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The clock was ticking. Tick. Tock. Overhaul waited patiently, his feet tapping against the carpet of the office. Every second that passed felt both eternal and weirdly quick, like falling asleep.
And he felt like he was about to fall asleep.
He opened his eyes and looked up when the door opened. In walked Chronostasis, holding a box that was moving and making weird noises.
Oh no.
"What is that." Overhaul asked menacingly, his stare enough of a threat to make Chronostasis falter.
"It's for your exposure therapy." Chronostasis said, not betraying any emotion in his voice.
Overhaul crossed his legs and massaged the area in between his eyebrows like he had a headache. He remembered the chat they had just a few days ago about how it was time to do something about his germaphobia. But he wasn't a germaphobe! He was just very peculiar about what he touched.
"I don't need exposure therapy." Overhaul grumbled
"You do. It's becoming a problem. Seriously, you can't even go outside without some kind of protective gear."Chronostasis looked at the floor, feeling partially guilty. "We've been allowing your behavior for far too long. It's time for you to get used to being dirty" Chronostasis sighed before slowly crouching to set the box on the ground and opening it.
Overhaul's eyes widened. He stood up abruptly, looking down as the box opened with anger and something like fear in his eyes.
"No... You wouldn't." he growled
Chronostasis looked up at him apologetically before saying "it's for your own good" and knocking the box over.
Out the box came the worst possible thing.
Puppies.
Overhaul looked at them approach. He quickly moved to stand behind the couch to avoid the puppies. He counted them. 1,2,3,4,5.... 5 puppies! An odd number! He had the urge to kill one just to make the number even.
They were small and fluffy, no more than a couple of months old. Probably from the shelter. They looked like some kind of Pitbull mix. And worst of all?
They were rapidly approaching.
"Chronostasis on your and only your name I swear if one of those things comes even close to me I will be killing it." Overhaul warned as he hid behind the couch.
"You wouldn't kill a puppy" Chronostasis said, even though he knew perfectly well Overhaul was being completely serious.
The puppies roamed around the room, smelling stuff and trying to play with Chronostasis, who ignored them completely. Overhaul watched as one of the puppies walked towards the carpet, sniffed it, then decided to pee on it. Another puppy trotted behind the couch and ran towards him. Overhaul yelped and retreated, looking at the puppy like it was about to eat him.
"Get that thing away from me RIGHT NOW!" Overhaul demanded. Chronostasis picked up one of the puppies and started walking towards Overhaul.
"You're not scared of puppies, now are you, Kai?" he teased, holding out the puppy. Overhaul gritted his teeth as he backed against the wall. The puppies were closing in.
"I just don't want that filth anywhere near me." Overhaul snapped back. But he was surrounded. Surrounded by 5 puppies, all full of pee and probably poop, shedding everywhere, staining the air around them like radioactive material. Kai looked around desperately for a way to escape.
"Kai..." Chronostasis warned. Suddenly, Overhaul made a run for it and ran past the puppies, towards the door and down the hallway. Chronostasis moved out of the way just in time and held the puppy securely against his chest. He looked back as Overhaul ran out of the room and sighed, deciding to follow.
Overhaul ran down the halls, remembering the way by heart and the pure will to get away from the puppies. He stopped in front of a door, unlocked it, and barged in. Inside was a young girl playing with a hello kitty tea party play set, play-doh, and some seriously mistreated stuffed animals. She looked up with worry as Overhaul walked towards her.
"Eri I have a surprise for you but you have to promise me you will take it" Overhaul walked towards Eri and behind her as he looked at the door. He crouched in front of Eri, who looked very confused and concerned. A few seconds later, Chronostasis reached the door, and looked in to see his boss pathetically hiding behind a child to escape some puppies.
Eri squealed as soon as she saw the puppy and ran up to Chronostasis. Chronostasis looked at Kai, who had the meanest glare he'd ever managed to have on his face. He mouthed "give it to her", and despite the fact that he had his mask on, Chronostasis could tell what he was trying to say.
Chronostasis handed the puppy to Eri, who was kissing it as much as the puppy was kissing her back. "Can I keep it?!" Eri begged, looking at Overhaul with big wet puppydog eyes
"Well, no... But there's more puppies so let's go where they are!" Overhaul answered, rushing Eri out the door and down the hallway. He looked back at Chronostasis with smug eyes. Chronostasis just stood there. He had failed. Miserably. But it was okay, they'd try another time. Maybe one day Overhaul would be able to pet a puppy, or walk barefoot around the house, or shake hands with people, or leave the poor hand sanitizer bottle alone for 5 minutes. For now, they probably had better things to worry about.
Chronostasis followed them from afar, already making up a new way to subtly force Overhaul to face his phobia of being dirty.