💜2nd Halloween Special - (S.A.M.S.) Nexus x Reader💜(Queerplatonic!)
Note: This is gonna be queerplatonic! Nexus is still aroace in this. If queerplatonic fanfic doesn't float your boat, that is okay! But please don't make it my problem/send hate. TwT This is purely self-indulgent. I've never written anything with a queerplatonic dynamic in mind; if anything seems off, feel free to let me know. Enough ramble now-- have a happy Halloween and I hope you enjoy this.. whatever this is. ^^; Obviously doesn't take place on Halloween because of the lore events of today 💀 (YES I AM STILL DROPPING THIS ON NOVEMBER 1 i worked on this for a month forget the lore /lh)
Word Count: 3.5k
Warnings: sick author, villain reader or at least reader who's down for the shenanigans, little gremlin reader to put up with Nexus's snarky self, potentially OOC Nexus because it's hard to be completely emo when someone actually does openly care about you for who you are, reader doesn't understand technology 'cus author doesn't want to research, queerplatonic Nexus, queerplatonic reader, author who hates proofreading and the concept of beginning with a draft <3
"Come onnn... We should TOTALLY do a channel takeover!"
Nexus sighs heavily. "For the last time, [Y/n]: we are not doing that."
You pout. You've been trying for the last several days to get Nexus (and even Dark Sun to an extent, but you realized quickly that not only were you getting nowhere, you weren't even succeeding at getting an openly annoyed response from him, which is the one lovely side effect that's still keeping you trying with Nexus) to take over Sun and Moon's YouTube channel for the month of October, "to keep the pattern going". Eclipse and Lunar did it; Ruin and Bloodmoon did it; isn't it Nexus and your turn?
You quit swinging your legs and hop off the worktable you'd been sitting on.
"Pleaseee, Nexus? Don't tell me you've already forgotten how to have fun?" you tease, trying to press his buttons any way you can.
"I have not," he huffs, not bothering to look away from whatever it is he's currently working on. "What makes you think this would be 'fun' anyways? I want to crush them, not take over their dumb channel."
You catch yourself sighing under your breath. Not this again...
"Nexus. Buddy," you slip under one of his arms, inserting yourself between your friend and his project. "There's more than one way to 'crush them', as you so poetically put it," you roll your eyes, "Who says it has to be all big moves? Rome didn't fall in a day, my guy. Sometimes, 'crushing them' takes the form of picking them apart slowly-- yes, today it's just the channel... but what do you take from them next? It makes them wonder, my friend; psychological warfare!"
Nexus doesn't reply right away, instead staring down at you somewhat blankly. You note this with satisfaction; he must be thinking about your proposal! You always knew you were convincing.
He is, in fact, not thinking about your proposal. He's lost in a deep and confusing mental debate about why he enjoys the sudden closeness so much.
After a couple seconds of not getting a reply, you continue smugly.
"Besides," you drawl smoothly, "Where's your Halloween spirit?" You stretch up, boop the center of his faceplate, and promptly duck out of his personal space.
He looks like he just got factory reset, just kind of staring at you incredulously for a moment.
"... Never do that again."
Only then does he seem to finally process your argument-- his reaction is anticlimactic, however.
"And it's still 'no'; taking over the channel would be pointless and reckless now that Taurus--"
You mouth along as he repeats the same argument he's made every other day up until now. He eventually catches you, giving you a beseeching glare.
"Stop that."
"StOp ThAt."
Nexus scoffs. "Oh, so we're copying me now?"
You echo him in a half-hearted, purposely annoying impression of his voice.
"Quit."
"QuIt."
"Sometimes it's like talking to a daycare kid," he rolls his eyes with a disgusted huff, turning back to his work.
You offer a closed-eyed smile, hopping back up to sit on the edge of the table. "You love me, though."
Nexus doesn't comment.
Le Timeskippe
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((("Dark Sun And Nexus MAKE A DEAL! in VRChat" episode)))
You're chilling in Nexus's lab, waiting for him to get back when it happens-- he practically falls through a portal onto the floor of his lab.
Ruin, who happened to be sulking in a nearby corner, has never seen you sober up so much, nor move so quickly.
"Hey! What happened???" You're immediately doing your best to drag Nexus over to a nearby worktable upon realizing that he can't very well move himself.
"Montgomery.. with a shotgun," He hisses, half out of pain, half from the shame of it having been only a gun that did all this damage.
You probably would've laughed-- no, you definitely would've-- had his condition not looked so serious.
