~Chilled's POV~

I fucking hate transformations. Stretching my every limb, I feel as if I'm going to explode and grow into a giant with how the sensation of becoming larger hits me. I roll out of the blankets Ze forced me to roll into as he tossed the sheets aside and poke my head out, sighing in relief with the presence of air. Sprawling out the sheets and forcing myself out of the suffocating sheets. Spreading myself out, is stare at the blank ceiling above me, offering no real comfort. I wanted to check up on him. I felt guilty for just leaving him in my own house without making sure he was completely fine. Having only transformed once for the entire day yesterday I should have realized I was close and yet I completely ignored my own state. Why does him being sick affect me so much in the first place? I sigh and cover my eyes with my arm, feeling at a complete loss.

I don't want to be that one guy who cares about everyone around him. Most people desire, ache even to be the one person who puts everyone else before themselves but I fear it. Being in such a state, caring about everyone else, I'd feel as if I wouldn't have a personal personality. Its because of my hateful selfishness that I've survived for so long without being dragged off into a science lab being dissected and tested because of my strange ability. It's mostly Ze who I've pinned all of my worries onto. I need to get rid of this... Of this whatever you'd call it. How am I supposed to just randomly go out searching for a way to get rid of it though? I have absolutely no lead, no theories, not even decent control of the transformations. I roll around off the bed suddenly feeling the urge to just leave. When I edit my office I feel myself hesitate and glance around, the darkness hiding all of my belongings.

Slowly I step towards the living room and glance down at the white couch Nanners had been casually laying down on just a moment ago, or at least it felt like a moment ago. Glancing at the small clock underneath the television tells me it's been over five hours since that incident. I didn't know it wad midnight when I rolled off of my bed wanting to leave. I'll freeze the moment I walk outside. At least since it's so late I won't have to run into Nanners around the house. Slowly I walk towards my old bedroom and very cautiously click the door open, absolutely nothing visible on the other side. Despite the lack of vision I step into the room, unafraid likely because of my natural memorization of the room. When I approach the bed I can hear the soft panting and immediately kneel down closer, noticing his breathing is quick and there is clear sweat on his forehead. Well, shit. I forgot night fevers were a thing.

In a panic I feel his forehead and glance around at every small object around as if something in here will help him. Finally I take a deep breath and calm myself before dashing out into the kitchen and open the fridge only to notice for the first time I have no food in here. Did Nanners really last the entire day without food in the fridge? I am a terrible roommate. Quickly setting down the usual towel on Nanners forehead and forcing night medicine on him I take a quick trip to the nearby Wal-Mart. People, as to be expected, all glanced over to me strangely wondering why the fuck I'm there but I ignore everybody and buy the typical things you keep in your fridge along with a few other things the nearby women told me was good to have. It seems as if I started a gang in the store with the amount of women around me explaining to me the typical to dos I apparently know nothing about around the house. After saying goodbye to the ladies I hurry back home and flip on the lights in the kitchen while switching on the television.

Organizing everything in a way I'd remember I finally just step back and look at my work before hurrying to take the medicine and a glass of water and enter back into Nanners' room. He is still struggling in his sleep making me frown and quickly set down the water and medicine for whenever he wakes up. I nearly finish putting the new towel on when my arm twitches and the towel goes straight to the floor. Sighing I pick it back up and leave it back onto his forehead before wincing at the pain in my groin. Retreating and flipping everything off before it's too late I dash into my office and force the closet door open and stuff myself into it before my insides shrink and I fall backwards landing softly onto the pile of junk.

"Chilled? Are you here?" My insides jerk awake after having been completely asleep while in this form. Suddenly the closet doors open, the light feeling as if it should be blinding me. Nanners glances down and stares directly at me and kneels next to me, oddly staring directly into my fake eyes.

"Why are you here? Did Chilled leave you here?" he glances around him before reaching out to me, his thumb slowly pressing into random spots before he suddenly squeezes me roughly. When he seems to violate every inch of fluff in me he tosses me down, though his stare he keeps with me is strange he turns away and stands up, shutting the closet doors behind him. As soon as I hear the front door shut I feel the usual warmth fill me and my limbs slowly grow, my arms forcing the closet door open and I land backwards upside down staringback at the rest of the office. Rolling back I glance around, the room looking the same as usual. All I know: Ze's going to be passed unless I head over to the shop right now. Quickly I wrap my same jacket around me and leave the house, making sure to lock the door behind me and snatch the extra key I have hidden underground in the flower pot I have out here.

"Where have you been?" Ze asks the moment I'm back in the shop and In just roll my eyes at his seriousness although I'm well aware of just how worried he should be right now.

