As he walked down fifth street, Trey Stuvwxyz hummed a tune to himself. The tune was "Elemental" by Ellis Manteaux, and while it had been drastically overplayed on the ether for the past three months, Trey couldn't bring himself to get sick of the perky melody, catchy rhythm or even the smarmy lyrics. A few seconds after he started humming, P-Jon, who had been walking next to him the whole time, started humming too.

The boys had had a good week. They lived separately, had different jobs and saw each other only twice or thrice a week, but their luck seemed to be synchronized. Both had been in dire straights concerning finances when a windfall bonus in both of their jobs suddenly alleviated their debts within a day of one another. Life had turned up for the boys, and they were celebrating with an afternoon walk. After humming for a verse or so, P-Jon broke into the actual song.

"There's something basic 'bout the way you look," P-Jon sang.

Trey joined in. "There's something primal in the way I look at you," He sang, pointing to a nearby girl who quickly veered away from the pair.

"It's only 'cause of instinct that I know what to do," P-Jon sang at a driver stuck at a stoplight, who stared at him.

"There's no procedure to be found in a book," Trey sang to nobody.

"It's -- ELEMENTAL baby!" The two wailed. Someone yelled "shut up!" from across the street. Trey and P-Jon didn't, finishing up the chorus before finally dissolving into laughter.

"Oh man," Trey said. "I love this city. People don't even blink an eye."

"Oh hey are you coming to the holo tomorrow?" P-Jon asked him.

Trey looked a little confused, though he was still amped up from the song. "The holo's the day after tomorrow."

"LP, Trey, holo on friday. Did you get the e-mail?" P-Jon jeered.

"Yeah," Trey said. "It's Wednesday, right?"

P-Jon gave him a raised eyebrow. "It's Thursday, Trey."

Trey blinked, then checked his watch. He looked horrified. "Aw zark, it IS thursday! And it's almost five!"

"So?" P-Jon said.

Trey was about to answer, but was pre-empted as a girl appeared from almost out of nowhere, standing directly in the path of the boys. P-Jon started violently. "Jeezus!" The girl was pretty, with short brown hair and a slight build. She looked expectantly at Trey with large brown eyes, then held a small envelope forward. Trey took it with a resigned air, sighing. The girl scampered out of sight.

"You look pretty down for somebody who just got a letter from a sleek y-nought, Trey," P-Jon said to Trey.

"Yeah, well see--" Trey began, but was cut off as someone dove into him. Trey was tumbled to the ground but the person who had tackled him took the brunt of the force, shielding Trey's fall with its own. After turning once and depositing Trey's form on the ground, the figure blurred out of sight, moving impossibly fast. P-Jon was just able to make out the retreating figure as the girl who had just approached them.

"Jeezus Trey! Are you all right?" P-Jon said. "Did she get your wallet?"

"No," Trey said from his position on the pavement, obviously unhurt and not at all surprised. "Just the letter. Again."

There was a long pause.

"Dude, a Guardian's got a thing for you," P-Jon said.

"Yeah," Trey said, still not moving.

Another pause.

"Should you report her?"

"I dunno," Trey said, staring up at the sky. "It's kind of nice."

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This vignette by Dog.