A New Home [Charles]

After saying goodbye to Sharaku, Mae turned around and left the Radio Towers. It was due time for her to go to Charles' place. Trudging along the busy streets with her Trunk, Mae started feeling nervous... What if he didn't take her in? How would she deal with the situation then? And how would Charles react to all this? Normally, she wouldn't ask something like this out of Charles this early, but as things stood right now, she didn't have a lot of options, and none of them was more appealing. Besides, she wanted to spend as much time as possible together with him in case the world was truly about to end.

Mae dragged her trunk into the elevator of the big building, and went up to the third floor. The doors opened with a pling, followed by the announcers cold voice --You have arrived on Floor - 3.-- The time had finally come. She had prolonged this long enough. All she needed to do was knock on that door... So why was she hesitating...? Nervousness, that's what. This wasn't just some simple question like "Can I borrow the sugar?". NO! She was about to ask him if she could LIVE with him for the foreseeable future. Of course she was nervous. // Well... H-here goes... // She brought her hand up to the door, and knocked three times. She had done it. There was no return now...

"There, perfect! Hehe." The old man grinned as he observed the handywork he had done to the walls of the small, cubical room. The room he remembered to be so gloomy and barren had now been brimming with life and color! Oh, how happy- and surprised, the boy will be when he comes back home, hehe. All the spaces, once taken up by the tons of sketches has now been occupied by a small, round table with 3 chairs around it along with a futon in one of the corners, right next to a big, yet most definitely empty wardrobe. Across the room, on the other side, stood a work table along with pencils and everything a high schooler would need to get their daily work done. Of course, above the work table, on the wall it was leaning against, was a set of shelves where he would be able to store his sketches on. The kitchen and the bathroom have both been taken care of as well. He only needed to find a good place to put the bed for the little possum princess... Hmm...

-knock knock knock-

The old man woke up, laying on the floor with his arm over his drooling face and his leg deep in a pile of paper. He immediately jumped up. He had been planning to sneak in and fix Charlie's apartment before the boy would've came back, but he actually fell asleep! Accursed be those old bones of his! And now what was he gonna do? The lil' whippersnapper wasn't gonna agree on the renovation, that was for su- Wait, why would Charlie be knocking? This was his flat and he never forgot the keys! Hmm... Interesting indeed ~ It must've been that girl again, hehe. The manager's face twisted into a satisified grin as he plotted what to do now. He ran his hand through the remnants of his hair and apparoached the door, leaning over to grab the handle...

"Why hello, Mae, wasn't it?" A smiling, wrinkled face creeped out from behind the door, pulling them away from Mae. It was a face she could have remembered from that one time she visited Charles here. He immediately noticed the trunk she was pulling behind herself and his grin grew wider as his burning fantasies suddenly reached a climax. Oooooh, what could she have been doing with a trunk? Eheheh, it couldn't have been that, could it? His body emerged completely out into the light as he opened the door and he offered one of his hands to Mae with a sheepish smile. "Ah, we never actually met, have we? I'm lil' Charlie's here manager and handyman of the building, yep yep." He nodded at her rapidly, his thin neck twisting as if it could snap in half any minute now. "You must've come here to visit Charlie, ey? Well, he ain't home right now, but feel free to enter- I've brough some chairs over to his place 'cause of some... plans I've had for him." He stepped aside, waving for Mae to come inside as he flicked the light switch. This was gonna be so so good, eheheh!

"O-oh... Hi" Mae said shyly, taken slightly aback by the fact that is wasn't Charles that had opened the door. "Y-yes that's me... And we have met. Once. I was here back in... March I do believe." Mae said thoughtfully. It had been in March, right? Or was it Febuary? Ah, sticks and stones... It was a long time ago regardless. Maybe the old man was growing senile? Who knows... Wait... Did he know about Charles' feelings for her? Maybe... It was perfectly possible after all. Old people like him had a whole lifetime worth of experience behind them. Of course he would see it on Charles. It was very clear, even for someone like Ayane. And Judging by the large grin plastered on the caretakers face, he had seen her trunk...

"C-charles is not here?" Mae's heart dropped like a rock. He wasn't there? "T-then where is he?! I have to see him!" the pinkette asked desperately. Why wasn't Charles home yet? And she had tried so hard to meet him... And he wasn't even there... Mae looked down on her feet, discouraged. It was then that she noticed the old man's invitation inside Charles' apartment. She carefully walked in and took off her shoes and jacket, as the caretaker flicked on the lights... It was still like it used to be. Sketches all over the floor in large piles, and some pinned on the walls even. She looked around the apartment. Nothing had changed at all, aside for some new sketch...es... Wait... Was that... Mae? She looked at the sketch of herself, smiling brightly. "Oh Charles~♥" Mae sighed deeply, looking at the sketch. "That's so sweet of you..."

