A Tight-Knit Family // Falsettos AU

Conversation in Marvin's Kitchen

(Author's Note: so this timeline will be messed up af because there's already a backstory and I don't want too much of it to have taken place before the story starts. Also I don't have many plans for it but I really hope it doesn't end the same way as the musical.) 

Marvin

"Won't it be weird seeing Trina since you pretty much just broke up?" Whizzer asks me. 

"Why would it?" I laugh to hide the pain. 

"I don't know, maybe because you broke up?" 

"I don't want to just drop her as a person in my life just because we're broken up," I argue. 

"Okay. Answer me this, then. Would it be weird if I saw her?" 

"No," I reply. 

My boyfriend throws up his hands. "What are you on?!" 

I shrug. "People move on. I bet she has a new boy toy already." 

"You could have phrased that a thousand other ways." 

I shrug again. Then I change the subject. "Hey, should I invite her to Thanksgiving?" 

Whizzer puts his head in his hands. "I can't with you, Marvin. I really can't. You're driving me crazy." 

"Whizzer, you're never around when I'm with Trina! We're all good, okay? You have no idea how we get along." 

His head pops up. "What do you mean by that?" 

"As friends! We get along as friends." 

"But what about me? You cheated on her with me, basically." 

"She doesn't know that," I reassure him. "And we should spend more time together." 

"You and me?" 

"No, Trina and me, Whizzer." 

"Oh." 

"And you. You and I should both spend more time with my ex-girlfriend," I try to explain. "Which is why I'm inviting her to Thanksgiving." 

"Why?" whines Whizzer. 

"I just explained—oh, you mean why should you spend more time with her?" 

"Yeah." 

"Oh, because I... I don't want to lose a friend." 

"Because you don't have any friends?" he asks. 

I don't say so, but yes. I want Trina as a friend because I don't want to start from the beginning. I finally got comfortable with her when we were dating. And it's hard for me to make friends. I don't know how it happened so quickly with Whizzer. Maybe it needs attraction. 

In which case, becoming friends with the woman who used to be attracted to me may be my only chance ever. 

"Go home now," I say, looking over at the digital clock in my kitchen. "It's 8:30 PM." 

"Can't I stay over?" he asks. "I've never done that before." 

"Just 'cause you don't want to go home?" 

He doesn't answer, but I think it's a yes. 

Trina

"Mendel!" 

No answer. 

"Mendel!" 

"What?" My boyfriend opens his bathroom door. We've only been together for a couple of weeks (he was supposed to be a rebound), but I come to his apartment whenever I want, really. "Trina, how did you get in?" 

"Please put on a towel if you're coming out of the shower." He goes back in, and when he comes back (wearing a towel), I begin. "Look at the text my ex sent me." 

"How did you get in?" Mendel repeats. 

"Your door was unlocked. Now look." 

"Are you free for Thanksgiving?" he reads from my phone screen. 

"I think Marvin wants me to come over to his place," I explain. 

"So?" 

"Am I supposed to bring you or something?" 

Mendel sighs. He usually does that when I'm overthinking something, but I guess there are exceptions, like now. I'm not, am I? Oh my God. Not again. 

"I'm sure you can bring me. Don't be ashamed that you already have a boyfriend. Marvin does too, remember?" 

"Right. Am I overthinking things again?" 

He puts a hand on my shoulder. "No, you just broke up with this guy a month ago. You probably still have feelings for him." 

"Mendel!" I scold. "Don't say that. I like you." 

"I know." 

"You really think I still like my ex?" 

"No," he admits. 

Mendel

Well, I don't say so, but the answer is yes. I'm not bothered, though. I know it's true that Trina likes me.