Chapter 1: Prologue - A Mistake
Chapter Text
007n7 used to share an apartment with Noli ever since they graduated. They earned enough to pay the school fees and save for it when they were working shifts while learning, though Noli pays more of the bills, since he was rich but still opted to go to a public college anyways.
Though time drifted, so did relationships. 007n7 now had a home of his own, but occasionally crashes to his apartment after a hacking session.
Noli was lonely. In his apartment all he had was himself. Occasionally a clone of himself, but that’s it. Maybe it would play chess with him or help out within the apartment but thatʼs literally it. When having conversation with his clone, things were boring. Bland when using the emotion/personality board and predictable when using his own personality.
He has a plan to change his life.
He thinks.
˗ˏˋ ᯓ✮ ˎˊ˗
He's literally 25.
This was a horrible choice. Out of all the things his mind could think of, it made him stand in front of an adoption center???
“I can't believe I'm actually doing this.” Noli sighed. He discarded his tragedy mask into his inventory and readjusted his maroon cap so he looks friendlier towards the kids.
He opened the front door which rang a bell, indicating a new person had entered.
Inside, the center bustled with toddlers, staff, and volunteers. The air smelled faintly of sanitizer, formulated milk, orange juice and graham crackers.
Though a little robloxian caught his eye. Instead of having the light grey, yellow, peach, brown or white complexion that a normal robloxian would've had, the baby was dark grey. And funny enough it's under a pillow. Noli came to the baby to check on it, approaching the crib. It was drooling, biting on a pillow. The toddler peeked out, quietly chewing on the edge of a pillow, eyes wide and uncertain at the unfamiliar figure.
Noli crouched down gently to see the baby closer. Upon closer inspection, it has a few white marks on its jaw. “Hey there, little fella,” Noli said softly. The baby blinked once. Then giggled when Noli ticked the baby's cheek with his index finger. Within seconds the small hands grabbed said finger, giggling further.
“Now aren't you a strong one,” he said, brows lifting. He then proceeded with patting the baby with his other free hand. He then let go and did a beckoning gesture to signal the social worker to come.
“yes?” the social worker asked. She wore a grey-beige dress-shirt and black baggy pants, as well as donning a badge reading AIy4.
“Hi… Uh..” Noli couldn't find the right words that fast which caused the social worker to raise her eyebrows.
“Uh.. so quick question” Noli finally said
“mhm?” The worker said in response
“What would be the process if one has the plan to adopt this child?”
The worker just looked at Noli if he was insane because of his usage of language for a second and returned to her normal expression. Her eyes then widened from realisation.
“Oh! Him? sp1r1tz’s a sweet fella. But shy, when warmed up he has the curiosity of a thousand galaxies. We don’t usually get inquiries right away, like what you did, though.”
“Really? Why is that?”
“Well…” She hesitated, then sighed. “Some people hesitate because of his unique appearance. But we don’t tolerate bullying here, so a lot of the children get along. If not he sort of sits in the corner alone. But I believe every child deserves a loving home and social space.”
"That's exactly why I'm asking more about the adoption process. There's this odd pull that makes me want to adopt him. To give him a life he deserves. Less harsh things and all. Though, this would be the first time I adopt a child.”
“I see… Is that so… Then let’s get you started then,” AIy4 said, gesturing toward a computer at her desk. “We’ll need some background info first — ID, employment, and a few other things. Then a home study, interviews, and—”
“Yeah that all would be fine. I have a lot of time to spare if it's for him.” Noli cut her off, making her shocked. “No one has gone this far for sp1r1tz..” she thought.
“Do as you wish. I don't think I have introduced myself yet. I am Noli, lead archaeologist in finding the Voidstar”
“Ok, Mr. Noli..” then she noticed the vacant area beside her only to realise he's still near the crib. “Mr. Noli, are you coming?”
“I'll be there.” he said back.
“Sorry little fella, I need to go now,” Noli said, trying to pry the little hand that is still grabbing him.
“Persistent are you?” Noli muttered as the grip tightens even more, making him leave no choice but to just scoop the baby up, cradling him in his arms.
Noli came to the desk while swaying his arm, rocking the baby. The social worker opened an app, looking at the government database.
“So, Mr Noli, do you have digits in your name?”
“Not that I remember of.”
“Any special characters?”
"Nope, none at all.”
“And any capitals?”
“Yeah, thats right.”
“So that would be N-O-L-I? With a capital N?”
“Not exactly, Actually, my name is Swaejudinoli.”
“What.”
“Uh… If it’s too confusing for you do you perhaps want me to type it out instead?” Noli asked nicely. AIy4 was rather pleased with the question, moving aside before even saying anything. “That would be nice, thank you.”
Noli immediately went to the computer and typed his legal name. It’s not everyday your average robloxians would understand how to spell SwAeJuDiNoli.
"Nope, none at all. Capital N, lowercase O, lowercase L, lowercase I.”
“Is that it?”
“Yes, that would be it.”
“What about a goverment last name?”
“Oh yes! I forgot uh. Glitched. No special characters, no numbers, capital G and capital D.”
…
“Your background seems clean to me. We'll examine your house if it's fit for caring for him in 1-2 months. You can get ready with the preparations and all. Then the next steps. The full process takes a few months, but you can apply to be a foster parent in the meantime.”
“Yes, that will be nice... Ms...” Noli elongated the last word, adjusting his purple glasses to see the name tag.
“Ms. Alya. My name is messed up since someone already has a similar name.”AIy4 said light heartedly laughing.
“Yes. Ms Alya. So what do I do with the kid?” Noli's eyes drifted to the kid on his arm.
“I'll take him.” she said, scooping the baby from his arm, making it whine. “Little one, please stop crying.” she hushed the baby, swaying her arms, but to no avail it kept crying.
“Don't worry, I'll take care of him. I'll bring him to the toddler room instead.” she said with a soft smile. Noli walked closer to her arms, crouching down so he can face the baby properly. “Don't worry buddy! I'll be back! I promise. Awww coochie coochie goo” He said playing with the baby once more, which made the cries lessen.
AIy4 sighed softly. “He’s already picked you. That’s a good sign.”
Then Noli stood back up, making the baby's arm trying to reach him. “Mr Noli?”
“Yes, Ms Alya?”
“I sincerely hope you're ready for this. Don't break my trust on taking care of him properly.”
“I won't. I'll make sure of that.”
Chapter 2: 1 - Getting Ready
Summary:
Noli packs things up to baby proof his house, but admits reverting, he forgot he had work that day.
At the end of the day, Noli felt off. And he does not like it.
Notes:
Joe is 007e7's evil pet duck that sits idly on his head
Hi there's the r slur but it's already censored.
I HC Noli and 007n7 being born in 1990.In 2015, even with the r-word being replaced with the word handicapped in the USA federal law during 2010, Young people or old people who grew up in the 1960s-2000s still had a habit of saying it.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
He was changing his entire apartment mood to make himself look more mature. Baby proofing things, asking 007n7 to hide his hacking gears or things he deems unsafe to his house. He never told him the actual reason and 007n7, despite being confused, just shrugged it off.
Ring ring ring
“What’s up dudes? Why’d ya call?”
“Dude you need to help me now!”
“IS AN ADMIN TRACKING YOU? L BOZO BUT I’LL COME”
“What? No! I’m gonna get a room inspection in like around 1-2 months and I need to move my shit somewhere.”
“What?”
“007n7, can I bring some of my stuff to your house? I do not want to be caught by admins if they find my gear.”
“Okok, jeez man. Why do you even need to do it so early? Chillaxxx. Heck, inspection is 2 months away?!
“Better to be prepared than to be caught, my dear friend. I do not wish to be behind bars, as the inspection could also be next month. I need to make sure nothing is left behind in my house.”
“Apartment.”
“Yeah whatevs”
“Nols, Do you want your things to be moved now or you’re just telling me?”
“Just tellin’.
“Wait sec, can’t you just store shit into your inventory?”
“... Wait, I thought admins can scan those..?”
“They can?!”
“Dude how do you NOT know this”
….
“Sev are you Ok?”
“Yeah why?”
“... Dude. WERE YOU SHRUGGING?”
“Mayhaps?”
“I’m so done with you.” Noli said, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Then end the call.”
“... What?”
“Pfft I don’t Pfft.. I don’t mean it in a negative way dude, what the fuck!” he said while chucking.
“Oh… Well whatever at this point.”
“Oh by the way I’m with e7 wanna say hi to him?”
“Sure wait let me bring the phone to him”
‘yeah Noli wants to say something get on the phone’
“He’s on the phone now”
“Hi e!”
“Hi Noli, is there something you want?”
“I hope Joe does a backflip on your face the moment you wake up in the morning one day.”
“what.”
Beep
“Well I’m not gonna deal with e7 right now.” Noli muttered, stretching his arms and body as if the call took something out of him. “Better start packing,”
I don’t think Void can be detected right? Or should I bring it to 07?
A 4 point star panel appeared with purple outlines
‘Master, did I correctly sense that you need me?’ it typed out.
“No, but I did think something related to you. Do you want to hover along or despa-”
Before Noli could finish his sentence, he realised he was talking to thin air. No GUI in sight.
Tch.
Whatever I can pack by myself.
Noli found his hacking outfit. His tight jumpsuit and his robe. It was iconic for N0L1 to dress up like that during his hacking sessions. Not for Noli though. So he decided to tuck it in a box – folding it neatly, freshly washed. He’s planning to use it, washing it and putting it in the box again after every hacking session so he doesn’t forget to hide it and transport it 1 week before the inspection.
What else?
Oh his voidshank. It’s sort of a knock of darkheart he made with codes but yeah.
It glows a purple hue to match his aesthetic.
Maybe I should also put this away later since it’s not baby friendly. Maybe I should just make a list at this point.
Noli reached out to his bedside drawer to pull out a soft yellow sticky note. He scribbled a list on the sticky note.
-Hacking outfit
(robe, jumpsuit, mask)
-Voidshank
-
He was tapping his pen idly on the sticky note, leaving some uncoordinated black dots all over it.
Yeah that’s all that he can even think of.
Now to think of not baby safe objects to ship off to 007n7.
He slumped to a couch and opened his phone only to realise it’s 8.17 a.m. And he has a shift at 8.30. Then his eyes hovered to the day and date below the big display of numbers.
‘Mon, 15 June’ it displayed.
…
His eyes widened with horror.
“FUCK I HAVE SHIFT TODAY! VOID I SUMMON THEE”
‘Teleport disabled. Driving manually is advised.’ it types out.
“Ugh, Void, you suck.”
‘Not my problem.’ it then despawned.
Noli quickly opened his wooden closet and grabbed the uniform that was hanging and wore it quickly. He took his digital mask with him. He doesn’t really like showing his face. Nobody – not even his dear beloved friend 007n7 had seen his real face. Even with their 4 years of being roommate status.
3 minutes.
He finally found his black cap.
2 minutes.
Noli ran out of his apartment room to the elevator, pressed the B1 button and sped of on his car, because his work place wasn’t that close to his home either. It was 20 minutes away from home. That’s without traffic, but it’s rush hour right now, making it a 30 minute drive.
“Noli, you’re late by 22 minutes.” his coworker, eclypsa_ sighed. “Grab your apron. Just help cook the steaks.”
“Fine, fine.” Noli went to the kitchen and played with the cleaver – tossing it around and catching it with a flair. “Yo Yale, can you pass me that?” he asked the man at the other side of the kitchen. A meat block slid over to him and he started deboning meat and slicing of skin with tender care. So much care it almost seems like his life depended on it. “Thanks by the way Yale!”
“No problem Noli! Now season that shit like it’s gonna be someone’s last meal!”
“You got it dude!”
Honestly he has no idea why some people are eating steak at 9 a.m. in the morning, but most people bought their breakfast special which included sandwiches, french toast, bacon, eggs, pancakes, cheesecakes, porridge, asian porridge and waffles.
Noli always took care of the meat mostly. If there’s a steak order it’d go to Noli if he was doing nothing. Maybe that was because he tortured a lot of spawnlings with vasectomy. But none of his coworkers knew that. And plus, the hackers’s name was N0L1, not Noli. That’s how he was a master when it comes to preparing and cooking red and lean meat. What else are they going to do with the carcass? Noli definitely doesn’t like desecrating meat. Especially robloxian flesh.
After 2 hours of making a total of 5 steaks, 10 waffles, 8 pancakes and 38 bacon strips, Noli was on break, cleaning the counter as his waiter coworkers were tending the few customers that the restaurant had.
