CODE X 777

CODE 15 T O X I C

Asselyum walked down the streets and saw Jimmy walking out of the arcade. Asselyum walked towards him and asked him where he had been.

"Oh, just playing a bit." He smiled as they walked together.

"I thought you were serious for once in a while," Asselyum said.

"I am,"

"How? You're just playing games."

"Of course I am." He smiled.

"Jimmy, this isn't a joke. You know how badly you were hurt last time. That wasn't even a C2"

"C2?"

"X-DROIDS are labelled by their strength. A1 is the weakest—I don't even need your help in killing them while C2 is the strongest. Then, after C2 there's the fifth oblivion."

"Is it an entire hierarchy?"

"Yes, something like that." 

They were back to the bar. Slaine sat at the table and ate some salad and meat.

"What a disgusting combination," Axel said.

"I like it that way." Slaine stuffed his mouth with another serving. He looked and Jimmy and got up.

"Hey, Slaine—"

"I'm done eating. I'll go do some laundry."

Asselyum looked at him leave. Jimmy knew what was going on but decided to ignore it.

"Mr James, where's my lunch?" Jimmy asked.

"Oh yes, young man."

They all ate while Asselyum waited for Slaine. He didn't come back—Just as she expected. Jimmy didn't see him all day and every time he did—Slaine would just run away. At night, Jimmy decided to take a shower before he slept. When he went to the bathroom, Slaine came out of it in his sweatshirt and shorts.

"Oh, you took a bath too?"

"Ah, yes—I'll go now."

"Cold showers are the best." Slaine began leaving but Jimmy suddenly grabbed his hand.

"Why are you being so annoying?" He asked.

"Me?" Slaine said.

"You're hiding your gaze. What happened?"

"You should be the last person asking that."

"Aw come on—Are you a kid? It was just a dumb game—"

"Just?" Slaine pushed him away, "Yes! Yes, I am a kid! To me, it matters because that's my livelihood! And it hurts more because I was defeated by someone who doesn't even take gaming that seriously."

"How can you assume I don't take gaming seriously? Just because my eyebrows aren't furrowed all the time like yours or because I don't have attitude issues?!"

Slaine took a step back.

"Attitude issues? If I were as stupid as you—I wouldn't have survived on the streets!"

"Well, you're not on the streets anymore, are you? People are trying to be nice and help you out here—"

"People? What people? Privileged ones like you? f**k—You're monsters!"

Lupin and Axel came out of their rooms after hearing the loud noise.

"How am I a monster? I wasn't racist neither was I prejudiced. You've been bitter all the times you've talked to me. I never retaliated, you think I couldn't—You're wrong. I have every chance to bring your crusty a*s down—But I don't because I know how you'll cry like a cur!"

"Oh so am I that pitiful in your eyes?"

"You want me to say something that'll hurt you, don't you?"

"You will never understand me."

"You never gave me a chance to. Maybe if you stop being so repulsive and toxic, people would want to know you."

"But I don't want them to!"

"Then don't expect them to understand you."

"You're the same, you know. f*****g blonde bastards—" Jimmy grabbed his sweatshirt and pulled him towards himself.

"Say that again" He challenged him.

"Guys, stop it." Axel tried to intervene while Lupin ran down to call Asselyum.

"Five hundred twenty-five million dogs in this world, and you think I need you?" Slaine pushed him on his chest.

"What do you want?" Jimmy threw his towel down and walked towards Slaine.

"Don't touch me," Slaine warned him as he knew the chances of him winning a physical fight with him were close to nil.

"What will you do? What's your problem? What the hell is your problem—Tell it to me at once"

"Who are you to know—"

"Well then I don't give a f**k—Just get out of here." Jimmy was starting to boil up and Slaine began noticing it. He wanted to back off but he believed it wouldn't be very masculine to back off at this point and he'd be considered a p***y.

"You get out of here!" Slaine shouted.

"What's your f*****g problem bro—Get the f**k outta here!" Jimmy began pushing him back "What's the f*****g problem—You want me to kill you b***h? Wanna die right here?! You elf skinned stock-fish!"

