"Around a week ago, the infamous 'Somnium Killer', who has been found to be a 25-year-old British woman by the name of Claire Nurse, was placed into custody—"

Hollis turned his attention away from the television screen hanging on the wall of the diner. After three days of this air and the warmth of the sun, he was feeling acquainted with reality once again. Though all of that time alone in the abyss of his mindspace had granted him a new look at the world, one he had not previously held to such an extent. This world was filled so heavily with such artificial things, he was unsure how he felt about it now. In a way, after having traveled through the plethora of dreams, the fictional realities that felt so much more authentic than reality, he was feeling solemn.

"What's the matter, Hollis?"

At the abrupt question, the brunette winced, and his gaze moved from the window to the hefty boy sitting across from him. There was a prolonged silence before Hollis spoke up. "You're still here?"

"Ah! That's a little hurtful, did you really forget about me?" His tone was deflated as he lowered his burger. The look of defeat in his eyes made Hollis chuckle, but as not to hurt the youth's feelings, he did his best to stifle it. Regardless, Valen caught this and scoffed. "You're cold, guy." He sighed as he leaned back with leisure into the cushioned seat.

"I know this place is pretty good," Hollis began, picking up his chicken sandwich with oddly methodical movements, "but eating here every day probably isn't the healthiest."

"Do I have to say it?"

"Hm?" Hollis cocked his head to the side, truly confused by his companion's words.

Valen said it.

"I'm teetering the three-hundred-pound mark, do you think I care?"

"Ah..." The brunette clamped his mouth shut before he could speak. He hadn't intended to make any sort of jabs at his friend's weight. He'd actually felt rather sensitive about it himself, so he was caught off guard. Normally, he wouldn't care much about someone else's feelings, but he felt he had to tread carefully with Valen for whatever reason. It didn't seem like there really was much of a reason, he just wanted to.

"I...didn't mean anything by that—"

"Oh, knock it off, Hollis!" Valen chuckled as he dropped his hand atop Hollis's soft hair. "I'm messing with you. But you really have been uptight this whole time..." Valen's eyes latched onto the ceiling fan above before dropping down to Hollis again. "I just mean you should lighten up is all. I'm leaving today, after all! I'll be all the way down in Pennsylvania and you won't be able to tell me you're sorry for making my trip so boring!"

"You're going all out now, huh?"

"Yup!"

Did he suddenly forget about the internet? Hollis wondered but said nothing.

Valen's eyes narrowed to crescents as his smirk seemed to grow more and more troublesome. "I'll admit, even if this has been a little...awkward...I've had fun." His demeanor seemed to cool as he rested back in his seat, his hands shoved into his pockets as his head dropped lazily to the side. Hollis picked up a fry and took a small nibble, his gaze traveling between his meal and his friend. "I, uh... Same here." His cheeks seemed to flush as he continued, "I'm sorry, if..." He paused before swallowing the words down. "Never mind."

"Oh, okay. I'll just choke you till you cough those words you just swallowed back up."

"You're getting awfully violent, and that's making me worried." Though his tone was flat as usual, there was a hint of concern in his voice. Valen laughed merrily at this. "I'm just messing with you! It's a lot more fun to tease you when I know we're really face to face. Don't ask why, it just is."

He found that funny? Is he a sadist? Regardless of the concern in this thought, he chose to keep it to himself. Instead, he said, "I'm sorry, if...if I really did make this whole thing awkward for you." His mouth went lopsided as he seemed to think up more to say. "I just... I mean that this whole time you've known what I looked like, so I imagine it's awkward for you to...show yourself like this."

"Hm, no exaggeration there." He remained stoic for a moment before turning to his companion with a soft smile. "It's real awkward, yeah. But you've been nothing but kind and a good friend, so there's no problems there." He chuckled pleasantly before glancing down to the plated food in front of him. "I can't imagine what you felt like though. I mean, you saw me as that real lady-killer back there, and then it turns out I'm this ugly couch potato. Does anyone still say that?" As if to change the subject, his gaze wandered off as he seemingly contemplated his question. Hollis's brow arched at this. "I wouldn't say you're ugly," he argued. "You're plain if anything. But..." He ate another fry before continuing, "if you slimmed down, I think you'd be pretty handsome." He chewed on his cheek as he shut his mouth.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"Oh? You think so?" Valen sneered as he forced himself to remain steadfast in his seat. "Well, that's not gonna happen. Though, it's weird to think about..." The brunette glanced over to Valen as the younger boy went on. "Things are set up to be so convenient nowadays so that we don't have to work as much, but they push exercise stuff like crazy, right?"

