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solalunar-eclipse · 7 months

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Replay/Rewind/Restart

Chapter title: Ah, the Cache. Truly the most tsundere of Addisons.

AO3 Link

Getty | Cache

Summary: One fateful day, Cache stumbles across a Lightner who's found herself terribly lost and a long way from home. Neither of them could have predicted what happened next.

(Mild warning for lots of swearing from Cache)

Cache sighed tiredly, pulling on their denim jacket at the end of another long day’s work. It was their turn to close up the shop today, and they did so with practiced ease. As always, they saved the best part until last: checking on all of their pets one more time to make sure all was well.

They patted the aquarium screensaver fondly and gave the Tamagopets a brief once-over, making sure all of the little ones were present and accounted for. The blue birds had been slightly quieter as of late—Cache inspected them carefully, running through possible illnesses in their head. They’d have to have a word with Pixel about their diet tomorrow. The birds had been relatively picky as of late, and while Cache was willing to indulge them to some extent, they were not about to let any of their pets get themselves sick.

Next, they gave a bit of extra food to some of their more care-intensive pets, including the (mildly glitchy) purple primate-looking creature and the dog-cow hybrid they’d rescued off the street one day. On the other hand, they simply shot the Tasque kittens a flat look, muttering, “If I find out either of you little shits are getting up to no good, I will mark down your price, you hear?”

…the kittens didn’t need to know that they’d never actually do that.

Satisfied that all of their pets would be well for the night, they stepped outside and flipped the sign on the door to read Closed. Quickly, they locked the door, and then walked off, searching for some way to kill time. They had hours until they’d be expected at the Cyber Grille, after all, and…not many people to spend those hours with. Their cousin was busy most of the time, and Pixel wasn’t exactly up for socializing after working hard in the store all day.

The mint-colored Addison resigned themself to wandering the streets until they stumbled upon something interesting, brushing a few strands of hair out of their face to get a better look at their surroundings.

Most people, upon meeting Cache’s eyes, quickly looked away. Some even increased their pace a little bit—after all, they had built a pretty well-known reputation over the years for not taking shit from anyone. Only those who didn’t know them well were brave enough to look back or attempt a polite nod.

After a few minutes, Cache found themself in front of Pink’s store, and breezed in with their customary smirk already in place. “I’ll have the usual, Pink. To-go.” they said simply, earning a raised eyebrow in return.

“Oh, I see how it is.” he replied, casting a glance to the ceiling even as he turned to his shelf of tea flavors. “No ‘Hello, Pink’, or a ‘How are you doing, Pink’. Not even an ‘It’s nice to see you, Pink’! What is the world coming to these days?” Despite the Addison’s protests, he began to brew Cache their usual tea, pulling out a to-go cup and sliding a pale pink cardboard ring around it.

They leaned on the counter casually, clearly unbothered. “C’mon, Pink, you know me better than that. ‘Sides, I’ve got places to go, people to see, y’know?”

Pink scoffed lightly, handing over their tea. “I know for a fact that Getty is too busy for you to visit him right now, and I’ve never seen you come in here with anyone else besides him. Who is it that you’re planning on seeing, hm?”

Cache’s expression tightened abruptly, and they gripped their drink so forcefully that the cup nearly crumpled. “Yeah, yeah, fuck you too. See you around.” they muttered, stalking out of the store irritably.

Sure, they might not know many people, but Pink had no right to point it out like that! They weren’t some loser without any friends—they knew other people besides just their cousin!

Remembering the tea in their hand, they took a long swig of the drink as though it were liquor, hoping it’d ease the discomfort they felt. It didn’t help as much as they’d have liked, though. Getty was a great person, and they loved him dearly, but he didn’t exactly have a forceful personality. There was only so much his tea could do to cut through their frustration.

Before they knew it, the drink was all gone, and they eyed the cup in their hand with something approaching disappointment as they tossed it into the nearest trash can. They didn’t feel like they were going to explode at any moment anymore, but their afternoon had still been soured by Pink’s comment.

As they reached a street corner, they heard a massive clamor coming from down the road to their right, and looked over to see what was going on. A whole swarm of Addisons were clustered on the sidewalk, all talking with overlapping sales pitches and eager gesticulations, assaulting Cache’s eyes with a riot of color and sound.

They were just about to jaywalk across the street, already rolling their eyes at the eagerness of the other Addisons, when they saw just who the group’s target was.

A Lightner practically cowered in the midst of the group, their eyes darting about in distress as they struggled to cope with the situation escalating around them. They were fumbling in their bag, clearly helpless against the onslaught of salespeople so much more insistent and demanding than anything they’d expected, and—

—for the briefest of seconds, Cache remembered a much younger mint-colored Addison, stressed as could be, just trying to do things right and keep their head above water and Mr. Spamton, sir, please, if you’ll only give me just a moment—

“HEY!” they roared, storming down the street and shoving their way into the crowd. “Back the fuck off, assholes! Give them some goddamn room to breathe!”

