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Dave paces around his kitchen back and forth, the sound of his cymbal hat echoing rhythmically around the room.
Tsst…
Tssst…
Tsssst….
The musician glances back at the cookbook propped up on the counter, page open, showing off a rather simple recipe.
He strides over to the booklet, turning the pages as he impatiently taps his foot against the ground.
No good, no good. There was nothing here that he was really willing to do, what’s simple and cheap for him to make for two people? Think Brubot, think…
He hits his fist against his open palm as an idea rings through his head, flipping the cookbook to an appropriate page.
“Oh ho ho… I’ve got it, baby.”
…
Knock!
Knock!
Knock!
A delicate knock reverberates from the door as a certain old timer waits outside, idly twirling her phone cord around her finger as she counts the seconds down. Any moment now.
A soft click is heard as the door is slowly swung open, the sudden smell of smoke becoming apparent.
The Mouthpiece blinks as she looks up to see none other than the Major Player, leaning against the wall, grinning as if there wasn’t a visible fire behind him.
“Hey, granny! You didn’t tell good ol’ Bru you were visiting.”
Belle looks at him with a completely horrified look as she tilts her head to get a better view of the fire. She shakes her head staring at Dave as she gestures behind him.
“I was just checking if you were doing well after the little incident with Ruffler, but turning to arson isn’t a healthy way to cope, mister!”
The musician lets out a nervous cough before waving his hands, giving Belle a flustered expression.
“Look, ma, I can explain-”
The telephone woman bolts past him, lightly pushing him out of the way as she scrambles to find a fire extinguisher.
“At least take a page from Bonpyre’s book and do something productive with your arson! Like clearing out the land so more facilities can be erected…”
She glances around the room, her brows furrowed as she pauses for a moment.
“Brubot- does your house even have a fire extinguisher?”
Dave chokes out a laugh, waving her off.
“Pfft… Oh, that little thing? I threw it out cause it wasn’t matchin’ the home’s vibe, y’know? It was throwin’ off the whole game.”
Belle shakes her head as she sputters, the little telephone on her head ringing off its handle.
“You what?! Dear, what if your house was on fire? Like it’s about to be now?”
The Major Player glances at the stove, watching as a big plume of fire burns away from the pot resting upon it.
“Hold on, ma, I’ve got it.”
The musician nonchalantly walks toward the stove, gripping the handles of the burning pot as he very tenderly places it in the sink, before drowning out the fire by turning on the tap.
The sound of flowing water fills the room as Belle blankly stares at the taller Suit. Pinching her forehead in frustration. Dave awkwardly closes the tap, giving Belle the floor to speak.
“Care to explain what all of that was about, sweetie?”
“C’mon, granny, you were actin’ as if the whole house were ablaze. I know I’m hot but I ain’t hot like that. See, I was just tryin’ to cook up a little somethin’ for Bucky-boo and yours truly.”
Dave’s gaze shifts down to the pot in the sink, clenching his teeth as a subtle putrid smell was picked up by his sensors. He reaches over and turns the tap off, sighing quietly.
“-Though, it didn't really go as rehearsed.”
The old timer’s expression softened, seeing Dave be down was an unusual sight to say the least. She slowly ambled over to the kitchen counter, picking up the cookbook the musician had been using earlier.
She flicked through a couple pages, glancing up at Dave, a crackle coming out of her speakers as she prepared to speak before the other beat her to it.
“The little birdie up there’s been clingin’ to the bed for a while now, he had just been brought to me last night so I can look after his little hind. I thought cookin’ up some soup would do him a little good, y’know how it is, you make someone soup if they ain’t feelin’ so hot-”
Belle quirks a brow, “This fiery disaster was over a pot of soup? How did you even set soup on fire?!”
The Major Player’s face flushes as he scratches the back of his head in embarrassment, shoulders tensing up a little. “Look, ma, I’m a newbie, got that?”
The Mouthpiece looks up at him in surprise, before raising a hand to stifle her laughter.
“My word, and here I thought you’d be a good house husband for Ruffler.”
“Hah! Me? Not in a million years, granny. I was built for the big stage out there.”
She smiles softly before turning her attention back to the cookbook, turning the pages. “I suppose you’re right…”
The old woman taps a certain page with her finger, “This here… Tomato bolt soup?”
Dave perks up, snapping his fingers as he points a finger gun at her. “Right on the money, baby!”
Belle skims through the page, reading each ingredient and instruction.
“It’s an easy recipe, dear. I’m sure you’ll get it done in no time.”
“Easy for you to say but it simply ain’t for me, babe. C’mon, are ya readin’ this?”
He swiftly swipes the cookbook from the old timer’s hands, gazing down at the text in front of him.
“Melt two teaspoons of butter, add half a teaspoon of nuts and bolts, add chopped tomatoes, mix well… There's no rhythm, no rhyme! No groove in these moves! No flow til’ ya know, y’know?”
The Mouthpiece stares at him, blinking slowly before she reels back in laughter.