The glass door of the building swung open, announcing the arrival of another customer or customers. “I can’t believe I lost a horse race bet again..” a person in the group sighed. “Ugh we should’ve taped that! Too bad I didn’t bring a camera to record when we were betting”
Kinokomuffin rushed towards the door “Hello, welcome to the Urban Steakhouse! How may I he- … Roach?” Kinokomuffin just looked at them with bewildered eyes. A group of people decided to go to a steakhouse at 11 a.m., and one of them was a friend Kinokomuffin hadn’t seen in ages. Same green skin, but bleached titanium white hair instead of black. Though hearing the word roach perked Noli’s ears. “Kinoko, did you just say there’s a roach?!” Noli panically shouted, scared, ready to jump on the counter he just cleaned. “No, no, not an actual cockroach, Tela.” Kinokomuffin groaned "It’s just a user that has the nickname Roach.”
“Kino, did you say Noli? Does he perhaps wear a tragedy mask around? Also how have you been!?” BlazingPhoenix402 said.
“No he does not, and Roach, as much as I would like to catch up, I need to bring your other friends to the table.”
“Oh right! hehe…”
“Guys!” BlazingPhoenix402 whined.
“What’s wrong Roach?” raspberry.stitchy asked
“Let’s find a seattt…” she begged.
“Hahaha! Okok let’s get a seat.” bellajarr said.
“Guys I think I wore the wrong outfit for a steakhouse.” mbelle.areta said looking at her oversized shirt, and ripped denim.
“It’s fine, none of us dress formally too.” BlazingPhoennix402 then looked at Kinokomuffin then said “Table for five, please”
“Five?” Kinokomuffin’s eyebrow raised.
“Yeah the fifth person will come soon” raspberry.stitch said.
“Alright then. Will that be indoor or outdoor?”
The gang looked at eachother and discussed.
“Indoor please.”
“Right this way.” Kinokomuffin said, before being interrupted by the door opening again
“huff.. huff… ok now why on earth did you guys leave me? I was the one who drove you guys here?!” Primelock06 half yelled at the end. He then noticed a brown haired woman with a mushroom hat “Kino? Hiii!”
“Oh, K! I didn’t know you came with them.”
“Well right this way, everybody!” Kinokomuffin said, leading them to a table for 4 and adding a fifth chair to it.
The table was near the wall, a long couch placed on the wall and 2 chairs on the opposite side of the table. Lit by the wall hanging lamp and a single candle in the middle of the table.
Noli noticed the green figure and noticed it was his junior at college. “Is that Phoenix?” He stared at the light green figure. He then approached the table. He has nothing to do anyways. He left his laptop at home because where else would he put an entire laptop when he was on duty.
“Oh and after that Ryk0s-” and BlazingPhoenix402 cut herself off noticing Noli. “Hi Mr. Noli!” Blazing Phoenix waved her stretched hand.
“Hey Phoenix.. I haven’t seen you in ages. ” Noli said back.
“Oh, so you’re the senior that Roach was talking about?” raspberry.stitchy looked at him up and down.
“rasp, stop it.” bellajarr mentioned.
“Now, why are you looking at me like that young woman? And by Roach, do you mean by Phoenix?”
“yeah! Her nickname is Roach,” mbelle.areta cheerfully said, putting her arm on BlazingPhoenix406.
“I’m Noli, I have a degree in computer programming and theatre.”
“Mr. Noli, why are you working in a steakhouse when you have a double degree?” primelock06 asked.
“Well… As much as I love theatrics, I couldn’t find any acting jobs and I work in a small software company and code games at home.” he said scratching his head and his mask glowing with a face that resembles a grinning face and a sweat. (emoji ref if you can’t imagine it)
“I don’t want to be that person, but Noli, can you please let them order…” Kinokomuffin sighed.
“Right, my dearest apologies. I’ll let you people order your food first.”
“Here’s the menu,” Kinokomuffin said, slipping 5 menus across the tables. Take your pick.
Noli was on a spinning stool chair, playing Clash of Clans on his phone. Killing enemy team bases as revenge for them breaking his base.
“and 00kgf just hit me with the “I’ll unfriend you if you do.” Like! ok dude stop being a lil, b####” a beep appeared at the end.
“Prime, language.” Kinokomuffin said from afar.
“Sorry!”
“I didn’t really care on what he said tbh. Why should HE control what I do. But not gonna lie I’m lazy to watch anime now.”
“NGAKAK,” BlazingPhoenix402 yelled out while laughing uncontrollably for a good 20 seconds. “serves kgf right.” she said after gaining composure, wiping tears in her eyes.
“I never liked him anyways” raspberry.stitchy said, passing a glass of water to BlazingPhoenix402.
“Wait I never got any of your names. Other than Phoenix that is.” Noli said, finally looking up from his phone. Then putting the device in his pocket.
“Primelock06,” Primelock06 introduced himself.
“OR also known as marvel rivalry addict” Kinokomuffin added from the cashier.
“Hey, I’m not addi-... I hate you. You can call me K, I still have no idea what to major so I’m thinking of getting basic jobs.”
“I’m mbelle.areta, uh.. bel is just fine! I like shopping, and I’m in college for accounting.”
Noli wasn’t surprised that she liked shopping. Though, he did expect journalling from her looks.
“raspberry.stitchy, raspberry. That’s the only thing you need to know.”
“Cmon rasp, no need to be so cold. I’m bellajarr, my nickname is also bel lol, I’m taking music as my major.”
“Nice, nice. So you guys’ schedules are free right now right?”
“Again, I don’t have classes, I’m going to work at 1 p.m. later. Everyone else is free.” Primelock06 said
“I’m skipping a class actually. It starts at 11.20 but I’m too lazy to go to it. I only went to accounting ’cause my dad did it.” mbelle.areta said.
“I- well. Do your own thing, suit yourself, I guess” Noli shrugged.
Then a buzzing sound was coming from his pocket, he took the thing out, pulling out a buzzing pager instead of his phone. “Oh, sorry guys, it seems my break time is up,” Noli said, bowing down then leaving. “Wait, Noli, why were you cleaning when we came?” mbelle.areta asked, making Noli stop in his tracks to look at them. “Oh that? I was simply bored and had nothing to do.” Noli answered then proceeded to walk away. “You were playing Clash of Clans” Primelock06 interjected.
“Shh”
˗ˏˋ ᯓ✮ ˎˊ˗
Noli was back skinning, deboning and cutting steaks. It was boring unless he imagined he was skinning robloxians.
It was around 6 p.m. and his part time schedule was about to end. He really doesn’t want to leave the restaurant first since it kind of leaves a guilty feeling for his co-worke-
What?
Guilty?
…
Noli are you okay?
Are you right in the head?
He took of his apron right on the spot and walked to a rack beside the kitchen door. He left the pager on it and rang the bell of the same shelf, signifying his leave. His co-workers just stared at him for a few seconds and went back to work.
When the fuck did I feel guilty?
It’s just leaving for work. I shouldn’t be this worked up.
It’s my schedule.
It’s fine.
It’s. Fine.
His V01Dgui popped out.
’Master, are you okay? I’ve been getting multiple distressed signals from you.’ it typed.
“Not now Void. People might see you. Please despawn.”
The gui did exactly what’s it’s instructed and Noli breathed a sigh of relief, continuing his walk to his car.
Noli went into his Honda and locked the door with the button on the driver’s door.
‘Master, seriously, what’s wrong? I’m deeply concerned for’ it stopped typing and backspaced all the writing.
‘your wellbeing as your apprentice.’
“Somethings up with my personality and I don’t like it.”
‘Shall we discuss the matter alone at home?’
“Yes please. I need to focus on driving.”
…
…
Noli stopped at a red light and V01Dgui popped out again.
‘What if you talked it out with Mr. 007n7?’
“I feel like he’d laugh at my situation. As said, let’s discuss this at home.”
‘Whatever pleases you, master.’
It despawned again. Noli pinched his mask attempting to pinch his nose but then stopped.
“Shit I forgot I’m wearing my mask. It’s gonna break. Noli you absolute r****d.”
It spawned again ‘green light is going to light up, and that’s a slur, master’ then despawns again.
Tch.
I don’t care if r****d is a slur or not. What’s Void even on?
He pressed gas again.
˗ˏˋ ᯓ✮ ˎˊ˗
He kept zoning out on the road, not moving when the traffic light showed green, making him gain some honks here and there to make him snap back to reality.
Today was odd. Really out of character for him. He usually causes traffic mayhem intentionally, not by actually zoning out.
He arrived home, walking out of his car and locking it with his keys.
He walked from the lobby to the elevator in a slouching position. He arrived at the front of his room and was fondling with his pockets to find his room key.
“You gotta be kidding me. It’s in the cupholder isn’t it?” Noli muttered.
He stomped to the elevator, and his V01Dgui flickered to life without being summoned.
‘Do you perhaps want to teleport?’ with a yes and no button below it.
Noli pressed at the No button, “Not now Void.”
He arrived at his car and found his room keys exactly where he thought it was, the cupholders behind his hand break.
He grabbed the keys and grabbed his car key, locking himself inside the car that’s off. Noli waved his hand in front of him, spawning the four point gui “V01D, I need assistance.”
‘Do you need to teleport inside your room or outside of it?’
“Inside please.”
/teleport @Noli ’265 380 993 ’-48 302 373 ’240 078
The reality was warping around him, distorting his vision, making him dizzy for a few moments before everything went black. He opened his eyes again to be greeted in his living room, lights off. He opened the balcony glass door to let some fresh air into his apartment.
He opened his bedroom door and fell face first onto his bed.
A windows error sound played making Noli turn his body over. It was from his gui.
‘Master, you should eat first. Do you want to talk later or do you’
‘perhaps do not wish to discuss the matter today?’
“Void I want to sleep nowwww” Noli whined at the gui.
The gui played the nope sound effect from tf2 displaying the word “nope”
“Finee, Voidstar. Really had to pull out the soundboard?”
The V01Dgui played the Talking Ben saying yes.
Noli stared at the gui.
‘So after you eat, you’ll sleep?’ the gui typed.
“Yes.”
‘Will your performance today be a discussion for another time?’
“Voidstar.. Yes, Void.”
Then the gui disappears, leaving Noli burnt out and making noodles to eat.
He opened his drawer, grabbing a pan and filling it with water from his dispenser, then boiling. He took a random noodle packet from the top shelf and slammed the cabinet door. It kinda caught him off guard on how loud it was but he didn’t pay no mind to it. He took out the noodle from the packet and threw it into the boiling water, stirring it with a fork to let the noodles soften. He put the fork away from the pot as he grabbed scissors to open the sauce packet and put the sauce straight to the pot.
He cooled down the pot and ate from it. The taste wasn’t too nice, but good enough for him to eat it. He added pepper when he finished half of his food, which he deemed was better than the plain version.
He auto washes his pot with the gui, and puts the clean pot to his drying rack, beside the sink. The quiet clink between the ceramic cooking pot with the metal was oddly soothing to him.
Noli shuffled back to his room and face planted to the bed once again whilst groaning, tired of how off he was today.
His mask and uniform, still on, pressed awkwardly against the pillow, but he didn’t bother to take it off. The room was dim, only lit by the pale purple glimmer of V01Dgui’s glow flickering faintly like a low-power neon sign in the corner of the room. It waited, patient and ever-present.
Noli. You made a mistake.
Noli. This isn’t you.
He took the mask off and put it to the bedside drawer, catching his V01Dgui idling floating, a rare occurrence for it.
“What?”
But it didn’t respond.
“Fine. Have it your way.”
He stared at the ceiling, hands and legs spread out, the events of the day playing back in his head like a fragmented glitchy recording: how he was sort of kind towards his old juniors friends, the meat slicing precision he’d honed for very different reasons, the sudden sense of guilt that didn’t quite feel like his own—like a bug in his mental script.
Something was off.
He hated the feeling of drifting out of character. He wasn’t supposed to care. He wasn’t supposed to worry. His whole identity was built on calculated chaos, sharp-tongued wit, and tightly controlled anonymity. That’s exactly what he’s wired for. That’s the purpose of his existence. Right? Yet here he was… folding robes neatly, making lists, baby-proofing his apartment like some… grown-up?
He let out a dry laugh.
“…Void, why am I acting like a normal person? Civilised, I think.” he muttered aloud.
‘Because a part of you wants to be. Or wonders what that even feels like.’
“Cute. Philosophical now, are we?”
‘Weren’t we always, master?’
“Not wrong there, my smart thinker.”
‘You’re evolving. Change is inevitable, even for someone like you.’
‘A robloxian who’s mastered the art of deception, stagnation.’
“Okay, now that’s rude. Are you trying to insult me?”
“No, not at all. I had no intention to. Perhaps, just perhaps. You want to change for that child I saw in UI form.”
“I hate how truthful you are. How straightforward you are today.”
Void didn’t respond, but the GUI pulsed softly. A silent offer of presence.
Noli turned to his side, pulling the blanket over his still-clothed body.
“I’ll deal with this matter tomorrow. Or maybe next week.”
‘Understood, Master. I do advice talking it out with Mr. 0-’
The gui was cut mid typing leaving a blinking cursor.
“No. He’ll probably laugh at me, or maybe be mad at me? Didn’t I already mention that in the car? We’re tormentors! Terrorists! And I’m turning soft. Don’t you get it? No. You don’t get it. I don’t think you ever will.”
