Chapter Text
The sounds of muffled laughter and crazed mumbling filled the air. This was a familiar sensation, far too familiar. These were the sounds of Buck’s mind, his head was always chalk full of insane incoherent thoughts, day and night, night and day, always the same, confusing thoughts every minute of his life after his maintenance. It was scary at first, to wake up only to be greeted with several different voices in his head. But day after day, night after night, he had grown numb to the noises in that skull of his, but not once did he ever feel safe with the voice’s constant cackling ringing out.
A certain unstable fusion was laid down on the ground, the floor feeling as if it were sinking below them. The feeling would be almost relaxing if it weren’t for the screaming echoing around them. This place, they could tell they’ve never been here before, and yet it feels so familiar.
Overthinker opened their eyes looking straight into the sky, or well, lack of sky. It seemed as if they were inside a giant dome, but the top of it was completely shrouded in darkness. The ‘walls’ of this place had a dark greenish tint, if you looked hard enough, random jumbles of letters and symbols were sprawled across the surface.
Unable to make sense of it all, Overthinker just stayed put, hoping that they’d wake up, treating whatever situation they were in as if it were a nightmare. Buck and Brian would unfuse eventually, they always do, they were destined to. The mad scientist couldn’t wait to rest again, for however long, maybe even forever if they were lucky. Oh, but they were never lucky.
They laid there, unmoving, waiting until they could finally just-
“Woah-ho-ho! A new contefftant!”
“AAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Overthinker’s body jerked at the sudden loud voice, swiping at the space in front of them, slapping the other presence on the beak.
The other stumbled backward, a cartoonish ‘whirr!’ coming out of them as they spun around, before firmly stomping on the ground to steady themselves.
“Calm your featherff, baby doll! I mean no harm!”
The scientist perked up, the voice sounding rather familiar to them.
They sit up from the floor, slowly turning their body to look at the familiar Suit behind him.
“HEY! I know you!”
The other Suit shakes his head, the ducks on their roulette hat spinning with a little click or two as she does so.
“Everybody knowff High Roller, babe! I’d be ffhocked if ya didn’t!”
The Overthinker rubs their eyes behind their hypno-glasses to get a better look at the game show host in front of them.
The scientist has little fragments of High Roller in their head, a perk of having a shared mind with Buck was that they had access to each other’s memories, well, most of each other’s memories anyways. Every memory they could bring up of the other fusion was always so… extravagant, despite being a fusion just like them, he always seemed so much more stable, put together, harmonious. In a weird way, they really admire that about High Roller, they desired to be like that.
“Hey, hey, hey! You on air or not?”
The game show host snapped her fingers in front of the other, the sound snapping the scientist from their trip down memory lane.
“AHHA! YEPH! Awake. Awake iph I. HELLO THERE!”
They tilt their head up to meet High Roller’s gaze, the other Suit so much bigger than them. If they were standing up they’d only go up to her chest.
The game show host crouches down to Overthinker’s level, eyeing the other fusion curiously.
“Well, hello yourffelf, babe! Don’t think I’ve ffeen you ‘round theffe partff.”
The scientist blinks slowly. “You don’t know me?”
The other lets out a soft chuckle, smirking. “Oh, baby, everyone I know iff a part of my audienffe, and I know everybody out there, ffee?”
She pokes Overthinker’s chest gently with her finger. “That includeff you, baby doll.”
High Roller retracts his arm, scratching the side of his head as he looks the scientist up and down.
“It’ff the firfft time I’m ffeein’ ya in the fleffh! You’re a lot more funny lookin’ than I thought you’d be, but that’ff alright, I dig funny lookin’.”
Overthinker tilts their head at the statement.
“What do you mean by THAT?”
High Roller settles himself down on the ground, crossing his legs.
“Didn’t you feel it too? When you ffaw me, that familiarity. You know me and I know you, but we’ve never ffhook handff before, have we? Could ya gueffff why that iff?”
The mad scientist scratched their chin, eyes darting around the ‘room’ the two were in. “Well, jupht from my evaluation… It’ph PROBABLY cauphe we’re both part Buck, right? Err… weird BRAIN magic iph goin’ on.”
The game show host gives them a winning smile and snaps his fingers, pointing little finger guns at the other. A sudden celebratory ‘ta-da!’ playing out of nowhere.
“Ahha! Correctamundo, baby doll! If the cameraff were rollin’ there’d be an audienffe uproar, I tell ya!”
