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Paper let out a quiet sigh as he glanced out of the window down the hall. His eyebrows soon knitted together even closer as he pressed his lip into a flat line, realising that the swirls of chaotic winds had only gotten stronger since he'd last checked.
At first, it hadn't been that bad, if he was being honest. Since he was manufactured in a facility literally built on the clouds, he'd never gotten to experience any sort of snow before. At first, it seemed enticing. Exciting, even. He'd almost been tempted to step outside and feel it for himself…
…But soon it grew into something much more… violent. The once cool, elegant breeze grew to seem more frightening than friendly. In just a matter of minutes it'd completely transformed into an uncontrollable whirlwind, thrashing and howling against every corner of the hotel walls that it could possibly reach.
But hopefully, that wouldn't matter. So long as he didn't take a single step outside, everything would be fine, wouldn't it?
"Hey, Paper!"
His stream of thoughts was interrupted by the sound of Pepper's voice, who was waving at him as she started approaching from the other side of the hall. He blinked his worry and concern for the weather out of his eyes, slipping back into an eager smile at the sight of his friend.
"Oh! Hello Pepper! It's been a while since we last spoke, huh?"
Pepper nodded along with a sigh, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Yeah, it really feels like it's been ages. And I don't really feel like listening to Salt ramble on about OJ for the 50th time-"
Paper's eyes widened at that, letting out an exasperated groan.
"Oh my god, she's still like that with him?"
Pepper nodded along, rolling her eyes.
"Mhm. It got better after you officially started dating OJ - super happy for you guys, by the way! - but she's still… thinking about him."
"I don't think anything's ever going to get through to that girl, at this point…"
He looked up at Pepper again, seeing the way she started gripping one of her other arms, and placed his hand on her shoulder, giving it just the slightest squeeze. His voice was now barely above a whisper as he spoke.
"…It may be best for you to move on. I'm really sorry, but… this just doesn't seem healthy, y'know?"
Pepper bit her lip at those words, unable to meet Paper's eyes for some time as they whirled around inside her head. He did likely have a point… even if they did somehow end up together, what would be stopping Salt from running right back to OJ, anyway? It just… didn't seem like the right next step for her.
She let out a deep breath before nodding along, finally meeting Paper's eyes and trying to give him a more determined smile.
"You're… you're right. It'll be hard, but, I think I kinda have to now…"
Paper noticed the uncertainty and fear in her eyes. He couldn't blame her one bit for it; he couldn't even begin to imagine how he'd feel when faced with the possibility of having to leave OJ…
He moved to wrap his arms around her for a moment before pulling away to look back into her eyes.
"It's… it's gonna hurt. I know it will. But I believe in you, girl…ie? Girlie? Girlie!"
Pepper couldn't help but laugh at her attempt at using the slang she'd often mention in her rants, nodding along to his words.
"Thanks, Babes. I'll see ya around."
She pulled away from the metallic sheet of paper completely, waving him goodbye as she headed off back into her room.
Paper let out a faint hum, deciding he'd head towards OJ's office and see what he was up to, seeing as his shift should be ending soon…
…But then, just before he could rest his hand on the doorknob, something unexpected happened that made his heart sink.
The lights just… randomly turned off. No flicker, no warning, they were simply gone.
It was more than enough to startle him, glancing around for some sort of light switch. He spotted one just a few metres away, walking over to it quickly. This should be an easy fix, shouldn't it?
He flipped the switch.
Nothing happened.
Again.
Nothing.
Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the slightest movement of the door to OJ's being flung open as he sighed, mumbling to himself.
"Great, power's out…"
"What?"
Paper's voice held a hint of trembling fear, trying to make his way over to where OJ should be standing, judging by where he'd heard his voice. OJ essentially met him in the middle, his face barely illuminated by the glow-in-the-dark beads at his corners. He looked moreso… annoyed at whatever had happened than anything.
"Oh, right, you've never had to deal with this before… it's just a power outage, Paps. Usually happens whenever there's a snowstorm this bad."
Paper's eyes widened in alarm, staring at OJ as if he'd just formally announced the end of the world.
"Wait, what?! You mean that all the power's out?!"
"Mhm. Probably. I just hope Fan doesn't start freaking out agai-"
Paper felt his chest begin to tighten, just a little, gripping his own arms as his breathing began to speed up.
The slight annoyance present in OJ's face faded into clear concern as he looked his partner in the eye, softening his voice when he spoke again.