“Is that what all the fuss is about, Brubot? Dear, they’re instructions, not song lyrics!”
Dave flushes a little in embarrassment before crossing his arms, pouting as an angry bout of steam escapes the corners of his mouth. “If I can’t tango, it’s a no-go, baby!”
Belle reaches over and pats him on the shoulder reassuringly, shooting him a soft smile. “Well, you know what you always say dear, “It takes two to tango!” I’ll help you with preparing if that’s alright.”
The Major Player pout immediately fades as it’s replaced with a bright grin, he happily taps his feet on the ground before trotting over the Belle with a pep in his step.
“I could use an extra pair of hands in the kitchen, babe!” Dave reaches over and takes Belle’s hands in his, squeezing them gently before stepping back and pulling her toward him with a light stumble.
“Oh-!”
“You wanna tango, babe? Let’s tango-ago-go~!” He swings the old woman around, watching her fumble about as she eventually finds balance. She shakes her head, her rotary dial eyes spinning and clattering before zeroing in on the musician.
“You’re such a little trouble maker, young man!” She scolds him, huffing in disapproval before that faux anger fades, a small smile creeping onto her receiver.
“I ain’t little, granny!” He laughs, his voice loud and obnoxious, a sound Belle had grown to love. The musician looks over to the pot in the sink, letting go of the old timer’s hands right before clapping his own together.
“Alright, ma. Let’s cook up a little bit of culinary chaos, shall we?” He rubbed his hands together, his shades shining mischievously in the light.
“Now, now, we don’t want to make another mess, now do we? How about you start with cleaning out that pot and I’ll prepare some of the ingredients. Does that sound good, dear?”
“Sounds like a plan! Let’s g-g-get goin’!”
The musician meanders over to the sink, running the water once again to rinse out the remains of his past failure. He watches the water become stained black as it infuses itself with the soot and crude oil at the bottom of the pot.
As he washes out the pot he can ever so slightly hear Belle hum softly to herself, her voice sounding crackly and crunchy due to her dated voicebox. He chuckles softly as he taps his foot along to the telephone lady’s quiet tune.
The sound of a knife hitting the cutting board soon joins the canopy of melodies, the old timer slowly falling into a rhythm as she slices the ingredients one by one. An odd song drifted through the room as the two were at work.
The Major Player fills the cooking pot with clean water, ambling toward the stove to set the full pot atop of it. He shoots a glance toward Belle, watching as she seems completely entranced.
“Medium-low heat, yeah?”
The old timer perked up, nodding slowly. “Yes, dear. Don’t turn it up too high or else we’ll have another inferno in our hands.”
Dave reaches over and carefully turns the dial on the stove, a fire creeps its way under the pot, almost as if it were holding it in a gentle embrace.
“How’s that, ma?”
“Just perfect, dear!” Belle beams at him before glancing back at the cookbook beside her.
“Go get the crude oil sweetie, I will tell you how to handle it in a moment…”
The musician gives her a thumbs up, before reaching over for a can of crude oil on the counter. He lightly tosses it around in his hands before setting it next to the Mouthpiece.
She looks over at the can, speaking up. “Great, now, listen very carefully, dear.”
She hands the can of oil back to Dave, motioning toward the pot.
“You see, crude oil is an essential ingredient in a lot of meals, it’s what makes Suit cuisine unique to us! However, handling oil recklessly can lead to disaster, so you want to be cautious when pouring the oil into the pot.”
Dave’s shades widen like eyes in realization, letting out a little ‘ooooh…’ and snapping his fingers as he connects the dots in his head. “So the belly stuff I was makin’ before set ablaze because of the crude oil, yeah?”
She smiles, Dave seemed to be actually learning! “Yes, that’s exactly right. Now, try to pour the oil into the pot again, I’ll be here if you need help.”
The musician tilts his head as he very carefully pours the can of crude oil into the middle of the pot, making sure there’s no spills or splashes as he does so. He watches as the oil sinks to the bottom of the pot, looking on as the can eventually empties itself.
Belle claps, patting Dave on the shoulder as he’s done. “Perfect!” She points to the oil as it had completely sunk to the bottom. “See how the oil clings to the bottom of the pot? You would think oil normally floats on water, correct?”
The musician chuckles, elbowing Belle gently as he does so. “I mean, have you seen the state of the Offshorin’ & Drillin’ District?”
The Mouthpiece muffles a laugh, holding her hand to her receiver. “My, Anna would be very upset at that, dear.” She clears her throat, getting back on topic. “You see, oil normally floats atop water because it is more dense than it, however, since the water is now at its boiling point, it has a change in density, making the oil sink to the bottom instead.”
Dave laughs softly, looking over at Belle smugly. “Oh, we gotta smart cookie here, we do, we do. Givin’ the little Boastful Brainiac down there a run for his money, huh? Those years of experience are really shinin’ through, aren’t they, granny?”
