Eternity's Dime

Chapter Sixteen: Another World

Phineas was bored out of his mind. Twisting around in his seat, he glanced towards the door. He could probably leave without them noticing.

After a few drinks, for them at least, he was still nursing his first, some song had started playing that had Ferbs dragging Vanessa from her seat for an impromptu dance.

There had been several songs since then, all fast-pace things Phineas had never heard before and couldn't be bothered to try making out the lyrics of. And they were still jumping and swinging in the empty floor space in some dance that Phineas was positive they were making up as they went along despite how in sync their moves were.

Phineas tossed back the rest of his drink before getting up. They were having fun. He wouldn't be missed. He wasn't sure they even remembered he was there. Besides, if it wasn't for the flash drive, he wouldn't have been invited anyway. Speaking of, he pulled the flash drive from his jean pocket. He glanced between it and them then he shoved it back in.

If she wanted it that badly, she'd contact him.

He stood up, ready to walk away when he stopped. Was he supposed to bring the glass to the bar or leave it at the table? He tried to remember the protocol from last time he'd been here.

"Phineas?"

Really? Just really? What did he do to make the universe conspire against his every move?

Except the whole denying his soulmate thing.

But that wasn't a big enough thing for this kind of punishment, was it? Other people turned down their soulmates.

Occasionally.

He looked up from the glass.

Ferbs held out a hand to him. "Would you like to dance?"

Not unless he was dancing out of here. Instead of voicing that, Phineas forced a weak smile. "That's alright. You and Vanessa should keep doing what you're doing."

Ferbs tilted his head. "I may have come here to spend time with her, but that doesn't excuse me ignoring you. I think I need to rectify that."

"Uh..." Phineas blinked. Was he serious right now? "I'm–I'm not a great dancer?" His hand twitched, and he curled it into a fist.

"I doubt anyone here is sober enough to notice."

"You are."

"Yes, but I'll hardly mind the lack of skill." A slow smile spread across his face. "One dance. If you don't enjoy it, I shalt speak another word to you tonight, if you so wish."

With any luck, this night wouldn't go on much longer, but the offer interested him. Shouldn't Ferbs have just given up by now? He seemed to know Phineas didn't like him.

Phineas stared at the hand. "Why don't you give up?" He flinched, eyes widening. He'd said it. He'd asked it. He shouldn't have, right? But he wanted to know.

Ferbs dropped his hand to his side and shrugged. "How can I explain something I don't understand?"

"What?" The idea that Ferbs meant the whole soulmate thing entered his mind, but that seemed too simple. Most people didn't put much thought into it. It just was. Like it always had been.

"I feel like I know you." Ferbs' brow furrowed, eyebrows disappearing below his sunglasses. "Knew you?" He shook his head slightly. "There's something... " Raising a hand, he rubbed his forehead. "Never mind it. It's a foolish notion." He moved his fingers to his temples. "Gives me an odd migraine when I attempt to think on it anyway."

"I don't think that's normal." Phineas was guessing. He'd never heard of that happening before. "Maybe you should talk to someone about that. Might be like a tumor or something."