Overthinker quacks out a laugh, waving her off. “Oh pleaphe, my anphwer iphn’t that groundbreaking, iph it?”
The bigger Suit chuckles, “It woulda dropped a few jawff, trufft me! It’ff not everyday people hear about thiff kinda thing, huh?”
Overthinker shrugs, “I guephh pho.”
High Roller stands up, dusting their suit off as she holds a hand out to the other. “Now, now, let’ff get off thiff duffty ol’ ground Mx…” The game show host thinks for a moment, scratching their head with their other hand. “...Huh, I’m blankin’ here, babe. Ffay, what’ff the name of a beautiful little Ffuit like you?”
The scientist blows a little raspberry, taking High Roller’s hand.
“I wouldn’t phay BEAUTIFUL… but, uh…” The smaller suit blanks for a moment too, it’d be weird for someone like them to have a name, after all they’re just two people and nothing more. Then again, same went for High Roller, but High Roller having their own name felt so natural, despite what she is, she feels like her own person. Overthinker’s name was just come up with on a whim, no thought or reason put into it, ironic, huh?
They shake their head, snapping out of their thoughts. “OVERTHINKER. That’ph uph.”
The bigger Suit tilts her head. “Uff?”
The scientist clears their throat, “ME, ME. I mean. That’ph ME, HAHA.”
The game show host gives the other Suit’s hand a comforting squeeze before giving them a firm handshake. “Niffe to meet ya, Thinker-doll!”
They tilt their head at the nickname, tongue hanging out of their mouth. “If you’re not gonna call me by what I told ya, what’ph the POINT of aphking for my name?”
High Roller holds a finger to the other’s beak, shushing them. “No needa affk quefftionff, leave that to the hofft, Thinker-doll.”
The host lets go of their hand, stepping aside to reveal a familiar looking red couch that had miraculously appeared behind them. “Let’ff take a ffeat, have a heart to heart while we’re fftill here, yeah?”
The other blinks pointing to the couch, “Where did THAT come from?”
High Roller let out a little ‘tsk’ before chuckling to himself. “What’d I ffay about the quefftionff, Thinker-doll?! Jufft take a ffeat and all your wiffheff will come true, including your wiffh to know what the H E double hockey fftickff iff goin’ on!”
The bigger Suit saunters over to the couch, taking a seat on one side. She leans over and pats the space on the opposite side, encouraging Overthinker to sit with him. The other tilted their head but shrugged it off, they weren’t sure why High Roller was being so pushy, but well, there wasn’t much else they could do.
Overthinker settles themselves on the couch, getting comfortable as they look over to face the other Suit. They idly run their hand on the surface of the sofa, the sensation feeling somewhat familiar. From the way they were sitting across from each other, it almost felt like they were being interviewed.
“Ya dig the furniture, huh? It’ff one of the sofaff from Dave’ff lobby. I would know.”
The scientist leans back a bit on one of the couch cushions, sighing. “It’ph comfortable. But what iph it DOING over here?”
High Roller shrugs, “Thiff iff good ol’ Buckaroo we’re talkin’ about, Thinker-doll! Ya tellin’ me that little maefftro haffn’t left at leafft a little bit of hiff preffenffe in Buck’ff head? I mean, look at me! HAHAHA!” The show host pokes his piano teeth, the little tooth playing an ugly note as he laughs to herself. Overthinker silently takes notice of a gold ring on the ring finger of both his hands. They look down at their own, seeing that their hands are empty and shaking in their lap.
The bigger Suit snaps their fingers again, bringing the attention back to them. “Hey, hey, chin up, baby doll. What’ff with the ffudden blueff, huh?”
Overthinker grumbles quietly as they look up at her, “It’ph NOTHING. Really.”
The other quirks a brow, a random slide whistle sound effect playing along with the action. Just how many sounds can this guy make…?
“Jufft a hunch, but for ffome reaffon I don’t believe ya. C’mon, Thinker-doll! There’ff gotta be ffomethin’ goin’ on in that head of yourff, ya gotta live up to your name, y’know?”
The scientist lets out another annoyed groan, puffing up their cheeks a little. High Roller is still persistent, his legs jumping up and down restlessly.
“Ooh, come on! The audienffe iff DYING to hear from you!”
Overthinker blinks slowly, rolling their eyes behind their glasses. “Do ya REALLY wanna liphten to me YAP?”
