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Lily used to loneliness. Nobody loved her for real. She had Poppy as her bestie before the Hour of Joy. Before the Prototype claimed the porcelain doll as his favourite. Lily, herself, wanted to feel important too. She even stayed unpopular in the factory. Kids found her boring beside Poppy.
So, she lived alone in his dollhouse. Well, not so alone. Her "friends" were there, despite being obvious about they didn't live. Today, she was sitting alone at the table, dangling her legs from the chair. Her Candy Cat companion wasn't with her. Her long, braided purple hair were styled into a big bun. The strands felt so heavy sometimes, it hurt.
But suddenly, someone knocked.
Lily gasped with a sweet little beam on her cheeks. Nobody had visited her before without ulterior motive. Maybe, it was the Prototype to choose her as his number one henchwoman. Or Poppy to apologize about her own selfishness. Or anyone else to make friends with her.
She rushed toward the door and opened it with a huge smile on her face. At the door, Giblet stood. He leaned on an electric bat with one hand, his other hand were behind his back. His body wasn't really his anymore. He was very patched, ruined and wore an eyepatch.
"Giblet?" asked Lily. "What the...?"
"Hello, Lily," he started. "Yea, it's me. Am I looking that bad?"
Lily hesitated for a second. He really didn't look bad after all. His rugged appearance somehow impressed her.
"N-no. You're looking great," she said on her sweetie voice of hers. "Is he hurt you? Ripped you into pieces? Are you alright?"
She didn't understand why she asked this. Lily and Giblet never had a strong connection before. They were acquaintances, knowing each other's face, but never talked.
Giblet just shrugged, leaning into his electric bat. "Nah, wasn't that bad. I'm alive, and that's the point, right?"
She giggled as she looked at the chihuahua-like creature. Finally someone, who didn't condemned her. But as she lost in thoughts, his hand behind his back moved in front of himself. He handed her a bouquet of lilies. Lily winced from the surprise, but reached out for the flowers. Their fingers brushed as she took the bouquet.
These were her favourites. But how did he know?
"Ooh, thank you so much! They're beautiful."
"Not as beautiful as you, Lily," Giblet mumbled quietly, blush crept up his face.
She heard it so, and she blushed too. This was new. She thought, that Giblet always liked Poppy. Lily were always insecure around her ex-bestie, trying not to show it to the others. It drove her to the loneliness.
"Why don't you join me for tea? I'm all alone every day... I... I would like some company," she finally asked.
"Sure, why not?"
Lily liked Giblet's easy-going personality. As they got inside the dollhouse, she set the lilies into an empty vase. After, she quickly set the table, paying attention to every little detail. As she poured tea, she noticed, that his eyes never left her. It was a bit awkward for her for the first time to serve a real guest.
When everything was ready, Lily sat beside Giblet. She wanted to be polite, so she didn't sit to the opposite side.
"So, Lily," he asked as he sipped tea. "How's it going in there these days? Is there anyone living with you?"
Ouch.
"You're the first one to chose to visit me. But nevermind. I used to that."
Her face oozed sadness. But she shifted. Never wanted to show weakness. Weakness didn't give her real friends.
"That's not a problem at all. I'm alone in these days too. Well, usually with Chum, but he can't talk. I can understand him, but let's just say," he leaned closer to shift into a whisper. "He's not the brightest star in the sky."
They laughed together. Lily shyly looked at her shoes. Finally, someone whom she could laugh with.
"I needed an escape. Prototype won't leave me alone, I think. You can visit my place sometimes too. It's kinda like a shelter, but it's kinda comfortable too."
"So, you think I'm the spoiled, whiny princess-type doll?" she teased him mischievously.
"No, no, no, Lily. I don't think that. But because Poppy complained about my shelter's convenience once, I would like to pay attention to ladies too."
So, it was about Poppy. Always Poppy.
"Thank you for your invitation, Giblet. But I'm not that alone like it seems. I have friends there. My... dolls. I know, I know, they're not living, and it's childish, but they're listen to me. They can't talk back, can't hate me, can't... can't condemn me," she continued. "They don't think I'm a bad toy!"
Her voice were almost crying. She sobbed. Even her only moment couldn't just be all about her. Giblet, sensing her distress, gently tipped her chin. They looked eye-to-eye. His eyes were purple. Just like Lily's favourite color. He understood her totally.
"I totally understand you, Lily," he said exactly that.
She hugged him tightly. Her seat were empty now, it was in Giblet's lap instead. Her lips kissed his cheeks in desparation. The fact, that he didn't pushed her away, showed, the feelings were mutual. As he held her, they found eye contact again.
"I wasn't joking. The lilies are nothing to your beauty, Lily," he said with eyes half-lidded in love.
"I wasn't joking too. I'm never joking about my feelings. You're the first toy, who cares about me in this hell of factory. You're the only true creature here! And I'm... I'm..."
But she couldn't finish, because he kissed her. Fully, on the mouth. Their eyes closed, their bodies together, her braids weren't feeling heavy anymore. Their kiss broke her hair's own life. It was just a simple, long, braided purple hair now. The kiss felt nothing like Lily and Giblet experienced before. Because none of them experienced true love.
When their mouths separated, both of them smiled and blushed at the same time. Their fingers attached, holding hands, enamored.
"I love you, Giblet."
"I love you too, Lily."
They stayed there for minutes after. Both of them searched for company and they found each other. Both of them were lonely. But now, they were in love.
The kind of love, which was unknown in this rotten worlds of tortured toys.