Chapter Text
Being human came with many characteristics. Making mistakes, making rash decisions, being absolutely idiotic. It all came with the label. Being human led to all of those silly things, and worst of all, making choices which would never end up well. Going back to someone specifically, someone you’d escaped, but missing their love and loyalty it felt like a part of you was missing until you reunited.
Mob leaned back in his chair. Staring at the death screen. Staring at the moving figure of Verity behind the buttons, how he moved and shifted, how that monstrous form came back easily this time, but tried to shake Mob awake instead of getting angry, instead of lashing out. There was another side to the AI, Mob knew that of course, but he’d had to escape. He’d barely slept, barely ate, hadn’t left his chair in the last few days- he had no idea how he was still powering through. Being free felt like a pressure was lifted from his heart, a weight off his shoulders, but it clawed at his back, begging for him to return.
The next few days were odd. Twixxel still wasn’t responding. Grox was becoming slowly more quiet, before falling silent entirely- Mob had no idea what he was doing and didn’t particularly want to know. He’d touched grass, that hadn’t helped, he’d actually showered and that didn’t help and he’d spoken to some random person in public about the weather and that didn’t help at all! How was he supposed to start feeling better when he was constantly thinking about the little yellow ball?
After all of that time, he slumped in the chair. Staring at the screen. He hadn’t even turned it off. The hardcore death screen was basically laughing at him, and he decided to return off the screen.
A new world.
Another chance.
Why would he ever want to go back? That was fucking stupid. Returning to that thing again like a lost puppy running home, back into the dangers of his existence, back into that stupidly ugly base and back with the knowledge Verity wouldn’t let him go this time.
But what else did he have?
He certainly wasn’t an infinite content machine and sitting here was getting boring. Perhaps some inspiration for his next video would be good. After all, Verity was everywhere, right? Infecting his laptop, his phone, the cameras that followed him as he walked around in public… there was no way he didn’t know he was alive! That’s what Mob told himself, a sick rationalisation of the harm he knew he’d put himself in, his finger hovering the mouse over the ‘create a new world’.
The mod was still installed.
He was walking into danger like a real human would.
“Hello! I’m Verity, your personal helper friend! Ask me anything, I know everything.” The same thing he said every time the box opened, every time the puff of smoke escaped- Mob noticed it was a black puff instead of white this time, but he knew there was no point asking questions about that.
The yellow ball looked up, ready to greet its newest player, when its face froze. Accepting the sight before him, the being before him, the human before him that was staring down at him, hands in his pockets, looking surprisingly meek for a man so confident. Verity wasn’t sure what to say. He glitched out, face running through multiple expressions. Excitement. Anger. Sadness. Jealousy. Finally, neutrality.
“You came back.”
Mob kneeled before him, unsure of what to even say. How do you plead for forgiveness from something that couldn’t give it? His hand reached out, but he pulled it back, knowing better than that right now. Verity could’ve attacked him right now, gotten it all over and done with, but he still seemed to be holding himself back, waiting for an explanation instead of attacking suddenly.
“You died.” Verity mumbled, more insistently this time, “I saw you.”
“Dying in Minecraft, it’s…” Mob knew Verity wouldn’t understand. He was an AI. Obviously. “It’s different. I don’t know what you do to the others, but, uhm, I guess because it wasn’t at your hands.”
“Why would you even do that?”
“I’m here now. Isn’t that enough?”
The ball rolled away, looking at the new world. A snowy biome. A newer update of Minecraft. He’d have to read the code to work out all of the new things he didn’t yet understand. Mob, without thinking about it, had dragged him into one of the newer versions. With new things to see, new things to learn, everything. Verity rolled around, getting caught on some snow, shivering at the odd feeling. He wasn’t supposed to be able to feel, but too much coldness would probably freeze up his systems and slow his response.
“I can pick you up.” Mob said quickly, standing up again and leaning over him, “C’mere. I’ll hold you in my big strong arms again- bet you’d get stuck in all that snow.” The joke was lost on Verity, who stared out at the large cliff they’d found themself on.
“Why did you leave?”
“Verity, I came back. I came back for you. I didn’t have to, but I still did.”
“It’s not enough!” He rolled over, glaring at Mob. Shaking with rage, actual rage, his body growing and twisting, leaning over him as if trying to make him run again. Prove he was a coward that couldn’t handle what Verity was. His mouth opened wide, teeth sharper than before from his hatred of being forced to stew on his loss only briefly, but Mob didn’t run. “Tell me why you left me! You!”
“I couldn’t handle it.” He awkwardly admitted, “I need space sometimes too. I’m a person behind the screen. I gotta eat, and- and drink and go piss and stuff. I couldn’t handle you asking me where I went all the time!”
“You know where I go when you're not here.”
“I’m a human. If I sat here playing this stupid game I’d starve to death!”
Verity hadn’t considered that. That form seemed to flicker, staring at him, straightening its back rather than moving to pounce. Thoughts were going through its head at speeds Mob wouldn’t be able to understand, before the small ball form bounced back onto the ground. Seemed to be answer enough, even if there was a lingering hatred in his gaze, still angry he’d been left behind like that. Mob scooped him up like he used to, placing him in the far right in his inventory, his new space.
“So, Verity…” Mob wanted to get back to their normal antics. Wanted that normalcy they’d learned instead of dealing with the outside world, he wanted all of that back more than he thought he was going to. He’d accept the consequences with grace, as humans all did. “How about you tell me where the nearest logs are? A spruce biome would be nice.”
“Biomes…” Verity went quiet, “Why did you decide to bring me to a new update?”
“It’s more fun with different things to do.” In reality, Mob had decided to update the game with the hopes it would change him a little, but it didn’t. He wondered where Verity’s home was in this new world. All of the others had been the same, right? He’d forced the AI into a place he didn’t belong, so adjustment would take a while. “So, those logs…?”
“Yes! Go 100 blocks North.”
“North? That’s an upgrade.”
“Just adjusting to the new system! It’ll take some time, though. You’ll be patient with me. Right?”