The telephone lady giggles, waving the other Suit off. “Oh, no, no, no, not really. My granddaughter used to tell me about all of the wonderful things she had learned in science class. She’s such a clever girl, I love letting people know how smart she is.”
The bigger Suit smiles as she reminisces, watching as she slides the cutting board over to him, a few tomatoes resting on the surface of it. “Be a dear and slice those tomatoes while I put the other ingredients into the pot.”
The Major Player chuckles, giving her a small salute, “Right on it, baby!”
Dave slowly gets to chopping those tomatoes into small chunks as the other works on pouring all the ingredients into the pot, melting the butter, adding chopped onions and adding fresh nuts and bolts into the mix.
The old timer reaches down into a cupboard to pull out a salt shaker and a blender jar, placing it on the counter.
“And a one- and a two- and a skiddly-diddly-doo! It’s all done, babe.” He bounces happily in place as he scats, raising the chopping board to the pot and sliding the tomatoes in.
“Wonderful! Add a hearty pinch of salt, mix it well and let it simmer for around ten minutes.” The other does just that, putting the cover over the pot as glances behind him, seeing that Belle had made herself comfortable sitting down at their coffee table.
The musician trotted over to where she sat, planting himself on the chair right next to her. Belle looks over at him for a moment, shooting him a smile before looking onward, analyzing the space she was in.
“You know, your house is rather pleasant. Minus the lack of fire extinguisher, it is quite cozy.” She holds a hand up to her receiver, stifling another giggle.
The Major Player massages his forehead for a moment, sighing wistfully. “Ooooh, you are not gonna let me live that down, are ya, granny?”
The telephone lady laughs more openly now, twiddling her thumbs as she converses with the other. “Well, I just find the whole scenario ridiculous. It wouldn’t be nice if such a nice home went up in smoke.”
A smirk appears on the taller Suit’s face as he leans over to elbow the older woman gently. “Have faith in me, ma! Besides, with you leadin’ the show, I’m sure somethin’ like that would never happen under those watchful eyes.”
“Oh, dearie, of course I have faith in you! You know, you performed quite well not so long ago, you just need a little guidance and it all just comes to you.”
Dave leans back on his chair with a subtle creak, resting his head on his hands. “You’ve got that right, somethin’ about havin’ you here’s really makin’ me see the bigger picture. Before you moseyed on into here, I spent more time spinnin’ a tomato on my finger than actually cuttin’ it.”
“Hoo, hoo! I can imagine it now. You didn’t struggle when you were working with me, though. I remember my granddaughter Cassie was so afraid of using knives and sharp objects in general, she would always ask me for help whenever we were cooking together. But you did it so effortlessly when you were-” She snaps her fingers, “-in the zone, as you young ones say.”
Belle rests her hands in her lap, continuing her spiel. “You may just need someone to accompany you so you’re not floundering about. Having someone help you can really keep your attention in check. Maybe when Buck gets healthier, he could help you in the future, dear.”
The musician taps his chin, a little ‘hmmm’ droning out of his voice box before a smirk slowly forms on his face. “Now you’re talkin’, doin’ anythin’ with Buck is a recipe for connivin’ chaos, haha!”
The Mouthpiece blinks, “On second thought, maybe I should accompany you too, just in case.”
Dave chortles, patting his knee as he laughs. “No need to babysit us, babe! It’ll be all gravy.”
She fiddles with her hands as she lets out a soft laugh, looking over at Dave once again with a soft smile. “You know, at times, it really feels like you’re part of my family.”
The Major Player stiffens, did he hear that right?
“You share a lot of traits with my spouse. Of course, you are very different people, but a lot of the silly things you do remind me of when we were younger.” The old timer looks down at her lap fondly, fiddling with the gold ring on her finger. “You both have such a passion for music, you’re both so kind, and humorous, and… loud . Sometimes it feels like they’re here when I’m with you.”
The musician listens intently, going uncharacteristically silent as he lets Belle’s voice fill the room.
“I would be really proud to call you my grandson, dear.”
It feels as if time stopped right then and there, the air growing cold as he sits and stares at the older woman. It almost felt like everything around him had started to blur. Dave was… never particularly close with his family, in fact, he hasn’t seen his family in… who knows how long? Years by now. He’s gone his own separate way, reinvented himself, crafted a new unique identity vastly different from the little pushover his parents once knew. They probably wouldn’t recognise him if he ran into them to be completely honest.
To hear that from Belle just felt so… so… odd. He doesn’t remember the last time he felt like he was part of a family, in retrospect, he doesn’t know if he really felt like he’s been part of a family at all in any point of his life. At first, he felt cold, so, so cold. As if ice had been creeping up between his metal bones, nestling its way inside. But then, after thinking about it, he started to feel warm. A warmth that stretched from Belle’s hand on his all the way to the rest of his body– since when was Belle holding his hand? It didn’t matter.
He clears the knot in his throat, looking back up at his grandmother. “Thank you, granny. That… means a lot to hear from a lady like you.”
Belle squeezes his hand gently, feeling warm and cozy. “You’re welcome, son.”
