Confrontation.

[Disclaimer:  I do not own the PPC, which is the property of Jay and Acacia.  I do own Drew and Lucius.  This takes place before Click.  It also contains references to the backstory bits of both Drew and Lucius, as well as Mission Three spoilers. Also also, mild profanity warning! Thanks to Vixenmage and JulyFlame for beta work!]

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Confrontations tend to have build-up.  A variety of contributing factors come together, until emotions boil over.

Such was the case in Response Centre 43042.

“Drew, turn the music down.”

“Don’t wanna.”

Lucius reached over and shut his partner’s laptop.  “There’s some... stuff we need to talk about.”

Drew rolled his eyes.  “I’m sure we do.”  He crossed his arms and lay back
in his seat.  “What shall we talk about?  The fact that I’m a zombie?
Because surely that’s the only thing that you put your serious voice on for.”

“Drew...
that’s not...”  Lucius sighed.  “I know we mostly talk about that.
But, that’s not quite want I wanted to talk about.”  He sat down.  “We
haven’t really talked about... Well, if you’re okay.”

Drew snorted.  “You’re not my mother.”

“Godsdammit Drew.  You are my partner and my... friend.”

“You paused.”

“I have had... trouble with friends in the past.”

Drew cocked an eyebrow.  “Well, that’s another thing we should talk about now, isn’t it?”

Lucius sighed.  “Yes.  It is.  But the main problem right now is you.”

“Oh, so I’m a problem now?  Well, you might as well leave me to my wallowing, hm?  I mean, it’s not like you’re forced to be cooped up in here.  You get to go out on missions and other exciting stuff.”

Lucius sighed again.  “Thirteenth.  This is going absolutely nowhere.”

“No, it’s going somewhere!  I mean, we’ve just figured out that you think that I’m a problem!”

“Drew, I don’t think that at all.  You should know this.”

“What, so I’m an idiot for not knowing?”  He smiled.  “Or, maybe, you just don’t know what you think!”

He stood up.  “I mean, you’ve been hurt in the past, have you?  Hm?  Well, you know what?  So have I.”  His voice rose.  “Shit, you don’t know the half of it.”

Lucius buried his face in his hands.  “Don’t talk about it like that.  You don’t know.  You weren’t there.”

Drew leaned forward.  “Hey.  Hey.  You’re forgetting something.  You weren’t there for my past either.”

“Godsdammit Drew, you are my friend, and I care about you very much.  But right now, the only thing I want is to hurt you.”

Drew snorted.  “Piss off.  You can’t hurt me.  I’m undead.  Also?  I watched my lo-my best friend off himself right in front of me.”

“I was tricked into killing both of my best friends.”

“Yeah?  Well?  You know what?  I...”  He paused, then sat back down.  “Shit.”

They sat like that for some time.  Neither of them spoke.

After what felt like hours, Lucius broke the silence.

“Drew?”

Drew sniffed.

Lucius stood up, and put his hand on his friend's shoulder.  “Do... do you need a hug?”

“No.”  He shook his head, then looked up.  “I think we need to talk.”