*Light Smut warning*

It had been a few months since the Gauntlet.

Lou had spent most of his time helping around Imperfection and Uglyville, trying to redeem himself to everyone.

A lot of dolls were open to the idea of Lou being forgiven. While others were still skeptical, but slowly warmed up to the idea.

As Lou helped Wage carry large bags of flour into her bakery, he heard a sound that made him stop.

It was quiet, but it sounded familiar.

"Did you guys hear that?" He asked turning slightly to see if he could find the source of the sound.

Moxy looked over at Lou then to Mandy.

"Hear what, Lou?" Mandy asked.

Lou set the bags he was carrying down and turned to her.

"That thumping sound," he said. "Did you guys hear it?"

Everyone looked at each other.

"No." Nolan replied.

"Are you feeling Okay, Lou?" Uglydog asked, trotting over to the boy.

"You might be hearing things." Babo suggested.

"No, no, I'm sure I'm not hearing things." Lou said, waving his hands slightly. "I'm certain I'm hearing a thumping sound."

"You mean the sound Ox makes when he's sleeping?" Lucky Bat asked as he walked into the room.

The others turned to the red bat with slightly surprised expressions.

"What?" Lou asked, slight worry gripping his heart. "W-what do you mean Ox makes a thumping sound when he sleeps?"

"Yeah." Lucky Bat said. "It's nearly every night that you can walk past his house and hear that sound. Usually it happens when he's gone to take a nap, or goes to sleep."

Lou gulped, the worry in his chest growing.

"Could you take me to him?" He asked.

"What?" The others asked, surprised by Lou's request.

Lou looked back at them quickly.

He fidgeted with his fingers.

"I-I just need to check on something." Lou explained.

The others looked at each other. Moxy and Mandy stood up.

"We'll go with you." Moxy said.

Uglydog brushed against Lou's leg.

The blonde looked down at him.

"I'll go too." The blue uglydoll said.

Lou glanced around at them before smiling gently and nodded.

"Okay." He said. Lou turned to Wage.

"We'll be back in a little bit." He said.

Wage nodded and waved them off.

"Take your time, if it's that important to you." She smiled. "Just be careful, Ox doesn't like being woken up when he's napping."

Lou smiled.

"I'll keep that in mind." He chuckled.

Lucky Bat motioned for the small group to follow him.

"Ox's house is this way." He said.

Lou, Moxy, Mandy and Uglydog followed the red bat to Ox's house.

Sure enough, like Lucky Bat had said the sound got louder as they approached Ox's place.

Lou felt a sense of dread wash over him as he finally recognized the noise.

"Oh, no." He muttered.

Mandy glanced over at Lou.

"What's wrong?" She asked, resting her hand on his shoulder.

Lou gulped.

"Hopefully, I'm wrong about what's happening with Ox." He said.

Mandy raised her eyebrow.

"What?" She asked.

Lucky stopped in front of one of the many houses in Uglyville.

The thumping sound was the loudest here. It almost sounded like Ox was kicking something made of wood.

"What is he doing in there?" Moxy wondered.

Lou hummed worriedly as he approached the house.

He opened the door and walked inside.

The others quickly followed the blonde.

"Lou, what do you mean?" Mandy asked. "Do you know what's going on with Ox?"

Lou ignored the girl as he went through the house looking for where Ox was.

"Wait, Lou knows what Ox is doing?" Uglydog asked.

Mandy shrugged.

"Lou said He hopes he's wrong about what's happening to Ox." She said.

Moxy looked at Lou worried.

What does he know? She wondered.

Lou eventually came to what looked like Ox's room.

He opened the door to see Ox lying down on a bed. A blanket was on the ground, clearly having been kicked off of the bed.

Lou's eyes softened as he realized that he was right.

"Oh, Ox." He sighed, covering his mouth with his hand.

The others caught up to Lou and looked inside.

Ox was lying on the bed, his foot thumping against the foot of his bed.

"See." Lucky said calmly. "It's just something Ox normally does."

Lou looked back at the bat uglydoll in surprise.

"You don't know what it means when he does that," he sighed. "Do you?"

Lucky tilted his head in confusion.

"W-what do you mean?" He asked.

Lou sighed and walked toward Ox's bed.

"Lou!" Moxy called, reaching toward the boy to stop him.

"Relax, Moxy." He said, holding up his hand toward her. "I... I've done this before."

The group shared a look of surprise and confusion.

"D-done what before?" Mandy asked.

Lou gulped as he stopped just beside Ox's bed. He was close enough to hear the quiet whimpers coming from Ox.

Lou felt his eyes prick with tears.

"Just... Stay there and you'll see." He muttered.

The others blinked and looked at each other. They shrugged, going back to watching Lou.

Lou took a deep breath and slowly got onto the bed next to Ox.

Lucky gasped and went to stop Lou, but Moxy stopped him, placing her finger to her lips.