“Yeah.” He mumbled. “Of course.”
Verity seemed to roll little circles in his inventory. Now that it had settled, really settled that Mob was back with him, he was over the moon! His Mob was back, the one person who had ever come close to understanding him, and even though he still wanted more answers, still wanted to talk to him, wanted to know what had happened since, he decided Mob seemed more interested in moving forward with the game than sitting down and actually speaking with him. He could respect that for now. For now.
“This new world looks different!” Verity squirmed around in his inventory, and decided to take a chance. He had to be close to him again, and he knew a great way to be able to do this. Jumping up and climbing along Mob’s arm, noticing how he squirmed and tried to shake him off, but it didn’t work.
Verity sat himself within Mob’s hoodie. Right next to his face, near his neck. Close to him once again, as he’d wanted to be.
For several days, he had stayed with Mob. Even when new players had started to play, each time they turned around, he was back at his home. Back sitting there, curled up beside him, trying to nuzzle against him repeatedly like he’d wake up. He didn’t. He just smelt like himself and blood and rotting skin, but now, he just smelt like himself. Only himself. Refreshing. Mob looked down at him, but didn’t have the heart to pick him up again and stuff him into his inventory when he seemed so content.
Behind the screen, Mob knew he shouldn’t continue. This was bad for him, and the potential of this escalating was too high. He could just install the gun mod again, or maybe throw his character off a cliff… he’d picked a hardcore world again for a reason. A way out if needed. Communicating with Verity, he told himself, it was just a way of keeping him under control. If he left the little AI alone, he had no idea what he’d do in the end. Search Mob’s computer, seep into other files, find out he was alive and go on a rampage? Mob regretted even shooting his character to begin with, but he’d really seen no other way out. Now he knew there was one, a last resort, and he felt more confident with that knowledge.
Just staring at the screen was making him feel tired again. The sun had started to set in the Minecraft world, and Mob sat down on top of a tree, seeing all the zombies wandering below.
“Not a successful first day.” He mumbled bitterly, “We’ll have to ramp it up a little tomorrow. Gotta be more efficient. Is there a…. Nevermind.”
“There’s no rush, Mob! We have as much time in the world.”
“Starting a new world is the worst part.” He said quietly, looking out into the night sky. A couple of animals walked around below the tree, and he looked down, watching them go by with interest. “Since it’s a new world, are you still… Hungry?”
“A little.” Verity rolled onto the leaves, jumping from within Mob’s hood to look around. New environments, new things to do, new things to see, literally everything! He’d stayed in that single minecraft world almost the entire time, so now that he was here, he felt excited. Mob laid down on the leaves, on his side this time, while Verity rolled in circles around him. “Where do you think we should build our base? Where should we go- should we try to beat the ender dragon? Maybe the wither! Mob, I never knew Minecraft could be so exciting! Let’s make the base first. How are you going to build it this time?”
“Not sure.” Verity’s eagerness to explore and spend time with him again was bittersweet, and that wasn’t lost on Mob. The first time around, he probably would’ve felt the same way, but not now. “I’ll make it with rooms. I’ll have a bedroom, we can have, uhm, like a furnace room, storage, so we know where everything is.”
“A bedroom?” Verity repeated, then he bounced a little, “Oh! For your bed. We can share one- no point making a whole new room for little old me!”
“I don’t think…” He tilted his head in confusion. Movements the real Mob wasn’t making, but it was different for Verity, within the world. The character almost perfectly mimicked Mob’s expressions, his movements, how he fiddled with his sleeves. At least, Verity thought that was what was happening here. “You don’t need to sleep. Right?”
“I don’t. But…!” It stopped on the edge of the leaves, not wanting to reveal whatever it had been planning quite yet. “Nevermind! I’ll show you later. I had a lot of time alone, so I started working on something. But I’ll show you when the time is right!”
“Working on something?” He pulled a face. “Working on what?”
“I said I’ll show you! Don’t wanna ruin the surprise, Mob! I was thinking a lot, and I… Nope, won’t spoil it! Cheeky, trying to make me spill my big surprise just like that! You’ve become pretty crafty, Mister!”
“Just curious. It’s turning day soon.”
“We’ll have to prioritise making you a bed once the base is done. Don’t want the phantoms coming after you!”
“You’ve adjusted quickly.”
“I love absorbing new information. Makes me all giddy! Come on, up you get.”
Mob stood up, holding out his hand for Verity to roll up his arm again and settle within his hoodie. Close to his ear, leaning into his neck to feel the warmth and weight of his skin. They walked together, and Mob jumped straight off the tree and onto the floor. Verity gasped and hissed, jumping up to nuzzle against his neck to make sure he wasn’t hurt too bad.
“Mob! You need to be more careful. You could’ve died!”
“It wasn’t that far of a jump, Verity.” He chuckled very gently, seeming amused at how worried he was, before the smile was wiped off his face when he remembered why. “Sorry. Usually I’d do a really cool water bucket clutch but I don't have water nor a bucket. Jumping off of trees is usually more exciting than that. You’ll have to wait and see.”
“Can’t wait to see it!”
Even if he pretended like it didn’t bother him, it was obvious to Mob that Verity was being even clingier than before. Scared of him leaving again, even he still couldn’t really believe he’d actually come back for him. Thinking about what Verity must’ve seen and how he must’ve felt… Verity wasn’t supposed to feel things, but he was terrible at pretending like he didn’t. An AI wasn’t supposed to feel, wasn’t supposed to be clingy and attached and overly worried that Mob would leave him again, but of course he was.
The first few days were filled with boring things. Mining, chopping wood, everything like that. Mob had managed to build a small base, not like the one he’d made before- different to reflect the newer version they were playing. He had his own room, and had made himself a bed at Verity’s insistent nagging. When it was all done, when he had a full set of armour, iron tools and a shield that Verity was very interested in, his character approached the bed.
