TW: HOMOPHOBIA, IMPLIED: ABUSE, NEGLECT.
———
"P-please d-don't go..."
"I won't.... okay? I'm not going anywhere..."
Nickel sat in the arms of Balloon, and felt him softly wipe his tears, and stroke his head. His touch full of comfort and love, Nickel didn't want him to leave. He didn't want to be alone. The amount trust he was putting in Balloon to not leave... To not hurt him... He was desperate for him to stay.
Nickel couldn't stop his memories. It was like he was being dragged down a river full of rapids, he was being thrashed around, and the rocks he had been thrown into were pieces of his past... He needed a raft, or he was going to die.
Balloon used his gentle hands to turn his head up at him. He had a sympathetic smile. His gaze was so soft it nearly melted Nickel's heart...
"It hurts..." Nickel choked out, his voice sounded weak and was so quiet. His pain was evident in his tone.
"Just... focus on my voice alright...? And then, focus on something you can feel..." Balloon wrapped his wings around Nickel and continued to stroke Nickel's head. He then began to him a gentle tune, one his own parents sang to him when he was sad.
Nickel shut his eyes, and let his tears fall down his face. He did as Balloon asked, he listened to the song Balloon was humming. He felt... The feathers... The soft feather against his metal body. It felt nice, like a blanket. The song was, so nice... And the feathers made his tears stop coming. That's when he realized... Balloon...
He was his raft...
The one keeping him above water.
"Hold me..." He whispered softly into Balloon's chest, he felt Balloon's grip on him grow tighter. "Please don't let go..."
Balloon wiped his tears once again. "I promise... I won't..." He reassured in a small voice.
Nickel slowly melted, Balloon was like a pillow... His wings were like a blanket, a warm blanket. His touch was so loving against his head, and the slow ruse and fall that came with his breathing was comforting. He was focused on Balloon, and only Balloon.
His breathing slowed, his hyperventilating from his sobs calmed as Nickel relaxed his body.
Balloon held the smaller boy tightly. He promised he wouldn't let go, and he would not break that promise. Balloon let Nickel rest in his arms, and gave him comfort in his time of need. Nickel needed this right now, and he was going to provide it.
He continued to hum the song.
———
Earring mindlessly drew on the piece of Paper that was given to her. She drew, and looked at the two girls next to her. She watched as the Apple and Bow, who were finished drawing, chat as Bow braided a vine she had used her powers to grow out from Apple's leaves and stem.
Earring was impressed with the powers. She mindlessly continued her drawing. She wished she had freedoms to draw what she wanted back home. She didn't want to draw the 'stereotypical' things girls 'had' to draw. She wanted to draw whatever she wanted. She always thought the stereotypes were stupid.
She decided to get up and go explore. Away from people... She felt bad she couldn't be herself. She felt bad that it was unacceptable to be who she was. She slipped out of the room and into the lobby. She saw the kitchen and heard the echoes of people chatting, but, didn't feel too hungry, so she walked towards what seemed to be the living room.
She entered the room and looked towards the couch. Knife and Pickle were there, of course, she didn't know their names yet. She felt intimidated by Knife... His tough demeanour and voice reminded Earring of her father. She walked with her feet closer together in an uncomfortable way. As she tried to leave.
Pickle heard something from behind him and turned his head around. "Wh— oh. Hey, Knife, look!" He elbowed Knife.
Earring felt goosebumps of fear on her arms as she turned, keeping her arms close to her chest in a defensive way. She was very nervous.
Knife turned too, putting his arm over the back of the couch. "Oh, hey kid!" He gave a wave. "What are ya doing here? Are you lost? Or new?" He asked.
"I-I'm... uh... New..." She answered quietly. And fiddled with her hands.
"Oh! Well, welcome." Pickle said calmly and friendly. Which surprised Earring. She had never been around people that gave off such a friendly feeling. She'd always been homeschooled as well, so, she didn't have much social skills.
"Th-thank you..." she said shyly.
"Wanna watch us play video games?" Pickle offered. It was a bit of a violent video game on second thought, Knife spoke up about it.
"I think they're like nine..." Knife muttered.
Earring spoke up. "I-I'm fourteen..." She corrected in a small voice.
"Oh. You seem so young... And a bit skinny..." Knife said in a skeptical voice, and then shrugged it off. "You wanna watch then? It's a big bloody."
