#technosynthau

And right in the back of his parents junk yard of all places. Jay stared at his hands, too overwhelmed to process what happened. He looked back to Zane who looked equally in shock, even through his sunglasses.

"I DIDN’T KNOW THAT WOULD HAPPEN! AAAH? AAAAAAA!" He began screaming.

Zane jumped and quickly cupped his boyfriend's mouth, "Jay, your parents are home!"

"Jay? Deary?! Are you alright?!" Edna's voice carried from the other side of the yard.

"GAH! Zane we *have* to hurry-" what were his parents going to think? Would they freak out? Would the authorities get involved?? "Uhh, uhhh, oh! That pile! We'll shove him under there!" Jay pointed to the pile of rubber tires and treads.

Zane let go and reached for his fath- the doctor's lifeless body, hesitating and attempting over and over to find the best way of picking it up. Each time the body began to move like stiff jello he let go, disgusted and afraid.

"Zane huRRY UP-"

Edna rounded the corner with Ed in toe, the two holding makeshift weapons out of pipes and rusty torn up metal. Everyone froze making direct eye contact, Jays parents somehow looking the least expressive out of the four. "It was an accident!" Jay piped, scratching his fingers, "Uhh, he was old anyway- I mean he was being really bad?? He was scaring Zane and I told him to leave and he didn’t so I shoved him when he got too close and-"

Ed rose his hand, "not another word, son. I had a feeling this day would come, a day where we'd have to cover for our little boy." He and Edna exchanged knowing looks before he retired his position.

Zane and Jay looked dumbfounded, caught somewhere between the adrenaline of Julien's death, and the fear of how accepting they were. "Uhm. You're not mad?" Jay trembled.

She snorted and laughed, "Of course we're a little angry, but right now we gotta take care of what's in front of us. Zane, could you get the black tarp from the tool tent? Oh and some gloves too if you could!"

--

The familiar metallic smell filled the air as the smelter processed rusty copper back into extruded rods for shipping. The molten metal slowly squeezed through the opening before dropping into a cooling vat and rolling down the ramp to the others. The four gathered around in protective gear to witness the work, Edna pulling her gloves off and tossing them into mouth of the furnace. "Well! Now we don't say a word and that's that." She smiled and placed a hand on Jays shoulder.

He returned it nervously, a little worried of what else gets sent through the fire. "I hope so.. I feel so bad," he chuckled, staring at the orange glow.