They sit in comfortable silence for a moment, taking in their surroundings, taking in each other. The telephone lady rubs her thumb along the back of Dave’s hand, making him sigh softly. The atmosphere grows warmer as the smell of something delectable wafts through the air… almost like soup.
Soup…
Soup!
Oh right, the soup!
The two of them spring up from their seats in sync, looking over at each other before making their way back to the kitchen stove.
Dave takes the lid and carefully lifts it over the pot, looking back at the mixture.
“Lookin’ good, babe.”
The old timer reaches over and stirs the pot briefly, taking in the scent. She smiles and nods, sliding over the little blender jar to Dave.
“Just a few more touches and it’ll be ready for Ruffler, dear.”
…
…
The Duck Shuffler tossed and turned in bed, eventually opening his blurry slots. His eyes spinning wildly, making his head grow dizzy as he lands on a bust… fooey.
Buck rubbed his eyes, letting out a long bit crushed yawn. He stretched himself out, bones and mechanisms cracking and clicking as he did so. Since when did his joints ache so much? The discomfort was unimaginable. He let out a glitchy groan, melting into bed once again.
A bed that… wasn’t his.
He sprung up again with a comical ‘boing!’ as he looked left and right, analyzing the area. He glided his hands through the bedding he was laying upon. This room… seemed familiar, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. It was as if it were on the tip of his tongue but there was just one little thing missing.
He couldn’t remember the last thing he did, he couldn’t remember what he had done last night… or the night before… or the night before that? Geez, how much did he drink? If he drank at all, that is. Waking up in someone else's bed had just reminded him of all the times he had gotten absolutely hammered at the casino, not the best habit to have, but at least he has friends who care enough about him to give him a place to rest.
He scratched the top of his head, now processing that his head was pounding painfully. Maybe he was just having a horrible hangover after all. He considers shuffling out of bed before a certain noise broke through the air.
Knock!
Knock!
Knock!
Buck blinked before he started to smell something really tasty… He could almost feel himself comically float over to the scent right before someone had decided to open the bedroom door.
“Hello? Is it alright to come in, dear?”
The Duck Shuffler stared at the person standing by the door, she seemed… vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t put his finger on it, it was definitely someone who worked at C.O.G.S like him, but he couldn’t tell who.
“Thaith.” The gambler nodded, tilting his head to see the woman holding a bowl. That’s where the smell was coming from…
She shot him a confused look for a moment before replacing it with a soft smile. “I’ll take that as a yes. Brubot, sweetie, are you alright?”
Brubot… that was a name he recognized! He couldn’t exactly visualize what he looked like but the name alone brought him a little bit of warmth in his core.
The older woman looked behind her, staring down the stairs as she awaited the other.
“Brubot, dear. You’ve been standing at the bottom of the stairs for a while now, is everything okay?”
Buck lets out a little befuddled quack, looking at the familiar woman expectantly.
“Th- thaith?” He asked, eyeing the bowl as if it were the thing he wanted most in the world, which, at the moment, it was. He couldn’t exactly think straight, and his body was telling him that he was absolutely starving.
A muffled ‘I’m spick and span, babe! No worries.’ could be heard from down the stairs as the old woman sighed and zeroed back in on the gambler. Something about that muffled voice was familiar too, it was smooth, but it sounded oddly… shaky, almost afraid. That’s not how he remembered it, that’s for sure.
“Brubot will be here in a moment, dear. We made something for you to eat while you were asleep.” She approached the bed, holding the bowl where he laid. He reached out, carefully taking the bowl in his hands. The warmth immediately spread to his hands, making the gambler sigh in satisfaction.
“Careful, sweetie, make sure to hold on tight. We don’t want a mess on our hands now do we?”
“Thaaaith.” He agrees, looking up at the old telephone lady. She seemed very nice and acted as if she wanted to help him, so it was probably safe to assume that she was safe.
The woman looked up at him, giving him that odd expression again. He looks down, catching view of one of his arms. An entire panel of it was removed, exposing a bit of wiring inside. Last time he checked that wasn’t very normal, no wonder granny is eyeing him like that.
“I’m not late to the party, am I?”
A much larger Suit peeks through the door, the other giving him a gentle wave.
Buck’s heart stops as he catches a glimpse of the Suit standing by the doorway. He feels the air grow cold as it feels almost as if the environment around him was blurring, leaving only him in view. The gambler’s breathing picks up as he quietly growls, pressing his back against the backboard of the bed in an attempt to get as far away as possible.
“Th- Thaith thaith- ththaith thaith thaith t-thaith! Thaith THAITH!” He keeps repeating the same words, curling into himself as he can faintly hear panicked chattering about.
“W-what’s the matter, dear? Is everything alright?”
He tilts his head up at the voice, seeing that the larger Suit is now closer, reaching out for him. He hisses and snaps his bill at his hand, just inches away from biting him. The sudden motion almost makes the bowl of soup fall onto the ground if it weren’t for the telephone lady swooping in to catch it.
