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"I think we got everything…" Gangle muttered, half to herself and half to Zooble. The fatigue from the day's adventures ached in her strained ribbons, but Gangle was focused. Zooble laid on the couch like a lifeless toy, their eyes unfocused and hazy. Gangle started counting again, whispering the numbers under her breath.
Zooble groaned. "I'm sorry I kept falling apart. I can barely handle these new adventures."
"It's okay! Thank you for trusting me to keep picking you up." Gangle strained out a shaky smile. Though the burden of each trial kept growing and growing, she couldn't help but feel like it was bringing them closer. She finished her second count, and Zooble reluctantly sat up.
They hunched over. "Thank you. Again."
Gangle put a ribbon around their back. "You always helped me pick up my comedy mask… It's the least I could do."
The couple sat in silence for a while, both too exhausted to worry about how quick their hearts were beating. The shyness and hesitation that resided within them were dissolved by the day's torment. When every night felt like a breaking point, savouring the few nice moments in between was all they could afford.
Zooble stood up, and took Gangle's hand in theirs. "Let's head back. I don't know how long Caine will let us rest tonight."
Gangle nodded, and together they went off. They walked slowly at first, leaning on each other for support. Yet as they recovered more balance and stability, their hands never left each other's grasp. All the pain from the day slowly faded away as their focus heightened only on each other's guidance, ensuring with each step that the other would not stray too far off the path.
Eventually, they made it to the rooms. Zooble opened the door and began making their way in, then stopped.
"Uh… Gangle?"
"Yeah?" She tilted her head, confused. Was Zooble going to ask her to stay? Would this finally be night that they'd be able to move their relationship to be closer? Her head spun with the possibilities. Throughout Caine's new tortures, the wind-down afterwards with Zooble was consistently the only comfort Gangle ever had. She dreamed at night that it would lead to more, hoping desperately that she would be able to confide in her best friend just how much she loved them. Now, here they were, in front of their door, could it really be the case that they're making the first move? Excited, Gangle tightened her grip around their hand—
oh.
Gangle recoiled, immediately pulling their arms away and covering their mask. She felt it warm up with all sorts of shades of shame, and the guilt that hit right after. She started apologising profusely, as if worried that Zooble somehow heard her internal thoughts.
"Hey, hey it's okay!" Zooble laughed gently. "Not the first time you've been a little clingy."
Gangle's vision blurred as she receded further into shame. Those indulgent thoughts swung completely the other way as she realised that this was the end of their friendship. She had showed Zooble how obsessive she was, and now they'd want nothing to do with her.
"Gangle." Zooble's voice crashed through the spiralling thoughts. Shortly after, the feeling of their claw-like hand on her shoulder grounded her even more. "I said it's alright."
"I'm sorry! I was just tired after today and didn't realise I was still…" Gangle's voice trailed off, realising that with every word she said, she was only digging a deeper hole for herself.
"I'm glad you see me as a safe person." Zooble said, moving their hand up to pull Gangle's ribbons away from covering her mask. The squiggly mouth and down-turned eyes were accompanied by a light hue of red.
"O-of course I do… I trust you more than anyone else here." She replied.
"Do you?" Zooble prodded. "Then tell me what you were thinking of." Their inner brows furrowed.
The red on Gangle's mask intensified, a blush that could almost match the crimson of her own body. The idea of Zooble being able to tell something was on her mind was just as bad as saying it out loud.
"Its nothing! I-I promise I was just distracted!" Gangle stuttered out.
Zooble let go and stepped back. "God, really gonna make me say it first, huh?"
Gangle held her breath.
"Hey. Listen. It's been a long day, and… honestly f$%# it. It feels like Caine's gonna find a way to actually kill us any day now. I don't want to wait for that moment to regret not asking you to stay the night with me at least once."
Gangle's mask started to tilt, and tilt further as it slowly rotated into a spin. She hadn't dared even believe that this could happen. Realizing she'd held her breath the entire time, Gangle let out a huge exhale before nodding eagerly.
"Please."
Zooble laughed before bringing her into their room.
Zooble's room was littered with various parts strewn about all over the floor. From mismatched zig-zag shapes, black and white tubes and horns of various sizes, to spirals and lines resembling different symbols. The only uniting feature amongst all of them was their distinct disposable plastic surface.
