thatonedestroyer

[thatonedestroyer]

Can't show horrible drawings i did, but i can show Sylvia again, yay Sylvia ✨💧✨

[thatonedestroyer]

I feel like everywhere I go online lately, there is funny bunny fanart/edits. And I mean everywhere. I’m going insane. I’ve never really seen them as a good pairing until recently. I genuinely feel like I’m being brainwashed to pair them together, and it’s working?? Like, there was this one edit I saw about Jax choosing to become an Australian extremest because he noticed that Pomni liked Gummigoo (who is very much Australian). UGHHH. I have so many more productive things to do, but I’m probably going to end up writing a funny bunny fanfic this week. yayyy. They are the worst (/affectionate).

[thatonedestroyer]

These two might be my new favorite pairing... LOOK AT THEMMM!!

[thatonedestroyer]

The Interview

This is a somewhat long read! (4,403 words) I don't know how it got this long, but I ended up really liking the pairing. This is my first time exploring the double-eye dynamic, so I hope I can do it justice! Enjoy! (AO3) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been a few months since Andy almost had his show canceled for good. After narrowly avoiding cancellation thanks to his loyal viewers, Andy wanted to reconnect with his audience, so he announced a live Q&A for all the watchdogs. The host was fully prepared to get only a couple letters, but to his surprise, hundreds of watchdogs sent in their positive messages and questions for Andy. Now all he had to do was answer them.

Andy sat down at his security desk, his back facing the camera. Beside him was a red sack so full of letters that it had slumped against his chair and threatened to spill over. Across the room, there was another watchdog, adjusting the camera to make sure everything was just right.

“Three, two, one… Annnd we are live!”

With that, Andy swiveled his chair to face the camera with his trusted microphone in hand.

“Gooood morning watchdogs! I’m Andy, your humble host, and this The Eye On the Skull Ship!”

(Cut to introduction cards of dogs wearing watchdog helmets as music plays in the background)

“Today I’ll be going over all the wonderful messages you guys have sent me as a thanks for keeping my show on air. I’m excited to see what my fans have to say!”

Andy’s eye gleamed with excitement as he pulled the first letter out of the sack and opened it up. Inside was a message from one of his viewers with very sloppy handwriting.

“Ah, here we go. This letter is by Bob from accounting. This one says: ‘Hey Andy! How do you keep your helmet so shiny? I’ve tried’… washing?” Andy had to pause, squinting at scribbles on the paper. “Yeah, ‘washing it in the sink, but it looks… so… dull… even after that. What do you do?’”

“Huh, well, Bob, I’ve never really thought about it. I just kinda use soap and water… Have you tried soap? It might help.” Andy cleared his throat awkwardly before going on. “And then… dry it off with a towel. Thrilling stuff.”

“Alright, next letter: ‘Dear Andy, if you were stranded on a moon with only one condiment, which would you bring?’” He stared at it for a moment before setting it aside. “We’re… not doing that one.”

Andy could practically hear his ratings dropping by the second. Oh well, there were bound to be a few duds in a bag this big. He just had to move on quickly and hope his viewers were still awake.

“Ok, next up we have a letter from... Peter! ‘What’s up, Andy! Love your show. What’s it like having hundreds of eyes on you every day?’”

Finally, a real question.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Andy said with pride. “I get to come on this show daily, knowing I’ve got a bunch of fans waiting to hear what I have to say. I love making the watchdogs happy, even if I’m just interviewing folks around the ship.”

The rest of the letters were a mixed bag of genuine fan mail, mild confusion, and one watchdog who thought this was a lunch suggestion box. But one question kept popping up: When’s your next big interview?

“My next big interview? I… uh, I don’t know yet. I’ve sent requests to interview Lord Hater again, but I haven’t heard back from him yet… Who else would agree to it?”

Andy stared at the dozens of letters on his lap asking for an exclusive interview, going over the options in his head. Lord Hater was pretty much impossible to reach. The chef was reliable, but he didn’t qualify as a big name for an interview. He needed someone high up, but not unreachable.

“What about Commander Peepers?”

The watchdog behind the camera asked, peeking out from behind the tripod. Andy froze.

“Commander Peepers? Are you kidding me? He hates my guts. I’m pretty sure he would shoot me into space before even considering that!”

The watchdog shrugged. “I’m just sayin’. Nobody really knows much about the guy other than the fact that he loves to make everyone miserable. If you got him on your show, everybody would tune in to see what his deal is.”

Cha-ching! Andy’s eye lit up as he imagined the ratings spike if he could get Peepers on his show. He had to get Peepers to agree to an interview.

“Well, in that case…” Andy looked at the camera with an overconfident grin.

“Alright, folks! That’s all for today! Thank you for all the wonderful messages. Due to popular demand, I’ll be bringing on a special guest in the near future. Tune in next week for an exclusive interview with Commander Peepers!”

