Chapter Text
Four sat in his restaurant alone, having closed early. He sat on the floor with only the dim light peeking through the window. The window that directly faced the green numbers bakery. Fours restaurant had mostly blue decorations and designs, with blue tables and a lighter blue for the walls with tiny little designs of dark blue on the bottom and top of the walls, but also had yellow highlights and details, the chairs and curtains being yellow. The kitchen was pale pink, but didn’t clash with the rest as you couldn’t see it from where customers could be. Only the staff would know. Four felt the cold floor with his hands as he sulked. He hated the green number who had the audacity to open a bakery IN FRONT of his restaurant!!
That wasn’t his biggest concern though, what troubled them was that the number had the audacity to ask x to help them. They dared to take x away from four, after opening a bakery right in front of his restaurant and stealing his customers by convincing them to eat at his stupid bakery instead!
Four was too pissed off to do anything right now, so he decided to leave and just go wherever. Not like X would even be able to stop him, since he’s too busy helping two. Four opened the door and walked out of the restaurant. Maybe it wasn’t appealing enough? Would he have to repaint it for his costumers to come back? Maybe if he adds more yellow X would also come back..! Four decided that he might do that later, but right now he wanted to walk a bit. A lot. Four walked on the streets with his mind full of thoughts. Was he really that low of value to X for him to leave him just like that? Was X tired of four? Had he been waiting for the chance to leave this entire time..? Was four that bad..??
Four stopped at a shop. It was just some random store, but he wanted to distract himself so he doesn’t do anything foolish while no one’s there. He didn’t pay much attention to his surroundings but he noticed that there were lots of clothes, more specifically sweaters, and that the shop was linked to a steakhouse. Only then did he recognise the place. This was flowers shop, one of his customers who weren’t swayed by the coming of this new algebralien. He smiled a little and then walked over to one of the aisles that didn’t look too bad. He found a green sweater which immediately reminded him of two, but he couldn’t help but notice that the quality was very good. “Hey there four! You like that one? It was supposed to be the same color as gelatin, but we couldn’t find the exact Color.” Four blinked, unsure of what to say in reply to the flower herself standing right in front of him. The sweater looked different from all the others, maybe gelatin helped? “Lollipop helped make it since gelatin kept nagging her” flower said, noticing fours slight confusion. “Alright so you’re buying this? Come right this way it’ll only be.. uh.. 40$! Just pay right here, and then you can head on over to gelatins steakhouse that way!” Flower said dragging four with surprising strength to the counter. “Flower. I am not paying 40$ for this. I don’t even want this-!” Four complained angrily. “Okay um how about 20$..?” Flower asked desperately. Four grumbled in response before handing a 10$ bill to flower and walking towards the steakhouse despite not being hungry. “Thanks for buying!” Flower said with enough enthusiasm for four to realise that the sweater must’ve been only worth around 10$. It wasn’t even that good. He also didn’t remember when flower managed to neatly fold it and keep it into a bag before giving it, but decided not to question that. Maybe X would like the sweater. Or not. Although he didn’t like it, he did think X might like it since itwas very soft. If only X didn’t leave him for two..!
Four was brought back to reality as he heard a familiar voice. “Hey four! Welcome to my steakhouse! So what do you want?” Gelatin asked excitedly. Four could only think that they probably don’t get too many costumers, thus the emptiness. Or atleast in flowers shop, gelatins did have a few costumers. “Just give me whatever..” four grumbled as he gave gelatin a few dollars. Gelatin gave him a big grin and a thumbs up before running off. Didn’t even tell him to take a seat. Rude. Four went to a table right next to a window, in a lonely corner. Some worker came with some kind of steak and places it on his table. Four took his fork and cut the steak a little, although he didn’t eat. He wasn’t hungry. He should’ve just gotten some water and left. Why did he even ask for food? He didn’t want to eat. The longer he sat the less hungry he became. “Hey there four! What are you doing here?” Four almost flinched at the voice, he recognised the British accent immediately. He turned his head around sharply and glared unwelcomely at the number who had approached him. “Why are YOU here?!?” Four asked aggressively. Oh how he wanted to punch that face more and more every passing second. Two barely flinched at the sudden aggression shown towards him. “Well, X had been searching for you, and I decided to also help him! I do owe him for helping me anyways. But when I couldn’t find you I decided to get a little snack. And who knew that’d lead me to you!” Two said happily, a huge contrast to the grim scowl on fours face. Two looked at the steak four had. “Soo.. that steak looks pretty stale, but are you going to eat that..?” Two asked four (because of course two would), eyeing the barely eaten steak. As much as four hated two, he didn’t even want to eat the steak. And two was right about it being ‘stale’.Four realised the time was surprisingly late, and froze. How long had he been sitting here, staring at the wall for..? Why didn’t gelatin kick him out..?? Four shoved the plate away from him while he was thinking, and two sat opposite to him. Two ate a little before coughing, “yeah this tastes good but it’s very dry now- and smells kinda weird..” two said as he moved the plate away from both of them. Four didn’t really care what they did. Four didn’t even notice that two had started speaking to them, but once two called fours name four stood up and left with what sounded like a bye, but could’ve been ‘go die’ for all two knew. “Four! Why’d you leave?” Two called out as he ran after the speed-walking four. “What do you want idiot,” Four responded harshly. “Well uh I was just asking about how your restaurant is going? How’s business?” Two asked, oblivious to the growing rage in four. “Oh it’s wonderful alright. Ever since you decided to steal my costumers I’ve been having so many sales!” Four said sarcastically, almost yelling at two. “And taking away X definitely helped too!” Four said as he turned around at two, harshly pointing a finger at them. “Oh don’t worry, X won’t leave you, and I’m sure we can share some costumers four” two replies keeping their composure, but there was a hint of nervousness in their voice.
