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Chapter Text

Silence. That's all 096 heard for a long time.

Just the sounds of fluorescent lights ringing in his ears, and the sounds of the scientists talking. He knew the language, but was far too tired remember it. He sat there, pacing his cell and waiting for the inevitable time. The time where some oblivious soul looked at a picture of his own face, and when he lost control.

He didn't want to kill. He never did. But the overwhelming anger and passion overrode his sense of control, and it took over. Once he regained his sense of reality, all he could see was the mauled body of what was a person laying in front of him. He couldn't help but sob. The strangely masked and guarded people would then come and bag him, forcing him back into his rebuilt cell. Then the cycle repeated.

He felt like a puppet. A puppet in a cycle of performance. Being brought out of the toy chest, dusted and wilted. Being forced to put on a show, to do what he was made to do. Then he would be put back. And all he could do was sit there, waiting for the next time he would be used again.

He didn't want to be used. But he didn't have a choice, did he?

Then, something different happened. Something unusual. Unexpected.

For the first time in a while, the cage was lifted. They hardly ever lifted the cage, since he usually just ripped through it like wet tissue paper. They slowly approached him, making him turn away in fear. He didn't like being seen. He didn't want to kill. Nothing happened for a few minutes. He continued sobbing softly, letting out small cries.

He was then bagged and dragged to a room. This room was… different. It didn't have any harsh walls or lights. Just some small lightbulbs, hardly providing any illumination to the room. He was shoved to the ground, and the bag was ripped off his face. He lifted his head in mild curiosity, metal doors slamming shut shortly after. He flinched, panicking for a moment. He really didn't like that sound.

He buried his head in his knees, making himself look as small as possible. He didn't like bringing attention to himself, since that usually just ended in people dying and twice as many bullets in his chest.

It was quiet for a while. 096 liked that. No lights, or people talking. Just silence.

Then, He heard a door open again. This time, there were no audible footsteps. All he heard was the door opening and shutting.

He was confused. He didn't understand why he didn't hear anything, since usually humanoid creatures like himself make noise when they walk. He didn't lift his head, worried someone would look at him. He then felt an odd sensation on his ankles. He looked down to see a black puddle, with 2 goopy two hands sticking out of it, gripping onto 096's ankles. He didn't have time to react before he was dragged down into nowhere, not making a single sound during all of this.

Once he opened his eyes, he was very confused to say the least. He was in a room that looked off-putting from first glance. It was dark, and the walls looked… quite corroded. They were decorated with various human skulls, varying in size and jaw length. He looked around, still sitting with his knees against his chest. Then, he saw something emerge from a puddle. It was a figure that resembled a human, except for one key feature. His entire body, from head to toe was covered in a brown, mucus-like substance. It had a strong rustic smell, and dripped onto the floor. The figure fully climbed out from the puddle and stood at its full height, which was about 6 feet tall. It walked up to 096, examining it. The figure was standing about a foot from 096, looking at it closely. It finally spoke, its voice rusted and gravelly.

"Who are you."

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"Who are you."

The pale creature sitting before him didn't know how to respond. Hell, he hardly knew how to react, let alone comprehend what exactly it said. 096 shrugged, not knowing how to even begin describing himself. The voice spoke again, this time sounding more forceful.

"I said, who are you."

The voice was dead serious. He looked up hesitantly, hardly lifting his head. His pale eyes were met with the figures pitch black ones, making him flinch. The being was staring back. The pupils in the figures eyes glowed a faint white, hardly visible. They sat like that for a second, just staring at one another.

096 was confused. Why wasn't he reacting? Going into that murderous rage he usually did whenever someone saw his face. Why was this any different? Did the figure not have a soul? Was he blind?

He had too many questions that he didn't have the energy to try and get answered. The figure then spoke, snapping him out of the spiral of jumbled thoughts he was fading into. The voice was even more irritated, sounding a lot more raspy and impatient.

"Are you going to answer me?"

096 didn't know how to respond in the first place, so the figure repeating the question wasn't helping anything. He just stayed how he was, unresponsive.

"Answer. Now."

