Crankshaft/Masa Specials and More

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A New Start: Crankshaft Special 
CW: Existentialism, Some Heavy Reflective Discussion 
Lex and Dotty Finally Move in Thank God.

 Dotty: We manage to get everything in?

 Lex: Yeah... figured a big move like this gets pretty hectic. 

 Dotty: Little bit, but overall incident free. Got a lot to unbox still but I think we can take a little break. 

 Lex: We got anywhere to sit?

 Dotty: Mattress. We gotta set up the frame for the bed but we can get away with laying down a little.

 You flop without zero hesitation. Dotty scoots herself next to you. 

 Dotty: Tired?

 Lex: Bushed! Don't got the same muscle or energy you do. Plus Jam got a little too eager with packing...

 Dotty: Wanted to get it done that bad?

 Lex: Really did, both been super excited about moving in together you know? Thought you'd never ask.

 Dotty: Almost didn't, usually I like to wait for you to bring something up.

 Lex: Yeah well... you know I'm pretty awful about that. Jam's usually gotta push me a little. 

 Dotty: I mean I can't blame you. I'm not much better.

 Lex: Yeah but like... you did it in the end right?

 Dotty: Guess so. Honestly I've really wanted to for a long ass time. 

 Lex: Why'd it take you so long?

 Dotty: You first.
 
Lex: Shy, scared..... afraid of looking lame in front of you. 

 Dotty: Shut the fuck up! You're one of the coolest people I know. 

 Lex: One of? 

 Dotty: I mean I know a lot of cool folks but you're in my top 3.

 Lex: Who's above me? 

 Dotty: Jam at full power, Geezer's cowboy grandma. 

 Lex:...I can live with that. Second one's a choice though.

 Dotty: She's fancy with a gun. 

 Lex: She shot you. 

 Dotty: I got better. 

 Lex: She *Shot* you!
 
 Dotty: Doesn't matter that much. Think we won in the end. 

 Lex: Did we? Can't remember much about that whole incident...
 
Dotty: You got bopped pretty hard and Jam was tagged in a good chunk of it so... you know. 

 Lex: Really need a refresher honestly...

 Dotty: We'll get to that. 

 Lex: Geezer turned out pretty cool in the end though, lot nicer than we gave him credit at first.

 Dotty: You gave him so much shit!

 Lex: I didn't know he was protecting us from cowboys! 

 Dotty: He had a bit of a country tinge when he talked so... 

 Lex: Yeah.

 Dotty: Probably should've seen that coming. Looking into where his folks live, he'd be surrounded by
big hats and jeans constantly.

 Lex: Actually hell... 

 Dotty: Anyway you got a few sponsorship offers in the end for your dueling stuff yeah?

 Lex: Yeah. Small ones but yeah. Doesn't really pay the bills but at least entry fee and travel aren't a big strain as much.. don't think they're gonna renew me though.

 Dotty: What do you mean?

 Lex: Results are pretty mixed, been out for months after shit kinda went down last winter... I dunno. Don't think they'd have much interest in keeping me.

 Dotty: Ah... 

 Lex: Gonna be hard to keep dueling going as a side hustle like that... also don't really got a main job anymore.. 

 Dotty: I mean I got you covered, and Jam's been doing pretty good while you were gone. 

 Lex: Heard about that, been helping Spice and Targe with their store...

 Dotty: Yep. Those two finally got a slot at one of the local shopping centers. 

 Lex: I mean congrats, those two've been pushing for that so long, you know? It's a lot to take in though.

 Dotty: Too much too fast?

 Lex: Too much way too fast. Like, everyone's still here and it's clear they all missed me but anytime I catch up I feel like I've lost out on a lot you know?

 Dotty: I mean... I get that feeling too. 

 Lex: Yeah... yeah I guess you had a way more extreme case of that. 
 
Dotty: Little... continue though?

 Lex: Jam's been keeping a handle on things for a good while now and I'm glad they've covered for me but.... I dunno. Like.. after they let me go back home I looked in the mirror for a bit and all sorts of feelings kinda hit me.

 Dotty: Talk about them.

 Lex: Guess my face just... didn't look like me. Like, it's me but it hasn't been for a long time and there's all sorts of subtle changes that make it feel so uncanny to me now...

 Dotty: I think it still looks plenty like you. Don't think Jam's been good about keeping any sort of physical training going though so that might be it. They do use a lot of make up too...
 
Lex: Guess so, absolutely lost a good chunk of muscle for sure...
 Dotty: You'll get it back. 

 Lex: Also just hoping I'm not taking something from them... like... they've been living their own life for a good while now. 

 Dotty: Don't think that's the case really, they super missed you and being in control all the time's been pretty hard on them.

 Lex: Yeah, they've said as much but...

 Dotty: I mean, what are they doing right now?

 Lex: They're completely conked out I guess. 