The Lightner’s eyes met theirs, gratitude written all over their face. Some of the other Addisons hadn’t gotten the message just yet, though, opting to offer discounts instead, and so they whirled around, keeping themself in between the human and the other advertisers. “What part of ‘fuck off’ do you not understand?!” Cache snapped, fixing the others with the full force of their angry glare.

“I was just about to offer an extra-special deal—” one of them protested, and Cache practically felt you tense up behind them.

“No, you fuckin’ weren’t. You were about to leave. Capiche?” the mint-colored Addison growled, their hands curling into fists. They almost wished they’d brought security along with them. Almost.

Thankfully, that seemed to be enough for the remaining few to get the message, and they dispersed quickly.

Once the last of the salespeople had left, they turned back to you, frowning. “Why the hell didn’t you stick up for yourself? You know they’re not gonna leave you alone unless you tell them to, right?”

You shrank away from them, eyes wide and frightened. “I’m sorry—I really didn’t know—!” you said quickly, taking a small step backwards.

Damn, you were nearly as skittish as some of the poorly-treated pets they’d had to care for over the years. They backed up, settling into a slightly less confrontational posture and letting themself slouch a little. No sense in towering over you after everything you’d just been through.

“Oh, my bad. You’re new here, are you?” they asked, using a slightly less sharp tone but neglecting to offer you a true apology. “Well then, uh, hi, I guess. I’m Cache.”

“Mm-hm!” you agreed, looking up at them nervously. “Just arrived here today, actually. And, um—” you introduced yourself in turn, and they repeated your name once, just to make sure they’d heard you right. You were quiet.

“Oh yeah!” you added suddenly. “I heard you—well, I mean—I appreciate you not assuming, but I use she/her. Just…for future reference, and all. You know.”

Cache couldn’t quite decide what expression to make at that. It’d have been an asshole move of them to assume they knew everything about you just from the way you dressed, but the fact that you’d noticed sure was…well, it was something. “Cool. Guess it’s only fair I trade you back, then—they and them only. None of that ‘he’ bullshit, ‘kay?”

You nodded quickly in agreement. With the momentary lull in conversation, something else you’d said suddenly came back to them, and Cache studied you a bit more closely.

“Damn, so you said you really just got here today? No wonder you don’t know shit about Addisons, then. Free piece of advice—give ‘em an inch, and they’ll take everything you got.” they told you, letting some of their disdain bleed into their words.

You blinked, looking confused. “But…aren’t you also an Addison?”

“Gold star for you, got it in one.” they drawled sarcastically. “I’m not like those guys, though. Not into all of that kiss-ass BS.”

“Well, thank you for all of your help, Mx. Cache!” you said politely, smiling up at them.

They grimaced. “It’s just Cache. Fuck, that makes me sound all stuffy and shit.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” you gasped, but then shyly tacked on “...Just Cache.” You gave them a little grin which vanished as soon as it had appeared.

Cache flicked their eyes up to the green grid at that, which seemed to encourage you to continue. “Um, do you…know what time it is? It seems like it’s dark all the time here, and I can’t tell if my phone is right.”

The mint-colored Addison checked their own phone and gave you the time, which you confirmed on your own device. “So it is getting kind of late, then.” you said, mostly to yourself. “I guess I’d better go find someplace to stay. Thanks again!”

“Whoa, whoa, hold it a goddamn second.” they snapped abruptly, your words registering heavily with them. “You’re telling me you’re fuckin’ homeless right now?”

“Well, until I find a hotel…I guess so?” you said, giving them a slightly bewildered look.

“Do you even have any money to get a room with?” Cache pushed, trying to ignore the mounting evidence that their protective instincts were threatening to take over.

“I…” you began, rifling through your wallet, “…have some gold? I got some other kind of money earlier from a sort of battle thing, but I had to spend almost all of that on lunch. I’m pretty sure this should be enough for a night or two at a small place somewhere…”

“Okay, okay, I don’t know what the hell gold is, but I’m assuming it’s some kind of Lightner money. You at least know what Lightners and Darkners are, right?”

You nodded. “Yeah, a nice Virovirokun explained that to me.”

“Cool. So yeah, no, that’s not gonna get you shit. We only use Dark Dollars here, so you’ll need some of that if you want yourself a hotel room.” Cache explained.

They immediately regretted it when your expression crumpled, before you made a valiant effort to cover it up and put on a brave face. Damn their soft heart. They spat several choice words internally before gearing up to do something they just knew they’d regret.

Cache heaved a deep, long sigh. “Guess it’s a good thing I’ve got money on me. C’mon, let’s go hunt you down a hotel for the night.”

They whirled around and began to stalk down the sidewalk, hearing you rush to catch up with them after a moment. “You—you really don’t have to do anything like that!” you exclaimed, sounding as though you’d literally rather sleep on the streets than accept their money. “I can’t repay you, and I’m sure you already have your own things to worry about!”

Cache shoved their hands in their pockets and shot you an irritated look. “Listen, there is no way in hell I’m letting you spend the night in some alleyway, you hear me? Don’t think you’re gonna be able to change my mind on this, because you won’t.”

