We Love You, Clawd

Interview Seven: Cleo De Nile and Deuce Gorgon

Back before all this, Cleo and Deuce were a rock-solid couple at the top of the social chain at Monster High. But, at the start of this year, they broke up. I see them here back together, issues resolved, differences put aside so they can be here for each other in the fallout of recent events. Each valued Clawd in a different way, and they clearly understood that if they were to become better people and move on after this, they needed each other.

Neighthan: Good morning.

Cleo: Hi, Neighthan.

Deuce meekly stares up at me and raises a hand in greeting before sitting down, not even looking at me. He doesn't take his glasses off (he's a gorgon, he never does and can't), but his lip is quivering beneath and his eyebrows show pain.

Neighthan: How are you guys today?

Cleo: Personally, I'm fine. It's Deuce I'm worried about. I mean, look at him. He's a wreck.

Deuce finally gets the courage to speak, his voice sounding like a door that has been shut for years finally opening.

Deuce: Y-yeah, I guess that's one way to put it.

Neighthan: What's the problem?

Cleo: Everything's so much for him. What with us breaking up, then Clawd's injury-

Deuce: Oh God, Oh God!

Neighthan: What's wrong?

Deuce: I-I see it in my head again. Him at practice, him at-Oh God forgive me!

Cleo: He is very traumatised by the whole experience. It was just a bit bad when he was only in hospital, but it got worse and worse for both of them. And now, his best friend is gone.

Deuce: Gone, forever.

He breaks down completely. He then slaps himself vigorously until he is stopped by Cleo, a sea of reddened skin blooming from the repeated impacts.

Deuce: What am I doing? I need to man up more. The team needs me now our best player is...is...gone.

Neighthan: I hate that phrase so much, "man up". You're allowed to have grief, Deuce. You're allowed to miss people.

Cleo: I do think that with time, and with the right amount of people around him, he will learn to be happier with himself over time.

Neighthan: He'll learn to forgive himself more.

Cleo: Yeah.

Deuce: I don't deserve forgiveness. I deserve nothing.

Cleo: That's not true. You deserve as much as you need, Deuce. And you need friendship, guidance, a team, me.

Deuce: What you're saying is very sweet, but I'm not sure it's right. This is my punishment for being a terrible friend. If I'd been there more, made him laugh more, came over to his house more, included him more, then maybe, maybe-

He sighs in defeat.

Cleo: You did all you could, Deuce. And besides, what's done is done. You can only look to the future.

She puts her arm around his shoulder, her presence warming him like a hearth warms a child that is cold on Christmas Eve. A weak smile enters his face.

Neighthan: Cleo's right. I'm afraid the simple fact is Clawd killed himself.

Deuce: Did he? I won't believe that for a second. His autopsy was lying, it had to be. Clawd commit suicide? I can't believe-no, I won't believe it. I won't believe I failed like that. I won't believe my efforts to be his friend were so lacking he did that.