Fallout

Papercut

(Happy birthday to @MajaNiedziela !!)

Mike's Point of View:

I gave Chester a quick tour around the apartment. He simply nodded whenever it seemed right and didn't say many words. I showed him around the rest of the building and pointed out where the other guys had rooms. When we all moved in here, we all thought it would be really awesome living with each other. All we need now is a van large enough to fit all of us in it.

"I only have the one room so either we can share the bed or one of us can sleep on the couch." I informed him with a sigh and he nodded his head.

"Couch is fine," He said quietly and I felt bad. We just pulled him out of a sticky situation that must've been uncomfortable for him just to have him come to a new place to also be uncomfortable.

"We can share the bed, unless you find that awkward." I offered, giving him a soft smile.

"Whatever you want, Mike." He said and tapped his fingers against his leg. "No smoking in here I bet,"

"Nope. I'm not going to allow your bad habits when I'm trying to make you better," I said firmly and he gave me a grin.

"You know, you're the best friend I've ever had."

"We haven't even gotten to know each other," I chuckled.

"So you see how that's saying a lot," He said and sat down on the couch. I walked into the kitchen, which is pretty much the same room, and walked up to the phone and pressed voicemail, seeing I had a few missed calls.

"You have 5 new messages," The box first said.

"Quite the popular one are we, Mr. Shinoda," Chester laughed and I rolled my eyes at him. I'm already learning he can be a complete dork.

"Heya, Chazzy Boy, it's your best bud! I hope you're not missing me as much as I miss you. By the way, why did you break your cell phone? I know you did it on purpose. Did you think it'd stop me from contacting you? Silly, Chazzy. Anyways, obviously I have my ways of connecting with you so it's no point in trying to hide. I ordered you a phone and it should be there today or tomorrow. See you, Ches." Sean's voice ended and I looked at Chester who appeared petrified. I deleted the first message and moved on to the next.

"Chester, I love you!" Samantha's voice in the back yelled. She sounded drunk but I can't say it surprised me. Sean's voice took over as he shushed her. "I wanted to apologize to that asshole - I mean band member that took you away from us, what was his name? Mike? Oh, yes, anyway I wanted to say sorry about this, it's probably weird to you. Hell, walk a mile in your new vocalist's shoes and you'll know what's up. Call you later, miss you Chaz."

"Hey, you! Yes, Chazzy baby. Sean's been helping me out around here with rent and shit, you feel? He said you owed him now but he'll talk to you about it when you get your new phone. I miss you, baby! Please come back home, we love you, hun. Those people over there don't love you, they like your voice but I mean come on, who wouldn't love it? So sexy and-" Samantha's voice was cut off and I saw Chester roll his eyes.

"How dare you leave me, you bastard! I thought we had something together! I'm sorry I locked you in your room all those times, I was just afraid of loosing you! Don't torture me anymore, I get it! Come home now! Stop playing!" Samantha's voice was this message again. I deleted that one too and moved on to the last message.

"Hey, I wanted to talk to Mike directly this time. I'm going to call you again and I want to speak with you. Answer it." Sean's voice commanded and that was that. Just then, the phone rang, making me practically jump out of my skin. I answered it immediately, giving Chester a flat out wired look.

"Hello?"

"Check his arms," Sean simply said before hanging up the phone. I pulled it away from my ear, looking at the phone oddly. I set it down, thinking about what he told me to do. Why would he want me to check his arms?

"What did he say?" Chester asked softly and I looked between his eyes and his arm.

"He told me to check your arms," I answered and Chester's eyes seemed to bulge.

"W-why would he ask you to do something like that?" He asked uncomfortably and I shrugged my shoulders.

"I don't know," I said honestly and he nodded slowly. I wasn't sure if I should actually check his arms but I was also curious as to if anything was actually there. "Should I check your arms or should you tell me what he means?"

"I-uh..." He trailed off and focused on his feet. He was standing at the other side of the room now, near the door as if ready to escape. I stepped towards him a little.

"Can I check? I just want to know what all the fuss is about," Before I could take another step closer to him, he was out the door.

Chester's Point of View:

I didn't give Mike a chance to even examine the sleeves over my arms by the time I managed to get out of the room. I didn't look back and I didn't regret leaving. I made my way out of the apartment building before running into a small box. I picked it up and eyes it carefully. It had my name on it and said it was from Sean. I opened it slowly and picked up a phone from inside.

I closely examined it, not trusting it, believing it could possibly be bugged. It seems like something Sean would do. He would adjust the phone to his needs before sending it to me so he could probably hear everything I say. I sighed to myself, not even caring as much. I adjusted my sleeves more securely and walked around, unsure where I was. A while later I ended up at a park and I sat down on the bench. I stared off into space until my phone snapped me out of it.

"What do you want," I asked quietly, taking out a cigarette and fumbling with the lighter.

"You," Sean responded like he usually did and as always, I rolled my eyes.

"Seriously, Sean. What do you want from me? I left you behind, why can't you just leave me alone?"

"Because I love-"

"Don't you dare say 'you'!" I yelled into the phone. "You do not love me, Sean!"

"You don't know the way I feel, Chaz. I honestly really do-"

"Stop, please. Just let me go." I begged him but he chuckled on the other side.

"Do you really think I could just do that, Chazzy? Do you really think I could just let go of someone that I love?"

"Sean-"

"Chaz, stop trying to tell me who I am. That's my job to do to you." He said and I contained myself from snapping at him. "Chazzy, you just think of me as someone from your past but I think of you as my future."

"I'm flattered." I stated tonelessly.

"You should be," He chuckled. I rolled my eyes, I seem to do that a lot when talking to him. "Oh, did Mike see your arms?"

"No, I left before he got a chance to even admire my sleeve." I sneered, pissed that Sean would lead him onto me like this.

"Does he know about your little drug habit?" He asked and I took a drag from my cigarette.

"Yeah, actually." I answered honestly and he let out a surprised gasp.

"And he didn't disown you like everyone else?!"

"He said he wants to help me get over the addiction," I told him, not really sure why. I usually try to keep him as out of my life as possible.

"He said this, he said that. He's not actually going to help you, Chazzy." He laughed and I gave him some fake laughter.

"Yeah? We'll see about that," I told him and hung up the phone, immediately wanting more than anything to break it into a dozen tiny pieces.