Your eyes widened even further somehow, and seemed to almost shine briefly in the city lights. “Oh, oh my goodness, thank you so much! That’s so nice of you, I promise I’ll—”

“You’ll nothing.” they insisted, glowering at a point just over your left shoulder. “I just don’t wanna be the unlucky bastard who’s stuck thinking about you out in the cold all night, you hear? That’s it.”

“O-okay…” you agreed, but you didn’t sound very convinced.

Cache refused to say anything beyond clipped directions for the rest of your walk to the nearest hotel, maintaining an absolutely scorching glare at the sidewalk. They yanked open the door, but held it in place with a hand until you had a decent grip on it, pointedly ignoring the shy smile and ‘thank you’ you gave them.

“You got a vacancy?” they asked the unfortunate receptionist, a person who looked vaguely fox-like—and who also immediately quailed at the look on their face.

“Um, yes!” he said, rapidly typing a few things into his computer. “What kind of room would you like?”

“What’s cheapest?”

“We have a small room on the third floor—I have the price right here.” He summoned a screen with the information, and Cache sucked in a breath. Their movie money was going to get slashed for this.

Their reaction was nothing compared to yours, however. “Cache!” you cried. “You really don’t have to do this, I’ll be fine, I swear!”

Your protests had the exact opposite effect as intended on them, actually convincing them to open up their wallet and slap several bills down on the counter without even haggling on the price. “I’ll take it.” they said, and the receptionist fumbled to hand over the key.

Cache walked you up the two flights of stairs and to your door, shooting looks at anyone who dared to give you a second glance for being a Lightner. Hesitantly, you unlocked the room, and then just stood and stared at it for a solid minute.

“Thank you.” you finally said, your voice sounding tighter than usual. “This…means the world to me.” You didn’t look at them as you spoke.

“I’ll come back tomorrow and find you someplace decent to get breakfast, ‘kay?” they said, not actually caring what your answer would be. “‘Till then, here’s a little cash for dinner. Don’t go blowing it on stupid shit. Understand?”

“You’re a great person, you know that?” you sighed, finally stepping inside the room. “I’ll…see you tomorrow, then. And thank you. Again.” Shooting them one last smile, you closed the door.

Cache stood in front of it, staring into space for far longer than they would’ve liked to admit. Eventually, they pulled themself together enough to make their way over to the Cyber Grille, but left far earlier than usual when even the alcohol wasn’t enough to ease their tension.

Despite what they’d said earlier, they still found themself thinking about you as they tried to fall asleep.

…

True to their word, Cache knocked on your door at a decent time the next morning (they did have a job to get to, after all). “Hey! You up in there?” they called.

A moment later, you pulled open the door, shooting them a small smile. “Good morning! How are you today?”

Cache blinked, readjusting as you inadvertently dragged their conversation onto a slightly new track. “Uh…I’m fine, I guess? You?”

“Oh, I’m alright!” you said brightly, but something felt off about it. “So, where are we going?”

“Just someplace down the street. They have donuts, should be good enough for now.”

“That’s more than enough!” You paused suddenly, seeming to remember something. “Oh yeah! I didn’t spend all your money yesterday, here’s some of it back.”

Now Cache was staring at you outright. “How the—never mind, I probably don’t want to know. Keep it. I have work today and can’t get you anywhere for lunch.”

Soon enough, they’d gotten you to the bakery and picked out enough pastries for the two of you to split. As they sat down across from you at a table outside, they neglected to eat for a moment, opting to study you instead.

At first, their stare was laced with suspicion. They weren’t normally this charitable, after all, and they were starting to feel thoughts creeping up along the lines of she’s just taking advantage of you, stupid and didn't you learn your fucking lesson last time?

As they watched you, however, they began to feel more and more like their heart was being stomped on repeatedly by whatever had happened to you. You didn’t hesitate to start eating the food, but you did so mechanically and listlessly, like you were doing it because you knew you had to and not because you were enjoying it.

Once you’d finished your first pastry, you looked up in surprise, as if you’d been so consumed by your own thoughts you’d forgotten they were even there. “Oh, sorry! I’m not always the best at conversation.” you admitted sheepishly. Cache quickly tore off a piece of their own donut and ate it, hoping you wouldn’t notice that they hadn’t even touched their food.

“Nah, ‘s good.” they said around a full mouth. “Honestly, I’m kinda impressed you haven’t lost your shit yet. I mean, you’re sitting inside the fuckin’ Internet, hanging out with an Addison like ‘oh yeah this is just a regular Tuesday’.”

Your smile grew slightly bittersweet at that. “I love it here,” you insisted. “If it were up to me, I’d never leave.”

Cache frowned. That…wasn’t what they’d expected. “What do you mean, ‘if it were up to you’?”

You sighed. “I don’t know how I got here, which means I don’t know how to keep myself from going back. I sure hope I get to stay for a while longer…”

Your expression fell briefly, before you seemed to remember that you were with someone and perked right back up. Your smile was slightly strained around the edges, though, in a way that made Cache’s heart ache.

“I hardly know anything about you, though, Cache. Where do you work? Do you like it there?”

