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Dandy had twisted. Again.
It was not the first time. It's happened way too many times to count, and each time he couldn't help but hate himself a little more. He felt as if he was just something putrid, rotten to the core, waiting to finally cease its existence.
He couldn't help himself, he craved to hunt, to hurt, to take their lives. They deserved it, always taunting him, refusing to spare a glance... He hated it when he thought that, but couldn't help it. Why'd they torture him just for a silly plushie?
Don't they know how bad it hurts? How much it hurts to feel his skin ripped apart, bones cracking and deforming to make him an abomination he hated with all he was?
Or do they know and purposefully do it, just to hurt him, because he's supposed to be the bad one in the story? He's a villain, after all. He doesn't deserve mercy, he doesn't deserve anything, his rainbow claws have killed, slashed, broken though his fellow toons.
They always came back, in the lobby. But it wasn't fun. It was painful for them. Yet they still did it.
Can he even be called a toon when he's not fully one? No.
He's just an abomination.
He doesn't deserve love.
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He can't let anyone see him like this. He shouldn't have thought this much about it, he shouldn't have twisted, and he's too stressed, sad, and guilty to be able to twist back.
The pain never gets easier to bear despite the amount of times facing it.
So he hid. Like the coward he is, he hid in his room, his massive form barely fitting, petals hiding his face.
This time he wasn't mad.
For once, like the very few first times he twisted, when Delilah experimented on him, he wasn't violent. He didn't want ichor.
He wanted to disappear.
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He doesn't know how long it's been.
Maybe a few minutes. Perhaps hours. Or a full day.
The sun has set already.
He looks up, stretching, his two back legs supporting his body. Then he sits, looking around. He'd go back to laying down, he'd try to sleep so he didn't have to be conscious, but this was a torture designed, hand-picked just for him.
The punishment he felt he deserved.
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Astro walked down the halls. He had finished his nightly round of checking dreams, making sure everyone was happy and not having nightmares. Except for Dandy.
He was always the last one he'd check, given that, for about half a year, they've been dating. Talking about the flower, he doesn't recall seeing him today at all, and grows worried about him.
Did he even have something to eat?
Just in case, he decided to go to the kitchen and get him something simple, enough to make him feel full before going to sleep.
What Astro didn't expect, once he got back to the mains floor and got into the room, was to see Dandy —his flower, petals shining as bright as always— sitting there, twisted, clawing at the rug that was right before the bed.
He gulps. He's seen Dandy like this, on runs. It wasn't a fun behavior. Hell, even Dandy told him to please run if he ever saw him that way, he wasn't in control of himself, not fully, guided by pure instinct. One that told him to kill.
He didn't yelp, he didn't scream, he just stared at (the somehow still beautiful) Dandy. At his partner. He had to run away, but he didn't want to be noticed. In his concentration, he forgot he was using his stars to hold the dish, and once he did, it was too late.
The dish had clashed against the floor, somehow not breaking nor chipping, food messy on it (and the floor), and Dandy stared, paws clenching as he let out the most pitiful whine ever heard.
He was pleading Astro. What for, he didn't know, but his eyes, instead of red, were normal. Astro looks at Dandy, then outside, and breathes shakily. —Flower, darling, a-are you in there or- I- if you're in there just give me any sign of it, because I'm about to start running.
Ah, yes, he has the survival instincts of a motherfucking hamster.
Worse is that Dandy silently stares, then blinks slowly. Astro frowns, confused, then smiles slightly and tries to cover up a snort. —Dear, was that a cat blink?— His question is answered by a soft purring sound. Silent as it could be, but audible enough by Astro.
He closes the door behind him, feeling safe now. It's still Dandy. He kneels to pick the dish again, this time with his lower pair of hands, and walks closer to Dandy, making sure not to step on the dirtied floor. He leaves it on the nightstand and sits on the bed (they've shared it more times than they count at this point, it's basically theirs).