 Dotty: Yeah. Those first couple of months were so hard on them you know? Ran out of energy so fast and had no real way to take a break. Broke down crying at work a few times, would sleep almost anytime they didn't have anything they needed to do... had to carry them home anytime they managed to find the energy to go out with me.

 Lex: I guess I always assumed they had their shit together so much more than I did.... 

 Dotty: I mean I don't have my shit together either! You think I knew what I was fucking doing before we met?

 Lex: You had a pretty stable job, a place...

 Dotty: And I was pretty lonely the whole time. Every day was just going to work or getting poked at by scientists and then coming home to have dinner and go to bed. Didn't have any friends I knew in person, never really went out unless I needed to pick up something... you remember what my old place used to look like?

 Lex: It was so empty. You sounded like you wanted to cry when I asked if I could come in.

 Dotty: I almost did! I didn't have anything ready, the whole place looked like I just got out of prison and I didn't want you to think I was weird or shady or-

 Lex: You kinda did in a way. You were being holed up for years and then just thrown at whatever job folks figured you'd be good at. 

 Dotty: Yeah... you didn't mind at all though. You just started throwing me little presents left and right for a good month. 

 Lex: Wanted to help you fill up the place a bit.

 Dotty: A lot of those were potted plants... kinda shocked when I found out you'd grown the bulk of them yourself. 

 Lex: It's no biggie.

 Dotty: Was to me. Gotta say though? Never expected you to have that sort of green thumb going on. 

 Lex: What's that mean?

 Dotty: You told me you grew up in the city, not a lot of room for gardening there.

 Lex: Life finds a way.  

 Dotty: I guess. Shame you couldn't take all the flowers you had back at your place with you.  

 Lex: Whoever moves in will appreciate it. 

 Dotty: Still.

 Lex: I'll grow something better, that's the whole point of this move anyway right?

 Dotty: Yeah.

 Lex: Honestly, as soon as we get the chance, let's do something we haven't in a bit. 

 Dotty: Like what?

 Lex: Get in trouble but not too much, pick some fights, run around the boardwalk til the sun rises, just... living life I guess. I don't think we got as much of that even before I just kinda went away you know?
 
Lex: You really don't appreciate so many little things like that til you suddenly can't anymore like...

 Lex: Life's too short you know? The chaos, the quiet, the dumb 3am conversations in a old parking lot...

 Lex: I want all of it. 

 Lex: I'd kill if anyone tried to take that all away you know?

 Lex: Maybe that's a little much but... that's what I really want I think.

 Lex: I don't know... 

 Dotty: I mean...

 Dotty: As long as I can be part of that? I want that too.

 Dotty: I've had a lot of feelings come up lately.. 

 Dotty: Old memories are starting to seep in..

 Dotty: A whole different life with people I haven't and probably won't be able to talk to again...

 Dotty: All these emotions that I don't know if I'll ever really feel again the way I did back then
you know?

 Dotty: It's warm sometimes but it hurts a lot..

 Dotty: There's a lot of who and where that I miss a lot but...

 Dotty: I think at the end of the day I want to keep moving forward...

 Dotty:... It's a lot to decode and figure out still, and one day when I get it I want you to know about it too. 

 Dotty: But no matter where it ends up, even if it makes me lose my mind or become a different person...

 Dotty: I want you by my side for it.

 Lex:... How long's this been happening?

 Dotty: Started a few months before last winter, then slammed me hard after you just stopped showing up. Been seeing people about it, catching up with folks I didn't know existed or knew me until recently... been visiting a lot of graves....It's been hard, like really fucking hard. 

 Lex: I'm sorry I wasn't there.

 Dotty: You're here now, that's all that really matters.

 Lex: I won't leave again.

 Dotty: Course you won't, we both got lots to do you know?

 Lex: Yeah.

 Dotty: You still gotta introduce me to your folks at some point you know.

 Lex: You're not scared of meeting my mom?

 Dotty: Your mom is short, she can't do shit. 

 Lex: You don't know that!

 Dotty: I don't! I still need to meet her. 

 Lex: We'll... get to that at some point then. You gotta introduce me to your old buddies though.

 Dotty: They're so old, you really don't.... 

 Lex: They can't be that bad.

 Dotty: Some of them were around before lightbulbs, they're ancient. 

 Lex: I mean they're your friends right?

 Dotty: Like... friends with a different me but not current me. Not the same way anyway. 

 Lex: We'll take our time then.

 Dotty: Yeah, please.

 Lex: We're looking at a lot coming up I think but like... I'm excited for it, you know?

 Dotty: Mmhmm.

 Lex: Just...

 Lex: Even though so much is going on I think we're gonna be okay you know? 

 Dotty: Think so too. 

 Lex: I wanna lay down a bit longer though.

 Lex: I want this moment to last as long as we can. 

 Lex: It's been forever you know?

 Lex: We'll have plenty more probably....

 Lex: But in case we don't for a while, I want to keep this with me as long as I can.