"Hey, what's wrong? I promise, it's not that big of a deal, hun…"
Paper shook his head rapidly, gripping his own arms even tighter as his eyes glanced off into whatever direction in almost pitch black darkness.
"Maybe not to you, but I need power to function! I'm a robot, remember? How am I supposed to recharge? How am I supposed to survive? I'm only at like 30%, that's only gonna last me another hour or two!-"
OJ took another step closer to Paper, gently placing his arms on the shoulders of his boyfriend, watching the robot's eyes snap up to meet his.
"Hey, calm down… the power outage is only temporary. It usually only lasts a few hours, maybe a day or two if it's really bad, but I promise you, you'll be fine. We'll be fine."
Paper felt the constriction in his chest loosen ever so slightly upon hearing those words. OJ's smoothened, silky voice and his unwavering confidence in what he was saying definitely helped to calm Paper's nerves, as Paper began taking a moment to process what OJ was saying.
If it was only temporary, then perhaps he'd be able to make it through this outage with OJ by his side. Besides, panicking about it wouldn't be of any help to either of them, would it?
He took one last deep breath before letting go of his vice grip on his own arms.
"Right. Okay. You're right. I… I'm sorry for freaking out a little. It's just that… at Meeple, there were never any of these… 'power outages', so…"
OJ shifted his hands slightly, sliding one of his own down to Paper's hand and intertwining their fingers with an earnest smile.
"It's ok. I get it, it must be a bit… frightening."
The glass took a glance into the distance, making out the faint outline of the door to his and Paper's room, just a few steps from where they stood in the hallway. The sight gave him an idea, looking back into Paper's eyes for a moment as the gears started turning in his mind.
"Hey, didn't you once say you could get a smaller amount of energy from food and drink?"
Paper let out a quiet hum, completely forgetting that was ever even an option for him.
"Oh, uh, yeah, I suppose so…!"
A smirk quickly spread across OJ's face, now letting go of Paper's shoulder and hand as he pointed to the door to their room.
"Alright, why don't you wait in our room for a bit? I'm going to make you something."
Paper tilted his head a little at that, his eyebrows furrowing ever so slightly.
"Uhh… didn't you almost burn down the kitchen when you tried to make an omelette once?-"
OJ let out a quiet scoff, rolling his eyes. It was true, of course, but…
"That doesn't count! It was my first time trying to make one for myself, okay?! This thing I'm gonna make… it's way easier. And I've done it a billion times. Just need to find a way to warm it up, that's all… but I'm sure Test Tube wouldn't mind me borrowing her flame thrower."
Paper blinked at OJ, furrowing his eyebrows in a blend of concern and confusion.
"OJ, what the hell. Please, don't use a flame thrower that's an unfathomably awful idea."
OJ chuckled to himself, wincing at the thought. He was right, of course. It'd be crazy to use a flamethrower in a situation like this…
"Right. I'll… ask if she has something safer. Point is, don't worry, I'll get you a special little something."
Paper let out a quiet hum at that, crossing the distance to his and OJ's room.
"Okay, if you say so… just… be careful, Jay."
"I will, I will! Don't worry, I'll be back in just a minute!"
With that, Paper pushed the door open, making his way over to their bed and deciding to simply flop onto it.
He took a moment to glance outside of their window, noticing the fact that the storm still hadn't really let up at all.
Seeing those whirring gusts of snow and ice, ravaging relentlessly outside and mercilessly tormenting the island…
…He had to admit, it was almost… mesmerising, seeing the way they formed all sorts of patterns and swirls right outside his window.
Sure, if he were to ever even think about stepping outside, his processors would be frozen to bits in seconds. But… he wasn't thinking of stepping out at all, as he was perfectly safe within these walls. So long as he was here, he didn't really have anything to fear. Not even mother nature's wrath could touch him.
He had to admit that the thought was… comforting. So long as he was in here, with everyone he knew and loved he'd be safe. Protected. From anything.
Soon enough, he heard a knock on the door, indicating that OJ had returned with whatever he'd decided to prepare for the robot. He decided to snuggle under the covers, a giddy grin on his face as he wondered what it was that his partner would return with.
"Come in!"
The door was pushed right open, and OJ held a steaming hot mug in one hand and a warm smile on his face as he walked right up to the bed.
"Here, try it. It's really good, I promise."
