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Al was awake. He was in Ramshackle Dorm, at Night Raven College in Twisted Wonderland. And he was lying in his bed on the second floor of Ramshackle. First floor was for the cryptids and ghosts. Yuu and Grim were still asleep in their own room, and Beetle hadn’t visited… and yet Al was awake. Lying in his bed, staring at the ceiling. Al was normally one to put on an exaggerated happy persona, an exaggeration of the emotions he could feel, the emotions he could look back at and pull forth to make a mask. But with no-one awake... Al was left to stew in his own feelings and the past.
"I'll find a way to bring you both back home!", Crowley had claimed loudly, over and over and over again. Yet, Al felt that, even with how ancient he felt Crowley was... Crowley wouldn't be able to get them to Earth. And Al... was completely okay with that. Genuinely. Al had no problem. (And secretly, Al felt that Yuu was just as relieved as they were.) The reasons for that were... Al would call it simple. And yet, most people, most friends Al had made here in Twisted Wonderland, would call it traumatic and "completely understandable that he didn't want to go back to that wretched place.". Al... understood in a way.
Al had recalled every time he had shared something... "normal" about their life. Admittedly, Al knew in a way that he was not as normal as he often made himself out to be. Al just... did his best to fade into the background. And so many people had told him what he went through was normal but Al knew it wasn't. But like any good boy, he played his part. But Al knew he wasn't a good boy. That was okay. Ah. Anyways. Al had often shared things that made many people's eyebrows raise and eyes widen. Like the time he told some people during the Scarabia arc that he had a really good sense of smell sometimes, and that it had really helped him out when people had tried to drug him before. Al and Kalim had laughed together over shared experiences, but Azul, Jade, Floyd, Jamil, Yuu and Grim had all just... stared at him with concern. Al didn't know why, Kalim had had much worse experiences than him and it seemed perfectly fine and normal with Jamil and him. What was different about Al?
...Al chose not to think about it. Al thought about the time he had told Octotrio that his first experience with swimming was when his step dad dropped him into the deep part of the pool as a joke and Al had liked the quiet so much that he kept coming back. Jade had muttered something about dissociation and trauma but Al did what he did best and tuned him right out. Al ignored the specific look on Jade's face that said that he was genuinely worried. Al ignored the odd quiet that followed Floyd's pursed lips and wide eyes. Al ignored the strange pinched look of worry that Azul had. Al ignored it all (and he ignored the strange throbbing in his chest that said that it wasn't okay that he had to go through that).
Al lied in bed. He just burrowed under the covers and grabbed his phone from beside his pillow. Al turns it on and sees that Cater has posted something on MagiCam. Al immediately clicks on it and checks it out. Cater has posted a selfie of himself with a spicy cup noodle open, steaming and ready to eat. Cater has tagged it as #latenightmunchies, #thecravingsareREAL, #quicknightgrabz. Adorable. Al giggles at that, liking Cater's post and favoriting it.
Speaking of cravings... Al can feel the faint feeling of his stomach being empty. Al starts to think of the food he brought home. A guy had tried to convince Al to spend the night with him back at his house. Al, all sweet smiles and ever present hunger, agreed and had followed the man home. Al doesn't think the man had expected Al to be as strong as he was... oh well, at least Al had more meat in his freezer. He'd ask Trey to cook something for him later... a ping snapped Al out of his thoughts. Al looks back at his phone, able to see the reflection of his black eyes in the light of his phone. The person who notified him... a smile spreads on Al's face. Cater had texted him.
Cay-Cay: hey heyyy hon! whatcha doin up?
Alleycat: I could ask u the same question lmao
Uhhh I just woke up and I saw ur post
Have a good snacc?
Cay-Cay: yep! super tasty! I managed to sneak past Rids ;]
Alleycat: Niceee :D You doing ok?
Cay-Cay: yeah surprisingly! you?
Alleycat: ye. probably. just tired y'know? it's to be expected tho lmaoooo
Cay-Cay: ...
wanna call?
Alleycat: shore
It only takes a few seconds before the call notifications rings out, Al accepting it immediately. "Hey hey heyyy~", Cater's voice rings out and breaks the silence.
Al smiles despite the chaos of the past few minutes and answers back. "Yoooo~ How ya doing~?"
Al can almost hear Cater grin as he speaks. "I'm totes 'kay~. Just a bit worried 'bout my lil sib being up in their thoughts~."
"Wellllll~, I wasss in my thoughts as you say, but then a very cool and silly ginger guy who may or may not be my brother called me~. And now... I'm feeling okay."