They could have just brushed off your question with a noncommittal answer, closing off any potential of getting to know you, but there was something about you that made them want to keep you around. It was so long since they’d met anyone new who had this much genuine, well…everything. And there was something wrong, too, they could feel it. Despite what they might claim, they’d never been able to ignore anyone or anything that seemed helpless and in need.

“I own a pet store, actually. I can take you there once we’re done eating, if you want.” they said, trying extremely hard to make it seem like this invitation wasn’t a big deal. “It’s not bad. The little guys normally behave themselves, and it’s not like there’s anyone else who could take over and do the job right.”

You brightened up at that, clearly excited. “What kinds of pets do you have? Can…can I pet any of them?” you asked hopefully.

“Only if they let you.” Cache said, taking another bite of donut. “And I’ll explain all the different types to you once we get there.”

Once the two of you had finished eating, you set off for Virtual Pets. The walk there wasn’t very long, and by the time they had arrived, the store was already open. “Oh yeah,” Cache added, “I told Pixel to set up the place ‘cause I’d be in late—she works for me.”

“Did I make you late for work?” You sounded far more concerned than was necessary. “I’m so sorry!”

“Hey, stop worrying so much. I’m the boss of this place. What’s Pixel gonna do, fire me?” Cache insisted, smirking. They pushed open the door, catching the attention of the other Addison in the shop. “Pixel! I brought the Lightner I told you about with me, she’s here to meet some of the pets.”

You introduced yourself politely to Pixel (but still with an air of tension about you), tacking on a “It’s so nice to meet you!” at the end.

“It’s good to meet you too, hon!” she said kindly. “Cache told me they’d met someone new, but they didn’t tell me your name or that you were a Lightner until just now.”

Cache rolled their eyes. “Well, excuse me, I was kind of busy helping pipsqueak over here find an actual bed to sleep in for the night.”

“Wh—hey, what?!” you cried, giving them a slightly incredulous look. “Pipsqueak? I’m not that small!”

The mint Addison walked back over to you, straightening their posture and invading your personal space just to make it clear exactly how much taller than you they were. “Doesn’t look that way to me.” they said smugly. Internally, though, they were pleased. It was a lot better to see you indignant than anxious and sad.

You huffed irritably, before finally noticing the pets all throughout the shop. “Aw, hello there!” you practically cooed, darting over to peek at the Tasques with a genuine smile on your face. “Oh, they’re such cute little kitties!”

Cache bit back a laugh, not wanting to make you self-conscious right away. “Yeah, you say that now, but you should see them when it’s feeding time. Those little shits are brutal.”

“I’m sure they’re just hungry!” you protested, nearly pouting.

The rest of the pet introductions went the same way, with you making a stunning variety of high-pitched noises and Cache slandering all of their pets just for the sake of being contrary. Pixel threw in a comment here or there, but she mostly stayed out of your way, clearly still a little off-kilter in the presence of a new person who wasn’t a customer.

Eventually, you had to leave, since you insisted on finding a way to earn some money so you wouldn’t be a burden to Cache. They had told you it wasn’t necessary, because the last thing they wanted to watch you do was beat yourself up about something they’d decided to do, but you had insisted.

Once you’d left, Pixel turned to Cache and smiled at them. “You really like her, huh?”

Cache immediately scowled, stalking behind the counter. “She’s okay, I guess. It’d just be a shitty thing to ignore her when she has the self-preservation instincts of a fuckin’ Tamagopet.”

“That’s nice of you, Boss.” Pixel said, picking up her broom in a poor attempt at hiding her grin.

“Shut up.” they grumbled, turning their focus to the window and decidedly not worrying about how you were doing out there all by yourself.

Dammit, they didn’t even remember to get your phone number.

…

Over the next few days, Cache kept on checking in on you, although they didn’t need to pay for all of your meals anymore. You’d been getting into small scrapes here and there, which scared the hell out of them at first, but it turned out that you were actually quite good at helping other people solve their problems. You had been quite surprised the first time an Ambyu-Lance offered you a few dark dollars for helping them replace their needle, but it turned out that the people of this city were actually quite generous with their money when they were shown some kindness.

It definitely wasn’t enough to finance most of your needs, though, let alone pay for your own place. That was why you began to actively ask around at jobs to see if they were hiring, clearly assuming that anything would be better than continuing to feel like you were being a drain on Cache’s resources.

They continued to insist otherwise, still concerned for your well-being, but even they couldn’t deny that it was difficult to pay for all of their usual expenses and keep you at that hotel. So, a few days after you’d begun job-hunting, they had suggested something new.

“Listen, shortcake…” they began, tossing out one of their many new nicknames for you. (They’d warmed up to you quite a bit, finally willing to trust the fact that you were really as nice—and as in need of someone to rely on—as you seemed. They pointedly ignored the part of them that was eager to be that person, the person they hadn’t had. They also tried very hard not to think about the fact that they were getting closer and closer to giving in and adding ‘sis’ to their list of nicknames with each passing day.)

“I was just thinking, what if you moved in with me? Then we can start saving up cash to get you a place of your own.” they said, and immediately regretted how tense they sounded. “I mean, if you wanted to. I’m cool with whatever.”

