Skratch Cinematic Universe

Hug all ur friends - by cavetown

Alex trudged through the bitter wind and the half melted snow with little more than a thin windbreaker and his lasting anger to keep him warm. His early stage frostbite was not helped as the last person in the world he wanted to see caught up to him, but he sure felt warmer.

"Lovely Sunday morning. we have here," Cooper said rubbing his unfairly gloved hands together. It technically wasn't 12 yet therefore not morning, but Alex was in no mood to nit pick. Well he was but he also knew that was exactly what cooper wanted.

"Penny for your thoughts? " cooper asked quietly. He looked up at Alex almost hopefully, as if Alex would completely ignore what head happened earlier that night. Cooper was right in the assumption that alex would ignore something or some one.

"I can do this all night, " cooper boasted in a fake bravado.

"I thought it was morning," Alex spat sarcastically. A look of genuine hurt crossed Coopers face but was quickly wiped away with a sharp forced laugh. Alex sighed and then began to talk

"remember when we felt like a movie or a cartoon? When us was energetic and colorful?" Alex asked
in a whisper. He silently wished that the wind would carry away his voice so that this moment of sincerity would never reach Cooper.

"remember when I, when us was important to you than a good grade on a paper, " couper
added with a stale, harsh laugh. Alex grimaced and nodded.

It was for some reason refreshing to hear cooper complain about something,

"I'm sorry that I don't love myself unless I'm
perfect, and I'm sorry that our relationship was killed as a result of that. " Alex responded veering in to an unrelated but long overdue topic of discusion.

"And I'm sorry that I don't care what
people think of me, I know it made this so
much harder for you. that it made you think that
you had to take care of both of our reputations,"
cooper said bluntly.

"I loved that " Alex whispered to no one in particular.
"Please do tell me about the things you love about me im sure the list is very long," cooper said sarcastically. Alex bit back the words that were desperatly clawing their way up his throat.

"I'm fucked up as it is alex, " Cooper continued after a moments pause,"It's a waste of the time I have to try and fix any of that, " he explained.

"but isn't the thought that you could be better enough to make you want to try?" Alex
asked.

Cooper turned to him, his eyes warm.
"life's to short to worry about the things you.
could've done, or the things you did wrong,"

"So what do you suggest. I should do with any time?" Alex asked, part way curious and partially in disbelief that anyone could treat life so simple.

"Hug all your friends and never let go, " Cooper said queitly

Alex's heart topped to his stomach and his feet froze to the cold sidewalk. what Cooper.
had said was ridiculous, unrealistic, and yet
if filled Alex with a feeling of respect. Because while Alex preached perfectionism he was far from perfect himself. But finding someone, finding your people and never letting go was what Cooper did every day of his life, even after a night like this.

After all coopers friends had completely given up trying to include Alex in anything. After Alex completely humiliated Cooper in front of those friends and after he stormed out of the bar his head swimming as the alchol in his system mixed dangerously with his meds.

And now as alex practically forgot how to breath let alone walk, there was cooper offering him a hand.

"Did you and your friends have fun after I
left?" Alex asked pointedly ignoring the hand,
though Coopers determination was admirable

"They probably did, I left right after you," Cooper responded sheepishly.

"What happened to hugging all your friends "
Alex asked sarcastically.

"Id hug all my friends if they were friends
with you," Cooper responded simply.

"you're really not leting go?" Alex asked sincerely.

"Of course not," Cooper said offering his hand again. Alex took it this time even though he had regained his balance.

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(712 words)