‘He’s your FRIEND, Noli.’
The GUI faded slowly into nothing, leaving the room in near total darkness—save for the low hum of the city outside, and the shifting shadows on his wall.
“When did Void ever call me Noli…?”
“Ugh whatever”
Noli said closing both ears with his pillow folded, drifting to sleep at the uncomfortable position.
Notes:
V01Dgui has two forms, that being the gui form and the UI form. UI is basically when Noli doesn't spawn it's physical form and instead is implanted to his eye. Can be used to scan and get data of his surroundings.
Though, that means V01D knows everything Noli does.
Marvel rivally is marvel rivals ref
Also BlazingPhoenix402 is indonesian. NGAKAK means lmao in their language.
Pls help me I'm going insane
3666 words
Wtf why is that number so ugly yet nice???
I HATE 666 EW (I like G666 dw)Nvm it's 3850 now💔
Chapter 3: 2 - First visit
Summary:
Noli visits sp1r1tz.
Chapter includes photosHints of digitalstar/VOIDGUI/glitchedburger/glitchedclone/burgerking or whatever the gays r called
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The first visit came faster than Noli expected.
He’d spent the last two weeks reading parenting blogs, baby-proofing his apartment (badly), and arguing with V01D about installing corner guards around the high tables. His place was still half museum, half maze. But now it smelled like flowery air freshener mixed with vague fear.
AIy4 Heartzsun: Mr. Noli, what do you think about the first visit being in a week?
Nol11111: Yeah I That FAST? Sure! Is sp1r1tz ok with that?
AIy4 Heartzsun: mhm
AIy4 Heartzsun: I think he would be more than happy to have a new person to play with.
Nol11111: Aww that’s cute What's Where will it be usually?
The adoption center?
AIy4 Heartzsun: We could do that or bring him to your home if you want.
Nol11111: But what if you get lo Are you guys gonna tell him something on the wa That'll be nice
Nol11111: What if I picked him up?
AIy4 Heartzsun: and bring him to your apartment?
Sure, but I will be coming along as his social worker.
Nol11111: That would be fine
AIy4 Heartzsun: great! Then it’s settled then.
AIy4 Heartzsun: See you in one week, Mr. Noli
Nol11111: thank you ok See you too, miss Alya
That exchange of messages was a week ago.
Right now it’s 5 a.m., and Noli is still deciding on what to wear as his first impression. On his bed lay 3 outfits, a suit; a silverstein band shirt and shorts; and a black hoodie with a red inner lining, with jeans.
‘master, a suit is utterly ridiculous to wear when hanging out’
‘with a LITERAL CHILD’
“Well I don't know, ok Void?!?! What if sp1r1tz thinks of me badly?”
‘He’s TWO.’
“I don't know?! What am I supposed to do with a baby?!”
‘Get something CASUAL perhaps?’
˗ˏˋ ᯓ✮ ˎˊ˗
Now, he was sitting stiffly on a beanbag chair at the adoption center’s supervised visitation room, hands on his knees, fondling with his fingers. After arguing with his sentient gui for roughly 45 minutes give or take, deciding on which of his 3 original he would wear, only to not use any of it except the hoodie, except he paired it up with a pair of joggers, still wearing his maroon cap.
“Relax,” AIy4 told him, putting an arm on his shoulder. “spiritz already chose you, remember?”
Sigh. “Still, itʼs my first time adopting a kid.”
He wasn’t sure why he was nervous. It wasn’t like he was meeting a royal. Just a kid. A tiny, possibly drooly, possibly chaotic, squishy kid.
The door opened with a gentle click, and the caseworker — Mx. R1nell, clipboard in hand and eyes that saw through souls — gave him a nod.
“You can come in now, Mr. Noli.”
“Oh. Right. Thanks.”
He stepped inside the visitation room, which looked more like a soft play café than a meeting space: a few squishy bean bags, toy bins, puzzle mats, art supplies, and a small round table with toddler chairs. Everything smelled faintly like apple juice and disinfectant.
In the middle of the room sat the kid.
Short wavy hair, tiny hands clutched around a cobalt blue crayon, and a suspicious look on his face like he was trying to figure out whether Noli was edible, dangerous, or stupid.
“Hi spirit, remember me?” Noli said, voice cracking slightly.
He blinked.
He recognised that voice…
The mark on his jaw glowed as he giggles in happiness.
The caseworker crouched beside her and said gently, “This is Noli. He’s here to play with you today. You can show him your drawings if you want.”
sp1r1tz silently held up a chaotic scribble in blue and yellow. Noli walked closer and crouched too.
“Whoa, that’s actually kinda sick. Is that... a tornado or a unicorn?”
sp1r1tz blinked again. Frowned then, deadpan:
“sup.(soup)”
“Oh. Ohhh I see it now. Obviously soup. How foolish of me.”
He tilted his head slightly, and reached into the crayon box and handed him a red crayon.
“sup.(Now you draw a soup)”
Noli looked at the kid, tenderly behind the mask, but the mask only showed a 😊 face. “Spir, I was thinking, do you want to visit my home?”
His eyes grew big, shining bright as ever with joy. “sup? (Draw soup at home?)”
“Yes, do you want to come with me? Miss AIy4 will come too! We’ll all draw soup!”
Noli sat criss-cross on the soft carpet, head tilting waiting for the child’s answer.
“gaga!”
“and I’ll take that as a yes! I’ll call her. Do you want to grab anything?”
“cway-cwawon. (crayon.)”
“Mr?” Noli looked at the social worker standing beside a chair at the corner of the room.
“Mx.”
“Mx. Rinel, can you call Ms. Alya as I help spiritz pack up?”
“Sure I’ll call her right in.”
The social worker closed the door and called in Aly4 which didn't even take 4 minutes to arrive, and the two were finished packing up, putting the crayon set to Noli’s tote bag.
“Hey again Mr. Noli!”
“Miss Alya! Nice to see you again, can we go now?”
“Yeah but how would we get there?”
Nolis mask displayed a 😐 face occasionally blinking.
“I forgot you came with a car.”
“spiritz, come, follow me and Mr. Noli”
But the kid just stood in place, hands crossed.
“spiritz dear, do you want to join a ride with my car?”
His eyes gleamed on the possibilities, but when he saw the car he was surprised while being carried by Noli. It. It was an ordinary car.
He opened the passenger seat door, revealing a blue toddler car seat in the middle. “So kiddo, you’re going to sit here,” Noli pointed at the seat. sp1r1tz just replied by shaking his head side to side.
“why not? Can you tell me when I buckle you in?”
The kid pleaded him with his eyes.
“He still scooped the child up, scooping him easily with his arms, which resulted sp1r1tz throwing a tantrum. “Tela, calm down spir.. It’s just a seat..” which somehow resulted in a louder wail.
Noli finally finished buckling sp1r1tz to the toddler car seat. “Now what’s the problem?” Noli asked, looking at the child who was trying to get out of his confinement. AIy4 looked at him “Oh wait, I think he hates the buckles.” “You hate these things? Noli pointed at the black strips of buckles, which was responded with a nod. “Well it’s to keep you safe. I don’t want you to get hurt lil man.” Noli said, patting the kid’s head.
Noli put his hand in his hoodie pocket, and an ipad just appeared. Probably from his inventory.
The apps he had on there were temple run, YouTube kids, baby Hazel games he forgot to delete, applaydu, and Disney Colour World. Noli handed the ipad to him.
“You can play any game. If you don’t know, ask Alya, if not ask me.” the kid happily took the ipad and started tapping on it.
“Ms Alya, you can sit beside him.”
After AIy4 sat in the car, Noli closed the door and went to the driver’s seat.
“Get ready you two. I’m going to start moving.” Noli said as he started the engine and pressed gas.
˗ˏˋ ᯓ✮ ˎˊ˗
“So do you like morphle perhaps, spir?” Noli said while still driving.
“mafa?(morphle?)”
“Yeah it’s a show!”
AIy4 took the ipad from sp1r1tz whose eye was still lingering on the screen. She opened YouTubeKids and searched up Morphle. sp1r1tz was engaged immediately, making the car silent with the occasional car honks behind him and the sound of the show playing on the tablet.
˗ˏˋ ᯓ✮ ˎˊ˗
The two were off the car and Noli dragged sp1r1tz seat to the edge of the passenger seat to unbuckle him more easily. He scooped up the kid and ushered the two to his room.
“Well lil man, this is my room,” he said, opening the door with one hand while the other carried sp1r1tz. The room was… oddly neat for a Noli. AIy4 took out a sticky note in her pocket and scribbled some words on it.
‘neat house so far - entrance, living room.’ Then shoved the note back to her pocket.
Noli already bought a kid’s table keezi set, both table and chair yellow, beside his sofa.
“You can lay your art supplies here, I’ll grab papers from my room okay?”
sp1r1tz responded by nodding and he pulled the chair out and dumped the tote bag Noli left on the couch to the table.
2 pencils, 1 eraser, and a packet of cheap crayons/ oil pastels. He tried to open the oil pastels but the lock mechanism was to hard for him so he tried signaling AIy4 who soon realised he was struggling and came to his assistance.
Noli was in his room which he just cleaned, using the V01Dgui to spawn stacks of paper, leaving some in the room just in case the kid needed more.
“I got paperrr” Noli said, whilst opening the door with his feet. Then closing it with his feet too. He said dumping the papers on the couch and grabbing two sheets of paper putting it on the rough kid’s table.
“Well let’s start drawing shall we!” Noli’s mask grinning with excitement. He grabbed the pencil and drew on the table. The lines were wonky but he blames the table for it. The two began scribbling together. He drew a bowl with steam lines. He told him it looked like a sad potato in a bathtub. He laughed. A genuine laugh instead of a fake one.
The ice melted a little.
Ms AIy4, sitting silently in a stool on Noli’s kitchen island, just scribbled a few notes, occasionally glancing up to watch.
˗ˏˋ ᯓ✮ ˎˊ˗
Twenty minutes later, there were 5 masterpieces taped to the little easel. “Soup,” “Sad Soup,” “Flying Soup,” “Soup 2.0” and “Void Soup.” (The last one Noli named — it was just black scribbles and a sticker of Saturn.) Aly4 chuckled in amusement at the sight. Sheʼs sort of glad that her drawing wasn’t given a silly nickname like the rest of it. Just soup 2.0.
Soup
Sad soup
Flying soup
Soup 2.0
Void soup
“Wait a sec, I got a gift for you. Be right back while Noli dashed to his room, making the other two confused why he left to his room in a rush.
BANG. They heard the door close.
Noli was frantically trying to find a gift he made from scratch in his room. The gaming desk? No… The closet? No, not in there. ‘No way it’s under my bed, ’ he thought, pulling out his phone and turning on the flashlight. He played down on the floor and checked under the bed. Absolutely nothing. ‘Oh yeah I totally forgot the bedside drawer.’ Noli remembered and he stood back up ‘That’s where I put all my yarn right?’
He opened the drawer and breathed a sigh of relief. There it was, a crochet bunny he made. But an eye was missing. His V01Dgui spawned ‘make an X on the missing eye, that should work’ “VOID YOU GENIUS!”
‘??? What’s that sound coming from his room?’ AIy4 thought from the outside.
Noli quickly grabbed a hook, needle and black yarn and started stitching an x eye to the rabbit.
“I mean it looks fine..” Noli said inspecting it, arms away from him to see how it looked from afar. V01Dgui popped up behind him. ‘It makes him have a backstory. Now go, the kids’s waiting with the woman.’
“Oh shit you’re right.”
He looked through his desk and opened a drawer, revealing his stash of fabric market bags he accumulated over the years. He grabbed one and put the plush in it then Noli walked back to the room bag slumped on his shoulders.
“So, I got ya a gift but it’s in this bag!” Noli said happily. sp1r1tz stood up from his chair, hands stretched upwards trying to reach the bag.
“Not now, spirit.” Noli said, which made him earn a sad wail in response. “Now, now this surprise is for later at the end of the visit! I promise you will have your surprise today!” He was pleading desperately once more, using his puppy eyes to his advantage. “That isn’t going to work on me again, dear.” Noli said, his mask glowing of an unamused face.
He tugged on his hoodie sweep ribbing, making his mask gain a sweat. “spirits honey.. Please…”
“What about some fruits?”
sp1r1tz’s eyes immediately lit up. “mewaha!(melon)” he said while giggling. “A watermelon?” Noli asked, his mask eyebrow raised. Sp1r1tz shook his head. “Me(The first syllable of melon).” the kid confidently said. “He likes cantaloupes, Mr. Noli.” AIy4 finally spoke after minutes of silence spooking Noli. “O-oh! I think I have some cantaloupes in my fridge. Do you usually serve it juiced to him or by pieces?” Noli asked. AIy4 looked at the baby then at Noli. “He likes it juiced actually.”
