Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

warning, this work contains the following:

ⓘ major gore, dessert horror, borderline gore consumption,

violence, mentions/implications of torture & abuse & suicide,

possible murder, robot abuse, swearing, suggestive themes,

grotesque implications, the cake is a lie, the word moron,

and wheatley.

                                                                             🌙

if you feel uncomfortable with one or more of

the content being mentioned, i recommend clicking off

or reading at your own pace.

nothing is to be rushed, and remember that you are loved.

[this work is currently undergoing intense editing.]

🎂

info.

this story is something i have decided to dedicate a small portion of my life to.
i wanted to write this style as a little experiment and fell in love with it.
so, i have themed each chapter to one or two specific treats. one is obvious and the occasional secret second is for you to guess.

how fun! right?

this is my lovely bakery of delights and you are the consumer.
her cake may be a lie, but this story is not. it is actually cake.

i love portal and its sequel! especially its sequel..
i grew up with the game playing a big part of my life, adoring the franchise and the little, metal ball to his very... core.
it taught me many things and got me into science at one point before my life went downhill.
hopefully, i can still capture a deeper take on his character and shine some sugary light onto his overall being with a touch of frosting.

basic information without any spoilers.

you have a rare coping mechanism where you compare morbid situations to pastries.
this is a result of your brain trying to cope with past trauma involving your (fictional) parents.

also, you may or may not find a certain android attractive upon first sight.

your theme is strawberry shortcake.
if you do not like it, you can imagine something else.
that's just what i went with!

i do not update on a regular basis, expect to see inconsistencies.
also, i am not very good at writing so i apologize in advance if i make any mistakes or it feels too bland.

and last, but not least.

the basics of the robots and my version.

this is my favorite design of wheatley so far. i adore how it doesn't stray away from his robotic nature.
i made this fanfic with this image in mind. for example: the outer shell plates and the anatomy design.

most of my version's changes will be described so please, have an open mind.

one of the major changes i made was giving him black hair since i do NOT associate him with his va
after finding out that dude was not actually british. (JOKE)
he also has a more humanoid structured skull, not necessarily flesh, with two eye sockets. (shocking! wow!)
one more thing to add, he is slightly taller than the one shown in the image, but only by a few more inches.
i don't want him looking like some fresh, young lad out of the life generator.

i do not know the artist, but if you do then you may comment.
i would appreciate it. it is so cute, but i get all my sources from pinterest.

not my image. purely inspired!

"we need a little bit of them and a lot more of me!"

🍰

made by mutt.

Chapter Text

warning, this chapter contains the following:

ⓘ blood & gore, implications of robot abuse, borderline blood consumption,

suggestive themes, and dubious consent.

                                                                         🫀

this can not be happening right now.

⟡

"you stay there while i take care of something real quick. don't go anywhere." the robotic, female voice spoke through the speaker in the camera.

this chilling, monotonous voice belonged solely to the Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System.

GLaDOS...

for years she has slowly grown a distaste for humans. humans trying to enter her facility, especially. that was hers to control, not theirs.
she was forced to coexist alongside the scientists of aperture. at first she complied to a degree,
offered her knowledge, shared cake recipes, and then their planned deaths.

oh, well. what did they know...

she could feel it. another human squirming within her laboratories like an insolent fly inside a doughnut box, reeking it with its little germs. how foul.
it was enough to draw her away from chell, momentarily. bittersweet aperture science was not finished with pecking her of every crumb.
the crow comes to haunt her again and again, with no pitiful end.

immortal by design.