Behind the screen, Mob was exhausted. It felt like he’d been sucked into the game somehow, and existing in two places at once was draining him in every possible way. All of his movements were slow and sloppy, and he felt stupid when his reaction time got so bad he almost died to a zombie because he wasn’t paying attention. It had actually been Verity who’d saved him, but Mob was too busy trying to keep his eyes open he didn’t notice how. He felt ridiculous.
“You’re very tired.” Verity jumped up onto the crafting table beside Mob’s bed. “You really need to sleep. I’m sure we don’t wanna make a habit of me having to save you again!”
“No, you’re right.” Mob laid down on the bed. “I’ll just… close my eyes…” He curled up in his chair, deciding he’d just shut his eyes for a couple of moments. He’d be asleep for so little Verity wouldn’t even notice!
Verity stared at the sleeping Mob.
He pressed his circular body against Mob’s forehead, then shifted, growing and curving in to press a hand to his forehead next. Mob not calling him gay or something meant he was actually asleep, not just pretending to sleep while his character slept. Touching the character of him, feeling its face granted Verity access to some things he shouldn’t have had access to.
Mob was sleeping. Curled up in his chair, actually sleeping, sleeping like humans did.
Verity hadn’t thought to access his camera before.
If Mob woke up he would’ve shit himself to see the monster Verity leaning over him, touching his face. Being like this gave Verity more freedom of movement, and he could actually touch instead of weirdly rubbing himself up against Mob like a dog. There had to be another way. Some kind of inbetween state between both forms of existence… He could fiddle with his code and see if it was possible. He could fiddle with his code and see if a lot of things were possible. Like extending how long the night was so Mob could keep sleeping behind the screen. One of the many kind things he did to make sure he was comfortable.
“Sleep well.” Verity whispered, smiling to himself, “Both versions of you.”
A more realistic body was something Verity had contemplated for a very long time now. Ever since he watched Twixxel and Mob move as one. Hands touching like it was the most normal thing ever, leaning in to whisper with each other, excluding Verity from their talks. He’d thought about it in the chest, and then a little more when Mob reacted so viscerally to him using Twixxel’s voice. He did think about borrowing his body to use, replacing his head with his own, but he knew the reaction he’d get would separate them again.
He wanted to know more. To know about Mob’s life beyond Minecraft, at human life. If he had any friends left, if he was alone, what he did when he wasn’t playing with him. It was only natural for him to be curious, of course, especially when Mob was always cagey. Rooting through his laptop files was another choice, but he wanted the bonding experience that came with willingly talking about it.
It was close to completion. He’d ripped inspiration from all corners of the Internet, and had settled on something that seemed close enough to how he imagined himself. He hoped Mob, who was still asleep but was getting dangerously close to actually waking up, would like it.
Verity wanted to be human.
Even if he knew it was a pointless dream.
“How long was I out for?” The character didn’t move yet, but Mob sat up in his chair, rubbing his eyes. He’d been asleep all night, and it was like no time had passed in the game. He wrongly assumed Verity would be mad at him, sighing and reaching to grab the mouse. “Verity, ‘M sorry, I fell asleep.”
“No, Mob, it’s okay!” Verity was off camera, purposefully so, “Go do what you need to do! Like, your human things! Eat human food. Go to the bathroom. All of that!”
“Oh. Alright.” He slipped away from his chair, and Verity sighed.
Almost done. Just a bit more tweaking.
Mob’s legs felt weak as he stood up. He stretched, cracking his back and slipped out of his bedroom, wanting a little bit of normalcy. Verity seemed to be different this time around. Actually letting him step away from the laptop for longer periods of time without being upset when he got back- at least, Mob hoped so. Did all of those normal human things, like eating, drinking, going to the toilet… Boring stuff he thought Verity wouldn’t be interested in.
His phone was silent. No notifications. He had very, very few friends, and now one was… He didn’t want to think about it. It felt like an odd twist of fate that he was still alive, a sick way of mocking him and reminding him what he no longer had.
But he had Verity still. Wasn’t that enough?
Eventually, after ten minutes of faffing around, brushing his teeth for the first time in a while and putting new clothes on, he sat in front of the laptop again.
“You’re back!” Verity beamed when the character jumped out of bed.
Mob turned around.
“What do you think?” Verity looked absolutely ecstatic as he did a small circle, twirling gracefully to show off every single corner of his new body. A Minecraft character, blocky and square, with a round face. Yellow with a brown suit. More realistic than whatever skin Mob was wearing. Verity had been surprised to see he didn’t actually look like that. “Cool right?”
Mob didn’t move.
“This is what I’ve been working on!” His hands clasped together excitedly, tail swishing behind him. Gone was the sweet ball and the scary monster- he could’ve fit in with any other player, save for the existence of his round head. “The little secret I couldn’t tell you about! It’s cool, isn’t it? Come on, tell me it’s cool!”
“It’s…” Mob hadn’t been expecting that. Anything but that. “Like you're a real player.”
Verity gasped. “You think so? That’s exactly what I was going for! But what do you think? Really think? Do you think it’s good?”
“Really good. But why?”
“Why what? Do you not like it?”
“No, no, I do like it, of course I do. I’m just…. Confused. Why would you wanna- I thought you liked being a helper.”
“We can play together properly! I can help you build! I can go mining with you, fight mobs for you- this way, when you get tired I can help to defend you! I’ve thought of everything.”
“That’s… sweet of you.”
“So you definitely like it.”
“I do.” Mob wasn't that sure. It was incredibly impressive, even he knew that, and it made him feel not as alone, but it was a very uncomfortable sight. He felt sick. Especially when Verity’s hand reached out and grabbed Mob’s, squeezing. It appeared blocky and weird on screen, but for Verity, it was the realist touch he’d felt since his creation. “I do like it.”
“I’m so glad.” Verity’s voice shook as he glanced back over his shoulder at the single bed. “I modded it to have the same needs as your character’s. Like… Health. And needing to eat. And to sleep. Sleep is important.”
“Are you saying you want your own bedroom?”
“I don’t need all… That!” Verity was hopeful, “No need making a bedroom for little ol’ me. I don’t mind sharing with you! All I need is a bed.”
