Chapter 34.5: Eternal Loneliness
The chaos of Hasty Daty had died down, and the hangout was eerily quiet. Vapor sat cross-legged on the floor, staring at the flickering glow of a nearby lamp. Nica was seated beside him, her legs curled under her small frame, looking more defeated than Vapor had ever seen her.
"So," Vapor began awkwardly, "that was... uh, something, huh?"
Nica didn't respond. She stared at the floor, her silver eyes reflecting a sadness that even Vapor's usual cheerfulness couldn't pierce.
"I'm sorry, Nica," he said softly, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "I thought it'd help, but I guess I just made things worse."
Nica sighed deeply, finally breaking the silence. "It's not your fault, Vapor. I know you and Rosie were just trying to help." She hugged her knees, her voice quiet but heavy with emotion. "But honestly, it just reminded me how... alone I am."
Vapor tilted his head. "Alone? You're not alone. You've got all of us-me, Rosie, Mira, Amber, even Austin!"
Nica shook her head, her silver ponytail swaying slightly. "That's not what I mean. You're my family, my friends. But... I don't have anyone to love. Not like that."
Vapor blinked, his usual sass replaced with genuine confusion. "Wait, you mean, like a boyfriend or girlfriend?"
"Yeah," Nica said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Vapor rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, why don't you just... y'know, find someone? There are plenty of people out there!"
Nica laughed bitterly. "You don't get it, Vapor. I can't just 'find someone.' Look at me." She gestured to herself. "I look like a child. Even if I met someone who was my age, they'd probably feel like they were committing a crime just by talking to me. And if I dated someone younger..."
"They'd definitely be committing a crime," Vapor finished, his expression somber.
"Exactly." Nica hugged her knees tighter. "It's like I'm cursed. No matter what I do, I'll always be stuck like this-immortal, looking like a 12-year-old, and completely alone."
Vapor frowned, his brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of her situation. After a moment, he blurted out, "Wait, are you even straight?"
Nica looked up at him, her silver eyes narrowing slightly. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"I mean," Vapor said, scratching his head, "you're talking about finding someone, but you keep saying 'boyfriend or girlfriend,' so, like... which one is it?"
Nica rolled her eyes, though there was a faint hint of amusement in her expression. "I'm not straight, Vapor. I don't care about gender-I just care about the person."
"Oh," Vapor said, nodding slowly. "Got it. So, you're... what's the word for that? Pan-tastic?"
"Pansexual," Nica corrected, a small smile tugging at her lips despite her sadness.
"Right, that." Vapor leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "So basically, you're open to anyone, but your curse just makes it impossible for you to be with anyone without things getting... uh, illegal?"
"Pretty much," Nica said, her voice heavy with resignation. "It's like no matter how hard I try, I'll always end up alone."
Vapor sat up, his silver eyes meeting hers. "Hey, don't say that. You're not alone, okay? You've got me. You've got all of us. I know it's not the same, but we're not going anywhere."
Nica smiled faintly, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Thanks, Vapor. I appreciate it. But it's not the same, and it never will be."
Vapor frowned, his heart aching for his friend. "You're amazing, Nica. If anyone deserves to be happy, it's you. And I don't know how to fix this, but I'll be here for you. Always."
Nica's smile grew a little brighter, and she reached out to squeeze his hand. "Thanks, Vapor. That means a lot."
They sat in silence for a while, the weight of Nica's words hanging in the air. Vapor didn't have all the answers, and for once, he didn't try to pretend he did. Instead, he just sat with her, offering the only thing he could: his unwavering support.
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End of Chapter 34.5
