Chapter Text
They weren’t the type to bicker. If there was ever an argument, they would end up just forgetting the initial problem, or forgiving each other before any real fighting even happened.
Most of the time anyways.
But not this time, surprisingly.
X hadn’t returned for well over 4 hours now, which was, in his opinion, completely unacceptable!
He promised they’d rewatch his favorite show tonight. Was he really gonna go back on that, all because of some small discourse!
To be entirely honest, he hadn’t the slightest clue what it was X was even upset with him for. Okay, that was a lie, he did have a tiny inkling as to why he was mad.
But it wasn’t like it was some big deal? I mean, sure, he went back on his talk to be a better host, but that didn’t mean that he had to stop being himself entirely!
Let’s face it, he stopped with the torture, He hadn’t disfigured anyone, and he even let all the exitors stay at that shitty excuse of a hotel! Albeit only because of Two getting in the way, per usual. In the end they’re out of his head now, which means they certainly didn’t stay there for their promised eternity.
He huffed, crossing his arms while falling back against the couch. Straight across from him sat the dark television screen, and he frowned a bit at the sight. The remote taunted him, so he purposefully looked the other way. He could so easily just turn on BFDI, ignore X, and watch it without him.
He smiled, at first it seemed like a good idea- a way to get back at his co-host. Not to mention it would certainly clear his head about this whole debate. Yet, the idea also tore at his insides, making him feel… Guilty?
Ugh. He hated this! He never felt guilty about anything! Well, except for the torture, or for disfiguring people, and maybe even keeping his contestants stuck in the exit- but that was far besides the point!
His face settings shifted instantly to a deep frown, melting a little lower into the cushion. He kept teetering between this odd shame and bitterness. How could X just back out on something he promised!
…
Maybe, that was how X felt.
Maybe X felt the same way about Four right now, after he backed out of what he said he would work on.
Maybe he was doing this for a reason? Like some kind of lesson. Tch, he’s not a kid, he didn’t need a lesson! But, if this was how X had been feeling, maybe an apology was in order? It’s not like he was trying to revert to his old ways, he just forgot how fragile those objects were sometimes!
But, he did have that huge uh, fit, for lack of a better word, in front of them. So he might as well keep to his word.
He sighed pushing himself to his feet in one swift motion, tapping his foot then moving his hands to his hips. They slowly rolled into fists and he glared forward into the floor. He really hated this feeling. He hated not knowing where X is, if he’s ever even coming back, if he finally decides that he had enough-
“Ugh!” He shook his fists at the ground, stomping once.
“I hate this, I hate this! I hate this!” He stomped three more times, popping out of existence after the last one, and back into existence outside his cabin.
Looking forward and over the hills, he couldn’t see any sign of his yellow friend. Immediately his heart tugged in his chest, as he blipped in and out of different places. He wasn’t in his favorite spots, he wasn’t at the playground, he wasn’t anywhere!
What if he really was never coming back?
The thought gnawed in the back of Fours mind, eating at him more and more every moment X wasn’t found.
Eventually, he ended up back at the hotel. Sure, he worked here, doesn’t mean he had to stay here, not to mention he hates Two. Well, sort of, it’s complicated okay?
But just because he was a chef of the contestants' hotel doesn’t mean he has to live in it, but truly he had no other ideas. He was grasping at absolutely nothing here.
He passed by the object's conversations, trying to silently seek out the green number’s rooms. He got a couple looks from contestants, but thankfully no one attempted to have a chat.
Probably because he looked far beyond mad right now.
He stomped his way up the stairs, arms crossed as he finally stopped in front of a yellow door with a fancy number 2 plastered on the front.
He knocked, not caring if it was too loud or harsh.
At the first few knocks there was nothing, so Four waited, groaning and staring out one of the hotel windows. The sky’s were cloudy and grey, as if another storm was just over the horizon.
That wasn’t Fours problem though, what really bothered him was the fact that there was no response from this asshole.
“Ughh! Two, answer your stupid door!” He turned back to the entrance and began slamming his fist against the wood again.
The knocking was nonstop, in fact it only grew quicker as his anger weighed him down at his feet.
The door clicked, and an annoyed huff sounded from behind it, then suddenly the door was thrown open.
“What! What is it- what do you want??” He glared, but quickly eased up when the fist Four was knocking with nearly hit him, “Woah!” He ducked to the side, then shot a look of confusion back to Four.
They stared at each other quietly, before Two’s irritation itched back into his face. His shoulders hunched forward as he leaned against the doorway.
“What could you possibly need to wake me from my nap this violently.” Two squinted, waving a hand to the side to add his annoying sass.
Tch, well now he didn’t even wanna ask them.
Four rolled his eyes, pointing his finger at Twos' chest in accusation, “Where’s X??”
They blinked, then looked down at the finger. Exhaling a long and tired sigh, they gently put their hand over Four’s and moved the finger away. This only succeeded in pissing him off more unfortunately.
“I don’t know what in the world happened, but you’ve got the wrong number Four.”
“Oh please, where else would he go, Two!”
They pinched their forehead and whispered, “Bloody hell,” before continuing, “I have no clue Four! I’m not with him 24/7 like you are! Now can I please go back to bed?”
Four chewed on the words, and after a quick scan over Twos body language, he could tell the integer was telling the truth.
They’re a horrible liar, really.
“Ugh, whatever.” Four withdrew, turning on his heel, not turning back to say anything more.