GLaDOS scans the vast monitors from her chassis, most are of blank cakes, waiting to be decorated with various instruments.
until she finds one, unique, at a distance from chell's chamber, not empty. it looked... interesting to say the least.
she quietly groans; a sharp annoyed click from the dark mechanisms within her mouth.

she had this habit of vocalizing her emotions.

immortality.

a system designed to never age, never grow old, never die.. yet, she never felt immortal.
in fact, she acted much more human than any other robot, but she knew she was far from it.

this odd specimen with a pink jumpsuit, on the screen, would not fool her, not like chell had. GLaDOS was going to make her suffer for thinking she could step out of line.
no amount of sweet, sugar coating could make GLaDOS spare this strawberry flavored subject, no matter how useful they might be.

aw..

poor Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System.

now, she is dealing with two kit-kat sticks instead of one.
she would have to make sure the two did not run into each other or else they could plot world domination together.
thankfully, on the off chance that does happen, she would happily snap them in half, in any direction she pleases.

for any sane person, this would be a challenge, but to GLaDOS, this was a fun way to explore science and discover new scientific research.
two individuals with different reactions and timing skills like different brands of chocolate bars. the same default premise of a person, but different, unique qualities.
she had the perfect idea to make this work, leaning in closely between the two monitors. she could take turns on informing the two on the test,
watching and experimenting with things.

GLaDOS made a mental note to find this girl's file in due time, just as she had with her primary test subject.

suddenly, everything was in GLaDOS' favor.

bloody hell, the room spins.

⟡

a pathetic robot groans, slowly waking up among shrouds of nature and muck.
a robot, he was, tossed aside like dunkin doughnuts after a single day of being unwanted.
his head bashed against the vegetation that stuck through the panels like weeds, grown over the years. his vision was coming back to him, blurry and dazed.
he nearly forgot what happened to get him in this predicament. electric blue eyes scanned the area,
but pain pounded at the side of his head before he could see much of anything.

immediately, he became aware of his surroundings, including the fact he was bleeding. his gaze dropped to the floor when crimson caught his eye.
a sticky, messy gash on the side of his scalp was gushing and dripping onto the shards of grass.
he felt as if he had been stabbed into like a cake for someone's cheating ex.
everything inside his skull throbbed, including the wires that acted as veins and nerves.

the robot lifts himself up after laying there for a few, necessary hours. his joints dripping from the dirty puddle beneath him.
sugary, clumpy juices drip down his face, curving past his lips. how could she do something like this upon waking up...

it truly baffled the android to know the control she still had over these treacherous years.

GLaDOS was a goddess compared to him and he was terrified because of it. with the back of his hand, he frantically wipes the sweet liquid from his chin.
feeling the numbness from having his head pummeled to the ground like an overripe berry.
he did not have the instincts to prevent blood loss, the stuff that kept him functioning properly.

whoever decided that shit should rot.

a perfect body, now damaged from the harsh impact. from the swamp water to the moss that grew along the walls, everything made his left parietal ache.
or, perhaps, it was due to the crack now embedded into his cranium in that exact area. lifeless, messy locks of black hair shunned his face,
shadowed by the broken hole in the ceiling that brought little life back into the room.
he had little clue as to where she had dumped him, but he could care less.

the small glimmer of jam in his eyes grows with a burning passion to leave this place in the dust
and he has his ways of making it known.

after all, he is a core.

he scoffs to himself, eyes narrowing, knowing damn well it would be a pain to go against a worshipped being to aperture.
he had little power with GLaDOS in charge, as if he ever had any. his blue eyes blink off the thought, quickly bringing his attention back to his current situation.
was he succumbing to the blood loss or just zoning out?
a fool, he was.

the blueprint to be human was the structure to have a heart.
something beating and living, and still surviving. all warm and pumping inside his machinery.

in his eyes, he is still functioning and therefore, he still has a purpose. he needs to find chell and he knows exactly where to start. with a refined goal in mind, his own organ would beat at the thought of seeing his dear friend again. unfortunately, before he could do so, he would have to clean himself up. the android stands there while looking down at himself. awkwardly laughing at his damaged form with dents, tears at vital spots, and wires exposed.

he felt vulnerable, lost. it was as if the world was constantly shifting and changing around him. mostly because it was.
GLaDOS was finally swapping out the own parts for new. it made him realize just how old he felt, too.
he frowns, licking his thumb before scrubbing against the white, outer shell of his machinery. he scrubs off some mud that latches onto his thigh,
revealing a sad and somewhat embarrassing scratch beneath.

fuuck...