"Ruin!" Nexus snaps, and the British animatronic scrambles out of the corner.
"Y-Yes, Nexus?"
"Get over here. You're taking the bullets out."
Ruin's eyes widen-- or rather, you imagine that they would've had he been capable of emoting.
"B-But, Sir!" He stammers in a way that you've always had a sneaking suspicion was more than a bit put-on. "I'm not exactly, well, equipped to--"
"Use whatever tools you need, just get these out, NOW," Nexus orders, somehow managing to have even less patience than normal.
You don't really know what to do; mechanical things have never been your specialty, and it's been a hot minute since you've felt this inadequate for it... Nexus has always been able to handle all repairs and buildings-of-things perfectly fine without you serving as anything more than an extra set of hands... Which means that you kinda just have to trust that Ruin is doing this right, and only doing what he should. You don't like that one bit.
You nearly throw hands with Ruin multiple times over the course of the "procedure"; you're very certain that he's being unnecessarily rough with his extractions. You hold back only because, much to your (and Nexus's) chagrin, Ruin is the only one who can do this right now. You just wish he wasn't quietly taking full advantage of it.
Dark Sun arrives at some point, but you kinda tune him out. Blah blah blah plans, blah blah blah helping. It's the same stuff as it always is with that guy. All you know is that your best friend in the multiverse is hurt and you can't do anything about it. You're so salty that you at least verbally snap at Ruin as he rips out a bullet particularly violently, but he calmly smugly reminds you that Nexus told him to remove them as quickly as possible.
Adding to your concern, you note dully that, throughout this whole procedure, Nexus doesn't once demand that you let go of his hand.
Another Timeskippe
------------------------------------------
((("Nexus VS Taurus In VRChat" episode )))
If the last turn of events alarmed you, well, this one nearly gives you a stroke.
You told him it was a bad idea for him to go back so soon. That Dark Sun was actively using him. Not that there was any point, of course, because Nexus openly knew that. Privately, you've grown to suspect that he's fine with this knowledge not because of that simply being the nature of his and Dark Sun's relationship, but because that's all Nexus has grown to suspect from anyone-- but that's mere conspiracy, and entirely besides the point right now.
Right now, you're freaking out because your best friend just appeared, heavily injured, AGAIN.
Nexus wheezes on the ground for a few petrifying moments before Dark Sun casually can fix the issue-- for the most part, anyway. The second Nexus is capable of speech once more, you're interrogating him with near-comical panic. Dark Sun snickers behind you at the hysterical display, but you pay him no heed, and if Nexus hears, he doesn't either.
"I made an astral back down..." he tells, sounding quietly rather perplexed himself.
"Yes, yes; that's fantastic; I'm really proud of you," you rush, only half acknowledging his claim, "Now, how are you feeling, seriously? Did he hurt you hardware-wise, or was it star power? Are you--"
You're cut off abruptly by him passing out, which sends your already mounting concern into overdrive.
"Shut. Up," Dark Sun sighs after letting you panic for a moment. "Just help me pull him over there," he points to a place on the wall where some electrical things are exposed, "Can you do that, at least?"
You give him a nasty look for the attitude, but, for once in your life, readily do as you're told.
Once your buddy is awake again, he and Dark Sun have more "plans talk", as you've taken to calling it, which you mentally exclude yourself from in favor of worriedly looking him over as best you can with the simple knowledge you have: looks broken = bad. This knowledge has admittedly only rarely served you well in your time knowing animatronics, however.
Eventually, Dark Sun heads out, and you go back to your interrogation. Nexus, of course, shrugs you off.
"I'm fine. I can stand, at least. Nothing I can't repair."
You make a small, noncommittal sound, quite frankly not buying it.
Nexus sighs. "Let me guess: you told me so?"
"I did," you nod, gaze still stern. "But I'm more concerned about what you're gonna do to yourself next."
"You did not just ask me that for, like, the two-hundredth time."
He scoffs. "And you care, why, exactly?"
He scoffs again, but drops it. He knows he'll never win this particular battle with you. You care for him with all the stubbornness of a rogue dandelion growing through a crack in a slab of concrete.
"...Whatever. I can handle myself, though. Apparently better than I thought initially, even," a dark satisfaction creeps into his tone, "and that was against an astral... A destroyer like Taurus... Just think what I can do to something lesser? Guess we'll find out for sure when Ruin gets back here..."
You sigh quietly, watching him get caught up in his violent ambitions again. "Mhm. But, Nexus...?"
