Sorrowful Melody Chapter 6

It was midnight and the moon hung high in the sky, illuminating the balconies of the small apartment building. Chopsuey sat on the balcony, smoking a cigarette as he stared into the skies, mentally forming constelltions and naming them as he looked. He tapped the cigarette against the ash tray before continuing.

"You know those are bad for you, right?" a quiet, slightly feminine but obviously male voice asked.

Chopsuey stiffened but relaxed as he turned around. Standing in the doorway was Twang, dressed in a buttery yellow shirt that slid off of his shoulder because of his small frame, blue pants that were a bit baggy that he had borrowed from Yaarp, and white socks.

"Not really. Monster's super-healing causes no damage to be left to our lungs." 621 explained.

"But the concern was touching! Thank you!" Aren added, smiling at the shy experiment.

"S-so why are you even up?" Twang asked, walking to the balcony to stand near him, though he kept his distance so he didn't breathe in the smoke.

"We're insomniacs. It's hard to sleep when you have more than your own thoughts in your head." 621 replied, tapping the side of his head.

"What about you? You should be asleep." 621 added.

"I had a nightmare..." Twang admitted softly, rubbing his arm.

"About what?" 621 asked, a bit concerned and curious.

"...Promise not to tell?" Twang asked, his eyes shifting down with embarrasment.

"Promise." 621 replied.

"Well...it was about being abandoned. All of my friends seem to be getting significant others and moving on while I've...I've had a few boyfriends and girlfriends, all of them saying that I'm too shy, too quiet, or too girly. And...I'm afraid that the friends I still have will..." Twang explained, his voice trailing off as tears begun to well up in his teal eyes.

Chopsuey's eyes widened. He squished his cigarette into the ashtray, turned toward Twang, and, leaning down, hugged him gently. Twang stiffened but wrapped his arms around Chopsuey.

"Just let it out." Gabriel whispered.

Twang sniffed a few times before starting to quietly sob into the larger experiment, hands tightly grabbing his shirt. Gabriel rubbed the smaller experiment's back comfortingly, a few tears of his own slipping out of his eyes. After 20 minutes, Twang had let it all out and just sniffled, his sobs fading away.

"Better?" Gabriel asked softly.

"T-thanks." Twang said, letting go of the gentle personality.

Gabriel shyly smiled before 621 took control. Chopsuey smiled and ruffled Twang's hair.

"Why don't you go to bed, kiddo? You still need to grow." 621 said, saying the last sentence in a joking manner.

"I'm older than you, though!" Twang giggled.

"I know. But, seriously, you should go to sleep. You need to so that you don't get sick. And I don't want to have to go over to your house and take care of you." Monster said, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Umm....could you sleep with me in my sleeping bad? So that both of us will be able to go to sleep!" Twang said, face flushed.

Chopsuey, for a few seconds, looked surprised before it was replaced by a touched look and a small smile.

"Sure." 621 said, looping an arm around Twang.

Chopsuey got into the sleeping bag that Twang had brought and laid down in it, leaving enough room for the smaller experiment. Twang got in and, blushing a bit, settled down to go to sleep.

"Goodnight." Twang mumbled.

"'Night." Monster said.

Twang soon drifted off, his breathing evening and his eyes closed. Chopsuey smiled and wrapped his arms around the smaller experiment, bringing him closer. He then closed his eyes and drifted off to the sound of Twang's heart and breathing.