"All in due time, all in due time, eheh. He should be back soon enough." The old man closed the door behind himself after pulling the trunk inside and walked over to a set of four plain looking chairs leaned against the wall, picking the first and second up and putting them down on the floor. He sat down on one, turning it the oposite way so he leaned over the seat part, and observed Mae fawn over the sketches. "Why dontcha make yourself comfortable?" He asked her, tilting his head towards the other chair. Hehe, he kinda felt awkward being the only one sitting there, but sheesh, ol' bones were ol' bones... "I noticed those too. I don't think yer face would've etched itself into my ol' farty brain otherwise. Ahaha!" He took one of the sketches from the floor and examined it under the lightbulb. Lil' Charlie really liked this one... Did it mean he was finally over that other girl? That was great news then, not even his rusty mind could deny that. It meant Charlie was gonna get happy again and he, as the person closest to what could be referred to as Charlie's parent figure, naturally clung onto each and every possibility of his child finding a new source of happiness. "He really likes ya, you know. He told me all about that last time you called him over at my phone, eheh."

If Mae were to look closer at the apartment, she would've noticed several new things that added to the overall mess of the place. There were pieces of furniture all over the place, like shalves, cupboards that still needed to be put together, etc. Rolls of star patterned wallpapers were tossed everywhere, but none have yet been glued to the walls actually... and a table laid upside down on the floor. As the caretaker turned handyman watched the mess, he came to the realization of how stupid his initial plan even was. How would he even have been able to finish setting all those things up? Still, he could only grin and laugh at his own stupidity. Not even was he unable to do all that, but he also managed to fall asleep, so none of it even mattered, haha!

"Where is he, by the way?" Mae sat down on a chair, looking at the drawing in her hand before turning her attention back to the caretaker. "Well, he's a good artist, that's for sure." And he had a good memory too. The Mae in the picture was leaning on someone with her eyes closed, her expression peaceful. "He's such a sweet guy..." It was at that moment, when she finished that sentence, that she realised just how much Charles cared for her. "He's apparently been struggling with this for a long time. And don't worry, I'll take good care of him." Mae smiled at him reassuringly. "It's strange... Normally I wouldn't be this sure about myself when it comes to stuff like this... But with Charles... It feels like I made the right choice... I'm just a little worried... What if I'm not the girl he thought I was...? It's tough to admit, but I don't want him to leave me..." This fear of hers was genuine. Sure, they had just started dating, but Mae had grown quite attached to Charles...

"Oh, really? What did he say?" Mae asked curiously. Hopefully good things. Mae certainly enjoyed that time back at Galaxy Amusement Park. The fact that the android had confessed made it just that much more memorable. "So... What's all this?" Mae made a gesture towards all the pieces of furniture scattered across the room. "Are you renovating the appartment?"

"Who knows, who knows." The man sighed and shrugged. "He took his lil' possum with himself, though." He couldn't help but snicker as he listened to Mae continue. She was a nice lass, just like Charlie was a nice lad. "Eh, you know, I've always found his sketches to be, eheh, mechanical. He never seemed to care what he was drawin'. But check the one you're holding now. Se those marks? Yep, that is where he erased a part and redrew it. Eheh, I've never seen him use the eraser before, ever. So I'm sure he's gonna stick to ya no matter what." He gave the girl a reassuring grin. She definitely had nothing to worry about. If anything, Charlie was straightforward and loyal, albeit always a bit unsure in himself. Like a dog. So, as long as she doesn't do anything that would hurt him, the two of them should get along just fine.

"Ah, lets see..." He began scratching the back of his head as he narrowed his eyes, trying to recall what Charlie had said to him. "He said you liked singing... and, erm... that he liked your singing and that he had fun with ya. He never said he liked you, though, but, eheheh, it's Charlie we're talkin' about. I'm sure you can read him like an open book as well. I guess errybody can. That's just how he is."

"Eheh..." The man grinned again. "Yeah, it was an idea of mine... A dumb idea, though. I wanted to renovate this place myself before Charlie would come home today. Like I'd be able to do that with my back, eheh."

"Oh yeah. She's having kids, I completely forgot about that." Mae smiled sheepishly. How could she forget that? He told her that yesterday... Ugh, her memory wasn't the best, but to be fair, her day had been quite busy. "Aaw... That's so sweet." She looked at the drawing again, smiling widely. "He really loves me, huh?" She said this more to herself than to the old man.


