A Broken Crew

Chapter 12

No one moves for a few minutes and silence reigns. Mikko's notebook and pen fall from his hands to the floor.

August was headed out of the bedroom Dakota was sleeping in when he nearly ran into November. He was fully sobbing now making that hitched noise in his throat, without any actual noise. August wraps his arms around him. "Hey, hey, what happened? Nova? Why are you crying?" November just cried harder, trying to clutch the pencil in his shaking hands. For a moment, August just held him. November dropped his notebook on the floor and clutched August tight, shivering. After he started the breath normally again, August repeated his question. "What happened?" November spoke, to shaky to write. "He heard me." he cried. August had to take a moment to understand. "He hurt you?" November shook his head. "I talked." August understood now. "You did it without thinking, didn't you?" November's eyes filled with tears again, and he pressed his face into August's shirt. August patted his head. "Nova, it's okay. None of them will do anything to you. They're all very kind, I promise." November shivered. "But..." August shook his head. "You're safe here." he said. "You're safe with me." November nodded, pressing his face against him. "Do you want to go back downstairs?" November shook his head. "I bet you scared them." August mused. "Why don't you rest up here for a little while. Come down when you're ready, okay? It's okay, I promise. Nobody's going to hurt you anymore." November weakly nodded, scooping up the notebook and the drawing. He showed it to August. "It's very nice." August said. November nodded, wiping his red-rimmed eyes. "I'll explain everything, don't worry, okay?" November nodded and disappeared into the guest room. August headed downstairs.

Back in the living room, Mikko is sitting in the corner of the room, curled up in a ball, unmoving. Kacey is still on the couch but peering over the back at him as Grey said to leave Mikko be. Grey is actually using Kacey as eyes since he can't sit up without pain. When August comes back, Kacey turns quickly, sensitive ears having picked up his footsteps. What neither of them know is that Mikko has heard every word said since he arrived. None of them know that he is silently beating himself up inside for his actions.

*This is a reason you don't speak! You are so useless, you'd be better off alone. They'd be better off without you. Why did you have to go and draw him? Why? You should know by now what happens when you start to get attached to people. Stupid, stupid, STUPID MIKKO!* 

August walked over to Mikko. "Mikko, hey, look at me." He reached out to touch him, but drew back his hand. "Are you upset about November? Don't be, he's fine. He was super happy to meet someone else... well, kind of like him. And he loves your drawing. He just scared himself, that's all." He paused, then decided to say something. "November's... had some... let's say, *issues* with his voice." he said very quietly. "So when he talks, sometimes he just gets a little scared that he's making a mistake." August gets sad for a moment. "It's not just you." he said. "He's even done it too me a couple times, when we weren't as close. It's not that he doesn't trust you, but if he doesn't consciously decide to speak, then he scares himself." He pats Mikko gently. "Please don't take it so hard, you'd make him very sad. He really likes you, and he was actually really scared that he ruined any chance of being friends with you. I think that's half the reason he hasn't come down. Please don't take it wrong, he really likes you."

Mikko looks up at August and his hand moves to the wall to tap, but he stops and pauses a moment. "I was scared I scared him." He whispers, voice soft and sweet, yet rusty and shy. His hand taps rapidly, an old habit with Grey. He doesn't voice his other, negative thoughts.

"No, it wasn't you." August again pats his hand. "I promise. When November comes back down, you can ask him. He'll calm down after a little bit." November peeked his head around the corner. August smiled. "There he is." November raced over and gave Mikko a warm hug, nuzzling his face into him, a common thing to do among the canine species as a sign of care and friendship. "Don't be sad." he wrote. "I'm sorry for running away."

Mikko smiles and nods, leaning his head on November for a moment. "Don't be sorry. I understand." He writes back. He seems much calmer than he was even earlier.

November smiles back, and continues to cuddle on the couch. They put on several movies until it gets very late. "My mom will be home at 3." August says. "You guys don't have to stay up, except for Grey, just in case he has a concussion. I'll stay up with him. Or we could put on another movie?" November is already mostly asleep, his eyes half-closed blinking slowly. "What do you guys want to do?"

Mikko blinks slowly then yawns, nestling closer to November on the couch. Kacey was already asleep, curled up next to Grey's legs. Grey smiles at the sight. "You can pick another movie. I think the others are asleep already." He chuckles.

August smiles. "Okay." he puts on another movie. Dakota comes wandering down the stairs again, holding his head. "Hey, Dakota, how are you feeling?" August asked. "Like trash." Dakota replied. "Everything hurts. I'm still a little shaky too." He plopped down on the couch. "Comes with the trauma, I guess." August gave him a sad smile. "Well, mostly everyone is asleep, we're just waiting for Mom. Go eat something, it'll help with your stomach." Dakota sighed. "I don't need your advice." But he got up anyway. "Maybe I'll go live in the fridge. It'd be nice for my headache." He glanced over at Grey. "How are you feeling? Better than me I hope."

"Well considering what you saw, and the fact that I don't have a headache..." Grey pretends to consider this, feeling mischievous. He doesn't finish the sentence but rather smirk, letting Dakota come to a decision himself. "Oh and try a banana and/or Gatorade .It should help." Dakota shrugs. "So it does." he says. Then he wanders into the kitchen. August laughed.