"Chill, bro! You're acting like a total thirst bucket—"

"Then what are you gonna do? What are you gonna do, you snitch!" He punched Slaine and got on top of him. Asselyum ran upstairs with Lupin following him. She pulled Jimmy away from Slaine as he continued swearing and shouting.

Slaine coughed out blood from his mouth "Tch! Motherfucker,"

"You wanna fight? I'm f*****g ready! I'll f**k you now, asshole, come! Come to me you f*****g three-inch joke of a d**k!"

"Calm down, Jimmy," Asselyum said as she held him from behind. He looked at her "Motherfucking douchebag." He turned back and walked down the stairs while Slaine sat in the corner. She moved towards him and Lupin got his first aid kit.

"I'm fine, Lupin, leave it be." Slaine got up and wiped his lips.

"You're bleeding—Get it treated."

"What about the wounds on the inside? b***h, I'm bleeding from within."

"Did he hit you so hard?"

"Do you still not get it? We aren't meant to be a team! We are not compatible, you b***h! We just fight so much!"

"We are taking shape."

"You think I'm a dog, I'm not! And if you think this little s**t hurts—Then let me tell you, I've had worse and hitting doesn't hurt anymore!" Slaine grabbed his board and walked out of the bar.

"Wow, it's the first time Slaine has been so loud," Axel said while Asselyum looked at the door.

"You guys are such a handful."

Jimmy sat inside the bar with Mr James. His mood didn't look very nice so Mr James decided not to say anything. He heard the voice of Asselyum's heels and soon she was downstairs. He turned towards her and she slapped him so hard, he fell down the chair. Axel and Lupin peeped from the corner of the staircase. Mr James focused on cleaning the glasses. "What?" Jimmy looked at her while laying on the floor.

"Why would you hit him?" She asked.

"Because he was being a jerk."

"So? That gives you the right to hit him? Or are you the law?"

Jimmy looked at the floor "I'm sorry. I let the anger take over me."

Asselyum sat on the chair and looked at him "You wonder why he is like that, don't you?"

"Do you know anything about him?" Jimmy asked.

"Why do you care?"

"I want to know it too," Jimmy said.

"I think, you know the best person to ask." She said.

"But... I don't know where he went."

"Trust me, you do. There's only one place he goes to when he's angry or sad."

Slaine reached the Manhatten bridge and sat on the railings. The traffic was much scarce at this time. He kept his skateboard aside and looked down at the water. He looked at his dark reflection. Blood marred the corner of his mouth. He touched it to feel just much area had the bruise covered.

"He's strong." He touched his lips "That's more than a little cut."

"That's a lot of blood" He turned back. It was Jimmy.

"Why are you here?"

"You ran away like a little kid."

"So, what should I have done? Keep getting beaten up?"

"Why didn't you fight back?"

"You bear—You didn't give me a chance to!"

"What—I'm a furry now?"

"Shut it. Leave me alone."

"Like everyone else does?" 

Silence.

"Yeah, like everyone else does. It's not like I don't like it—Being alone is nice."

"I'm sorry."

Slaine turned towards him. He looked him in the eyes. Jimmy's brown's eyes looked into his blue eyes, "I'm sorry that I hurt you. I didn't mean to hit you. I don't ever want to fight but—But did it ever occur to you that you're hurting me too?"

"Yes, I know. And I don't give a fuck."

"Well, then you should. Think of all those people who need you in the future. We're doing this for our future selves."

"Oh, but I don't have a future. That's a thing for rich kids like you,"

"Slaine," Jimmy said, "What rich? For this world, I'm dead."

Slaine looked at him, " I left behind my luxurious house and my way of living just to make this work. Can't you leave behind your ego? Because we need you, Slaine, we need you without that wall of ego separating you from us. Rich or poor, we're both humans and," He smiled, "We're both friends, aren't we?"

Slaine seemed to be in a daze, "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Treating me like a person."

Jimmy laughed, "Because bitterness doesn't make you less of a person, it just hides your true self"

"It doesn't, it makes you a monster."

"In that case to put it simply, I'll just say that for me you are a person. You are my person!"

"...Cringe"

"What the hell?! Really? Was I? Aw man, hell no!"

Slaine hid his smile with his palms.

"Jimmy,"

"Yes?"

"Shut the f**k up,"

-To be continued