Obsolution ✔

Chapter 8

They were fighting.

He discerned the fickle words through his layers of blankets and pillows. Ty rolled over and faced his alarm clock. In another few hours, he and Sam had to be at work.

For the last three days, Ty had called in sick, but his sick days were up. Pen told him to come in, or else. Pen usually didn't have it in him to follow through on an "or else". All the same, Ty didn't feel like testing the man.

He rose from the bed to wash his face, pee the best pee of his life, and wake Helia from her nap. When he stepped into the hallway, the full brunt of Sam and Damon's argument pierced his ears.

"Why can't I goddamn wear this?" Sam was asking.

"'Cause you look like a d y k e, and you should be blending in, that's why!" Damon gestured every which way, all but stamping his foot.

Sam rolled her eyes. "Anyone who thinks I'm a d y k e is not going to automatically assume I'm a clone, you fucking nut."

Every since they had met, Sam and Damon found reasons to bicker. They fought about the way Sam spoke, her mannerisms, and most of all, they fought about who she dated. Ty didn't care what she did, as long as she didn't go up and down the street screaming the truth about her immaculate conception. Debating over her choice of words, clothes, or dating partners was beyond his control. Not for Damon, though.

Damon needed to control things. From what he could tell about his clone, Sam hated control. She especially hated sharing a room with Damon, but there was no where else for her to sleep.

Their dynamic reminded Ty of his own relationship with Damon when they were much younger. There was nearly ten years of space between them, and at times, it felt endless. Ty couldn't understand why Damon was so immature, and Damon couldn't understand why Ty was such a simpleton. They managed to reconcile in their teens, forgoing the pettiness and becoming close friends. Now Ty couldn't comprehend the level of dislike he was seeing between his brother and his double. They were well past the adolescent age, which is where most of Ty and Damon's controversy had sparked from.

From the onset, Jennifer and Helia had taken to Sam. Ty had thought it creepy, but it made sense after awhile. The near-hate between Sam and Damon was just odd.

He heard his brother say something like:

"Just like a real woman, trying to see what you can get away with."

Then Sam's hiss of breath and muted words.

Ty stepped into the living room to referee the two (again).

Damon held up a finger to stall his brother's rationale. "They won't know your origins, no, but just by playing the part of lesbian, you're going to ring some big Prominent bells."

Sam snorted. "You're paranoid. Prominents aren't that anti-gay."

At work, Sam and Antoinella had been openly affectionate. Most nights, they snuggled together on the couch watching movies. Ty thought it was amusing. All it had taken was one night with a man for Sam to turn completely away from a heterosexual way of life. It wasn't just amusing; it was cute.

Ty took his chance to break into the conversation. "I don't see anything wrong with her choice in partner." He smiled.

His smile died. Sam didn't seem grateful for his help, and Damon sighed like his brother just didn't get it. Ty didn't know what there was to get.

"You both need to wake up," Damon told them. "Prominents are watching more than you realize, and gays show up on their radar a lot faster than regular people. Be more discreet."