Vibing

the temperature at night was far colder than it was during the daytime. his body was simply not suited for harsh weathers, which only made dottore despise winter even more. sometimes, it made him wish that snezhnaya had a warmer climate, just like sumeru. he couldn't understand how anyone could tolerate this insufferable weather.

a familiar chill interrupted his slumber, the bedroom was more colder than usual. dottore reluctantly stirred awake for a brief moment, sitting up as a frustrated groan slips from his lips. even the blanket proved to be useless against the cold air. was he really going to spend the entire night enduring the cold?

a pair of warm arms wrapped around his waist and when he looked down, he noticed pantalone sleepily clinging to him. ".. why are you awake? please don't tell me you're planning to work at this hour." dottore only hummed as a response, leaning down to press a gentle kiss on his husband's head. "that's a possibility i'm considering."

"you're insane, zandik. it's 2AM in the morning."

"that hasn't stopped me before, dear." absolutely not, sleep was utterly important and pantalone was not allowing him to work at this hour. he gently tugged dottore down, dragging him back into their comfy bed. "no, you need sleep. work can wait."

dottore rolled his eyes, though he wasn't annoyed in the slightest. he wrapped his arms gently around his husband, resting his head against the soft pillows. given how sleepy pantalone was, dottore could have easily freed himself from his embrace and resumed his research.

however, he made no attempt to do so, mainly because he was exhausted as well. also, dottore would much rather sleep than endure another morning scolding from pantalone anyways.

however, he did notice that the cold air in the bedroom no longer bothered him. somehow, being wrapped in pantalone's arms was far more warmer than any sweater or coat could ever be. dottore found himself snuggling closer, resting his head against his husband's chest.

it wasn't the warmth that he appreciated the most, but rather the sense of safety he felt whenever he was in pantalone's arms. the faint drumming of the banker's heart always remined him that pantalone was alive. all of his efforts to extend his husband's lifespan had not been in vain.

pantalone noticed dottore clinging closer to him, although he didn't mind in the slightest. he let out a soft yawn, lifting up a hand to gently thread his fingers through those blue curls.

18 had desperately tried to convince himself that it didn't matter, that he was above something so childish. and yet, witnessing the blatant favoritism in broad daylight was beginning to get under his skin. 25 could only roll his eyes, tapping his fingers against the desk. "so.. you're jealous of a child?"

"i am not jealous." his pacing around the laboratory came to a sudden halt, not appreciating 25's accusation. 18 gave him an irritated glare, although the older segment could care less. "i'm simply pointing out the obvious favoritism in this facility."

that statement alone wasn't enough to convince 25, he had a feeling that this ran much deeper than just favoritism. honestly, he was far too exhausted and bored to be dealing with this right now. "you should be complaining to him, not me. i don't know why you're telling me this."

"because i trust-" 18 quickly slapped a hand over his mouth, silencing himself before he had a chance to say something embarrassing. 25 raised an eyebrow, he clearly heard the word 'trust' slip from the younger segment's mouth. he tugged his mask down, a teasing grin forming across his lips. "what was that again?"

"i-i find you tolerable! that's what i meant to say." 18 crossed his arms, looking anywhere but at his older self. what a terrible excuse and yet, he was clearly trying to salvage whatever dignity he had left.

25 decided not to press him any further, simply pulling his mask back over his face. "sure, let's go with that. now then, go confront pantalone yourself. i have work to finish."

he quietly watched in amusement as 18 stormed out of the laboratory, practically fuming with embarrassment. after 18's departure, he quietly resumed his research, though the word 'trust' continued to echo in his thoughts.

trust, huh? what an odd thing to hear. 25 had never saw himself as a reliable person and yet, 18 nearly admitted that he trusted him without hesitation. behind his mask, the corners of his lips almost formed into a soft smile. however, he was quick to dismiss his thoughts before focusing the rest of his attention on his work.

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the office door swung open as 18 marched inside, his irritation was clearly noticeable. he made his way straight toward the banker's desk before slamming his hands down against the wooden surface. pantalone raised his head, a friendly smile forming on his lips.

"oh my. what brings you here, 18?" the irritable expression on 18's face was very amusing, though it was obvious that something had him deeply upsetted him. "explain to me why you are always spoiling 8."

pantalone titled his head in confusion, a bit puzzled by the sudden accusation. "pardon?" he wouldn't deny it, he had a soft spot for 8. however, he didn't realize that this had become an issue among the other segments. pantalone did notice the faint sadness lingering in 18's eyes, which made him soften his expression.

"don't act like you don't know what i'm talking about. it's not fair that 8 gets all of your attention. what makes him.. so much better than the rest of us?" his words gradually fell quiet, his anger fading into something more vulnerable.

a soft sigh escapes from pantalone's lips, rising from his seat and walked around the desk to meet him. if there was one thing that he knew about dottore, it was how stubborn he could be. however, dottore had always yearned for affection, something that he had been deprived of from a young age.

he gently placed a hand on top of 18's head, giving him a soft pat and a reassuring smile. "i sincerely apologize. it was never my intention to single you out. all of you are very precious to me."

if only 18 weren't so stubborn and constantly in denial, then he might have asked for a hug as well. instead, he quickly pulled away, a mixture of surprise and embarrassement written all over his face.

"you-! ugh, forget it. i'm leaving!" as one final attempt to salvage his pride once more, 18 stormed out of his office quickly. a soft chuckle slips from pantalone's lips, watching 18 leave abruptly after a simple head pat. there was something endearing about the way 18 tried to hide what he truly wanted, which was reassurance.

the younger segment was used to being excluded, overlooked by others. sometimes, he would wish that someone would notice him, to praise him for all of his accomplishments. however, he would never admit it openly and hides his feelings behind a wall of stubbornness.

after that encounter, pantalone kept his promise and began treating 18 with more warmth and softness. in the beginning, 18 didn't know to how to feel about this sudden change.

his self-denial was constantly clashing with the part of him that always wanted to feel accepted. against his better judgement, he started accepting the sweets that pantalone offered to him

does 18 actually hate the affection, the attention he's receiving now? not at all. if anything, he found himself silently appreciating it. he had never received so much kindness before, it almost feels surreal.

harness has the same (or i tried to encorperate) the same pattern as this on his neck