Ax had barely opened the door to his apartment before Marco started ranting. “What?”
Marco walked past the morphed Andalite and plopped down on a sofa in anger. “My show is cancelled. I am jobless.”
“Please, come inside, Marco,” Ax muttered, finally having some grasp on the concept of sarcasm. “Why did they cancel you?”
“Because the president of Fox is a douche.” Marco rubbed his temples in frustration and attempted to calm himself down. “Also a fairly serious decline in ratings.”
“Can’t say I blame them, really,” Ax said, joining Marco on the couch. “I’m sorry for your loss, but the show was decreasing in quality. It wasn’t high quality television to begin with.”
“What are you talking about? You’ve got a TiVo season pass. You own all the DVD box sets. I thought you were a fan.”
Ax shrugged and gave a guilty smile, “For you, Marco. I watch because my friend is the star. If you weren’t…”
“Okay, okay, I get your point. This day just keeps getting better.” Marco shook his head and finally took notice of his surroundings. Specifically, he noticed the incredible mess littering Ax’s living room. “My God, Ax-man, do you ever clean this place? How long has this mess been here?”
“Just today. I was enjoying a dinner of hot wings before you arrived.”
“Yeah, I noticed. You’ve got sauce all over your face.” Marco smiled for the first time since entering the Andalite’s apartment. “Nice to see your eating habits haven’t changed in the years you’ve been here. Still, the place is disgusting.”
“Well not all of us have maids to clean up after us, Marco.”
“Yeah, I’m not going to be able to afford to pay for much longer.”
“Do you not have money saved away?”
“Ax, I own six Jaguars. I am not the type to save money.”
Ax nodded in commiseration, “Celebrities often have that problem. It’s every episode of Behind the Music.”
“Does that even come on anymore?”
“I have tapes.”
“Well I have no clue what I’m going to do. Being paid to be me is all I’m good for. I have no marketable skills.”
“I’m sure it will all work out, Marco.” Ax said, giving Marco a friendly pat on the shoulders. “If you need to, you can always sleep on my couch. Perhaps I can pay you to clean up my apartment for me.”
Marco playfully punched Ax on the arm, “Not funny.”
“I disagree.”
“I just need to get my mind off my troubles. I’m starved. You got anything to eat.”
Ax gestured to the mess surrounding them, “I have hot wings.”
“Eh, no thanks. Not a big fan.”
“You used to be.”
Marco shrugged, “People change.”
“I might have some Hot Pockets in the refrigerator. You are welcome to them. Em. Emmm.” Ax suddenly blushed and covered his face in his hands.
“Ha! Oh my God, I haven’t heard you do that in ages.”
Ax nodded, “I have gotten much better at not playing with my words. I did not mean to do so that time. It just sort of happened.”
“Don’t sweat, Ax-man. It’s kinda cute.”
“I suppose.”
Marco left the couch and began to rummage through Ax’s refrigerator, “So what’s going on in your life?”
“Twilight Zone marathon.”
“Anything else?”
“Gggghmmn.”
“Swallow your food, Ax.”
“Sorry. We have a new manager at the restaurant. I got a raise.”
Marco returned to the couch, a plate of Hot Pockets with him. “Nice.”
“Yes. What about you, Marco? Besides the recent loss of your employment, is there anything going on with you?”
“I had lunch with Cassie yesterday. She and Ronnie are engaged.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I’m not supposed to tell anyone. It’s a secret. I’m the only one that knows so far. Jake is gonna freak when he finds out.”
Ax nodded, “Yes, I imagine he will. Have you spoken with him recently?”
Marco shook his head, “Nope. Not in like a month. He’s busy with all his political stuff. And that was the first time Cassie and I have been able to get together in who knows how long.”
“I understand your plight. You’re the only former Animorph I spend time with on a regular basis.”
Marco chuckled, “The more things change, huh?”
“Indeed.”
“How are your hot wings?”
“Delicious. How are your Hot Pockets?”
“Frozen on the outside, scalding on the inside. Just the way I like them.”
The two leaned back on the couch, propping their feet up on Ax’s cluttered coffee table.
“You know, I think a rerun of my show is going to be coming on in a few minutes.”
“I think I’ll stick with The Twilight Zone.”