#104summer

❁ ❁  “  Don’t run off like that. I don’t care what it is that you’ve built to come here, pero it isn’t safe to just ask people around here when they died for a...a ‘report’.  ”

                                that     day     had     been       THE     WILDEST     EMOTIONAL     ROLLERCOASTER       of     the     secret     agent’s     life ,       without     a     doubt ,       &     would     surely     remain     as     such     forever .               with     all     the     arguments     had     &     robots     fought ,       with     all     the     bonds     strengthened     &     victories     had .               IN     THE     END  ,       they     were     to     be     forgotten .               they     had     to     be ,       if     the     kids     wished     to     keep     their     favorite     platypus     around .               THINK     HIM     A     TOUCH     SELFISH  ,       but     a     part     of     perry     did     hope     that     the     boys     &     the     rest     of     the     participants     of     the     day’s     final     battle     would     agree     with     little     hesitation     to     have     their     minds     wiped     so     that     he     could       REMAIN     WITH     HIS     FAMILY          (     he     hadn’t     thought     of     them     as     a       “   host     family   ”       in     years          //          such     a     label     is       TOO     OFFICIAL       for     the     true     depths     of     affection     that     lie     within     the     defined     )  .

                                &     now     here     they     are ,       at     the     headquarters     of     his     agency ,       barely     minutes     away     from     the     day’s     events     being     un - known .               he     watches     as     carl     readies     the     inator     &       HIS     HEART     SLOWLY     SINKS  .               it     is     times     such     as     these     when     he     cannot     help     but     resent     so     much     of     the     protocol .               he     can     understand     the     need     for     such     procedures     in     the     case     of     nemeses     &     civilians ,       but       THE     SUPPOSED     NEED       to     clear     the     family’s     memories     as     well     is     an     absurd     concept     to     him .               he     knows     secret     agencies     imply     secrecy     by     name ,       but       IT’S     YET     TO     BE     PROPERLY     EXPLAINED     TO     HIM       what     the     actual     dangers     of     an     agent’s     family     knowing     of     their     work     are .               still .               he     doesn’t     complain .               IT’S     NOT     HIS     PLACE     FOR     THAT .

                                phineas’     voice     breaks     him     away     from     thought .               time     for     final     goodbyes   ...

                                “   they’re     both     the     real     you   ”   ...               huh   ...               that     may     have     quite     possibly     been     the     first     time     that     both     his     identities     have     been     referred     to     as     such          (     by   ...   anyone ,       actually  ;          MONOTREME     INCLUDED     )  .          //          you     cannot     let     loose     as     you     would     wish     around     the     only     ones     that     you     possibly     could     do     that     around  ;          your     job     is     full     of     obligation     &     protocols     with     little     room     in     between     for     relaxation .               BOTH     THE     REAL     YOU  .               well ,       if     it’s     a     conclusion     of     phineas’ ,       then     it     must     be     so .               HE’S     CONTENT     WITH     THAT .

                                the     platypus     barely     keeps     from     tightening     his     hold     as     he     hugs     each     of     the     boys ,       feeling     certain     that     if     he     were     to     not     hold     back ,       HE     MAY     NOT     LET     GO  .               all     that     he     has     done     for     the     well - being     of     his     family ,       all     that     he     has     shown     towards     those     who’ve     permanently     locked     their     place     within     his     heart     as       EQUIVALENT     TO     HOME     ------     it     almost ,       but     not     quite     perfectly          (     for     nothing     can     truly     be     enough     ) ,       makes     up     enough     for       AN     UNSPOKEN     RESPONSE     OF     ------------

                                ❛        ------------     i     love     you ,       too ,       boys .          ❜

THERE was a look of surprise in the man’s eyes as his gaze darted to the boy, blank but eventually curious as he tilted his head at the question. He’d been flicking through one of his journals before Phineas had caught his attention, and with an almost dismissve shrug, he gestured towards the other books sitting on his desk.

     “Yes, he is quite MARVELOUS, Irken technology is QUITE impressive and- WAITAMINUTE!” The compliment had managed to throw Zim completely off guard, forgetting for a moment that it was a human who had addressed him. A huamn with an oddly shaped head, but still a HUMAN.

phineas vc: yes please

❝ Build? ❞ Zim echoes, letting out a hideously obvious fake laugh before shaking his head, as if it were a completely ridiculous notion.