[TOY] Plaything

[skinstealer]

POLKA DOT: Yeah, it’s in the party…
TIMOTHY: …is everything okay?
POLKA DOT: It’s…complicated. Not really at liberty to get into it much.
TIMOTHY: Well, that’s a relief…
 

Tim’s own tone seems reluctant, and you can’t help but give him a look.

POLKA DOT: Is everything okay with you?
POLKA DOT: Party going okay?
TIMOTHY: Welllll….
 

He sighs, rubbing a paw against the side of his face.

TIMOTHY: Kind of…gave Devo a lecture.
TIMOTHY: Which I hate doing, it makes me feel like the biggest asshole in the world.
TIMOTHY: But…
TIMOTHY: I don’t like the fact that he was willing to just, use himself as a bargaining chip for the Roulette thing.
TIMOTHY: It’s not fair to Roulette to use that as leverage…he just…went from going “I’ll go if Roulette does!” to “Okay, tell Roulette I am coming.” And while he says that part of it is definitely him getting more conviction to go…
TIMOTHY: I don’t know. I told him he shouldn’t be doing stuff like that.
POLKA DOT: …how’d he react to that?
TIMOTHY: I…don’t know if I worded things right, but-
TIMOTHY: He’s…probably gonna talk to Roulette about it. Give it an out and apologize, that way if it goes, it’s doing it of its own volition.
TIMOTHY: Devo seemed pretty upset, but…
TIMOTHY: I think…more with himself than anything.
TIMOTHY: He didn’t yell or anything, just got really quiet and apologetic.
TIMOTHY: I couldn’t really get him to stop apologizing-
TIMOTHY: I wanted to just text you when we were done, but Devo looked like he needed some space, so….I went looking for you instead.
TIMOTHY: …guess we swapped heavy talks.
POLKA DOT: That’s a way to look at it…
POLKA DOT: …you guys gonna be okay?
TIMOTHY: Oh, yeah! I think it’ll be fine…
TIMOTHY: Might be awkward for a bit, but…I think his heart’s in the right place.
TIMOTHY: Just a really shitty way to go about it, and I know that Roulette would be hurt like that.
POLKA DOT: …good on you for calling him on it then.
TIMOTHY: Yeah…I’m just…trying.
TIMOTHY: I’m not great at this whole “relationship” thing sometimes, it feels like…
TIMOTHY: Not like my history with it’s any good. It feels like there were so many ar….
 

He trails off, his voice growing quiet.

TIMOTHY: …it doesn’t matter anymore.
TIMOTHY: But I really do feel good around Devo. I want to make it work.
POLKA DOT: You will, man. You will.
 

That cheers your canine friend up significantly, his ears perking up.

TIMOTHY: Thanks, Ribbon.
 

There’s quiet, and the two of you flop back onto the bed, looking up at the skylight.

Roulette’s right- the stars are beautiful from here.

POLKA DOT: …do you remember what I said yesterday? About not wanting to face my past?
TIMOTHY: Mhm.
TIMOTHY: That stuff bothering you right now?
POLKA DOT: …yeah.
POLKA DOT: I don’t want to bring the mood down-
TIMOTHY: Please! I just talked about how I had to scold my boyfriend!
TIMOTHY: I’d go for any other topic right now.
 

The line about scolding his boyfriend gets a laugh out of you before you can help it, but the smile that comes with it fades quickly.

TIMOTHY: ...especially if it means actually helping somebody.
TIMOTHY: So... go ahead.
POLKA DOT: If you're sure...
POLKA DOT: I’m…facing it a lot sooner than I expected, I think.
POLKA DOT: Or wanted.
POLKA DOT: All of these fucked up dreams, lately…
POLKA DOT: And…getting one of them confirmed as real.
 

When you glance over to your side, you see Tim looking right at you, attentive and listening.

TIMOTHY: I’m here.
POLKA DOT: …I just feel like if I don’t talk about it now…
POLKA DOT: I won’t get to on the trip itself.
POLKA DOT: Can’t shake the feeling.
TIMOTHY: Then go ahead. Let it out!
TIMOTHY: You’ve…heard my story. I’m here for yours.
 

You nod, turning back up towards the stars. They’re just…little glowing cutouts in the sky, but there’s something about them that gives you something to hold onto.

You pick out the biggest one, and as you start to talk again, you hold onto it like a raft, keeping you afloat through the nerves.

POLKA DOT: I have a lot of dreams about Willow, which is great…
POLKA DOT: But on the nights I don’t…it’s…usually about this other person.
POLKA DOT: I don’t ever remember a name.
POLKA DOT: Every time I hear it, it’s like it’s…muffled.
POLKA DOT: But…
POLKA DOT: We’re friends, I think. In the dreams.
POLKA DOT: …up until the point where I upset them.
TIMOTHY: They lash out at you?
 

You nod again, and Tim’s muzzle scrunches up.

TIMOTHY: I can relate, there…
TIMOTHY: What do they do?
POLKA DOT: That’s the thing, I’ve only ever gotten a few glimpses, but…
POLKA DOT: …I think they were violent. I know they were violent.
POLKA DOT: I have proof of that now-
 

Your voice hitches, and the weight of Roulette’s confirmation starts to hit you in full force.

POLKA DOT: T-that….they made me violent, too.
POLKA DOT: I’m…I’m scared that I did a lot of it on my own…
TIMOTHY: Do you dream of doing it all by yourself?
POLKA DOT: No, but-
TIMOTHY: Then I don’t think that’s giving yourself enough credit.
TIMOTHY: I may have only known you for a month or so, but…
TIMOTHY: You don’t seem like the kind of person that’d hurt somebody without a reason.
 

A flash of your near-fight with Cindi makes you feel a bit sick.

POLKA DOT: …I appreciate it, but…
POLKA DOT: I…don’t know if that’s true.
POLKA DOT: …I think they twisted my head up.
 

It’s Tim’s turn to be quiet, and after a few moments of silence, you can’t help but look over in a panic-

He’s staring up at the ceiling, paws resting against his forehead.

TIMOTHY: …I feel you.
TIMOTHY: I really do.
POLKA DOT: Yeah?
TIMOTHY: Yeah.
 

You turn back to the stars.

The big one’s still there, twinkling away.

…you wonder if Tim’s watching the same one.

TIMOTHY: …if we meet this person, the one that messed with you, and they give you shit-
TIMOTHY: I’ll…beat them up or something.
 

The idea of sweet ol’ Tim wailing on anything is almost funny, but you don’t dare laugh with how serious he sounds.

 
POLKA DOT: For real?
POLKA DOT: You don’t, uh, have to-
TIMOTHY: I know you’d do the same for me.
TIMOTHY: But…is there anything else I should know about?
TIMOTHY: About this, other dreams, anything?