Backstitch

Chapter 16

Over the course of the week, they tried slowly incorporating Lou's daily activities into tasks around the town. Things that might bring back a shred of memory, at least. But it had only been that first day when they realized sickeningly that the world they lived in now held no reminiscence for the blonde. They had discarded the Gauntlet. Done away with the mansion to the point of unrecognition. Nothing had sustained its former appearance enough to trigger a memory.

The only thing they could do was try to reenact memories to the best of their ability.

Ox played a larger role—considering all the core memories Lou had made were during their time in Perfection together. Lou had already recalled one of those memories. Now the bunny was leading Lou through the blended Institutes to try and find something that might ring a bell. "This is gonna be harder than I thought," Ox muttered. His eye roamed around the town, hope dwindling more and more. They had made so much progress in the town compared to how it used to be, and Ox had never despised it more. He wished he could turn back the clock to when it was just him and Lou in Perfection. Everything had seemed simpler then, even if there were hidden demons.

Now so much weight had been put on his shoulders. Running a town, keeping a secret, dealing with guilt and memories. And now, the young blonde beside him—whom he had sworn to keep secret from the others years ago—was in need of his help to regain his former identity. And, on top of all that, Henry informed him that the Department of Management was nipping at their heels to change the system. Parents were complaining about spending more on the dolls then the time they lasted in the hands of their children. If something didn't change soon—that change being a certain blonde doll back in the driver's seat—then the factory was going to get shut down.

And Ox wasn't exactly making it easy for the blonde to teach when he was busy trying to restore the boy's memories.

"Should we stop trying?"

"You never gave up," Ox stated as if that was one of the things Lou had forgotten about himself.

The blonde shook his head, "I never said anything about giving up." The bunny did applaud how fluent Lou was getting at talking already. Despite being set back to factory default, he had easily picked up language and was using it nearly flawlessly. "Maybe we are trying too hard. We are forcing it. Lucky said we shouldn't do that."

This Lou had a lot of patience. Granted, the Lou before had a long fuse as well, but nothing compared to the clean slate. This Lou didn't understand how long he would have to wait. The concept of time meant nothing to him at the moment. And it had meant nothing to Lou years ago, either, until the isolation made every second drag on longer than it needed to.

Ox only sighed. He had never had patience. It was one of the many things he envied Lou for.

"I can try the therapy again," Lou's voice was soft. Submissive—believing he'd made the bunny mad. Ox quickly flashed a small smile to relieve him of that worry.

"Yeah...yeah, go on ahead to Lucky's," Ox put on a façade of indifference. "I'll see ya around after a while." With a pat on the blonde's shoulder, he walked off. He didn't know where, but he just needed distance, apparently. The closer he was to Lou, the more pain he felt.

Lou watched his friend disappear into the colors of the town. Fidgeting with his collar, he started in the opposite direction, where he memorized the path to the red bat's abode. Passing dolls looked at him with varying looks, most in awe. Smiles were sent his way, and in return, he gave a shy one back. The pink doll—Moxy—had mentioned how confident he was. Always walking upright and barely passing a glance at other dolls.

He wished he could remember that part of himself.

He hesitated in front of the door, a hand poised in the air. Taking in another breath, he knocked and put his hands behind his back, the cuff of his sleeve serving as a toy for his fingers. What was with all this...nervousness? It felt like his heart was always racing, and thoughts came far too quickly for him to catch them in time. It made him dizzy. Lou was trying to understand what these apparitional things were.