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“Did you see the look on their faces?!” Spoke laughed, leaning against MinuteTech, all of his weight distributed to his side. “They’re never bothering us again!”
MinuteTech, unbothered as ever, felt his gut telling him to be warm. Which was odd, considering how cold The End was. He couldn’t help it, but he let out a breath of a laugh, before sucking it in to reveal a hum. “Mmmh, and it’s thanks to..?” He turned with a knowing smirk— playful, but fond.
Spoke frowned a tad, his hand retreating to cross his arms. “Hey. I helped too. That’s the whole reason we even ran this fa—“
Words were cut off by a ruffle of his hair, harshly feeling his strands frizz together. The taller voidling smiled with fervor, it looked kind as it wrinkled his eyes in just the right amount to call it affection.
“Oh, Spoke… Relax.”
Spoke did.
He didn’t back away from the hand that gave him the help he needed, the aid they offered, the support that they pampered, he stayed.
The tousle of his locks stopped, MinuteTech simply laying his hand now, not wanting to lose the physical contact he had now. Spoke’s head lazily drooped to the latter’s shoulder, MinuteTech comfortably arranging the placement of his hand to his shoulder, bringing a sort of relaxation in their proximity.
They looked ahead, seeing how dawn arranged itself so beautifully in their way. Orange and red never looked better, it was an eyesore seeing FlameFrags all the time with the lust of being strong and powerful. The sun looked so big, so proud, so close, something that reminded Spoke of what he had now. It looked as if the scene was meant just for this moment of quiet, and quiet was quite rare in this world as it breathes in chaos, anarchy, and hierarchy every day.
Many things were rare, roughly extinct, on this server— yet Spokeishere could get his hands on many things as well.
Items.
Exploits.
Dupes.
…A team.
Friends.
He didn’t know what he did to deserve so much love. Experience it all, flexing it in every interaction he had with his friends— seeing all of them in a dynamic with him, out of all people. The cheeky, devilish player that everyone grew exasperated with.
A moment of silence befalled the two, before MinueTech tapped his shoulder and stood up.
“If you wanna stay here, I’ll make us a minicamp right here, okay?”
Love is such a hurtfully beautiful thing that dawns on a person once they feel a bloom of amity growing in their heart— curling their insides in a manner that doesn’t seem like teasing, more of reminding. It was so fragile, so fickle and fueling. It was such an abstract concept that graced the world, planting itself in people the moment they’re born. It’s the individuals that decide whether they want to grow it or die with it. It stretched, bends, or solidifies.. and that’s what made it connect people, small villages to entire civilizations, together. Flowers, petals, and maybe even a trickle of red is what you’d be reminded of when you think of it.
But Spoke?
He thought of his friends that he always ran to, advising him, scolding him, laughing with him, shaping who he is now. The kind of love that he always had— he just waited for it to be reciprocated in little things like a smile his way, a rub at his side, a lingering ghost of a touch, a hug that lasted longer than conversation, continuous compliments and approval. It blessed him, made him giddy.
MinuteTech finally started a fire with the flint and steel, the smoke snapping Spoke out of his trance.
He sat on a nearby log, before glancing at Spoke. The voidling didn’t hesitate at all to come at his side and leave no space between them. The energetic one was fast to get comfortable, kicking up his feet to lay them snuggly on top of Minute’s lap.
The fire crackled, sparks igniting lightly against the wood.
He was really privileged, huh? Forests were usually brimming with bandits and thieves, and at this time of night? You’d be a target. Vague, but a threat nonetheless. But here he was, kept warm against a person who was well known for giving cold shoulders.
“I miss Mapicc.” He blurted out, hands busying themselves with fiddling the hoodie strings. “I haven’t seen him since he hung out with Planet…” Additionally, it’s been over 9 hours since he last saw his friend. The genuine face of a kicked puppy on Spoke’s face brought a miniscule upturned side of MinuteTech’s mouth up, at least his care was genuine. “Me too, Spoke. Don’t you hang out with me though?”
Spoke shrugged. “Yeah, of course I do, dude.. B- But you’re like.. Y’know, when you drop your kid off to their grandparents and leave for the rest of the week? I think that’s the best way to describe our situation.” The many implications of that statement alone brought up a raised eyebrow to the latter. “...So you think I’m old?”
Spoke could catch the undertone of an actual offense taken, it made him wince. “N- No! Not at all! It’s just- like, your whole.. Demeanor! Your vibe!” He waved his hands up, tugging the blazer of MinuteTech’s wear. A laugh bursted out of the ‘older’ one, slapping the back of the voidling. “It’s not that serious! Tru- Trust me!” He wheezed in between breaths.
It took a minute to gain back his composure, keeping his hand behind Spoke’s back. “Ha.. It’s fine. I purposely act like this. Being a guardian and all…” ‘I haven’t been to the end in a while.’ He thought unspoken. Spoke hummed in acknowledgement, gradually melting— not because of the fire— to MinuteTech’s side, His eyelids losing its grip onto consciousness, slowly. Very slowly. A part of him, he didn’t know if he was aware of, clinged to the reality that fed his imagination.
“Hey. Go to bed.” MinuteTech flicked his finger against Spoke’s forehead lightly, still causing a yelp out of the voidling. “H- Wait..!” It wasn’t a real objection as he let himself get held.
Spoke was then helplessly dragged to the tent, thrown in like a ragdoll as his body immediately found home in the sheets.
“Mmmh..” He nuzzled lazily, his arms automatically on their way to wrap himself. “Minuuute…” His tone called.