“right…”
Noli took out the blender from his kitchen and began preparing the cantaloupe, sp1r1tz on his tiptoe on the counter table to see what Noli was doing.
“Sorry I need to use the bathroom.” AIy4 said. “It’s over there,” Noli pointed at 2 doors beside each other. “The one that’s facing the living room, not the kitchen,” in which AIy4 gave a thumbs up in response and went in.
“Now little man,” Noli said in a hushed tone. “This will be our little secret, but I’m a rare npc. I can do magic!” Noli whispered proudly, gaining a little ‘ahha!’ from sp1r1tz. “Want to see it?” sp1r1tz was nodding frantically and Noli lifted the kid up so he could see the kitchen counter. “I’m cutting your melons right now.” Noli said, sp1r1tz, still excited and scared with the fact that he’s floating. “Though, can you be a good boy and go to my room for me? The blender is gonna make loud noises.” Noli said, lowering the child downwards.
sp1r1tz nod and tugged on his sweep ribbing again. “What’s wrong?” he tugged again. “Do you perhaps want me to follow you?” sp1r1tz nodded and pointed the way, which Noli already knew but he pretended he was curious anyways. When they arrived at his bedroom door, sp1r1t was pointing at his knob excessively, confusing Noli for a good while. “OH! The door is too tall for you! Here let me help,” Noli said, twisting the handle. “Now don’t mess up my room too much.” Noli spawned the ipad from his inventory then unlocked it. “Here, you can stay on my bed for the moment and play with the ipad. Do whatever you want. I’ll call you when the juice is ready. Behave okay?” sp1r1tz nodded at him and started to stare at the ipad and swiped his fingers on it as Noli closed the bedroom door on him.
“Where’s spirit?” AIy4 asked, when Noli just closed the bedroom door. “Oh, he’s engaged with the ipad I gave him in my room.” Noli replied. “Alone? Why?” AIy4 asked again, now crossing her arms. “The blender is too loud for kids from what I research, so since my bedroom is soundproof I thought putting him in there won't make his ears hurt and make him cry as much as being out here.”
“That’s actually not a bad idea. Can I come to your room?”
“Sure, but don't mess it up too much. Can you sit on the gaming chair by the way? I just finished making my bed and sp1r1tz is pretty light, no offense.”
“It’s alright, no offense taken.” AIy4 said as she walked to the bedroom. Noli opened the blender lid and put the chopped cantaloupe pieces inside. The noise was loud, but his mask also had a noise muffle feature he added back in college for parties. It didn’t take that long for it to become juice. He poured it to a bowl and put a plastic kid spoon with rubber grips in it.
He went to his bedroom and peeked through the door. AIy4 was with sp1r1tz giggling about something. A weird feeling fluttered in his heart. It wasn’t the weird feeling when 007n7 laughed, hell no. But it was similar yet so different. He shrugged the odd feelings as usual. A text appeared in his eyesight. Implanted to his eyesight. It was his UI.
No I am not hearing you out tonight. I'm not your therapist. I'm your accomplice.
Noli ignored the purple text. “Oh, hey Mr Noli!” AIy4 greeted him. “Hello Ms Alya, I wanted to tell spirits that the juice is ready.” Noli said, head still peeking from the doorframe. sp1r1tz jolted out from the bed and ran to Noli, hugging his leg. “Wan jus! (Want juice!)” “Sure buddy, sit at the kid’s table . I’ll bring the juice to you.” sp1r1tz practically ran to the kids table behaving well, but excitement still evident, waiting for his juice. Noli brought the bowl to him, sticking the suction cup below it securely fasten to the table. “Eat up!” Noli said. The kid looked at him with confusion. “What’s wrong?” Noli said as his mask displayed a question mark. The kid pointed at his mask. “Cool right? But what’s wrong?” sp1r1tz was now looking at the bowl then at Noli once more. “You drink it from the spoon, so you don't accidentally drink too fast.” Noli said index finger out, his other hand on his waist. sp1r1tz tilted his head to the side. “like this! Hey, wait a second.” Noli put the remaining drink from the blender to another bowl he had lying around and opened his island drawer to grab a metal spoon.
He put the bowl full of juice next to sp1r1tz. “So you do it like this,” Noli said with an exasperated sigh. He grabbed the metal spoon and drank from it. Just to demonstrate to a clueless 1 year old. The drink was nice though, it reminded him of the times he and 007n7 were beefing about which fruit was the best, and 007n7 made him gradually like cantaloupe on top with his citruses. 007n7 would always prepare the juice like this back at the dorms. He stared at sp1r1tz, who was now drinking the soup exactly how Noli demonstrated which Noli gave a light smile at, which his mask, too, detected. Though, sp1r1tz did it a bit too messily so he decided to take the initiative and spoon feed him.
˗ˏˋ ᯓ✮ ˎˊ˗
The visit was about to end. Noli knew that, he saw it on the wall clock. “spirits, honey, because our time together is almost up, you can finally have your gift!” Noli said.
“hahagagaa! whe? (yay! where?)”
“Stay right here!” Noli enthusiastically replied, running to his kitchen island and grabbing the supermarket bag. “Here!” he handed the entire bag to sp1r1tz, who immediately opened the bag and grabbed the bunny out of it. sp1r1tz immediately pointed at the bunny’s missing eye.
“He lost it in the war,” Noli said solemnly.
He squinted. “Supaga? (soup?)”
“Exactly.”
That got a giggle. A soft, breathy one, like a kitten sneezing.
“Why don't we call him bunzo?” Noli asked, which made him earn a giggle.
“Alright, we have fifteen more minutes left,” Ms. AIy4 said gently.
sp1r1tz looked up at Noli, then tucked the bunny under his arm like it was now his by ancient toddler law.
Noli blinked. “I’m not gonna take Bunzo away from you. He’s. Uh. Yeah. Sure. He’s yours now, Captain Soup.”
He nodded once. Business accepted.
“OK, now you got your gift, let’s get to my car. We need to bring you back lol” Noli said dryly. sp1r1tz looked confused at him. “C’mon kiddo, come to my arms.” which sp1r1tz happily obeyed. Noli then coddled him. “Ms. Alya let’s go back to the car.”
˗ˏˋ ᯓ✮ ˎˊ˗
sp1r1tz fell asleep on the way ‘home’. Noli took the opportunity by asking questions to AIy4 about the things that sp1r1tz like. Such as: “what other fruits does he like” or “what activities does he like”, “what would be something that he would not mind to eat for breakfast? ” “what animal does sp1r1tz like?” “What is his favourite colour? ” and more. That seems to make Noli earn some points from AIy4, even if he didn't know it.
They arrived at the orphanage, Noli nudged sp1r1tz awake then unbuckled him. “wakey wakey. We’re back.” Noli said, shoulder holding him. AIy4 helped them by opening the orphanage door. He brought himself to the toddler room upstairs and put him down in his crib.
When it was time to leave, Noli stood up slowly, trying not to jostle him.
“Thanks for letting me hang out with you today,” he said, genuinely. “Hope I can come again.”
sp1r1tz didn’t say anything — just reached out and grabbed his pinky finger. Held it. Just for a second.
Then let go.
“Sorry kids. I gotta go. I’ll come back again, I promise as usual.
Noli then left the room. Wails could be heard inside, in sp1r1tz’s voice.
Outside the room, Mx. R1nell walked him to the elevator.
“Hey, it seems he took to you faster than most,” they said.
Noli rubbed the back of his neck. “Why did you say that?”
“Miss Alya told me everything through chat.”
“I was lowkey worried he’d throw a crayon at me.”
“He still might. But that was a good start.”
Noli looked down at his shirt, stained with blue crayon and soup sticker residue.
“I think I’m doomed in the best way.”
“Hm. So be it.”
Noli walked into the elevator with them, the silent making it awkward.
“What is it like to be around kids?” Noli asked out of the blue. “It’s exhausting. But it brings me happiness, I guess.”
The elevator door finally opened and Noli talked with AIya at the receptionist before waving her goodbye.
He walked to his Honda summoning V01D in the process. ‘This isn’t about hacking, isn’t it, master.’ it typed out. “Nope.”
‘it’s about the kid, isn’t it.’
“yup”
The gui played a sighing audio.
“I need to stop installing that soundboard on you.”
‘Didn’t you implement that feature for trolling?’ it asked.
“You’re not even using it to troll right now..” Noli said, giving it a straight face.
‘Whatever, you can continue your rambles as you drive I guess.’
‘also don't forget you have to clean the flat.’
“Oh fuck you?! That’s so gay”
Notes:
Gay means lame here
Its an old slang
Image of soups will be added soon💔NOLI STOP SMUDGING THE PAPER YO
3764
Chapter 4: I'm raging
Summary:
This isn't a chapter it's dismay.
Chapter Text
Hi guys, BeeTime/Bee here, I am going fucking insane I'm at 5000 words FIVE THOUSAND on a holiday rn and I'm so pissed since 007n7 is nice and cutesy in my story
just for the 007n7 manipulation to be CANON?????
EXCUSE ME?????
LIKE CMON IM SO PISSED ATP
HEADS UP 007N7 WILL HAVE BIPOLAR WHEN HELPING WITH SPIRITZ BECAUSE I CANT TAKE THIS ANYMORE
-BeeTime_351 for 2 days straight
P. S.
IM DELETING THIS FUCKASS RAGE WHEN NEXT CHAPTER COMES OUT I HATE YOU 007N7
Beetime in discord: BeeTime_351
FUCKASS 007N7
I HATE YOU
OriginallyMell
YO
WHY HATE ON 007N7 NOW
🥀🥀🥀
BeeTime_351
I DO NOT WANNA REWRITE MY ENTIRE FUCKINH
OriginallyMell
Insert baldi sticker where he's in a black room staring to you
BeeTime_351
5 CHAOTER
FANFIC
BCZ YO ASS
DECIDED TO BE TOXIC TO THE FATHER OF MY OC
NOLI
IM GONNA GIVE YO ASS
BPD
FUCK YOU
insert fuckass crying roblox face
I MADE NOLI POWER HUNGRY
NOT PREASSURED
GRRRR
I love 007n7 new lore
Holy shit
Hes not a softie
I'm so happy
I FUCKING HATE THIS SHIT
OriginallyMell
WHAT
explain the mew lore pls
BeeTime_351(accidentally ignored)
I love deepening of the lore
I FUCKING HATE THIS MY 77NOLI HYPERFIXION HELLO?
Oh my god the angst I can make
My fucking FANFIC
BeeTime_351
replying to: explain the mew lore pls
Uh
It's not rlly new
I'm just rlly pissed cuz I ate TOO MUCH ANGS5
IN MY FUCKING 77NOLI
TAGS
IN ANY APPS
AFTER I FINALLY TIRED OF MY HOLIDAY
🧍🧍🧍🧍🧍
SO LIKE
NOLI
WAS PREASURED BY 007N7
TO FIND THE FUCKASS VOIDSTAR
Chapter 5: 3 - 007n7 finds out
Summary:
007n7 crashes into Noli's apartment to get his headphones he left, but instead he found him playing house with a baby.
Notes:
I DID IT WOOO
I REWROTE THIS FUCKASS CHAPTER BECAUSE IT WAS SO ASSI tried smth new in a writing style and erm
im not good at descriptive writing anymore broI do not know if the coding works btw
ill fr remove the prev chapter in a few days(2)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
One and a half months passed by and the baby, sp1r1tz was officially his. Sort of. He’d just been fostering sp1r1tz, he's not adopted yet – but close enough that Noli found himself doing things like watching toddler recipe tutorials at 3 a.m. or buying an overpriced secondhand stroller that matched his hoodie for aesthetic reasons.
Life hasn’t slowed down. He still maintained his hacking spree with 007n7, and doing his obscure hunt for the Voidstar during the weekends, but now his schedule also included naps. Not for him. For the tiny chaos gremlin now living in his apartment. And when those naps didn’t happen—well, Noli’s once pristine museum-maze hybrid home started to look more like a daycare in denial.
‘I so fucked up.’ is a phrase that often came to his mind.
˗ˏˋ ᯓ✮ ˎˊ˗
It was early in the morning, 7a.m. and thankfully sp1r1tz wasn’t awake yet, which means he can have some time to himself. He went to the coffee machine on the kitchen counter and made himself a hot americano. He walked to the sofa to doom scroll on vine only to step on a half melted crayola.
“Void, activate floor scan protocol,” he mumbled groggily.
Scanning...
debris includes: 3 crayons,
2 stale banana puffs, 1 sock,
and a strange sticker labeled
“FIREZARD.”
Recommendation: Burn it all and start again.
…
“Screw you Void.”
Its gui form popped out.
‘Now, master, what could I have possibly done?’
“exist.”
‘sheesh, you’re saltier than usual, that’s for sure.’
