Chapter Text
“Your hair’s getting pretty long, huh doll? Maybe we should cut it, make it pretty.”
Doll simply blinked in response with a small yawn, leaning into the hug Shadow was giving him, it liked it when he did that, so he did. A claw began lightly running through his hair, making a flicking gesture as it reached the end of the strands.
The claws then started to play with Doll’s hands, moving them up and down like a cat pawing. Doll didn’t tell it that that made him feel wrong, his feelings didn’t matter.
His legs were hurting again, but he didn’t want to bother Shadow, it’d already done so much for him. It fed him, let him stay with it even when he’d done things to upset it, it gave him unending affection, it helped him move when his legs.. hurt too much…
…
“Doll? Are you even listening to me?”
The human snapped back to reality, looking to see Shadow staring at him with an annoyed expression. Doll’s heart sank in his chest, he didn’t mean to make it upset, he didn’t like it when it was upset at all..
“...m…m s’rry… didn… mean to…” He trailed off, voice hoarse from disuse. Doll wasn’t supposed to speak unless spoken to, he understood that.
Shadow stared for a while, its eyes narrowing, before softly smiling, Doll’s heart soaring at the action. “It’s okay, doll. Just try to pay attention more next time, okay?”
He nodded quickly, burying his face into its jacket to continue to convey his apology without words. Shadow didn’t like it when he talked too much, so Doll didn’t like it either.
Shadow just chuckled, petting Doll’s hair as it spoke again. “Anyways, what I was saying is that maybe we could dye your hair again, too. Something other than silver though.. Gold would look good on you, doll.”
Doll didn’t like gold that much… but…
What Shadow wanted, it would get. There wasn’t a use in arguing, so he simply nodded into its shoulder. If it wanted him to have gold hair, he would have gold hair.
“Good, good. You’re amazing, doll. Such a good listener, so… agreeable. Much better than before, don’t you remember?”
A claw squeezed his shin and Doll bit back a gasp as pained tears built in his eyes.
“NO PLEASE– PLEASE DON’T, I’LL LISTEN I PROMISE I WILL–”
SNAP!
J̸̥͚̤̫̍̐̓̌o̵̗̔͂̎̿n̷̪͓̬̈́͝a̵̡͈̻̋̌͜ḩ̵̳̫̯͗ screamed.
“... i’ hur’s… don’... ‘ur’s…”
“He.. he didn’t do anything!”
Agony ran through every part of him. It hurt it hurt it hurt so much and he just wanted it to go away he just wanted it to stop hurting him– please just stop hurting him he’ll do anything please just stop–
He has to listen he has to be good if he’s good he won’t get hurt and that means no talking no showing that it hurts and hurts and hurts so much no trying to leave because last time he tried it took his legs and it hurt it hurt he’s not a person he’s a doll his name is Doll there is no other name he isn’t J̸̥͚̤̫̍̐̓̌o̵̗̔͂̎̿n̷̪͓̬̈́͝a̵̡͈̻̋̌͜ḩ̵̳̫̯͗–
“Oh, it’s okay, doll.. I was just teasing you. It’s all okay, no one’s gonna hurt ya..”
Strong arms squeezing him lightly brought Doll back to himself, blinking as tears continued to flood from his eyes. A claw gently began wiping them away, Shadow humming as it began to rock back and forth. It was attempting to comfort him.
Doll forced himself to relax, leaning into the touch to soak it up like a wet sponge. Shadow was here to keep him safe, he was okay. Everything is okay when it’s here, he just had to remember that. Everything was okay.
A kiss was pressed to his forehead, and Doll leaned in further. If Shadow wanted to give him affection, then he’d let it. It was the least he could do for someone so caring, someone he just kept disappointing despite its kindness towards him.
Face being moved into the crook of its neck, he nuzzled against it as its chin rested atop his head, breathing slowing to a more normal pace. The tears began to dry up, the human pushing the bad thoughts that caused them away. Shadow shouldn’t have to comfort him like this, it was his fault anyways.
And, as Shadow gently began to rub his back, Doll sniffed and let his eyes flutter shut in its warm and soothing embrace.
Doll was so lucky he had such a good friend taking care of him.