Work Text:
"Za cK pr r ett Y."
"Oh!— oh thank…you?"
Collin bites down on his tongue while he continues to hack at a tree.
Zack's been in his world for… awhile now. Months? Maybe, he isn't sure. And Collin is— Collin is happy, he's around. Really. It's not suffocatingly lonely anymore.
But the problem with someone new in a world filled with entities is that, of course, they want to bother that person too.
Collin did his best to explain each (that he knows of, at least) entity to him prior. Like a crash course sort of thing.
Ignore the copycat.
Don't bother with the ominous obelisks.
Be nice to the neighbor.
Avoid the chunk holes.
Hide when Hungry comes. (He stressed this one repeatedly).
Otherwise just try not to give too much attention to anything here. It's been going well enough.
Except the fact that Zack seems to keep talking to the fucking copycat. (He refuses to call it the dumb name he gave it.)
Right now, they're chopping trees for Zack's project- building a greenhouse so they aren't living purely off of meat- and Zack was sort of filling the air with chatter while they worked away. Talking about his own world, his hobbies, family and the likes. It's nice, knowing that there's things going on outside of Collins' own personal hell. It makes him feel less condemned.
That's when that little fucker pops up out of nowhere. Both of them jolted when its voice crackled out and Collin yelled instinctively. "Fuck off! I don't wanna deal with your bullshit today!" The copycat ignored him of course and blinked at Zack who awkwardly waved at it.
Now they're here. Collin and Zack are still chopping at trees and replanting and, annoyingly, the copycat chopping along. Zack is still chatting up the faker (despite Collin having told him to just ignore it. Friendly fucker) and asking it stuff.
Collin has long since tuned out, more focused at the task at hand. They only need another tree or two which they finish quickly. Once he gets the last logs into his inventory he inhales sharply, holding it and dropping his shoulder with an exhale. He listens to the rain for a few seconds, just soaking it in.
He can feel his hands and shoulders ache but pushes through it, hooking the axe through his belt loop. Turning around to the chattering pair he marches over and pushes the faker away from Zack. "Right, piss off. We're busy." Collin hisses, pushing it one more time before spinning on his heel and marching back to their house.
Collin hears Zack yelp behind him before footsteps fall in line with his own, both of them making their way back in silence.
Soon enough they are back in the safety of the house. Collin tugs the jacket off almost immediately and throws it on top of the furnace to dry. Zack shakes himself to get any rain off his fur and drapes his own jacket with Collin's. Together, they both stuff the wood into the extra chest they set up for Zack. Soon after, Collin begins to hear him mumbling under his breath. Probably building plans.
In the meantime Collin busies himself with cooking some food. They work in silence until Zack seems to break it.
"So uhm… are— are you okay?" He stutters out, closing the chest and turning to Collin.
Collin makes a wordless noise, looking back to Zack with a furrow in his brows. "Yeah. Why?"
Zack pauses and Collin almost thinks that's the end of it when he finally spits it out.
"Just—" Zack pauses again, seemingly considering his words, "Weren't you being- maybe- a little too rude to… Clonelin?" He says nervously and Collin feels himself stop.
He scoffs, shaking his head. "No? What does that thing think, fucking— trying to replace me? It's so fucking annoying! I don't even understand why it's obsessed with you now. You've been here for months!" Collin complains, throwing his hands into the air. Scowling, he turns to Zack whose… staring at him? With wide eyes?
Collin blinks and feels his short burst of anger leave him. "Zack? You good?" He questions and watches as Zack blinks himself out of his stupor.
"Oh my god." Zack whispers and Collin scrunches his nose. Before he can ask Zack continues. "Oh my god Collin are— are you jealous?" He says with a snort, paw coming up to his mouth as he suppresses a giggle.
What.
"What."
Collin feels his face catch flame almost immediately. Covering his face with his hat, he turns away. "Are you crazy? Of course I'm not jealous! That'd- That'd be insane!"
But Zack continues to snort and giggle, wheezing a little out of breath. God it was so cute it was going to kill Collin. He just glares at Zack until he calms down and smiles at Collin.
"Collin it's— It's okay, to be jealous." He assures, getting up and moving over to Collin. He tries to twist away from Zack's paws but he gets them on Collins face anyway, cupping his face.
If some entity could strike him down right now, that'd be great. Please.
"Can you— can you look at me, Collin, please?" Zack mumbles out, thumb rubbing over Collin's cheek. Reluctantly, he lowers his hands, staring at Zack with a frown.
Zack just huffs a small laugh, nuzzling his cheek. His tail, with a mind of its own, curls around Collin's ankle. Collin sighs, ignoring how more red his cheeks get and shuffles closer to Zack.
They stay like that for a while, basking in each other with the rain pattering against the house in the background. Slowly, Zack begins to purr and Collin feels himself droop into his arms.
He's comfortable. The most comfortable he's been ever, period. It always shocks him just how alive he feels now with Zack around. How the nights aren't cold anymore.
Collin tugs gently at Zack's hoodie, who jolts slightly and blinks down. "Let's just go to bed." He mumbles and Zack nods, letting himself get dragged downstairs.
They get ready for bed and the moment they get cozy under the blankets, both are out like a light.
Collin tucked into the crook of Zack's neck with his tail curled almost possessively around his waist.
He feels loved.