"Mmhm." Hollis nodded. "I think it's supposed to offset one with the other."

"Aaah! Right, that makes sense!" Valen laughed playfully as he leaned forward. "I don't care much for exercising, so I just get fatter." He ran his hand across the back of his neck, his face twisted in discomfort. "Ah, but...you're really alright with the way I look?"

Hollis slowly leaned forward to meet Valen halfway. At this, the taller boy winced, clearly taken aback. In a slow, low voice, Hollis said, "Stop asking or I'll say no."

"A-ah, right. Got it." After receiving a slow, stiff nod, Hollis seemed satisfied and sat back down. With a sigh and a tilt of his head, he said, "For whatever reason, you were the last person on Earth who I would assume had self-image issues..."

"Is that right?" Valen's laugh became lifeless and broken as he seemed to slink further back in his seat. "Y-yeah, how about we just change the subject, yeah?" The brunette nodded in agreement as he picked his sandwich back up and took a bite. Valen seemed to sigh in relief and took a bite out of his own meal.

Hollis, feeling not yet satisfied, blurted out one last thing. "You're only human. So it's not a big deal."

"Hm?" Valen swallowed, his brown eyes wider than Hollis was used to. The older youth smiled vaguely in response. "I'm saying that you're only human, so seeing your flaws in that way is only natural."

Valen looked as if he wanted to say something, but after taking a moment to contemplate, he seemed to decide against it and simply nodded. "Uh, you're..." He cleared his throat, his gaze averted from his companion. Hollis once again grew confused, and after noticing this, Valen went on.

"You're... Thanks."

Hollis smiled once more. "All of this stuff can make you forget that it seems."

"Hm?"

"I don't mean to sound like a downer, but all of the advancements made... well, it can make us forget that we're all simply humans. We all have our flaws and problems. No one is immune, they're all just different."

Valen cleared his throat, though he held his hand to his face for an extended period of time. "Right... then again, I've wondered if we are human."

"What would make you wonder that?"

"The exact same thing." He smiled, though it was vague as to what kind it was. "We have all of this technology doing stuff for us and to us. We don't make many things ourselves anymore, we have robots and AI for that. We don't want our bodies to do certain things, or we want them to do certain things, so we have advancements and AI do that too. Are we human still? Without our initial creativity and typical functions enhanced or taken away. What do you think?"

As usual, Valen thinks on a level very different from myself. Hollis was amazed by Valen's points, and so he thought about it deeply. After a moment lost to thought, he came to the conclusion, "I don't know. I mean, I still think you're human, and I think I'm human." He shrugged. Valen watched him in silence, the sound of the patrons and the television filling up the long pause, and then he sneered as he seemed to rock side to side. "Alright, that's good enough for me." His eyes quickly darted to the television before landing back on his plate. Curious, Hollis took a peek and noticed they were still discussing the Somnium Killer.

Someone like that, though... I'm not so sure if I would call her human or not...

"Cheers?"

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Valen's fist was in his face. Hollis was so stunned that he had no response. When Valen finally moved it away, Hollis realized that he had wiped something off of his cheek. Valen's face was unreadable as he licked his thumb, though Hollis noticed his gaze flicker between him and the finger he was licking. "Cheers, right?"

"I'm not sure that's the proper usage of that...and what did you just do?"

"I couldn't help it!" Valen's laugh was once more awkward and broken and he quickly retreated back into his seat. "I've seen it in movies...and I'm never getting a girlfriend so why not use it on someone just about as cute as one."

"I'm not taking that as a compliment."

"That's understandable. My apologies."

He gave in so easily... Hollis simply sighed as he continued to eat his food. "At least warn me if you're going to do something weird."

"Ah, right, yeah." That oddly soft tone returned to Valen's voice as he picked up his half-eaten burger. Despite the fact that he continued to eat as before, his mind seemed to wander as he eyed up the television. Hollis noticed, wondering what he could be thinking, but decided against pressing him. Then, Valen said, "You know... Nah, never mind."

"Hm? What is it?" Though his expression was unreadable, there was a certain forcefulness to his tone that Valen couldn't ignore. He continued, "Well...You know this might not be the end of this stuff. Since one person went and did...you know..."

Terra immediately jumped into both of their minds. After a moment, Valen continued. "After what happened, more people may start doing this."

"Like I said, we're all human, for better or for worse."

"In sickness and in health."

No one's getting married... Hollis simply ignored Valen's sudden comment, assuming this was an attempt to lighten the mood. In response, despite being thrown off, he couldn't help but crack a smile.

"We live in that kind of crazy world," Valen sighed. "Expect the unexpected has never been truer."

"Agreed. The kind of world we live in..."