He wanted to laugh at this. He truly did. He found it amusing that this... questionable figure really thought it had the power to kill him. The foundation has been trying for years to terminate him, using every weapon they could think of. But it never worked. It never did. Even if they managed to blow his durable body to pieces, he’d just regenerate a few weeks later with the same look. 096 remained docile, not knowing how else to respond. It’s not like he could anyway. He wasn’t even sure whether or not his voice still worked.

"… Huh. Can’t talk. Since you obviously can't speak, I'll be calling you ‘Shy’ until you come up with a better name for yourself. That’s what they call you anyway, right?"

Shy. He didn't mind that name; It did describe him well. He remembers hearing it a couple of times, but the thought of it being his actual name never crossed his mind.

He stayed there until he felt another warm feeling on his wrist, the same one he felt before he was dragged into this place.

"Get up."

Shy was forced to stand up, his legs slightly wobbly. He was now looking down at the figure, who seemed thrown off by Shy's height. He was nearly 8 feet tall, towering over the other.

"… Jeez, I didn't think you were that tall."

Shy just stared, watching the figures reaction. The figure turned away and started walking, dragging Shy with him. They walked into a wall, which lead to the room Shy was originally dragged into. The two emerged from the wall, Shy seeming slightly confused while the latter was perfectly calm, as if this was second nature to it. An intercom beeped, and a male voice started speaking.

"Welcome. We have… ‘theorized’ that you two have had some sort of connection, so we've decided to run various tests and experiments. We promise that none of these experiments had harmful intentions. We simply would like to learn more on the past of you two." The researcher explained, seeming genuine. "106, we've also suspected that you have the ability to speak and communicate."

So it's name was.. 106?

106 stayed silent, standing next to Shy. He didn't speak, even though he was talking perfectly fine in that weird place 106 dragged him into. He wondered why 106 didn't talk. His voice wasn't bad or anything...

"...Anyways. These experiments are going to tell us how you react to certain scenarios. They are also going to tell us if either of you are capable of any kind of stimulation."

Shy didn't fully understand, but he could tell by the uncomfortable look on 106's face that it wasn't a very good thing.

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He was confused, to say the least. What did they mean by 'environments'? What did that even mean? What were environments? He has so many questions, yet couldn't find voice them. He just sat there, basking in confusion.

He decided he was tired of standing up. He sat down, crossing his legs and resting his hands on his lap. He was still looking around, slightly curious about his surroundings.

Meanwhile, 106 was thrown-off and confused. Why did they pair him up with this… thing? They never asked him. Or even bothered to tell him. They just brought him here, into this room with this weird, pale thing that apparently can't respond to anything he says. He didn't understand, and that made him angry. He deserved to know, didn't he?

But, he thought about it. He couldn't lie, it was getting pretty boring in his cell. Maybe this will be entertaining. Or at least he'll make it fun.

The intercom spoke again after a few minutes of silence.

"We are going to let you two be alone for a while. We'll be back the within 12 hours to check in. Happy conversing."

The intercom beeped, signaling that it was no longer disputing audio. Light shuffling could be heard, before another metal door closed. Now it was just the Two of them. All alone, in this dark room.

106 sat down, spacing himself from Shy. He sat cross-legged as well, his focus eating at Shy. The being was truly an... interesting thing to observe. It was hairless, pale, and clearly uncomfortable. It's legs and hands were stained with blood, and he had little to no muscle. It looked human enough... except for its height. Jesus Christ was that thing tall. It was almost 2 feet taller then himself.

106 was tired of this silence. He finally spoke, trying to break the tension.

"I guess we're stuck here."

Shy turned to look at him, shrugging.

Shy made a sound, Which sounded like a cough. Then it was a wheeze, then a mumble, before he finally grasped the voice he wanted. It was quiet, and sounded really mellow and nervous, but it was still a voice.

"........yeah."

"Oh crap, so you can talk."

106 was slightly suprised by the voice. So this thing did talk. Interesting...

"....Well then. I'm Lawrence."

"…Okay."

Shy's voice was soft and collected, as if every word was thought-out and prepared. He sounded so calm, even in the situation they were currently stuck in. It was shocking to Lawrence, since he had never met someone as calm as Shy. He hardly reacted to anything, only flinches and shivers. Even when he was pulled into his pocket dimension, he just kinda...existed. Nothing much to it.

"…How are you so calm? Your literally stuck in a random room with a stranger."

"… I don’t know."