“Thank you. You’re unhelpful as hell.” Noli grunted, hopping to the sink to rinse purple goo off his sock.
sp1r1tz has been a handful to take care of even if it was just a couple of days though. Sure he was a cute bundle of joy with all his giggles but unfortunately, also a bundle of stress to handle too. A soft giggler, a blanket thief, a giggling demon with the ability to disappear at suspicious speeds when bath time was mentioned.
Were all babies this needy?
He remembered his old college friend’s niece not being as cranky. To be honest all that baby did was sleep and cry for food or potty then sleep again. She was a civilised bridge goblin. This? This was a force of nature.
He wonders after all these years, is she a shy girl now? A quiet, poetic child. Did she still hug stuffed princess dolls? Or did she become one of those kids who silently judged adults with narrowed eyes and deep sighs?
His trail of thoughts was ended by a small cry by the figure beside him. He looked over his shoulder, blinking. A little lump stirred in the crib beside his desk.
“spirit, my dear baby…” Noli said, extending his arm to the crib to pick up his baby. “Oh hush now.. What’s wrong now, hmm?”
He expected a wail of cries, an even harder tantrum, anything but this. The baby just responded by giggling and curled forward like a sleepy puppy, burying his head into Noli’s chest more.
“Oh.”
“Oh.”
“You little manipulator.” Noli whispered, lips curving into a quiet smile behind his mask. “You were never even upset, were you?” The child only replied with a delighted noise, flailing soft fists like he’d just accomplished a great mission. “I can't even be mad. You learned from the best.”
“You’re not alone now… shhh papa is here.” Noli murmured, cradling him gently and swaying side to side like he’d seen in parenting videos he watched at 2x speed late at night.
The baby responded by flailing its little arms.
In his vision, a soft glow flickered to life.
It was his star panel, his buddy.
Instead of the white text, yellow text for heading appeared. ‘CAUTION’ it read. The rest of the text was in white.
Attachment Level Increasing.
Hormonal Shift Detected.
You are not a licensed parent.
“Void,” Noli muttered under his breath. “For the love of the Voidstar, please. Shut up.”
Every text on the V01Dgui’s panel was back spaced.
Just reminding you.
“uhm.. Fuck you?” Noli thought.
The gui vanished with a sarcastic sparkle, returning to its UI form.
Just sayin’
It showed in his eyesight.
Noli ignored it.
“You’re such a beautiful boy, did you know that spir?” Noli said in a soft voice playing with him, He wiggled his fingers above the child like a magician preparing a trick, occasionally gently tapped his tiny belly, making sp1r1tz giggle again.
“baba!” the small figure cheerfully declared, jabbing a chubby finger toward the far side of the crib.
Noli blinked.
He blinked again.
“Did… Did you just say baba?” his voice cracked as he stared at the baby. All Noli only got a giggle in response. The arms weren’t reaching for him this time, but instead his hand was proudly pointing toward the crocheted bunny plush on the shelf.
Thank god Noli wore a mask, cause then his disappointment would be showing.
“Oh, is his name baba?” the baby nodded. “Okay, I’ll get baba for you dear.”
‘Wait, didn't I name him bunzo?’
Shut up master. I do
recommend you to halt
your spiraling.
We have had enough
tantrum arcs.
The UI popped in his built in vision.
… ‘shut up, Void.’ he thought, while laughing under his breath.
He retrieved the bunny and handed it over to sp1r1tz, who immediately hugged it so tight as if he hadn't seen his life long companion in years. Noli still sat beside the crib, holding sp1r1tz.
There was something about this moment. The quiet, the glow of morning light through the curtains, the scent of sleep and baby shampoo. It felt... safe. Whole.
And that scared him more than anything.
He’s a hacker, an occasional threat to admin stability. And now here he was, whispering nonsense to a child and arguing with his own UI/gui about parenting terms. What if he gets caught? What if they find sp1r1tz. Would they take him as hostage? Would they kill him as bait?
You really are down bad for this baby, huh?
V01DUI typed across his sightline.
‘I guess I am.’
You’re doing fine, by the way,
You still suck at burping him though.
‘excuse me?’
I excuse myself.
“Why you-” Noli whispered, blinking away the warmth building behind his eyes.
But his voice was smiling.
He laughed.
So was his heart.
˗ˏˋ ᯓ✮ ˎˊ˗
“YOU HAVE A WHAT?!”
A voice yelling so loud, Noli's neighbour could hear it through his soundproofed walls.
“I’M SORRY BUT You- YOU HAVE A KID?” 007n7’s voice cracked like glass, sharp and way too loud for 10 a.m. shattering the peace of Noli’s apartment like a thrown plate.
The hacker stood frozen in the doorway of Noli’s room, staring at the ridiculous scene in front of him. A dark grey-skinned toddler in a crib, a wide-eyed creature wrapped in a bear print onesie — was giggling softly, gnawing on a silicon teether it’s holding and blinking up at the noise as if it was part of the ambience. Noli, kneeling down and mid-feed with a spoonful of blended cantaloupe hanging in the air, the other hand with a plush bunnie, looked as if he had been caught hacking without censoring his face out in public.
Noli’s soul practically evacuated his body.
“S-SEV?!” he choked on his own saliva. “WHY ARE YOU HERE?” Noli screamed in shock, stuttering at the sudden intrusion.
"Crashing in? Duhhh” he said leaning on the door frame before he started heavily walking towards Noli. “Originally I wanted to get my headset from the last crash in and why not check on you? Since I thought I did something wrong since you have been ghosting me for not 1, not 2 but 5 whole days! Oh maybe you were deep in code or Voidstar hunting– but no! somehow, Telamon had other plans. I was prepared for anything BUT walking in and seeing you roleplaying as a suburban dad.”
“I- 1 can expla*n” Noli's voice glitched since he hadn't adjusted the volume input yet before 007n7 screamed, making his ears hurt.
“YOU HAVE A LITERAL. ACTUAL. BABY. WHAT THE FUCK?!” 007n7 screamed, pointing dramatically at the toddler, who still looked confused about his surroundings.
“Okay, yes, that part’s true—BUT LISTEN,” Noli said, holding the spoon aloft like it could defend him.
“NO. You listen. How are we going to hack when you have a literal FUCKING KID??”
“It’s a whole living, breathing, drooling–” he faltered a but as the baby giggled. “– gremlin?!”
Now Noli was going insane, looking at the spoon as if it might offer an escape route. His UI not helping in any sort of form.
The room smelled faintly of formula, baby wipes, and something like burnt pancakes from earlier. A bottle sat half-drunk on the desk beside Noli's keyboard, dangerously close to the mousepad. The bowl with the remaining blended cantaloupe was too close to them on the bedside table, any wont move and they’ll get their clothing stained with cantaloupes. The faint hum of a half-muted baby monitor buzzed from the corner speaker shelf.
“No clue, but don’t worry, 1 still can hack. Plus we alr3ady can clon3 wit-”
“Yes. Yes dear–” 007n7 said finger pinching his eyebrows. “– I know that. I know the fucking difference of clones and real person. We made the app together?! I know my Noli. You cloned in last week, said nothing! You were literally parenting off-screen while we ran a code breach!”
“Seve-” Noli tried to calm him down reaching out before being cut off and 007n7’s hand pushing his hand away.
“Shut it. Please. I- What the actual- Dude.” 007n7's voice cracked again. “I can’t believe this! I’m replaced by a fucking BABY in the span of 2 weeks. I was gone. I was gone from your house for two. TWO weeks only! And what? You- Child What You spawned a fucking BABY???” he hissed, locking eyes with his friend.
Noli scrambled to grab a napkin. “Okay, okay, yes, that looks bad, but—”
“Bad? BAD? This is insane!” 007n7 stepped inside, arms flailing. “You’re wiping applesauce- Is that cantaloupe?! Off a baby while Voidstar’s search is still incomplete! We were two modules away from cracking full integration! And you’re over here playing house?!”
“Please Sev… Calm down Sev-” Noli said, hushing the baby in his arms.
“No! No, Noli! What the hell, man?! You didn’t tell me! Not a ping. Not a hint. I thought we were in this– you and me! Us against the world! You don’t just adopt a whole tiny person and not tell me!” his voice raising more and more, pushing Noli out of the door who gripped the spoon harder, making it plead for it’s life as if it would save him.
Noli stiffened. “Because I knew you’d react like this!”
Then silence.
Machines buzzing could be heard, something that would be so quiet in mundane days have to be loud now.
“Oh, so I’m the bad guy now?! It’s my fault all of the sudden?! OF COURSE I’M REACTING LIKE THIS” 007n7 yelled, stepping forward fast, eyes glassy with frustration. The room light felt sharp, highlighting Noli, for 007n7 to come to. “You never visited, You didn’t answer any calls. You practically disappeared in my eyes. You then lie, you replace everything we fucking built with some toddler and you expected me to be cool with it?!” He slammed his right hand on the wall, just on top of Noli’s shoulder. Not violent, not hurting but caging. Shocking Noli enough for both of them hearing a soft thud caused by the silicon spoon hitting the floor.
Noli felt like as if he was shrinking.
A clone wouldn’t help.
V01D refused to help, he can’t even teleport without spawning it, which he has no space to.
“You don’t get to just—disappear. Replace me with-whatever this is–” he pointed furiously at the baby, “–and expect me to be fine with it!"
sp1r1tz was on the crib infront of him, probably confused of everything. He was gripping the blanket that was now above his head really hard as if it was playtime, but it seems that the blanket was trying to muffle the tension.
A sock on the ground, was that always there?
“I’m not replacing you.” Noli said, with a tone unsure of his own answer.
Noli’s eyes were darting to every corner of the room desperately trying to find something that could help him.
“You are!” 007n7’s voice cracked. “I was just gone for 2 weeks from this house we used to share. You worried me for not answering anything. Two weeks, man. Two. I thought we were still… us. You and me. The team. The plan. Voidstar. The future we kept talking about!”
“He’s not a distraction.. Sev I still care for you- It’s just that–” Noli tried shuffling trying to get his hand out to reach at 007n7. “He’s not a side quest.”He said holding 007n7’s side of his face.
007n7 pushing it away with his free hand.
“Don’t. Don’t touch me. Don’t justify this action. We knew each other since 16. Bonded at 19.” he paused. “I’m sorry I expected my found brother to not replace me with a baby goblin!” he screamed.
The room went quiet.
sp1r1tz made a soft sound. A hiccup. A warning.
Noli stood there, holding the spoon midair, his voice low. “Don’t call him that.”
“…Dude-”
“No, seriously.” His mask flickered to static for a second. “I get it, okay? You’re mad. You feel like I broke some unspoken hacker bro-code. But this isn’t a side quest, Sev. He’s not a distraction. He’s—he’s mine. He’s here. And he needs me.”
“YOU DIDN’T EVEN TELL ME OK?!” 007n7 barked hoarsely, years flowing on his face, letting go of Noli from the wall. “WE STARGAZED ON HILLS, TELLING EACHOTHER SECRET. I TOLD YOU EVERYTHING, YOU TOLD ME EVERYTHING.” He said pointing at himself, stepping back “… or so I thought.”
“As I said, I stand my ground O-Seven. I didn’t tell you because I was scared you'd react like this!” Noli snapped. “And guess what—you did.”
“That’s not an excuse!”
“That’s the truth!”
They stared at each other, the air between them pulsing with old static.
007n7 looked like he wanted to yell again. But the words didn’t come.
007n7 was hiccuping, voice almost gone from the screaming match.
Noli was looking at anything but 007n7.
Then—tiny hiccups. A whimper. A sharp inhale from the crib.
The baby’s face crumpled.
That soft, warbly sob that tore through everything like a broken string.
Noli dropped everything and rushed over. “Shhh—shhh, I’m here. I’ve got you, Spir, it’s okay…”
His hands scooped the baby up with practiced grace, rocking slowly, bouncing gently, murmuring apologies under his breath.
The dim light framed Noli’s shoulders. His face censor flickered off for just a second, glitching between two states—a flicker of real skin, then gone.
In that flicker, 007n7 saw it.
The quiet panic. The overwhelming care.
Not Noli the hacker. Not the glitch-lord. Not the chaos brain.
He was Noli, just a boy, cradling a baby like the world could fall apart and he’d hold it together with both arms.
“Get the fuck out of my room.”
Noli stood in the nursery doorway, arms curled protectively around sp1r1tz, who had gone quiet again — one small hand clutching the fabric of Noli’s hoodie.
In the kitchen, 007n7 paced, hands gesturing wildly, voice still seething.
“You never even asked me,” he said. “You didn’t think, ‘Hey, maybe my best friend—the guy who literally re-coded half of your damn security framework—should know I’m adopting a gremlin?’”
“Stop calling him that,” Noli snapped, tone low and firm. “You don’t get to do this. I do not need to ask you to adopt a child, I want. You don’t get to act like this is betrayal.”
