Flowers to Transcend Time || Professor Membrane

18 // Marigolds

A/N: The artwork above is drawn specially for this book by the one and only @Coffee-bean-boi ! They're art is super awesome! And I'm so happy with how well they drew these flowers! Thank you so much for drawing them!

"CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!" . . . "WHOOOO!"

Membrane harshly placed the vase of beer down on the counter again and cheered with everyone else around him. Honestly,  he couldn't even tell who was around him, all he knew was that everyone was loving him.

"Goo-gles! Goo-gles! Goo-gles!" They were pronouncing his nickname incorrectly, but he didn't care much once he was lifted onto one of the jock's shoulders.

It was a June night, graduation had just ended, and the seniors were partying harder than ever before to celebrate. You might be wondering though, why was someone like Membrane not at home celebrating with his family and best friend, and instead attending some crazy high school house party? Well, first of all, this was his house, and secondly, this was your idea. Both his parents agreed with you that he should have hosted at least one house party to gain the full high school experience. So they went out to celebrate by themselves and left you and Membrane with the house. You promised to make sure nothing too crazy happened and that you would clean, so here you were.

You were watching him from the other side of the counter as he was cheered for, a red cup of alcohol in your hands. Membrane was never this unhinged before. Sure, he was a lightweight, yet he'd let himself be coaxed by his peers to begin drinking like crazy. He'd be fine though. He'd calculated before hand his alcohol consumption and knew what ounce to stop at before he had alcohol poisoning. The hard part was remembering that number.

It was hard to convince people to come though. It was Membrane, he was known for being a super-nerd. His party sounded like it was going to suck. That was until you started helping him invite your fellow seniors. It was honestly really awkward (when he was sober) how Eric Chandler and his friends showed up with a bottle of expensive vodka as a peace offering and you actually accepted it.

Luckily the place wasn't too packed, and the music wasn't too loud, but boy was it fun. Membrane just went from group to group, finally introducing himself as someone more than just a nerd, which seemed impossible to most people, even you.

"Whoa, whoa calm down Goggles." You said to him as he was about to pass right by you and head to the DJ to send in a request with a few of Chandler's friends. "You're pretty drunk, why don't you drink some water before you start drinking any more. You need to dilute it."

Membrane scoffed and placed the water bottle you tried to hand him to the side. He instead threw his arms around you and lifted you up into a tight hug, your feet hanging off the floor. "(Y/N), I love you so much!" He said pulling his head into your shoulder. He couldn't see your face, but he could feel your body heat up. "Everyone always says that we're like siblings, but I say that's bullshit. You are not older than me, I am obviously older than you."

Oh wait, he was talking about a family love? No, he wasn't, but he wasn't exactly in the right mind to fix his wording.

"Well, I - I uh... I love you too." You muttered back. He was so happy that he threw you up into the air and cheered, but you could only chuckle lightly.

"YEAH!" He cried, catching you in his arms. "You hear that Chandler!?"

Eric was actually right there, a red cup in his hands as well. He could only stifle his snickering as he watched Membrane throw you over his shoulder. Still there was a string of cheers and compliments for Membrane, and for once they seemed genuine.

"Awesome party, m' nerd!"

"Who knew you could party so hard? You're actually pretty cool!"

"Sucks you can't have drugs in your house, buddy, but man if you'd thrown a party like this sooner, you would be so fuckin' popular."

"Ever think about going into the meth business? I'd definitely work with you, if you did!"

Sure they were a little obscure and possibly illegal, but they were compliments to his ears. This is what he'd been wanting for years, and with your help, he was actually achieving it. Sure it had been a few years, but without you, he'd be stuck at the bottom of the food chain forever. With you in his life, what couldn't he do?

"Dance with me, (Y/N)!" He said excitedly, taking both of your hands in his ungloved metal ones. He'd thrown off his gloves some time after he finished chugging that vase of beer and you had to stop him from taking off his lab coat in front of everyone because it was 'too hot in here'. Everyone had been acting like he was going to strip down to his underwear, and acted just as disappointed when you stopped him as if he was going too as well.

"Alright, alright." You said chuckling softly. He laughed loudly and the two of you began to twirl around one another joyously. He didn't really know how to dance, but he was just glad to be having fun with you. You brought joy to his life everyday he saw you, and any day he didn't was as if he was being punished. He loved you so much.

"Yooo! Membrane, buddy, you my friend..." One of Chandler's friends came up and approached the two of you with a shot of vodka. "Look waaayyyy too sober! I mean - I mean, look at you. You can walk straight." She gestured to his feet and laughed. "Here, here, here!" She handed him the shot. "C'mon, smile for a picture!"

Membrane had some serious mood swings when he was drunk, but when he saw the shot of vodka, he downed it faster than you could stop him.

"Hold on, you've had a lot to drink, Goggles. Maybe you should-" It was too late, he had already drank it and you immediately moved him to a trashcan, knowing he was above his threshold. The moment he reached the trash, he threw up, and you held his lightening bolt hair back. You rubbed circles in his back and handed him a bottle of water for him to rinse his mouth out.

You lugged him up to his messy room and threw him onto his bed. "Alright, you have got to get some sleep." You said finally. Your tiredness was beginning to show. You'd been regulating him for almost the entire night.

He whined, but you slapped your hand over his mouth to stop him. "No. Nope, you are not drinking anymore and you're not going dancing. It is 12 in the morning, and I am very tired. I will be kicking everyone out, and that's it. Party's over."

He removed your hand from his mouth, and when you looked him in the eyes, he seemed the most sober he had been all night for a brief moment.

"Thank you, (Y/N)." He said, smiling beneath his lab coat. "I had a lot of fun."

It was about 5 seconds after he'd spoken that he fell unconscious. His hand never left yours though. Sadly, he'd remember almost nothing from that night of celebration, but that was hardly the worst thing.

He would be devastated to wake up the next morning and find you gone.

Amazing aesthetic of the chapter made by @yeetskeatrepeat ! Thanks so much!!!