Shy responded honestly. He really didn't know why he was so calm. This situation was 100% panic-worthy. But, despite his normal behavior, he stayed passive. Sure, he was scared of Lawrence, but unless he actually tried to attack, he wouldn't show hostility. No point in it. It would probably just lead to a massive fight, and those hurt him. He was just trying to make himself as small and contained as possible, so he didn't trigger anything...

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It made him angry. It made him angry that this.... shy thing could be more calm and patient then him. Why couldn't he do that? Why did he have to be the one pointing out that there's something going on here? It pissed him off that this thing was so unaware and calm. How.

But Lawrence couldn't think about it too much, because something distracted him.

The faint sound of a metal door opening and closing could be heard by the two anomalies, signaling that the researchers were back.

The intercom beeped, and this time a bubbly, feminine voice started blaring through the speakers.

"How did you two get along?"

The voice asked cheerfully, but to her avail, there was no answer from either.

"Oookay, still not the chatty type. I get it. But, we have some stuff planned for today I think you two will like!"

A brown, visibly heavy cardboard box fell from an unnoticed delivery chute.

SMACK

"The box has some stuff in it that may be entertaining to you two! Don't worry 106, we made sure that everything that comes in the box wont corrode. Have funn~!"

The researchers left the room again, an awkward silence falling over the two again.

Shy was the first one to do anything. He scooted closer to the box, using his lanky arms to grab it. He opened it, and was slightly confused, but more curious then anything. It was a set of colorful building blocks. They came in all sorts of colors and shapes, varying depending on the block. Shy didn't know why, but he really liked the colors. They were pleasing to his mind, especially after being stuck in his containment cell for god knows how long. He put the box between him and Lawrence, the blocks standing out against the dark, cold floor. Shy slowly started taking blocks out of the box, laying them out on the floor. He learned how to build with them surprisingly quickly, and started making... whatever he was building.

Lawrence watched this, and felt.. disrespected. Building blocks? Really? Weren't those meant for literal children? How dare those underdeveloped idiots give him a toy made for infants. Did they think that he wasn't smart enough for anything more complex? Something that actually required a brain?

He was mad at this, and was about to say something before he looked at Shy. Shy was playing with the blocks, entertaining himself. He made a little structure, which kind of looked like a blocky cube. It was hard to find the words, since the building could fit a million descriptions. Lawrence realized that maybe he was just overreacting. I mean, Shy could be even older then him, and he was still playing with the blocks. Maybe he should just build, help take his mind off the stressful situation at hand.

Lawrence hesitantly grabbed a block, just to find it didn't corrode. The goopy substance he secreted simply did nothing to it, as if he just poured barbecue sauce onto it. He started making a little building too, his structure looking more 'house-like' then Shy's. He actually found this to be quite... fun? He couldn't find the proper word to describe it. Sure, it was nice, but he didn't think 'fun' was the right word. He'll just figure that out later. Right now, he was building the roof to his little miniature home.

This was nice. Lawrence liked his little house, and how it didn't immediately fall apart, like everything else he touched. Sure, his house was still drenched in his corrosive, but at least it was still standing.

But during all this, he couldn't help but question. Why would something as twisted and cold as the foundation give him colorful building blocks..? There must be something else planned. Something that he probably didn't want to find out about.

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They sat there for a while, building their little structures. Shy's looked like a... cube. While Lawrence's looked more like an actual house, except for the fact that it was drenched in his corrosive.

The researchers came back in, the classic sound of steel slamming against steel. The intercom beeped, and that same cheerful voice from before started speaking.

"Well, I'm glad you two liked the blocks!"

The researcher's had watched the S.C.R.A.M.B.L.E-operated cameras, just to make sure none of them accidentally saw Shy's face. The researcher's were amused at what the two anomalies had built. They were even more shocked that Shy had managed to build anything, since they thought Shy had the intelligence of a 2 year old. The voice spoke again, breaking the silence.

"We have another box for you!"

Another box fell from the delivery chute, this one much smaller and lightweight. It fell to the floor with a piff, not making much noise.

The researchers left yet again, leaving the two per usual. This time, Lawrence grabbed the box, opening it.

Inside was a role of duct tape, followed by a pair of Scissors and rope. Lawrence was confused, not really getting why they gave them these supplies. He didn't even know how, or why he would need to use them..

