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Regect had a lot of secrets to keep. Some larger than others. For one, he never told Ze or Moe about Micha, about his past. What got him 'rejected'. That was a pretty big one.
This one felt bigger. It was so vulnerable, too. He didn't have words to describe it, either, so why should he say anything at all? So what if he gets fuzzy in the head and acts off at times? So what if he needs more attention than usual? So what if he wants Ze to pet him while he lounges in his lap, spoiling him like a -
Regect stood upright, his tail swishing in distress. Yeah, he wasn't gonna humor that one. He's not that pathetic, so his 'doggy brain' can shut up. No point in voicing those needs. No point in bearing that piece of him. He remembers, distantly, letting Micha see him with his guard down. He'd been genuinely happy playing with that kid, keeping Em content and happy was… It was worth getting rejected for.
Micha left him, though. He'd gotten too close. He'd let himself get too comfortable. He felt safe, he'd bore his soul to the kid, and now he had nothing to show for it. No longer with his first and best friend. Regect could feel the rain seep into his bones before he heard it - He almost forgot he was walking home. Ze would bitch about him tracking water and mud on the floor, but it'd be fine. His fur would dry.
He thought about Ze, about Moe. He cared about them a lot, like he cared about Micha. He wanted to be close to them, but he couldn't. He couldn't tear down the wall he'd put up between them, forcing him to hold them at arms length when he wanted more, more, more. He wanted to hold them and let it consume him and never let go.
Would Ze feel the same? Moe, bless her, she wore her affections on her sleeve. Regect knew he was loved around her, but Ze was harder to read. If he bore his soul to Ze, if he let himself feel safe like he did with Micha, what would Ze do?
Would Ze laugh at him? Tear him down? Hurt him? Hate him? Scold him, yell at him for wanting, for needing -
…
Would Ze leave him?
The thought stung. Regect knew Moe would stay. She might only do it to save his feelings, but he knew she'd stay. But without Ze, their trio was incomplete.
Regect was drawn out of his thoughts by a loud crack of thunder, a flash of lightning illuminating the house. He was home faster than he expected.
To his credit, he tried to be good. He tried to wipe his feet on the doormat, tried to be good and wring out parts of his fur as to not drip water everywhere. It wouldn't be enough, and he knew it.
He steps inside, hearing Ze and Moe in the living room. They're talking, seeming to be watching something on Ze's laptop. Since Moe seems the most invested, Regect assumes she's showing Ze something she likes.
He stumbles forward a bit, earning Ze's attention.
"Dude! I just mopped today -" Ze huffs on cue, setting his laptop down on the couch. Moe left the video unpaused, but her gaze tracked Ze as he moved to usher Regect towards the furnaces.
"It hasn't been raining that long, how'd you get soaked through, dude?" Ze asked idly, lighting the lower furnace in front of Regect to get him warm and start to dry his fur. "Gonna catch a cold or something - Can an entity even get sick?" Ze mused.
Regect doesn't answer, letting the flames warm him. Ze shrugged, simply walking off to grab a towel for Regect to further dry off with. Regect didn't want to talk right now, didn't think he could. All he could focus on was the warmth of the furnace, occasionally hearing bits of Moe's video. Nothing interesting to him, but he felt safe.
Regect didn't realize he'd dozed off until he felt the warm, soft material of a towel ruffling his fur. He stirred, looking for the source of it.
"Easy," Ze sighs, halting his movements. "You were dozing, didn't wanna wake you and get my head bitten off or some shit." Ze teases, but hands Regect the towel. Regect stares at it blankly, the activity not registering in his head properly. He feels a familiar fuzz creep up on him. Fucking hell. Not now, not here. Let him get to his room first, please. He can't tell Ze, he can't tell Moe, he can't tell anyone.
But Regect doesn't move. Ze notices this, how Regect freezes up. He's confused, but he doesn't raise his voice. Not now. He knows something is off.
"You good, man?" He asks. Regect can barely process it, the words are too much and he just wants to curl up somewhere warm and sleep this off.
"Nnn…" He musters, trying to form the word. He should be saying yes, yes he's fine. Why does it sound like he's saying no? He's done this countless times alone, why does it matter now? What is different?
Ze's usual stand-offish gaze softens.
"Hey, I know you don't like the rain. Storm should pass in a couple hours. Let's just get you dry for now." He tries. He isn't the best at comfort. He doesn't know why Regect dislikes the rain, either, just that he gets moody when the weather gets dreary like this. Ze wants to try to help, though, so he presses forward, emotional constipation be damned. "Hey, why don't you come watch youtube with me and Moe once you're dry? She's showing me a lets player she likes, forgot his name, though." He hums, trying to usher Regect to dry himself.
Regect finally reaizes what Ze wants from him, clumsily drying his fur. It's patchy and far from thorough, but Ze opts not to say anything. He takes the now damp towel back, throwing it in the dryer with another load.
Regect never moved from his spot by the furnace, not until Ze came back.
"You gonna sit there all night, or are you gonna join us?" He asks lightly, an air of teasing in his voice. No bite.
Regect shrugs a little, but shakily stands. His legs aren't working right, but he stumbles with Ze to the couch, taking a seat next to him and Moe. He doesn't realize he's curled until Moe is asking if he's okay.
He tries to form words, even though it's impossible.
"Y-yeah Moe. Fine." He sounds tired, voice a little higher than usual. He just wants to be near his friends. He feels safer now, but he still wants more. He's greedy. He feels bad.
Moe honks about the youtuber they're watching, about the games he plays, about his other projects. Regect likes hearing her so happy. Even Ze's in a good mood. It's nice.