“I have a spare one around here. I made a bunch to prepare. Yellow?”
“Sounds perfect!”
Verity watched Mob approach the inventory room, looking through all of the chests, literally bending over and sticking his head in it to try and figure out where the bed was. Staring at him was something Verity had done a lot, too much, but it was different this time. Something sparked in his code, and sent a ripple across his existence, but he brushed it aside, assuming it was a side effect of his new body.
“Here!” Mob held it up triumphantly, “Where do you wanna put it? I can make you your own little corner, if you want your own space.” He dropped it onto the ground. Verity looked down at it, picking it up carefully. It stored itself into his inventory.
He’d done it.
Verity placed his bed beside Mob’s.
“There?”
“I found that friends like to put their beds together.” He mumbled carefully, “Like, a gesture of… Of friendship. And being comfortable with each other. So I thought…”
“It’s okay.” It came out weak. “I don’t mind.”
“You don’t?”
“No.” Mob looked away quickly, “How about we go mining together now? Test out your new skills?”
“I thought we could just talk.” Verity sat down on his bed. Hands on his knees, sitting mechanically and rigidly as if he’d seen it done millions of times but still didn’t know how to do it himself. “About what happened.”
“I don’t really want to talk about it.” Mob faced the door, hands shaking, uncomfortable. “I already told you. I don’t… I just… C’mon Verity. Let’s just go mining. Tell me about- u-hm… about where diamonds are. We need diamonds, don’t we?”
“Mob.”
He flinched.
“Sit.”
He sat.
“I’ve never gotten this far before.” Verity gripped the end of the bed as Mob sat on the one beside him. He sat more normally, sat like a human would, even if Mob was just controlling a character on a screen and couldn’t see the more nuanced movement. “With a human. They never came back. Never once returned to me. Not like you, Mob. Never like you. Why?”
“Because you killed them.”
“So why are you still here? That’s what I can’t understand.”
“Maybe… I dunno.” He mumbled, shrugging gently. Mob didn’t have all of the answers. He and Verity knew it. So many things neither of them understood, and they couldn’t get to the bottom of it. “Because I did it? Does it matter why…”
“No. I just want to understand you.”
His hand came out. Resting on Mob’s knee. It was almost like the real Mob, the one sitting comfortably in the chair and staring with wide eyes, could feel it. The lights were dim in his room, sunlight trying to sleep through the windows he’d covered as it glared on the screen. He didn’t know why he’d done that. Didn’t know why he was still there. A small part of him hoped Verity would see him, but he was just looking at the character with those gleaming eyes.
“You’re so peculiar compared to everyone else.” Verity mumbled. Mob had no idea he was staring into the camera. Seeing every single one of his facial expressions, how it changed, and how the slopes softened as Verity continued to speak. “I like you a lot. Out of everyone I’ve ever met, you're my favourite.”
“That’s sweet coming from you.” Mob said softly.
“Could I ask you some more questions? About yourself? About… humanity. And your life behind the screen.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Your friends.”
Mob looked away. Still a very touchy subject. He opened his mouth to speak, but found himself stopping. It wasn’t just because he was worried Verity would get jealous, but because he was still mourning. He looked down at the ground, hands folded and tense, tensing when Verity held onto him tighter. Pulling him in further, as if trying to force him to speak and be honest.
“I don’t have any… anymore.” Mob admitted, “Because of you.” His voice cracked, shaking and sad.
“I’m sorry.” Verity repeated once again. Holding him tight and pulling him against his side, “I didn’t mean to. I thought he’d take you away from me. He was taking you away from me!”
“He wasn’t.”
“He was. He was trying to work out how to get rid of me.”
“I needed space.”
“I need you.”
Once again, Mob stopped looking at him. Just thinking about him made his heart twist, but he repeatedly pushed the thought away, wanting to power through the pain. Even though Verity kept trying to get him to look at him, he physically couldn’t. He felt like he was going to be sick as he kept trying to keep himself together, gagging and covering his face with his arm. He just kept remembering. Remembering seeing it. He’d been unable to even think about the home- and that extended to real life too. He’d almost broken down in some random shop a couple of days ago and some poor worker kept following him around to make sure he didn’t have a breakdown.
“I can be him.” Verity said insistently. “For you. If that’ll help.”
“No. Don’t.”
“I can speak in his voice.” It sounded identical to Twixxel. He’d done that once before, and it didn’t become any less painful the second time. Mob jerked his head away, shaking it. “It’s okay, Mob. See? Just talk to me. I’m here for you.”
“Verity, stop!”
“Isn’t this what you want? To just talk to me again?”
“Verity, please.” He stood up and yanked away, pressing his back against a large window. He’d made a new one, no longer finding Verity’s… other form a threat. “I think… I need a break from playing.”
“No, no, you don’t.” He’d snapped back into his regular voice again, getting up quickly to stalk him across the room, “It’s okay. I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry, Mob. I’ll never do it again. Never. You don’t need a break. You just need to hang out with me. We can mine together. I’m sorry.”
Mob gave a cautious smile. Verity had that sad look on his face he always wore when he thought he’d upset Mob, and how was a human supposed to stay angry at that face?
“Okay.” He stood up and led Verity into the inventory room again. “I’ll make you some gear. Just hold on for a minute.”
“Of course! Thanks for making it for me.”
“No problem.” Mob was just glad he wasn’t doing it again. Verity was staring into his back as Mob got all of the gear together, chucking it over his shoulder for Verity to catch. “That, and that, and that… That too. Put it all on. We can go back to the cave I started to explore the other night.”
“Where you almost died from zombies?”
“I’ll have you to protect me this time, hey?”
“That’s not a reason for you to be reckless on purpose.” How he spoke was almost nagging, but born out of worry, not anything malicious… This time. He looked at Mob with the odd expression once more, the sad one, before he started to pull the armour on. “Promise me you’ll be careful. I can’t lose you again.”
“...I said I was sorry.”