She places it on the bedside table before staring at Buck in concern as he trembles in place. His heart felt as if it were going to shake and combust, every part of his body started to ache. He ran a hand across his slots, tracing a big crack that had spanned across his whole face. How had he not noticed that before? How beaten up was he? What happened to him?
He started to remember, remember terrible things, it all started to come back to him. That basement, that repair… that… that…
The larger Suit glanced nervously around the room before taking a few steps back, looking down at the gambler with immense guilt.
“I-I t-think I should p-pop out, j-just a smidge...”
The old woman turned toward him, calling out to him as he was about to leave. “Brubot, wait!”
It was too late however, as she reached out to him, he was already out of the door, at least making sure not to slam it shut.
The telephone lady felt herself shrink as she heard the click of that door.
“...”
She stared at the door solemnly before turning back to see the gambler curled up on the bed, shaking like a sad wet puppy.
The old timer moved in closer to Buck’s trembling form, debating reaching out before remembering what had happened to Brubot. Touching him couldn’t be the best course of action right now. He seemed too jittery and reactive, as if he were on some kind of survival mode.
“Sweetie?”
The Duck Shuffler slowly peeks out of his little curled up state at the voice, looking up at the old woman. Her expression softens, giving him a little wave.
“Hello there, dear… I’m sorry for the scare.” She spoke softly, trying to be as friendly and non threatening as possible.
He sat there, unmoving, staring at her as if watching for any sudden movements. His behaviors almost felt animalistic in a way… suppose that was fitting.
The older Suit shifted her gaze back at the bedside table, seeing the bowl of soup from earlier resting upon it, still warm. Though, this wasn’t the best time to get Buck to eat his food. However, she did spy something next to it, a milky yellow candle. Upon closer inspection it was a pineapple scented. She turned it in her hand and saw a tag attached to the back that had “To: Buckaroo, From: Dave Brubot” written on it.
The telephone lady glances back over at Buck again, her eyes making contact with his, it was almost as if he didn’t want her out of his sight.
She held the candle up to the gambler, trying to keep a safe distance away from him just in case he decided to act up.
“Maybe smelling something nice would calm you down a bit, dear.” She tries to give him a warm smile, attempting to be as approachable as she could possibly be.
The Duck Shuffler eyes the candle suspiciously for a moment before swiping it out of her hands, holding it under his beak. He takes a whiff, letting out a hefty exhale as the smell of fresh (but technically artificial) pineapples fills his head. It was a familiar smell, a smell he really enjoyed. He used to put on pineapple cologne whenever he wanted to feel fancy, at first it was a joke, one of Buck’s favorite kinds of poker was Pineapple Hold’em, but he soon grew very attached to the scent, to the point where it was almost comforting in a way.
He looked up at the other Suit, the world starting to grow more clear around him.
“No need to worry dear, it’s just Belle. Just a harmless old timer.”
She shows him his hands, empty as they could ever be. The gambler thinks about it again, ‘Belle’, that name was really familiar too. Who she is was starting to become more clear, he could tell for a fact that this woman was safe, he just had a hunch, his instincts never failed him before.
“Thaaaith thaith.”
He looks down at the candle in his hands as Belle tilts her head in confuddlement. He raises the candle to his mouth as if he were going to bite into an apple.
The elderly woman shakes her head, her phone ringing off the handle as she quickly confiscates the inedible candle from him. “That’s not very safe, young man! How about you eat something more edible instead?”
The Duck Shuffler rolls his eyes before blinking at her curiously, watching as she brings over the bowl of soup to him from the bedside table. It’s not as warm as it was before but there was a little bit of heat still lingering on the bowl.
He keeps the bowl secure in his lap, noticing the slight tremble in his fingers. His nerves were more calm now so he wasn’t exactly sure why his hands couldn’t stop shaking. The gambler tilts his head back up to Belle, who seemed to be eyeing him closely, looking for any signs of discomfort.
The bed squeaked a little as the telephone lady made her way on the mattress, sitting opposite to the Duck Shuffler. She took the spoon from the bowl, carefully scooping up a bit of soup before raising it to Buck’s maw.
“You’re hungry, yes? You should eat right up, dear.” She spoke softly, looking down at Buck with a gentle expression.
He hesitantly moved forward, taking the spoon in his mouth as he couldn’t resist the growing hole in his stomach. He had no idea how long he had gone without eating, he was absolutely starving.
As he swallowed down the soup his slot eyes spun in delight. It tasted really, really, good. He licked his beak, desperate for another taste as the older cog giggled at the sight.
“Thaith? Thaith? Thaith?!” He seemingly begged for more, his slot eyes landing on big sparkly circles vaguely resembling cartoonish pleading eyes.
Belle smiled, trying to stifle a giggle as she took another scoop from the bowl and raising it toward him again. “There’s more where that came from.”
Slowly but surely, Belle would continue to feed him until the bowl gradually became empty. Buck bobbed up and down in place before tilting his head to realize there was no more soup left in the bowl. He pouted, blowing a sad little raspberry.
