The smell of discarded scrap metal clings to the air.
To anyone else this place is a dump. You swat at what seem to be electric flies with paperclip wings.
Slowly, you approach a towering garbage pile. A well-kept, wooden door is mounted on the front.
You give it a slow three raps with your knuckle. Muffled sounds of wood scraping metal comes from behind the entrance.
”[CUSTOMER! CUS-CUS-CUS-c0ME 1N!]”
The voice of the puppet you’ve grown a fondness for cuts through the smell of garbage. You really should offer to let the salesman crash at your place.
Crash at your place- he’s a talking puppet. What are you talking about? You’re acting stupid again.
Oh. You’ve been standing there for a while. Just because you’re a little intimidated by how cute Spamton is doesn’t mean you can keep him waiting.
Cute?
Yeah, cute. He is kinda adorable. Like a little puppy.
You creak open the door and enter the strange, vast space of Spamton’s abode.
”AHAHAH! IT’ 5 MY [Favirite Customer].! PLea5e! Browse!”
You find yourself staring at the squat puppet. His smile is still plastered on his face. He peers up at you from behind his glasses, unreadable.
You realize how cute the little bugger really is. For a creepy puppet, you kind of adore him.
Which is weird, because he otherwise seems like an annoying piece of adware.
”Something WR0NG? [Something is very wrong]”
You stare back at Spamton. Cryptic: a good word to describe him. For a seemingly unassuming little guy he talks in riddles a lot.
It’s an understatement to say you’re having some trouble sorting your feelings for Spamton at the moment.
You find a wooden face staring directly into yours.
Spamton’s visage is unblinking. It’s hard to tell if he’s even moving.
Your face flashes hot for a moment. He’s got a way of flustering you, if nothing else.
”[Something] SOME 50METHING on your Mind? MIND?”
His teeth clack together. He’s giddy.
You feel a smile overtake you.
”SMILES%! All SMILES [AT SPAMTON g. SPAMTON’5S] !!”
You involuntarily bring a hand to pat the puppet atop his smooth black hair. He leans into it like a cat.
Wait. You’re petting a puppet. Is that weird?
It’s definitely weird.
You pull your hand back, a bit embarrassed. Get a hold of yourself, man!
Spamton, on the other hand, is still giddy. He’s kicking his feet underneath him. His teeth are chattering a little.
You run a hand over your forehead. You need to get a grip on yourself. Your cheeks still feel hot.
”Em8ARRASED! Ha! Ha1 Ha! Cute, Isn’t it? [Young Lovers, Find Love Here! Here!]”
You tell Spamton he is not helping. He laughs.
”ANON! You can tell your old pall SPAMTON G. SPAMTON [Anything!]”
You look at him.
You take a deep breath and say that he has a way of messing with you.
”I don’t get AS MANY [Customers] as handsome as (YOU), AN ON.”
What.
Did you hear that right?
Your eyes go wide. You swallow wrong. Your whole train of thought is out of whack.
”HA. Ha. HA. Ha.”
He’s nervous. It’s cute.
You stare at Spamton. He stares at you.
”I dID MEAN THAT. If- I apologize If-”
Spamton’s still smiling, but his body language is reserved.
He goes quiet.
”I’m sorry.”
You feel a strange mixture of empathy and infatuation with the adorable puppet.
Does Spamton… like, like you?
Maybe… maybe you should find out.
Tentatively, you reach an arm out to him. He recoils slightly, but he looks down at it. His facial expression is unreadable.
”ANON! I Do not get wh6t i;m supposed to do here”
”Is this.. This what [I THINK IT IS]”
He’s a little clueless at this. You tell him that it’s cute.
His hands waggle up and down excitedly at his side.
He begins a long, nervous laugh. As he stares at your outstretched hand, he grows quieter and quieter.
”Anon. Ple6ase.”
You look at him and he looks at you.
He takes a step closer to you.
Cautiously, you run your hand up to his cheek. It’s wooden, but it's slightly warm under your palm.
He staggers forward. His stature is a little wobbly, and he’s tripping over his feet a little.
You lean into him and he leans into you.
”Anon.”
His voice is small, not like anything you’ve ever heard from him before.
”Anon. You’re warm.”
You hold on to him. His body feels weightless, considering how small he is.
His wooden hands are draped over your sides.
You pull back and look at him. His expression is tired. His head is lulled to one side slightly.
You kneel, at his height now. You tuck his head to your chest and gently run your hand over the back of his head.
He’s clinging to you like a koala. It’s cute.
He pulls away slowly. If a puppet could blush, he would.
”This is UNPROFESSIONAL. [VACATIONS! FREE VACATIONS CLICK THIS LINK https://bit.ly/3AwzTXC]
Spamton’s clearly trying his best to communicate his feelings, but there’s some barrier that keeps him spouting this adware nonsense. He’s fidgeting with his hands again.
He waves his hands in the air, trying to communicate something to no avail.
You stare into his glasses, a little dumbfounded. If he could, he would probably look exasperated.
He hesitates for a moment, before oh so gently placing his hand atop yours.
He brings it up to his wooden smile and places it gently upon his teeth.
It’s strange, feeling your knuckle be handled so delicately.
It takes you a moment, but you finally get it.
This is his version of a kiss.
You can’t help but smile at the gentlemanly little puppet. He truly is adorable.
His smile seems a little more genuine at the moment. His posture conveys confidence.
You bring your hands to both sides of his face and place a small peck on his wooden forehead.
You laugh, light, and you tell him that you think he’s cute.
The Same [emaS] Could be said for you. A- HA! Ah! HA! HA! Ha!”
It’s a nervous laugh, but it’s giddy. Light.
You laugh as well. It is similarly light. Your chest feels funny.
You and the puppet hold each other in lovely silence.