Andy’s heart raced. He hadn’t thought about how to convince Peepers yet, but the viewers deserved it.

The cameras clicked off, and Andy’s grin froze. His sweaty hand fumbled the microphone. It seemed the camera had lent him confidence that was now very much gone.

“Oh grop,” he whispered, as though the camera might still be listening.

“I just promised a live interview with Commander Peepers to all my viewers!! How am I supposed to get him to agree to that?!”

While Andy was panicking, the camera watchdog was busy putting away the camera equipment.

“It’s not that bad. Just tell them you won’t be able to get him to come.”

“Are you kidding me?? I can’t do that to them!” Andy jumped out of his swivel chair and paced around like a caged animal, “My show is all that I have and if the watchdogs can’t trust me, they won’t watch me anymore, and if I don’t have any viewers, I’ll become an outcast, and if I’m an outcast, I’ll be forced to sleep in the ship’s prison and eat nothing but the scraps from the cafeteria for my whole life!!!”

The alarmed host shook his cameraman’s shoulders, before slumping against him dramatically.

“You need to pull yourself together, Andy.” The watchdog said flatly, peeling Andy off himself. “Just find Peepers and talk to him. He’s reasonable sometimes… maybe.”

Andy took a deep breath and propped himself against a wall to regain his composure.

“Right… easy. I just have to talk with the guy who despises me. Simple enough.”

The camera watchdog raised an eyebrow but decided against pointing out how bad an idea this was. He slung the camera over his shoulder and left with a final, “Good luck with that.”

The camera watchdog raised an eyebrow but said nothing, slinging the camera over his shoulder. “Good luck with that,” he muttered as he left.

Andy clutched his microphone and started toward Peepers' office, practicing his lines under his breath. “Hey, commander. How would you feel about an exclusive interview on my show? Ugh– no! Too casual. Commander Peepers, please, PLEASE come on my show! Wait… too desperate.”

He talked to himself the entire time, until finally, he was at Peepers’ door. He knocked a couple times, anxiously adjusting his collar as he muttered his lines under his breath.

The chair inside scraped back, boots clicked across the floor, and the door opened to reveal Commander Peepers. Initially, his face was neutral, but as soon as he realized that it was Andy, his expression soured.

“Andy. Why are you abandoning your post?”

Andy laughed nervously and pushed past the commander, ignoring the piercing glare Peepers gave him as he invited himself into the office.

“Heh, well. Have I got a funny story for you!” Andy’s palms got sweaty as Peepers’ eye narrowed. “You see– uh– I may have promised a live interview with a certain someone.”

“I’ve already told you countless times: Lord Hater is not going to appear on your dumb watchdog show.” Peepers pinched his eyelid, rubbing it as if to soothe his irritation.

Andy tried to play it cool, scanning the papers on Peepers' desk, though every word felt like a struggle to choke out. “Well! That’s the– heh, funny part. I was hoping that I could get… you… to come on my show.”

Peepers looked up like Andy had just confessed to launching a missile at the ship.

“Excuse me?”

“Yeah… funny, right? …Commander?” Andy’s skin prickled with goosebumps as he forced a smile, though it was purely out of fear.

“You can’t be serious.” Peepers’ tone was calm, terrifyingly so, as he stepped closer. “You barge into my office after we let you keep your show. And now you have the audacity to ask me to humiliate myself on your mediocre excuse for television?”

Peepers had Andy backed against the wall. The tension was so thick that Andy’s gulp sounded like a cannon shot. Despite being shorter, Peepers radiated intimidation.

“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t demote you right now.”

“I—uh… well, you see…” Andy stammered, grasping for words. “It would… boost your popularity among the watchdogs?”

“Why would I care about that?” Peepers snapped, arms crossing over his chest.

“As of right now, most of the watchdogs barely respect you. They kind of just listen out of… fear. Not that that’s bad! It’s just…” Andy tiptoed around his critique, feeling his anxiety spike, “you just… aren’t very popular.”

“Are you trying to tell me that I’m a bad commander?”

“No! I mean– Nobody likes you.”

The silence that followed could have been bottled and sold as pure, concentrated doom.

Peepers’ fists clenched, and his glare narrowed. “That’s rich, coming from the ship’s self-appointed entertainment disaster.” His voice had a dangerous edge to it, as though he was seconds away from ordering someone to be shot into space. “I’m trying to run an evil empire, I don’t need to worry about winning a stupid popularity contest! Especially not on camera in front of dozens of watchdogs.”

“Hundreds,” Andy murmured under his breath, trying to ignore the goosebumps forming on his skin.

Peepers froze for a fraction of a second, his shoulders stiffening just enough to betray him. “Hundreds, thousands– who cares?” He snapped, turning away a bit too quickly.