He turns back to you from where he'd begun already clicking away at whatever advanced computer system he's established here. "What?"
"... You honestly are... okay, though... right?"
You're almost surprised when he doesn't exasperatedly brush you off again, and instead actually seems to contemplate the question for a moment.
"Yes," he replies after a couple beats, "I am fine."
You nod. "Good."
The two of you fall into a silence that's neither quite comfortable nor tense, residing instead just in that intermediate, mildly awkward zone. Nexus takes to working on something, but you don't exactly have the luxury of your own tasks or plans; you're really only here to help him, and in times like this, that actually makes your "job" more difficult-- because you don't actually have anything in particular to go do.
So, you busy yourself with sitting on the worktable behind him (your typical casual perch) and watching him work. The stuff on the screen rarely makes any sense to you-- perhaps that's why he doesn't mind your idly curious gaze, though you like to imagine instead that it's because he secretly trusts you that much-- but occasionally you get the gist... You can tell the difference between what's blueprints and what's code, anyway.
This occupies you-- not that you have many other options for entertainment readily at your disposal, not being allowed to wander the compound by yourself as per Dark Sun's orders-- for some hours. More hours than you know, even, for you fall asleep on the worktable.
When you wake, you're not on the hard, cold table anymore. In fact, you're not in the same room at all; you're in the little storage room down the hallway that houses your humble sleeping bag. It's not much (seriously, it's not), but it's better than the box or corner that Ruin gets, so you're definitely not complaining. Not like anyone here has much reason to understand adequate human sleeping conditions anyway.
You yawn. You have entirely no clue what time it is, though this pocket dimension doesn't seem to have the day and night schedule to warrant a time system regardless. You check your phone, which reads 1:00 am... again, not that it matters all too much, or even gives you a notion of how long you've been sleeping, as you hadn't known the time beforehand either.
In any case, you suppose you're not really tired anymore, so it's "day" enough for you.
Wandering back to Nexus's main labs, you find him precisely where you'd last seen him-- at one of his several monitors.
"Nexusss," You sing-song out a greeting, leaning on him unabashedly in a way he's come to expect and accept from you, albeit reluctantly. "What'cha doinnn'?"
You can practically feel the heavy eye-roll.
"If you must know," he begins tiredly, "I'm planning out what 'tests' I'm going to be running on that little freak when he gets back."
"Ruin?"
"Who else?"
You nod vaguely, already thinking about the particular question you'd sought him out for. "...And I suppose it was you who carried me to my nice comfy floor spot-- I mean, my sleeping bag-- last night?"
"...Yes. What about it?"
"Nothing, nothing..." You hum, checking your nails casually and trying not to grin too smugly up at him. "...Just didn't know you cared that much."
He grumbles, sparing an irked glance down to where you lean against his side. "Don't flatter yourself. I needed the table for something."
"Uh-huh. Sure. If that's the cheap excuse you wanna use..." you tease, though privately you have to pause and question the odd sense of disappointment that creeps over you at the thought of that probably being the case.
~Le Timeskippe 3!~
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(((sometime during the events between "How Ruin FOUND The WITHERSHARD! In VRChat" and "Nexus and Sun MEET AGAIN in VRChat", which I will be referring to as the Bored Nexus Arc lol))
At this point, needless to say, you've pretty thoroughly given up on taking over Sun and Moon's channel. You accept this only because it would now definitely put your buddy in danger to do so, and well... there are lines even you won't cross just for a silly time.
...and bullying your bored friend into a Halloween movie marathon is not one of those lines!
"C'mon, Nexus," you pout in your well-practiced, purposely irritating manner. "Just a few movies? You're not even doing anything! All we have to do at the moment is wait for Ruin to turn up with the shards, and for you to fully recover-- you have absolutely no excuse not to do a Halloween movie binge with me!"
"Wrong. I am doing something," he retorts with the sigh of someone who's been listening to the same argument for the past half hour.
"Oh yes," you sigh dramatically, "You're making an EvIl RoBoT to MeSs WiTh YoUr Ex-FaMiLy. You're a literal genius and that robot is basically just vaguely human-shaped drone to pilot; you could make it in twenty minutes if you wanted to, and you don't even need it done today," you point out, making sure to slip some flattery into your argument. "I'm just asking for a few hours of your time. One day. Please?"
When he doesn't immediately shut you down, you add with what you hope is a compelling grin: "For your bestie...?"
He finally gives that sigh you know so well, and your grin widens to a beam. You've won.