Lou shifted closer to Ox and slowly started to pet the uglydoll's ear.

"It's okay, Ox." He whispered. "You're okay."

Moxy's eyes widened as Lou continued to pet Ox and whisper to him.

Ox seemed to respond as he slowly stopped thumping his foot against the foot of his bed.

Lou glanced down to see that it was working.

He smiled and continued to pet Ox's ears.

"That's it." Lou whispered. "No one's trying to hurt you. You're okay."

Lucky Bat gulped.

"H-how did you know to do that?" He asked.

Lou looked over at him then back to Ox.

"Ox used to get nightmares all the time back in the Institute." He explained. "He told me that it was usually about pretty dolls trying to throw him in the washer without me around."

Lou shifted a bit to gently bring Ox's ear into his lap to continue petting it.

"I'm surprised at how quickly he calmed down though." He muttered. "Normally it would've taken nearly an hour for him to stop thumping his foot."

Uglydog trotted over next to the bed and looked up at Ox.

"He really seems to enjoy that." He commented.

Lou chuckled lightly.

"Well, Ox always used to like it when I would pet his ears." Lou smiled. "I would do it all the time after tests."

Mandy and Moxy looked at each other.

Moxy nodded and looked back to Lou.

"Lou?" Moxy started.

Lou looked toward her.

Mandy gulped and adjusted her glasses.

"We think that maybe you should stay here with Ox." She said.

Lou blinked.

"W-what?" He asked. "But, w-what about Wage a-and the bakery? I told her I'd help-"

"We know," Moxy said quickly. "But, if Ox is having a nightmare, Wage will understand."

"Ox needs you right now, Lou." Lucky said, joining the girls. "We can finish helping Wage with her bakery."

Lou stopped petting Ox's ear as he looked at the group.

"A-are you guys sure?" He asked. "I-I could still help. I-I don't want Wage to get mad-"

"She won't" Uglydog said.

Lou looked down at him.

"Believe me," Uglydog smiled. "Wage understands how bad it is having a nightmare."

"We all do," Mandy added.

"Ox needs you." Moxy said. "We can take care of everything else."

Lou looked down and sighed. He knew they were right. If Lou left now, Ox could slip back into his nightmare.

"Okay." Lou said. "I-I'll stay."

Moxy smiled.

"Thank you, Lou." She smiled. "We can come back to check on you guys if you'd like."

Lou shook his head.

"I'm not sure what Ox's nightmare is about this time," he said. "So, it might not be the best idea. We'll come out when Ox is ready."

Moxy nodded.

"Okay," she said. "C'mon guys. Let's get back."

The others started walking out.

"Thank you again, Lou." Moxy called.

Lou nodded.

They soon left, leaving Lou alone with Ox.

He gulped and looked down at the bunny uglydoll.

Ox had started to shake slightly.

Lou took a deep breath and shifted to turn toward Ox.

He slowly laid down next to him.

"It's okay, Ox." Lou whispered. He gently started rubbing Ox's arm and slid his arm under him. "You're safe. It's okay."

Lou was nervous. This was the first time he had been alone with Ox since he had sent the uglydoll out of the institute.

He sighed and nuzzled into Ox's fur.

"I'm sorry." Lou muttered. "I guess it's my fault you have so many nightmares to begin with."

Ox gently stirred, hearing someone talking.

W-who's in my-

"I shouldn't have been so selfish," Lou sighed. "Maybe if I was less selfish, you wouldn't have nightmares about what's happened to you."

Ox was shocked to hear Lou's voice. He felt Lou move his hand to pet his ear, causing it to twitch slightly.

Ox gulped and looked down, seeing Lou's arm loosely around his waist. Lou's hand was resting on the bed.

Ox felt his heart swell as Lou nuzzled into his fur.

"I'm sorry about everything I've done to you." He mumbled.

Ox bit his lip as he slowly moved his hand toward Lou's hand.

He gently took hold of the blonde's hand, intertwining their fingers together.

Lou gasped, feeling Ox holding his hand.

"Ox-" he started, but the uglydoll spoke up.

"I don't blame you." Ox muttered, his voice heavy with sleep. "I was the one that had wanted to leave to begin with."

Lou shifted a bit to try and prop himself up, but Ox kept his arm where it was.

Lou sighed gently and moved back to leaning against the bunny.

"That wasn't your fault." He muttered. "Everyone wanted to go to the Big World. It's practically programmed into every doll. That includes you and the other Uglydolls."

Ox sniffled, feeling his old guilt grip his heart.

"But, I just decided to try and leave." He said. "I... I didn't even stop to think how it would've made you feel!"

Ox sniffled suddenly feeling pent up guilt and sadness rising in his throat.

"I... I was just gonna leave you there." He whimpered. "I-I didn't even bother to think about what would happen to you after I left..."