Andy stared at his commander’s back in confusion. Just moments ago, Peepers seemed ready to tear him apart, yet now he was backing down? Something wasn’t adding up.

The gears in Andy’s head worked overtime as he tried to figure out what was wrong. Then it hit him. “Ohhh…”

A grin spread across Andy’s face. “I know what your problem is.”

“What?” Peepers seemed slightly surprised, but he stood his ground, turning back to face Andy.

“You have stage fright!” Andy pointed at Peepers as if he’d just solved the universe’s greatest mystery, only to get a dumbfounded stare in return.

“What.”

There was a hint of utter disbelief in Peepers’ voice, as if Andy had just claimed the moon was made of cheese.

That didn’t bother Andy, however. “Yeah, you got all tense when I told you how many watchdogs watch my show. You’re totally afraid of being in front of a crowd!”

“Andy.”

Peepers took a step closer, his expression as serious as a judge about to hand down a sentence. Andy blinked and tilted his head, slightly confused by the shift in Peepers’ demeanor.

“Yes…?”

“Do you know what my job is?”

“Uh… You’re the commander.”

“Exactly. And what do I do as a commander?”

“You lead the watchdogs.”

“Right.” Peepers’ irritation was barely contained, his voice tight and sharp. “So tell me, exactly, how am I supposed to be afraid of crowds when I debrief the watchdogs before every fight? When I’ve addressed the entire army during every major battle? When I’ve been on a stage, under SPOTLIGHTS, in front of hundreds of watchdogs more times than I can count?!”

His voice rose with each word until he practically vibrated with fury. The commander threw his arms out in exasperation. “Stage fright? Me?? That…that is, without a doubt, the stupidest thing you’ve said all week.” He paused, scanning Andy’s face. “And I’m including that time you insisted space was flat.”

Andy froze, blinking at Peepers, trying to process the verbal explosion.

“Ok, ok. So you’re not afraid of crowds. Got it. So it’s, uh…” Andy’s eye lit up. “Ohh, I know! You’re afraid of looking short on camera, aren’t you?”

Peepers stared, clearly offended. “...Excuse me?!”

“You’re excused,” Andy said quickly, marking Peepers’ height in the air with his hand. “Let me tell you, that’s not just the camera–”

The commander shoved his hand away with a sharp jerk, absolutely furious.

“NO! I DON’T CARE ABOUT CROWDS OR HOW I LOOK ON CAMERA! I HATE THE FLASH, YOU MORON!!” Peepers’ shout cracked the stillness of the office, echoing off the walls.

Peepers froze, too caught up in his rage to realize what he said until it was too late.

Silence fell like a heavy blanket. Andy blinked rapidly, trying to gauge whether he should speak or just retreat. His throat felt tight, and he could hear the faint beat of his own racing heart.

“You… you don’t like cameras because of the flash?” Andy finally whispered, his voice smaller than usual.

Peepers looked away, arms tightly crossed, gaze narrowing. “No. I don’t.” The words sounded clipped, defensive… like they hurt to say.

Andy swallowed, feeling the weight of the admission hang in the air between them. He didn’t rush, didn’t make a joke. He just let the silence stretch, giving Peepers space while trying to keep from flinching under that piercing stare.

“Aren’t you going to tell me how stupid that is? That I’m weak for being afraid of something as dumb as a camera flash?” Peepers’ voice cut sharply through the quiet, testing Andy.

“Well… it sounds silly, but it’s not stupid,” Andy said gently, stepping forward just slightly, careful not to invade Peepers' space.

Peepers clenched his fists, his glare hiding his pain. “Oh yeah? So you’re perfectly fine making fun of my height, but suddenly fearing camera flashes is off-limits for your mockery?”

Andy flinched at the accusation, but held his ground. “I didn’t know it bothered you… not the fear itself, the height thing. I didn’t realize it actually… hurt you.”

The commander’s scornful glare softened just a fraction, though his arms remained crossed. Andy seized the moment, his voice careful, earnest. “I was just messing around. I wanted to ease the tension… not… make it worse. I don’t think you’re any less of a commander because you’re short.”

Peepers narrowed his glare at the height comment.

“I’m bad at… this,” Andy admitted quietly. “Saying sorry. But I am. For real.”

The corner of Peepers’ eyelid twitched. Then, slowly, the sharpness in his expression dulled. “Whatever, Andy. Just… get out of my office.”

Suddenly, his eye widened as he got an idea. “What if I helped you through your fear? If you get over it, then maybe you can come to my interview!”

Peepers hesitated, his mind turning the idea over, weighing curiosity against caution. The tension stretched like a tightrope. Finally, he exhaled slowly.

“You really want me to do that interview, huh?”