"Sorry about the mess. Haven't really had the energy to clean up." Zooble said, quickly kicking aside any parts that might lie in the way.
"Heh, you should see my room. It's not that pretty either…" she laughed.
With the door shut behind her, Gangle allowed herself to relax and lean against it, closing her eyes and letting out a long, drawn sigh.
"Thank you, Zooble. I didn't want to be alone tonight." Gangle said, eyes still shut.
"It's mutual," they replied.
Some time passed as Gangle continued relaxing against the door, stalling as she searched for the words to use. She could feel an ethereal heart within her beating fast, but not as fast as it was in the hall. Despite the excitement of the situation, there was something naturally soothing about being here. About being with Zooble.
"Uhm… what you said out there, I…" Her words kept trailing off as she clutched her hands. "I've been wanting it too."
"I think I know what, but just to be sure, what do we mean by 'It' here?" Zooble asked.
"A-anything! I just feel so much safer around you and its been so hard to sleep these nights." Gangle said, trying her best to keep composure.
She felt a tug on her arm, and followed it. Opening her eyes, she locked gazes with Zooble, whose eyes were sparkling in adoration. Gangle only had a moment to feel the gentleness of their gaze, before the room went dark with a click.
Before her eyes could adjust to the darkness, Zooble pulled Gangle over to what she could only assume was the bed. They fell onto it, with Gangle tumbling straight into their arms. Still in the dark, Gangle felt the warmth on Zooble's face as their hands clasped around her, keeping her in a gentle snuggle.
"Something like this?" Zooble said, the slight trembling of their voice barely noticeable.
Gangle nodded, "yes, please."
Zooble tightened their hold as Gangle's arms clutched the hands that were around her chest. Slowly, Gangle relaxed more and more in the cuddle. Her legs explored Zooble's, gently wrapping around them as she pressed her face into their chest.
As the moment went on, Zooble suddenly felt wet beads forming.
"Sh!%— sorry, too tight?" They immediately loosened, to which Gangle responded by pressing harder into them. She sniffled more, barely able to keep back the tears as she tightened her grasp around Zooble.
"No, no I just…" She couldn't finish her words before more tears streamed out. "I don't think I've ever felt this okay." Gangle continued to lose her composure, hesitation fading away as they melted into the arms of the one person she truly felt safe with.
Zooble cautiously let their arms fall back around Gangle, and closed their eyes. They stroked her back with one hand, which elicited an even stronger reaction.
Zooble had seen Gangle cry more times than they could count, but this was different. They could hear her gasping for breaths as she kept trying to push her mask harder and harder into their chest. Gangle muttered more words out into them, most of which were completely incomprehensible. A muffled mess of 'sorry' was the only thing Zooble could make out.
"You've been wanting this for a long time, huh?" they said, pressing the bottom of their head against the top of Gangle's mask. Zooble wasn't sure, but they think they heard an affirmative response. It took all of their willpower to not break down into tears as well.
They stayed there cuddling amidst smudged tears and muffled pants of love for a while. As Gangle slowly regained composure, she let go of Zooble and moved away from the hug. Even in the dimness of the room, the two could clearly see the red hues across each other's faces. Zooble brought up a hand and gently wiped away the remains of the tears on Gangle's face.
"Was that nice?" Zooble asked, knowing what the answer would be.
"The nicest I've ever felt in here." Gangle replied. "Zooble?"
"Yeah?"
"Can we do this again?"
"Whenever you want, Gangle."
They heard a giggle come from her. "Careful, if you say that, I'll be here every night."
Zooble pulled her back into a cuddle. "Don't say that like it's a bad thing."
They felt Gangle's breaths begin to slow down. The fatigue from the day's adventure was finally settling in. Their leg slipped between Gangle's, as the two found more and more ways to get enmeshed with each other's mismatched bodies.
As they slipped further into the delirium of sleep, Gangle gently moved her ribbons around Zoobles body. She felt every smooth turn, every jagged curve, and every errant twitch from their antennae as her arm continued along. She could hardly believe the position she was in, and was trying her best to make sure she'd always remember. Soon enough, she drifted off into slumber, wrapped around Zooble like a childhood blanket.
When tomorrow comes, it will bring its own nightmares. But for that night, the two were happy living in the dream of each other.