You gave them a look that suggested you absolutely knew what they’d just done, and they silently cursed the fact that you were getting better at reading them so quickly.

“You really wouldn’t mind?” you asked hopefully.

“Am I not the one who literally just asked?” Cache shot back. “What about that makes you think I mind?”

“Fair enough.” you said sheepishly. “I’d love to, thank you.”

“No shit.” they muttered, internally shouting “Fuck yeah!” and hoping none of it showed on their face. “Alright, let’s get your stuff and move you in.”

You didn’t have much in the way of personal effects, having only been in Cyber City for about a week so far. As a result, it didn’t take very long at all for you to set up camp on Cache’s couch (they were somewhat guiltily glad that you’d insisted on that, because they knew their sleep schedule would be shot to hell if they took the couch).

After that, things began to move…both more and less smoothly than before, if they were being honest. It turned out that you were actually kind of a neat freak, and made it very clear that you disapproved of Cache leaving their things around the house, even just for a day or two.

On the other hand, now that you were living with someone you trusted, and had spent over a week in Cyber City, it seemed like some of the weight that had settled on your shoulders was finally starting to lift. One night, they’d found you crying on the couch, and hadn’t accepted any of your poor attempts to convince them you were okay. Instead, they’d managed to get you to tell them your story, and then promised you afterwards that nobody would make you leave if you didn’t want to. They would make sure of it.

Another good thing that came out of you living with them was that they could finally start going out to the movies again—and taking you on occasion, too. Your continued insistence on searching for a job, with its sporadic schedule, was still a lot better than Getty’s work hours had ever been, meaning that they got to go out with company far more often than before. On top of that, you had a wider taste in movies too, enjoying almost every single genre that they took you to see.

The first movie you’d ever gone to with them had been a simple superhero film, the latest in a truly massive franchise that they’d been looking forward to watching for a little while now.

You had stared at the line running out the doors (despite the fact that opening night had been three days ago), but hadn’t complained about the wait. If anything, you just seemed impressed. “Have you really waited in lines longer than this before, Cache Deposit?” you asked.

“Oh, absolutely. This is nothing.” they bragged. “You should’ve seen this place the day that one sequel came out—you know, the one for that sci-fi movie that’s been in the works for decades?” When you nodded in acknowledgement, they continued on. “I waited there for hours, but I got to see that movie eventually. Damn glad I did, too, the scenery alone made it totally worth it.”

“Wow, I wouldn’t have taken you for such a patient type.” you remarked, unable to keep the mildly sassy smile off your face.

“Oh, shut up! Don’t test me, shortcake, I will get one ticket instead of two!” Cache swatted you on the arm, but they were grinning too.

Once you both actually got inside, Cache insisted on getting a large bucket of popcorn for the two of you to share. They sat down in their seat, snatching up a few kernels, and turned to look at you just as the green glow of the preview rating screen came on.

The mint-colored Addison let out a quiet sigh, feeling themself relax back into the seat. They were in their favorite place, you were smiling as you watched the screen, and they had plenty of buttered popcorn.

This was perfect.

The movie went over well with you—you smiled and gasped at all the right moments, and you told them afterwards with genuine happiness that you’d enjoyed it. They couldn’t help but rant a little about their own takes on it (“the sidekick’s actor deserves so much credit, their facial expressions alone were amazing! And don’t even get me started on the color theory in that one scene—”), and to their delight, you listened intently and even asked them to elaborate on some of their points.

Cache invited you to plenty more movies after that, all different genres. Everything from mystery to comedies was fair game, and they even indulged you when you asked to see a couple of animated movies here and there. (They weren’t necessarily awful, it was just that Cache had some standards.) While some of them went over better than others, all in all, they had a great time with you.

…Except the one time they’d tried to drag you into a horror movie. You’d stepped out after ten minutes, and sheepishly informed them that you got terrible nightmares from that kind of thing. They teased you about it a little, but didn’t even complain about the money they’d spent on tickets. Instead, they took you home and played a few rounds of Super Smashing Fighters with you.

And if they let you win a few times, well, nobody ever had to know.

One night not long after that, they dropped the news over pizza that the two of you had finally put away enough money to start apartment-hunting for your own place. Cache felt a twinge of discomfort that they elected not to examine too closely, instead opting to finish by taking a big bite of pizza before they could say anything stupid.

“Would you be willing to shop around with me?” you asked. “You know Cyber City a lot better than I do, and you’re good with prices, too.”

That eased the twinge somewhat, and they offered up a more real grin in exchange. “Sure thing, sis. I can bring security too if you’re really looking for a discount…” they added, smirking.

“Cache! Don’t you dare!” you cried, fighting back laughter. “I actually want to find a place, you know! They’ll probably be too scared to even consider me!”

Cache rolled their eyes. “They’re wimps, then.”

You laughed softly under your breath and took another bite of pizza. Once you’d swallowed, you added, “Oh yeah! I can still stop by Virtual Pets whenever, right?”