Four clenched their fist before yelling something at two. Four wasn’t sure exactly what he said, but he knew it was along the lines of “shut up” and “leave me alone”. Four blocked out twos voice as he walked away, glaring at two when they finally caught up. “Leave me alone you bastard” Four grumbled as he shoved two to the side. “I need to tell X where you’ll be! They were asking about-” four scowled at two, despite wanting to tell X he was fine, he continued to leave. “I can tell him on my own” four stubbornly let out as he left two. Four finally managed to get away from two, but then came to the truth that he didn’t know where he was. It was dark outside. Four wasn’t sure where to go. Should he go back home? To the restaurant? Maybe he should go home and apologise to X. Four felt something warm on his arm.. it stung..? Four saw his arm. Shit. He had been gripping his arm too tightly, and considering his sharp claws, it must have managed to get through his fur and skin. Four didn’t really care though, simply moving the fur to cover the light claw marks. He decided to go home. X should be asleep, he could just sneak in and sleep. Sleep. He doesn’t want to sleep. He didn’t feel sleepy. Four quickly shook his head, and rushed through the dark empty streets. He could find his home from somewhere for sure, so he focused on walking fast and looking at the buildings to recognise the way rather than facing the road ahead. Four bumped into something suddenly, stumbling back a little before an arm pulled him gently to his feet before he could fall. Four glared at who he had stumbled into and upon recognising that it was the last person he wanted to see he was furious. With all the events that happened recently, especially today, four just wanted to scream. “Woah you okay-?? Four? You haven’t gotten home yet?” Four refused to look at two, as if simply looking at them would make him burst into a fit of rage. He simply decided that harshly going past two would be the best way to leave.
Two stumbled a bit as four shoved past them. Two felt something on his arm after four had harshly shouldered him. Two realised that whatever it was, it felt a little like blood. Why did four have blood on their arm?!?! Two was going to go and ask before realising four was gone. Two sighed and decided to head back home.
Four unlocked the door to his house and fully expected it to be dark. Instead the lights were on and X was on the couch. X quickly got up upon hearing the door click open. “FOURY!! Where were you?!?” X asked with concern, spinning four around to check for injuries but Four managed to squirm out of Xs grasp and kept a hand on X’s head, feeling the warmth of their fuzzy yellow head. “Why haven’t you gone to sleep yet?” Four asked X despite knowing he was probably the reason. “You were nowhere to be seen! I told you to wait for me, where were you??” X said as he pressed closer to four. X always saw four a bit like an older sibling, and so he was worried something had happened to his friend. “Two said that they had seen you, but that you ignored them, why?” X asked innocently. “Oh please, I hate that guy! Why would I care about wether he’s talking or not.” Four said voice dull and aggressive, “Anyways you need sleep. Will you be with me at the restaurant tomorrow?” Four asked, hoping for a yes. “Yeah, but after a while I should go and check with two, but don’t worry clock will be there!” X said cheerily, four pat their head and waved goodnight. Four went and laid in bed. Maybe X liked four, and cared,… but liked two more… four looked at his arms through the dim moonlight coming from a gap in the windows of his bedroom. There were a few scars littered here and there, but they weren’t visible due to his fur. Many old scars from fights, a few were a little more self inflicted, wether accidentally or not he didn’t care. Four just wanted to fall asleep and wake up already. Four thought about a lot of things while he waited to be overcome by the peace of sleep, many things like X, his restaurant and eventually two. After some time he finally drifted off.
Four sat at the dining table with X, eating breakfast. Usually X would be talking about something he liked, or about something that happenened, but instead X was silent. Four tried to say something but his voice didn’t work. Why couldn’t he speak..? He looked at X with slight fear and was about to point at his throat, before noticing something. X was glaring at him. And then started laughing. Why was X laughing..? Was X laughing at him..? Four felt horrible. This isn’t like X..!Why would X laugh at him? “I’m moving in with two. They’re way better than you! No wonder you lost so many of those customers, you deserved that.” X said as he got up and shoved the chair he would sit on away. “You didn’t even notice that I was going to leave, how heartless! Did you not see all my stuff packed up at the door? That’s a new low, Four” X said as he walked over to where a pile of bags and suitcases were. Four coughed hard. No. This wasn’t supposed to happen. There weren’t any bags or suitcases over there- how did those get there? X wouldn’t leave him, would he?!? Four felt a tear slide down his face. “X-! W- wait do-don’t leave me!” Four said running over to X. “Why? Cause you’re so selfish, to the point where you won’t even let me make my own decisions?” X said. The worst part was that X sounded real. He sounded genuine,with the usual innocence his voice comes with.. but it was twisted so cruelly that four choked at it. What was happening?!?! WHAT WAS HAPPENING-?!?!
“Foury..?” Xs soft voice broke through.
“May I leave?”
four choked on his own tears. This can’t happen. No. No no no no no no no no no. NO NO NO NO NO THIS ISNT HAPPENING-!!!
“FOURY!”
Four let out a sharp gasp.