The Neighbor Next Door

Rough day

MePhone was quiet during the first hour or so of the car ride back to town. It was a long way to where the funeral was from 3gs's apartment, and even further from where the neighborhood home was, so this was just... A long, quiet drive. 3gs didn't really know what to say. He was still frustrated at having to come here, but he wasn't going to direct any of that towards his brother. Not if someone else had dragged him to the event, too.

Eventually, through all this quiet, 3gs decided to try some small talk, hoping to maybe ease the mood.

"You uh... Look different,"

"Yeah. I noticed." MePhone kept his tone quiet, and his gaze out the window, watching the outside scenery change as the car kept moving. He just sounded so tired. Defeated.

"It's not bad," 3gs tried a bit of encouragement.

"I didn't want to do it." he answered, moving a hand up to feel at his chin, and the lack of what used to be there.
"Oh. Sorry." 3gs just internally cursed at himself. This wasn't helping anything. "Um... Look, I'm not mad at you, okay?"

MePhone didn't say anything.

"I was frustrated, but I understand. You don't have to deal with them anymore though. If they ever stop by again, just... Call me and tell me first, okay?"

"I didn't know who it was when I opened the door. I- I just... I don't know..." He trailed off, his voice quieting in volume a bit more. "I'm tired. Can we just... Talk later, please."

3gs just sighed. "Yeah. Okay." And without another word, he flipped the radio on for background noise. They still had around an hour to go, and 3gs couldn't stop thinking about what could've happened to make his brother seem so... So... He didn't even have a word for it. He just seemed like a shell again. A husk. Something had clearly happened to him, either during the funeral, or after getting brought there by 5, but he had no idea. He hadn't even gotten a chance to talk to them, or anyone else, leaving as soon as his obligation to be there was over. He honestly had no real clue who 5, or MePad were. Not as people, at least. He didn't think he wanted to meet either of them, but if they did something to his brother-- if he found out anything they could've done to make MePhone feel this bad all over again, he wasn't going to let it slide. MePhone already had enough to worry about.

By the time he got to the house, MePhone seemed to have fallen asleep where he sat, and 3gs was really worn out himself. He was going to call his fiance, and update him on today, and what he was planning. He was probably going to stay the night, having driven enough today. He was getting sick of going back and forth. He just sighed, undoing the tie he had on, and tossing it in the back, before looking at his brother, fast asleep. He didn't have the strength, or balance to do something like carry him in, so he lightly shook the other.

It took a few shakes, but eventually, MePhone stirred, flinching awake with a;

"Whuh-- huh... what..." His tone still tired as he blinked awake.

"We're home. Go to bed."

"... Yeah." MePhone just slowly nodded, before unbuckling himself, and getting out, while 3gs did the same, grabbing his cane from the backseat as the other trudged inside.

He'd try to talk to the other if he caught him awake before he decided he'd want to leave.

...

It was evening when there was a knock on OJ's door. He got up, answering it without a thought, wondering if MePhone was back yet from the funeral, wanting to stay over for some kind of comfort, or company, but he was definitely surprised to see 3gs.

"Oh-- uh... Hey, I didn't know you were visiting,"
"Hello. I'm not, really. I'm just here for the night. I brought MePhone home."

"Oh, okay, uhm... How is he?"