Andy laughed softly, sheepishly. “More than you know.”

“Don’t make me regret this.”

Andy’s smile widened before he spun on his heel and headed for the door. “Come on, I’ve got just the thing in my studio.”

Peepers hesitated, watching the watchdog disappear into the corridor. Curiosity tugged harder than caution, and before he knew it, he was following the faint clatter of Andy’s boots.

His “studio”, if you could call it that, looked more like a storage closet than a security room. It was clear that Andy only took the time to organize any area that could be seen by the camera. Out of the camera’s view were boxes stacked precariously, and cables that snaked across the floor.

Peepers stopped just inside the doorway, picking his path like he was crossing a minefield. He lifted one foot over a tangle of wires before giving Andy a flat stare. “So, how exactly are you planning to fix me?”

Andy wove carefully through the chaos to pull a second chair from behind a stack of boxes. He sat down and gestured for Peepers to join him, keeping his tone light but steady. “First, I want to know a little more about your fear.”

Peepers’ gaze flicked warily to the small digital camera Andy had pulled from a drawer. His eye darted to it as though expecting it to leap off the desk and attack.

“Like what?” he asked cautiously, every word clipped.

“Is it just the flash that bothers you? Or the camera too?” Andy asked gently, careful not to point it at Peepers.

Peepers glanced down at the device, then back up, eye tired. “Just the flash,” he muttered.

Without thinking, Andy lifted the camera as if to test him. Peepers gripped his chair and squeezed his eye shut, a shudder running through him. Andy’s chest tightened. He hadn’t expected such a physical reaction over something so small.

“Sorry,” Andy murmured, lowering the camera to his lap. “I just wanted to check. What made you so afraid?”

Peepers opened his eye just enough to glare, but the edge of his anger seemed to waver.

“That is classified information.” he said tensely.

Andy raised his right hand in a solemn, exaggerated gesture. “I swear I won’t make fun. Watchdog’s honor.”

A slow sigh escaped Peepers. “It’s… stupid. There was this one time I tried to stop Wander for Lord Hater. I aimed my laser gun at him and was about to shoot, but…”

He looked away, embarrassed by his next words. “He picked me up and called me cute! Then his stupid zbornak took a photo of me in his hat and completely blinded me with the flash! And they danced while all the watchdogs laughed and pointed at me!!”

Peepers’ gaze flicked back to Andy, bracing for ridicule. But instead, Andy just gave him a quiet, understanding look.

“I guess I can see how that would be… traumatic,” Andy said gently.

He rested his chin in his hand for a moment, forcing himself not to joke. This wasn’t the time to tease. Not if he wanted Peepers to keep talking.

“What if,” Andy said slowly, “you started off behind the camera, so you can still see the flash, but it won’t be directed right at you?”

Peepers shifted in his seat, hesitant but willing. He took the camera from Andy, brushing his hand over the buttons to familiarize himself, then aimed it at Andy.

“Ready?”

Andy nodded. “Go ahead.”

Peepers aimed carefully, took a deep breath, and pressed the button.

Click

The flash was mild compared to what he’d faced, but Peepers studied Andy’s reaction carefully

Andy found the commander’s concern a little sweet. He smiled back as he reassured Peepers.

“See? I’m okay,” Andy said softly.

The commander’s gaze softened just a bit. Andy leaned forward, resting an arm on the chair. “Here’s a tip: blink just before the flash hits. Helps protect your eye. Also, try not looking directly at it. Focus on something nearby. And… relax your face and breathe. Like calming down before a fight.”

Peepers tilted his head, considering, though skepticism lingered.

“Want to give it a try?” Andy asked.

Peepers handed the camera back, eye focused. He inhaled slowly, watching as Andy aimed the camera in his direction. The commander had to force himself to look off to the side and blink like Andy had suggested.

“Three… Two… One!”

Andy snapped the photo. Peepers instinctively shut his eye at the flash, unable to keep his composure.

“Okay, so maybe it’ll take a bit longer to get over your fear,” Andy muttered softly, setting the camera down.

Peepers shifted his gaze away from Andy, disappointed in himself.

“Hey, it’s okay!” Andy reassured Peepers, gently patting his shoulder. “So what if it didn’t work on the first try? You got through the whole count before the flash. That’s progress.”

The commander didn’t seem too convinced. “Progress would be not flinching at all.”

“Progress is still progress. And hey, you didn’t yell or throw the camera, so we’re ahead of schedule.”

“There’s a schedule involved now?” Peepers raised an eyebrow, slightly amused by the concept.

Andy nodded firmly. “I can try to help you out every day this week. Whenever you have the time, of course.”

Peepers paused. “So… you want me on camera by the end of the week?”

