Impending Doom
Year: 6019
One afternoon, a car drove down the interstate highway. They had already gotten quite a distance away from the city by now - and now they were very close to reaching Midalonoware, nearing the border between regions in northern Mowtha. Behind the wheel was Doom, and in the passenger's seat was Uni.
SO YOU GREW UP IN LITTLETINYTOWN?
I did! I hatched there and I grew up there with my siblings and parents. It’s a nice little place… very quaint.
As much as I love it, though, I don’t know if I could ever live here again. I know I stayed here with my parents for a bit during the hearings, but getting out and living with Carrie away from any bad memories has helped me a lot.
WELL, I UNDERSTAND THE FEELING. I’M NOT REALLY TOO FOND OF WHERE I GREW UP EITHER. GNIMAERCS IS... NOT AN AWESOME PLACE.
I’m happy you get to see it now though, at least, even if it’s just to meet my parents. I don’t mind being here for a little while.
H-HEY KNEEZ, ARE YOU LIKE… ABSOLUTELY SURE YOUR PARENTS WILL BE OKAY WITH ME?
…don’t worry, I’ve got it handled.
YOU’RE NOT GONNA LIE TO THEM, ARE YOU? I MEAN… IF WE’RE GONNA BE TOGETHER FOR A LONG TIME, THEY HAVE TO KNOW EVENTUALLY.
I said I’ve got it handled. It’s okay.
Uni lifted up Doom's phone from the center console to check Boogle maps on his phone, which was leading them to her home town.
It’s mostly this stretch of the drive that I’m not great at remembering… Once we’re a little closer I should be able to lead you around.
LEADING IS GOOD. I’M NOT GREAT ON DOING THINGS ON MY OWN, I NEED TO BE LED THROUGH MOST THINGS…
...trust me, I've noticed~
After a good while, they passed by a sign that read YOU ARE NOW ENTERING LITTLETINYTOWN - it doesn't get smaller than this! which meant they had arrived in one piece. Uni was able to easily lead Doom to where her parent's house was.
They stop at a two story house made of white brick and a garden in the front. They hop out of the car, and walk up to the gate, which Uni reaches over to unlock and let them inside. Then, they walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. And the door opened...
He pulls Uni into a hug, and she looks a little awkward in his embrace because it's such a tight hug.
It’s great to have ya home and to see ya again!
After hugging his daughter for a moment, Pop lets go and turns to look at Doom, who is standing awkwardly off to the side with his arms behind his back.
And you must be the new boyfriend!
UM… RELATIVELY! WE’VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR SIX MONTHS.
She must like ya if she’s kept ya around for that long. Well, come on in!
We haven't even been here for 2 minutes and he's already managing to be embarrassing...
The three of them all headed inside the house. Past the small foyer was the living room, and parallel to the entrance was the doorway leading into the kitchen.
Make yerself at home! I’ll go get yer mama.
Pop walks up the staircase, leaving Doom and Uni to sit on the living room couch and wait for her mother to join them.
I THINK SO. HE’S REALLY NICE.
Pop re-enters the room, this time with his wife Candy at his side, who looks delighted to see her daughter just as much as he was.
Uni! Oh, I’m so glad you’re here!
Candy sees Doom and smiles at him in greeting.
Quite the handsome boyfriend you have here! Your name is Doom, yes?
T-THAT’S RIGHT! DOOM COMIN.
Is it "comin" or "common" with an "O"?
Heh, quite a last name ya have there.
...I-IT MEANS "IMPENDING DOOM"...
For Uni's sake, I hope ya live up to that name.
Uni's parents sat down with their daughter and her boyfriend, and they began to chat.
I hope the drive up here wasn't too bad.
Traffic was actually pretty light for once, a rare thing for the Goodmon highway.
So… yer Uni's boyfriend, right?
And she's… still with Carrie? Like, ya haven't broken up?
Forgive us for being old and not really understanding how exactly that… works. The poly thingy is pretty new.
It isn't actually that new. Anthries were originally polyamorous by default, Virtuism just kinda changed that like, 3000 years ago.
So does that make it like a… three-way thingy?
N-no!!! It's not! It just means I'm dating both of them at the same time, it's just like any other relationship.
It's as if I was dating one person, except it's two at the same time. It's really not that complicated.
Well, if yer happy, we're happy for ya. We love you, kiddo.
Hey, Doom, how did you meet Uni?
OH, U-UM… WE MET AT… THAT PLACE.
What did ya get admitted for and how long were ya there?
…ABOUT THAT… YOU SEE, I WASN'T—
—THERE FOR AS LONG AS ME! He got there for a few years after I got there and we met them, a-and… we just got along well. He was very supportive to me when we were there.
Well, that's lovely. I'm really glad you had each other.
Pop and Candy stared at this comment, unsure exactly what he meant by that.
Whaddya mean ya weren't a patient?
…I WAS A STAFF MEMBER. A NURSE. MORE SPECIFICALLY, I WAS UNI'S NURSE.
…a nurse? W-what did they make you do…?
Doom was deathly silent, staring at Uni's parents with an expression of sorrow and shame. Very slowly he averted his gaze, unable to bear the sight of their judgemental eyes on him.
…I-I DON'T THINK YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT I DID.
Pop and Candy suddenly look horrified. Candy held a hand over her mouth, looking like she was going to cry. Pop was also quite distressed.
…I FELT LIKE YOU DESERVED TO KNOW WHAT I WAS SINCE I AM DATING YOUR DAUGHTER AND EVERYTHING.
