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Owen couldn’t quite place it, but today just felt wrong.
He woke up today, and it felt wrong. He couldn’t figure out what it was, but he woke up with a pit in his stomach that had just been getting worse as time went on.
He darted through the walls of the house, trying as much as he could to avoid the other rats. (Which was insanely difficult, but so far he was managing it fine enough. Aside from small greetings and rushed small talk.)
(Excluding that he had, maybe, snapped at Lizzie and Apo when they tried to stop him to actually talk.)
He peeked around the doorway into the kitchen, trying to make sure the coast was clear of people before he enters. It didn’t look like anyone was there, and the cats didn’t seem to be around either, so he walks into the room, keeping an eye out should any humans walk in on him.
Climbing up one of the shelves, he tried to push down the knot forming in his chest.
Nothing’s wrong. Why are you so upset?
He kept climbing, getting up to the middle shelf. He dug through one of the containers, taking some bread, and sat on the edge, just staring out over the kitchen and eating.
It was quiet. And still, for the most part. That wasn’t to say that nobody came through, but none of the other rats came near the shelf, or noticed him, and the few times any of the humans came near it was easy enough to hide.
It felt off.
Nobody paid attention. He wasn’t sure how to feel about it.
Suddenly – wait, how long was it? – a voice broke the silence.
“Owen?”
He let out a loud squeak of shock, pushing himself backwards. (He’d rather not startle himself off the shelf, he came far too close to doing so.)
After a few moments, he peeked over the edge, looking for whichever rat had called him. “Hello?--”
He got cut off by blue hair and a wide smile.
“There you are!”
“Scott?” Owen stares, moving back to give the other room as he climbed up onto the shelf.
“I’ve been looking for you..” The concern in Scott’s voice was.. apparent. “Actually, several people have. Are you doing okay?”
“I’m fine,” Owen answered without hesitating (maybe a little too fast, now that he thought about it). “Why?”
The other sighs, sitting down in front of him. “I think you’re lying,” he tilts his head. “Lizzie and Apo both said you snapped at them for, like, no reason. That doesn’t sound like ‘Okay Owen’ – What’s going on..?”
A few moments of silence passed. Owen couldn’t really make himself look at Scott.
Finally, he gives in. He pulls his knees to his chest, letting out a breath. “..I don’t know.”
“..You don’t know?” Scott echoed his response, giving Owen a look and prompting him to continue.
“I– I don’t know.” Owen nods. “I just.. woke up today and got a really.. really bad feeling. Everything feels.. wrong, and off, and it’s really irritating! ..I didn’t mean to snap at them. I was gonna apologize, I just– don’t wanna be around everyone right now.”
“..Is it okay that I’m around?”
Owen paused to think, looking at his hands before he nods finally. “Yeah. It’s okay.”
Scott smiles, standing up and holding his hand out. “Thennn.. why don’t we go outside for a while? Or up to your garden. We can just.. hang out until you feel better. And then you can apologize.”
A few seconds of thought, then Owen took his hand, pulling himself to stand up as well. “..Alright. Yeah. Let’s.. do that.”
The day still felt pretty bad. He still felt the pit in his stomach and the knot in his throat, but.. it’d get better, right?
It always did.