“Oh, don’t I?” 007n7 rounded on him, voice rising. “I’m sorry, are we not the same duo who swore they’d finish what the admins couldn’t even start? Are we not the ones who dodged a full sweep because I rerouted a memory core mid-infiltration while you were halfway to collapsing?”
“This isn’t about Voidstar—”
“It’s always been about Voidstar!” he barked. “That was the point! That’s what we were building toward. Our legacy.”
Noli didn’t answer.
“Don’t act like this was random. You were supposed to get it. I needed you to get it. You’re the only one strong enough to handle it. You — not me.”
He paused, breathing hard, then added with a hollow laugh, “You think I don’t know I wouldn’t survive a week out there? I know that, Nols. I’ve known that since the beginning. You were the muscle. I was the plan.
Noli’s voice was ice. “So that’s what I am? Muscle?”
“No,” 007n7 said. “You’re the reason we ever mattered.”
Noli blinked. The baby blinked with him.
“You don’t love me,” Noli said, not cruelly. Not with heat. Just fact. “You love what I can do.”
Silence.
For the first time since the shouting started, 007n7 didn’t answer right away.
“…Don’t do that,” he said finally. “Don’t make this sound like it’s only me. We both wanted this. You wanted the crown too. You were hungry for it — don’t pretend you weren’t.”
“I wanted a future,” Noli replied. “You wanted a monument.”
“And you were supposed to be the one who climbed it.”
There it was — the quiet cruelty.
Not screamed. Not snarled.
Just… spoken. Like he believed it.
“You were supposed to be the one who survived the climb so I didn’t have to.”
And that? That was the wound beneath it all.
Noli stared at him. Not furious anymore — just tired.
“…You wanted me to carry the burden,” he said softly. “And now that I chose something else to carry, someone else– you feel abandoned.”
007n7 didn’t respond.
He just turned away, face unreadable, mouth tight.
From the hallway, V01Dgui flickered softly to life:
Emotional escalation detected.
Recommend: cooldown sequence.
“Shut up,” both of them said at once.
Void disappeared.
“Ok, now that she’s gone..
But Noli-”
“SEV. Get to my living ro0m or something. Yov compose yourself first then w3-we’ll talk. Do not mention that- … That damn c2own when we do.”
007n7 didn’t move.
“Go.”
And there was something about his tone—not angry, but final, that shut 007n7 up.
He grabbed his headphones from the shelf beside Noli without another word and left, slamming the door behind him just hard enough to speak on how pissed he was.
The door clicked shut behind him, and for a while, the only sound left was the low buzz of the monitor and the soft creak of Noli rocking the baby.
The walk to the sofa was dreadful, his body was shaking, not with fury, but with so much raw emotions that was running in his veins. The frieze carpet felt off below his feet, It felt too textured for his feet right now. He slumped his entire body onto the light grey sofa his face down on it. He grabbed a maroon pillow without looking out and yelled on it.
He sat up properly, putting the now heated pillow beside him, thinking of what just happened.
“Fucking baby… Taking my best friend away from me.” he kicked a toy on the purple carpet over. “stupid stupid baby.” he turned on his ipod and plugged his headphones in. This was way better than wearing his earphones. It's starting to hurt his ears.
He started playing ‘American Idiot’, thoughts and consciousness drifting away as he sleeps with the uncomfortable atmosphere still present in the air.
˗ˏˋ ᯓ✮ ˎˊ˗
007n7 woke up with a groan, his limbs heavy and joints sore from falling asleep in a weird position. He opened his eyes, instead of the bright sunlight that he slept in, the room now glowed in soft, amber tones. Warm-colored string lights lined the shelves, and the curtains were drawn indicating that it was probably late in the evening or night time. He rubbed his eyes with a wince, and sat properly, since his back hurt from how uncomfortable the couch was and his body hates him for it. That’s when he noticed it – a blanket draped over him.
His blanket.
The one Noli always pulled out during crash nights. The one they used to huddle under after long bugging nights. Or when he visited Noli after his expedition finding the Voidstar he needed.
He clutched it a little closer for a second, feeling the edges between memory and now blur.
He missed this.
Missed Noli.
Missed when things were simple.
When it was just them — hacking, plotting, hunting the Voidstar and eating burnt waffles at 2 a.m.
He missed those times they called til 4a.m.
He missed them giving words of affirmation (platonically.) (allegedly)
He missed those days.
Those days when that thing didn’t exist.
He huddled himself in the blanket once again before finally pulling the blanket away. The analog wall clock ticked annoyingly. 007n7 stared at the clock squinting his eyes. It was 6.35-6.40 p.m. 007n7 adjusted his glasses and pressed it closer to his eyes.
6.48 p.m.
The smell of steak was lingering in the air and oddly along with cantaloupe, baby formula and air freshener. It was domestic. Artificial, strange. It was unlike Noli.
The potted aquilegias he used as decor are gone, so are his potted wolf’s bane which the scents linger in his house are gone too.
The embrace was warm even for outsiders now.
007n7 grumbled and walked to the island, where a plate sat waiting, slightly cooled. No note, no dramatic message. Just food. Left for him. He didn’t care if it was robloxian meat at this point. It wouldn’t be the first time that he was fed of it. All he knew Noli was a wonderful cook when it comes to preparing meat dishes.
He took out a knife and fork from the drawer, and began eating. He didn’t even hesitate. He ate it. And it was goood. Familiar. Comforting in a way that annoyed him more than he’d admit. Eating the food was nice after their fight, he guesses. It was awkward, and lonely, knowing someone else was in the house but you’re eating alone. After finishing and washing his plate, he lingered a moment longer, hand braced on the edge of the sink, staring at the water sliding down the dish rack.
007n7 waved his hand in the air spawning his c00lgui.
H3y0 m4st3r(,,>ᗜ<,,)!
It typed making a lot of noise.
“Hello cool..”He replied unenthusiastically.
M4st3r? Y r u s0 d0wn 2dayz?
“Initiate normal Latin English.”
As you wish.
It then backspaced
Master what’s wrong?! Is there
something I can do to brighten
your mood?!
(óロò ᵕ )
“Thanks for the concern Cool, though I just need help with spawning a sticky note for me,” he said.
His gui switched screens to the spawn item command panel, with the words ‘spawn items’ written in white and bigger font size at the top.
He wrote a command on the panel to spawn a sticky note.
local Players = game:GetService("007n7")
local ServerStorage = game:GetService("ServerStorage")007n7.PlayerAdded:Connect(function(Player)
Player.CharacterAdded:Connect(function(char)
Player.Chatted:Connect(function(Message)
if Message == "sticky note" then
spawn(function()
local Item = ServerStorage.Sticky_Note:Clone(1)
Item.Parent = workspace
Item:PivotTo(char.HumanoidRootPart.CFrame + char.HumanoidRootPart.CFrame.LookVector * 5)
end)
Then he presses the red activate button at the bottom. Just next a flash appeared in front of his eyes and a green post-it appeared in the air in front of him while he tried to catch it, which sort of hurts because of the edges.
He walked to the living area and took the pencil that was on the table and wrote on it.
He tore the first sheet and slammed it on the cabinet where plates were, a bit too hard you can hear the soft clinks of plates hitting one another.
Hands back on the countertop, he stared at his surroundings. Two weeks and the renovation of his house was drastic. It felt too warm for him. It creeped him out. The lack of red emergency boxes with guns as decoration, the lack of cds hanging on the wall… It all felt wrong.
The couch was too quiet.
007n7 sat hunched in the corner cushion, hoodie up, headphones around his neck, but no music playing. He hadn’t moved in twenty minutes. Just stared at the digital clock glowing on Noli’s microwave.
7.58 p.m.
The apartment was still dim — the kind of post-argument stillness that felt like broken glass in the air. Heavy. Fragile. Waiting.
He kicked at a plush on the floor. It was round, grey, had stubby limbs, and possibly blue eyes. He couldn’t tell if it was a bunny, a robot, or both. Probably both, knowing Noli.
c00lgui popped up beside him quietly.
You alright?
He pressed the side of his head against the wall, staring blankly up at the ceiling.
“…Dude, what is wrong with me?”
His voice came out rough. Almost quiet enough to pass for static.
The gui didn’t want to interrupt him right now and just despawned.
You always wanted him to care about something real, he thought. You just didn’t expect that something to not be you.
He blinked hard. Once. Twice.
He remembered being sixteen. Noli had found him half-passed out at a junkyard Starbrook café, three monitors deep into a burned-out rig, and said: “You’re too good to rot in this server hole. Come break shit with me.”
That was the start.
Now it was a baby. A whole kid. A new variable.
A new priority.
And he hated how that felt.
You’re not mad because he lied. You’re mad because he grew into someone you didn’t get to shape.
007n7 covered his face with both hands.
“…I should’ve known,” he whispered. “He doesn’t belong to me.”
Master?
“Oh, Cool..” 007n7 said, hugging the rectangular panel in an odd position. “I messed up again didn’t I..”
The c00lgui pulled up its text to speech he took from Google.
Master, If you want to cry just do it. I’m here. I’ll listen.
“Cool I- hic I messed up and hic he was the only one who actually dealt with my bullshit.” he said as letting the c00lgui go who now can float freely.
“And I messed up again! I just want what’s best for us even if it means finding the voidstar.”
His hands were covering his face.
“I hate this Cool. hic I hate that I’m like this. I hate the fact he hic he has a kid now.”
˗ˏˋ ᯓ✮ ˎˊ˗
The apartment had gone still.
V01D had dimmed the lights on a timer. The fan hummed softly, cutting through the tension like white noise pretending it could clean a wound.
Noli lay curled sideways on his bed, mask off, staring at the ceiling. A screen flickered quietly on the wall, casting a soft glow over the crib beside it.
He hadn’t blinked in ten minutes.
Then:
A faint noise. A breathy mumble, coming through the connected nursery to his room.
The door was open
“...ba...ba...”
A small hand reached toward the dim stars on the digital mobile.
sp1r1tz stirred.
“mama...?”
The word was just barely formed — glitched on the edges, sleepy and fragile.
Noli sat up fast, rubbing his eyes and pulling his legs off the bed in one motion. He rushed towards the wooden crib. “Spir? I’m here—I’m here. Do you want me to get baba?”
He scooped him up gently, whispering, “You’re okay. You just woke up. It’s still night.”
sp1r1tz clung to his hoodie, little fists bunching in the fabric. Noli swayed slowly, trying to match the rhythm of their breathing.
“…Sorry you had to hear all that.”
The baby didn’t understand. But he made a soft sound. A small “mmn,” like he’d agreed anyway.
Noli sat back down, holding him tight against his chest. His voice came out hollow, like he was talking to no one in particular.
“I thought I could have both,” he whispered. “The legacy… the life…”
A beat.
“Maybe I was stupid.” Noli said, opening the blue toy box grabbing the bunny plush he made.
“Here.”
sp1r1tz started sucking in the ears.
Outside the door, in the hallway, 007n7 froze.
He’d only gotten up to use the bathroom. His socks didn’t make noise on the tile. But the voice behind the door stopped him.
“You know,” Noli muttered softly, “sometimes I wish I didn’t care this much. But I do. I care too hard. And it always hurts.”
The baby let out a sleepy yawn, then curled into his shoulder.
Noli shifted slightly careful not to awake sp1r1tz as the baby’s head rested against his chest.
His eyes drifted around the nursery — quiet, dim, still carrying the faint smell of formula and something sweet from earlier.
From all the whining while his ‘friend’ was asleep.
This room used to be a warzone.
Old cords, energy drinks, two desks crammed too close together. He and 007n7 had practically lived in here during college — side by side, building codes and dreams, powered by junk food and adrenaline.
Back then, the walls had been plastered with LED strips and posters, the wallpaper a bright, garish red-orange that kept their brains wired at 3 a.m. on code binges. It looked like a streamer’s backdrop had exploded.
Now the wallpaper was a soft green.
Noli had read — somewhere, maybe on a parenting blog, maybe just a random scroll session — that green sat far from red on the spectrum. It didn’t agitate the eye. Supposedly it helped you calm down. Rest.
He picked it hoping it might help sp1r1tz sleep easier.
Sometimes he wondered if it was really for the baby.
Or if it was for him.
“I’m not sorry for choosing you,” Noli added, voice smaller. “But I’m sorry for making him feel like I left.”
007n7 stared at the door. The hallway light flickered softly overhead. His fingers hovered near the doorknob — but he didn’t turn it.
“I’m sorry. I really am Seven. But I love spiritz too now. And I can’t choose between you two.”
Noli’s breathing was starting to become ragged.
“I wa-want to make y0u proud, to make you feel the s4me way I do and I- I failed by looking at sp1ritz.”
…
“Voidsta-st4r, my de-de-d34r lord, why must y0v forsa-sa-s4ken me?”
He thought, staring at his ceiling filled with glow in the dark stickers
007n7 was holding the knob now, but not turning it.
He said nothing.
He just stood there.
Then turned, and walked away.
Back into the dark living room. Past the blanket he’d left on the couch. Past the flickering game console light.