“Of courffe! Audienffe feedback iff cruffial for improving the ffhow, babe!” The other tilts their head, confused about what High Roller’s trying to get at.
“I’m confuphed… Am I the audienphe or iph the audienphe watching me?”
The game show host quacks out a laugh, resting her elbow on the armrest of the sofa. “Who ffayff you can’t be both, doll? Call it ffelf reflection.”
“Phelf reflection?”
“Your auricularff don’t deffieve you! FFELF REFLECTION!” High Roller claps his hands together twice, everything going dark for a moment before it all comes back with an illuminated sign appearing above them with the words “Spill the beans!” written in red as a little musical jingle plays seemingly out of nowhere.
“You’re quite the enigma, Thinker-doll! The audienffe wantff to hear every little thing about ya.”
Overthinker squints up at the sign, the bright light emitting from it hurting their eyes.
“Where do I even phtart?”
The game show host titters, snapping his fingers. “Fftart at the fftart, of courffe! The ffecond you were born, you can remember that, right?”
The mad scientist shrugs, “I don’t think you could phay I waph BORN. That’ph phuch a funny way to put it-”
High Roller lets out a loud chortle, the combined sound of quacks and piano keys drilling straight into Overthinker’s brain. “Jufft cauffe ya didn’t come from a mama’ff egg doeffn’t mean you weren't born! I mean, how would you be here now?”
The bigger Suit puts a hand to her chest, sighing. “I remember the firfft time I came to be, good timeff I tell ya.” A light blush covers the duck’s face, a short pleased melody spilling from their beak. The other raised a brow, concluding that it was probably too intimate for them to know.
“HAHA, I’m phure my originph are a lot lephh GRAPHEFUL than yourph.” Overthinker pulls their collar, seeming a little antsy.
The game show host waves them off, expression thoughtful. “Don’t worry about it, doll. If ya don’t wanna anffwer that, I’ll give ya a freebie quefftion jufft for you! Tell me more about yourffelf, Thinker-doll, what'ff your deal?”
“My deal? ”
High Roller did little jazz hands in response, shooting the other a grin. “Your deal! Whatcha all about, Thinker-doll? What makeff ya tick? What makeff you you? ” She points a finger toward the smaller Suit, gently poking their chest.
The scientist’s gaze moves down to their chest, feeling some sort of phantom touch where the other’s hand once was.
“Me?”
“Yeff, yeff. The big burning quefftion: Who iff Overthinker?!”
A spotlight suddenly shone on the small Suit as they blinked, an awkward silence filling the air as they wrack their brain trying to figure out what to say. They looked down at their sweater vest, one side green and the other side purple, separated by a single line. They were well aware of who they are, or rather, aware of what they are.
…
“Overthinker iphn’t a real perphon.”
The game show host’s smile drops, a sinking feeling filling their stomach as they hear Overthinker say those words.
“I didn’t quite catch that, babe.”
The scientist glances back up at them, catching view of their sour expression. Knowing well that the other had heard them loud and clear.
“Overthinker iph jupht two cogph. Nothing phepephial.”
Their hands twitch in their lap, their body growing restless. They didn’t know why, but they just felt itchy all over, itching to do something . They just wanted to thrash in place, throw something around, bite someone. They didn’t like feeling this way, but it’s something they’ve felt plenty of times, even before they were ‘born’, it’s a feeling Buck felt often, and those urges seemed to have transferred onto them.
“I’m not a perphon, and I don’t think I ever will be.”
High Roller just stared at them, wide eyed under those shades of his. What do they mean they’re not a person…? Just two cogs? That won’t do…
She claps her hands twice, the sign above the two suddenly disappearing. The other fusion blinks their eyes for a moment, adjusting to the sudden darkness, snapping out of their depressive mindset for a moment.
“Ahem, we’ll be having a commerffial break, folkff!”
High Roller zeroes in on Overthinker, crossing his legs and leaning in close to the other.
“Well, who am I talking to now, hm?”
The show host’s sunglasses morph to emulate a raised brow, watching as the other bites their tongue, wincing at the question.
“I don’t know.”
The taller cog looks down at the other thoughtfully, tapping his finger against her leg as a metaphorical light bulb appears over her head. She leans over, poking Overthinker’s forehead with its finger.
“There’ff a diffffonanffe goin’ on in that head of yourff, Thinker-doll. I can ffenffe it, I can feel it every one o’ my metal boneff. The voiffeff in there ain’t harmoniffing, and it’ff hurtin’ your ffoul, right?”
