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To Chilly, Magolor talking was something to be tuned out for the longest time. He was mostly focused on other things like making sure Kirby was okay and such. Magolor never really stood out to him despite him literally crashing into their lives.
Then bit by bit, as each of the parts was gathered, the volume was adjusted. When did he start to warm up? He could never give a straight answer.
Standing on the lor by themselves, he started one of his usual rambles. Chilly would give his usual masking of a nod and a repeating phrase. Then...
Well, then he got? Invested? No, that wasn't the right word. Is there even a right word? No library in the universe could describe his heart. They mentioned fun facts to each other, shared a blanket as the ship cooled during the nights (turns out the temp regulator got busted during the crash) and Magolor wanted to stay by his side through it all. And as the stars shimmered around them, the dream team sleeping in a guest room, it was only the two of them awake. Magolor was unusually silent and Chilly didn't want to break it. He looked at the ruins of Halcandia, tall buildings that scraped the sky, and talked about how no one lived in the city.
No one lived in that section.
No one was living in Halcandia.
At most, the specks of survivors were hiding under rocks burrowed miles underground. A single rupture from the volcano could turn their homes into tombs.
He was silent.
So Chilly wasn't.
Muttering under his breath, he nervously smiled-offering to let him stay on Popstar with him. He could never be opposed to one more roommate.
It was... nice being around him.
It was.
Then it happened. He could never forget the break in his chest as he realized what had happened. Was it all a lie? Did they mean nothing? Are you serious!!! How many falsehoods have you woven!!! It burned him, hearing Magolor offer a seat of the galaxy. Chilly loved going with the flow and relaxing in Dreamland. He loved being happy and hated being mad. But this? This filled him with rage . Detestable vile insults bubbled up to his brain as his soul burned with anger.
Was it all a lie?
It had to be.
"It has to be," he thinks to himself as Magolor is defeated by his friends.
For the longest time, he yearned to hear Magolor again. Something. Anything. He missed him. He hated that he missed him
Then he came back and he hated that he came back. That stupid fluttering in his chest was back - being more energetic than before - and flying right next to it was a seed of bitterness. Yet no matter how much of Magolor's song-like speeches were sung, it was difficult to care about him again. They could never be the same. So he told him that. He confronted him about all the shit he has done
For a person who hates talking, that monologue was Shakespearian in length.
With his ears perking down, Magolor's eyes dimmed as he walked away, understanding they could never be the same.
So they became different.
They became star allies together! Yes. Allies . Journeying off to parts unknown with nothing but good vibes and determination!!! Just allies! Sure Chilly liked to sit by him during the night. Sure Magolor's first instinct when getting food is to heal Chilly first! They weren't friends! Just allies! It was still a mystery to themselves when that threshold was broken, as they slowly referenced old convos and laughed at half-forgotten jokes. It was just like old times-but different. A good different. A happy different. A safe different.
Chilly's cheeks burned brighter during the healing. Magolor thought of him as he went shopping. They made silly faces at each other in another dimension as the puzzles grew more and more elaborate. And when they hold hands again after years of not doing so. It feels so right and so familiar.
Their friendship is so important to each other. Whenever a winter breeze ruffle’s Magolor’s fur, all he can think is that comforting chill of Chilly. Sure Magolor still thinks about making him smile and wishes to kiss him. But if will Ruin their friendship and that would be worse than any curse or villain. It would be all his fault- all because he couldn't repress his love hard enough. He will respect Chilly’s boundaries even if it means dying with this arrow in his chest.
To Chilly, Magolor talking was something to look forward to with each passing day. Like the birds chirping in the morning or the clouds rolling overhead, the chimes and squeaks of his friend rambling on and on were a comforting blanket during the coldest afternoons.
Magolor, laying beside him underneath one of Popstar's many trees, the shade protecting them both from the summer sun. He was talking about the different flora of the planets he had visited, and how Popstar's geometric roundness was so unique. Chilly hummed along to his words, thinking about the Kamuribanas and the Lovelys that lived here. If there was anything they could both agree on, the greenery of Dreamland was beautiful.
Then, when Magolor did his usual cute little laugh and wink at him, Chilly slowly realized "oh."
"
Oh.
"