Shy stared into the box, even more visibly confused then Lawrence. He hardly knew was duct tape was, let alone its many uses. He tilted his head to the side, puzzled.

Lawrence put the box on the floor, leaving the things alone. Maybe the foundation would give them a little more context to the things they were dropping from this mystery chute. He didn't understand, and didn't think he wanted to.

Shy finally spoke, mumbling softly.

"What are these for..?"

Lawrence looked at Shy, shrugging.

"I ain't got a fuckin clue. I'm just as lost as you are.."

"Wait, there's something at the bottom.."

Shy flipped the box and emptied it, the tape, scissors and rope falling to the ground. He flipped the box over just to see a little piece of black cloth taped to the bottom, followed by a note. Shy hadn't learned how to read yet, so he handed the note to Lawrence.

Lawrence read the note, and his eyes went wide. It all made sense. He knew now. The foundation wasn't just trying to do harmless experiments. They were trying to see of either of them was capable of having intercourse. Those twisted, perverted bastards. Why did they do this? Is it because of their own twisted desires? He didn't want to be the guinea pig in their experiment. Right..? Right. Yeah. He didn't feel like that. He hated everything. That's all he knew. Hatred. He wasn't going to give in. He never will.

"Have fuunnn~! Don't be too loud.. ;3"

"What did it say..?"

Shy asked, his gaze aimed at Lawrence. He didn't get why he had such a negative reaction. What could of possibly been on the note that made him respond like that..? He wanted to know. He was curious.

"....Have fun. Don't be too loud."

Lawrence refused to look back at Shy, out of pure embarrassment disguised as anger. He didn't want to show anyone any kind of vulnerable spot. He couldn't. But, it didn't seem to bad... No. Get ahold of yourself, Lawrence. Your better then this.

"Oh... Uh.. What do they mean by 'Don't be too loud..?"

Of course Shy knew about that. It was one of the only things he had remembered from his past. He was always curious about it. But, He wasn't getting the hint. He wasn't getting why the researchers were saying what they were saying, or what they were implying.

"Sex, Shy. They want us to fuck."

"......oh."

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Silence.

That, was the uncomfortable silence that falls between two people that just read something they wish they never read. They couldn't help falling quiet. What the hell were they supposed to say? Both of them just found out that the whole idea of the experiment was for them to fuck. That's why they sent in the stuff they sent. Lawrence understood, but Shy was still a little behind. He was still looking at the box curiously, still not getting what the use of these supplies were.

"Well I'm not fucking you."

"...same here."

Good. They had both came to a mutual agreement that they were indeed not fucking. It was decided. This is what he wanted. Lawrence didn't want anything remotely close to that to happen. Hell, he didn't even want to be friends with Shy. He was sure nothing could change his mentality on that. Nothing.

He wouldn't let these.. twisted researchers get their way. Never.

Right..?

Shy didn't exactly know how to feel. Why did those people want him to do... that? He hardly understood what that was, let alone what could happen. Yet, he still didn't get what the rope was for... or the blindfold. That's the only thing he couldn't wrap his head around. Was he supposed to use the blindfold? I mean, He usually saw the people entering his containment with them on, but he didn't know people willingly put them on.

"....What are they used for?"

"What do you mean?"

".... I mean, what's the blindfold and rope for..?"

"Are you fucking slow?"

".....yeah."

Lawrence audibly sighed, trying not to get ticked off. He just didn't know. Don't get all pissed off about it.

"It's a kink thing. Basically some people are into being blindfolded, and tied up."

".......oh"

"Yeah."

Tension grew between the two anomalies. Shy was now extremely curious about what exactly 'kinks' were, and now Lawrence couldn't shake the thoughts away. Why? Why was the foundation trying to do this? That's the question he was always asking. Why. To be fair, it had been almost decades since he did.. well, really anything with another person. Sure, he jacked off a few times, but not often. Only when the build-up was too much to handle. Or when he was just really, really bored. He knew it would be awkward, and mostly wrong. I mean, he hardly knew this.. person? That's another thing he still didn't get. What exactly was this.. thing sitting in front of hi. He'll just think about that later. He was pretty damn sure Shy wanted nothing to do with him, and was only here because the foundation was forcing him to.