He doesn't realize he's falling asleep until there's some shuffling, and Ze is now next to Ze, with Moe in the kitchen fetching something.
"I think the rain got you sick, man." Ze comments as soon as he notices Regect's visible eye locked onto him. "You aren't acting yourself." He adds, voice a little lower now.
Regect's eye widens. He's afraid again. He's been found out. He wasn't acting how he was supposed to, and Ze was upset with him.
He whines, tugging at Ze's hoodie desperate for… something.
He can't explain it. He can't bear that piece of himself. He needs closeness, though. He needs it bad. He needs Ze and Moe to stay with him through this. He can't be alone this time. It would hurt too much.
"Please," He musters, voice shaking. He doesn't want to speak, he doesn't want to talk about this, he doesn't want Ze to leave him, he's so fucking scared.
"I don't know what this is." Oh no.
"I don't know how to stop it or manage it." Oh dear.
"I just need you. I need you. I need Moe. I need you guys." It's all tumbling out.
"I need you to stay with me through this, I can't…" Regect's voice fails him. He realizes too late he's crying. He only registers it when Ze yanks him into an uncharacteristically tight embrace, gripping Regect's fur for purchase like the entity might slip through his fingers.
"We're here, man." He speaks softly. He's out of his depth. He doesn't know what to do, doesn't know how to comfort Regect. He holds the entity tighter as he cries into his chest. He won't let go until Regect shoves him off, he thinks.
Finally, Regect pulls back, still a crying mess, but a bit calmer now. His chest heaves as he tries to control his breathing. Ze is still concerned, scared shitless, even. He's never seen Regect like this.
"What can we do for you, Regect? What's gonna get you through this?" Ze asks quietly.
Regect catches his breath, and opens his mouth. Then closes it. Then he opens it again, but nothing comes out. He's still so scared.
Ze seems to catch this hesitation, working to dismantle the fear immediately.
"Whatever this is, whatever you're so afraid of, I swear -" Ze takes Regect's hands in his. It's an odd at of intimacy, but it felt right. This grounds people, right? "I'm not gonna be mad at you, and neither is Moe. We just wanna help you, man." He sighs, letting Regect go once more.
That seems to shatter the wall Regect had built up so long ago. He reaches for Ze.
"Pet me?" Regect tests the waters. Ze raises a brow, but does so, reaching up to where he thinks the top of Regect's head is - he's right - and stats petting. Oddly enough, he can feel silky, long hair on Regect's head. He almost laughs at the idea, but now isn't the time to laugh.
Regect leans into the touch, nuzzling into Ze's hand and whining in contentment. It feels safe. It feels nice. Being doted on by his favorite person like this.
Ze starts to put a few things together as he hears Rgect's tail thumping on the couch. He doesn't stop petting, opting to lay Regect down so he's on his back, with his head in Ze's lap.
Regect doesn't fight the move, staring up at Ze with so much trust.
"Just wanna be pet?" Ze asks curiously, starting to run his fingers through Regect's hair.
Regect nods, tail still thwapping on the couch with joy as Ze pets him, combing through his soft locks. Ze doesn't mind doing this, he doesn't mind the intimacy with Rgect, even if he's out of his depth big time.
"It's like you're a dog or something right now," Ze laughs a little, but there's no bite behind it.
Regect doesn't know why that makes it all click in his head. He nods, a little too eager.
"Wanna be your dog. Just for a bit." He whispers, ashamed. He shouldn't be asking for this. It's greedy, it's selfish. Ze doesn't stop petting him, though, pursing his lips in thought. Regect hears himself continue."Wish you'd be my owner. You're safe…" Regect's voice is still barely above a whisper.
Ze hums thoughtfully.
"An owner, huh?" He asks, earning a curt nod from the entity in his lap. "I don't mind." He finally settles on.
"You don't… don't gotta take care of me, just want you to stay with me. Wanna be yours." Regect murmurs, shameful. He doesn't know what his mouth is saying anymore, just that Ze hasn't left yet. Everything keeps tumbling out.
Ze scritches Regect's scalp, earning a happy noise from the entity.
"Yeah, I'll stay with you, Regect." Ze sighs, letting his hand still in Regect's invisible hair.
Moe comes back with a bowl of soup and a glass of water. Ze doesn't move Regect immediately, no matter how embarrassing this position is. Moe honks in concern as she sets the soup and water on the table, draping a blanket over Regect, and by extension, Ze. She then curls up next to them, but doesn't unpause her video just yet.
"He's alright, Moe." Ze sighs as Moe honks question after question. Moe doesn't look convinced, until she and Regect register a low rumbling noise alongside the occasionally thump against the couch. At first, the rumbling sounded like thunder, but then it dawned on them both…
Regect was purring.
Full on, like-a-cat purring.
Silence fell between the two briefly, but Regect didn't mind. He was where he needed to be, with his two best friends.
Then, Ze clears his throat. "Wanna have a sleepover tonight, Moe?" He asks, knowing neither wanted to leave Regect's side in this state.
Moe honks happily in agreement, unpausing the video and cuddling next to Ze and Regect to keep watching her videos. Eventually, Ze managed to get Regect to sit up and eat most of the soup Moe had prepared, plus drank two full glasses of water, before Ze let him lay back down, head in Ze's lap with his legs in Moe's. He felt safe.
He didn't remember falling asleep in the fuzz of it all. He just remembers Moe honking, tiredly, about the current gameplay they were watching, and Ze petting Regect like he had been on and off for the last hour. Regect hadn't felt safe like that in a long time.
He knew he'd feel weird in the morning, knew there'd be a long conversation between the three of them, but he didn't mind right now. He just wanted to be with his best friends. He was safe here. The rain had stopped.
He was okay.