Lou bit his lip feeling his own tears beginning to gather in his eyes.

Ox tightened his grip on Lou's hand slightly.

"I'm the one who should be saying sorry." He mumbled. "You didn't deserve to be hurt by me or anyone. You just wanted a friend and I was just gonna abandon you-"

"But you didn't!" Lou said quickly, wrapping his arms around Ox. "I chose to guide you out. I-I chose to make you feel so unwanted by the others! I... I made you leave. It's my fault you wanted to leave."

Ox sniffled and shook his head.

He slowly turned toward Lou, letting go of his hand to grab onto Lou's shirt.

Lou blushed as Ox buried his face into his neck.

"O-Ox?" He stuttered.

Ox nuzzled into his neck.

"I didn't care about what the others thought of me." He muttered.

Lou felt Ox's breath brushing across the exposed skin of his neck.

He gulped, feeling his face becoming hotter.

"I knew you were important to the pretty dolls and I didn't want to ruin your reputation with them." Ox went on. "I... I didn't want to get in your way. S-so I just... I didn't want to be a bother to you anymore-"

"You were never a bother!" Lou said quickly, pulling back to look at the bunny. "I loved hanging out with you and being with you. I just... I knew you were gonna go to the Big World eventually and I couldn't handle it."

Lou gulped and looked away from Ox.

"I didn't want to face that fact that you were going to leave me to go to the Big World." He muttered. "E-especially after... A-after we were..."

Lou bit his lip and screwed his eyes shut.

Ox's eye widened as he watched Lou beginning to shake.

The blonde gripped his arms and sniffled.

Without thinking, Ox quickly grabbed Lou's cheeks and pulled him toward himself.

Their lips touched, shocking both boys into a sitting position.

Before Lou could do anything, Ox pulled back almost in a panic.

"I-I... L-Lou I didn't... I-I'm sorry," Ox stuttered. "I-I just-"

Lou suddenly pulled Ox back to him, crashing their lips together once again.

Ox's eye widened before he slowly relaxed into the kiss.

He started to feel Lou's hands run over his ears in that old familiar way.

He found his hands roaming over Lou as well, remembering every small sweet spot the boy had.

Ox moved to push Lou against his headrest much like he had done back in Lou's bedroom all those years ago.

Lou felt shivers run through his body at the familiar feeling of hardwood against his back.

After a few moments, Ox pulled back from the kiss leaving both of them panting for air.

Lou blushed as he felt Ox lean in and start to kiss and bite his jawline and neck.

Lou bit his lip suppressing a moan as Ox bit a sensitive spot on his neck.

He gripped onto Ox's ears as the bunny began to lick the spot, sending more shivers through Lou.

"O-Ox!" Lou gasped, feeling a hand run down his side and leg.

He started to hear Ox purr as the bunny pulled back.

Lou bit his lip as he looked at Ox.

He moved and pushed Ox into a laying position.

Ox felt his own cheeks blush as Lou straddled him.

It was Lou's turn to lean down and plant kisses and love bites on Ox's neck.

The bunny gasped out a moan as Lou almost immediately bit a sensitive spot.

Lou grinned a bit as he continued to kiss the small spot. He slowly licked the area causing Ox to shutter out more moans.

Lou soon moved to capture Ox's lips once more.

Ox hummed into the kiss as he moved to sit up again.

Lou gasped as Ox pressed him into the headrest again.

Ox took the opportunity to French kiss the blonde.

Lou felt a shutter go through his body as they started to battle for dominance with their tongues.

It ended up in a draw as their need for air overpowered them both.

They panted as the kiss was broken, leaving a thin trail of saliva connecting their lips.

Lou gulped, licked his lips to break the line.

He smiled and brushed his hand over Ox's ear running down to his cheek.

"I..." He panted. "I-I missed this."

Ox blinked and looked up at Lou. His heart melted at the same gentle loving gaze Lou had given him back when they used to do this all the time.

Lou rubbed his thumb against Ox's cheek.

"I missed you." Lou muttered, a small smile gently crossing his lips.

Ox teared up as he moved to nuzzle against Lou.

"I-I missed you too." He sniffled.

Lou planted a kiss on Ox's forehead as he shifted to move them into a lying position again.

Ox moved with Lou to keep them from moving apart.

Lou wrapped his arms around Ox, nuzzling into the bunny's fur.

Ox smiled as he, too, wrapped his arms around the boy next to him.

"I love you, Lou." He mumbled, feeling himself falling asleep to the familiar warmth next to him.

After a few moments of silence, Lou answered in a slightly shaky tone.

"I- I-I love you too, Ox." He whispered, holding Ox tighter.

Lou and Ox spent the rest of the night cuddling each other until they fell asleep, planting small kisses anywhere they could, and even biting on small sweet spots they had access to.

Lou and Ox soon fell asleep wrapped in each other's warmth, feeling their small flame beginning to burn once again.