Carefully, Paper took the mug into his own hands, raising it to his lips. OJ grabbed his cork from the nightstand and popped it into his glass, watching Paper for his reaction to the beverage like a hawk.
"Oh! Oh wow, you were right! This is really good!"
OJ slipped into the bed beside him, pulling the covers over himself as he shuffled closer to Paper.
"Mhm. Its called hot chocolate. Normally just made out of… y'know, milk, and some kind of chocolate… usually a powder… but I added in a secret ingredient to it."
Paper giggled a little to himself, taking a few more steady sips before speaking again.
"Oh yeah? What's that?"
OJ waited until Paper had completely finished the hot chocolate and set it on the nightstand before snuggling up to him completely, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend as he gave him a peck on the cheek.
"Love~"
Paper rolled his eyes as his giggles started to intensify, turning around to completely face OJ as he spoke.
"Really, JJ? You're so corny…"
"Mm… maybe a little, yeah. But you love it, don't you?"
Paper only responded by burying his face into OJ's shoulder, sighing to himself as he basked in the cosy comfort of the moment.
It was practically completely silent around them, with no other objects around to disturb the peaceful moment they'd stolen away for themselves.
OJ moved one of his arms to trace patterns along Paper's surface, gently stroking one of his neon beads as he spoke, his voice more relaxed than Paper'd ever heard in his life.
"Y'know, I'm really glad you got these."
Paper's smile spread to the corners of his cheeks, feeling the slightest heat in his cheeks, certain that they were already a light blue by now.
"Really? How come?"
OJ let the tension hang between them for a few seconds before speaking again, his voice laced with nothing but adoration and admiration for the object in his arms.
"They're just… really cute little lights. And I'll always be able to recognise you from afar with them, I'll be able to find you again. I dunno, it's like a representation of how… how you're the light of my life, y'know?"
If Paper was blushing before, he was absolutely fuming now, the squeal of steam leaving his machinery undeniable as he latched onto OJ's glass even tighter, groaning to himself.
"Wha- that's so cheesy, you can't just- say that!-"
"Well, I can, and I did. You can't stop me from-"
Paper shut him up right then and there, stealing OJ's lips with a kiss and letting whatever words were on his lips die in his throat. It was a gentle, adoring kiss, one that made a thousand promises and reassurances in just a fraction of a second. One that truly captured the very essence of everything they meant to each other. Everything that they were and that they would ever be, until the end of time. Always ready to support one another, to be there for one another… it was something truly magical. Something that transcended matter or machinery, one that spoke of the way their very souls intertwined.
And when it'd ended, the room was filled with laughter. Nothing but a genuine, innocent, joyful laughter between the two. A laughter that died out naturally, replaced with a look in each of their eyes that only spoke of the depth to their connection.
"I… I love you, OJ. So much."
"I love you too, Paper."
He shut his eyes completely then, letting out a happy hum as he tightened his hold on OJ again, as his partner did the same.
"When the storm blows over, I think I'm gonna take you outside. I feel like you'd love the snow."
Paper let out a quiet grunt as he made himself even more comfortable in OJ's arms, letting the warmth radiating from his heart begin to dull his senses a little.
"Yeah? Will it… still be there by then?"
"Definitely. You'll get to make snow angels, snowmen, play around with the other residents… probably cause me an absolute headache with Yin-Yang and Cherries…"
Paper chuckled to himself at that, already knowing he'd likely love something like that. All of that. Even if he didn't fully understand all of what he'd said, it sounded nothing short of incredible.
"Will I get to wear that scarf, then?"
"'Course you will. I'd recommend it, even. Wouldn't want you to get too cold."
He started to run a hand along Paper's back, soothing him in any and every way he could as the night trekked on. He heard his mechanical whirr of his inhalation and exhalation systems begin to even out as his hold on OJ loosened ever so slightly.
The lamp on the nightstand suddenly flickered on, indicating that the power had returned.
"Hey, Paps, are you still…?"
His words were lost to the wind, fading out with absolutely no reply.
When he looked down at his partner, he saw nothing but a tranquil object that was completely at peace, smiling into his shoulder without a care in the world.
Who would dare disturb that peace? Not him, that was for sure.
Instead, he reached over and flicked the light off, pressing a quick kiss to Paper's forehead as he settled into his embrace.
Soon just like those lights, he was out almost immediately, certain that nothing would ever come between him and his adorable paper angel for as long as he lived.