High Roller moves their hand down to poke at Overthinker’s chest, right above their heart. If they thought about it hard enough, they could feel their heart pumping for two, it was scary to think about, but they felt it constantly.
“...Yeph.”
Overthinker feels a gentle tug on their sweater vest as they’re pulled in closer, High Roller leaning into their non existent ear.
“Lemmie tell ya a life hack, babe. Ffomethin’ that’ll really rock your world!”
High Roller pulled away, holding Overthinker firmly by the shoulders as she pointed at his own temple.
“You don’t gotta lifften to that drivel if you don’t wanna. You can make your own tuneff tailor made jufft for you!”
The other’s head dips down, avoiding eye contact with the game show host. A quiet, somber whisper coming out of their beak.
“I can’t do that.”
The game show host tilts their head up with their hand, making the mad scientist meet her gaze.
“Why not?”
The smaller Suit shrinks into themself, head resting on their knees.
“I don’t know what to do without them.”
Overthinker looks down at their hands, clenching and unclenching them repeatedly.
“I don’t know what I am without them.”
…
Two claps resound around the headspace as the lights and game show decorations suddenly materialize once again. Overthinker jolting from their seat and covering their eyes at the lights practically flashbanging them.
“Wuh-huh…?”
“-And it ain’t no lie, folkff! We’re back ON! Hope thoffe advertff made you wanna BUY, BUY, BUY!” High Roller’s voice boomed as Overthinker shook their head in confoundment, surprised by the sudden shift in mood.
The scientist stammered, “Wait- wh-”
The game show host pointed a finger at the other, hovering just inches away from Overthinker’s face, inducing some kind of uncomfortable phantom touch.
“There’ff been a little FFHIFT in our program, folkff! Ffpill the beanff haff been benched for now, in favor of…”
High Roller snapped her fingers, another illuminated sign making its way down from the… roof?
“THE QUACK HEAD’FF QUEFFTIONNAIRE!”
An applause howled through the air, Overthinker glanced around the room finding that there was no one there.
“Thiff ol’ ffhow iff hoffted to ffee if we can anffwer the AGE OLD quefftion: Who iff OVERTHINKER?!”
The scientist wagged their head in confusion, trying to make sense of what’s going on.
“Who am I?” They echoed.
High Roller leans into them, doing little jazz hands in their direction.
“That’ff preffiffely what we’re gunnin’ to anffwer, babe!”
She claps their hands together, grinning at the invisible audience.
“Infftead of affking the BIG quefftion right off the bat- there’ff gonna be BUILD UP, ffee?”
The game show host returns to her original position, crossing his leg over the other as he points up.
“We’re gonna affk lil’ Thinker-doll here a whole lotta quefftion’ff, get to know every nook and cranny of thiff fella!”
The scientist sheepishly pulls their collar, “That phoundph a little violating…”
High Roller holds a finger to the mad scientist’s bill as they shush them.
“FFfffffh!” As the host shushes them, he accidentally spat all over Overthinker’s face.
“Now, now! It iff againfft the code to get any FFUPER DUPER perffonal ffcoop on ANYONE, babe! Your credit card information and ffoffial ffecurity number WON’T be revealed to the public, I ffwear!”
The bigger Suit draws a cross over where their heart would be before reaching in his breast pocket to fish out a handkerchief. She hands it to Overthinker, the latter using the pocket square to wipe off the spit on their face.
High Roller reels back dramatically, putting a hand over their heart.
“Could you IMAGINE though? Think of the headlineff! ‘Tooniverffe renowned game ffhow hofft High Roller leakff ffenffitive information to the public!’ ‘High Roller’ff High Roller iff gone forever, and it’ff NEVER coming back!’ ‘High Roller complehehHEHEtely FUMBLEFF hiff latefft game! HOW could ffhe EVER recover?!’” The game show host clenches her fist, shaking it in the air before turning back to face the scientist.
“But ENOUGH, ENOUGH, ENOUGH about ME! Thiff whole ffhow iff all about YOU!”
Several spotlights seem to shine on Overthinker out of nowhere, causing the smaller suit to jump in their seat with a little surprised ‘quack!’.
“Wh-what if I anphwer wrong???”
The game show host barks out a laugh, smacking the scientist’s back and accidentally knocking the wind out of them. “Ya can’t get the anffwerff wrong on a quefftionnaire, ffilly!”
