crossed over (alver x og cale)

Part 7

It didn't stop hurting to be alive.

And that pain was certainly magnified by a certain amount by the headache that was Eric Wheelsman, bulldozing his way through a by this point entirely one sided conversation while Cale marveled over the fact that yes, this really was some sort of strange alternate reality because no illusionist, no matter how deranged, would go through the trouble of copying Eric's rather unique personality so accurately.

It would be an act of pure masochism.

"...you really don't change." Cale said dryly, not even expecting Eric to hear him.

To his surprise, Eric stopped his tirade, grinning nonchalantly at Cale with a shrug. "Seems a bit foolish to change perfection, yeah?"

Yep. This was exactly Eric.

Cale snorted and shook his head in disbelief.

Luckily the plans Alberu spoke of weren't all that difficult to accommodate. Drinks at a bar, even in a foreign world, was a familiar concept for Cale to grasp. He sternly turned down Alberu's offer to join them though. He wanted a moment away from... just everything Alberu represented.

The familiarity of Eric's eccentricities was helping to ground him too. Eric could carry on a conversation all on his own if you let him and Cale had every intention of letting him.

He could breathe outside of the suffocating atmosphere of the apartment, have a drink, and feel some relief that there was one thing in this world that he totally understood.

Even if that thing was Eric Wheelsman.

"What's up with you tonight anyway? You look... grumpy."

Cale scowled up at Eric.

He wondered what sort of expression his alter used with the man. What was their relationship that Cale chose to spend time with him?

Well. Cale could admit that there were days when he missed his friendship with Eric. The eccentric personality of his energetic ex-friend was... fun. He could admit that he missed the schemes they'd get up to together.

That was in the past now. Cale wasn't the sort who...

He sighed. What was the point in comparing what he would do to what his other self would do? Factually, his other self was leading a better and more productive life than him. The bastard probably had a better personality too.

While walking a mile in Cale's shoes, he was probably leading a respectable life without losing his temper or acting out on impulses. He was probably making responsible and intelligent decisions.

Cale had no way of knowing that at this very moment within the multiversal situation they found themselves in, the other Cale Henituse was currently committing arson.

"I've been feeling under the weather." Cale said to wave off Eric's concerns. "I'm actually taking time off of work too."

Eric frowned at him and the expression was foreign to Cale.

Eric looked worried about him.

"...is everything okay with Alberu? What's going on?" Eric reached out and touched Cale's forehead without his consent. "You haven't talked about him at all. Are you two fighting?"

Cale felt a strange curiosity twist within him, choosing his words carefully to elicit the correct response. "I don't talk about him that much." He said, grumbling in pho embarrassed discontent.

Eric scoffed openly and fixed him with a look. "It's hard to get you to talk about anything else! It's always 'Alberu learned a new recipe' this and 'he looks so cute when he' that." Eric rolled his eyes and the memories of soppy romantic toils that he'd have to listen to over the years. "You sound like you're bragging about him even when you complain about him! What was it last time? It's annoying how he always checks in on you after you fuck and worries too much? You actually complained that he's obsessive about aftercare?"