Let the Record Show

How Dennis Fucked Up

The Incident8:32 P.M.Dennis and Mac's Apartment

"Dennis?" Mac stood a foot away from Dennis's door, pizza box clutched in his hands as he awaits a reply. "I got your favorite. Papa Antonio's Hawaiian."

Mac honestly hated both Papa Antonio's pizzas and loathed any sort of non-meat additions to the glory that was pizza. But, Dennis very rarely indulged in guilty pleasure foods. Despite the hot grease leaking through the cardboard, the bland sauce, and the crust so thin you might as well eat it with a spoon, it was Dennis's favorite. So, Mac ordered it.

There was no response behind the door. Whatever Charlie's stupid boyfriend did, it really fucked Dennis up.

"Do you want me to leave it by your door? I can go to my room and we don't even have to talk about this. Or anything really. I'll just go..." He wanted to say pray, but he wasn't so sure this was the right time to be considering religion. "Read."

Without a response, Mac bowed to leave the pizza on the floor like an offering at a shrine. At the same moment, the lock of the door clicked. Then another. Then the final heavy bolt. Mac took it as an invitation.

Upon opening the door he found Dennis sulking, expectedly. Curled up on his bed, unexpectedly.

Cautiously he laid the box beside him, then hovered for a moment. Unsure if he was allowed to stay. Dennis decided for him, opening the box and holding out a slice for Mac.

Despite his disgust towards the choice of everything involving its flavor, he accepted. Sitting beside Dennis's legs. Dennis took his own slice and nibbled at the end, looking particularly pitiful.

"Wanna' talk?"

"No."

"Do you want me to talk? About something else?"

Dennis stayed quiet as he ate, studying his sheets rather than Mac.

"Well, Cherry and I..." Mac hesitated, rubbing his hand on his jeans before indulging in a bit of his slice. After he'd chewed and swallowed he tried again. "I'm really excited, Dennis. I'm also like... really really scared."

Dennis frowned at his slice, picking at a pineapple in feigned disinterest.

"I think I'll keep going to church. At least for a while," Mac continued. "I haven't been smited yet, so maybe it's okay."

After a long stretch of silence, Mac felt a weight lift from his shoulders. For the first time in weeks, he was comfortable around Dennis. Maybe things could go back to normal. Like they were before Dennis became obsessed with Charlie and Science Bitch. Maybe they'd be even better, now that Mac was out.

Lowering his slice, Dennis finally spoke: "Sometimes I wish you would just shut the fuck up."

"What?"

"I don't care, Mac!" Dennis snapped. "We all have problems and you liking dick isn't my problem."

Mac gaped at Dennis, then the floor. Trying to form words or even think of any. His eyebrows scrunched as he looked back to Dennis "I'm sorry—"

"No, you're not sorry," Dennis leaped from his bed, tossing his untouched slice of pizza back into the box. "If you were sorry you'd leave me alone! But all you do is follow me around and make me miserable!"

Mac stood, much calmer than Dennis expected. Mac, who usually snapped into rage mode or backed off with his tail between his legs in arguments, was just standing there. Judging Dennis. "I thought we were best friends. Best friends are supposed to be there for each other, to talk about our problems. And we always talk about your problems! Never mine!"