now that he got a good look at the area, he could see more little scratches from the little, sharp rocks of debris, stained.
GLaDOS showed no shame in treating him like he was nothing. she may as well have spat on him while she was at it,
could've called him a good boy for bringing chell right to her. well, he'd be damned.
he was not going to forgive that lady for what she has done to him.

his angry stirred from the harsh whisk inside the mixing bowl. his fists clenched in mild irritation much like an oven pre-baking.
this was the start of a hatred that would only grow, bubble, and boil over, burning before it can be savored.
stumbling like a mad dog, he wanders the desolate corridors before coming across a smaller core, known as a nano core, offering him help.
like he needed that when he was handling himself just fine–

and, he's out cold.

...

to think that the freshly kneaded dough to his pulsing red gem could be twisted and shaped, to flip the stubbornness of his seeded soul to show the finished glistening side, to fill him with smooth jam again, only for him to be ripped open on display. he never wanted to suffer. to be born again in this body. death was always around the corner, so why did it never spare him a glance. it was apparently permanent too, but someone lied to him.

they all did, didn't they...?

didn't they...

it would take a lot more than death to stop this robot from reaching his goals. that was difficult to say about other androids there. they were merely scraps being cut off a cake to shape it into something beautiful, purposeful. a masterpiece without any imperfections from the likes of lesser machines. that is how he thinks and how he will always think. right? yeah.

he was not perfect. no.

he would never be perfect again. not after what GLaDOS had done to him. but, at least the smell of paste was comforting. by the time he woke up again, his outer shell was scrubbed clean of it's mud and even some rust he was unaware of. he didn't even need to do it himself, which would've been a pain in the ass.

thank god for nano cores, eh?

he soon noticed the dried berry flesh that clung to the crack on his head, but it didn't bother him. two of his fingers navigated up to feel at the crack, twitching back when the nerves acted up, but inevitably getting some of the leaking mush onto his sleek fingertips. looking at the substance that clearly came from his head, he was briefly tempted to taste. what exactly was this blood substitute made of and why the hell did it smell like strawberry.

it had to be...

a vibrantly blue, functional tongue hesitantly emerged from his mouth. whatever he was thinking of doing gets halted when his hair strands decided to fall onto uncomfortable spots over his face. it always would at the worst times, it seems. the feeling of hair was unlike any other part of his body, shaped uniquely to his person, and giving him a sense of personality.

in Cave Johnson's words, if human shaped, why not have human hair?

cheap bastard, he wanted tell him.

the core walked it off while talking to himself.

"i really hope Chell doesn't notice.. i can't believe they wanted to charge me for more, that mother–"

squish .ᐟ

his mumbling got cut off when bumping into something. something rather fleshy in contrast to his solid frame. when he had mentioned earlier that he knew where to start, he didn't expect the start to come to him. he stumbled back like motion sickness was his middle name, stuck on confusion and churning away. eyes blinked before widening at the unexpected sight before him.

the elevator!

was it the right one?

it had to be, it was here. the flashy blue in his eyes darted around in excitement that he forgot about the thing he bumped into. the android had been convinced no other human survived the relaxation center, after the reserve power ran out, unexpectedly. when his gaze finally met the squishy body, his thoughts blanked. here, standing before him, is not Chell.

it is hard to tell what he was witnessing...

now, how the hell did this happen? he pondered.

another living human in aperture was not something he ever expected to find. so many questions raced inside his mind. a human, that wasn't Chell, was standing there with their own handheld portal device. not a very sane human from the looks of it. but, he couldn't figure out how they were alive, sort of. when he doesn't understand something, there is only one thing he can do, especially when faced with a female.

indeed, another woman... considering the fact he was aligned with one of the most noticeable features of one. 

wait–

"GAH! god, i forgot you humans had– I'm sorry... I'm not looking on purpose, i swear!"

