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"Would you look at that? Picked another great day for it, didn't we?"
Malim's voice is practically drowned in sarcasm.
They are currently both caught up in a storm, taking refuge from the awful heavy rain and gushing wind.
"Ugh, here we go again. We've done this before..." Rosco rolls his eyes and shakes his head in disapproval. "Just like yesterday. And the day before."
They don't know why it’s happening, but they've been stuck on a random Tuesday since who knows how long. They tried to keep track at first, then decided to stop all together after the day kept resetting and repeating over, and over, and over again.
Remembering the date doesn't bring any significant value therefore useless, so why bother at that point right?
It's bizarre.
Without fail, no matter what any of them do, the weather and the people around them will do the exact routine and activity at the same time as before. They've tried everything, ranging from not sleeping at all to doing different shenanigans hoping that different outcome means something.
And none worked at all, with pitiful attempts here and there.
It was actually kinda comical how they find out they’re on the same boat.
Okay fine, sure Malim will finally admit that he can be a bit forgetful sometimes, sue him! It was about time that he stopped procrastinating on buying new kitchen utensils anyway, he doesn’t have the excuse of being too tired and/or sleepy because of genie duties anymore.
“Dude, you finally actually bought it?”
“What do you mean finally?”
Wait, he hasn’t talked with Rosco about that before the timeloop started... then-
“Damn.”
“OH SHIT YOU TOO!?”
Well there's a few things they haven’t done...
But that would be too graphic and inhumane to do (which is kinda ironic considering they're a flesh golem and genie respectively). They're not immortal though so none of daring to try anything too extreme, especially one with risky consequences.
Morals and standards and everything.
Malim playfully punches Rosco's arm, giving him the puppy eye look. "Don't you love it? Being stuck here with me?"
Rosco snorts in return. "Dream on goofy, you wish I want to be with you so bad huh."
Being with each other in a time loop wasn't... actually all that bad honestly. Before all of this mumbo jumbo shit they weren't able to hang out as often as they used to and want to.
In fact, it helped them make a pretty sick and cool bucket list (if asked by yours truly) of all the fun things they can do together now that they seemingly have all the time in the world.
Right now they're currently in a cemetery trying to do a 'test of courage' as one of the challenges. The rain kinda makes it hard to navigate the place though, the mud got all sticky and annoying to walk through.
"You know, when we finally get out of this hellhole. What would you do?" Rosco blurts out, surprising himself in the process.
They never properly had this conversation before. Maybe because it was so simple that it slips their mind somehow.
"I honestly miss being able to talk with the boys normally and not have them literally forget about it the next day. Other than that 10 out of 10, wouldn't change a thing!"
Rosco stares at him blankly, clearly unimpressed. "Really? That's all?"
"Yup." Malim confirms flatly.
He watches as Rosco seems to think for a moment, it’s starting to worry weird Malim out seeing him this serious.
"But, what if I was still alive?"
What's this guy on? Did he hit his head while Malim wasn’t looking?
"Bro I know you're like zombie frankenstein and stuff, but you're very much speaking and talking to me right now. If that ain't consider alive, I don't know what is..."
"Look, we need to address the elephant in the room. I know this isn't easy for you."
If Malim wasn't pissed off before, he definitely is now.
"I don't care. We already agreed."
He didn’t even let Rosco speak.
"When I'm here, you're alive."
He emphasized even more.
"You. Are. Still. Alive."
His every word felt cut by a sharp knife.
But Rosco follows through anyway.
"You still wanna do this? You could have done literally anything else."
"I just got you back! You said you wouldn’t leave," Malim’s voice gets even more frantic by the second. "Don’t go, don’t leave me alone. Please… stay with me , you- you promised!"
Oh wow, they're actually doing this huh...
In another time, Rosco would have fought and argued with Malim over this. But he only let out a huff.
After all, this is not their first rodeo.
“Rosco, what the fuck did you do!?”
Rosco starts to feels sleepy and tired, body drained out of energy. ”I- I’m sorry Mlem, I guess it’s about time...”
“And your dumbass thought I would let you?”
He snaps back. “What other choice do I have, stupid?”
“I’m a genie you idiot! Think! I would rather rot than be in a world where you’re not even in it.”
With as much strength as he can gather, he mumbles.
“T-then… I wish-”
The storm has stopped, leaving only droplets left.
'So you're just gonna…” Rosco is trying to word things properly here. “stay here all the time now?"
"That's the plan." was Malim’s response, as if it’s a simple matter of fact.
"I can't believe you're doing this shit. That's not what a grave was meant for, you know...?"
Rosco's gaze linger and Malim follow suit, looking at an unmarked tombstone that both of them know damn fully well who it belongs to.
"I’ve waited 1000 years before, no difference doing it again."
Rosco gives Malim a complicated expression.
"Maybe in another universe..."
Well that is not a satisfying answer, it’s not good enough!
"Why not in this one? Rosco, why did you have to...?"
"Willy, you must have known something."
It hurts, it hurts so much.
"You're always like this, why won't you tell me anything!"
No more of this.
"Give me the truth, what else have you hidden from me!?"
I have enough.
"Fuck, fuck, FUCK!"
Rosco tears his eyes off Malim, he just can't with this view right now. He hates it whenever Malim's emotions get to this point.
"We are not doing this right now. Please don't, Malim. I'm still here, aren't I? Death is inevitable, you cannot escape it." Rosco whispers.
"But what if I don't want to say goodbye?"
He’s being so infuriating.
"I- it just doesn't work that way!"
"You're here though, that's enough proof that this is working! I fixed it."
...fuck.
Stop. Just... stop.
Please.
Why? Why is he so stubborn? Scratch that, why are both of them like this?
Rosco knows that Malim also knows, about this particular habit and fact that they have in common.
"I'll figure it out.... eventually."
Rosco would be lying if he said he isn't scared, but still, he keeps it to himself. The genie had a history with self worth, and being emotional is not what his partner in crime needs right now.
That's why Rosco is here to the rescue.
He's always right, exactly how he always is, how he should be. So surely he out of all people is the one that could help the two of them find another way through this problem.
Malim’s eyes are watery, he rubs them trying to remove his tears so it won't get everywhere.
"Y-you motherfucker, don't cry," now Rosco is trying really hard not to let his voice cracks. "if you cry, I'll cry too."
He ignores Rosco for a minute.
"Malim, look at me."
No response.
"Hey, look at me."
Rosco embraces Malim tightly, not letting go.
"You gonna be okay...?"
Still silence.
Suddenly Malim laughs hard as if that’s the funniest thing he has ever heard.
"I don't know, I didn't pay attention. What were you saying?"
Rosco pushes him away.
"Whatever, you're such a loser. A dork. A dummy."
My goofy.
It was left unsaid, but their dynamic has always been this way. Without saying much they understood each other, better than anyone else.
Both of them fell into a comfortable silence.
"We picked another great day for it, didn't we?" Rosco finally let out.
Malim slowly smiles and nod, agreeing along. "Just like yesterday. And the day before. Tomorrow will be too"
"We're stuck."
"Until the very end."
Together forever.
Unless one of them decides to do something, anything, they'll keep staying in this so-called hellhole. But it doesn't look like things will change anytime soon, isn't that peachy?
Perfect, just like how it should be.
—
It seems childish,
I knew you wouldn't last forever.
But for some reason in my mind,
I always thought that somehow we would.
—
You're really just... sigh.
Did it mess you up... that bad?
But it's hilarious that my answer won't change.
I won't leave you, not again.