Shy was looking at everything in a new perspective now. He looked at Lawrence, his expression curious yet plain. He was interested in the whole concept. Being blindfolded and tied up... is that really what some people like? If that's what people like, then what other things could people be into..? What was... Lawrence into? That was the question running through his head. He wanted to know more about the entity sitting in front of him. He thought it would be too out of the blue to ask any questions like that though, since they can be seen as personal. How could he ask these questions haunting his mind without Lawrence thinking he was a creep? It seemed like a task too difficult. Maybe he'll learn eventually, or maybe just never learn at all. He tried to say something, but he couldn't get any words out. It was too much to think about. Shy just sat there, sharing the mutual silence between the two as they waited for what the researchers had planned next.

They both hoped it was something... normal. At least, as normal as you can get in a twisted, anomalous place like this.

The steel doors opened, welcoming the same bunch of guards and researchers conducting this week-long experiment.

A different voice spoke this time. It was still feminine, but it sounded much more luring and persuading.

"Soooo, did anything happennn~?"

There was no audible response, so the room fell silent. Lawrence thought they had left before chattering could be picked up by the mic. It was a voice that sounded male, yet cheerful and energetic, saying something along the lines of "damnit, why hasn't anything happened yet? I wanna see them fuck alreadyyy.....". Someone else spat back, the deep voice sounding annoyed at first. "Shut up, [REDACTED]. Anyways.... I bet 106 is gonna be the top." murmurs of agreement came from around the room, before someone started speaking in the microphone.

"There's another box for you guys. This has some more stuff in it you guys may find... useful. Have funnn....."

A box fell from the chute again, this one looking about medium-weight.

Muffled giggling and snorting was picked up, before everyone shuffled out of the room and the intercom turned off. Yet again, that uncomfortable silence came back as the two anomalies stared at the box, hesitant to open it. Could It be something worse then the last box..? That one was already bad, but nothing could prepare them for what was sitting in the box. Something that could make Lawrence question everything he convinced himself he was against.

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Larry hesitantly moved forward, taking the box. Might as well get this over with, right? These researchers are obviously never leaving them alone, so they might as well entertain them. He brought it in front of him, looking at it. 

The silence between him and Shy was so overwhelming to the point that Larry wanted to scream just to break it. The tension was even worse though, so thick that you'd need an ax to even try to cut it. He always hated when it got like this between him and anyone, since it made him feel trapped in this awkward silence. It was practically poison to him.

He finally went for it and opened the cardboard box. He was confused for a moment before sighing in relief. Thank God it wasn't what he thought it was. He took the contents out, laying them on the floor in front of himself. 

The box had a coloring book, various puzzles, and an unlabeled box of a putty-like substance. It was bright green in color. Shortly after he took the contents out of the box, the intercom connected to the cell sounded to signal an incoming broadcast.

"Hello, SCP-106 and SCP-096. This experiment has been transferred to a different research team, so your treatment will hopefully stay the same or improve. Inside the box are some simple yet stimulating objects that will entertain you two for a bit while we come up with your improved testing schedule. The test will still proceed the way the previous team had planned, but it will most likely take place over a longer period of time. Meanwhile, you may use the aforementioned objects we provided."

The intercom beeped, confirming that there wouldn't be anymore audio. 

Larry didn't quite know how to feel about the whole thing. He didn't even know what to think of it. Should he be happy that the researchers for his project changed? Or should he be angry that the researchers before weren't the best they had? Or should he be more concerned about the end goal that these people had for him and Shy?

His mind was racing at a thousand questions a minute, causing him to involuntarily space out. His body was completely still, his barely-visible pupils trained on the floor.

He was snapped from his daydream when he heard the sound of a jar being smashed. His body jolted at the sudden crash, startling him. He looked up, fully expecting a window to be smashed or a light to be broken on the floor. What he didn't expect though was the shattered jar of putty in front of him. Shy was looking quizzically at the jar, as if he was expecting it to do something. Did this man really not know how to open a damn glass jar without smashing it?

Larry sighed, his heart rate slowing down.

"Why did you throw the jar?" 

Larry asked him, his voice purposely dripping with annoyance to mask the genuine curiosity.

"... because I don't know how to get the liquid out."

"..."
Larry didn't know what to say. He knew Shy wasn't the most mentally advanced creature, but he didn't think it had the intelligence of an infant.

