Chapter 2: Waking With A Start

“Gah!” Rex yelled, waking up with a violent start, the dog tags around his neck jingling.

A wiggling lump was hiding beneath the covers on his left side, sleeping soundly.

“Raven? Is….where…. I’m back. I’m back again. I… I remember? Wh-what the hell is this? Raven!” Rex yelled.

He tore the blanket off of the sleeping person beside him.

Underneath them was a dark blue haired boy. He was skinny, and short.

He grumbled, waking up.

“Rex? What? Are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?” Raven asked, rubbing his eyes.

He reached over to the bedside table and grabbed his glasses, adjusting them on his face drowsily.

He studied Rex for a second.

“You’re awfully pale! Are you feeling okay? Are you sick?” Raven asked, waking up a little bit more.

Rex just stared at him.

“Rex….?” Raven asked, tilting his head.

He felt Rex’s forehead with his palm.

Rex immediately backed off, turning away.

“I’m...fine. I’ll go make breakfast.” Rex said, getting up from the bed and leaving the room quickly.

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Raven stretched, sitting in the bed for a few minutes sleepily.

“Wasn’t it my turn to make breakfast? Wait… does he even know how to make breakfast?....fuck. He burned the house last time!” Raven shouted. His eyes shot open wide with realization, and he ran into the kitchen.

Rex was making a full course meal, without a single flaw. It was as though he had become a professional chef overnight.

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Raven stared at him with bulging eyes, and a jaw that hung open as wide as was humanly possible.

“Hm? Oh, I didn’t expect you to actually get up already. Take a seat at the table, I’ll have our food ready in a minute.” Rex said, humming.

“Your eyes are red. And you’re fidgeting. What happened? Where did you learn to cook? You seem different, too. Older. Not physically, but… Rex, are you sure you’re alright?” Raven asked worriedly.

Rex had an expression on his face, similar to that of a child before they cry.

“I’m fine. As I said, I’m...fine.” Rex faced away.

“.....Alright, then. If you don’t want to tell me, I can’t help you.” Raven said.

“I can’t tell you.” Rex said, unintentionally.

“Oh? And why is that?” Raven asked, coaxing Rex into talking.

“Becau-Wait. Stop it with the psych student bullshit, okay? I don’t think it’s a good idea to talk about it.” Rex said, shaking his head.

Raven looked shocked. Usually Rex would open up to him about almost anything.

“Tch. Fine. But seriously, I want to help you out if there’s a problem.” Raven said, crossing his skinny arms.

“That…. Raven, what if I said that I want to break up with you?” Rex asked.

“I wouldn’t believe you if you did.” Raven frowned. Of course he wouldn't.

Rex flipped an egg, having gone silent.

“How do you like your eggs again?” Rex asked.

“Huh? You forgot? Sunny side up, obviously! It reminds me to stay positive!” Raven said enthusiastically, trying to lighten the mood desperately.

Rex smiled, putting a plate with two sunny side up eggs, a piece of toast, and sausage in front of Raven.

“Hey, wait! So you did remember!” Huffed Raven, his cheeks puffed in mock anger.

Rex laughed from the bottom of his heart.

“Just eat up, okay? It’s not often I make this, so… enjoy it.” Rex said.

“No shit. Last time you cooked you nearly burned the entire building to the ground! Don't you remember last months incident?” Raven remarked.

Rex froze, remembering something.

“W-what day is it today?” Rex asked nervously.

“It’s Friday.” Raven answered.

“No, the date.” Rex corrected.

“Oh. It’s November 20th.” Raven said.

“What...year?” Rex asked, frowning.

Raven gave him an incredulous look.

“Um... I feel like a broken record here, but are you absolutely, positively, 100% fine?” Raven asked.

“Can you just tell me?” Rex said, slightly frustrated.

“Woah, okay. Fine, jeez. It’s 2097. You could just check your phone, yknow.” Raven replied, putting his hands up in mock surrender.

“20….97? Fuck.” Rex said, his eyes widening for a moment.

“Rexy, I think I should get you to a hospital. You did bash your head pretty hard yesterday, so I’m not too surprised. You might have a concussion.” Raven said.

Before Rex could respond or object to Raven calling him Rexy, an alarm clock went off in the other room.