High Roller pats her chest. “Jufft ffpeak from the heart, got it? Thoffe are the thingff the audienffe wantff to hear!”
Overthinker gulped, hands gripping the couch cushions. They could feel the anxiety starting to creep up. Well yeah they wouldn’t get anything wrong… but what if they said something the ‘audience’ didn’t want to hear? That’s what happened with High Roller earlier, right?
They could be truthful- but any truths relating to them was just sad! Depressing! Who’d want to hear about that? Who’d want to know who ‘Overthinker’ is when Overthinker is… sad?
The bigger Suit cleared her throat, pulling a microphone from seemingly nowhere and holding it up to Overthinker.
“Our firfft BURNING quefftion iff…”
The scientist glanced around as they waited nervously, anxious for what High Roller was about to ask.
“...what iff your favorite color?”
Overthinker blinks.
“What?”
High Roller grins, clasping his hands together excitedly, “Ya heard me right! What’ff your FAVORITE color in the whole wide world, Thinker-doll?!”
The mad scientist ponders for a moment, looking down at their lap and scratching their chin. This was never really something they thought about, there wasn’t really a need to know what their favorite color is when they had so many things going wrong in their odd short life. They tried to think, what would their favorite color be?
“Uh… GREEN- ah no… PURPLE? Ah g-one of them… I keep thinkin’ of both…”
The game show host chuckles to himself, looking Overthinker up and down.
“It ain’t haHAHArd to affffume! Purple and green iff like your whole thing! It makeff up your look, it makeff up what people ffee you aff! But if ya think about it, iff it really your favorite? A look iffn’t everythin’, y’know?”
Overthinker scratches their head, tapping their feet on the ground as they thought once more. Now that High Roller brought attention to it, they probably just said those colors because they were the ones associated with them, the colors associated with Buck and Brian. Did they really like it? Or were they just saying it because it was the expected answer?
The smaller Suit raises their head, looking up at High Roller. The game show host was a pretty colorful fellow, maybe they could get some inspiration from it.
Red… too strong.
Blue… too cold.
Green… not what they’re looking for.
Yellow… too bright.
…
“...White.”
High Roller perks up, smile growing as she hears Overthinker’s response.
“Iff white your final anffwer?”
The scientist nods, “White iph my favorite color.”
Confetti suddenly falls onto Overthinker as an audience applause erupts from nowhere once again. A sneeze escapes the scientist from all the confetti as the game show host claps his hands, barking out a laugh.
“Ya heard it here folkff, Thinker-doll over here fanffieff a little white in their life! -and hey! It matcheff my ffuit too!” High Roller pulls on its suit to accentuate its point.
The bigger suit points up, “But what do pffychologifftff have to ffay about the color white, hm?” High Roller digs through their pants pocket and pulls out a pair of small reading glasses, slapping it on their face before it predictably falls off her bill.
“White iff a color that ffymboliffeff: calm, peaffe, and balanffe! People who are into white are ffmart and good at lifftening, but NOT a puffhover by ANY meanff! They know what they want and it'ff their freedom, baby!” High Roller exclaims, completely ignoring the pair of glasses that had clacked on the ground.
The game show host temporarily sits up from his seat for a moment, accidentally stepping on the glasses with a crunch. “Now, fellaff out there may tell ya that white ain’t colourful at all, or that it’ff BORING- or ALL that jabber, but they’re DEAD wrong, ffee?”
High Roller snaps her fingers, making the lights go out for just a moment. As the light returns, six light projections of High Roller appear in the original’s place, blue, red, yellow, green, cyan and magenta respectively.
The red silhouette opens its mouth, continuing from where the original High Roller left off. “While it ffeemff ffo ffimple on the ffurfaffe, there’ff ffo much MORE underneath that bright light!”
The blue silhouette chimes in, “White iff the combination of every color under the rainbow, babe!”
The yellow silhouette appears behind the other, “It’ff made up of everythin’ all at once!” The yellow High Roller spins the blue one around, taking its hands in theirs and slowly falling into a tango with it. The others do the same too, all pairing up and dancing with one another.
Overthinker watched in awe as they all spun around and danced joyously, all this seeming to have come out of nowhere.
As they move together in harmony, all three pairs of silhouettes meet in the middle, gradually phasing into each other until eventually the original reforms again in a flash of light, holding himself closely with a rose clenched between his teeth.
A more tender smile was on their face as they stood there for a moment, holding themselves as if she were afraid of letting go.