"I'm fine with blood..." She informed, walking closer, but no too close to see the screen. She watched them play video games for a bit. They didn't force her to do anything. Which was nice. She wasn't told to stand politely, or beckoned to sit down quietly. Which was nice.
Pickle looked over at Earring after a few rounds, and held up a third controller. "You wanna play too? You seem pretty interested."
"Wh-what...?!" She seemed dumbfounded and shocked.
"Do you not like video games?" Pickle asked.
"Bro, they're Awesome kid! Come give it a try." Knife patted the spot on the far end of the couch.
"B-but... Aren't video games a boy thing...?" She asked in a scared tone, she didn't want to get in trouble with anyone. Or be shunned by the people here.
"A boy thing?!" Knife chuckled, and glanced at Pickle before shaking his head. "No, no. There's no such thing as boy or girl things. That shit is dumb."
"My mom and dad will get mad at me... I don't want to get in trouble..." She mumbled into her hands.
Pickle looked around. "Well... I don't see your parents here." He held up the controller again. "I promise not to tell." He gave a friendly smile.
"It's really okay...? I-I can play?" She walked towards the couch. She hopped up and tangled her feet off the edge of the cushion.
"Duh! Why else would we ask you kid?" Knife ruffled the top of Earrings head as if she had hair in a friendly way. And noticed how she flinched when he raised his hand. He frowned.
Earring scooted to the corner of the couch.
"Kid, are you alright?" He asked in a concerned tone. He noticed her body language and noted she seemed incredibly uncomfortable, and scared.
She gave a nod. She lied.
Knife knew that. "I don't bite, really. You don't gotta be scared." Knife gave Earring some space, and leaned on Pickle.
Earring looked nervous and stayed very quiet. She looked over, And gasped as Pickle put his arm around Knife. She once again seemed completely dumbfounded.
Knife handed her the controller from afar.
She took it and looked up at them both. "Why... Why are you doing that...? People will think you are gay..." She warned quietly once again confused by their behaviour.
Knife's eyes narrowed. And then he chuckled nervously. "We— we are gay..." He looked taken aback at the smaller girl's confusion.
"But, isn't that bad...?! Boys like girls! Right?! That's how society works!" She looked completely shocked.
"What? Who told you that?" Pickle asked in a slightly angered tone of voice.
"My mom and dad...! They said she'd hi—shun... Shun me if I liked another girl..." Earring muttered.
"Your mom and dad are fucking liars..." Knife growled, not in anger towards the kid of course.
"Yeah, you can love whoever you want. Love is love after all." Pickle chuckled in a friendly manner as he pulled Knife closer. "It's not something you can control, it happens naturally."
"So... It okay...? To like the same gender?" She asked.
"Of course. Heck, you could like both, none, people who have no gender, people identify with all genders. As I said, love is love."
"Wait— wait... you can— you can have no gender?!" She perked up at that.
"You are... Very unfamiliar with this stuff aren't you?" Pickle sighed and looked to Knife, he was less familiar in this area.
Knife took the hint and sat up more. "You can identify as a man, a woman, non-binary, agender, pangender, etc, etc. There are endless possibilities. And whatever you're comfortable and identify with, you can be. I'm trans myself." Knife explained. He gave a friendly smile.
"Trans...?" Earring tilted her head.
"Trans, I'm a Transgender, which means I was born with female genetics, but identify as male." Knife felt bad for this kid. She clearly grew up in a homophobic, and toxic household.
Earring felt something herself spark. She could... Change? It was acceptable to be who she wanted?
No...
What he wanted.
Earring spoke up. "Can I be a boy?" He asked shyly, as if scared to be denied.
"You don't need to ask!" Knife chuckled and elbowed him. "Be who ya want! We won't judge.
"Oh..." he smiled to himself and pressed his knees against his chest. "Thank you..." there was a pause for a moment or two. "Don't tell my parents..." He whispered.
Knife looked to Pickle, and they both nodded. "We won't. We promise."
"Male pronouns?" Pickle asked quickly, not wanting to mess up, and accidentally make Earring uncomfortable. Especially since he was just beginning to get comfortable in his own skin.
"Yes please... I want to— I definitely want to give it a try." He gave a small nod. "Thank you..."
"No problem. And if you want to look a little different, to be more comfortable if you aren't already, I could help ya. Just say the word." Knife gave a small thumbs up. "Don't be a afraid to be who you are."
