Knife and Cheesy have to take care of something for Mic.
Sooo! Remember Support Systems? Me neither! To this day it's my least popular oneshot in terms of views. I wrote it as a request for someone who wanted to see Cheesy x Knife in play. I went through a few concepts on how to write their dynamic because I wasn't sure what to do. I started with an outwardly antagonistic one (that never got past 400 words or so), then tried this one before settling on what I ultimately went with. The document this was in was last edited on July 9th, 2017!
This was created before the word "simp" was. :tada:
Read the real Support Systems that came to be by clicking on the link in this comment! Although it's old, I appreciate any and all views, votes, and comments. ^ ^
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What're you doing right now?
Soap's text message came through as Mic was lazily browsing on her computer. Mic quickly picked up the phone and typed her response, which through the abbreviations and misspellings read: Nothing. How 'bout you?
Cleaning up my apartment.
Mic chuckled. 'Figures.' The three dots that signified that Soap was still typing danced across her screen before another text appeared:
I have to make sure it's spotless for when I get home from my trip.
More dots. Leave it to Soap to triple-text. Still, her typing speed was unbelievable, as it was only ten seconds before a huge text appeared: By the way, one of my club people dropped out of the trip even though he bought a ticket (family emergency). We can't refund the money, but you should totally come.
One more: We're going to the world's first and only cleaning museum!
Soap was the president and founder of the one, the only, "Cleaning Club." It wasn't nearly as cool as her other club, Ultimate Frisbee, but it was in a bustling city to the East. It'd be great to go, but...
I'm not sure I can, though. I need to get someone to take care of Casper. I don't think they'll let me bring him into the museum. I can't leave him alone for more than a day.
Seconds after Mic finished: You could just get someone to take care of him while you're gone. It's only three days, and all it is is cleaning out the litter box and feeding him, right?
'That's actually a good idea. Didn't think of that...' Mic typed out a response as quick as she could: Good point. It's short notice, but I'll ask someone. Gimme a minute.
Mic opened up her contacts. She didn't have a lot of friends at the college, admittedly, so she only had a few contacts. Without a doubt Balloon would be busy with Suitcase and running a benefit for the local animal shelter; they'd be too busy to do it. Marshmallow lived too far away to come over every day, and they hardly knew one another anyway. Fan had been in her high school anime club, but... no.
Taco was technically her roommate, but she'd obviously turn it into a debt to be repaid. The last time she'd been indebted to her, it hadn't been pretty. 'Besides, I'm pretty sure I haven't seen her in two days, so...'
That only left two individuals: Cheesy and Knife.
'Cheesy's kind of forgetful, and he's not really precise... but he'll also keep Casper company, which is definitely important. Knife has good attention to detail and he'll get the job done, but it's important that Casper gets some attention every single day. Hmm...'
Mic texted Soap back: I know two people, but I dunno if I'd trust either alone.
Ask them both! Came Soap's response. It was such a simple solution that Mic wondered why she hadn't thought of it on her own.
Soon after, Mic got two "yes" responses, much to her delight. She eagerly texted Soap back and got to handwriting some instructions to go on her fridge.
She grinned. 'Guess it's time to learn about triple-sided mops and stuff with the coolest gal I know!'
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It was the next afternoon by the time a certain knife found the time to head over to her apartment. The was unassuming and even quaint, with a welcome mat in front of it and cheap white blinds covering the windows. Knife bent over and retrieved the key from under the doormat, then twisted it in the keyhole.
"Hey sharp guy, what're you doing here?"
He mentally groaned at the sound of the voice. "None of your business, twerp."
Cheesy came closer. "Wow! You're going back to your delinquent high school days, huh? Breaking into someone's house! Man, wonder if I should play hero and give you the what-for!" He threw a few tiny punches at the air.
Knife glared daggers at him. "Get outta here or I'll beat you up!"
"No can do, Knife. I have business here. And if you don't leave right now, I'll have to destroy you with my killer moves. This apartment belongs to my lady friend."
"That's a funny thing to call someone who isn't interested." Knife slowly turned to glare at Cheesy, who suddenly looked panicked. Knife grabbed him and pushed him into a wall with one fist, wedged deep into one of the pre-existing holes in his chest. "Microphone is on a trip. I don't know how you got her address, but she trusted me to protect this place."
Cheesy gasped, trying to get some air. "Wait! I'll have you know that she... she told me to come here too!"