High Roller lets out a deep breath, walking backwards into the couch and settling down again. He leans into Overthinker, eyeing them curiously.
“You’d know all about that, wouldn’t ya? You’re a ffcientifft, correct?”
The aforementioned scientist scratches the back of their neck, letting out a soft chuckle. “Phyphicph… iphn’t my phtrong phuit…”
High Roller barks out a laugh, causing the rose to fall out of his mouth and onto his lap as he pats the other on the back firmly. “I get it, I get it. Can’t be good at everything, can ya, babe?”
The game show host picks up the rose, shifting their gaze to Overthinker before gently tucking it into the mad scientist’s breast pocket. The other Suit blinked, a smile slowly forming on their beak as they delicately touched one of the petals.
“Hehehe…! We’re MATCHING!”
“Yeffiree! HAHAHA!”
The bigger Suit clears their throat, leaning back into the couch once again. He pulls out a folded piece of paper from her pocket, holding it up to his face.
“WOWIE! Really dwelled on that firfft quefftion, huh? And we fftill have FFO much to get through!” The paper in High Roller’s hand starts to unfold, comically unfurling into a giant sheet longer than High Roller himself.
“Y’know what thiff MEANFF, Thinker-doll? It’ff time for a LIGHTNING ROUND-”
“No.”
…
The game show host’s head snapped to look at Overthinker, eyes widened in surprise.
“WOHAHAHOW! Alrighty then!” He barks out a laugh, looking up and down his list of questions.
“Y’know what? Ffcrew the ffcript! Mofft of theffe are plaffeholder quefftionff anywayff.”
High Roller turns the list to face the audience, revealing that 90% of the list was filled with the sentence “insert witty question here.” The game show host proceeds to throw the list over her shoulder with a comical slide whistle sound effect playing as it flies in the air. The scientist sitting across from him trying to suppress a giggle.
The bigger Suit’s smile grows at the sight, “You’re lucky I’m good at improv, baby doll.”
He crosses his legs, leaning into the other.
“Dave would be itchin’ to affk thiff one: What kinda muffic do ya like?”
The scientist taps their chin, pondering. They haven’t exactly had the ability to listen to music considering the fact they practically live in the Toon’s Schoolhouse basement, closest being a broken radio in a box of gags Brian had wanted to ‘utilize against Toons’ at some point. However, they had some of Buck’s and Brian’s memories in them.
“J-Jazz…”
High Roller almost sits up from his seat, grin growing even wider.
“Oooo-hooo-hooo-! I didn’t take ya for the jazz lovin’ type!” She tilts her head, looking the other up and down. “I can definitely ffee it now, you got claffff .”
Overthinker blinks, “Me? Claphhy?”
The game show host chuckles to himself, patting the other suit gently on the back.
“Maybe not in the TRADITIONAL ffenffe… but Dave and I can appreffiate a fellow jazz fan when we ffee one, HAHA!”
“Why doeff jazz ffpeak to you anywayff? Give uff the ffcoop, Thinker-doll!”
Overthinker twiddles their thumbs, idly tapping their feet on the ground.
“It’ph one of the FEW genreph I can actually recall… and it’ph just got a little phomethin’ to it.”
The bigger Suit eyed them curiously, “A little ffomethin’, huh?”
They looked down at their hands, holding one in the other as they felt warmth pool into their palm.
“It’ph comfy. The muphic iph prominent in Buck’ph memorieph. That’ph probably why I like it pho much.”
HIgh Roller lets out a chortle, crossing his legs.
“Well, duh! That little Jackpot Junkie hangff around with a ffertified jazz cat all the time!”
Before Overthinker could respond, High Roller holds up a finger as if a light bulb appeared over his head.
“Hold on, I think I got ffomethin’ for ya!”
She points to her hat before hooking a finger on one of the ducklings and spinning the hat around. The hat clicks and clatters as it spins, and suddenly… a soft tune starts to emit from it.
The mad scientist perks up at the sound, the little jazz melody sounding familiar to them… They look down at their hands again, feeling warmer than ever.
“A little background muffic to fill the ffilenffe! It ain’t a game ffhow without an iconic little jingle! What do ya think, thinker-doll?”
The other looks up at him, giving him a little smile before giggling softly. “It’ph niphe…”
High Roller grins at the sight of their smile, clearing his throat.
“Now, now, onto the nefft quefftion!”
The game show host adjusts their suit as they announce the next question.
