Gathered the Ingredients

"Dentures."

"Myep?"

I'm not entirely surprised when he looks at me. It's an interesting response, though. He's interesting.

I snicker. "Why do you let everyone call you that?" By 'everyone' I mostly mean the rabbit; maybe the others use the name when I'm not logged in.

Caine taps his lower gum in thought. "Should I not let them call me that?"

I shrug. "I dunno. It just sounds insulting to me."

I shift a little on the couch so I'm facing him better. I've been avoiding looking at him directly because of a lot of complicated reasons I don't want to think about right now.

"It's like calling you 'Mouth Eyes' or 'Tiny Waist,' or..." I let my eyes roam over him. My tail wags. "Or 'Hat.'" That last one was stupid. "'Da Hat Man.'"

Caine looks confused but tries to roll with me. "Oh! Names derived from appearance-based insults?" He summons his walking stick out of nowhere and uses it to gesture at me.

"So you're not my dear Zombie, you're... 'Odd Haircut!'"

"Hey!"

"'Short Legs!'"

"Wh-"

He's enjoying himself. "'Fat Tail!'l

"Whoa, you literally designed my avatar, 'Dainty Ankles.'"

Caine looks like he's been shot. He withers and sits so his feet are tucked under him.

"My ankles are just fine" he mumbles.

I have to hold my snout so I don't laugh. "Dude, we were trading insults. There's nothing serious to this." His teeth clamp shut.

I hold his lower jaw in my claws. "Caine. Look at me."

His teeth open slightly. Peeking.

"You are great. I like every bit of you. We're having fun, okay? But if it's really bothering you, we'll stop."

He sniffles dramatically. "You like every bit of me?"

"Uh, duh."

"Even my a-" "Yes even your ankles you denture-headed doofus."

I press my snout to his teeth. It's the best estimation of a kiss I can manage in my avatar. Caine smiles.

"I like every bit of you too, even your terrible haircut" he says happily.

"Mouth eyes."

"Lizard breath."