"Fine. Where do you even want to do this at? There's not exactly a theater room here."
You laugh, "On my phone, rich boy; we don't need a whole theater. It mostly still works here, somehow. Who knew Dark Sun paid his WiFi bills?"
Nexus scoffs, visibly either about to dispute being called "rich boy" or explain how the pocket dimension has an internet connection. Whichever it is, you cut him off before he can begin.
"As for the literal 'where', we could do it in my room-- or, more accurately, my storage closet," you offer, of course taking the opportunity to also make a jab about your living conditions.
"You know, if you really hate that 'storage closet' so much, I'm sure Ruin wouldn't oppose a roommate in his crying corner."
Nexus cackles at how appalled you look. You actually look so horrified that he has to clarify: "Joking... I may be cruel, but I would never actually subject Ruin to that."
You slap a hand over your heart, suppressing incredulous laughter as Nexus continues snickering at his own commentary.
"... Okay, lets just go watch movies before you further break my heart," you shake your head, already moving towards the door.
While you wait for him to join you, you find yourself making everything as comfy as possible, genuinely giddy at the chance to do something so mundane. It's just a movie marathon with your best friend; you two have done this plenty of times before... just not since he's been like this.
Don't get you wrong, you understand why he is this way, and you still care for him every bit as much as you always have... but you've also dearly missed just getting to goof around with him. This feels like a chance to get some semblance of the "old times"-- at least, your and his old times-- back.
And if that means that you're sitting on the cold floor as you try and situate your singular, sad extra blanket into a comfy looking place for watching movies, so be it.
Nexus finds a stopping spot and comes to join you more quickly than expected, pausing in the doorway with mild amusement as he watches you meticulously fiddle with the blanket and your sleeping bag. He actually does want to get you better accommodations... He decides to work on that soon-- not that he'll be telling you until it's done, of course.
You turn and notice him before he announces himself. "Oh, hey! Alright, I think I've got everything situated here as well as I can get it; let's get this party started!"
You grin excitedly as you flop into the little nest you've made, patting the spot next to you for Nexus to join. Reluctantly, he does.
"What do you wanna see first?" You begin, rambling excitedly, "I was thinking we could begin with the classics and work our way towards real horror, but we could do the reverse just as well, or just pick and choose favorites at random? Ooh, or we could take turns picking! It's whatever you wanna do."
He lets out a small synthetic sigh. This was something so familiar, but it still felt strange to be here, in a blanket pile and about to binge some movies with you. Yet, though it came with a fair bit of bittersweet memory that he'd normally either get irritated at or ignore... he finds he missed this. So much it honestly surprises him.
"Whatever. If we're picking, you've got the first choice anyway; this was your idea."
You toss him a smile, already pulling up your favorite.
All at once, watching you as you go about this simple activity, as you continue being your entertaining, caring self towards him even after everything, still just hanging with him-- it suddenly feels very overwhelming for Nexus. Like the weight of you still being here just crashed down on him like a ton of bricks. And he blurts it.
"... I... love you. ...Not like that."
You blink a couple times, pausing your actions. You turn to look at him slowly, gaze searching, trying to see if just maybe he shared the exact same sentiment you knew you did.
The moment must've got a bit too close to feeling sappy because Nexus practically squirms under your gaze, mentally beating himself over just saying that without having prepared any explanation.
"I mean--"
That sentiment you were looking for. You found it.
"I love you, too," you cut him off, "Also not like that."
You both just kind of sit in silence for a minute or so, absorbing this information. It was the strangest thing... but nothing felt different. The more you think about it, the more certain you are that this sentiment is something you two have shared for a very long time; saying it doesn't make you feel like "oh my gosh, we have so much to talk about"; instead, it simply feels like calling the sky blue, or the grass green.
Comfortable. Right.
"So... On with the movies, or...?"
It doesn't matter how many times before you two have binged movies together. Even some of these exact ones. This time is the best ever.
Note: WITH A MINUTE TO SPARE. DONE. HAHAHAHAHAHappy Halloween. <3 (((Edit for Tumblr!))): y'all please tell me if anything seems messed up or out of place with my formatting; bringing my fics over here from Wattpad is still not a science I have down 😅 Also! If the ending seems rushed... It's because it is :> it was 11:59 on Halloween night when I posted this. I had a self-imposed deadline to uphold </3 Hope this is okay, and seriously, HAPPY SPOOKY SEASON here's to a second year of my daycare attendant obsession 🍻