⟡

staring...                          

staring...           too long.

the girl could not remember much of her life before this. whatever happened before aperture science was not important anymore, clearly. she could speak, but did she want to was the real question. the pathetic robot's blinding blue eyes flashed with concern for a moment. however, it was quickly replaced by his need to find his friend.

a certain smell hit her before anything else.

the scent of strawberry. it was coming from the being standing in front of her, their eyes locking onto each other.

he was staring, so she stared back.

what was truly baffling was his sudden fear of her, specifically her chest. a single glance was all it took for her to adjust her cream colored shirt, leaving little to no wrinkles. it left it a somewhat smooth layer of frosting that hugged the edges of her body. unfortunately, her jumpsuit hung at her hips like whipped cream that lost its cool. it got a reaction out of him, nonetheless.

"aah.. you don't have to adjust it. its–its fine," the creamy machine murmured awkwardly.

GLaDOS had reacted similar when she had first stumbled upon the girl in her luscious domain, awkward and concerned. though, to think that she would stumble upon an android such as this was unlikely, never. he gave quite the first impression. he was innocent, polite even. he did not know just what she was capable of, adorned in a pink and white outfit compared to aperture's classic orange.

in her hair was a single, thick vanilla ribbon tied into a bow. nothing, not even a prison-like jumpsuit, could strip her of her taste in style. she would rather eat repulsion gel than wear burnt orange. furthermore, after some heavy consideration, aperture made an acception for a custom outfit and gave her the freedom to add whatever she wished.

after all, 20 bucks is 20 bucks.

speaking of aperture, this android has been staring at her for far longer than necessary, which was 5 seconds. or, was it 5 minutes? she does not understand time anymore. it feels more like an illusion. the more they stare at each other, the more time is spent out of the test chamber.

buttons...

must push them.

the air around them became a blur when the oxygen being pumped through the room was recycled. her appearance made it hard for the robot to focus on anything. that and the new blood now pumping throughout his entire body. he stutters to speak, struggling to think of  anything aside from her glazed, aperture shirt. such a rare slice in the depths of a hell like this.

"hey."

"ah! yes..?"

"testing. i must go now. got to finish it," she states, straightening her back slightly.

"right! sorry. I'm really sorry, again."

the soft voice hums in her ears, oddly soothing her. it makes it difficult to be annoyed when he repeats himself.

the android still remembers the tender feeling of their bodies bumping into each other becoming a faint memory. gosh, he really was blind to seeing how rude he was being to this random girl. to think that he would learn his lesson from his first encounter with chell. he silently groans to himself for not automatically acting like a perfect gentleman.

"i apologize for interrupting you and your testing. you see, i am currently trying to find my friend. her name is chell. we're friends! she's really cool, just saying. she can shoot portals really well- not that I'm saying you can't because, i assume you are just as good, if not even better. have you seen her at all? anything would help m- ... ind—ing-"

his voice faded into the background as she channels him out, a small ring in her ears while she stares at his face and how expressive he was for a robot. his voice was like chocolate, filling a mold to be frozen then devoured. the liquid would overfill occasionally and make a few, messy mistakes here and there, but smooth and creamy with a scent that was irresistible. now, she was the one staring at him. suddenly, she was aware of every little detail, from his humanoid face to his smoothly frosted plates to his dark hair.

speaking of, he had an odd smell of strawberries, a strawberry covered in chocolate? tasty. not to mention the hint of red in his eyes.

he pauses for a moment to place a gentle hand on her shoulder to get her attention, lingering it just above, "but, I'm getting ahead of myself. I'm wheatley. what's your name, love?"

wheatley flashes a wide yet polite smile, teasing her. he had noticed her staring. without skipping a beat, she responds, "just call me that."

"...that?" he hesitates, unsure as to what she meant in her haste to respond. really, she did not want to look like she was in a trance about strawberries and chocolate or the obvious fact that she had been staring so intensely into his eyes.