The Mouthpiece laughed softly at the mildly pathetic display, taking the bowl in her hands. “Look, I could get more if you really wanted me to- ooh!” Buck leant forward directly into Belle’s face, staring her down at the mere mention of more.
Her laughing grew louder as she gently pushed the gambler away. “Now, now. I want to check on how Brubot is doing first. I’m… rather worried about him.” Her expression soon soured as the other Suit looked at her in confusion.
“Thaith?”
She looks at the other solemnly, sighing. “I know you were scared, but you’re worried about him too, aren’t you? Surely you have to remember him, right?”
Buck grimaced, making an odd groaning noise in response. To be honest, it was difficult to tell if he was fully comprehending what was being said to him.
“You know, Brubot came up with the idea of making something home made for you to eat. He tries his very best for you, and he really cares about you, sweetheart.”
The gambler looks over at the bedside table, taking the candle from before again and fiddling with it in his hands. His eyes spun slowly as if he were deep in thought, his head clicking every so often when a new image graced his slots.
“I hope the tension between you calms down when you two get to talk again, which I feel will be very soon.”
She sits up from the bed, looking over at the bedroom door.
“I will be checking on him, please behave while I’m gone, dear.”
The Mouthpiece takes a step forward before she feels something take her hand, squeezing it gently. She lets out a quiet ‘hm?’ before seeing that Buck had reached out to her.
“Is something the matter?”
Belle looked down at the hand Buck was grasping before he let go. She felt something new now in her palm. Tilting her head down to see the tag from Buck’s pineapple scented candle. Presenting both his and Dave’s names.
She directed her gaze back at Buck, reeling back in surprise when it had appeared he had gone out cold right then and there, comically so. Snoozing away in a really uncomfortable looking position, the way he was placed on the bed was reminiscent of somebody who had fallen off a five story building.
She stared at the Duck Shuffler fondly as took the blankets in her hands and tucked the little gambler delicately in bed. Pressing her receiver to his head in a sweet little kiss.
“Goodnight, dear.”
…
…
The Major Player stood by the balcony, looking on at the city around him. Smoke filled the air as he took another drag of his cigar, eyes locked in front of him.
Suitopia was much more different than what Toons would imagine it to be. It’s not as gray and drab as many Toons would think, quite the contrary, it was littered with adverts and lights as far as the eye could see. But Toons were right about one thing, and it’s that Suits were boring, or, well… They are becoming more boring nowadays.
Ever since the Toon vs. Cogs war, it seemed that the city was slowly getting the color sucked out of it. Nobody really noticed, but Dave noticed. He always noticed so many tiny finite details, and it bothered him, it bothered him all the time.
Slowly but surely, Suitopia would become what Toons would see it as, just another boring mess. Dave didn’t want that, he thought that by joining C.O.G.S he could bring a little color into the corporate business, and heck, why not string along a buddy too? But right now, he was starting to really regret that decision.
“You know, dear. Smoking kills.”
The musician jumped at the familiar voice, whipping his head around to see none other but his grandmother, in spirit anyways.
“Oh howdy-doo, granny! Uuh…”
He scratches the back of his head, awkwardly avoiding eye contact.
“Sorry ya had to see me like this.” He nervously adjusts his sunglasses, turning back to the balcony view.
The Mouthpiece meanders over to him, stationing herself beside him as she runs a hand down his back.
“It’s quite alright, dear.”
He held the cigar loosely in his hand, watching the smoke trail from the lit end to the sky. For once Dave was completely speechless, a loss for words. He was very, very aware of the big elephant in the room.
The musician swallowed, opening his mouth to speak before the other had beat him to the punch.
“It’s alright if you do not want to answer but… do you care to explain why Buck had been so frightened by you?”
The Major Player stiffened in place as if he were turned to stone, he was so tense that you could push him over and he would keep the same form. He immediately felt some kind of chill spread from his core to the rest of his body. His hold on his cigar tightened and he started to speak, low and cold.
“I… know exactly why that’s the case.”
The telephone lady rubbed his back again for comfort, tilting her head as she listened intently.
…
“Buck…? Where are… oh dear… oh dear, oh dear!”
Dave heard the immediate panic in Belle’s voice as he ventured down into the School House basement, trying to see what the ruckus was.
“Did you find him-?” The musician paused, looking on to see what he was looking for but… not in any way he was expecting. The entire room was a disaster. Furniture was everywhere, loose stationary littered the ground, scratches adorned the walls and chairs around the auditorium.
The musician covered his mouth in shock, “Oh… my…” he muttered quietly, as his body slowly filled with dread.
He watched as Buck practically mauled what seemed to be Brian at the bottom of the stairs. The latter appeared unconscious, as the gambler went to town on his arm, creating many indentations and scratches all over the Prethinker’s body. It looked as if he were ravaging him like some kind of crazed animal.
The Major Player turned to face the telephone Suit, her face painted with a similar kind of dread.