"Yeah, he's quite easy to read. At the time he told me about his feelings for me, I wasn't really sure what to make of it. Sure, I said yes to him asking if it was okay by me, and I wasn't lying... I was just... Unsure if I loved him at that moment. I've been giving it some thought, and now... I think I've finally come to realise that... I love him too." She said this with her cheeks turning pink.

"It didn't turn out so well, huh? Oh well, if you want any help, don't hesitate to ask. I'll gladly help out." Mae smiled back at him. "S-since I... Might be staying here for the foreseeable future..."

Ah, young love. Such a joy, looking at the youn'uns and their blooming passions. She spoke with truth in her voice when she said she loved him. Yesh yesh, none could remain hidden from the old, percptive brain of the manager. He had his fair share of experiences himself.

"Ah, yes, the mess, eheheh..." He scratched his head, looking awkwardly at all the stuff thrown about across the room. He had come hear to clean up the mess, yet he only managed to make even more of a mess. "I tried working on some stuff for lil' Charlie, but... eh. Let's just wait for him to get the renovation rolling... It's gonna be easier that way." He got up with a barely audible sigh and walked over to pick up some small wooden boards, carrying them over to his chair. "You say you gonna be staying 'ere, eh? It's 'cause of the school, ain't it?"

"Well, I'll gladly help out." Mae grinned. "I hope he comes back soon... I kinda miss him..." She said quietly, looking at the door hoping that it would open any moment now. Not that her staring at the door would make him come back home quicker. "Yeah... The dorms shut down recently, and I have no place to stay. Sure, I probably could've asked some of my other friends about it, but..." She started blushing suddenly. "W-Well, I want to stay with him... I just hope he'll let me stay..." She probably would've moved in with Charles sooner or later anyway depending on how their relationship developed. "Do you think he will let me?" She asked the manager sheepishly.

Mr. Manager began picking things up and carrying them to the chair. As the pile on the chair grew, he listened carefully to Mae's words, soaking up each and every one like a dried up sponge. "Eheheh, I think yer silly just worrying 'bout it. I know Charlie. He's gonna let ya stay." Just like he let her stay with him, or... was it her that let him stay with her? The white haired girl, Emily. He knew Charlie and her weren't brother and sister, yet he played along with their little farce until she died on that grim day. He enjoyed observing the interactions of the duo, their secret bond growing in the darkness, hidden from the rest of the world. He never understood exactly why they had to hide it from everybody. Hmmm. There was one thing he always wondered, though... Maybe if he had said something to let them know he knew everything, then maybe that inevitable tragedy could've been postponed... alas, he didn't and it was far too late now. Charlie, on the other hand, seemed to have forgotten about the girl completely over time. Could it have been the work of... Nah, couldn't have. That man was long gone. Long long gone. All of them got scattered across the globe when that event took place years ago. The project they have been dilligently working on... it backfired on them and none of them could escape the consequences. They never should have meddled into such affairs in the first place. It was funny, though... How of all the places and all the apartments, Charlie had to walk into this very building- the building he had been the manager of. After all those years... the project came back to him, one of the people that put him through the pain, bringing along various memories, both delightful and dark. Ironic, how he had been trying to get away from the past, but it kept following him, never letting him escape...

A tear ran down the old man's cheek and he wiped it off mechanically with a tissue, pretending to be in fact wiping his nose. "Ah, excuse me, Mae. I-I should be going now, you don't wanna catch one of my old people diseases, eheheh... You wait here for Charlie, he should be back soon enough." He sniffed as emotions overcame him and rushed outside, leaving Mae on her own.

"I sure hope you're right..." Mae said to the old man. Now this was something that had been nagging at Mae's mind for a long while now. This apartment manager seemed to know Charles pretty well. Was he just an apartment manager? or was there something else about him that Mae didn't know? A deep, dark secret that the old man wished to forget?

"Alright, Take care then! I'll see you tomorrow hopefully." Mae waved at the manager as he left apartment, leaving Mae sitting there alone, in the messy apartment. She looked around, inspecting the various sketches that covered the floor. Those that portrayed herself, she picked up and took a closer look at them. Had Mae not known about the robot's feelings for her, these pictures probably would've clued her in on it.

----------------------------

After stacking all the sketches of her on a chair, Mae sat down, and waited for Charles. How would he react when he saw that she was in his apartment? She was a little afraid that the android would have another outburst like the first time she had visited him... or would he be overjoyed? Mae was hoping the latter was the case. It felt strange... This apartment could very well become a New Home for the pinkette within the next couple of hours...

"So, how long now?" Charles picked through his backpack as the woman dressed in a lab coat on the other side of the counter typed something into the computer. Eventually, he pulled out his wallet and gave the money to the doctor, at which she lazily turned, observed him, barely giving him a glance, and took the money.