“Well…” Andy’s gaze wandered away from Peepers, “I did promise all my viewers that I would interview you next week…”

“Looks like I’ll be stuck seeing you all week, then,” Peepers said, mock groaning, but a faint glimpse of amusement shimmered in his eye. “Lucky me.”

“You mean it?!” Andy’s grin stretched wide. “This is gonna do wonders for my ratings! Oh– and for you too, of course.”

Peepers held back a smile, finding his enthusiasm endearing. “Why do you care about your ratings? It’s not like the watchdogs have other programs to watch.”

Andy blinked at Peepers, clearly unfamiliar with what ratings actually were.

“You mean you don’t–” Peepers noticed Andy’s blatant confusion, but he didn’t feel like explaining anything at the moment, so he played along. “You know what. Never mind. Let’s bring your ratings up.”

For the next week, Andy and Peepers spent a couple hours a day trying to get rid of Peepers’ fear of camera flashes. Oddly enough, Peepers found himself enjoying his time with Andy despite hating his guts just a few days before.

Then the actual day of the interview came. Time to go live in front of the whole ship.

Andy skipped into the security office with two cups of coffee. Peepers was already seated, posture rigid, staring at the empty space where the camera would soon be. Andy passed him a cup before setting his own down on the console.

Hours earlier, Andy had set up lights to slowly shift in brightness. By now, Peepers had barely noticed they’d reached full strength… barely.

“Guess what, commander!” Andy leaned forward in his seat, his eye gleaming with excitement.

“What?” Peepers eyed him warily. “Did you accidentally drink a whole pot of coffee?”

“No, I’m just excited!” Andy whipped out a notepad and clicked his pen. “I took notes from every discussion we’ve had so the interview would be personalized to you. Don’t worry, I won’t mention anything you said was ‘off limits,’ but I’ve still got some pretty juicy questions the watchdogs will love! Like– what do you think of this one?”

Peepers squinted as Andy shoved a note in his face. “‘What is your favorite hobby?’ That’s your juicy question? Really?”

Andy nodded, taking his note pad back. “Of course! One of the things the watchdogs want to know most is what you do as the commander when you aren’t… uh- commanding.”

“Well, I guess I like to-” Peepers was cut off by Andy pressing a finger to his eyelid.

“SHHH- Not yet! Save it for the interview so they can get my live reaction.”

“You’re such an idiot…” Peepers muttered as Andy pulled his finger away.

“We start in five. I’m still waiting for the camera guy to show up.”

“Camera guy?”

“Yeah, I’ve got this guy who comes in and records my shows so long as I get him lunch. Don’t know his name though.”

“That’s assuring…”

“Don’t worry, commander! Just breathe, blink, and don’t stare at the light. You’ll do fine.”

Peepers tried to steady his breathing. The lights felt hotter now, the edges of his vision sharp with white. Not the time to panic.

Within minutes, the camera watchdog came into the security room and set up the camera. The red ‘LIVE’ sign blinked on, and Andy looked completely natural on camera. Peepers, however, was straightened, just like they practiced, but the first couple of questions still came out stiff and overly formal. Andy, of course, made it impossible to stay tense by throwing in the occasional ridiculous aside, teasing him just enough to get a smirk.

By the halfway mark, Peepers was answering more easily, leaning forward when he got passionate about a topic, relaxing back when Andy’s playful jabs pulled a laugh. And, most important, he wasn’t even thinking about the bright lights around him!

When Andy finally wrapped things up and the camera clicked off, Peepers looked more exhausted than he wanted to admit… but also less haunted than when he’d walked in.

“Thank you again for doing this for me.” Andy turned to Peepers with a smile. “I’m glad you went through with it, even if you’re not completely over your fear yet.”

“Andy,” Peepers said slowly, meeting his gaze. “It’s… fine. I actually felt more comfortable around cameras today than I have in a long time. So… thanks.”

Andy lit up at the admission, leaning over the arm of his chair. “Aww, do you mean it, commander?”

Peepers cleared his throat and angled his face away. “Yeah, yeah. No need to get sappy about it.”

“Oh, right! Almost forgot.” Andy hopped down and rummaged in the corner before returning with a small gift bag. “Here. For you.”

“For me?” Peepers frowned, but peeked inside. A pair of boots, nearly identical to his usual red ones, except the soles were just a touch thicker. Subtle enough for most Watchdogs to miss… unless you happened to be exactly two feet tall.

Peepers stared at them for a long moment before glancing up. “You—” He hesitated, his voice softening. “…Thanks, Andy.”

“You like them?” Andy asked, eye bright.

“They’re… very nice. Maybe you’re not completely useless.”

Andy chuckled. “Careful, commander. Keep talking like that and people will think you like me.”

“Ugh. Perish the thought.” But he didn’t take his eye off the boots.

