(GQ #13) Adventures in Spacepunk

13. Sunset Getaway

Getting Milliwatt closer to his brother had been a simple task, not a quick one. It should've been. Having no money left him and Angelo little else to do but window shop. But Milliwatt window shopped with a passion. By the time they made it out of the clothing store Angelo's cheek print stained, the sky turned from greenish blue to a greenish yellow.

Angelo hopped outside, his arm around Milliwat's shoulder. "Is th–Does sunset always look like that?"

"Like what?"

"Yellow."

Millwatt shrugged with his free arm. "I guess so. Which way next?"

"What about th-that place?" Angelo pointed to a clothing store a few doors down, the very first building he passed. How they'd get from there to Milliwatt's brother, he had no idea, nor did he know if he stayed in the same place for two hours. The more he thought about it, his plan fell apart, but he still held on to its crumbling pieces.

"That looks cool. C'mon!" Milliwatt stepped forward while Angelo hopped.

Angelo gazed past the skyline of beautifully strange architecture. "I-I've never seen a sky this color before. It's my brother's favorite."

"Really? I like yellow too. What's your favorite color?"

"Orange."

"Then you must really like sunsets on Earth, huh?"

"...Th-They're pretty." In pictures. He struggled to find much beauty in the real thing these days. His heart rate quickened just remembering how red light bled through those window shades.

"What's he like?"

"Huh??" Angelo nearly toppled off of his shoulders. "Oh, you mean my brother?"

"Yeah?" Milliwatt raised an eyebrow loaded with sass. "Who else?"

"S-S-Sorry, I was out of it." He focused on Leon. "My's brother's nice. T-Too nice. He can get along with anyone. When he's around, I feel–" safe, "–I don't know. I-I'm lucky to have him."

"Sounds a heck of a lot cooler than my brothers."

Milliwatt was probably right, but Angelo still wanted to defend one of them. "The one I met s-s–he was nice to me. He gave me a tissue and said I mattered."

"Ugh, Kyle." Milliwatt rolled his eyes. "'You matter. Your feelings are sooo important. I'll always be here for you.' But then when I wanna hang out, he's always gone!"

"Oh. Th-That sounds annoying." And familiar.

"Right?? And between you and me," he leaned toward Angelo, "he says he's over his friend's house, but sometimes he sneaks off with girls."

Even more familiar.

"Can't tell my other brother though. He freaks out at the littlest things." Milliwatt put on a nasally voice. "'How many times have I told you to clean your side of the room?? I'm too busy to play games. Does anyone even appreciate what I do for this house?' I liked him better back when he built his little cardboard cities."

"Cities?" Angelo lit up. "I love making houses out of cardboard and popsicle sticks. S-Sorry. This isn't about me. Did you ever build with him?"

"He never let me."

"Oh."

Milliwatt looked over at him. "Would you?"

"Sure? I-I mean, if you don't think it's too girly or anything."

"What kind of weirdo thinks that?"

Angelo cracked a smile. "Some old geezer."

"Sounds like an old loser." With his free hand, Milliwatt formed an L on his forehead. Angelo burst into snickering, brightening Milliwatt's smile to a 1000-watt one. "I'm serious! You're cooler than all my brothers combined–Wait, you're not a ViewTuber, are you?"