"If everything goes well, the incubation of the feti should be over in a few days." She counted the money. When she was sure it was the right amount, she typed in something into the computer again, at which a receipt came out. "Contact us in case of any problems." She extended her hand, holding the receipt in it, without even looking away from the glowing screen. Charles unwillingly accepted it and nodded. Gao has fallen asleep by then, in the basket laying on the floor. He picked her up, tugging her in deeper into the blanket as she snored, and exited the building without saying a word.

--------------------------------

On the way home, he had lots to think about. First off, he still had no good ideas about caring for a dozen possum babies. Sure, Gao would do most of the work, but he'd have to clear out some space in the apartment and start buying more food for them. They were also sure to make a mess, unlike Gao, who always politely did her things in the sand box he got for her. His second worry was far more immediate. The manager had been acting weirdly for some time now, suspiciously even. Like when he asked Charles to pick the best wallpapers and even chair models and such, but hadn't gotten any new furniture for his own place. He wasn't gonna do anything while he is gone, r-right? The thoughts about what the crazy old man could do made Charles rush up the stairs and finally, reach the third floor. He never used the elevator... It was old, it probably wouldn't have been able to support his weight. Charles put the basket onto the floor to be able to unlock the door. The key entered without a hitch and it twisted it. Huh? He must've forgotten to lock the door on his way out. Or was it the old man? Nah, Charles had been pretty distressed at the time because of Gao, so it was understandable he made a small mistake like that. He took the key back and opened the door, making sure to lock them now from the inside. He put Gao onto her pillow, at which she just lazily yawned and got back to sleeping again. The apartment, on the other hand, was much more of a mess than he remembered. What were all those parts even doing there? Ugh, the old man...

Something overtook him at the moment and he began grabbing all the stuff from the floor. That darn manager, he knew Charles was against this! Besides, he was old! What was he thinking, carrying all these things up to the third floor by himself!?

-Charles doesn't seem to have noticed Mae, instead, he appears flustered by the mess and is walking around frantically, carrying all the things Mr. Manager has bought and throwing them outside...
-Gao is still unfazed by the situation and continues to sleep...

The door opened slowly, after which Charles entered the apartment, carrying a small basket. Inside, Gao was sleeping soundly. Mae was overjoyed seeing him come back home, but... he didn't take note of the fact that she was there... "U-umm... Charles... What are you doing? Aren't you going to say hi at least to your girlfriend?" She asked, half worriedly, half amused, as she placed her hand on his just as Charles was about to pick something up... "Look at me, Charles..." He seemed rattled about something... Most likely the stuff that the manager had brought in earlier... "The apartment manager let me in... Some things have happened... and I need your help, Charles... The dorms have closed down, and I don't have a place to stay so..." She said weakly... "I'm sorry to ask this of you all of a sudden but... Can I stay h-here... with you, until the situation is resolved?"

"Huh, Mae?" Charles stopped in his tracks, dropping the shelf he had been carrying outside. It echoed with a thump, falling straight onto Charles' foot and rolling down to the floor. He didn't seem to have noticed. However, as he stared down at Mae, he began to realize how stupid this must've looked. "Oh my god, sorry sorry! I... didn't see you there..." He offered her a hand to pul her up. If she did accept it, he'd pull her into an embrace. "I-I was dumb, s-sorry..."

He let her go and listened to her story. So the dorms have been closed... Why though? I-it was good news, of course! Mae was gonna stay at his place! Of course he was gonna let her stay, why was she even so shy about it all! The only obstacle was his apartment... He had to clean it up and he had to do is right now! He took her hand. "O-of course you can stay! Though... isn't the mess a... problem..." He lowered his head, feeling ashamed. He really hadn't ever even considered the possibility of Mae asking such a thing... If he had, he would've accepted the renovation request from the manager and would've went out and bought some food and whatnot. "I-I can clean it up if it is!"

Mae took Charles hand, and got pulled into a tight embrace. "It's okay, sweetheart... It's okay... You're here now, and that's all that matters." Mae whispered into his ear, hugging him. "I'm just happy to see you." She looked at him with a gentle smile.

"Not really... I can help you clean up if you want?" Mae smiled at him. Sure, the mess was a little unsettling, but that would be fixed in no time at all. "I did just kind of drop on in without any warning, so..." Mae walked up close to him, looking into his eyes. And without further delay, she stood up on her toes, and gently kissed him on his cheek. "Thanks for letting me stay, Charles. It really means alot to me."

"So... How's Gao doing...?" She asked, looking at the sleeping possum. "Her kids are developing nicely, I take it?"