Flowers to Transcend Time || Professor Membrane

16 // Orange Blossoms

To say that your last interaction with Membrane was awkward would be an understatement. You'd called him by his first name once, and he wasn't even awake when you did. It wasn't that you didn't want to call him by his first name, it was just that it was special to you. You hadn't even learned his first name until you were in high school, so you only used it for something important, but this... This 'charity gala' seemed so artificial.

"I... I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"Your name means a lot to me, Membrane. If I don't have to use it, I don't think I will."

"So you won't be attending the Gala with me?"

"I will, but I don't think I can just refer to you by your first name so easily. I'm sorry, Goggles."

He took it well, though. He might not have understood why you wouldn't call him by his first name so easily, but he knew that he didn't want to make you uncomfortable. It was resolved, but you felt as though there was a reason as to why he wanted you to. You wiped that thought away in favor for a more immediate problem.

You had nothing to wear. If it wasn't obvious enough that you showed up 20 years in your future with nothing but the clothes on your back, your wallet, and your phone. You'd already gone shopping for clothes with Membrane on your first full day with him, but that was for the essentials only. Now you needed formal clothing and someone to do your hair, because god knows you only knew how to do one hair style well.

You'd brought it up to Membrane about a day after he'd asked you to go with him and he said he'd take you shopping, but it was 2 days before the gala and you were starting to panic. So you went to the only other adult that you knew well for help.

"Yeah, yeah don't worry, Membrane. I'll just ask Dave." You ended the call there as you ran out to the parking lot. You'd called Membrane just now to tell him that you would be shopping with Dave for formal clothing instead. After all, Membrane himself was still preparing for the Gala. He'd be revealing some big invention or something, and he was still working on it.

"He sounds like quite the handful." Dave commented with a dead but sarcastic smirk.

"He is one." You chuckled, climbing into his car. The two of you sped off, realizing that despite that Dave had greying hair and the permanent look of a tired dad, he had quite a luxurious car.

"So, any preferences as to what we're picking out for this weekend?" He asked.

"Well I was thinking something dark blue..." You muttered, staring out the window.

Dave gave you a side glance. "Planning to match with him already? I didn't think you two would be going to a school dance."

You sputtered and laughed, shaking your head. "Nah, we already went to one during high school." You joked. "I thought he'd be wearing white. He always wears white." You were lying through your teeth and Dave caught on, but didn't say much about it.

It wasn't that long of a process picking out something to wear, but you were kind of genuinely surprised that his taste in clothing was so good.

"Who do you think picks out Membrane's formal outfits?" He'd reply snappily.

Surprisingly enough, shopping with Dave was really fun, and despite that Membrane wasn't there, he was a big topic for most of your time at the mall. You found it a little weird someone knew Membrane almost as well as you did, but even then he knew things you didn't. Like how he had finally gone blind in his left eye, replaced it with a new one made from stem cells, and told no one about it. The only reason Dave did was because he was the fail safe for Membrane's self-surgery. It nearly caused you to choke on your drink when you heard about it. So let's not even mention how he told you about Membrane using his own prosthetic arms as an experimental laser canon super-weapon.

You'd be speaking with the genius soon about his terrible record of self-experimentation.

____________________________________________

"That should do it."

You stared at the mirror, surprised at how well Dave helped you clean up. "Dave are you looking for work? Because at this point I think I might be ready to take you as my permanent dresser." You said as you looked at yourself in the mirror. "I mean, really what can't you do?"

He gave a chuckle and rolled his eyes, "I'm afraid I am not currently looking for work. I'm working for your best friend after all."

"Right, that's probably why Goggles is so protective over you." You teased. "I mean really, I've never seen him so close to someone before."

"Probably because you can't see through anyone else's eyes but your own."

Your playful bickering was stopped when you heard a car honk from outside. "That's my ride." You said shaking Dave's hand again. "Thanks so much for helping me get ready. Especially when you still had to help Membrane get ready too."

"It's no problem. You helped with his big project too, after all. It's hard finding someone with common sense these days." He said fondly.

The two of you chuckled and the door bell rang, Dave heading to it with a serious expression.

"Dave! Hello, is (Y/N) ready-"

"I want her home by 10."

Both you and Membrane stared at Dave with wide eyes, but then you caught onto his joke and you giggled from behind him. Your sudden laughter caused him to realize that Dave had been joking, and the three of you smiled at one another.

"No, seriously." Dave said sobering up from his laughter. "You two need to be back home by 10, tomorrow's a work day and either of you calling in sick is a horseman of the apocalypse."

"Alright, Dave. We'll see you tomorrow." You said placing a hand on his shoulder. "Hey Goggles." You said with a sweet smile and wave hello.

He was wearing a dark blue suit to match you, just like Dave told you, and like you'd known because it was the only one in his closet. He had an attachable cowl on it, so it covered his mouth and neck still, but it was nice to see him in a suit and tie anyways. He had a broche in his hands, a white peony that you thought he was going to hand to you until you realized he was still staring. You rose an eyebrow at him as he gawked, "Is there something wrong with my hair?" You asked, your hand going to your head.

"No!" He spoke suddenly. "No, it's just uh..." He was stumbling over himself. "It reminds me of Prom. That's all." He said softly.

You laughed breathlessly. He could hear the slight pain behind it, but you still smiled. "Me too." You said before taking his hand and heading into the limousine. He handed you the broch silently, and you pinned it on your chest.

One thing that you did question though, was the flower he had gotten you as a broch. A peony. He didn't know the meaning behind it, did he?

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