He didn’t need the bathroom if it meant hearing Noli’s voice.
He can’t stand hearing it right now.
He sat down on the one man sofa.
Alone in the dark, awake.
He didn’t go back to sleep.
Neither did Noli.
The apartment stayed quiet for the rest of the night.
Door never cracked open a bit to show longing.
Maybe it was for the best.
Notes:
5223 words ish
Chapter 6: 4 - Rebuilding
Summary:
When both are heated in tension, none wants to speak up first. If it weren't for a special sombody, they would keep the silence up for months.
Notes:
I'm not good with tentions and story building in this way, since i'm better off making short story no conflict little chapter stories. Any critisicm would be helpful and APPRECIATED
I know I usually role out chapters early but i genuinely never did a tension writing style lol.(im going insane this is not what i planned wdym they fought so hard and the tension is immaculate???it seems that I can't decide how to format void’s speaking bro
should i use blockquote or not)
HI SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE I WASN'T EVEN ACTIVE ON DISCORD, TUMBLR AND HECK READING AOR TAGS IN THE 007N7/NOLI TAGS LIKE THATS INSANE JUST FOR THIS AND SCHOOL
I EVEN WROTE THIS AT SCHOOL SIGHHHH
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It was a beautiful day outside. The kind that begged people to breathe deeper. Sunlight spilled across the apartment window like warm syrup, and somewhere in the distance, birds trilled melodies that sounded obnoxiously hopeful.
Inside the apartment, none of that existed.
The bathroom lights flickered softly above steam-clouded mirrors. Noli stood under the shower spray like he could rinse off the week — and the weight of being everything to everyone.
He tilted his head back, letting the water trace the curve of his jaw, and let “Seasons of Love” echo softly from the speaker on the shelf.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes...
The playlist kept rolling, bouncing from ‘RENT’ to ‘Next to Normal’ to ‘Heathers’ like his soul had queued up a musical breakdown on shuffle.
“Light” hit differently this time.
So did “Beautiful.”
When “Seventeen” came out, he turned the shower more so he could drown the music with the sound of crashing water, and when “Meant to Be Yours” came on, he skipped it halfway.
When “I Say No” followed, he didn’t.
The hot water steamed over his maskless face. It fogged the tile and softened the ache in his muscles, but it didn’t fix the tension curled behind his ribs.
He stayed too long. Long enough for the song to change again.
Long enough for the baby to wake in the next room and not cry — just quietly wait.
When he finally stepped out, he dragged a towel across his hair with one hand, the other grabbing his old white band shirt from a hook. It was oversized, worn soft at the sleeves, and didn’t match his black shorts at all.
But it felt like armor.
The music faded to Hamilton in the background. Something about not throwing away your shot.
He wasn’t sure what his shot was anymore.
But the apartment was quiet. Too quiet.
The nursery was still dim, bathed in soft orange hues from the nightlight Noli hadn’t bothered turning off. He padded in barefoot, hair damp and towel-draped over one shoulder, and leaned over the crib.
sp1r1tz blinked up at him, cheeks faintly puffed and hair sticking up on one side. His little hands reached up automatically, grabbing at Noli’s sleeve with a sleepy sound somewhere between a whimper and a chirp.
“Good morning, starlight,” Noli whispered.
He scooped him up with practiced ease, tucking him against his chest like a habit.
Slowly walking to the bathroom, Noli filled a shallow plastic tub in the sink. Lukewarm water swirled in small spirals as he adjusted the faucet by feel — not too hot, not too cold. Just right. A drop of baby soap clouded into soft white foam.
sp1r1tz fussed the second his toes touched the water, squirming with a high-pitched squeal.
“I know, I know,” Noli muttered gently, steadying him with one hand behind the neck. “It’s betrayal. Absolute betrayal. How dare I. … Now take a bath. You stink.”
The moment he was seated in the water, he started slashing the water side by side with fury, arms flailing around in agony, sending tiny arcs across the counter.
Noli sighed, wiping a stray drop off his hoodie sleeve.
“C’mon I’m betraying you, not torturing you. The better you behave the faster I'll be your companion again.”
Noli took a bottle of Johnson’s baby body soap and squeezed some to his hands. He rubbed them a bit on his palm and started washing him when only a few suds appeared on his palm.
Slowly more suds appeared, filling the surface of the tub, and sp1r1tz entire demeanor changed. He started smacking the tub with glee, and even attempted eating the foam. Noli urgently took the hand off the mouth, preventing it.
After rinsing the last suds from behind sp1r1tz’s ears, he wrapped him in a towel and brought him back to the nursery.
The air was cool, and sp1r1tz shivered slightly, so Noli worked quickly. Drying, diapering, and pulling a small loose blue shirt over his head. The white giraffe-printed shorts followed, soft cotton rustling as he tugged them into place.
“There,” Noli said, smoothing the shirt down with one hand. “You look beautiful my good man.”
sp1r1tz squeaked in response, kicking his heels against Noli’s chest.
Noli smiles softly.
And for a fleeting moment, everything felt almost normal.
˗ˏˋ ᯓ✮ ˎˊ˗
The way the wind hits his face when he opened the balcony sliding glass door, refreshing and cooling.
When he turned back to the apartment, he finally realised something was off. The smell of smoke, yet his smoke alarm didn’t ring. He got used to it during his terrorising sessions, but the smell was still there, faint small, not enough to kill someone but noticable if you focus enough. He followed the smell to see a smoke trail coming out of his new couch.
007n7 was lounging, his back being supported by the arm rest while laying down, playing games on his phone. It seems that 007n7 forgot to deactivate his fire steps since his favourite carpet had ash footprints. Noli didn’t say anything. He just sighed and nd pinched his mask at the location where a nose would be. The fire wasn’t spreading. His furniture should be fine, he just need to replace the rug he loved for 4 years. The coach was only burnt a bit, still usable.
He took the rolled up messy mat from the living room, with that only in mind and walked away.
“Hey No-”
Noli moved like a silent process in the background. His hoodie sleeves rolled to his elbows, stirring eggs without rhythm. The kitchen light flickered softly above him, casting yellow pools over the counter and making the oil shimmer in the pan like it was about to snap.
When he wanted to grab the plate for the food, he saw a green sticky note stuck to the cabinet that wasn’t there last night,
“Thanks.
I Liked it.”
It was written with messy writing. It was obvious where it came from, as Noli didn’t write it and his baby is still to dumb to do that. He stared at the note, grabbing it before crumpling it up and shooting it to the trashbin.
‘whatever.’
He plated food without a word: scrambled eggs, toast, sliced strawberries. One adult portion. One toddler tray. One extra plate placed on the kitchen island like it had arrived out of habit, not intention.
The sippy cup sat next to it, sweating lightly.
He stared at the plate wondering what to do with it.
Yes, while it is true he had a guest who is staying in his home — he also has tension with them. He looked through his fridge and grabbed a big bottle of Dr. Pepper that was half empty. Pouring the left over drink to a plastic cup he had laying around.
sp1r1tz was in his high chair on top of a messy mat, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand and thudding a toy spoon rhythmically against the tray. Bunzo layed sideways by his foot like a fallen soldier.
Ten minutes later, 007n7 drifted in, looking more like static than a person. His hair was still spiked from sleep, and his oversized shirt clung awkwardly to one shoulder like it had given up halfway through the night.
He didn’t say good morning.
He just picked up the plate and glass from the island and walked away.
Noli didn’t stop him. Didn’t even glance up. Just wiped the counter twice—once with a cloth, once with his sleeve—and went back to pouring water into the coffee maker making his favourite 2-shot americano.
The only sound was the quiet click of the toaster resetting, and the faint buzz of the fridge breathing in the corner.
On the couch, 007n7 sat with the plate balanced on his lap. He scrolled through his old archived apps with one hand, thumb flicking idly past dead chats and half-finished bot builds.
One folder blinked: NOLI_IS_BANNED_FOR_6TIME.txt.
He didn’t open it. Just stared for a second too long, then closed his explorer.
Back in the kitchen, Noli tried to feed sp1r1tz a spoonful of scrambled egg.
The baby turned his head.
“No? You liked this yesterday,” Noli said, voice light but cracked at the edges.
He tried again.
sp1r1tz pushed the spoon with a frown. The eggs slid down the tray, limp and rejected.
Noli sighed through his nose and picked up the toast instead. He broke off a corner, held it out gently.
“Please eat something.”
sp1r1tz reached for it—then dropped it immediately.
The toast hit the tray and flipped, crust side down.
Noli stared at it like it had betrayed him.
He didn’t pick it up.
On the couch, 007n7 stabbed a piece of strawberry with his fork. He twirled it once, like it might change shape.
Then set the fork down.
The fruit stayed there, untouched.
V01Dgui flickered once above the sink. Quiet. Observing.
Master, do you
still not want to make up with
Mr. 007?
Noli didn’t acknowledge it.
Master, please. It seems you want
to make up with him, but never had
the courage to. I sugge
V01D was interrupted with a heavy sigh from Noli.
“Void, I appreciate your concern, but not now please.”
The GUI just floated there idly, deleting all of the text it was going to generate.
sp1r1tz made a soft sound — a curious hum — then reached toward his father. Noli caught the small hand and held it for a second, anchoring himself with it.
That was the only warmth in the room.
A spoon lay on the floor. The toast stayed flipped. And 007n7 didn’t open that old folder.
No one apologized.
But the silence between them spoke in all the things they didn’t pick up.
What about oatmeal
porridge? That should be safe for him.
“I’m not entirely sure if we even have oatmeal, Void,”
Then I shall check our location. It then removed the text and replaced it.
Scanning…
Complete
5th cabinet at the top should have
oatmeal. If I scanned correctly,
It should not be expired.
“Thank you, Void”
Noli grabbed the shelf, rummaging through the clutter of boxes he never bothered organising lately, trying to find the oatmeal.
V01D highlighted the oatmeal box in Noli’s vision so he could see it more clearly.
‘Would’ve been more helpful if you did it earlier.’
I was originally simply just
an instrument for destruction,
and not a life support for you,
master.
‘Should I use milk or water?’
Now, in his sightline it wrote in purple:
I’m pretty sure that milk would be better for nutrients.
‘Whatever works then.’
He took a carton of full cream milk from the fridge.
The voidgui was now hovering in front of him, supervising him for any wrong doings.
‘This should be easy right? Just making oatmeal. For a baby.’
Void has set up clear instructions in front of him.
He grabbed the saucepan of the overhead cabinet, pouring the pack of oats he got from the shelf. He watered or milk downed the porridge by adding more milk that needed so it would be easier for sp1r1tz to eat.
Master, I am positive that is too much milk, even if you’re feeding a one year old. This will cause him to be unable to eat properly in the future.
“Are you perhaps saying that I should now increase the amount of oats in this?”
A cup should be enough in my opinion.
Noli grabbed the oat box that’s nearly empty and added any leftovers it had. “Is this still too water-downed?” he asked the floating panel. The panel scanned the area.
Not exactly too watered-
downed for kids I presume.
And that was enough for him to know he can keep going. He opened the fire on low heat and started stirring. Stirred again. Stirred like his life depended on it. The porridge thickened up gradually, steam curling up in the air like souls coming out of the pot. He frowned, stirring faster. “Don’t you dare burn at the bottom. I swear to the Voidstar if you stick to the pan—” The gui made a window pop up noise to gain Noli’s attention. He stared at it, and the recipe instructions were not in sight but in fact a new text.
Master, you are making oatmeal porridge, not defusing bombs.
it was trying to be sarcastic while maintaining passiveness.
As he stirs, the porridge gradually thickens up, even a bit too much in his opinion. He stared at his gui. ‘I didn’t know it would turn thicker.’ He stared at the pot while stirring it, “spirits like his food runnier remember? I’m pretty sure I even wrote it in the fridge.”
How would I know?
the GUI typed out, but Noli didn’t notice.
He added another splash of milk to the mixture, trying to thin it out. sp1r1tz never liked food that fought back in his mouth right now. Hence why he keeps blending fruits when feeding him.
When the porridge reached a safe viscosity (in his opinion atleast), he reduced the heat of the stove, letting it simmer as he continued stirring in a slow pace constantly. Void instantly turned on a timer for 3 minutes.
Bells were ringing everyone’s ears in the apartment. Noli immediately turned off the timer and sighed in relief. 007n7 also heard it, covering his ears from what Noli saw. He daren’t look closer.
He sliced a banana into small triangles, lining them up on the cutting board like soldiers. Then he opened the fridge to grab a box of blueberries, inspecting the box to check any forms of rot or anything that indicated freshness in the blueberries. He picked out a few that fell off and plopped the remaining into the pot one by one, watching as they swirled into the depths of the oatmeal.
He stirred. The blueberries broke apart, the purple swirls bleeding into the oats.
The gui chimed in once again, grabbing Noli’s attention.
Master, This looks horrible.
The porridge is purple.