............................
............................
…I think you better leave.
Doom lowered his head, processing this rejection, even though he fully expected it – it still hurt. He eventually stood up and walked towards the door and stepped outside. Uni was outraged with her father, but she didn't have time to react to him.
Uni leapt to her feet and ran out the door, following Doom. She found him standing in the garden with his head hung and two hands in his pockets, looking pretty depressed.
…I DON'T THINK YOUR PARENTS WOULD WANT ME TAKING YOU ANYWHERE.
I don't care what they want! You're my boyfriend and I love you!
…Y-YOU COULD PROBABLY FIND ANOTHER BOYFRIEND WHO ISN'T WHAT I AM.
…NO, I WON'T SAY IT LIKE A COWARD. YOU COULD PROBABLY FIND ANOTHER BOYFRIEND W-WHO ISN'T A SERIAL KILLER.
…I-I don't WANT another boyfriend!! I want YOU!!! I don't care what you are!!! N-no matter what, you're my Doomy!!! And you're just as broken and scared as I am! You're a victim too! And you aren't a monster for doing things out of fear of losing someone you love! I don't care what everyone else says!
If others are scared of you then they should be scared of me too… b-because I'm nothing without you…
Doom is frozen, tears in his eyes. He very slowly turned around to look at Uni, who stared back at him just as emotionally. His heart swelled in his chest with adoration.
…I-I DON'T EVEN DESERVE YOUR AFFECTIONS…
Well you have them. And they're not going anywhere, and neither am I.
She walked over and pulled Doom into a hug, and he started to quietly sob into her shoulder.
I love you, Doomy. More than you'll ever know.
…I-I LOVE YOU TOO… I'M SORRY FOR THIS…
The front door opened, and Candy stepped outside. Uni saw her mother approaching and watched her nervously.
…he's just a little in shock. I was at first too, but… I think I understand what happened with you.
M-mom, he was forced. They were gonna kill his sister if he didn't do it. He had no choice…
That was my guess. I'm sure Pop will come around, he might just need some time to process it. You'll always be welcome here, Doom.
T-THANK YOU, MRS. CORNELIUS.
…should we just go home? We originally planned to stay the night in my old room…
You can still stay. Maybe just head upstairs to your room for now, Pop isn't in the living room anymore.
With that, Uni took Doom’s hand and they followed Candy back inside, and went upstairs to Uni's old bedroom. It had been cleaned up back when she temporarily lived here again, so it was usable as a room. Uni sat on her bed, and Doom stood awkwardly near the doorway.
I’m… I’m sure my pop will come around soon, like my mom said. Everything will be okay.
I REALLY HOPE SO… I DON’T WANNA MESS UP YOUR LIFE JUST BY BEING WITH YOU.
He sat down on the bed next to her, and Uni pulled him into a hug, wrapping her arms around his neck.
You make my life better by being with me. I’m really happy with you. Don’t ever forget that, okay?
That was when… Uni’s bedroom door opened, and to her surprise, her father was standing there. He looked a little nervous and awkward to be in there. Once it was open already, only then did he knock.
H-hey kiddo… um… can I talk to both of ya?
Pop shuffled into the room, holding his hands behind his back and keeping his chin lowered and head dipped a bit.
I’m uh… I’m sorry for how I originally reacted to uh, the uh, what- what ya said.
J-just… the idea of someone hurting my daughter and–
–OH! No, no, pops! He didn’t hurt me! He’s never touched me! Him being my nurse meant he took care of me, not hurt me. He… he did do other things, but never to me. He wasn’t assigned to anyone in our ward, his nurse duties were different from… that.
…o-oh. I– I totally misunderstood… I thought ya were sayin- I thought ya meant he–
…I WOULD RATHER HAVE KILLED MYSELF THAN EVER LAID A HAND ON HER. OTHER PEOPLE, I– I DON’T KNOW– BUT– HER… NOT HER. ANYONE BUT HER.
I’M MORE IN LOVE WITH HER THAN I HAVE EVER BEEN IN MY LIFE… SHE WAS ONE OF THE ONLY REASONS I KEPT GOING DESPITE THE TRAUMA I WAS EXPERIENCING FROM THAT JOB. I JUST WANTED TO BE AROUND HER. I WAS WILLING TO SUFFER IF IT MEANT I COULD SEE HER…
…I-I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU REACTED LIKE THAT NOW. I PROMISE YOU I NEVER HURT HER. I WOULD NEVER DO THAT.
…t-thank ya for clarifying. Uni’s mama explained it to me, the uh- forcing, thingy– and um… I’m really sorry ya went through that. Yer really strong. If anything, that shows how much yer willing to do to protect someone ya love… and she deserves nothing more than havin’ someone like that to love.
Doom looked emotional again, unable to believe this was actually happening, that he was actually hearing all this.
…T-THANK YOU… THANK YOU FOR ACCEPTING ME…
If ya took care of her back then, then I’m sure yer doing great now.
…kinda unrelated, but I have a question.
Why are ya named after "impending doom"?
I CHOSE THAT ALLOTPUN. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUNNY, SORTA, BECAUSE I’M A BIT OF A DISASTER AND GET MYSELF INTO TROUBLE A LOT…
LIKE EVERY MOMENT I LIVE IS JUST LEADING TO ANOTHER PROBLEM.
Yer lucky Uni aced math in school.
…S-SO SHE CAN SOLVE MY PROBLEMS?
Nah, so she can help ya count down.
The End