The next day, Peepers sat in his office enjoying a rare, peaceful morning. Not in silence, however, as The Eye on the Skull Ship played softly in the background. He would insist it was just for “ambient noise,” but the new boots told a different story, giving him that extra inch toward average Watchdog height. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow, this took so long. I told myself I would write a short fic for Andy and Peepers, BUT SOMEHOW IT'S LONGER THAN MY DEATHGLARE FICS?! Its ok because now I can rest. This is my first time writing for Andy, so I hope I did him justice. I love these little eyeballs. They're like the definition of yapper x listener to me. I tried not to make their relationship too romantic since the only time Andy and Peepers interact, Peepers clearly doesn't like him. I also included a couple head cannons in here, like Andy really caring about ratings despite not knowing what ratings are. Also, Peepers being oddly afraid of cameras because of the events of episode 2. Overall just some very silly stuff. I was thinking of making this into a longer story with each chapter being one day of the week where Andy helps Peepers through his fear. I dunno, I don't like to commit to chapters because I have a habit of losing interest midway. Any who, that's about it. I hope you double-eye enjoyers liked my fic! :D

[thatonedestroyer]

I just listened to the soundtrack for In Trousers for the first time and OML ITS SO GOODD?? WHY DIDN'T I LISTEN TO IT SOONER?? I think I might relapse into my falsettos phase (Or watch it again for the bajilionth time)

[thatonedestroyer]

Doomed one sided Deathglare my biggest enemy .....

[thatonedestroyer]

Happy Birthday to this little guy!! I just found out it was his voice actor's birthday today, so I threw together a quick drawing. Side note, but his birthday is a day before mine, so that was a super cool surprise! I imagine he doesn't like his birthday because it reminds him of how he's never gonna get taller. I wanted to make a comic, but I'm too tired for that rn lol. Anyways, heres a couple bonus doodles.

[thatonedestroyer]

I was having some fun with the perchance headcanon generator the other day and picked some that fit Peepers the best. Here are some doodles of that!

[thatonedestroyer]

Commander Peepers Spotify Playlist

I made a spotify playlist for Peepers! I tried not to include too many songs that were featured in other playlists for this character. The songs were ordered intentionally. They can be broken off into: 1. How he presents himself to others (Mad IQs--Know Me) 2. Self doubts despite his rank (Stranger Than Paradise--From Underground) 3. Reluctant acceptance of his relationship with Hater/Internally wanting more (Fool--Driving with My Darling) 4. No longer taking Hater's disrespect (Sailor in a Lifeboat--Never Again) Most of the songs have these themes and it kinda tells a story as you listen, but it works just as well in shuffle mode. There are a couple songs that don't fit the rock/punk theme, but the lyrics work well for him as a character. Some personal highlights: Stranger Than Paradise by Mook (Peepers is comfortable being the commander, but he yearns for power and respect) Bones by Will Wood (I like looking at this song in the context of deathglare and its just Peepers gushing over Hater) Sailor in a Lifeboat by EURINGER (This works great as a rebellious song for Peepers) 134340 Pluto by Cojum Dip (Another song about self doubt and wanting more respect. Its so good!!)

Those songs specifically make me want to draw an animatic, but sadly I have very little motivation/animating ability. That's about it for now. Hopefully you give this playlist a listen, I promise its worth it!!

[thatonedestroyer]

This is such a good character analysis!! I try so hard to think of ways they could be happy together, but its just not possible. Not unless either Hater steps up as a villain, or Peepers cools off and becomes content as second in command. Neither outcome seems healthy for them. The few moments where they are happy, its often short lived and at someone else's expense. They are abusive to others and themselves. As much as I love them, there's no way they could be content as a couple. I think a big part of why I love their relationship is because it's probably one of the only things Peepers has left. He's barely respected by the watchdogs and he puts Hater on such a high pedestal that his is the only opinion he values. I like to think that Hater is holding Peepers back, but its more likely that Hater encourages Peepers to become more evil. He wants that positive attention and respect, and especially Hater's approval. There's a chance that after The Axe, Peepers pulls himself together and becomes a more successful villain out of spite, but it would be a pretty destructive path. Conversely, Hater would try to brute force everything, but it would be pointless without any real strategy. They both need and care for one another, while also being toxic together. They're such a mess and I love them.

WHY DEATH GLARE IS SO TRAGIC-

So, uh- You know- Peepers is hopelessly devoted to Hater, to a romantic degree. Yet, he knows he will never be in a relationship with Hater, because he's too good for him, even if he's "less smarter" than him (but Hater proved his incredible wit multiple times, specially during "The end of the galaxy).

And, by Hater's side, dating Peepers is a thought that never passed through his mind. Heck, Hater will never admit openly that they're even pals. He's still absorbed into himself. He still abuses Peepers, even in season 2, but he had a noticeable improvement.