“Are you going?” Spoke really hoped not.
“No- No, not anytime soon.” Relief , with the combo of relaxation, had never felt so uplifting.
MinuteTech hovered awkwardly outside the tent before coming in. The weight leaned to him, but it reassured Spoke more than anything. Spoke didn’t need to adjust, MinuteTech fit perfectly in the makeshift bed they made inside the tent.
It was.. Nice. Quiet,
…But ‘quiet’ was always something that brought anxiety to the voidling- a creature that usually brimmed with chaos and constant excitement.
Weird, this was weird. He wanted this, this.. happiness.
His heart churned tightly, suddenly feeling a sort of guilt sink in. “M.. Minute. Uh…”
“You deserve this.”
His ears flicked, eyes widening. Wha—
He felt MinuteTech’s scarred arms engulf him in his entirety.
“Minute- How, uh, how-”
“Your ears lowered.” Oh.
You know it was bad if you could easily be read without even finishing your sentences.
His head nestled on MinuteTech’s forearm, emotions battling each other on what to feel, and how to take this. But guilt continued in his intestines, it wasn’t continuing to sink but regardless, it stayed.
And it carried in his sleep.
The craving.
It’s all he ever fulfilled himself with.
In the days of when no one came to him, when friends held him back, when he was desperate, he’d do missions and come back to this place, Ashswag’s castle, just to hear the words—
“..Oh. If it isn’t my favorite member..” Spokeishere Fish Bucket felt his intestines squeal.
Fish Bucket kneeled stiffly before the wonderful presence of Ashswag.
He stood up, placing a sign that reveled his greatness in his missions, making it seem like everything Ashswag threw at him was a breeze.
Nothing could revert his mind to thinking back to his friends, their constant battle to his demise that he willingly trudged on.
He remembered the sweet nothings that Ashswag whispered, the praise that didn’t fuel his ego, but his aches. His aches of a twisted, broken and burden way of.. love. It fit all the criteria of his idea of love—
A ghostly touch. A distance that was closer than a stranger. Most importantly? Continuous showering of words that kept him sane.
That was a string, not a rope, to hold on to.
Fish Bucket remembered his- his tone, how it gradually changed everytime he upgraded, everytime he did a mission, everytime Ashswag noticed something about him.
It was so sweet, so sweet, it rotted him.
He didn’t eat, he didn’t need to. Candy-like breaths fed him just fine. This feeling.. the ultimate felicity he’d ever need.
He knew it was rotten inside.
Oh, there was one time where he felt such a surge of emotions— stirring his insides as it failed him.
—————(●'◡'●)————•°
“Fish Bucket.” The tone was a dead giveaway. It was a command.
Ashswag leaned in close in Fish Bucket’s proximity, he remained unmoving. He thanked Herobrine that he didn’t see the rush of red dawning his face— and a nerve-wracked expression that would look wrong on his face.
The boss smirked. “You’ve been doing so well.. I might as well not even need the rest, don’t I?” God, he just wanted to scream. ‘Yes— You don’t need anyone but me. I’m good, I’ve been good, I’m so much better. Please.’
But his heart took a leap when Ashswag pulled a certain item that would diffuse his effects.
“..Fish Bucket.. I’d love to see you in your entirety. I need to see what my most obedient friend looks like.. Out of all the names in the stasis chambers— I haven’t met someone so.. cooperative. Willing..”
This made him so much weaker. Why did he have to lower to a whisper?
He felt the cold bucket of milk press against his lips. It stayed— he didn’t open his lips as Ashswag continued to speak.
“You know what this is, right?” ‘Of course.’
For some odd reason, he went as far as to hug his servant while keeping the bucket pressed against Fish Bucket’s mouth.
The voidling wish he didn’t jolt that violently, but he did. It raised a look of almost pride on Ashswag’s face. “Rare, isn’t it?”
He didn’t know where his feelings went. It twisted, swirled— going haywire—
He couldn’t breathe.
“Drink it.”
He didn’t. The bucket pressed harder.
“Need I say it again?”
Fear.
He didn’t like that feeling.
Spoke shook open, his eyes opening as wide as he let out a breath that he wasn’t even aware he was holding.
The voidling stared at nothing, trying to identify his surroundings.
He expected the apricity of the sun, morning.. but it was still the mid of night.
‘..Nightmare.’ Spoke assumed, sighing deeply. MinuteTech was still sleeping beside him, no longer hugging him.
It deeply frightened him.
Hands immediately searched for comfort, hugging the side of Minute as he shivered. Memories of a bad past— His bad past crawled to his back, shaking and shattering.
He hated this.
I wish I was more grateful.
More thankful.
More..
He loved his friends, greatly. Immensely. Unhealthily.
..Spoke didn’t want to doubt them.
So he hope, he wished—
His friends loved him back.
In his mind, of course they did! All that scolding, that advice, the feeling of familiarity and family… It ignited that love.
He loved his friends.
Where would he be now without them?
Gone. The immediate answer, the correct one.
The shivering never stopped, he clung harder to MinuteTech’s side, squinting his eyes as he fraughtly shooed his thoughts away from his consciousness. But now? He was afraid to go back to sleep, afraid of seeing the same face, afraid of the warning that he never noticed, afraid of being alone with a person that didn’t even care. Well, he thought he did.
A tear fell.
Oh— No way, I’m crying..?
He wiped. Another.
Fuck—
The hug became noticeably tighter, almost fluttering MinuteTech awake.
Nononono…
Another. Another. Another.
“Spoke, you’re going to end up just like me.”