“The day you’re not welcome in VP is the day I lose the damn business, understand?” Cache insisted, pointing at you with their own slice. “Always, and I do mean always come in if you want to.”

“And we’re still on for movies and Friday gaming nights?” you confirmed, mostly as a formality rather than a serious question.

“I’d be offended if you didn’t, shortcake.” they said, secretly feeling relief replace the last bit of discomfort inside them. It seemed that even though you were moving out, the two of you weren’t going to grow apart in the slightest.

(And they were absolutely right.)

…

About a week after you moved into your apartment, Cache sold their dog-cow hybrid to what appeared to be an eager couple looking for a nice pet. They seemed perfectly friendly and well-intentioned, so the Addison felt pretty comfortable making the sale.

They seriously regretted doing so now.

The hybrid was returned less than a week later, deathly ill after one of the children (because the couple hadn’t thought to mention that they had kids in the house) had fed her something she wasn’t supposed to have. Cache had been so distraught that they hadn’t even been able to find words to fling at the two, who damn well should have known better. Thankfully, they at least knew enough to get the hell out of the shop when they saw the expression on Cache’s face.

Several of the worst hours of Cache’s life passed next, as they struggled to keep their beloved hybrid alive. Thankfully, they eventually succeeded after several awful scares, leaving her to rest and recuperate in the back room. After taking a moment to recover for themself, they stumbled back to the door and flipped the sign over to Open, secretly hoping that nobody would come in for the rest of the day.

Pixel was currently in the back room, taking her own turn to watch the poor thing, but also more than a little on edge from their mood. They were too exhausted to do much else except sit at the counter, their thoughts swirling mercilessly.

They pulled on the hood of their jacket, pushing it low in an effort to hide the particularly brutal blend of despair and fury they felt at seeing any creature treated with such carelessness. Those parents should have known better than to keep dangerous foods in reach of either their pet or their children! Why did they ever have to make that sale in the first place?!

Suddenly, the bell over their door rang, and they shot upright, ready to yell at whatever sorry customer had dared to step inside now. They trained the full force of their glare at the person who’d just entered—and then they saw it was you.

“Shit, sorry…” they sighed. “Now’s not really a good time, shortcake.”

You frowned in concern. “Do you want to talk about it?”

They hesitated, glowering at the floor. “If I do, I’m gonna get pissy again.”

“Maybe you just need to get all the pissed-off-ness out?” you suggested, giving them a faint smile.

Cache sighed through clenched teeth. “You better be sure about this, ‘cause it ain’t pretty.”

You nodded, giving them your most determined look.

Cache stormed around the counter and began to practically bark their impromptu speech. “Okay, so guess what? Some dipshit family thought it’d be a great idea to buy a pet that needs a ton of special care and stick in a home with their two-point-five children, who apparently have exactly zero fuckin’ restraint at any given time. Today, they come back with the poor girl, barely hanging on, and have the guts to ask for a goddamn refund! I just spent hours keeping her alive, and I swear, if I ever see those assholes again, I’ll tear them a new one and I will not hold back.” they spat, their hands curling into fists so tight it hurt.

“Who the fuck does that? Who even thinks it might be a remotely smart idea to leave a new pet unsupervised with kids?! I just—I—shit! Ugh!” they cried, burying their face in their hands. “I just wish I’d seen it coming.”

Abruptly, all the fight left them, and they sagged backwards against the counter.

A moment later, they felt your hand brush their arm lightly, and they startled away from you before they realized what was going on. Thankfully, you didn’t seem offended, just held out your arms with a sympathetic expression on your face.

Cache checked briefly to make sure Pixel wasn’t nearby, and then crumpled into your arms, fighting back tears.

“Cache, you’re always so careful with all the creatures you have,” you began, rubbing their back gently, “but nobody—and I mean nobody—can be on their guard all day, every day. That’s just impossible. You did everything you possibly could, saving her and making sure those idiots didn’t get their stupid refund. She’s strong, she’ll come back from this, especially with you there every step of the way.

“You did nothing wrong, okay? They screwed up, but now it’s over, and you did absolutely nothing wrong. It’s all going to be okay now, Cache, I promise.”

They shuddered briefly, swallowing once before giving you a final squeeze and stepping back. “Thanks, shortcake.” they muttered thickly.

You gave them a small smile. “You want to get takeout and watch some awful movies at my place once you’re done with work?”

“Hell yeah.” Cache said, managing to muster up a slightly bittersweet smirk. “I’ll text you when I’m done, alright?”

“Text me before that if you need to vent some more.” you insisted, darting forward to give them one last quick hug. “See you later, Cache App.”

“That one was shit, pipsqueak! You hear me?” they cried (not meaning a word of it, of course) as you left the store. You merely shot them a grin in reply, waving your phone at them through the glass before taking off.

Cache sighed tiredly, pulling their hood off and running a hand through their hair as they turned to go sit back down behind the counter. And if Pixel gave them a smile later that was just a bit more knowing than usual, well, they sure as hell weren’t going to acknowledge it.

