Tw: Mentions of presumed death and grief.
TheGentleman was in the kitchen, smiling very softly as he mixed the cake batter. He added a pinch more of sugar and he grins. This cake was going to be perfect.
He pours the batter into a cake tray, making sure not to spill the batter. He thinks of Mr. Cheese and tears up a little. He shakes his head. Not now, TheGentleman thinks, Not now.
TheGentleman sighs, putting the cake in the oven. Mr. Cheese's presumed death was hard for him, hard being an understatement. He sinks to the floor, arms around his knees.
Veteran had walked into the room to cook a hot pocket. "Hey Gentledude, what's wrong?"
TheGentleman sighed, raking a hand through his hair. He then growls slightly, "Why do you care?!" He snaps.
Veteran put his hands up in the surrender position. "Dude, I'm sorry, is it about Mr. Cheese again?"
TheGentleman growled again, tears beginning to fall. "I thought I was over it!"
"It's only been a year... It's okay to be sad over it," Veteran replied, going over to TheGentleman.
TheGentleman bit his inner lip. "I don't deserve to be sad."
"You didn't deserve losing Mr. Cheese..." Veteran replied.
"Just like you didn't deserve losing Player and Captain..." TheGentleman replied, scooting for Veteran to sit next to him.
Veteran nodded, tearing up as well. "That accident made things so much different... I still get nightmares every night, reliving it."
TheGentleman nods as well. "To believe that it all was caused by... I can't say his name... I can't say it." He sniffles, wiping tears. "I come home expecting Mr. Cheese to hug me and then... Nothing..."
"Player and Captain are still missing... But I think they are alive. They have to be," Veteran says, breath hitching.
"Mr. Cheese I assume is dead... I haven't heard from him in a year as of today..." TheGentleman says quietly.
"Have hope, TheGentleman, have hope. If we don't have hope, we can't even attempt to thrive," Veteran says firmly, looking to TheGentleman with determination.
"It is rather admirable that you are this hopeful, and I sincerely hope you keep it this way. Maybe eventually we can heal or this will all be over," TheGentleman sighs, shaking a little.
"I believe in us. I can't wait to cuddle my loves again," Veteran says hopefully. He hugs TheGentleman close, making sure he'll be okay.
TheGentleman sobs into Veteran's shoulder. "It hurts so much still, I don't want to believe it happened, yet I know it did."
Veteran nodded, sighing shakily. They all needed healing and badly. Veteran reflects a little on the good times as TheGentleman continues to sob.
"Remember when we became friends?" Veteran asks softly.
TheGentleman nodded. "Five days before the accident."
"The accident that left us all... Like this." Veteran replied. "We became friends over chocolate ice cream..."
TheGentleman chuckles, rubbing the nape of his neck. "That day... Was quite interesting."
A comfortable silence forms between the two. TheGentleman felt his eyes struggling to stay open as he laid in his friends arms.
Just as he gets lulled to sleep, the fire alarm goes off. The cake had been forgotten!
TheGentleman quickly turns off the oven, opening it. He coughs as smoke comes out, cringing as his eyes burned. "Ack, I think it's burnt."
Veteran yeeted some oven mits over to TheGentleman. "Don't forget these, dumbass."
TheGentleman laughed, flipping off Veteran just as he got the cake out of the oven. He realized this was the first time in months he genuinely laughed and he could tell by Veteran's face that he realized it too.
They were healing, one step at a time.
