Doki Doki Movie Club! - A SM AU Fanfiction!

30: Sharing With Rick! PART 0.3

(IF ON RICK'S ROUTE)

As I stood before Rick, there was a faint silence filling the air as his eyes blankly scanned over the lines of my script. I felt as if my legs were near the edge of collapsing just standing there, but the frustration of impatience that would normally come after minutes of waiting for something I expected to be do be done fast seemed to fade away as I noticed something.

Rick's eyes appeared to only mildly widen—but deep within then was a sparkle that never seemed to be there before. And after a few more seconds of letting my eyes stare at the expression within his own, I quickly blinked and stopped the moment I finally noticed him staring back at me.

And as he stared—I began to notice something quiver slowly on his lips. A soft.. smile began to curl upon those thin lips of his. In his usual calm manner, he only said, "..this is a nice script. You've done a lot better than I thought you would."

"Ah.. th—thanks, dude. I don't think I would have been able to write this well without you.." I uttered in return, giving an awkward smile.

"..well, thanks." Quietness passed again, and after a few moments, Rick's smile faded—and he spoke. "..this feels nice. I didn't think sharing scripts I wrote would feel like this."

"..heh.. I'm—I'm glad. It's nice to see someone like you.. feel that way. I'm honestly kinda surprised though." I smiled awkwardly as I continued speaking, "..you're such a good writer, but you don't even bother sharing your stuff with anyone."

"..mm.." Rick mumbles, before letting out a sigh. "I.. I'm not really used to other people wanting to talk to me. Other than people like Radford, or Kevin, or.." He hesitates. "..you. I always used to do things by myself until I met them. During those times, I'd.. always just watch things to keep myself company. And—it was nice. The characters in those movies or shows were always so nice to watch."

Rick looks down at the ground. "..it was just nice to felt like I had genuine people around me. People who wouldn't make fun of the way I looked, how quiet I was, or.. how down I was about everything."

"..people.. said that about you?" I asked—my voice immediately beginning to soften with pity.

"Yeah, but.. it doesn't matter. I was only really able to watch stuff or write stuff to deal with the way I felt. I guess it wasn't til now I started sharing them with anyone. And now that I shared my stuff with you, it feels.." He hesitates again. "..nice."

"I.. well—ge—geez. I don't think I've really.. done anything that much—you're kinda giving me a lotta credit here." I sheepishly replied, feeling my face beginning to swell with warmth.

"Well.. I wouldn't say that. You've been nice to me and haven't made fun of me for the way I am. I think thats enough for me to feel grateful about you." Rick replied—his lips slowly beginning to smile again.

"I—I.. uhh.. well.." In the end, I can only let out a sigh as my face becomes warmer. "..thanks, man. I just wanna treat you how you should be. If anyone else thinks you're lesser just because you're different, then what do they know? I came to this club and made friends because of it. And I'd say being friends with you is the best things that's ever happened to me."

Rick goes quiet for a few moments. "...thanks.. it's.. I think being friends with you is the best thing that's happened to me too." Hus smile remains for a moment, before fading. "..I think I should ahre what I wrote now."

"Oh! Ri—Right." I nod. I had forgotten he was supposed to do that.

Rick slips my script back over to me, and then slowly reaches out his arm while holding his script in his hand. I take the script into my free hand, and begin to read.

————

(IF ON KEVINS ROUTE)

I walk foward, seeing Rick standing in the corner of the room. But I notice as he lifts his head in notice of my approach—he.. doesn't look too happy. In fact, his eyes begin to soften with the most dissapointed look I've ever seen in a man's eyes. His usual frown remains, but looks a bit larger this time. Did he want to be left alone?

If that's what he wanted, I probably didn't have any choice. I didn't want to make him uncomfortable. So I stopped in my tracks, and reluctantly headed toward a different direction instead of bothering to share with him this time.

(IF YOU ARE ON KEVINS ROUTE, YOU DON'T READ HIS SCRIPT FOR THIS PART)

————

"A Man Beneath A Streetlight."

By Rick.

[A man stands beneath the light of a streetlight, smiling calmly to himself as if in peace just from the very warmth of the embrace of the artifical light above him. He stands—completely silent for a moment. And then finally, he opens his eyes.]

Man: "..you know.. I never felt this way before."

[The man looks up, and begins to speak as if the streetlight is actually alive.]

Man: "Being in your light like this.. it makes me feel so.. happy. I don't think I've ever met any streetlight like you."

[The streetlight obviously doesn't respond. The man looks down for a moment, before looking back up.]

Man: "Have you ever had a light yourself? If not, well.. I wouldn't mind being yours."

It.. wasn't exactly hard to tell what this one was about. I lift my head, and begin to hand the paper back over to him, but he only stares down at it. His silence says a thousand words, and as does his stare.

"..do you not like it?"

"What? Oh—I.. no—I do like it. I'm just not really sure what I should say."

Rick remains quiet. "..I don't think I wanna explain what this one means."

"..that's—that's fine. I.. I think I know what it means, so you don't need to say what it means if you don't want to."

Rick looks down. After a few moments, I try to fill the gaps of our silence, asking gently—"does this.. script mean a lot to you?"

"..yes."

"Well.. I can see why. It's a good script. I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to share it with me. I.. I hope we keep being friends."

Despite remaining quiet, I can see a faint smile begin to appear on Rick's lips yet again. I slowly lift my arm, and begin to hand the script back over to him—but before I can do so, he speaks again.

"..no." He bluntly says.

"..wh—what?" I stammer.

"..I think.. I think you should keep it." Rick pauses. "..I want you to keep it."

"..oh." I fail to form a response. Or even think of a response. What should I say to such an offer? After a while, I only awkwardly nod. "..uhh.. alright. Thanks.. Rick."

"..no problem." Rick says.

He then says after a pause, "..you're really nice to me. I hope I'll be able to do something for you sometime."

I feel my face become warm again, but I only give a lop-sided smile, laughing softly. "Thanks, dude. But.. being yourself is already enough for me. You don't need to do anything for me as long as you just let yourself be the way you are."

Rick faintly smiles again—his cheeks darkening. Before his smile fades again, and in a slightly more dissapointed tone, he mutters to himself—"..I think we should go share with someone else now before Ethan says anything."

"..oh! Yeah.. right." I say—realizing we had technically finished sharing by now, so it was about time for us to go share with someone else. "Well.. I guess we can talk a little more later. Um.. thanks again for giving me your script, Rick."

Rick pauses as he usually does, before his thin lips curl into a neutral smile yet again.

Blankly—he only says as I begin to turn around. "..you're welcome. I hope we can talk some more later."