“Belle! Ring the ambulance chasers, y’hear me?!”
The Mouthpiece did a double take, her gaze shifting between Dave and the horrific scene unfolding down stairs.
“What about Buck, dear?”
Before she knew it, the larger Suit was pushing her out of the basement, motioning her to go back up to the surface.
“I can handle it! Go!”
The old timer looked down at him hesitantly, she tried to speak but it only came out as a shaky mumble. She clenched her fist, sighing as she nodded back at him, quickly running out of the basement to find help.
As Belle was ushered out of the School House, Dave looked back down the stairs, catching view of The Duck Shuffler being the most feral as he had ever seen him. Buck had done strange things before but this was beyond anything Dave had seen ever. Something had to be wrong. Whatever he was seeing now wasn’t Buck. Something had happened to him and he was going to find out.
He clenched his teeth as he ambled over to the top of the stairs, his legs shaking as he stared down at two Suits below. He couldn’t just run down there and grab him, he might get mauled up just like the little brainiac, he had to get his attention, to get Buck to snap out of it.
“Buckaroo! Hey! What’s gotten into you, babe?” He called out, hoping that his presence would bring Buck back to his senses.
The gambler perks up at the mention of his name, growling low as he slowly turns his head to meet Dave’s gaze. He releases his grasp on the Prethinker, steadily crawling toward the bottom of the stairs like an animal searching for prey.
“Hey, babe… Buck… it’s okay. I’m safe, y’got me? I ain’t gonna hurt you.”
The Duck Shuffler continued to stare him down, gaze piercing him like a bullet through the chest. He couldn’t shake the cold feeling around him, the feeling that Buck would just snap at any moment.
The musician holds his hands up in surrender, trying to show the gambler he has nothing that could possibly harm him.
“...”
Before Dave could say another word the gambler started hurtling toward him with a growl, crawling up the stairs at an unsettling speed, akin to something from a thriller film. Dave reeled back in surprise not even having a second to react as Buck practically pounced at him, about to land right on his face. It felt as if time had slowed down before…
CRACK!
“..!”
The ‘eyes’ behind Dave’s glasses were blown open as his body acted on its own. His mouth ever so slightly agape as he saw Buck in front of him only for a split second, but to him, it felt like ages. He spotted a large crack on the gambler’s slots that spanned across his entire face… where Dave’s fist had made contact. His heart completely stopped for a couple of beats, as it felt the entire world around him had gone black and white.
The Duck Shuffler’s body fell harshly on the stairs, toppling down as the sound of thuds and cracks grew softer and softer until he reached the bottom. Every sound felt like a new wound in Dave’s heart as he stared at Buck’s body at the bottom of the auditorium. Unmoving.
The musician didn’t waste even a moment to rush down the stairs to check if Buck was okay- clearly he wasn’t okay! He was acting crazy- like an animal- and Dave… he just… he just punched him! Right in the face- right where it hurt! He could’ve… he could’ve…
He almost stumbled down the stairs himself as he crouched down to inspect Buck’s body, trying to search for signs of life. Hoping that he had just knocked him out and nothing further. Gosh- he really hoped that- No! He was alive! For sure, there’s no way he was going down like that, he’s been through much worse than that- there was no way he was going down by his hand- literally! Ha ha! Hahahaha!
Dave cradled his body, pressing his head against the other’s chest, trying to listen for gears turning, or breathing, or anything that could signify that he was powered on-
“...Brubot?”
A concerned voice rang through, but everything just felt muffled and blurred around him. He couldn’t think straight with every single thing going on at this very moment. Everything here was just one huge mess.
“...Brubot!”
His throat filled with an icy feeling, his body growing sore as he felt something sting in his eyes.
“DAVE!”
He reeled back, feeling Belle’s hand on his shoulder as he snapped out of the memories he was reliving. He’s never heard Belle shout before… The chill from before still lingered as he turned his head to face the older Suit, her eyes apologetic.
“...Dave. Everything is going to be alright. Buck is still alive, isn’t he?”
The musician stared back at her, expression unreadable as the telephone lady took his hands into her own, placing something in his palm.
He blinked, feeling some kind of cardboard in his hand before the older woman let go of him. He stared down at the item, eyes widening when he realized it was the tag on the scented candle he had bought for Buck, both of their names scrawled upon it.
“He had given me that before I left to go see you. I thought maybe it was best to give it to you instead of throwing it away.” She spoke softly, analyzing Dave closely as he seemed entranced by the label.
The musician’s hands tremble, drops of oil falling onto the tag as he starts to quietly sob. He heaves, shrinking into himself as Belle rests her head against his shoulder, wrapping an arm around him for comfort.
“Shh… Oh, dear… Sweetie, you’re going to be okay. He’s going to be okay.”
He wipes his ‘eyes’ behind his glasses, flicking his tears away as he leans into Belle’s touch as she whispers quiet reassurances.