"Sorry mom I was busy attracting be young ones as a doll," I say casually making Ze widen his eyes because of our company. Gassy just laughs and shakes his head while Diction just frowns at me.

"I wouldn't call you a doll, more like the ugly plushies you have that everyone feels bad for so they have to get," Diction claims and I feign a hurt expression as I climb over the counter and find the nearest doll and hold it up.

"Come on, can't you see the resemblance?" I question, holding a cute black long haired doll while Diction obviously holds back his desire to burst out in laughter. The shop door opens suddenly and Sparklez strolls in seeming to have a troubled expression.

"Hey guys, Nanners came back. He's picking up his stuff apparently having found an apartment," Sparklez explains and immediately any look of happiness I had given them disappears like that. Gassy glances over to the side seeming a bit guilty while Diction frowns at the table seeming more irritated than guilty. I watch them silently before standing up suddenly and stretching.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. He is the one who brought it down on himself," I explain and they all just glance at each other, whatever guilt they seemed to have fading. "Anyways, don't any of you have anything to do?" I complain and immediately they all shift, as if turning to a defensive stance but not they can't go against the fact they're all jobless.

"Whatever Chilled, it's just no where is really hiring. Why don't you guys hire?" Diction asks and immediately both Ze and I hesitate.

"We don't need to hire, we're doing good," I complain and Gassy is the one who sarcastically chuckles and rolls his eyes.

"Yeah right, with your constant disappearances Ze has the whole shop on his shoulders. Why don't you hire one of us at least?" Gassy questions and I flinch at the shots fired. Ze looks to me, along with everyone else in the shop, all the pressure on me. I guess Ze did explain to them the only reason we're not hiring is all on me. Maybe now that I'm living with Nanners I could just tell him already since I'm going through enough trouble without telling him anyways. Glancing over at Gassy his hopeful gaze hurts me knowing I'm not even considering him.

"Maybe in the future," I mutter and they all collectivelly groan at my indecisive answer.

"Come on, the future will be never at this point," Diction complains.

"Just tell us if you don't intend on hiring dude," Gassy says with a straight forward expression while I hesitate, very hesitant to say anything to them that may give them false hope. Between all three of them, I trust them all a shit load and yet I feel myself naturally hesitate. This much pressure on me at once is going to force me to transform righ tin front of them too so at that point it won't matter. I turn away from the three but glance back quickly.

"FIne. Let's strike a deal," I announce shocking Ze and encouraging the three to all look at me with shining eyes. "If you guys were to somehow find out who destroyed the first mascot I'll hire yo'"

"Got it," Gassy suddenly announces without an inkling of hesitation. Both Ze and I look at him with wide eyes as he stares right back with an intensity I feel as though he really does already know who did it. It's impossible right? I just barely gave him the task.

"Hey Chilled," another voice enters the shop and we're all distracted by Tom who casually walks in with his hands in his pockets. Oh shit, I nearly completely forogt about Tom's existence in town after havign so many other things occupy my mind. Tom approaches the counter, casually moving aside Sparklez and looks to me with an exhausted expression I have the natural instinct to relating to myself.

"Oh hey Tom, how's the jo-"

"Oh you mean the job I'm doing for you? Just fine really, I just got to test out some of the lighting," Tom explains and I immediately feel a twitch of anger as he refers to the huge favor he's doing for me. Still, I can't just explode in anger right here considering I am actually pretty desperate for his job he's doing for me. Glancing back towards him I can't helo but wonder: why hasn't he asked any questions yet? In the least I had thought he would be overwhelming me with questions and yet he's just completely relaxed without a single question to ask me. Tom has always been a mystery to me, or anybody really. Even Ze seems to be confused with his attitude here and whenever Smarty and him both visit, Smarty, his really good if not best friend gets confused. Sometimes I wonder if he had a previous life in which he was like a secret agent or something of the sort.

"Yeah, yeah, you're saving my balls by doing this. I'll let you have dibs on any of the plushies here, congratulations," I mutter and Tom smiles, rising from his spot and goes around the shop looking for a suitable one to his tastes. Meanwhile Gassy is staring at me with some sort of determination and I can't help but wonder: if he knows why hasn't he told me unless it was him? I should stop doubting my friends. If I doubted Ze at any point I'd be a useless doll half of my life probably homeless because of my insability to get a job, evident at last year's Winter Festival when I couldn't do shit for Mrs. Pennington despite her begging.

"So Gassy, how do you know who did it?" Ze suddenly asks and Gassy immediately steps forward, open with the answe seemingly when he hasn't told us all of this time.