But he heard the door close behind him, so he assumed that Two didn’t really care either.
And as much as he’s happy that X didn’t run to Two, that did make me very concerned. Where else could he have gone?
He knew X was his own person, he’s probably fine.
He knew X was fine.
But Four didn’t wanna admit to himself that he wasn’t.
He wasn’t fine with X being upset with him. He wasn’t fine with the idea that X might leave and never return. As much as he acted like it didn’t bother him, in the end it truly did.
His anger dissipated through his fingertips, frowning deeply at the ground of the hotel.
He wished Clock was here, maybe then he’d have someone to talk to about this. But that annoying, stupid, irrational- wait no, 2 is not an irrational number.
Ugh! Nevermind, the sentence fell flat anyways!
He brought his hand back up, snapping and returning himself to the front of his cabin, walking up to his front door in defeat.
He wanted to keep looking, but he already looked everywhere he knew X could be. Maybe what X really needed right now was some space, time to himself.
As much as he hated it, they did need time alone sometimes. Especially when they butt heads like this.
So he swallowed down his feelings and opened his door then closed it behind him in one swift motion. His back hit the door, and he stared down past his feet.
This sucks.
“Four?”
A hushed voice pulled him out of his head so damn fast he almost jumped, but after looking up and seeing his best friend, all the noise stopped.
He looked past the variable and to their shared living room. The television was on, but paused at the start of his favorite episode- blankets were sprawled over the couch like some kind of makeshift fort.
His jaw hung open slightly without him realizing, his mind slowly processing what he was taking in before looking back down to his yellow friend.
He held a bowl of popcorn in his arms, staring anywhere but at Four.
Why was he the one doing all this when Four was the one who messed up??
“Uhh.. I have your favorite show on- the one you wanted to watch? B.F.D.B.I..? or something? I can’t remember how it goes.” He mumbled, tapping his finger against the bowl nervously.
Before he realized what he was doing, his arms extended like elastic and wrapped themselves around his co host. Hoisting X up and pulling him to Fours chest without missing a beat.
X was shocked at first, mostly cause he had to drop the bowl of snacks that were now littered on the floor, but he didn’t pay any mind to it in favor of hugging Four back.
“X! I missed you! Where did you go off to? Actually never mind, it doesn’t matter, you’re back now!” He hugged him tighter, rocking back and forth on his heels.
X just smiled, burying his face into Four.
“I’m sorry Four,” he started, but it was quickly put to a halt when Four dropped him and leaned forward.
“You have nothing to be sorry for, X!” He didn’t mean to yell, so he relaxed a bit, stepping back after he realized how close he was to X’s face.
“Ah, I uh. I mean.” He sucked a deep breath in, “I’m sorry X. You were right, and I should’ve been more open to hearing you out...”
He brought his hand up to the back of his neck, he was never good at this sort of thing. Seeing as he hardly apologized- ever.
But he truly did mess up here, and he wasn’t about to lose X over something so easily fixable.
He looked down to his… roommate.
Yeah let’s just go with that. Totally platonic, best friend, roomate.
…
He’s getting side tracked, and this was a topic for another time.
He flushed a bit, frowning as he looked back down to X. When he examined his friends expression his heart soared- he has never seen X so happy before. He grinned big with practical stars in his eyes.
He laughed, taking Fours wrist and tugging him past the living room.
“It’s ok Four!” He dragged them to their kitchen, “I’ll forgive you once you remake the popcorn you made me drop.”
-
The night was still young, and they were well into their third episode that Four has been quoting, when he felt weight shift beside him.
He glanced down towards X and smiled to himself as he watched them desperately fight sleep. X’s eyes fluttered, his body slowly falling towards Four.
He felt his heart skip, his face warm as the noises from the television fading out entirely.
Oh.
Oh.
Okay then, that's fine, probably.
X met his shoulder, silently giving into unconsciousness as Four was trying not to give into this awful feeling in his heart.
They’ve done this a million times- they’ve hugged, slept, and even cuddled together many times before!
Slept literally, by the way; not uh, you know.
He grew frustrated with this new feeling, this horrid cotton in his throat that made it hard to breathe. Like someone had reached past his rib cage straight to his heart, and was strangling it for all it was worth.
That was his friend, his best friend, his roommate- god dammit we went over this already!
He clutched the side of the couch for dear life, his mind racing for an answer.
But like most things, he decided the better idea was to just forget about it. So he took the remote, clicking the tv off and tossing it infinity knows where.
He cautiously moved to lift X up into his arms, carrying him off to the variable room. He kicked the door open and closed it with his back, halting his breath any time X moved in his hold.
He stared down at them, and to be honest it felt kinda creepy just looking at him like this, but it was oddly mesmerizing. This new feeling, that is.
Because as much as it was the most painful and agonizing new emotion he’d ever felt in his life, it was oddly beautiful. Something smotheringly sweet, like a honey of sorts.
He felt his claws threaten to dig into the variables skin, so he quickly moved to X’s bed and set him down.
Fighting every bone in his body to not tuck him in- or kiss his forehead.
He left before he’d let himself do such a thing.
This would pass. He’s felt this way before- many times. He’s felt love for X, just nothing this strong.
He was sure it was platonic, his mind’s just all over the place from the fear of losing him again.
That’s what it was. That had to be.
He’ll feel better tomorrow, after some rest.