Across the street, Luke and Ethan were still sitting on the couch in the basement with their arms crossed behind each other. Ethan was staring Luke in the side of the head because Luke was avoiding him and glancing around from the treadmill, the weight machine, the books and back again. Ethan gave a small smirk and began drumming his fingers on Luke's back, in response, Luke started taking deep breaths and sighing right in Ethan's face.
Ethan didn't put up with it for very long. He pushed forward and stood up, almost falling over because Luke wasn't expecting it. Luke glared at his dad, but Ethan just sighed, "I'm hungry, so I'm grabbing something to eat. Seeing how you're not talking, you'll be tagging along." Ethan began walking but Luke stayed put, "Ok see, we need to work as one. Me and Mark would walk sideways, but if you want we could..."
"Dad... Me and Max got into a fight..." Luke glanced at Ethan who pulled them by their chest, and sat back down. "But we made up, and... well... our crotches were close together... so we started..."
"Ok, I get the idea." Ethan raised his hand, "So then why was Max so angry?"
"I... I told him I loved him."
"And he got mad at you?!" Ethan yelled in Luke's face.
"No, not from that!" Luke rubbed Ethan's back trying to calm him, "Because he wasn't sure if he felt the same way. So I basically told him we shouldn't be merged if he was uncertain."
"Well... whatever happens Luke, I'm here for you." Ethan smiled and patted Luke on the shoulder, "If it makes you happy, that's all I care about."
"Thanks dad." Luke hugged Ethan as hard as he could.
"Ok now, dinner time!" Ethan eased them to their feet and began walking, but Luke once again didn't move. "What's wrong now?"
"We're going to eat... Like this?!" Luke pushed his chest away from his Dad's until he couldn't anymore.
"Oh, well, I thought... Seeing how early today at the mall, you didn't want to split apart from me...." Ethan trailed off looking a little sad, but he smiled anyways, "If you don't want to be joined together, we don't have..."
"It's fine!" Luke cheered interrupting Ethan. "I've been dieing to connect with you! And now it's just the two of us here, so there's no reason to split!"
Ethan shook his head in laughter then nodded to the stairs. He and Luke made their way over and began the hard assent while being joined chest to chest.