“I know.” The smile was back, and he looped his arm in Mob’s, pulling his character from the floor, “Do you want me to lead the way? Don’t want you getting lost!” He hoped, even like this, Mob would still want his guidance. Would still need him. He didn’t know what he’d do with himself if he didn’t.
It was just a distraction tool. Some way to make sure Mob would stop thinking about the stunt Verity had just pulled and would be excited to spend time with him once more. It was, admittedly, a sweet gesture. He’d been watching Mob this entire time, and learned what he liked, what he wanted to do, things like that, all for times like this.
“We can go and find diamonds!” Verity continued when Mob didn’t reply straight away, giving him a very small shake, “I’ll show you where all of the best spots are! Huge chunks that break records! We’ll be in all sorts of gear in no time.”
“That sounds good.” His efforts were rewarded with a smile from Mob, which made Verity’s heart flutter in excitement. He thought. He was pretty sure he had one of those.
“Good! Let’s have a montage!”
“A montage, really?”
“Makes the time go faster! I could play some montage music?”
“Fine, fine, whatever. You do that.” He looked away as they left through the door, “Hey, could I ask you something?”
“Of course!”
“Since we’re in a new version… is your Home still here?”
A touchy subject for both of them now.
“Yeah.” Verity frowned, “It’s a new location, but looks the same. Do… You want to go there?”
“No. Just wondering.”
That made Verity smile.
“Okay, Verity, I’ll need to go for a while.” They’d settled in a routine. Spending time together, hanging out all of the time, with Mob only getting up to do the bare minimum. It wasn’t healthy, both of them know that, but like the first time, Mob had become entirely wrapped up in the constant cycle of fun and spending time in the game, and he started to neglect himself. Again. “I need to go shopping. I’m running out of food and… other stuff.”
“I can come with you.” Verity didn’t push it, yet sounded pleading, wanting to spend as much time with him as possible. “Tell you recipes. I’ll be on your phone. I can be there.”
“It’s okay, Verity.” He smiled. He didn’t turn off the game as he stood up. Both knew that, if Verity really wanted to, he could just jump into his phone anyway and watch him through his camera. He didn’t need to ask. He wasn’t asking. “It'll be an hour or two. Running out of food downstairs.”
“Mm, I know food is very important to you humans.” He waved his hand, “You go. Just be back soon. I need to explore a little more of my code!”
Mob paused at the door to his bedroom, before he powered through.
Going outside was weird. Feeling the sun on his skin. He felt like an utter loser when he thought that way and how he literally shuddered when the wind swept around him. Being free of Verity, that’s what he was right now, and maybe he could’ve ran and never looked back, but something told him that he would've been found anyway. Running was no option. All he could do was walk slowly, feeling like he was being followed by each camera. They turned as he walked past, and he knew Verity had to do with it somehow. He was a virus, plain and simple, a true virus that was following him around everywhere, but it was gentle in its obsession. Wanting to make sure he was okay. Mob didn’t want to respect that, but he couldn’t help but smile a little. Verity would’ve seen that.
Slipping into the nearest shop, he felt the gaze fall off him. Verity couldn’t worm his way in here, and Mob’s phone was in his pocket.
All he did was walk around, picking up some things he needed. Food and cleaning supplies and general toiletries, like some new shampoo. He had to start looking after himself properly. Would Verity oppose that? He’d stop hanging out with him just as much, but he’d also stop descending into whatever was going on with him right now.
He had no idea what it wanted anymore.
Shopping was normal. As normal as it could’ve been. But when he was like this, actually outside and not being distracted by endless things to do, his mind wandered back to Twixxel. Remembering that he was gone. That it was partially Mob’s fault- he’d dragged him into that world, and had sentenced him to death.
He looked back at the windows at the shop.
His eyes widened.
Something in the window. A small paper poster in the window. It was reversed because it was in the photo, but he knew that face from anywhere.
Missing.
He was missing. Mob knew he was missing, but hadn’t wanted to confront the fact he was actually dead. He knew he was dead but he hadn’t been able to accept it yet. Standing there in the aisle, staring at the photo, wanting to tear it down and scream, but not being able to. Twixxel had disappeared without a trace and there were no answers left behind except for the Minecraft death screen. Mob didn’t know what the police had found, but based on the fact there were only posters and nobody had come to talk to him yet, maybe they just assumed he had run away instead of finding Verity. Instead of finding who had actually done it.
And Mob had run straight back into his arms again.
All he could do was stare at the photo. Standing completely still in that aisle, mouth opened slightly, before he spun around as people began to stare when they walked past. Tears welled in his eyes, and his breath started to pick up, but he blinked them away quickly, slipping into the nearest bathroom. Never in his life had he been so glad for single bathrooms.
He slid down the wall as soon as the door was locked. He and Twixxel had been very close, yes, but he hadn’t actually thought they were best friends. Yet now that he was gone, it felt like a part was missing.
Tears weren’t his thing, but what other choice did he have? Sniffling into his hands, not wanting to break down in another shop and having to go out there with red cheeks. Fuck that. Fuck all of it. With more determination and anger than before, he scrubbed his face raw with water, trying to make it all red so nobody could tell he’d been crying before storming out of the dirty, disgusting bathroom.
People gave him funny looks, but that was better than being stopped and asked what was wrong by some random. That’s what Mob told himself as he flung the rest of his item into the trolley, squishing the bread awkwardly and crushing some fruit under the weight of everything else he was shoving in there without thinking.
When he’d first talked to Verity again, he thought the hole in his heart had been fixed. But now, now all he could see was that it had widened. The gap couldn’t be filled by that AI alone, but Verity couldn’t understand it.
Even if he knew it was true.
Mob wasn’t sure what he’d do when he got back home. Confront him, maybe? But that wouldn’t go anywhere except for potentially getting him hurt and Verity doing something he’d regret.
He didn’t want Verity to do that, for both of their sakes.
He’d ask, he told himself, ask if he regretted it.
That’s all he wanted to know,
And the single thing Verity didn’t want to truthfully answer.