During season 2, Hater starts seeing Peepers' as a more intimate friend, with which he can be more vulnerable. Yet, he even considers Captain Tim, or even Wander, as closer, due to Peepers being very annoying and dismissive to his feelings towards Dominator.

It's hinted that in season 3 Hater will have a redemption, Which means that he will start to love himself and leave evil. But-ooohhh- Peepers may not leave evil so easily.

Peepers loves evil more than Hater does, and many other villains. There are many times we can see Peepers enjoying watching planets being burned, destroyed, and seeing the civilians suffer, which is counterproductive to the empire's power (The Funk). But, wanting to be respected is also an important part to why he conquers planets. Yet, getting the respect he dreads so much may not content him.

We can see multiple times that, whenever Hater gets too distracted of their goal of conquering planets, Peepers' admiration and love for him seems to fade (The Funk, The Bad Hatter (specially)). It's important to also remember that he sees no point in evil without Hater (The Axe).

When Hater gets redeemed, and completely abandons evil, Peepers may feel how he completely lost him. He would mostly feel anger towards him, that Hater dumped their almost lifetime long dreams of a great empire (and his feelings) to just be "popular" and feel truly appreciated. Another part of him still misses him. A lot. So much so that he can't concentrate when doing plans to recover the empire, that he lost all motivation to keep up. Yet, he still loves evil.

Hater maybe would be open about their time as friends, how special he was for him, and that he wants him to feel truly loved. However, he would never notice Peepers' romantic feelings towards him, and would be busier taking care of his new image as "The savior of the galaxy"... And making good deeds.

Mis papás wey 🗣️🗣️🔥🔥

They have so many cute moments aww...divorce alreadyyy 💕💕

[thatonedestroyer]

lil sketch before bed

[thatonedestroyer]

I drew the evil little guy in his iconic pose :D

I'm new to posting my art online, but I've seen other people post their layers so I'm doing it just in case. There are a couple doodles I made on the side too lol. BIG NEWS!! I'm making a Spotify playlist for Peepers! I'll post it soon. I'm really happy with the songs and I tried to use only songs that weren't featured in other playlists for him so I could keep it fresh. Very excited to share it soon! Well, that's enough for now. Adios!!

[thatonedestroyer]

The Fake Date

This ended up being wayyy longer than I expected. I need to release this because its been eating at my brain for about a month. Peepers and Hater get really close in this fic... Maybe too close? Lol, ok, that's enough for now. I hope you enjoy! :D

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“And that is how we are going to conquer planet Flendar!”

Commander Peepers confidently put his hands on his hips after announcing his invasion plans to Lord Hater. The commander had spent sleepless nights doing extensive research on the traditions and customs of the aliens living on Flendar. He had to make sure that the takeover would be flawless and foolproof–especially after the recent losses they had suffered as a result of Hater’s thick skull and insistence on pursuing Wander.

Lord Hater squinted at Peepers and raised a bony eyebrow, listening to his plan from the comfort of his throne.

“You want me to… marry the princess of Flendar?”

Peepers nodded and peered up at Hater with a hint of pride in his well thought out plan.

“Precisely, sir! According to my sources, Princess Zaltra is holding a banquet to find her suitor in three days. All you need to do is talk to her and convince her that you would make a good partner, then you can easily take over the planet from the inside. Think you can handle that?”

Lord Hater scoffed and crossed his arms arrogantly, “Pssh, yeah. Sounds easy. Any girl would be lucky to tie down all this.”

The skeleton pulled up his sleeve and flexed, his body surprisingly muscular for a skeleton. The commander’s eye lingered on Hater’s flexing muscles for a moment too long before he snapped back to his senses.

Peepers gave him a doubtful look, fully aware of Hater’s dating history. Despite all his boasting, Lord Hater had never actually been on a successful date. The only times women willingly went on a date with him were either out of pity or as a joke at his expense.

“Yeah… About that. I propose we have a trial dinner to make sure that, ahem,” Peepers cleared his throat and gestured vaguely to Hater, who was still distracted with his own muscles, before continuing with a bit of exasperation, “all that is ready for the banquet. I’ve already ordered the watchdogs to arrange the dining hall for the occasion.”

Lord Hater frowned and glared at the commander with slight displeasure. He hadn’t even confirmed if they were going to go through with the idea yet and Peepers had already started making arrangements? Not cool. Hater was the one in charge! Peepers had no right to command the watchdogs without his approval.

“What, are you trying to say I can’t do it?” Lord Hater stepped down from his throne and towered over the one-eyed alien, electricity sparking threateningly from his fingers as he tried to reinforce his precedence.

Peepers’s heart fluttered nervously. One part of him feared Hater’s wrathful tendencies, while the other part quite enjoyed seeing Hater’s display of power. Despite wanting to give in and affirm the skeleton’s ego, Peepers stood his ground, shooting Hater an unimpressed glare.