…

It had been a couple of months now since you’d first appeared in Cyber City—and in Cache’s life—and you were doing much better than you had been previously. Cache was happy for you, to be sure…but they still felt like you weren’t quite up to a hundred percent yet, and they had a suspicion as to why.

Sure, you had them and Lovebug, and maybe Pixel too, but at the end of the day, you were going home to an empty apartment with nobody to keep you company. And Cache figured that since you were too shy to do anything about it, they’d probably have to take the initiative.They even had a multi-step plan mapped out, because like hell were they leaving your well-being to chance.

Phase One: Figure out what kind of people you liked hanging out with (or even better, people you liked, period).

Phase Two: Get you to spend more time with them through any means necessary.

Phase Three: Integrate them into the friend group.

Phase Four: Get them to move in with you.

Phase Five: Enjoy seeing you happy.

Thankfully, not long after they’d made this plan, they saw the perfect opportunity to put it into action. Cache had dragged you out to a store that sold various music recordings, hoping to find something nice to listen to—and to get you to meet someone new.

After some carefully timed deliberating, they picked out an mp3 that they’d noticed within seconds of walking in the door, and strolled over to the register to check out. You hadn’t chosen anything yourself, much to Cache’s disappointment, but if they’d hung around any longer, you might’ve gotten suspicious.

As it was, they simply handed over their mp3 to the smiling violet Addison behind the counter. As he scanned the file, Cache glanced at his name tag, which simply read Exy. They’d heard about this employee in passing at the Cyber Grill the other night, and supposedly he was extra friendly and thoughtful. Cache hoped he’d live up to his reputation.

“Nothing for you today, miss?” he asked you politely.

You grinned sheepishly. “Sorry! I’m not very good at making decisions, I’m afraid.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it!” the violet Addison insisted, smiling politely at you. “We’re open every day from eight to six if you ever have some spare time on your hands! Say, what kind of music do you listen to?”

“It changes from week to week, honestly.” you admitted. “I like just about anything!”

Exy finished charging Cache for their purchase, all while maintaining his conversation with you. “Well, stop by again soon, and I might have some nice recommendations for you!” He winked at you, and you colored slightly from all the attention.

(Cache very nearly broke their neck turning to stare at you when that happened.)

The moment they stepped out of the store with you in tow, you smiled at them. “He was pretty nice, wasn’t he?” you commented.

In response, they gave you their most shit-eating grin imaginable. “Ooooh,” they crooned, “does someone have a crush?”

“Wh-what?!” you stammered. “No! I just—I haven’t met many Addisons who are that thoughtful, aside from you and Pixel!”

Cache scoffed. “Don’t slander me like that, shortcake. You’re changing the subject, though! Do you think he’s cute?”

You blushed again. “I don’t know, maybe a little? He was definitely dressed nicely, I guess?”

“‘I guess’?” Cache repeated. “You’re killing me! Next you’re gonna tell me that nobody’s caught your eye the entire time you’ve been here.”

You rolled your eyes. “That’s not true either! I have noticed one or two people, just not necessarily him.”

You immediately backtracked when Cache’s smile grew impossibly bigger. “I, uh, I mean…” you began, clearly trying to work your way out of the hole you’d just dug, but it was far too late for that now.

“No, no, no, sis. You can’t back out now. Spill! Who’s the lucky person that caught your eye?”

A more severe blush spread across your face at that. “You, um…you know the guy who works at the tea shop?” you mumbled.

“No way!” Cache exclaimed, still giving the Cheshire Cat a run for its money. “Him?!”

“Shut up!” you cried. “He’s just…he’s pretty, okay? That’s it.”

“Whatever you say, shortcake.” Cache said, pretending to drop it, but secretly moving on to Phase Two of their plan.

They managed to put it into action only three days later, which was sooner than expected. After all, if they’d invited you out to the tea shop too quickly after learning about your crush, you’d just assume they were making fun of you and refuse.

(They were going to make fun of you, at least a little, but that was unrelated to the plan.)

In what Cache considered to be a truly amazing display of self-restraint, they didn’t let a single hint slide either on the walk over to the shop or while you placed your order. They couldn’t help a brief smirk when you ordered the ‘house special’, though.

The minute they sat across from you with their own tea, though, they stopped even trying to hide it. “Sooo?” they began, giving you a look. “Is he as hot as you remember?” They at least tried to keep their voice low, for your sake.

You nearly choked on your tea. “What? Cache!” you cried, as soon as you’d finished coughing. “I thought we were just here to hang out!”

Cache did not soften a fraction at the idea that hanging out with them was better than eyeing up your crush. They didn’t.

“Well, yeah, that’s the main goal. But he’s a nice bonus, isn’t he?” they said, raising their eyebrows at you smugly.

You practically scoffed, turning back to your drink. “He’s a person, Cache, not just a ‘bonus’.”

They glanced over your shoulder and then smirked. “Why don’t you say that to him when he brings those pastries over here?”

At that, you sat bolt upright, twisting in your seat just in time to see the pink Addison beginning to head over with said pastries. Cache stifled a snicker, even as you glowered at them, the clear message behind it being If you say anything I will walk out right now.