"call me the thing you just said," she pipes up again.

his face lights up at this, "love?"

holy shit... he said it so easily.

she nods, and it appears as if her request is going to be denied, but to her surprise and his own, he doesn't mind. he shrugs it off; he plays it cool. the android looks at her without a care in the world. he was impressed by her quick acceptance to the petname that he had a habit of tossing around in certain situations. moments like this fueled his ego. it stirred something inside him, something making him feel confident enough to continue where he would have failed otherwise.

as much as she would love to stare more, she doesn't stay any longer and she quickly makes her way up the stairs to the actual test. the heels of her fall boots click against the floor, metal against metal. lower clicks follow her from wheatley, who tags along, behind her. this is a glimpse into the cold, modern white walls that clashed with the black chunks that gave limited space for portalling. it had no openings unlike the past test chambers that were filled with life despite how damaged and old they were. it made wheatley realize just how inhumane that freak on her chassis was.

was GLaDOS even fit to run a facility? no matter which direction he looked at this, all that he saw was an unfit, rude bitch. despite how many times he bounced around the name, he never actually took a moment to acknowledge her awakening and really saw her for her true personality. this absolute unit of a robot being in control, seeking anything to do with science and dedicating her life to this one cause without ever understanding why. for years, she has always been convinced that she could fix the world with the help of science, but she doesn't even know who the hell made her.

"hey, love, do you ever get to talk to GLaDOS? what's she like?" he can't help but ask.

of course, in all honesty, he knew about how much of a monster she truly was. he always got in on the rumors somehow and how nastily she treats everyone who works there. for all he knows, she could be worse from how many years she was out cold. a shiver skitters up his metaphorical spine, filling wheatley with excitement, fear, and the sheer thrill of something so deadly looming over the two. he wanted to know the girl's thoughts on this, the one that he would be calling love from now on. god, he hopes he can get along with her.

thankfully, she was occupied with wondering why he was following her in the first place.

she gives a small, "sometimes," to answer his question.

despite it only being a mumble, the whole of her voice tied around him like a bow, snuggling up to him and encouraging him. chell was mute and couldn't even make sign language properly in her condition, not that he would have understood it, but finally having someone to speak to just felt so comforting in this vacant facility. furthermore, he would gladly take it if it meant becoming closer and, maybe, even friends. anything to help him stay safe from GLaDOS' wrath after witnessing it beforehand. love didn't mind this, only side-eyeing him when he tries to help or gets too close which was, fortunately, only a few times.

wheatley smiles at love, admiring her from a comfortable distance while she did the test. she even provided him with some small talk, but he couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. he glances at the camera in the corner while love is distracted, his lips falling into a tight line. emotionless, he looks at the one red dot that stares back.

she knows.

────୨ৎ────

"i am not a useless machine."

🍰

Chapter Text

────୨ৎ────

oh, what now.

♡ ⊹ ₊ .

♡  

 ‧₊˚.          

· ˚⊹   ⋆  

╭◜◝ ͡ ◜◝╮   ⋆╭◜◝ ͡ ◜◝╮. ⊹
( .◜◡◝     )♡   ( .◜◡◝     ) ₊ ♡
╰◟◞ ͜ ◟◞╭◜◝ ͡ ◜◝╮ ͜ ◟◞╯.  ⊹ ⋆
.  ⋆ ♡︎ ⊹ ( .◜◡◝      ) ₊  . ⊹ ♡ 
₊ 　⋆      ╰◟◞ ͜ ◟◞╯  . ⊹ ⋆

♡ . ⊹

────୨ৎ────

of course, she would be trouble, just like chell. of course, nothing would go her way, and
of course, that little idiot would be stuck to her like frosting on a cinnamon roll.

"what is this. some tea party? where did you come from?"

a series of questions commences after GLaDOS comes to check on the test subject. it was still a pain that she could not be two places at once. while she desperately wanted to, her trust issues towards humans would not allow her the slightest bit of rest. not that she ever had time to rest when she was doing so much for this world just to see the face of wheatley again after she had tossed him away to god knows where. she almost forgot that he was made with a material stronger than the average turret.

the girl next to him smiled, hoping to finally get some acknowledgement for her 10th test chamber being surpassed, but instead, she was frowned upon. her smile quickly fades, noticing the growing tension between the frosting looking android that stood beside her and the sour GLaDOS that spoke from a mere camera. honestly, she has not seen GLaDOS to give a good description of her, except for the ominous, cherry looking camera. with wheatley, she didn't need to look far as he stood there just an inch shorter than her.