Noli just swayed his hand in front of it dismissing it. “It looks better this way. I’m sure spir would agree too.” he said, voice low.
Once the colour was even throughout the mixture, he poured half it into the baby bowl and added a dollop of a tablespoon of yoghourt in the center, and arranged the chunks of bananas at the side, trying to introduce more textures to him.
‘Would he even care that it looks nice?’ He thought to himself. The V01Dgui disappeared leaving sparkles where it once was. Text came out in his peripheral vision instead.
Well babies don’t usually see things aesthetic as we do. It should be fine.
“Thanks Void, really apprecia-” he mumbled before being cut off with a completely new text. It said ‘In my opinion, it looks horrendous though.’ “Excuse me?”…
Whatever I can just serve it. It’s colourful, he should like it.
“If we’re gonna do this, I gotta do it in style.” he said to no one in particular.
He set the bowl on the high chair table and pushed it down a bit so the suction cup below it would do its work. He added a small silicon spoon in front of sp1r1tz, who blinked at the purple oatmeal. Noli braced himself.
“C’mon, at least try it.” he whispered to the baby trying to sound casual. “I worked hard on it.”
sp1r1tz poked the banana once with his grubby finger — then with no hesitation, he plummeted his fist to the bowl and ate the porridge of his hand.
Noli sighed at the sight of sp1r1tz giggling at his high chair feet kicking in the air. “Spirits, dear, I gave ya spoon to eat with.” he said exhausted, trying to place the spoon in his fist, but alas sp1r1tz just threw the spoon down unto the messy mat. “Okay. Yeah that’s fine, we can have chaos in breakfast today. But that’s it for this week. No more.” he said, grabbing the dropped spoon from the floor to the sink.
He grabbed the soap beside the tap and used the sponge to clean the spoon. He didn’t want it to be full of bacteria so he washed it again while trying to get his mind off things. Before he realised it, he rinsed the toddler spoon in the sink for the third time.
It was already clean. But he did it again.
007n7 was still on the couch, scrolling nothing. His thumb moved, but his eyes were unfocused. Old chat logs flashed by like static. On his left hand, he was holding a small piece of toast that he finished in one bite.
007n7 came in to put his dishes there too. Staring at the mess beside him he couldn't help but feel something in his chest. He wasn't even sure what it was but it made him have goosebumps in one way or another.
He noticed that the star-shaped panel kept glitching in and out of reality which confused him since he never saw the V01Dgui acting like this for years.
“I think your GUI is glitching again,” 007n7 muttered finally.
Noli’s jaw flexed. “It’s not.”
“Cool.”
The silence stretched again.
Noli dried the spoon. Slowly.
sp1r1tz was done with his food at this point, and both noticed it. Noli grabbed the bowl and put it in the sink, redoing the process he did with the spoon, not looking up.
In the corner of his eye, he watched sp1r1tz hold out a toy noob to 007n7. The kid waved it once, like a white flag in soft plastic.
007n7 pretended not to see. He just wanted to clean his dishes. But Noli was in the way, and he too, was using the sink. He just went back to the couch. He thought maybe after Noli is done with washing the bowl he can just come back and wash his own dish later.
Noli stared at the new pile, unresponsive. He just kept scrubbing. Next thing you know, he finished washing his dish from earlier in the morning, sp1r1tz’s and the guest’s.
He took the baby from the high chair and carried him to his bedroom. Noli set sp1r1tz down gently on the bed, half-wrapped in his giraffe shorts, his tiny feet pattering against the rug. “Stay here.”he commanded while pointing on the bed. He quickly took the bed rail from the side of the room and assembled the cage around the bed. sp1r1tz looked up at him in confusion, tilting his head.
Noli open the door to the nursery and grabbed the toybox next to crib, placing it down inside the bed for sp1r1tz. “Keep playing here, I need to do something ok starlight?” Noli murmured, voice soft but distant.
sp1r1tz waddled towards the toy bin and grabbed a noob plushie, tapping it against the barrier trying ton conquer the wall.
Noli spawned V01D in plan to make her watch over sp1r1tz.
Master, I do am worried
as that sp1r1tz can still
get in danger as I have
no physical form.
“It’s fine. You can just call me in UI form if anything is concerning based on your database.”
As you wish.
It stood idly on the loction it was spawned, as Noli went back to the living room. 007n7 layed stretch across the couch cushion, his hoodie pulled tightly covering the lower half of his face. His laptop was unsurprisingly still on his stomach as he was scrolling through something with his mousepad. The screen’s blue light flicked in his glasses.
His hand kept swiping the mousepad at a fast pace. Nothing he looked stayed on the screen longer than a second — he wasn’t reading any of it.
He stared at 007n7, his gaze lingered a second too long for him to notice. Noli moved to the kitchen area once again, grabbing a formula bottle from the designated drier, filled it halfway with formula, shook it and set it down untouched.
A small drop of formula fell onto the countertop. He stared at it for a second. He wiped the counter. Then wiped it again. Same spot. Circular motion. Over and over even if it was clean. The ceiling fan ticked softly overhead. The fridge hummed like background static.
007n7 stared at Noli, looking at his pathetic built. He sort of felt pity for him, wasting his perfectly good life and future over a plaything.
“What.” Noli said, not looking up from the countertop.
007n7 didn’t say anything. “Sev I can feel you staring at me.”
....
‘It’s nothing. Should I say that?’ he thought to himself — in the end just deciding to stay silent for a bit more.
“I’m using the toilet. Don’t barge in this time.” was what 007n7 said instead. He went to the bathroom to wash his face only and stood still infront of the bathroom door. Noli was still in the kitchen doing whatever he is. He decided to close the bathroom door slowly to not make sound but instead went to Noli’s room instead of the living room.
sp1r1tz babbled something soft whe he saw 007n7. “Hi.” he said with a strained voice. He approached the bed a little more. “I’m not gonna hurt you. I guess.”
He stared at the baby and picked it up like a bag that was too heavy. “What does Noli see in you then I don’t?” he put the baby down. A strong stench filled the air, 007n7 summoned his c00lgui trying to disable his sense of smell. “Did you just fucking shit?”he stared at the baby with disgust, trying to find wipes in Noli’s room to clean his hand. There was none. He slowly crept out of his room and snuck into the bathroom minimising his noise to wash his hands.
Master, Mr.007n7
has entered your room.
“What?”
‘Did he hurt him?’
No, but he did drop him not as
gently as you do after lifting him
up in an odd way.
Noli didn't question about the dropping part as it was 007n7's nature to be rough. ‘How odd?’
Well, can you envision yourself carrying a
bag of rice? It sort of looks like that.
It backspaced all text.
I do not recommend lashing out of
him though. He did force a growing a
softspot on him.
007n7 emerged from the toilet and sat back on the couch, playing on his phone. He went to see the weird presence near him so h lowered his phone down to see Noli beside him, surprising him. “When were you here?” he asked tone lacking in emotion. “Am I not allowed to be wherever I want in my own home?” his asked, his mask’s glowing expression raising an eyebrow. “No, not at all.”
007n7 went back staring at his phone while Noli sat on the couch doing nothing. Staring at the black screen TV, doing nothing. He stood up and went back to his kitchen, organising his cabinets to do something to pass the time. 007n7 wanted to wipe his hands again reaching for a container of wewipes only to be greeted with nothing.
“You’re out of wipes,” 007n7 muttered suddenly, eyes still on his screen.
Noli glanced up.
“Mhm.”
“Thought you stocked extra.”
“I did.”
A pause.
“Well. You’re out now.”
Noli closed the cabinet louder than necessary. He walked out of the room to go to his bedroom, to play with sp1r1tz. The door didn’t slam, he entered as gently as possible for the sake of him. “Heya sp1r1tz.” picking him up and twirling him. “Hi!” He said than giggled. “Where’s papa’s favourite boy?” he saig giggling as he slowly sits down. “he!(here)” he said flailing his arms up. “That’s right!”Noli happily said booping his nose, and sp1r1tz grabbed it.
sp1r1tz pointed his free hand at the door. “You sure you want to go out?” Noli asked reluctantly. The kid nodded and giggled. “If you say so then,” Noli stood up and went to the living room, using his gui to store the playbox into his inventory.
“Don’t bump your head okay?” Noli said laying sp1r1tz down to the frieze carpet. He stood at the burned edge of the carpet, trying to duplicate the texture of the other parts of the carpet to mend it. The patch turned out grey instead of the original purple colour, but Noli thought it should be fine, as he could just die it with purple — better than a burned carpet.
sp1r1tz huddled himself into the toybox and took a noob figurine eating the head.
‘Isn’t that hazardous for a child? Even I know that.’ 007n7 thought to himself. He took the toy out of his mouth after a few seconds and held it towards the couch. “Hew,” the toddler mumbled, his little voice bright and clueless. 007n7 didn’t look up — he could see him from the corner of his eye. He kept scrolling on his device.
Noli grabbed a second towel from the back of a chair and started folding it. Slowly. Precisely. Like folding fabric could fix the mess in his heart.
VoidGUI flickered above the sink, its text faint in the corner of Noli’s vision.
Emotional latency: 86%
Suggesting neutral inquiry
or reinitialization of connection
Noli dismissed the panel with a flick of his fingers. The towel folding continued.
˗ˏˋ ᯓ✮ ˎˊ˗
In the living room, sp1r1tz dropped the toy on 007n7’s lap, desperate for attention. The noob figure bounced once and landed sideways beside his thighs. 007n7 looked at the toy, then at sp1r1tz, then back to his screen. "Hew!" sp1r1tz gestured holding the noob figurine with his grubby hands on top of the phone. 007n7 gently pushed the hand away and wiped his hands on his pants because of the saliva that stained it.
Noli watched from the corner of his eye. His mouth twitched—like he wanted to say something. Call him out; break the silence. But his throat stayed closed, and thankfully his mask didn’t detect that.
sp1r1tz, undeterred plopped down onto the carpet rummaging through the toybox trying to find something that 007n7 would like. With his kid mind, he thought 007n7 likes pink and red from his hair extensions, phonecase and accessories. He took out a little red demon figurine and put it on the purple carpet.. He found red plastic cups under the table and started stacking two cups. Plastic clacked softly with the crackling noise from the cups being hold harshly.
The baby never knew what tension was but he knew that the air felt heavy, and he would do anything to make it disappear like how his dad does it. So he made noise. Just to fill it. He stacked the cups into a lame tower with lazer focus. His little hands wobbled, but he kept going—tongue poking out in concentration. and added the demon figurine ontop trying to impress 007n7, tugging his pants to make him look up from his screen.
Noli folded another towel.
The fridge hummed louder.
007n7 kept scrolling.
None of hem spoke, then the cups toppled.
Not just toppled—exploded sideways like a physics glitch. sp1r1tz squealed and, with perfect toddler chaos energy, launched himself toward the coffee table in pursuit of one of the rolling cups. His foot caught the corner of the bottle Noli had left on the rug. Formula was everywhere — small white waves across the carpet. The plastic bottle spinning, still dripping.
“STARS-!” Noli moved fast, dropping the towel and scooping sp1r1tz up before he could face-plant.
007n7 flinched, pulling his legs up to the couch to dodge the mess.
Noli picked up sp1r1tz and checked for any bruises. The V01Dgui popped up to scan the mess. There was a second of frozen silence and someone finally spoke. “…Sorry,” 007n7 mumbled, brushing at his pant leg. “I—uh—I should’ve—” He cut himself off. The sentence hung there, half-built.
Should’ve what?
Stopped the baby?
Helped?
Said something last night?
He didn’t finish.
Noli spawned in a rag and wiped formula off sp1r1tz’s chin, eyes still focused downward.
His voice came out quiet, but not cold.
“It’s fine.”
It wasn’t.
But it was what they had right now.
007n7 reached for the baby wipe container on the side table before remembering—it was empty.
He blinked, laughed dryly under his breath.
“Still out of wipes,” he muttered, voice small.
Noli’s shoulders relaxed. Just a little.
sp1r1tz giggled and kicked his feet, sticky and delighted by the disaster he’d caused.
Noli held him close and finally let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.
Nothing was fixed.
But maybe something had shifted.
Just a little.
Notes:
4781 words
SORRY FOR THE WAIT I GENUINELY HAD TROUBLES WRITING TENSIONS
I KNOW 4K USUALLY TAKES ME A WEEK OR 1.5 WEEKS SORRY
Iminmydsmpphase on Chapter 1 Sat 31 May 2025 07:08AM UTC
Last Edited Sat 31 May 2025 07:09AM UTC
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BeeTime_351 on Chapter 1 Sat 31 May 2025 09:47AM UTC
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byleryaoimatrimony on Chapter 1 Tue 12 Aug 2025 04:21PM UTC
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BeeTime_351 on Chapter 1 Fri 15 Aug 2025 08:05AM UTC
Last Edited Fri 15 Aug 2025 08:06AM UTC
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