#askfactoryoncelers

[gore-ler]

Reflect just squeezes harder, "YOU KILLED HIM!!! HOW IS THIS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE YOU IDIOT?!"

Manic let out a choked gasp, clawing a bit more frantically at the hands cutting off his air supply. He didn’t like those annoying spots that were suddenly clouding his vision; it was bad enough, having to deal with only one working eye. “B-because if I die, then he dies too!" He finally managed to wheeze. "Idiot!"

[gore-ler]

Reflect shot forward and began strangling the man with a very powerful grip, "HE WAS MY FRIEND, YOU TWAT AND I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE YOU GO TO HELL WHERE FREAKS LIKE YOU BELONG!!"

"You‘re going to kill me?" He wheezed, grabbing Reflect’s hands with his own clawed fingers. Even while being strangled, he still managed to shoot the other man his best shit-eating grin. “If he’s your f-friend, then that’s pretty c-counterproductive, don’t you t-think?"

[gore-ler]

The fire in reflect's eyes brightened dangerously as he saw what had happened, "WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?! WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!"

“What? Calm down." Manic said, raising an eyebrow at the stranger’s outburst. "I killed him, that’s all." He shrugged as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “He had it coming to him. I’m his other half; he’s not allowed to run away from me."

[gore-ler]

He nodded, "Yeah. Thank you, for understanding. And I didn't mean to make you cry, friend." Reflect chuckled, "I wanted to ask you something. My daughter is going to be born soon. Would you like to be there when she hatches, since she got put in an egg from that anon?"

“Cry?” Gore attempted to feign confusion. “I wasn’t… Okay, y-yeah. Maybe I was crying just a little. Heh.” He shrugged, toying idly with a lock of unruly hair before pushing it behind one ear.

Gore heard Reflect’s voice take on a more serious tone, and he put the ceramic chicken down on the kitchen table, leaning forward to listen. “You really want me to be there?” He asked, his face lighting up in awe. “I mean, of c-course I would like to be there! I would be honored.” He had to bite down on his lip hard to keep himself from asking whether it would be appropriate to bake something for the occasion.

[gore-ler]

He came over and carefully placed a bracing hand on Gore's shoulder, "You're more than welcome. I'm glad you came to our house that day. I'm sorry we scared you during that M!A, and I want you to know you're always welcome."

Gore nodded, taking another moment to rub at his eyes with his free hand. “S’okay…” He mumbled, sniffing. It took him another minute to compose himself, and when he finally did, his cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. It wasn’t his intention to get so weepy over a gift. “It’s fine. I’m s-still here, aren’t I?” Gore said, shooting him a reassuring smile. “I mean, I know you guys weren’t in your right minds. Anon magic and all. So, really, don’t worry about it. I know it wasn’t your fault.”

[gore-ler]

He chuckled, "It was alright, but I prefer being human. And, to start, you have to open the box." Inside was a small ceramic chicken. It appeared to be hollow, and indeed, was a container full of cocoa powder.

“Ah. Open it. R-right.” Gore said, blinking slowly. It really should have been obvious to him, but he was rather shocked by receiving any sort of gift in the first place.

He unwrapped the present slowly, though it wasn’t clear why. Perhaps he was afraid he would do something wrong, or maybe he just wanted to draw out the experience for as long as possible. Once he was finished, Gore took the ceramic chicken out of the box and held it gently, as a strong gust of wind would cause it to shatter.

“Y-you…” It took him a moment to realize what it was filled with. Remembering their first meeting, Gore suddenly smiled. “The cocoa p-powder was…” He blinked, feeling tears budding in the corners of his eyes, and scrubbed at his face in an attempt to hide them. “T-thank you, Reflect!”

[gore-ler]

Reflect peeked in, no longer a dragon, "Hello, Gore. How're you today?" He was grinning, "I know it's not your birthday and it sure as heck ain't mine, but I brought you something anyway." He held out a small present.

“Oh! H-hey, Reflect.” Gore was wearing one of his many aprons, leaning casually against the kitchen table while he waited. “I heard about that anon you got. Must have been pretty neat being a dragon and all.”

The present made him blink. “I… Y-you got something for me?” He asked, nibbling slightly on his bottom lip. That was… Unexpected. To be honest, Gore had never received a gift of any kind before; he didn’t have a birthday, after all. And with Manic around, Christmas was out of the question. “I don’t know what to say…” Gore reached out and took the small gift, staring down at it like he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do.

[gore-ler]

Onceler knocked on the door, "Gore? Um, I've come to apologize, for the household, and to tell you the M!A is over."

Gore hesitated, almost reluctant to open the door. What if it was a trick? What if they just wanted him to let his guard down and go outside so they could eat him? Or make him their ‘songbird’ again. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair, his fingers getting tangled in some knots, before opening the door and peeking his head out just enough to look outside.

“Oh, Onceler.” He paused, taking a moment to look him over and make sure he was completely human before opening the door a bit wider. “T-that’s good, then. I… D-don’t have to be afraid anymore?”