Dandy lowers his head to Astro's lap, while he lays down on his own legs, loafing. The higher pair of hands slowly caress the twisted's upper petals, orange and purple ones. He knows how relaxed it got the flower, and he's using it fully. His second pair of arms choose to set in different places, the left one on Dandy's cheek, the right one under his chin, using his index finger to caress there, earning him a louder purr in reward.
It has turned into a constant noise by now, and by Dandy's face, Astro could tell he was absolutely blissed out, even drooling slightly, fangs showing. What would normally be threatening was now a moment of shared love.
—Honey.— He calls out with such a captivating voice for the lethal, having him open one eye (barely) and attempting to focus his gaze. Astro allows a small giggle to escape. —You're going to tell me what happened later, right?— He says, kissing his forehead reverently, then his right temple, down to his cheek, and, apprehensively, goes for his lips.
Dandy senses it, mistakenly taking it for disgust. He doesn't blame him, he hates himself as well, specially like this. He doesn't want to make him have a bad time. He doesn't want Astro to see him that way, he just can't-
So he pulls away, cornering himself in a sudden movement, hiding his fangs, all relaxation gone. He's trying not to look threatening, and Astro is left on the bed, worried about the sudden change of behavior.
—Hey- hey, what's wrong?— He doesn't raise his voice, he doesn't whisper either, he talks normally, with that soft, calming voice he's always had. Dandy wants to desperately snuggle up against him, and once he came back from twisting, to hold onto him and cry. He needs the reassurance.
Yet he feels like he doesn't deserve it.
One of his paws unfisted, clawing at the floor, whining again. —Sunshine, come here, what's wrong..?— He glances softly at Dandy, who tries to take even less space, whining.
Astro gets up from the bed, letting his blanket fall on it, and approaches the flower. He would've been startled, had he not known Astro so well, since he was silent, but he's not surprised in the slightest when he feels his cold hand settle on Dandy's front legs. —Hey, Dandy, I'm here. Did I say or do something wrong? Did it bother you that I touched your petals too much?
Dandy turns around to look at Astro, hiding his teary face inside his petals cover. He starts to caress softly until he reaches Dandy's paws, to which he whimpers and attempts to hide them back, but Astro presses the right spot, making the claws go back out.
They were rainbow, as his petals. He caresses them slowly, almost massaging them. —I brought you dinner. Sounds good? I haven't seen you out in all day.— He can't help but let the instinct take over, and he starts rubbing his face against Astro's chest, earning him a couple of giggles from the moon.
—Hey, hey! Dandy, that tickles-!— But he doesn't care, rubbing against his chest, purring again. Astro sighs in relief. Whatever it was, it was short-lived. —Yeah, I know, I know... And yes, I'll do it so long as you need it. You can trust me, right...? You know that..?
His arms come up and he hugs the toon, purring, holding him in place to properly show his gratefulness. Astro feigns he's tired, sighing, yet his smile betrays him. His arms do too, petting the flower again. He's distracted from what he wanted to ask at first, then kisses Dandy's forehead gently. —Okay, now, can you please tell me what went wrong before to have that reaction...?
Dandy looks up at him, the blissful mindset taking over him, and he purrs. —Dands, can you even understand half of what I'm saying?— He frowns a bit, but with a smile, then giggles again as Dandy snuggles closer, half of his body weight now on top of Astro.
He decides something: he's going to test it himself, given that he gets no answer. He uses a high-pitched voice, not enough to be blatantly obvious, but enough for it to sound praising. —Hello, dear. You're so beautiful.— Dandy's petals tense then relax, tail wagging, purrs louder. —Oh my goodness.— Astro can't help a shaken laugh, incredulous. He is having the same instincts as a cat would.
Dandy looks confused but doesn't give it much importance, happy because Astro is happy. He brings him up for a soft peck, his lower right hand on Dandy's chin, like before. —Comfy?— A nod from the flower, then a look that asked the same question. Astro nodded, so the other relaxed.