"Well, he admitted it to me. It was actually... it was actually, surprisingly-"

"Adam." We all seem to freeze and it takes me a long moment to realize it wasn't Gassy who had said Adam and it was just some emotional response. We all turn back to the front of the shop where Mr. Pennington stands, squinting his eyes to see every single one of us in attempt to comprehend who exactly we each are. The poor old man and his poor eyes.

"Uh, sorry Mr. Pennington, he isn't here right now," I mutter awkwardly and the old man squints towards me in particular, getting closer and closer until his face is nearly inches away from mine.

"I see. Say, Chilled, have you been having stress lately?" I pause at the oddness of this question and he gives me no time to answer before pulling at my arm, forcing me to leave the counter. "Come with me boy, I know just what will save you."

"Ah - Pennington, uh. Well, guess I'll see you later Ze," I cry out before following Mr. Pennington out as he leads me through the town with everyone looking back at us in confusion. Soon Mr. Pennington quits being so aggresive and simply strides along relaxed as he pulls onto my wrist with some sort of determination. I try to glance over at him but he seems to be focused on every single thing before him.

"Uh - Mr. Pennington, do you know where you're going?"

"Don't question my senses boy, I know this town like I know the back of my hand." I'm not sure if you can see the back of your hand. Despite the snarky comment in my head I decide not to anger the old man more than it did just to ask him if he knows where we're at, which I'm getting the sense more and more that he doesn't. Soon the surroundings change into a part of town I'm not familiar with, probably because it's too far from the shop for me to be able to go to often without having the constant threat of transforming hanging at the back of my neck.

"Mr. Pennington, is this it?" I ask cautiously as Mr. Pennington stops moving in the middle of the sidewalk that looks exactly the same as it has everywhere else in town. Mr. Pennington turns to me and smiles as if he didn't just lead me to some pointless place. For some reason I had expected some sort of beautiful sight which I could see no where else and yet I've seen this very often. I had half way been expecting for him to say some wide words that would change my mind on everythign I've been worrying about but he just smiles blankly at me like the old man he is. At least Mrs. Pennington speaks her mind and so loudly speaks about her intentions whenever she tries to lead me somewhere.

"I - uh - I don't know what you're trying to tell me Mr. Pennington," I awkwardly announce and he just continues to smile at me, makign me awkwardly look away from him, scratching the back of my head. I may be able to understand he's just as pushy as Mrs. Pennington yet I can't find any other similarities.

"Was there-... Was there something in the shop that would make me upset?" I ask suddenly, my mind having run through all the possibilities of what he's trying to tell me. "Because if Gassy had something bad to say I could take it," I explain although I truly do wonder what I would have done if Gassy really had said Adam. Or maybe he has been making a double bluff and says some name I don't recognize, or maybe it's any of his friends he had come to town with or he could just be super coniving and said his own name. There are so many things he wold have said that would have easily made me upset. Just how can I not be affected by any possibility of peopls from town who nearly murdered me without realizing it?

"Mr. Penning-" I'm cut off as the old man rises his finger to his mouth, completely shushing me. I stare at him, a bit irritated he practically used his old man way of telling me to shut the fuck up but I can't stay mad at him as he smiled gently. I glance away from him and watch the people who push past us, annoyed we're standing in the middle of the sidewalk. A soft roar of chatter comes from the entire town with distant sounds of engines from cars along with the soft clatter of plates from nearby restaurants. Just...regular everyday noises.

Mr. Pennington leads me over to a nearby bench and sits down gracefully as I take the seat next to him, leaning my elbows onto my knees as I watch the people walk by us. Our own silence is actually strangely relazing, the constant pressure of having to speak and with speaking, thinking now gone. Although usually silence forces us to entertain us with our own thoughts I never thought about the possibility that after all of this time I just have to think by myself, think about my own situation. Nanners is probably at my house right now, Ze is at the shpp giving Gassy the job most likely after Gassy told him the culprit, and Gassy is getting the job happily. Tom is taking the stupidest looking monkey plushy and announcing he wants that one while Sparklez and Diction are fighting about something. Smarty is probably out with his girlfriend right now and Galm is grinding through some video game. It feels strange to think about all of my friends on one large scope. They're all different, they're extremely different, but I'm friends with all of them for a reason. I almost forget that often. I end up sitting and thinking with Mr. Pennington for hours up til the sky becomes dark, the threat of turning not poking at me once. For once I feel myself walking home without feeling the stress I usually feel.

Entering my own home the darkness bugs me, something that has never bugged me before probably because it was completely normal for it to be dark before. Shutting the door behind me I slowly and cautiously walk around, not bothering turning on the lights if no one else is home. I was used to the darkness before anyways.

