retroactive OOM
(Following off the whole college time-warp, but this bit in particular.)
Angel's been back in the room for about half an hour when Steve comes in. "Dinner time is now, you. Get up."
"I already ate." Several times, in fact, but even Angel doesn't know how to explain that one. Steve just shrugs, and opens the fridge to stick a water bottle in.
"Wait, you went and got pizza without inviting me?" He doesn't sound at all surprised by the bright purple Tupperware.
"It was... sort of spur of the moment."
***
"I am not going to tell you this again. Do not visit, do not try to call me, do not accost me between classes or when I'm trying to eat, and any other permutation of 'leave me the hell alone' I'm forgetting at the moment. For fuck's sake, I'd rather be spending my time with a real man."
Mike takes that moment to flee without responding, which makes Angel exceedingly glad. After the idiot's out of earshot, he sighs.
"Now if I can just find him again..."
***
He's over the worst of the post-diagnosis pity party, yes. But there's still a little work left, and he's really wishing he could've held onto that guy. So he's not all that surprised when Steve takes advantage of the weekend to stage an intervention.
"Ow! A little warning before you go chucking videos at me would be nice."
"You've been sitting around long enough. Now, you go watch wacky Chicago hijinks and feel better."
"Think that'll work, do you?"
"Of course I do. Ferris Bueller's Day Off is just what the doctor ordered for situations like this. Get thee to the TV room - go!"
"Remind me why I thought sharing a room with one of the theatre kids was a good move?" But Angel's more amused than anything, so he goes.
And Steve's got a point. If Cameron can't even be Cameron, what business does Angel have even trying?
No matter what, keep smiling, Angel.
Besides, moping isn't in the game plan. If he's going down, he's going down kicking and screaming.
***
After the money's spent and the food's eaten, the exact memory of the bar starts to fade. Angel still has the bright purple Tupperware, but he doesn't quite know where it came from. It's just sort of... been around.
He has dreams every now and then about meeting a guy in a bar. It's just a thing.
But a few years down the road, when Christmas Eve rolls around and he's helping a guy who just got mugged, Angel finds himself facing the strangest case of deja vu. They've had this conversation before, down to the names and the disease.
He's got no idea what to make of that, but what he does know is he can't let this one go (again?).
***
So he doesn't let Collins go. And when worse comes to worst, well, he's never liked saying goodbye, so he doesn't.
God only knows why, but he has faith in the universe. They will see each other again. It can't keep them apart that long.
Angel's been back in the room for about half an hour when Steve comes in. "Dinner time is now, you. Get up."
"I already ate." Several times, in fact, but even Angel doesn't know how to explain that one. Steve just shrugs, and opens the fridge to stick a water bottle in.
"Wait, you went and got pizza without inviting me?" He doesn't sound at all surprised by the bright purple Tupperware.
"It was... sort of spur of the moment."
***
"I am not going to tell you this again. Do not visit, do not try to call me, do not accost me between classes or when I'm trying to eat, and any other permutation of 'leave me the hell alone' I'm forgetting at the moment. For fuck's sake, I'd rather be spending my time with a real man."
Mike takes that moment to flee without responding, which makes Angel exceedingly glad. After the idiot's out of earshot, he sighs.
"Now if I can just find him again..."
***
He's over the worst of the post-diagnosis pity party, yes. But there's still a little work left, and he's really wishing he could've held onto that guy. So he's not all that surprised when Steve takes advantage of the weekend to stage an intervention.
"Ow! A little warning before you go chucking videos at me would be nice."
"You've been sitting around long enough. Now, you go watch wacky Chicago hijinks and feel better."
"Think that'll work, do you?"
"Of course I do. Ferris Bueller's Day Off is just what the doctor ordered for situations like this. Get thee to the TV room - go!"
"Remind me why I thought sharing a room with one of the theatre kids was a good move?" But Angel's more amused than anything, so he goes.
And Steve's got a point. If Cameron can't even be Cameron, what business does Angel have even trying?
No matter what, keep smiling, Angel.
Besides, moping isn't in the game plan. If he's going down, he's going down kicking and screaming.
***
After the money's spent and the food's eaten, the exact memory of the bar starts to fade. Angel still has the bright purple Tupperware, but he doesn't quite know where it came from. It's just sort of... been around.
He has dreams every now and then about meeting a guy in a bar. It's just a thing.
But a few years down the road, when Christmas Eve rolls around and he's helping a guy who just got mugged, Angel finds himself facing the strangest case of deja vu. They've had this conversation before, down to the names and the disease.
He's got no idea what to make of that, but what he does know is he can't let this one go (again?).
***
So he doesn't let Collins go. And when worse comes to worst, well, he's never liked saying goodbye, so he doesn't.
God only knows why, but he has faith in the universe. They will see each other again. It can't keep them apart that long.