the rain tapped against the diner windows like a soft metronome, steady and unbothered. brain groffon scribbled a few lines, paused, crossed them out, then started again. stuey watched in silence, chewing a toothpick he didn’t pay for.

“you ever think we’re just side characters in someone else’s story?” brain asked without looking up.

“nah,” stuey replied. “we’re too annoying to be side characters.”

brain smirked faintly, still writing. “maybe we’re the plot twist no one asked for.”

“or the part they skip to get to the good stuff.”

the waitress returned, dropped a single sugar packet on the table. “that’s all the sweetness you’re getting tonight.”

brain looked up. “that’s going in the book.”

“you better spell my name right,” she muttered, walking off again.

stuey leaned over to peek at brain’s notebook. “you’re actually gonna finish this one?”

“maybe.” brain shut it softly. “maybe the trick is just writing it like no one’s ever gonna read it.”

“that’s how i live my life,” stuey said, hopping off the booth. “bad decisions and zero proofreading.”

brain chuckled, grabbing the notebook. “let’s go home.”

“which one?”

“whichever one still has beer in the fridge.”

victory lap but fred did "it" again..

user-177606668