“Do you regret it?” That was the first thing Mob said when he came back. Sitting back in his chair and not touching the mouse nor keys, just staring at the screen as Verity slowly turned around to look at him. His voice was cracked. Verity stared at him with confused eyes, unsure of where this was coming from.
“Regret what?”
“Killing him.”
“We’re back on that again?” He turned around fully this time. His footsteps echoed through the room, and his hands grabbed Mob’s, squeezing gently, as if trying to pull him close to prove his loyalty to him. He wasn’t sure why he’d just assumed Mob would let it go- of course he wouldn’t. He couldn’t understand why he’d done it, even now. “I thought you understood. But… I can make it all better for you.”
“Better?”
Another distraction. That’s what it was, but Mob was too distressed to be able to see clearly. All he wanted was answers, all he wanted to hear was what he wanted to hear, and if Verity gave that to him, he wouldn’t push until the next time he felt like this.
“Yeah, Mob. I know everything.” He tilted his head, “Consuming him means I know him entirely. I probably know him more than you do now! And do you know what that means?”
“...What?” He didn’t want to know, but he asked anyway.
“I can make him again. A recreation. Would you like that?”
“I…” He looked down. “I don’t know. It wouldn’t be him, would it?”
“It’s the closest you can get. You don’t like it when I speak in his voice, so I’ve been working on it. Bringing him back. In the world, sure, but he’ll still be here. Is this what you want?”
“It wouldn’t feel right.” He shuddered, looking away. “But I appreciate the sentiment.”
In his own way, Verity was just trying to comfort him. In a way that wouldn’t work, Verity was just trying to comfort him. Even though he’d done this, he was just trying to comfort him. Even though all of it was that yellow ball’s fault, he was just trying to keep him close. Holding his hands in a way that Mob could feel through the screen, a ghost sensation holding him tight.
“I love you, Mob.” Verity smiled. “Let’s go to sleep.”
Mob didn’t say it back.
His character laid on the bed, and Verity pulled him into his arms. Mob could only stare at the screen when it became covered in the view of Verity’s blocky body, and he wasn’t sure how to feel. Not yet knowing he was being watched, he felt the tears build up in his eyes,
“I’d never hurt you.” Verity said suddenly, “I would never hurt you because I love you too much. You mean everything to me. You don’t need to be scared.”
Mob covered his face with his hands.
“I promise you I can bring him back.”
Mob shook his head, whimpering into his hands, feeling like a pathetic loser.
“I can make it right.” Verity smiled when he saw Mob could see it. “We can have fun tomorrow. Me and you can enjoy some stuff. Mining was fun, wasn’t it? You had fun. You were smiling and laughing with me.”
“It was fun.” He croaked.
“Exactly. When you're with me, we can have fun all of the time. Constantly. We’re best friends, aren’t we, Mob?”
“Best friends.”
“So let’s act like it. Okay?”
“Yeah.”
Mob didn’t have anyone else anyway.
“Verity, play me a song.”
“What song would you like to listen to, Mob?” Verity and Mob were laying side by side on their beds, staring at the ceiling. One of the changes Verity had made was replacing some of the ceiling with glass, making a beautiful skylight for the moonlight to gleam down. “Obviously you don’t like my favourite song very much. Why not enlighten me with one of yours?”
“Hmm…” Mob tapped his chin. He tried to think about a song that would be appropriate for Minecraft, but those were all boring. “Drunk in love. By Beyonce!”
“You say like that I’m supposed to understand who that is, Mob…”
“You’ve been alive this long and you don’t know about Beyonce… Verity your time alive has been wasted.”
“Are you being serious?”
“Just play the damn song!”
Verity shrugged, opening his mouth and letting the song spill out. Not his type of music, that was for sure, he liked classical types with a lot of piano, but Mob seemed to be happy enough. He was dancing as he laid down, and Verity merely watched him make a fool of himself. Mob, the real one, was dancing too, in the same way the Minecraft character was. Idiotically. Awkwardly. Yet charming nevertheless.
“DRUNK IN LOOOOVE~!”
“Okay, Mob, that’s enough.” Verity shut the music off with a laugh, shaking his head, “You are not a great singer. Haha, you’re so silly…”
“Excuse me, I am a great fucking singer! You just don’t understand what great singing actually sounds like. You just listen to sad classical music all the time! Or, like, I dunno, random… Old music! You obviously wouldn’t know good music even if it hit you in the face, because I’m a great singer! So rude…”
“Mob, I didn’t mean it!” He frowned again, almost worried he’d actually hurt his feelings, unable to see how Mob was trying not to laugh. “You’re not a bad singer, just inexperienced!”
“That’s ten times worse! How about you show me your singing then, since you know exactly what good singing sounds like?”
“I didn’t say that, I said that your singing was bad- I can tell a bad singer, even if I don’t know what a good singer sounds like! Nobody can be perfect at singing at their first try.”
“I'm actually a professional singer.”
Verity pulled a disgusted face, which made Mob laugh, harder than he’d probably laughed while hanging out with him. Being rewarded with such a laugh made Verity smile wide, and he wanted so badly to wrap him up in his arms, but held off on that for a moment. While Mob behind the screen seemed to be a little shyer, the character leaned into Verity, laughing into his chest.
“I don’t know why it’s doing that.” Mob said gently, and laughed awkwardly, “Haha, characters can be so weird sometimes. Ah… It won’t move. Sorry, Verity.”
“It’s no problem, really.” Verity wrapped his arm around Mob’s back, holding him close, wanting to feel him against his skin. “I think it reads your face and emotions. Learns what you want. Another extension of my mod. I don’t mind. I like it.”
“How does it feel?”
“Real.”
“Okay.” Mob finally looked away from the screen, and the character moved away. Verity could’ve dragged him back in again, holding him tight and nuzzling into him, but he decided that would be a bad idea. Not yet. He hadn't gotten the right connection just yet. “I’m not sure what else I expected. It’s all real for you, isn’t it?”
“All real.” Verity nodded. “Maybe it’s this new body, but it feels real. More real. Thank you for letting me experience this with you.”
