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After a match, Boombox found himself completely drained of energy as he entered his room. Placing his beloved boombox on his desk, he selected a soothing track to fill the room with a calming energy. Collapsing onto his bed, he hastily gathered his long dreadlocks into a tousled ponytail.
As he lay there, Boombox let out a prolonged, weary sigh, the posture of a stargazer as he gazed up at the ceiling. His visor flickered a few times before imitating closed eyes, he drifted off into sleep.
Amidst the quiet of his room, Boombox thought he detected faint skittering sounds and muted murmurs, but he ignored them as figments of his tired mind, maybe the match tired him out so much he was replaying it.
The room was filled with unfamiliar sounds, causing Boombox to let out a frustrated groan. He threw his hand to his face before opening his eyes, not expecting to find another demon in his room. To his surprise, he was met with Subspace staring affectionately at him, leaning over him with both hands pinned on the sides of his face. Too tired to do more than muster a confused "Whuh-?? How’d ya get in my room?"
“You left your window open.” Subspace responded, continuing to stare down at him. They fell back in silence. It was a bit awkward having a mad scientist eagerly looking at him, maybe admiring his features, or intrigued by what experiments he could do. Hopefully, it wasn’t the latter.
Subspace had a black messenger bag on his side. Surprisingly he didn’t have his mask on him, Boombox could see his pink sharp teeth. How scary. “So are ya just gonna stare at me? You look like a cr-”
“I need your help with something.” Subspace cut him off, he put his finger on Boombox’s lips to shush him. “ – and it's an embarrassing ask so I’d rather you not speak. You’d be willing to do it, right? Actually no, I don’t even need an answer.”
Boombox observed as he rambled on, appearing to stall before finally mustering the courage to ask, "I need your help to bathe. I can't do it by myself. Will you say yes? Please say yes." Subspace's request was accompanied by a hint of embarrassment.
Boombox suggested, 'Can't your lil’ robots handle that for ya?' He was aware that Subspace, being in a physical state, found it challenging to take care of himself. He assumed that Subspace had created something to assist him.
Subspace responded, 'The issue, Boombox, is that water damages my precious inventions. Do you have any idea how costly they are to replace? Billions over my lifetime! I just need your help with this.” Subspace dismissively waved his hand, then returned his focus to observe Boombox's reaction.
Boombox tilted his head, he’s not against it. “Any reason you’re askin’ me to? I mean, out of everyone?” he sat up, Subspace moving to give him space. It seemed the other demon needed a lesson on how to not break into people's places and give them some personal space, but that’s for later.
“You’re nice to me! The only other demon that seems to care! So you’ll do it, right?” Subspace pleaded.
“Fine, but say ‘on Illumina’ you won’t do anythin’ bad.” Boombox agreed, shoving Subspace away and sitting on the side of the bed. He rubbed his face to clean away any sleep left on.
“Whatever, on Illumina. You’re weird.” Subspace took off his bag and placed it in his lap, fidgeting with the zipper to get it open. He looked at all of the soaps and washes he brought with him, and something he stole from Boombox.
“Ya really need allat to clean yourself?” He peeked over to look in the bag. Subspace flinched away and covered the bag, “Well, of course! I’m high-maintenance! Now, can we start?”
Boombox rose from the bed and led Subspace to the bathroom, which, despite the chaos of his room, was relatively tidy. He turned on the water, while Subspace nervously observed, mentally noting every detail.
Subspace attempted to distract himself from Boombox's presence by focusing on the room's minutiae— the tiny decorations, the sound of water filling the tub, the distant music—but found his attention continually drawn back to the demon beside him.
Boombox turned his attention back to the nervous demon. He stifled a little giggle at how embarrassed he was about everything. He walked up to Subspace and grabbed his bag, placing it on the floor.
He worried himself to death, not even realizing it had already filled and he was standing there all stupid. He shook his head back to reality and noticed Boombox turned his back to him and gestured for him to take off his clothes.
“Hold on, I need to unravel my bandages.” Subspace sat on the edge of the tub and tore the knot with his teeth, then unwrapped his arm. The bandages revealing his creepy decomposing flesh.
Boombox nodded. Subspace hesitantly took off his clothes and got in the water, it perfectly covered everything that he was particularly bothered about. “You can turn around now.” he said, and Boombox turned to him again.
He kneeled and opened the bag he brought. “Ya need to take off the eyepatch too, y’know?” Boombox laughed, looking through the soaps and washes he brought. He caught a glimpse of one of his DVDs in Subspace’s bag, but he pretended it wasn’t visible.
“You’ll freak out, I’m not trying to distract you.” Subspace responded, and he hugged his knees. The warm water turned him a little red, which made Boombox note his sensitivity to water temperature.
Subspace hid his chest, it was rotted on one side. “Relax, man. I got some nasty scars. ‘m not gonna judge your body.” Boombox placed a hand on his shoulder to reassure him, which made Subspace loosen up.
Subspace leaned his head against the wall, not wanting to look down at his body. Boombox could understand that feeling, he remembers when he used to look down and not be happy at what he saw.
It’s weird he felt himself relating to a mad scientist.