"Adam? You here?" I call out, recieving no answer. Did he find another place to stay? I mean, if he did that's only good for me but I can't help but feel a bit disappointed. It would have been fun to have one other person living here with me, someone to keep myself from becoming too lonely despite hardly ever being home. If only adults didn't have to have jobs and such so Ze can always keep me company. I find myself heading over to my bedroom, hoping that when I open the door I'd find him laying there, casually listening to music or something. I just want him to be there. I hold my breath in anticipation and quickly open the door, the darkness on the other side not revealing much. I step forward and glance around, the bed empty and the sheets on it folded neatly as if he had made the bed before leaving. Sparklez said he went to get his stuff, did he really find an apartment to stay at and doesn't plan to stay here? He could have at least written a note...

Hoping I was wrong I search the small bedside table, only finding all the items which I had there before he even came over. Finally after checking both bedside tables I give up and step backwards, glancing all around the room, trying to find the slightest hint he was here recently. Curiously I step up to the closet in the room and slide the doors open, feeling my hands twitch when I'm faced with a closet filled with unfamiliar clothes. The relief that washes over me makes me feel completely relaxed as I shut the doors. I nearly turn around when I feel warmth envelop around me making me completely freeze.

"Chilled, you're back finally," Nanners mutters into my hair. I feel the heat resonate off of his face onto my head only worsening my worry about him, since he is sick as much as he doesn't act like it. I turn around in his arms and suddenly feel overwhelmed with his warmth, even his warm gaze looking down at me making me feel like I'm about to explode.

"Sorry for - uh - disappearing on you before," I mutter, feeling his heat start to affect me. I feel as if I'm becoming affected by him by this feverish state as my mind slowly becomes hotter and my sight seems to fuzz up.

"Hey Anthony," Nanners mutters and I slowly glance up towards him, feeling a million times more feverish when we meet eyes. His finger slowly slides to the bottom of my chin and tilts my head up towards him, his eyes shining as dazed as my own.

"Uh... Adam.... are you still feeling sick?" I ask cautiously, watching him carefully but he just smiles, the same usual devious smile as always. I step backwards, cautious and afraid of the man in front of me but he matches my steps, cornering me until I feel the doors of the closet hit my back. After I've stepped all the way back I reach my hand up and cup his cheek. Can...can I trust this man?

"I'm feeling completely fine," Adam mutters before lowering down his face near me. Shocked, I feel myself retreat as much as I can making him giggle. It's the giggle. It's the giggle that makes me relax, makes me giggle in return as well, ducking my head down to smile widely before turning back to him. His expression is still as confident and as devious as always making me think he's definitely up to something.

"I want you," Adam mutters suddenly, ducking his head onto my neck, his lips grazing my skin there. Great job Adam, first thing people want you to say is that you want them. "I need you." Slightly better, I suppose. I move my head up, preventing him from going any higher as he continues to nibble at my neck slightly tickling me. "I like you," he mutters, my thoughts emptying and his warm breath tickling at my neck while my insides begin to warm up, the exact opposite sensation from when I usually tranform. "I admire you, I adore you, I am fascinated by you, I am absolutely stunned by you," Adam continues to whisper before raising his gaze to align with me while I actually allow him for once. We both stare at each other for several moments before I sigh and smile awkwardly, giving up to his charm for once.

The moment I smile he lowers himself to meet our lips just like I'd predicted he would do. His hands hold himself by leaning on the closet doors on both sides of my face while his gaze completely focuses entirely on me. His intent and straight focus all lying on me only works in his favor as I fall deeper into his embrace. He steps back, allowing me to follow him and prove just how much I approve by following him and continuing the connection. Finally he steps back and falls onto the bed while I continue to follow, climbing on top of him. He suddenly breaks the connection and turns his head away, coughing. I look at him for a while before sighing and glaring at him while he just giggles as he's still turned away from me.

"You're still fucking sick. Lay down, I'm going to go get you some water," I snap and he jus tlaughs and shakes his head, pulling me back down to the bed preventing any action I made to escape.

"I'm fine, I just need you to heal me," he whines and without warning pulls me up to his side, setting me down simply as if nothing is wrong with his situation. "Just stay here," he mutters and slowly shuts his eyes before leaning towards me, meeting me with a short kiss before smiling wider and leaning back, the smile slowly fading as he falls asleep. What an asshole. I watch him for a long time before a sudden pain attacks at my stomach. Clutching onto my stomach I barely notice the transformation has already started. I guess I was so distracted I hadn't noticed my throat is hurting like a bitch. I...think I may be sick. Damn it.