Tiny Devil
lee!swatch, ler!spamton
a/n: hey y’all! this was an anon request that i decided to crank out within the hour haha. still trying to get a handle on spamton’s mannerisms/speaking quirks, but i did my best! hope you like it~!
Swatch has been deep in thought when he was called by one of his employees, who was now motioning towards one of the tables in the back of the cafe in visible discomfort and making several charades that were honestly incomprehensible. The boss had been pretty busy that morning, fulfilling orders and chatting with guests to ensure everyone’s comfort, so his small break had been cherished for those few moments before he was needed again. The Queen had kept a close eye on him ever since the… “incident” with that young Addison boy. His leave from the castle hadn’t been pretty, and she wanted Swatch to take the reigns on public outreach to distract from the uproar.
Speaking of uproar… it seems as though that Addison had returned. Again.
He’d already been removed from the premises twice before- once after his eviction and then again the other day for attempting to enter through the cafe’s back rooms. Not only that, but every time he was here he managed to cause quite a scene.
Swatch couldn’t allow that to happen again, not when he was under such pressure to keep a tight ship.
He sighed, adjusting his glasses and strolling over to where the small man was sitting. Hm. It seemed as though he was wearing a different outfit this time. The tie and the glasses…
Oh. Of course. He was trying to impersonate him. That was what that Swatchlings had been trying to tell him. It would have been laughable if it weren’t so… sad.
He forced himself to show a polite smile, his customer service voice more strained than usual as he chirped, “Ah, Spamton… is it? You’ve, eh, returned. To the castle… -Shouldn’t you be with the other Addisons in town?”
He’d rather not have to drag him out of the cafe like last time, though he didn’t see much of a choice after the smaller figure jumped to his feet, eyes unnaturally wide. (Since when did they get so… crazed? Empty?)
“THERE YOU ARE, YOU [[BIG SHOT]]. I JUST WANTED TO GET A CLOSER LOOK AT THAT [[lower level!]] WITHOUT THE QUEEN KNOWING I WAS HERE! D’YA THINK YOU COULD DO THAT FOR ME, [[friend request accepted!]]”
Swatch wilted slightly, looking regretful as he approached the other and easily picked him up to carry him back outside like a stray cat, “Spamton, that’s not feasible and we both know that. You were evicted weeks ago. You need to move on… there are lighteners in this world now, coming this way. They can’t see you here, not like this. Impressions are everything.”
Usually he would have a Swatchling take care of this part for him, though he did feel like he owed the little guy an explanation. So he walked him out to the front of the cafe, looking almost disappointed, “You know, you can’t keep showing up here unannounced and without the money to pay your debts. You’re lucky it was me that found you, and not one of my men stationed farther down the hall. The Queen didn’t build that acid lake for mere decorum, you know.”
Spamton struggled in his hold the whole time, looking frankly quite upset despite that permanent smile plastered on his face. (Again, had his expression always been so forced?)
“PUT ME DOWN YOU [[mother’s day special!]] [[4.99]].”
Always so eloquent, he was.
“I can’t do that. I’m taking you to the outskirts of the castle so you can’t just waltz back inside and get yourself caught. Really, there’s nothing left here for you. That basement has been empty for years besides a few broken scraps. I would know.” Swatch continued smoothly, not even flinching as Spamton’s limbs flailed around.
Though he should have been paying a little more attention, as after a moment of useless struggling, the puppet forwent all decorum and bit down on Swatch’s hand. Like some sort of rabid animal.
The larger of the two gave a sharp yelp, losing his grip on the Addison. He choked on his words, struggling to keep his composure and not swear or make a scene despite his anger. He instead opened his mouth to simply chide Spamton, who had taken to scaling him like the little demon that he was. Though even that plan was aborted when he felt those damned tiny doll hands dig into his shoulders as he was climbed like a cat tower.
He let out a strangled, whimpery sound, which made Spamton stop in his tracks. Je had stalled with his hands positioned perfectly upon his upper back to get the bird squirming and giggling softly, despite his best efforts.
His confusion soon turned into a teasing smirk as he smirked, “OH. [[Talk about a plot twist!]]”
“S-Spamton-! Let go of me this instant! No, don’t you- ahAHA-!” Swatch, the oh-so-refined and highly respected shopkeep, was suddenly bursting into sharp laughter as he tried in vain to reach the little devil who was now latched onto his back and skittering around.
He was lucky they had taken a less popular path to the gates, though considering how loud Swatch was being as he guffawed and squawked at the ticklish sensation, anyone within the radius of Queen’s castle must have heard him anyways. With his glasses askew and his suit ruffled as Spamton wormed his fingers against his shoulder blades, Swatch was flustered beyond belief to be reduced to such a state. Though who could blame him? The strange little thing was wholly unpredictable, leaving him guessing his every next move. It served to make the sensation feel a dozen times more unbearable, leading to his increasingly frantic demeanor.
“SPAMTON NAHAHA- GEHET OFF! I WILL CAHALL THE GUAHA- AHAHA NO, NO NOT THERE-“
The bird like attendant’s laughter rose in pitch when Spamton attempted to get a grip on a spot much too close to his neck. The puppet snickered, about to gloat or even offer to stop… if the former let him into the castle. He would have been all too ready to tease in that fractured voice of his- Though Swatch finally managed to get the upper hand again while he was busy deciding just what to say.
He reached back and grabbed Spamton by the ankle, holding him out in front of him as he breathed heavily and tried to recover from the ghost tickles still vibrating all over him. His face was flushed, and he seemed almost conflicted as he stared the smaller man down. Like he was… kind of enjoying the playfulness.
Though that playfulness quickly turned to determination as he narrowed his eyes at Spamton like he was his prey.
“UH… HEH HEH… CAN WE [[talk about a deal!]]?”
Sadly, it was far too late for bargaining. Revenge was in order. And for a butler covered in feathers, he knew exactly what that would entail.
[[TO BE CONTINUED?]]