His usual excited energy seemed to wash away as he narrowed his eye at the ceiling. Boombox asked “Where first? Your hair orrr…?” grabbing a few products from the bag.
“Well, my hair first. It’s easiest to wash, I can do most of my body on my own but washing the rotted parts you do. I have specific ointments and washes in there…” Subspace assisted, “Don’t get soap near my rotting arm.”. He let his arm hang over the tub.
Boombox noted, taking the shampoo and squirting some on his hand. He gestured his finger for the other to move his head closer, to which he complied. He started to brush his fingers through his hair, being cautious of the rotted side of his face.
Subspace’s messy white and pink striped hair was overtaken by soapy suds. It felt relaxing to have someone else take care of him, especially being so gentle with him. Any hint of embarrassment was replaced with a warm feeling.
Boombox dipped part of his head under the water and washed the shampoo out of his hair. “I half-expected you to drown me to death.” Subspace remarked. He nervously laughed, but he watched Boombox’s expression change, and pursed his lips then looked away.
“Mmn, ‘m not like that.” Boombox muttered and continued to wash the other's hair, using that sweetly scented conditioner. Subspace didn’t want to make it awkward so he just dryly laughed, turning his face away.
He melted into his hand every time he brushed a finger through his messy hair. “You’re surprisingly nice to me. I’m quite confused on why that is.” Subspace focused on the water waving against his skin.
Boombox dipped his head under the water again, his hair now soaking but it was clean. “Do I have a reason not t’be? Never done anythin’ to me.” he replied, he handed the net sponge and body wash over to Subspace.
Subspace gently cleaned himself, focusing on each part of his body carefully. Boombox just stared but remembered about his right arm and the specific treatments it needed, so he got out the ointments.
“It seems so.”
“And thank you, by the way. I’ll repay you by making you another boombox.” Subspace offered, turning his face back to him and smiling. Boombox nodded, seeming to not really care. He didn’t need a new boombox to replace his beloved one.
“Ya don’t have t’do that.” Boombox smiled back at him. He rubbed his hand over the rotting arm, taking notes on where it stung Subspace the most by how he flinched in certain areas. His arm was somehow in good condition.
He patted the arm with a towel and began to wrap a bandage around his arm. Boombox tightened the bandage with his teeth, making Subspace wince and hiss in pain. Subspace rinsed himself off by cupping the water and rubbing it on himself.
He felt better and more clean than how a robot would clean him. A warm blush crept on his face, chuckling at the stupid fantasy that this is what being loved felt like. “I want to repay you. It’s all I can offer.”
Boombox cupped Subspace’s chin and moved it to face him. The sudden eye contact made him incredibly tense. Boombox only applied the ointment to his face, Subspace internally facepalming himself for his dumb fantasy again.
Boombox’s grin never seemed to fade, those bright LED circles blinking and focusing on his face. Subspace leaned into his face, fluttering his eyes shut. God, he wished he would’ve kissed him, but that wouldn’t happen.
Boombox drained the water, handing the towel over to Subspace. “I’ll give ya some privacy t’get dressed.” he said, before leaving and letting Subspace collect himself.
For some odd reason, he found himself wanting to stay. Maybe just for the night? He could convince him… probably. He got up out of the bath and dried himself, he looked into the mirror and leaned over the counter. He stared at himself.
His body was revolting, he probably traumatized that poor party guy. Each scar on him popped up as a keloid, it made one of his arms bumpy. He wished that he could cover each one – No , he wished he could get rid of it all.
Subspace was underweight, his ribs and hip bones popped out his skin so disturbingly. He’d come to accept how he was until he looked at his reflection. And that reflection stared back at him with disdain in his eye.
Subspace sighed, getting his clothes back on and stuffing everything back into his bag. He threw it over his shoulder. That aching gut feeling to stay here, just for one night, turned a knot in his stomach.
He came out of the bathroom, looking for Boombox’s room. He knocked, which was met with a “What’s up, Sub?” from the other.
Subspace came into his room, clutching his bag – “Could I stay here?” he asked, swallowing down his anxiety. Refusing to meet his eyes.
“I- uh.” Boombox trailed off, caught by surprise from the question, “Yeah. Yeah, you can stay.”. Subspace smiled in relief, setting his bag down by the door and swaying over to his bed. He sat by the side of Boombox.
Boombox approvingly patted next to him, signaling that it was okay for him to lay there. And that dumb fantasy appeared in his mind again.
Subspace curled against him like a cat. It was weirdly affectionate for someone like him to do. But Boombox accepted it and wrapped an arm around him. “Thank you for helping me, again. If I had another Biograft breakdown, I don’t know what I’d do.”
“Ya don’t have to thank me, Sub.” Boombox replied, watching as the other snuggled closer to him. Weirdly protective and possessive. “ – but don’t break in my place, jus’ ask me next time, ‘kay?”
Subspace grumbled an ‘okay’ and got closer to him.
“I think I love you.” Subspace mumbled into his neck. His face felt warm, he felt protected.
… Boombox bit his lip and thought for a moment before replying.
“I love you too”
Subspace kept himself together, pretending he didn’t hear it. He drifted off to sleep, holding Boombox tightly.
Boombox took it as a sign to shut up and forced himself to sleep.