Chapter Text
Spamton nervously backs up as two figures step forward and push him into the wall of the alley.
"Look, I don't have your [[kromer]]< right now."
"You never do." one says.
"I I will! I will! [[tomorrow]]."
"Nah." one says making Spamton freeze. "The amount of money we're looking for isn't even worth all this wait." Spamton looks relieved for a second until the figure grabs him by the shirt and pulls him close to their face. "I'll just teach you not to fuck with me again."
Spamton is thrown to the ground with ease, knocking hard into an empty tin trash can. The can falls to the ground with a loud crash which makes Spamton's ears ring as he tries to push himself back up. A hard kick to the stomach sends Spamton back to the ground. He tries to speak only to be met with more kicks. One of the figures grabs the back of his shirt and lifts him off the ground. He shoves his fingers between his collar and throat, trying and failing to stop it from choking him as he coughs.
"So, you get the idea yet?"
"Yes yes. I do. [[please]]"
"I don't think he does." one of them says with a smirk. The other gives back the same smirk as they hold Spamton out.
"I think you're right." they say. A hard punch to Spamton's face makes him dizzy and lightheaded. The ringing in his ears gets louder, his vision blurrier, until he can barely hear or see anything at all. Suddenly, he's dropped hard on the cold concrete.
Swatch is restocking the bar when a loud crash from outside makes them fumble a bottle of wine. Luckily they catch it in the air, sighing as they set it down on the counter. Loud noises from outside aren't uncommon. Maice rooting through trash, a scuffle between two Poppups, or clumsy Werewires making their way home. This is why Swatch doesn't bother to check it out until they're approached by a crying Swatchling, who grabs their sleeve and whines.
"People are fighting by the dumpsters!" it cries.
Swatch turns their head and rolls their eyes. Of all nights for *him* to come back, it had to be the night Swatch was most tired.
"I'll go check it out." they reassure the Swatchling with a smile, patting it on the shoulder. It thanks Swatch as they leave out the shop front door. Spamton was not a rare visitor to the shops trash by any means, in fact he showed up more often than some of Swatch's most common customers. Swatch didn't need any details to know it had something to do with him, probably trying to scam a Werewire out if it's money again.
They make their way around the alley corner and are shocked to find two people beating up Spamton, who looks like crumpled paper in their hands. Sure, Swatch could let the two have their way with Spamton, it might even stop Spamton from showing up again. But seeing Spamton half conscious, bleeding and bruised- they don't even think about it before coming up behind the two attackers and grabbing them by their wrists. Spamton is harshly thrown to the ground with a loud thwack that makes Swatch bite their tongue. They twist the arm of the one who dropped him, making them yelp in pain. Swatch bends down to be at eye level with the two who now look scared and small.
"I don't wanna see you two here again. Understand?" Swatch says sternly through their teeth. The two nod, and Swatch twists both their arms again.
"Do you understand?" Swatch repeats themself. The two frantically agree, repeating yes until they let them go. They run off, leaving just Swatch and Spamton.
Spamton's senses slowly come back to him as he feels large hands prop him to sit upright. He starts to put a hand his head, suddenly feeling all the pain at once. Gentle and soft hands clasp around his and pull it away from his head before he touches his dirty hands to an open wound. Spamton weakly looks up to see Swatch on their knees in front of him.
"Spamton." they say, which makes Spamton realize they'd been trying to talk to him this whole time.
"Swatch?" he says getting dizzy again.
"Oh good, I thought you'd pass out again." Swatch says with a sigh.
"[[Again]]?" Spamton says under his breath. Before Swatch can speak he says "I think I'm [[going to throw up]]."
Swatch grabs one of the empty tin cans that got knocked over in the fight and puts it in front of Spamton, who grabs his stomach and gags into the can. He whines and sits back up, barely noticing Swatch stand up and offer an arm to help him do the same. He eventually accepts the help and leans hard against Swatch as he stands to his feet.
"Come on, I have a first aid kit at the bar."
"Y ou don't have to." Spamton says.
"I think if I let you go you'll collapse on the ground again."
"That's [[fine]]." Spamton says which gets him a concerned from Swatch. With a supportive arm around his shoulders Swatch leads Spamton back inside the shop, sitting him down on a chair before very quickly pulling a first aid kit form behind the bar.
Spamton keeps his arms around his stomach and closes his eyes stifling another whine. He zones out until something cold touches his forehead followed by a sharp bubbly pain. He instinctively backs away, looking up to see Swatch holding a cotton ball.
"Sorry, I should've warned you it would hurt. It looks pretty bad, so just hold still." they say. "and look up at me."
He looks up at Swatch, who places a delicate hand under his chin that makes him flustered. He winces as the cold pain shoots down the back of his neck. He opens his eyes just as Swatch gently places a bandage on the spot.
"Is it [[seriously]] that bad?" Spamton asks eyeing the blood soaked cotton ball.
"Kind of." they say as they wipe his cheek with a new cotton ball. Spamton stares into Swatch's eyes, or rather glasses, and Swatch is too focused on cleaning the blood and dirt off his face to notice.
"I'm sorry." he says. Swatch stops and looks at Spamton, only now noticing how close the two are. They awkwardly clear their throat and let his chin go.
"Don't be." they say. "Are you alright?"
Spamton looks down and pulls his hands away from his stomach revealing a tear through his shirt and cut across his stomach. His palms are painted red with blood.
"These are my [[Only]] clothes." he says flatly. Swatch slightly panics, ignoring what he said and grabbing a clean towel, dousing it in rubbing alcohol.
"Can I?" they ask holding the towel dangerously close to the cut. Spamton hesitates, not wanting them to but knowing they should. Swatch offers an empty hand and Spamton gently places one of his in their palm. As soon as he does Swatch touches the cut, making a cold pain spread on his stomach. He cries and grips Swatch's hand tight.
"It's not as bad as it looks." they say. They take Spamton's hand and put it on the towel so he'll hold it there as they turn around to grab more bandages. When Swatch turns back around with bandages ready, they're met with Spamton sniffling and crying. They kneel down to be at eye level with Spamton as they wrap the bandages around him. They put a hand on his cheek and wipe his tears away, making him sniffle and nervously blush.
"You'll be okay." they reassure him. He sniffles and sobs, leaning into Swatch's hand.
Despite how much of a bother Spamton was every day, it made Swatch feel genuinely heartbroken to see him hurt and crying like this. Maybe they never noticed, or maybe they refused to acknowledge it until now, but Swatch really did care about Spamton. Sure he stole their look, bothered their customers almost daily, rummaged through their trash; but the guy just looked broken and pathetic here in front of him. Spamton on the other hand always liked Swatch, despite how often he bothered them. Everyone liked Swatch.
"Hey Swatch."
"Yes?"
"Are you gonna uh, [[kick]] me out again?" he asks awkwardly.
"If I do, will you have anywhere to go?" Swatch tilts his head.
"N ,No." Spamton mumbles nervously and looks to the side.
Everyone at this point knew, and didn't care, that Spamton slept in whatever empty garbage can he could find. But he didn't like admitting it to Swatch.
"Then no." Swatch says. "You can stay at my place."
"Really?" Spamton is surprised and flustered at the thought of sleeping in Swatch's house. Swatch nods as they stand up to start putting the first aid kit away.
"I can't just let you sleep out in the cold, all beat up like this." they say as they carefully place it back behind the bar.
"That's [[generous]] of you." Spamton says looking down at his hands. Swatch looks down at them again.
"Don't take advantage of it."
[ IDK how much more of this I will write, but at least one more chapter... stick around for some cute fluff next chapter ^_^ ]