"...Here. I'll show you."

He gently picked up the jar, examining it. The top of the jar was shattered, but none of the glass got into the jar. He tried to take the putty out, succeeding at the sacrifice of the putty's color. By the time he handed the putty to him, it was a greenish-blackish-brown blob. Shy still took it without complaint, curiously squishing it in his hands.

"...its squishy."

"Yeah. That's what putty is."

While Shy was distracted by the putty, Larry found himself leaning against the wall of the small containment cell. He sighed audibly, looking at Shy. The thing was happily squishing the putty. Or, as happy as he can look. Larry found it quite hard to decipher how exactly he was feeling by facial expressions alone. Shy's expression barely changed, only switching between angry and docile.

Many hours later, Shy was the only one awake. Larry was silently sleeping against the corner of the cell.

He was just trying to figure out the puzzle he was given, since he truly had nothing better to do. He learned a long time ago that he didn't really need sleep. Or food. Or really anything to sustain himself. All he needed was to be alone, or as isolated as he could get. That's what made him happy. Peaceful, even. He found isolation to be therapeutic.

He also had to admit he didn't feel the most comfortable with Larry, but it was better than some of the other experiments the foundation has run on him. At least this time he wasn't actively getting hunted or hunting down someone. At least this time he was locked up with something that was as humanoid as him. Something that had the same emotional capabilities as him. Something on his level. Someone he didn't need to stress over. He could let himself relax. He could be at rest. He was at rest.

Or, as "at rest" as he can get down here.

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By the time Larry woke up, the scene in front of him was different. There were puzzle pieces scattered across the concrete floor, as if someone decided a box of cardboard cutouts was the perfect outage for their rage. He also saw the jar of putty, neatly put back in its broken container. Shy was in the corner, completely stationary. He rubbed his eyes, noticing a change in the environment. There were smart lights now, dimmed to simulate dawn. They were easier on his eyes, and he had to admit he appreciated it.

He yawned, stretching his back out a bit. It was always something he did to remind himself that despite being immortal, he was still in fact humanoid in a way. He could still technically break bones and injure himself, like a regular human. He stood up, walking over to Shy.

”You awake?”

The sudden sound startled Shy, making him jolt. He quickly calmed down afterwards, nodding.

”…”

“I don’t exactly sleep…”

”…”

”ah.”

Oh. Larry didn’t know that about Shy. He thought maybe he was just so docile all the time that he slept a lot. Whatever, it didn’t concern him so he shouldn’t care. He instead just sulked around, waiting for something to happen. The intercom eventually beeped, making him draw his attention to the rustic speaker.

”Good morning, SCP-106 and SCP-096. As you can tell, we have refurbished your room a bit. You now have dimmable lights, which we will adjust according to the local time. You also have the permissions to request various activities and toys through a catalog we will provide. You may not request items outside of the catalog. You will get them as a reward for good behavior.”

The intercom beeped again, silence trickling back in. Larry was… confused. Why were they giving them so much hospitality? It truly baffled him. He wondered how these cold researchers with a reputation of malice and remorseless behavior could be so kind. So nice even. It gave him an uncanny feeling that he just couldn’t shake off.

He decided to try and ignore it, focusing on the puzzle they were given previously. Shy apparently attempted to do it, but failed. He gathered the pieces from around the room, collecting them into a small pile in front of him. He stared at it for a moment, trying to remember exactly how he was supposed to do these. They always confused him, since he admittedly lost some of his fine motor skills these past decades. He decided that sorting them by similarities was the smartest course of action to take. He started sorting them by color, eventually making around 9 piles of colorful pieces. Shy started to watch him from the corner, slowly dragging his body over to join him.

“Ya gonna help?”

“...”

“...oook, taking that as a no.”

He went back to what he was previously doing, starting to slowly piece them together. It might have been a bit harder for him than the average person, but it was definitely quite entertaining for him. Shy watched from afar, admiring his skills. He couldn’t do that if he tried.