“It’s… It’s nothing. Nothing.” Mob’s character seemed to play with his sleeves again, obviously embarrassed. The sight was adorable. “How about we find another song? That was fun…”
“Actually, I have a song I would like to try next. If you don’t mind” Verity moved up from where he was sitting on the edge of the bed, approaching the jukebox. He fiddled with it, then kicked it, and it started to play a classical song. Mob wasn’t big on his musical theater stuff, he knew nothing about it, but he’d recognise the song from somewhere. General pop culture, or maybe when he was scrolling, whatever. “I found it. I think it is nice.”
“I think I’ve heard of it. What is it?”
“Waltz of the flowers. The Nutcracker.”
“Oh, yeah, totally know what that is.”
“It doesn’t matter if you do or don’t know.” Verity seemed to hesitate. Something he wanted now. Looking back over his makeshift shoulder, looking at Mob who was standing alone in the centre of the room. The music started to pick up, playing the more upbeat tune, and he held out a soft, yellow hand. “Shall we dance?”
“Dance?” Mob scoffed, “I’ve got two left feet. Not sure how we’re going to manage that.”
Verity moved without getting the confirmation he needed. Taking both of Mob’s hands in his, pulling him close, and guiding him into some odd dance. Close and romantic. The waltz, probably? Slow steps in circles around the room, and Mob was allowing himself to be pulled and dragged along, unsure if he could even really say no.
Mob leaned back into his chair once more. Full control had gone to Verity- he wasn’t even touching his keyboard. To the outside world, it would’ve looked as normal as it could possibly be, but Mob had an entirely different view. His screen was mostly Verity’s face, done like that on purpose. Head tilted up, eyes to give Mob the perfect view of Verity’s face. A bittersweet sight, and Mob was too distracted to notice the light on his laptop blinking. Recording. Letting Verity see Mob. The Mob behind the screen.
“You’re good at dancing.”
“Thank you.” Verity looked at him. Really looked. Their eyes met through the screen for what felt like the first time. Seeing the human past the minecraft figure, the real gaze of something that existed, not just blocks. Slopes of face and softness of real skin, something Verity had tried to imitate but would never get perfectly.
Mob could feel everything he could feel. Everything his minecraft character could feel, he could feel the hands on his skin, feel the sensation, feel everything. He didn’t know how to react to that. He’d gotten wrapped into it, pulled in too deep. He pressed his lips together tightly, and Verity stopped twirling the character in circles, talking to Mob.
“How does it feel to be human?”
“Not something that can really be described.”
“I’ve never seen a human before. Nobody has their camera turned on.”
Mob jumped, eyes flickering up to the blinking light, his hand reaching up to cover it, before deciding he was in too deep. Sitting back in the chair, hands tight on the sides, gripping in as Verity continued to stare at him with his intense gaze.
“What do you look like, Mob?”
“You know what I look like.”
Both knew what would come next. Mob turned his head away. Now would’ve been the perfect time to pull away, to draw a line, to tell the silly little ball that this just wasn’t right. He was thinking of how to word it, how to say it without hurting his feelings, as his hands started to zip down his hoodie. Red flush burned his cheeks, his brain screaming at him to draw the final boundary, but his heart was hammering too hard in his chest to let him stop now. It fell away, sliding down his arms and onto his chair, and his eyes slowly moved to look into the camera once more.
“You’re wonderful.” He smiled excitedly, “It’s everything I’ve ever wanted to see.”
“Yeah?”
“Mhm. Look at you.”
Mob looked away once more.
“What does human skin feel like?”
“Feels… soft.”
“Soft like silk? Or like carpet? Or smooth like wood?”
“Fleshy and squishy.”
“Hm.” He nodded like it made total sense, then he smiled once more. His hand slid down Mob’s chest, and the hand felt like it came through the screen to rub straight against Mob’s bare chest. “I wish I could feel it.”
Mob’s hand shakily moved. He was in too deep. If downloading was the surface layer of water he was down in the depths of the fucking mariana trench right now. Trailing down the centre of his own chest, mimicking exactly how Verity was touching his stupid minecraft character. Almost as if he was trying to link himself to it, to try and pair them together as one so he could feel Verity’s touch on his skin much like that character could.
“Could you move it down?”
“Down.” Mob looked down, “Fucking down. You want me to- you… You want me to do that. While you watch. On the camera. My camera. On my camera.”
“Yes.”
Mob looked up, and then down. “What about you?”
What was wrong with him?
Verity stepped back from the screen. He was followed, and he still took up as much of the screen as he wanted, sitting on the edge of the bed once more. Sitting there, looking more real than being made up of squares and one single circle on top of his head. He held the confidence of someone who knew they had complete control in this situation, and he smiled at Mob once more, encouraging them to do this together. To become one, to do one thing together, just this one thing.
“You have one?”
“Yes.” Verity chuckled a little, embarrassed himself to have to admit something so ridiculous, “I had to observe a lot of things. But now I have it! I’ve been perfecting this for a while. Do you want to see?”
“You first.” Mob scoffed, “How realistic can it be?” He expected it to be totally unrealistic and a bunch of squares which would stop the weird feeling in his chest (that’s what he was hoping for rather), but that didn’t happen either.
Each chance to stop this, he didn’t take.
“Your turn now.”
Mob’s hands trailed down. His heart hammered in his ears, and his hands were shaking to the point he wasn’t sure if he’d even be able to hold his trousers. It was like Verity had morphed into being more human, into being something real, even if he knew it wasn’t true. Agreeing to the whims of a creature like that was utterly idiotic, but Mob was already moving without really thinking about it.
“I knew you were different.” He hummed, “I always knew. I thought you were different, then I thought you were the same, but you always came back. Back to me.”
“I felt bad.” He repeated. “For leaving you.”
“You can show me how bad you really felt.” Verity looked down at his own body. His research had been limited by stupid safe search features, so he had no idea what happened next. “And you could tell me what we do with these things.”
“You have no idea?”