wheatley only laughed, wrapping his arm around love's torso to show how much he admires her more than GLaDOS. "what a lovely question, Glad-OS." his voice drips with sarcasm, butchering her name for its complexity. not that his name is any better, but still.

love didn't respond, nor did GLaDOS. neither were willing to fight and, in GLaDOS' words, this was all in the name of science. it was silent, too silent for the girl's liking when she was surrounded by technology that she could not quite understand. GLaDOS would be watching, no doubt. wheatley might have just sealed their reputation with the infamous, co-founder of aperture. she could be watching as they stood there, listening and trying to get a further reaction from the two to justify her sick desire torture. 

a small reminder to not spill any secrets out loud.

the squeeze of wheatley's hand makes love come back to her senses at the warm feel despite how cold his outer shell appeared. a hand so unwavering that provided the right amount of pressure to help her come to her senses without cracking like a reese's pieces' outer shell. just like that, she was whisked back to reality and looked towards the android in question of what he was doing to her. without saying a word, he removes his arm from around her like it was nothing. he was frustrating to comprehend when he was all over the place. wheatley pressed the side of his head against various walls throughout the chamber, his built-in hearing mechanisms in full effect. the sake of finding cracks or slip-ups kept him going strong in order to find and help chell as he had said he would. 

"wheatley, she's still watching us," love tries to tell him, but he is persistent, loyal, and she has mixed feelings about it.

wheatley's mind plays out all kinds of scenarios for when he finds a way out, especially the thought of introducing the two girls to each other. the possibility of the two getting along and understanding each other pushes the robot to go past his limits. he knocks against certain spots on the wall to pinpoint where a way out could have been previously. his lips curl up into a slight smirk as he remembers something. while GLaDOS had all the knowledge in the world, a flaw of hers would be that she couldn't control or move the catwalks that would remain still as they always have. GLaDOS could command as many of these sentient panels as she wanted, but she could not move the catwalks. wheatley would not give up to find chell, she was like ice cream that was slowly melting, and all he could do was hope to prolong its cold, slow demise. even if GLaDOS was watching, he would surely have the upper have with his experience outside of the test chambers.

"she was watching us," he corrects her, briefly glancing at the camera.

quickly, love looks towards the same camera that he was, confused and in disbelief. like it was trapped in a gelatin state, the camera did not change and kept it's gleaming red dot. it was just how she expected it to be which only made her question how sane her companion was. the android predicted that she wouldn't believe him and took this opportunity to show off his intelligence, just a little. 

"it's an illusion. she likes to save power."

he whispered, his voice confident and personal against her ear.

she was staring so intensively at the camera to witness any changes that she failed to sense him coming up to her again. it was truly fascinating how technology and electricity operated in the facility to keep it running for so many years. in fact, it was even more fascinating that wheatley was here, telling her all of this, and doing all of this in the first place. speaking of, she quickly leans away from him as she realizes she wasn't just imagining him saying those things into her ear. it was so unexpected, it made her question his true motives, and if he actually had a mute, brain-damaged friend named 'chell'. he shrugs it off, trying to play it cool even though he just invaded her personal space.

she could feel her heartbeat picking up speed. she needed to keep calm. he couldn't know that she felt this way because of him!

"oh? what else?" she asks, wishing to know more of what he knew about GLaDOS.  she did not know much from the time she spent in each chamber, but it was enough to understand her position within aperture science, what she stood for, and her ability to insult people.

this stumped the android for a moment, he tries to remember other things that he picked up. of course he knew her, who didn't? but, the more he thought about it, the clearer it became that the woman that he knew was formed from rumors. rumors that were told around the area that he worked, eventually managing to get his attention while he watched the smelly humans. they were all like sourdough in the making, forever left to ferment. no one had expected GLaDOS to take over back then, and yet, she did it. sometimes, he misses the old days with his core buddies who kept swearing they were only being nice to him because of the robot manual.