It took Shy a bit to realize just how underdeveloped he was. He couldn’t read or write, and he could barely make out the names of shapes and colors. He tried to do the puzzle, but it just hurt his brain too much so he got upset and gave up. The only thing in the box that he liked was the putty. He didn’t need to be smart to use it, and it was something that he actually could have fun with. He loved the texture of the putty, and how it felt in his callused and scarred hands. He liked how bright it was before, and it did make him a bit sad when Larry made it brown. But nonetheless, he liked the putty and wouldn’t complain about something as minimal as the color.

They both basked in the comfortable silence, neither feeling too awkward or out of place. They both just stayed in their bubble, doing their own thing. It was nice. To not be stressed or uncomfortable. Neither really felt at home, or necessarily safe, but they were comfortable. And that's what was important.

They both wished this comfort would last forever.

Chapter Text

Hours had passed since they last talked. Neither of them had anything remotely important to say, so they didn't bother attempting to keep any sort of conversation. Besides, only one of them fully talked. The other just sort of sulked like a gorgon, lifeless and afraid of eye contact.

Larry was still working on the puzzle, completely absorbed in it. He liked how colorful it was. it had been quite a while since the old man had seen any color besides various red, orange, and white hues, so seeing the full color wheel for the first time in decades was quite stimulating. He had to periodically wipe the puzzle clean though, since his corrosive would get all over the pieces and cover it.

Shy was still sitting in the corner of the cell, now facing the wall. He was completely stationary, not making a sound. Usually, he'd cry or pace around, but Larry's presence seemed to change that pattern of behavior.

Come to think of it, Larry did change quite a few aspects of Shy's usual routine. He was known for his consistent crying and weeping, yet when he wasn't alone, the weeping stopped. he wouldn't cry as often, nor would he pace around the walls. He would just sit, sometimes watching Larry work on the puzzle. Or... he'd at least look in his direction. He didn't have the best vision, so Larry looked like a smudged brown blob to him. It was likely a side-effect of being stuck inside an airtight, pitch black metal cube for 24 hours every day.

After what felt like days of silence, Shy was startled by a sudden yell.

"FINALLY!"

He snapped his head towards the loud sound, completely terrified. He wasn't too fond of loud sounds, so anything sudden and painful to his ears set him off. He calmed down a bit once he realized it was just Larry, but he was still on high alert.

Larry was standing up now, admiring something on the ground. Shy couldn't tell what it was, the object being a blurred mass of colors.

"That took way longer then it should have."

Larry joked around with himself, sitting back down. Shy started to scoot over, sitting a few feet away from Larry, but still able to see what he was marveling about.

".. what is that?"

Shy's voice was still as timid as before, but he had a slight tone of confusion. He was starting to get more used to using his vocal cords, slowly relearning how to utilize things like tone and volume. It would be a long time before he could sound more human, but it was a start. He'd 

"Obviously it's the puzzle we were given, Shy. Y'know, the one you got mad at and threw across the room?"

Larry tried to joke around with him, looking over at the pale figure.

"..."

Shy could only look down at the ground in response, confused. Why was Larry telling him about an event he already knew happened? Did he think he forgot? 

"... Never mind that. Take a look at the picture it made."

Shy looked back at the puzzle, leaning forward to get a closer look. 

It made up quite a... nice scene. There were lush green hills with tall and flowing grass. Yellow poppies and dandelions peeked out from the blades, decorating the landscape with golden freckles. There were white, fluffy clouds as well, complimenting the bright blue sky. 

This scenery looked... familiar to both the creatures. For very different reasons.

For Larry, it reminded him of a life he used to have. One where he wasn't this... repulsive and corrosive monster. A life where he could roam without bounds. Where he had precious things like personal belongings, responsibilities, and most importantly… free will. 

He missed being able to choose. To choose what to do, where to do it, where to go, and what to see. He misses having a choice. He craves to have a sense of self again. He missed being able to ponder his future, and all the different careers he could choose. Oh, how he yearns for that sense of borderless and uncontainable determination.

The foundation took that away from him. They took away all his freedoms. Anything that had any value to him was taken and studied. He was taken and studied. Captured, contained. He was seen as a project; something people could study and find ways to eliminate. Something humans studied. 

He used to be one of them. His life used to have that same level of value. He may not remember anything specific about his past life, but all he can remember is how free he felt. That, and his name. That's the only detail he's retrieved of his dead identity.

But all that is merely a fantasy for him.

Now, he's just an anomaly to everyone. A number. Property.

And how he hated being seen as property.