HOMEOSTASIS

Chapter XVI

"(...)I'll be looking in their eyes when they're down,
I'll be there on their side,
I'm losing by their side."

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"What do you think the girls are doing upstairs?"

Jack hummed, playing with the edges of his hoodie. "Probably planning world domination."

"Oh, cool!" Ben mused once he opened a random drawer from the hallway, "You guys have a radio! Looks old as shit, but it's a radio."

"Honestly, half of the shit you're seeing, we have never seen in our lives." Masky said. Both him and Hoodie were sipping on lukewarm beers they still had in the non-working fridge, masks lifted just a little above their mouths. They were forced to give one to Jeff too, or else he'd throw a tantrum. They're surprised, they thought these guys would turn the house upside down, but they're actually being quite composed.

Suddenly, some loud distortion boomed through the walls, and Ben cringed before switching stations on the radio. Some generic music was playing, and he wonders if whoever owned that radio would be the type to hear this stuff. Everything else seems way too old-fashioned.

"Would you please turn that off?" Groaned Helen from the couch, "I'm getting a migraine..."

"Too bad. We need music. This is getting boring."

"Sorry it's not up to your standards." The proxy squinted his eyes, giving his empty bottle to Hoodie once he stood up to put his in the trash. He brought two more.

Jeff ended up sitting by his brother's side, nudging him with another beer.

"I don't drink that."

"Come on... Don't be a party-pooper. It's just a beer."

The brunette's gaze melted as he stared at the bottle in his brother's hand. A small shake brought him back from his thoughts, convincing him to give in, at last.

"I've always dreamed of this." He said.

"What about?"

"You know... both of us sharing a beer, some day. Talking about life. Maybe it's not under the best circumstances but... I'll take what I can get."

Jeff smiled fondly like he hasn't done in years. He leaned back on the couch, patting his brother's back.

"Yeah. Yeah, me too."

The boys were having their fun in their own way, but the girls were indeed planning world domination. Well... with some slight differences.

Jane and Natalie agreed on something: Kate was hurting and grieving, and she needed a change of mood. She needs to let the past go, and since she does want to live her truth, true to herself, she needs a switch. So, Sally had a brilliant idea in the middle of a "girls talk" back in the van.

"We're gonna give you a makeover!"

"Ladies, I appreciate it, but look at my room." It was small, dirty, and the only apparent furniture was the creaky bed in the corner and the small closet next to the door. "I have zero makeup. I don't even have a hairbrush!"

"Well, who said you had to keep your hair long? What you need, Kate, is more feminine energy!" Jane exclaimed, running her hands over the girl's tangled hair. "You spend your days surrounded by men. You need a break from all the sweat, burping, and farting."

"They're not like that at all... What do you have in mind?"

The three in front of her smirked devilishly, and for a moment, she regretted even speaking at all.