Dave speaks up, his voice shaky and weak. “I hurt him bad. H-He was terrified of me, starin’ at me like I was gonna hurt him again.”
She gently shushes him, pressing her forehead against his.
“You didn’t mean any of it, dear.” The old timer’s hand comes up to hold his face, forcing him to look her in the eye.
“Imagine if you weren’t there, imagine if you didn’t look for Buck at all that night. Even more people would have gotten hurt, or even worse, he could have hurt himself.”
His expression softens as Belle wipes away any tears that stream down his face.
“If you weren’t there, Buck and Brian wouldn’t have been able to be treated, who knows what would’ve happened to them if they were left like that.”
“Thanks to you dear, Buck has a place to stay now. Let’s face it, he would’ve been kicked out of his apartment after this whole situation. You're even paying for his medical bills. You’ve already done enough to clean up your mess.”
The Major Player looks down solemnly as he lets out a soft sigh, followed by a weak laugh. “I get it, I get it.”
He dries away any remaining tears with his sleeve, slowly slipping out of the Mouthpiece’s grasp. He takes a deep breath, counting to five in his head before breathing out again.
“No need to make this a pity party when everything’s hunky-dory, I get it.”
Belle shakes her head, squeezing his hand. “It’s alright to be upset, dear. I would be too- I mean, I am! None of this deserved to happen to either of you.”
She sighs, readjusting Dave’s tie. “But unfortunately it did happen, we just have to adapt until Buck feels well again, yes? I reckon it’ll get better in no time.”
He nods, thanking her quietly for tidying him up. “You’re right. You always know what to say, ma.”
He gives her a soft smile, patting himself down and placing the candle tag into his suit pocket as he looks down at his cigar, realizing he had dropped it on the floor at some point during his… odd moment. He picks it up, placing it in a nearby ashtray on the balcony. Letting it slowly burn away as he turned back to Belle.
“By the by- did Buck ever get to have that soup we made for him?” He questions, worrying that all that effort was all for not.
The telephone lady smiles, happy to break the news. “It was a resounding success, Mr. Brubot! He absolutely loved it.”
Upon hearing that a delighted shiver travels all the way up Dave’s body as it ends with his cymbal hat letting out a little ‘tssst!’ along with a brief spin of his record. He could barely contain his joy as his feet tapped on the pavement, his grin growing bigger.
“Hoo! We got it, baby!” He does several fist pumps before Belle grabs him by the shoulders, rolling her eyes.
“You did great dear, but you need to rest. It’s been a long day, hasn’t it?”
The musician waves her off, shaking his head. “Nahhh, c’mon! It’s only a crisp-” He looks down at his wrist, pausing as he checks the time. “10PM! The night is oh so young, babe.”
She shakes her head, resting her hands on her hips. “Listen mister, after that whole fiasco? You need a full night to recharge. Trust me, dear, you won’t regret it.”
He backs away, raising his hands up in surrender. “Fine, y’got me. Could I at least pop in to see how Buckaroo is doin’? He’s havin’ a snoozefest, right?”
The telephone lady nods, a small smile gracing her face. “Out like a light.” She chuckles, speaking in an amused tone.
Dave sighs wistfully, shaking his head in amusement. “Wouldn’t expect anythin’ less.”
The two make their way back into the house, Belle slowly making her way up the stairs as she turns back to see that the other had stopped at the bottom again, looking uneasy. Before she could raise her voice to speak, the musician seemed to snap out of whatever funk he was in, quite confidently striding up the stairs, head held up high as he avoided looking down.
He quickly catches up to Belle halfway through the stairs, patting her back. “Whatcha waiting for, babe?”
The Mouthpiece rolls her eyes again, giving him a fond expression. “Nothing at all.”
The two arrive at the next floor, gently opening the door to Buck’s room so as to not make it squeak. As Dave peeks his head through the doorway to take a gander at the gambler, his expression softens, seeing how at peace the other seemed to be, despite the rather goofy expression and position he was in.
He tiptoed in, being as quiet as a loud piano man could possibly be, pulling over a stool by the bed’s side. The musician sat down beside the gambler, resting his arms against an empty space of the bed. He stared fondly at the other Suit, watching him closely.
“Dave…” Belle whispered behind him, almost making him jump in his seat. He held in a squeak as he turned to pout at the other, holding his finger to his mouth in a shushing action.
Belle snickered softly. Waving him off. “Goodnight, dear.”
“Goodnight, granny.” He gives her a gentle smile, watching as she leaves the room, leaving the door ever so slightly agape.
The Mouthpiece starts making her way toward the stairs, ready to pack it in and go home. She doesn’t remember the last time she’s stayed up so late. Well… 10PM wasn’t that late but it was for her.
As she was about to step down a loud musical snore erupted through the hallway. She quickly pedaled back to catch the view of Dave fast asleep sitting next to Buck in the slight open crack of the door. He was looking the most calm and peaceful he’s been this whole day.
She quietly made her way in, pressing a little kiss to his cheek with her receiver.
“Rest well, son.”