they all were told to share it and read it, which he did! he was very thorough when he did, but his core buddies.. not so much.

they were all so unique, and silly, and perfect for keeping aperture running smoothly. even if they could be a bit harsh on wheatley, he knew that they meant well. he always saw the world as this big, beautiful cake with multiple mixed flavors in each little slice. though, out of all of them, his favorite has to be strawberry shortcake.

he inhales, nervously responding with, "everyone knows her. she runs the whole place.. though- to be honest, i don't think anyone actually likes her." 

ah, it makes more sense now. the tension, she thought. 

wheatley finally finds a weak spot against the wall, prone to exactly what they needed to do. he didn't hesitate to shove his metal arm through the frail wall. he watches the panel come undone from his hand with the flakes of moon dust infused into the wall breaking a part from the force. he ripped the entire panel from it's hinges and revealed the catwalks to the two. suddenly, love wasn't just testing, she was looking at the outside perspective. it was a refreshing sight compared to the harsh testing track. not that it was much better, but the world was much more darker and easy to look at when she wasn't jumping through portals.

the air was filled with the lively buzz of technology and tubes carrying objects to where they needed to go.

meanwhile, wheatley was still shocked by his own strength and what other cool, secret abilities he never thought he could use. He looks at his arm with wide eyes while love's hand reaches over and gently brushes off the small bits like frosting crumbs from a cinnamon roll. carefully, the android regains his composure in order to quick lead the girl out of the chamber and away from her boring tasks. this was happening and nothing was going to stop the two of them. wheatley led his dear friend, walking along the catwalk, confident that he knew exactly where they were going. he always had a habit of keeping to himself, but upon seeing the way that love walked beside him with such grace made him falter a little. his gaze falls on her figure, half-lidded eyes filled with wonder. he watches as her hands hover over the rails, carefully taking in aperture science for all it had to offer while making sure she doesn't trip.

would he catch her if she fell? 
the thought caught him off guard, but he doesn't think too much about it except that he...

...

he doubts it.

'bring your daughter to work' day, the event that was meant to help raise money for the company. it did the opposite. everything went to hell in the span of a whole day. that was the same day that GLaDOS was going to be on display for the first time. let's just say, it did not end well at all. to think that the scientists had lives outside their work and would innocently bring their daughters to this place. big mistake. that is the thing about humans, they make so many mistakes without even realizing it.

in fact, the moment they were out of the test track, GLaDOS was notified. she immediately sent the area into a chaotic frenzy. they screamed, gunshots fired, little turrets chasing them with open fire and thin, stubby legs. everything came tumbling down as the chambers crashed into each other and ripped the catwalks to shreds. wheatley acted as a shield from the multiple bullets being fired. thank god, they weren't powerful enough to break his vital spots, let alone hit them. the two felt like dough being stretched out until they were about to break, never allowing a moment to rest.

the impact of the catwalk sent the two into the lift as it gave out just seconds after they managed to escape. a piece of metal from the catwalk chipped off, sharp and forceful, aiming for the girl's eye. it was so quick and sudden that she almost mixed it if it weren't for wheatley using his forearm to block it. she doubts she would have survived if not for wheatley protecting her with the same speed of the turrets bullets. this was all because of wheatley. whenever she wasn't quick enough, he would grab out and pull her out of reach. he was always wrapped around her somehow like a cinnamon roll that refused to come undone to anything. she imagines that a fork could stab him and he would still cling with his own sugary mess being the glue.

she was only a human, she could only take so much running. like dough rising to the top before deflating completely, her adrenaline caught up to her and made her throat burn. they may have survived, but how could she ever repay wheatley who guided her to the very end. he could have left her to die, but he never thought to do such a thing. she was precious to him, and they both needed to escape, not just him. without saying a word, she wrapped her arms around him to show her gratitude while she was still gasping for air. she felt his hand against the back of her head and it was more than enough to seal their trust in each other.

he had crawled into her life by accident, and yet, he was happy to stay. his lips pressed to the crown of her head to soothe her and remake the very dough that had failed to rise fully. he was not upset at her for not doing anything or angry that she hadn't risen to her limits. the turrets never aimed at him. the buildings never came onto him. hell, GLaDOS mostly wanted to kill love. he wouldn't let that happen; he wouldn't let any of them hurt this special cinnamon roll of his. she needed him as much as she needed him, as frosting and dough with her cinnamon sugary personality.

his embrace meant everything.
she was worth the risk.

