Chapter Text
Ryan sat at a table in the breakroom, glaring at a computer screen. Exhausted and miserable he closes his laptop and looks sadly ahead as his friend walks into the room.
Shane was dressed casually. Tracksuit bottoms, grey shirt and a black beanie. He looked a little homeless.
"What's up? You look like a kicked puppy."
Shane asked while pouring himself a cup of coffee.
"Nothing." Ryans voice was monotone yet bursting with emotion. He sounded broken and tired.
Shane looked up from the coffee machine. Glancing at Ryan with a confused expression. He signed, carefully gripped his steaming cup of coffee and sat across from Ryan.
"C'mon, what's on your mind." He asked again.
"Nothing." Ryan sounded frustrated. As if he was sick of not being able to answer truthfully.
Shane recalled something Ryan's girlfriend had mentioned when they were arguing. He got an idea and hopped out of his chair, rushing out of the break room.
Ryan watched him, uninterested but slightly confused.
Stane appeared in the door frame again after a minute, holding something behind his back. He walked over to the table and kicked his chair to the side, crouching to the floor and hiding under the table. Okay, now Ryan was intrigued. Suddenly, a blue, fuzzy puppet emerged from the table edge.
The professor. Puppet history's beloved host. Ryan couldn't stop himself from smiling weakly.
"A little birdy told me that you weren't great with confrontation." The puppets mouth moved, harboring Shane's disembodied voice.
"This may help a little!"
Ryan smiled. He adored Shane and everything he did. That was the main reason he was in this mess. He watched as his friend invented ways to get to his head. His creative genius what one thing he envied.
"Professor..." He took a deep breath. "I've made a mistake."
"Oh?" The puppet replied, tilting it's head comically to the side.
"I feel in love with someone who isn't my girlfriend." Ryan sounded too casual compared to the weight of what he was saying. He probably said it in his head one too many times. He looked to the motionless puppet for a response.
"*exaggerated gasp* nooOooO"
Ryan amused, blew out his nose. "I was expecting you to call me a monster."
"Why? Love is such a feeble and fragile thing. It can be broken, split, lost, found. Its so flexible that people have managed to fall in love with objects and concepts instead of actual people. It's not that unexpected that you could love someone else."
"Even if they aren't a woman?"
The puppet paused. Or more accurately, Shane did.
"Now that is unexpected of you."
Ryan gave nothing but a sad smile.
"What's your sexuality professor?"
"WELL! I'm a puppet-sexual. Otherwise it'd be a bit weird" He paused. "But Shane- he's bisexual. He hasn't come out to the public yet, not that he doesn't want to. But because its too personal to be plastered on a Wikipedia page."
"I didn't even know Shane was bi-" Ryan remarked.
The professor stuttered in a confused way before slamming into the table while Shane popped up from underneath the table.
"Ryan, you saw the pictures of me at that pride event- I was weARING a bi-flag?" He said, surprised that Ryan hadn't noticed.
"So thats what that was..." He said in a hushed wisper. Now that Shane could see his face, he finally noticed a single tear falling from Ryan's eyes.
Shane paused and took a second to decide what to do. He got up from underneath the table, padded to where Ryan was sitting and sat next to him. He put the professors face close to Ryan's.
"What's wrong?"
His voice was comical.
Ryan gave a small smile but continued to silently cry.
"You worried about how the Internet will react?"
Ryan shook his head. "I'm more worried...about what this means for me. His voice crumbled under his words. "What am I supposed to do?"
"Well..." Shane started. "Youre friends with the most progressive puppet there is! And Shane knows a thing or two about gay crisis. You don't have to figure it all out yet."
Ryan wiped his face. "And what about Mari..." his voice was barely audible anymore.
Shane paused again. "Do you love her?" The puppet asked.
"I dont know." He said plainly.
"And this other person? Are they a guy?" The puppet tilted it's head.
Ryan's face scrunched up as Shane hit a cord. He wiped his face once one before diving head first into Shane's arms. He knew it was wrong. He knew it wasn't tactful, but goddammit he needed a hug. Shane gently pulled the puppet off his hand and wrapped his arms around Ryan's waist. He held on tightly, scared that his friend would break and dismantle in his arms.
Steven walked in. Gave Shane a confused look. He motioned something that communicated "should i-? Help?" Shane shook his head and Steven smoothly moonwalked out the room. Shane dipped his neck to place his lips on Ryan's head. Lifting it briefly to whisper "its okay, Ryan." In his ear.
Ryan continued to sob for a while. Everything amounting. His ruined relationship. His identity crisis, his accidental falling for his best friend. It all came pouring out at once. And Shane was there to pick up the pieces.