He knows that whatever had happened for the other to be this way, it mustn't have been pleasant nor good. —Dands, dear, hey. You in there? Can you understand or are you faking you can't?— He pokes his temple softly and there's a loud purring sound.
Astro guides one of his lower hands to Dandy's left paw, holding it and caressing, playing around with the sharp claws. One swing and it's all over yet he doesn't feel as afraid as he should have. —You know. You're kinda cute in your Twisted self.
His words make him purr louder (was that possible, which, didn't seem like it), accommodating further, eyes drooping. Astro can feel himself starting to get sleepy as well, thanks to Dandy's warmth that complemented his cold skin, or having his face shoved in his chest, or maybe it was the purring that was like white noise and allowed his mind to quiet down. —I love you. This or any way, Dands.— He mutters, earning a completely lovestruck gaze from the other.
Astro chuckles bashfully. —Oh, don't look at me with those eyes... I mean it. You're my favorite toon out of everyone here.— Any doubts that Dandy used to have about not being a toon but an abomination banish in the moment he hears his partner say that with all conviction in the world. He tries to open his mouth and speak but only a few growls come out.
Right. The ichor covered his vocal cords. Even so, Astro understands. He always does. —Mhm. I'm just saying what I think. Needn't to thank me, flower.— He smiles warmly. —Stating a fact.— He boops Dandy's non-existent nose with his upper right arm's thumb.
He knows that when Dandy's back he'd cough up all the ichor in his throat as well, he knows that his beloved will suffer through it and he hates it. But doesn't he adore any form that he might take, though?
—You look so majestic, dear. No doubt you were made for the spotlight.— He conveys whatever love he can through his words, but he doesn't think that he can make him understand the depth of his feelings unless he laid his chest open and allowed the other to see his heart, beating for him.
Dandy squishes the toon as strong as he could without hurting him, purring and rubbing against his chest, face tinted in that greenish blush. Unexpectedly, he's grabbed by Dandy with his fangs, like he was some sort of kitten being carried. He's being so careful not to hurt Astro, then lays him on the bed.
He places his head on top of his abdomen and purrs, relaxed, tail swaying calmly, in contentment. Astro kisses his forehead. —Bring one paw up, can you?— He asks softly. Dandy obeys and he holds it with one of his own hands. A quick nap could be nice...
He's almost asleep when he senses Dandy moving, pulling away gently, and he opens his eye. The room was dark and hadn't it been for Astro's soft light, it'd be completely engulfed in the night.
He looks around, and is quick to spot Dandy, who is, for some reason, not as happy anymore. —Dands. Why'd you pull away? Come here.— He calls softly, making the other jolt and turn around so quick that he accidentally knocked a few things over. He has this guilty, sad face.
—No, you're not going to crush me, now come here already, darling. Let me hold you. You're going to have a good dream, you deserve it.— He pats the bed, and hesitantly, Dandy goes back to Astro, laying on the floor (he's too big for the bed in his Twisted form).
He gives him a silent look.
Astro gets up from the bed and goes to the flower, who holds him in his arms, so he has somewhere soft to lay down. He rests his head back on the moon's chest and starts purring blissfully once again. —That's better... We talked about this, remember? Don't pull away from me when you think badly about yourself...
The little shit did understand completely what he was saying, but of course chose to ignore some of it. Or maybe he genuinely was too twisted to understand. Who knows. He just purrs and smiles. —I'll take that as a yes, and that you're going to actually follow through.
He caresses Dandy's petals with his four arms now, kissing his forehead, then staying like that until the flower has finally fallen asleep, feeling himself about to do the same. He can't help but think how relaxed Dandy looks. He doesn't look threatening, unlike in runs, nor as stressed as he was secretly, he looked like he's, indeed, having a peaceful sleep.
With that, Astro can finally rest, his heart warm.