"if i was a worm, would you take care of me?" love suddenly asks.

the random question shocks wheatley who laughs, "what? why a worm?"

he did not respond, but the question definitely caught him off guard. the two continued to move through the different rooms without any rush like earlier. they took this moment to relax and talk while looking at the many projects made for the 'bring your daughter to work' day. wheatley provides some helpful insight on how it all had gone down, and this moment really makes love realize just how much she enjoys listening to the british android speak. she was surprised to think she could listen to him for hours. however, what really caught her eyes was one of the projects, a potato growing into the ceiling like a giant monstrosity. she couldn't help but be drawn to it from the size alone.

the vines harshly bulged again the ceiling and ripped through it with the presentation cardboard just barely visible behind it. she uses the light that wheatley provides on his chest to see the name at the bottom corner. he leaned in to see as well, the core of his chest providing light from his very source of power.

"chell..."
so, he wasn't lying about that.
good to know, especially since he had so sweetly kissed her head when they had gotten onto the lift.

... it was a very emotional moment for the two. one that she doubts she will ever be able to stop thinking about.

as soon as she said the name, wheatley was already peering over her with heightened curiosity. he never expected chell to have been involved with aperture's most gruesome event. after all, he thought of her like his partner in crime, their crimes being a secret that he would never tell another soul. he blinks, trying to process the sight in front of the two. it was so obvious, but the robot opted for denial at the first chance. he was always like that, too understanding for his own good. some could call wheatley selfless, possibly naive.

he is stumped, "chell must be a common name."
it is not.

"well, what are we going to do when we see her?" she asks him, hoping to distract him from the possibility that chell had something to do with GLaDOS.

wheatley began to think about it in more detail, effectively distracting him, "hmm. once we find chell.. okay! first things first, we have to stop GLaDOS. we can't let her continue killing any subject she gets her grimy hands on. we have to put a stop to her and i think i know how! then, we can escape this hellish place. we could find a nice house, and- oh! we could get a pet!" he exclaims, confidently.

the two make their way down a few sets of stairs without the fear of GLaDOS trying to end their lives. wheatley was actually quite smart when planning this as she listens intently to him go off on a rambling spree. she did not mind, nor did she stop him. he would look at her, making sure she felt included in the conversation. she notices the way his voice softens when he looks at her despite how bold his claims were. did he even know the effect he was having on her. she quickly adds oblivious to her mental note of the core. surely she was crazy for having feelings for this robot, but how could she not when he has done nothing but good for her this entire time.

the scent of strawberries, the details inside his eyes, his personality, and the scratches against his thigh held so much depth that she so desperately wanted to know more about. his eyes and his core gave light to the darkest parts of aperture science. he was the perfect support and guide that she never knew she needed. she would subconsciously adjust her ribbon when his gaze fell on her. he says the management rails allowed cores to travel better, but something about the way he looked at it made it clear that he could care less about using it. they continue, all the same, with wheatley laughing and gently shaking her shoulder when he makes some random joke about the turrets.

at one point, love takes a risk and holds his hand, "we can do this."

her voice is soothing to hear and the meaning behind her words hits him like they were etched onto a cake, meant to be seen and heard. her hand, warm and squishy while it held onto his firm palm. slowly, his fingers curl around her own hand, holding it close. to finally have someone validate his half-assed plan made his heart melt from the gooey, wholesome sweetness between the two. he genuinely smiles at her as a result of the adorable energy she brought. it was like nothing could take her down or ruin this spirit she had within her. he gently swayed their hands back and forth with a sense of peace and teamwork.

if he could, he would be blushing right now.

───୨ৎ─────

"nobody knows what i see."

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