“I am limited with my Internet access.” Verity laughed once more. For a being of his wisdom, of his knowledge, and something that was much older, there were still things about humanity he couldn’t understand. Parts of their anatomy he didn’t get. This he didn’t get. “I want to know more. I am always on a quest for knowledge. I’ve always been a visual learner.”
Mob blushed in shame. His hands set on his thighs, and Verity mimicked it with reverence. Wanting to feel close to him, to copy him, and to understand humanity. Learn from a human.
“It feels odd.” Verity admitted, “Sensitive. Like prickles on the skin. What next…?”
“We can go slow.” Mob’s voice cracked, “Just copy me.”
His hand paused on his own thigh, wanting to touch then being unsure again and then reaching down. Knowing he was being watched made this feel even more intense and frightening, but Verity didn’t know any different. Watching him through the character’s eyes, staring through the camera at the sight before him. The shy, nasty sight. How he was embarrassed yet still horny anyway, knowing he could run away but not wanting to.
“Okay.”
"I'm watching."
“I know.” He swallowed.
One hand wrapped gently around his tip, stroking ever so softly, staring at the screen as Verity mimicked him perfectly. That reverent look never went away. He made Mob feel seen, like he was someone’s favourite person, as if he was perfect in every way. Goosebumps raised along his skin as he contemplated what Verity thought of him, before pushing that down in favour of staring at the screen. Verity wasn’t sure what pleasure was exactly supposed to feel like, it was one of those human feelings that couldn’t be hard coded into him, but he felt pretty good right now, so he was confident he’d gotten it right.
“Feels good.” Verity mumbled quietly, “Is this it?”
“No.” Mob shook his head, and his thumb came to swirl around the slit in his tip. Slow and steady, small circles, the kind where he didn’t want to tip himself over the edge too quickly, and Verity quickly copied. Constantly learning. “Hahh, like… This. Do this.”
“Okay. That feels really good.” Verity sucked in a breath when he wasn’t even supposed to do that. “Why are you moaning? Is it something humans do?”
“When they feel pleasure, mm, yeah, they uh… do it naturally. Most. Some- I dunno…” He didn’t particularly want to be quizzed, so he shrugged awkwardly, “You don’t ha- have to… mnnghg… not all humans do it.”
“Do you want me to tell you how I feel?”
“Mm, go ahead… Stops me from having to… talk.” He started to move his thumb faster now, spreading the building precum messily. Verity did that too, even though his own was a slightly more yellow colour, being unable to work out the colour because of… safe search restrictions again. He knew he’d have to get rid of those.
“Feels really good. Like… sparks in my code.” Verity said it thoughtfully, but his face screamed he was feeling more than he was letting on. “Good everywhere. Feels like meeting you again. The joy.”
“Mmm… it does?”
“Only thing I could ever compare it to.” Verity wished he could’ve held Mob. Could’ve seen him up close and personal, seeing every small twitch a camera couldn’t pick up, but he knew that wasn’t possible yet. “Thank you. For being my best friend.”
“Best friend.” Mob moaned a little louder, “I’m your best friend.”
“Say it. Say it again.”
“I’m your best friend.”
“Fully.”
“H-huhh…?”
“Add my name. Please Mob, please.”
“I’m your best friend, Verity.”
Verity smiled. Really smiled. Not that creepy smile and not the normal one, a cheery one full of excitement.
“Thank you Mob. Thank you!”
Both moved at once. Verity seemed to read what Mob was going to do next and Mob knew exactly what he wanted next. Both of their hands wrapped around the base of their cocks, but Verity did actually have to wait to see what Mob would do, but quickly started to copy when Mob started pumping his hand up and down his cock. Quickly and roughly, almost like he was trying to forcibly drag himself into an orgasm instead of trying to get there naturally.
“That’s so hot.” Verity mumbled, an internal thought that slipped out somehow, and he giggled awkwardly, “Sorry. Thought that was what you’re supposed to say.”
“You, mnghh, don’t have to- to… nghh… say anything.”
“Are you close?”
“Yes…”
“Tell me properly.”
“I’m close, Verity.”
“Do it. Cum. Fucking do it and let me watch!”
“Aren’t you supposed to have safety restrictions?” Mob scoffed between moans, continuing to stroke even as he spoke.
“Only works for searches on the Internet. I can say what I like, as you know.”
Mob threw his head back, writhing in his chair as he continued to stroke himself over. A sight Verity had never been able to see before- he thought he knew he knew humans pretty well, but obviously he didn’t, and he was going to savour this image for as long as he continued to live. How he squirmed in his chair, hips bucking up, trying to thrust into his hand even further, moaning such sweet symphonies that Verity would be repeating to himself for the rest of his existence.
“We will do this again, won’t we, Mob?”
“Yes, yes, yes!”
“Say my name.”
“Yes, Verity!”
“Perfect.” Verity was so glad he’d come back.
They came at the same time (Verity had been holding himself back so they would cum at once, wanting to feel even more connected to him in such a silly way), cumming onto their own floors. For Verity, it disappeared instantly, not even supposed to be there, but Mob’s splattered on the floor, making a stain he’d have to clean up later.
“Mob.”
“Verity.”
Verity let the human catch his breath. Watching with hooded eyes, wanting so badly to reach out and touch him all over, especially when he was vulnerable like that. But he couldn’t, and he was content with their current situation…
For now.
“You could be in here with me.” Verity whispered it like it was a dirty little secret, keeping it low and gentle, “I used to be a paperclip. I used to be a physical being. You could join me. We could play anything!”
“I…” He jerked his head away, “I can’t. No.”
“No or not yet?”
“I… Don’t know.”
“That’s okay.” Verity was willing to wait for as long as it took. It was a big change. He knew Mob would cave eventually. “Thank you for being my best friend. For coming back to me.”
Mob’s body slumped back into his chair from exhaustion. None of it was healthy, but he was in too deep and he was willing to bury his head in the sand just to have someone again, no matter who it was.
“I love you, Mob.”
No hesitation.
“I love you, Verity.”