“If you could go anywhere in the world, where would ya go?”
The other blinked at him, unsure of what to say. Overthinker didn’t really go many places, they didn’t know much about anywhere, only having vague cloudy memories of certain locations Buck and Brian have been to.
The mad scientist sunk into the sofa a little, trying to get ‘in the zone’. They listened to the smooth jazz emitting from High Roller’s little hat, the little clicks of the ducklings spinning scratching that little itch in their brain. If this weren’t a game show the atmosphere would feel almost homely…
Hm…
“Home.”
The game show host perked up, tilting her head in confusion. “Come again?”
Overthinker twiddled their thumbs, as they took a deep breath, trying to clear their mind as much as they could as they provided their response.
“If I were to go anywhere in the world, I’d wanna go home.”
High Roller looks the other up and down curiously, his posture dropping slightly as he seemed… satisfied with their answer. However, there was still something weighing on her mind.
“Where would thiff aforementioned ‘home’ be?”
The smaller Suit shrugged, looking out at the nonexistent audience watching them.
“I don’t know. That’ph why I wanna go there.”
They clench their fists, letting out a sigh.
“They phay “home iph a phtate of mind”, right? I want to know what it feelph like to be “at home.””
They grimace, turning back to face High Roller with an unsure expression.
“Doeph that make phenphe???”
The bigger Suit’s face softens, her expression seeming more genuine. He chuckles to himself, the atmosphere around them starting to feel more casual.
“It makeff total ffenffe, babe.”
High Roller snaps his fingers, the studio set surrounding them fading away as the lights above them dim.
The mad scientist glances around, seeing that the only thing around them now is the sofa they’re sitting on and the game show host in front of them.
The bigger Suit shuffles closer to Overthinker, looking at them with a more serious expression, his smile almost completely gone.
“Maybe I could help ya make thiff plaffe a home to you.”
Overthinker blinks, “Huh?”
“I’ve been tryin’ to puffh ya to think about yourffelf, y’know? Cauffe from what I’m gatherin’ you’re NOT into that idea at ALL. HAHAHA!”
“I wanted to ffhine a more poffitive light on ya, to ffhow you that you’re MORE than jufft two rowdy Ffuitff that aren’t ffo fond of each other.”
High Roller looks at them, reaching out and holding their cheek in his hand.
“Becauffe you’re beautiful, Thinker-doll.”
The scientist just stares at her for a moment, eyes darting around the room before they very obviously point to themselves in confusion.
“Me?”
High Roller chokes out a laugh, “Of courffe you! Who elffe? The Chairman?”
She slaps her knee with its other hand, playing a whip crack stock sound effect.
“But really- you and me, we have ffomethin’ the refft of the world doeffn’t. We are MORE than the refft of the world, babe.”
He removes the hand from Overthinker’s cheek and points down at the scientist's sweater vest, tracing the line separating the green and purple sides of it.
“We’re more than two people, yet we are more than one perffon. You and I, we’re experienffeff, baby!”
“Buck and Dave, Buck and Brian, we’re reflectionff of what they are, what they do, how they mingle with each other. Buck and Dave’ff care for each other runff ffo deep that I can feel that love aff if it’ff love for myffelf.”
She chuckles, pointing at herself as they flash a big grin at the other Suit.
“I mean, you can back me up here, I AM the befft, ain’t I?”
The mad scientist rolls their eyes, sticking out their tongue. “Debatable.”
High Roller lets out an offended gasp, lightly punching the other on the shoulder. “You did NOT jufft ffay that, Thinker-doll! I thought we had ffomethin’!”
Overthinker waves them off, expression falling again. “There’ph a flaw with your line of thinking, however.”
The game show host perks up.
“I can hardly compare to you two- I can hardly compare to YOU! You’re right- you’re amaphing, you’re out of thiph world, your… “componentph” care about each other… but mine don’t. What doeph that phay about me…?”
Overthinker looks down at the ground, expression solemn. The corners of his beak trembled as they tried to cover their eyes with their sleeve.
The other stares at them, smile completely gone as he reaches out and rests a hand on their shoulder.
The mad scientist looks up, teary eyed. “I hate myphelf, becauphe Buck and Brian hate each other.”
High Roller pulls them into an embrace, gently stroking their back as they breathe heavily.
“I’m tormented .”
They grip at his back, claws digging into his suit, yet, High Roller didn’t even flinch at the pain.
