Misunderstood Monsters

Chapter 10: The Not-So-Drunken Sailor

Billy let out a sigh. John was a very light sleeper, but nowadays it was getting harder and harder to get him to talk at all. What was his deal?

Well, there was one thing that would always work.

"WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH A DRUNKEN SAILOR? WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH A DRUNKEN SAILOR? WHAT SHALL DO WITH A DRUNKEN SAILOR EARLY IN THE MORNIN'? WAY, HAY, AND UP SHE RISES. WAY, HAY, AND UP-"

John groaned. "Do you have to do that?"

Billy laughed. "Yeah, 'cause you seem suspiciously sleepy lately."

"I was already wide awake by the time you came around. I was just hoping you'd leave."

"You're really underestimating my persistence."

"I know."

"Look, man, it's just that I hate when my friends are sad. I'm trying to cheer you up. I can't stand the kind of depressed attitude you have."

"Then go away. Let me be sad."

Billy grinned. "No. But in all seriousness, I really don't understand why you act the way you do, especially towards Dr. Collingwood. It's really weird. I don't really know how to explain it."

"She might still be mad, or afraid of me, for punching her."

"Well, news flash, she isn't. She literally said that to your face the last time 049 breached containment, and trust me, she's a horrible liar. I'm telling you, I've seen her behavior every day since she first met you, and she's isn't mad at you one bit."

John was silent for so long that Billy started getting worried.

"John? Earth to John?"

"Look, when I said that she was mad at me for punching her... I knew that wasn't true."

"Then why did you keep insisting that?"

"Well... I..." John sighed. "Don't tell anyone I told you this, okay?"

"I won't. Sloth's honor."

"It's just... with everything that you told me, Dr. Collingwood seems like a really great person and I really want to know her better. But I don't want her to get hurt again. Once someone goes into the anomalous world, they're never quite safe again. If I got involved with her, she could be put in even more danger."

"Oh, right. That." Billy leaned back against the wall. "Still, it's not healthy for you to isolate yourself from everyone."

"How do you know that's what I'm doing?"

"It's in how you behave. You've never even tried to get help with your rage problem and never communicate to anyone except me, and that's because I can't trigger your rage response. I'm glad you got it back under control though."

"I'm trying to protect everyone," John snapped.

"Well, what if she's cornered by a dangerous SCP in a completely different part of the building during a containment breach and you can't get to her in time? She could die."

"That's..." John sighed. "That's not quite what I meant."

Billy thought for a moment.

"Now I get it. You want to protect her from yourself, right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, so let me get this straight: You want to know her better and befriend her, but you think that the way to do that is to close yourself off and never come out of your shell? That's not how you make friends, John. We only really became friends once we opened up to each other, remember?"

"I... you're right."

Billy smiled. "So the next time you get a chance to talk to her, what do you do?"

"Actually try to talk to her?"

"Now that's the spirit! Oh, and by the way, the Foundation's planning to interview you tomorrow."

"Who's asking the questions?"

Billy groaned. "I hoped that you wouldn't ask that."

"It's Dr. Buck, right?"

"Yeah. You could've gotten worse though. You could've been forced to talk to Dr. Logan." Billy shuddered. He had nicknamed the man "Bearded Bastard" for a reason.

"I'll make the best of it."

"G'luck, man. You're gonna need it. Anyways, I'm gonna go check up on Molly now."

"Bye, Billy."

"Bye, John. See you tomorrow."