Righteous Indignation - RF! Welcome Home

Chapter 17 - Missed

(A/N: I made a whole fucking playlist for this story. Right before I published the previous chapter. What is wrong with me- anywho enjoy the angst that's gonna come your way.☺️)

Walden Darling's Point of View

I had been growing more and more distant from Neighbor, and over time I noticed they began to reciprocate it. Fuck. Today they didn't even say good morning. They haven't smiled in my general direction in weeks. And it's my fault. I wanted them to realize I was a bad person, but I didn't expect them to actually do so. Damn it! I could have sworn they were more stubborn than this. No, I'm being stupid. It's not on them to make the effort to put me out there. It's my responsibility to communicate. And it's their responsibility to reciprocate communication. That's it. I'm gonna go up to them today and... apologize.

I opened my computer, since I knew they wouldn't want to hear me schedule another meeting at them, and I hated seeing them so disdainful. Besides, you can take back words in an e-mail, so I can't say too much.

Subject: Important Meeting

Neighbor, we need to talk today. Meet me at the Spectra Falls at precisely 2:30, no later than. This is not optional. You will attend, or you will have a hell of an explanation.

Warm regards,

Walden Darling

That seems good. I think. Am I too aggressive? Am I being too much? Oh, well. I hit send, nervously picking at a loose screw on my prosthesis. I should probably tighten that lest my thumb fall off.

Looking through my desk drawers for a screwdriver, I thought about if they would respond or not. Ah, fuck, I have an experiment at one. What if that takes too long? It'll be fine. And they'll wait for me even if it's not fine. Maybe.

Finally finding that damn screwdriver and tightening the screw on my thumb, I heard a little notification ding from my computer. They responded.

dw mr. darling ill be there

Sent from my iPhone

Damn. Not even proper punctuation.

Arriving at the lab, the subject was already
prepared for me. I wasted no time in vivisecting the subject, observing the odd growths of bone that protruded from the sternum and spread like spiderwebs through the ribcage. That's why they were coughing up blood. Their lungs were punctured. Curious. A passing thought of Neighbor entered my mind. Do they still feel guilty over killing? Well, they shoved someone in the grinder, so I'd suspect not.

"Recycle their Spectra, and keep the ribcage for further study. Throw the rest in the grinder and fill out their death reports. I want this done by four."

I ordered, and they cringed at the words 'keep the ribcage', but I didn't care. It was already 2:15, and I needed to clean up and go see Neighbor.

After washing up and discarding the bloodstained surgical gown and gloves, I speedwalked down to the west end of Production, to the Spectra Falls. I saw Neighbor standing, looking bored at the guardrail.

"Ah, Neighbor. A pleasure to see you again. I'm sure you're curious as to why I invited you here."

"Mhm." They said, looking angry. What did I say?

"Well, I've noticed you've been... off. Always looking neutral or angry and just- erm- like me. It's concerning." I said, preferring to walk over to the guardrail and stare at the blue, the indigo, the purple, and finally pink flowing down.

"What's it to you?" They said in a hostile manner.

"Well... that's not usually you. And it's my fault. I pushed you away, and you're angry. I get it, and..." I swallowed my pride, that painful embarrassment that usually followed with violent urges surging back.

"I'm sorry." I finished my sentence. "I'm sorry for hurting you. I just can't stand to see you like this. No, that's the thing, I don't see you anymore. Sure, you're there, but you, Neighbor, the person who lost their eye to save me isn't there anymore. I miss you, Neighbor." I said, and for a moment I felt pleasantly. I got the weight off my chest, finally.

"You should have thought about that before you decided to be a total dick after I tried to show you appreciation. After I tried to be nice. I'm not gonna deal with a prick who's gonna rely on me to fix him. Fuck you and your manipulation. I'm done here."

Neighbor went to walk away, and I seized them by their wrist. I had this anxious feeling that if I didn't Neighbor would vanish right before my eyes. Is this how they felt, asking me to talk with them?

"Neighbor, wait!"

"No! Let me go!"

"Listen, please. We won't ever have to talk again after this, just listen." I felt stupid, and desperate, and the urgency seemed to reflect in my voice seeing as how Neighbor paused. They looked like, just for a moment, their old self again.

"What the hell do you want, Walden? Make it quick so I can work."

"You, Neighbor. That's what I want. I've been fucking stupid, pushing you away, trying to make you feel like I was a bad person even though that's the last thing I want. I want everything to be the way it was again. I don't want to lose you. I can't lose you. Because that's all it's been, is you. Every damn thing that runs through my head circles right back to you."

I said, and I was regretting every bit of it, but I knew I'm in too deep now, so I kept going.

"I know that I can't make up to you the pain I must have caused you, and I really am sorry. I need to teach myself how to not be such a dick sometimes, and that's something I need to improve upon. I don't expect you to forgive me, and we can just forget I ever said any of this. But I need you to know."

I met their eyes, and I noticed the way the glow of the Spectra reflected in their gaze. Something about them I couldn't read. I'm usually able to read people like a book. They looked panicked, but not at me? Maybe?

"I always thought that the moment you said what you meant the world was going to end." They said quietly, their face still unreadable and confused. "Or, at least that's how dire the situation would be."

They hugged me suddenly, and I froze, unsure of what to do. I gingerly hugged them back, and god, was I relieved.

"I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry I hurt you."

"Thank you, Neighbor."

<1124 words, excluding this and including the authors note! Damn! Love you guys :D>