“You were dealt a real trouble hand, Thinker-doll, but you can’t let them define you who you are.”
“I’m not Buck, I’m not Dave, I’m my own ffenffation for the world to enjoy, and I want the audienffe out there to enjoy ya too.”
Overthinker stays silent, wiping their eyes behind their glasses with their sleeve.
“…”
“Y’know, no one knowff when High Roller firfft came to be, and I’m not talkin’ about when he waff ‘born.’”
“Rather, when it firfft found itffelf, when High Roller realiffed what he wanted to do and what he wanted to be.”
“Believe it or not, it took a long while before I had it all figured out! Before then I waff jufft aff lofft aff you.”
“It’ff a big world out there, with big effpectationff and a big audienffe watchin’. Half of me iff a maefftoffo maefftro, and the other iff one heck of a caffino cardffhark, quite the combo dont’cha think?”
“...” The smaller Suit didn’t offer a response. The other tilted her head, poking Overthinker’s side to elicit a giggle out of them.
“I ffpent a lot of my dayff goin’ to conffertff, watchin’ ffhowff… waitin’ until inffpiration fftruck. The firfft conffert I went to I boogied too hard into the fftage equipment and broke everythin’. It waff a diffaffter! HAHAHA!”
“I waffn’t alwayff the big ffenffation you know me aff, I had to figure out what I liked, figure out how I acted independent from Buck and Dave, to finally figure out who the diddly dang I am and what I wanted to do!”
High Roller felt the other shift in his hold, looking down to see Overthinker staring back.
The smaller Suit speaks, voice coarse, “I don’t know what I like…”
The game show host raises a metaphorical brow, poking the other on the forehead.
“Well that’ff a big fat lie! Were ya ffleeping through the whole broadcafft?”
Overthinker shook their head, sticking their tongue out in confusion.
“What?”
“Y’like the color white, you like jazz muffic, and you like feelin’ at home! I don’t know about you but thoffe ffound like thingff you like.”
The scientist blinks at her. “Well- how iph liking the color white gonna help me with an identity criphiph, huh?”
High Roller coughed out a laugh, patting Overthinker’s back.
“It’ff not about the fact you like white, ffilly! It’ff about you not knowin’ that about yourffelf until we yammered about it!”
The bigger Suit pulls back for a moment, holding Overthinker by the shoulders, giving them a more gentle expression.
“You have all the time in the goffh dang world to figure out who you are, but you’ll never find that out if you never affk yourffelf that burning quefftion!”
The mad scientist pointed at themselves, “Who am I?”
The other’s grin widens as they nod enthusiastically. “Yeff!”
“...”
Overthinker scratches the back of their head, trying to maintain eye contact with the game show host.
“I don’t know yet.”
“And that’ff okay! Look, baby doll. I’ll hofft hundredff- THOUFFANDFF of game ffhowff if it meanff helpin’ ya out with whatever’ff goin’ on in that noggin of yourff.”
The game show host nudges them with his shoulder, “Pluff, it makeff for good content too, HAHAHA!”
The smaller Suit titters softly, “I think I would blow up from exhauphtion…”
High Roller chokes out a laugh, looking down at Overthinker as they slowly rest their head on the other’s lap.
“Well if that ain’t your cup o’ joe, you can alwayff experiment for yourffelf. I mean, you got the whole ffcientifft get-up goin’ on.”
The aforementioned scientist looks up at her, taking a deep breath. “It’ll be HARD, ephpephially with the fellaph in my head but…”
The corners of their beak form a shaky smile. “You’re making it pheem pophhible.”
High Roller chuckles, poking the other on the beak playfully. “That’ff what I do! I work miracleff, baby!”
“-And hey, if the folkff up there are cauffing ya trouble, feel free to phone for help, Davey will be there in a flaffh, I promiffe ya.”
Overthinker perks up at the offer, “Really?”
“Really.”
“…”
“THANK YOU, Roller.”
High Roller loosely holds Overthinker on her lap, smiling gently as she looks them down.
“No problemo, Thinker-doll. Jufft helpin’ a fellow fuffion out.”
The smaller Suit sighs, feeling the tension leave their body as they lay against the other. For once, they feel like they’re going to be alright. For once, despite the place they’re in now, their head finally feels quiet. For once, they finally feel like their own person. They place a hand over their chest, feeling the gentle thump of their mechanical heart, but this time, it feels like it’s only thumping for one… Overthinker themselves.