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Sirius glanced over at Michael, who was suddenly very interested in the floor. "Can I-"
Michael shrugged. "Yeah, sure, whatever, go ahead."
"Right." Sirius started tentatively. "Well, he... 'acquired' one from Rich, about a day before he had a meltdown and lit a house on fire."
"Maybe word it a little nicer, dick!" A voice called from the kitchen. He laughed and apologised.
"I think he was originally just trying to find information. I doubt he was planning on taking one, although I can't actually be sure because the data's a little fuzzy." He glared at Michael, who shrugged again.
"Hey, I was stressed, you can't blame me for smoking."
"Whatever. I'm not mad." Michael rolled his eyes. "Anyway, yeah, he got it - me - for research, I guess just to prove to Jeremy that he knew what he was talking about? And then they, uh, had a chat? At the house party?" He looked to Michael for confirmation.
"I mean, I wouldn't say 'chat'."
"Fight, then?" Michael made a noncommittal noise. "Argument? Marital dispute? Give me a break, I'm trying. Anyway, when I was activated, Mikey here-"
"We aren't married!"
"-not what I meant. He was crying to himself in a teenager's bathroom, with below-average pop music blaring through the door which I'm sure wasn't very helpful with his mood at the time. And my presence didn't exactly help the situation. At all. Even though he knowingly activated me himself."
"I didn't mean to!" Michael protested. "It just kind of- uh- happened?"
"
You accidentally activated the dangerous supercomputer, just after you warned Jeremy about how much of a bad idea it was? Oh, yeah, my mistake."
This time, it was Lyceum's turn to interject. "Dangerous supercomputer? Please. You're about as dangerous as a kitten."
"Least I didn't get myself killed in the middle of a high school play." Sirius teased. Lyceum rolled their eyes, but didn't bother to retort.
"Anyway. Long story short, he tried to punch me, I laughed at him because he hurt his hand punching a wall, then I tried to help him get over the tragic betrayal from his former best friend."
"I- I said I'm sorry." Jeremy mumbled.
"It was actually the... weird pep talk from his dad that convinced Michael that he didn't need me anymore." He continued. "So, I told him how to deactivate me, and he did - pretty painfully, might I add, you could at least have tried to drink it a little faster - before that drama at the play went down. He didn't even tell Jeremy I existed, so it was quite a shock when we all reactivated and I was just sort of... here. Not complaining though. I prefer being alive to... not being alive, I guess." He shrugged. "Basically, Michael's dumb and indecisive."
"Careful, I still have mountain dew red." Michael warned. Lyceum flinched and pointedly looked away at the mention of the soda.