Knife's eyes narrowed. "As if she'd trust you not to look through her stuff."
"I-I swear she did, scout's honor," Cheesy reached behind himself, trembling in Knife's grasp. Out of his bag he pulled out a phone, tapped the screen a few times, and showed Knife the correspondence with Mic:
"Hey Cheesy, can I ask a favor? I need to go out of town for a few days and I need someone to keep an eye on Casper. Can you do it?"
"Totally! You can count on Cheese-Man!"
"Thanks. I left instructions on the fridge; he shouldn't need new litter. Key is under the welcome mat."
Knife stepped back, letting Cheesy fall on his face. "Why would she get TWO separate people to deal with her darn cat?
He got up, dusting himself off. "Maybe she thinks that I'm less of a jerk than you, so I'm less likely to hurt the cat. Or she had a bad feline about leaving you alone with the cat." He did not slap his knee, but did wink to confirm Knife got the joke. (Knife simply rolled his eyes.)
"Maybe she didn't trust you not to look through her stuff because you're a snoop."
"That's the most cutting thing you've said yet, Knife. I'd never do such a thing to a lady!" He slapped his knee.
"It's so stupid that she got both of us to come, but whatever. You better not hurt yourself scooping the litter."
Cheesy winced even if he tried to hide it. "Y-yeah. Good luck not, uhh... breaking the blender making a protein shake or somethin'." Cheesy turned the key and walked in. Knife seethed as he followed.
The apartment was tiny and cramped, all basically visible from one vantage point, but it was impeccably clean. (Knife guessed it was a side effect of being best friends with Soap. Based on Microphone's social media postings, Soap practically lived there outside of her club activities.)
"I wonder where the cute little fluffball is," Cheesy commented. "Mic says he responds to his name and everything. Hey Casper! Caaaaaasper! C'mon boy!" He got on his knees and patted the coarse carpet.
Knife shut the door and crossed his arms. "As if it'll come to you."
No sooner than Knife spoke was there movement on the other side of the room, just a little bit underneath a blanket. Cheesy smirked at Knife and patted the carpet once more. There was a bit more movement, and then the lump under the blanket moved onto the ground, dragging the blanket with it a little ways before it came out.
Its head was green, and the size of Cheesy's fist. The only sound in the room was of its shuffling movements. Cheesy's eyes widened with horror. The thing was bigger than he was, if the entire length of the black and green tail was counted.
Casper the Iguana regarded Cheesy with an unblinking brown stare. Cheesy's eyes widened with fear.
"Holy schmoly, the woman said she had a cat!" Cheesy exclaimed. The iguana - Casper - tilted his head to the side.
Knife glanced around the room. In the corner, there was a litter box... with lizard droppings littering the substrate. "She said he used a litter box, but nothing about being a mammal. This doesn't affect me... are you scared of reptiles?" He smirked.
"Of course not! Tough guys aren't afraid of reptiles!" declared Cheesy. "Look, I'll even touch him...!"
Very hesitantly, Cheesy put out his hand. Casper regarded him without moving as he lightly touched the spines at the base of his neck.
He smirked after it didn't move for a moment. "See? No fear at a-"
Casper's head tilted very slightly to the side. Cheesy jumped back with a yelp, nearly bowling Knife over in the process.
⁂⁂⁂ Night One, Begin ⁂⁂⁂
"We better figure out who's doing what."
Even though Knife and Cheesy were sitting on opposite ends of the couch, arms crossed, both of them were thinking of the same thing.
There was a box in the living room, just a little ways away from a heating lamp. A thin substrate laid along the bottom, hardly hiding the... gifts the lizard had left for them. Nearby on a cart, a little tub of worms sat. Casper stared at them expectantly from right under the table; it gave Cheesy a little chill down his spine, seeing the creature's amber eye staring so intently.
"I have an idea," Cheesy said. "Just hear me out. You can handle feeding the guy and dealing with his, uh, box. I'll chill here and make sure the couch doesn't leave."
Knife's eyes narrowed. "As if. For some odd reason, Microphone has asked both of us to take care of him. We need to evenly divide these chores if we're gonna avoid problems."
"She got us both to come because this is enough work for the sofa us." Cheesy jumped to his feet just to snap his knee. "Get it? Because sofa rhymes with b-"
"Wow; you're so mature."