Hearts of Delmar 2... ( 2 many Nicoles)

Chapter 21: Wake up, Punkin

The Nicole's hugged as the Delmarian significant others stared each other down with a handshake. The rest of the group stood around to say goodbye, already getting their hugs and personal tidbits out of the way. Nicole smiled at Nicole.

"Hey, don't be a stranger. Come over any time you want. My room is your room, literally, and applies to the group house and me and Vinn's cave. Stay any time you want for as long as you want." Nicole said keeping it together.

"You too." Said Evee Nicole. "We're parking the ship on a block foundation just off the island right near the big tower. It's like a mile away, you could walk it"

"Why not just buy a house and sell the ship?" Dee asked.

"Because I like the ship and I can't be captain of a house. If it's parked on a foundation, and we seal the struts with caulking, then it's attached so it's considered a mobile home. If we need to take off, it just breaks the caulking, and now I'm Captain of a ship."

"I'm just not even gonna argue with that." Dee shrugged, both confused and impressed. Vinn play jabbed at Hyde to ease the tension.

"So...construction work. Pays good, gonna be a regular working class guy too now, hu?"

"At least until I get my feet grounded and really figure out what we wanna do. Keeping the options open." Hyde said.

"Take care of that little gal. She's something special."

"You too." He said. "So I guess we're square, no hard feelings?" Hyde asked.

"Well definitely some awkward feelings but yea screw it. We cool. We're basically dating twins so we kinda have to be friends now. And now that we know you're not evil, that makes it way easier to do that."

"Friends...feels like a strong word, but I'll accept it."

"And if you break her heart I'll just Fupar you again, or tell Gizzy." He half joking. Squinting to decide himself.

"Vinn you still don't intimidate me, but I can assure you two things. I love my little Evee Nicole and would never harm her. And secondly, I would never do anything to piss off Gizzy again. You cannot fathom how terrifying that woman is."

"Someone finally made you feel like a terrified, helpless boy-bitch, and you didn't love it?"

"Not even slightly." Hyde admitted.

"Yea, she does that. Anyway, you kids have fun. South side, pretty integrated neighborhood, should be accepting of odd couples and whatnot. I think you'll get used to the domesticated lifestyle, work, house, girlfriend, Sunday sports. We got a big-ass honkin TV in the cave for Homicideball tournaments and something humans call MMA. It's like play Fupar. It's adorable"

"Will Jack be attending with a knife?" he joked, smiling at Jack.

"Well of course, you gotta have security. Sports fans get pretty rowdy."

"You people are alright, you know. I can respect your little clan of misfits. I think after the other night, my days of combat are over. I could use the vacation."

"I'm glad you survived it, probably good that Gizzy got that out of her system too. She gets moody as hell, and now I bet she's gonna be way more chill since the fighting is done and everything is settled." He shrugged.

Gandalf opened his eyes, feeling the sudden panic of being alive, the fresh phantom pain in his back, checking for a knife or blood. He was sitting in a chair in a very dark room with a single light on him, and a familiar set of eyes glowing in the dark staring at him, smoking a pipe silently. Hatred in them, unsettled scores boiling brightly.