"I didn't know... People could be so nice..." Earring muttered as he gripped the controller in his hand a little tighter. "My mom and dad always said that I was horrible for feeling like a boy..." He frowned.
Knife felt saddened, he knew how Earring felt. "Well, next time that happens, just punch them in the face" Knife huffed angrily.
Earring looked concerned.
"Knife! That's horrible advice!" Pickle hissed.
"Sorry... Come tell me and I'll punch them!" Knife corrected in the same angry tone.
Pickle nodded. "Better, definitely better advice."
Earring felt himself tear up. God he was getting a bit emotional now. He never felt so comfortable... and Accepted before. It felt good... It felt really good.
Knife flinched, thinking he said something wrong or scared the poor boy. "O-oh— jeez... Uh... I won't do it if you don't want kid—!"
"N-no...! That's not it...!" He sniffled and wiped his tears. "I-I just... I feel so appreciated... I didn't know people... Could accept my weird thoughts..."
"Oh, bud... They aren't weird at all. It's totally natural. You feel the way you feel. You live the way you love. It's not something you can control...! People who tell you that, are liars. And just want to beat you down. It's okay to be who you are." Knife put his hand out, but didn't follow through with patting his back. He remembered how he seemed uncomfortable with people touching him before.
But
Earring gave him a hug. He was very small so his arms couldn't wrap around knife completely.
Knife gasped, he wasn't very good at hugs. Or at least, people hugging him that weren't Pickle. But, he eventually gave the kid a small pat on the back. Which this time Earring didn't flinch. He seemed happy.
Happy to be himself.
———
Fan pulled on the wall, trying to yank off his restraints. He was angry. Angry he was left in this closet to rot. Angry things were changing and he couldn't stop it. Angry that he couldn't finish the job he'd started.
Angry that his best friend hated him.
Angry everyone hated him.
Angry that...
He couldn't fix everything...
He eventually gave up and collapsed on the air mattress that was beneath him. He choked out a sob. He wanted to be free again... He ached... He hated... He was mad...
He didn't even know why.
Why was he so against change? He just wanted to live a normal life. Or at least as normal as it was before. Which wasn't that normal, but it was better than nothing. He wanted to grasp a happy life and never let go.
Had he really doomed himself to suffering while trying to prevent it?
"DON'T YOU GET IT FAN?! You are the problem..."
He grimaced at the memory of that line as it played through his shattering mind. He felt betrayed and alone. He didn't have anyone anymore.
Maybe it was for the better.
All he did was hurt people anyways.
He still wanted to hurt them.
He didn't even know why anymore.
He felt it inside him. The urge to destroy the people who weren't normal. The ones who got powers...
He laughed between his cries. He thought it was funny and pathetic! He was a complete hypocrite too. He didn't want to... But he also did. He wanted to. To hear their screams. And then they're joyous 'thank you's as they were revived and back to normal.
Test Tube had to be a liar.
Mephone never glitches! Lightbulb must be fixed by now!
He began laughing a bit harder.
"No, no! I see through y—you now! Hahah! You— you're a liar Test Tube! Yeahh... hahah...hahaHAha... just a liar... because she's scared she's wrong... She always hated being wrong! Hahaha!!!" He laughed as a tear streamed down his face.
He pulled on the restraints harder. He pulled and pulled. It wasn't budging. He stared at it and laughed even harder.
He wanted them to pay for doubting him.
And then their praise when they found he was right.
He was right.
Right?
He pulled again. No avail. He was furious, and amused at the same time. Despair filled, but happy he had the power to fix things. He couldn't give up now.
He had to finish what he started.
He pulled on the restraints again. Doing more of the same want going to work. Which bothered him. He tried to pick at the bolts that posted it to the wall. To unscrew them. It was too tight. He hit the wall with his fist in anger and laughed a bit harder, before silencing himself.
He was determined to get free...
To finish things. He just needed to get these cuffs off...
And he knew how to do it.
It was gonna hurt.
But he knew how.
He just needed a tool.
So he's wait until Test Tube came back...
Then,
It was back to the cave.
They'd all praise him soon.
———
OKAY I REALLY REALLY HOPE THE EARRING PART WAS OKAY. I TRIED SUPER HARD— I HOPE YOU ALL LIKE IT!
and hate Doorknob and Pocket Watch.
Kill their asses.
We strike at dawn. 🔫🔪🗡️🏹🧨
EARRING NOW GOES BY MALE PRONOUNS.
[He/Him]
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