That was okay. They could behave themself…mostly.

“Here you are!” Pink said warmly, placing the plate on the table with slightly more flair than usual. Notably, he merely gave Cache a nod, but directed one of his most charming smiles directly at you.

So it goes both ways, Cache thought, but (for once) wisely said nothing. Meanwhile, you were smiling up at him as you thanked him politely for the food. “Your pastries are honestly the best I’ve had.” you added, and Cache bit their lip to keep from grinning.

“Oh!” Pink exclaimed, seeming quite flattered. “And you’re the best Lightner I’ve ever met!” he shot back, with a mildly flirtatious wink to boot.

You blinked, clearly startled. “Aren’t I…the only Lightner you’ve met?” you asked.

Cache internally facepalmed. Just take the damn compliment, pipsqueak!

The pink Addison shifted in place somewhat awkwardly. “Fair enough…I highly doubt any others are half as lovely as you, though.”

You blushed at that, giving Pink a small smile. “Aw, thank you!”

“Anytime at all.” he said warmly, before returning to his usual spot behind the counter.

The moment he got back to tidying things up, Cache flicked their eyes between him and you several times, before whispering, “Damn, I didn’t know you were such a flirt!”

“I am not!” you hissed back. “I was just being nice, and so was he!”

“‘The best Lightner’? ‘Lovely’? Those don’t sound platonic to me…” Cache hummed, before finally taking a sip of their drink. It had cooled down slightly, but it was as nice as ever. A tiny, genuine smile flickered across their face (thankfully hidden by the cup) as the flavor hit them. Your tea was always just what they needed.

For your sake, they elected to shift the conversation to other topics, although they did continue to give you knowing looks and indicate Pink with their eyes every once in a while. Each time, you rolled your eyes or gave them a pointed look, but you didn’t seem too upset to them.

Phases Two and Three were going to take some work, but Cache was sure they’d be able to manage it eventually. It was worth it, for your sake.

…

One night after Cache had perhaps overindulged slightly at the Cyber Grille, you’d helped them get all the way home without incident, even though you were clearly upset. They knew you didn’t love it when they drank noticeably, but they figured that they deserved to cut loose every once in a while. Besides, they were the older sibling-type here, not you!

Once they’d climbed into bed, they sent you a brief text, just letting you know that they were alright and going to sleep shortly. It took you a minute or so to respond, but when you did, you didn’t berate them, instead opting to tell them that you were glad they were okay and you hoped they slept well.

Cache sighed, switching off their light. What the hell had they done to have someone like you walk into their life? Even when they worried you, you didn’t ditch them. They knew they could be abrasive, and that was how they liked it. But to know that you were always beside them, through both the highs and the lows…

…well, it was rare to find someone like that.

On a whim, Cache unlocked their phone and clicked back into their conversation with you, taking a look at the most recent photos you’d sent to them and vice versa. Selfies taken from a variety of goofily unflattering positions abounded, along with plenty of pictures of them and you at various places.

A shot of them, holding up two movie tickets that they’d been particularly proud of scoring.

Another one, you and Cache side by side, arms around each other in the back room of Virtual Pets. (You’d only noticed the bunny ears they were giving you after the photo had been taken, and given them a good smack on the arm for it. You had still kept the picture, though.)

Now you, sticking out your tongue at the camera as you hold up a game controller. That had been the night you thoroughly trounced them at your favorite fighting game, and you’d insisted that Cache needed a memento to remember this night forever.

On and on the memories went, until finally—

—the first picture you’d ever sent them.

They’d wanted to have something for your profile picture, insisting that it just felt wrong to see a blank grey circle every time you messaged them. At first, you had protested, insisting that you were terrible at taking selfies.

“So send me a shitty one then. =P” they’d replied. And duly enough, you soon sent them a selfie, just of you smiling awkwardly into the camera.

They’d given you one back, feeling it was only fair, and then promptly set your picture as your profile image. Of course, it had changed many times since then—they practically updated it every time you took a new picture, with or without them in it.

But that…that was the first visual record they ever had of you. Sure, there were texts that came before that, but this was proof that it was you, that you had existed in their life.

And somehow, they were lucky enough to get more proof of that every damn day.

Abruptly, Cache realized that their eyes were wet, and flipped over to bury their face in their pillow. They hadn’t meant to get all cheesy and gross about you, but you just meant so much to them. Embarrassing though it may have been, they couldn’t deny the truth—you were one of the very, very few people to have made it past their defenses and into their heart.

Cache growled, pushing themself up just enough to swipe at their eyes. They were not going to get all weepy over you, that would be stupid.

It was just…fun having a friend like you. That was all.

(That definitely wasn’t all.)

#deltarune #addison oc #deltarune addisons #i really thought this was going to be a 3k word story at first #OH HOW WRONG I WAS #as i said over on ao3 i have to thank eevee (the writer of the fic this is based on) for all of the advice she gave me #it legitimately saved this fic #also if you haven't heard yet:#BO[S]OF UPDATED GO READ THE UPDATE PLEASE I AM BEGGING YOU #IT'S SO GOOD...

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