“Sir, we talked about this. If you’re going to be immature about my plans, then I can’t help you.”

Hater clenched his fist and let out a groan in annoyance, reluctantly dissipating the green bolts that sparked dangerously around the throne room. Though admitting this was incredibly difficult, he knew Peepers had a point. The many lectures Peepers gave him about being professional and level-headed were apparently fruitful, to some degree. Not wanting the watchdog to get too much satisfaction, Hater simply crossed his arms over his chest as he walked away, muttering remarks of discontent under his breath.

“Stupid Peepers, always telling me what to do…”

Peepers watched with a hint of pride as Hater left. Although his words were harsh, everything in the room was still intact and nobody–specifically Peepers–was hurt! Though it was a difficult process, the watchdog was thrilled that Hater was making attempts to not immediately jump to violence and instead remained sensible. Peepers let out a pleased hum before following Hater out of the throne room.

The two aliens met up in front of the hall, which had been decorated to set a romantic mood. Red flames flickered softly from candles, illuminating the dark room with a warm glow, elegant yet dangerous flowers with spiky stems and alluring red petals were arranged neatly in a vase at the center of the circular dining table, and the aroma of savory, freshly cooked food wafted through the dining hall, enticing the duo to inspect what was hidden under the lids of their silver platters.

“Wow, this is fancy.” Hater looked down at Peepers with a grin, his earlier anger dissipating at the thought of eating a luxurious meal with his date. “I’ll give you credit, Peeps, you outdid yourself with this one. So, where’s the lucky lady who gets to eat with the great LORD HATER?”

Peepers blinked in confusion up at Hater, not considering getting Hater an actual date for their recreational dinner. “Lucky lady..?”

Hater’s grin faltered, “Duh- Yeah! How else am I going to practice for a date if I don’t have a date for my date?!”

“Well- uHM…” The commander’s head swiveled around as he quickly checked to see if any watchdogs were nearby so he could pair them up with Hater, but the halls were suspiciously empty at the moment.

His focus turned back to Hater and his “mouth” went dry as he gazed up at the disappointed skeleton. Peepers cleared his throat and tried his best to pull himself together, wincing as he uttered what should have felt like a simple suggestion.

“I could be your… lucky… lady..?”

Time seemed to still to a halt as Peepers awaited Hater’s response, his tiny heart pounding in his chest. After a couple moments, the skeleton folded his gloved arms over his thick chest.

“Peepers… You’re not a lady.

Realization struck the watchdog as he considered Hater’s words, but he managed to play it cool.

“So?”

Hater stared at Peepers, “So? Well you’re… You. You’re not some hot babe with flowing hair, sparkling eyes, and… Uh- lady… stuff.”

Peepers narrowed his eye up at the skeleton, starting to feel offended by Hater’s reaction, “Sir, this is a practice date. You’re here to practice your etiquette, not be swept off your feet.”

“Yeah, but-” Hater scoffed and gestured his arms around wildly, trying to express his dissatisfaction, “How am I supposed to feel all romantic-y when you’re looking at me all judgy-like??”

“I can pretend,” Peepers muttered under his breath, imagining what a real date would look like with Hater.

“What?”

“Nothing!” The watchdog quickly snapped out of his fantasy. Peepers took a deep breath, collecting himself, before getting back to the task at hand.

“Listen, sir. I can just sit across from you, ask you questions, simulate the experience. Purely professional.”

“UGHHH…” Hater groaned, dragging his hands down his face, “Fine. But no, like, dreamy eye contact. Or compliments. Or romantic stuff.”

“Understood.”

Now that the two had come to an agreement, they could finally start the “date”. Hater attempted to enter the dimly lit room, but Peepers held out his hand to stop him.

“Hold on one second, sir. If you want to impress the princess, then you have to take this seriously.”

“That is EXACTLY what I am TRYING to do.” The skeleton growled and gestured to the dining hall in annoyance.

“Heh, but sir,” Sensing the tension, Peepers softened his tone, as though he was speaking to a moody toddler. “Imagine this is the real date and I’m the princess. You and the princess are walking up to the door: What do you say to her?

Hater scoffed and grinned, “Pfft- that's easy. I’d say move it or lose it, babe. Haters first.”

Peepers grimaced in disapproval, rubbing his temple. “Eh… Not quite, sir. I need you to get your head in the game.” He made direct eye contact with Hater and really dumbed it down.

“You, princess, door. The polite thing to say to her would be..?”

Hater looked down at Peepers in confusion, squinting like he was asked a trick question. After a few moments, the skeleton cleared his throat and answered in a somewhat unsure tone.

“...After you..?”

“Why, thank you, sir.”

Peepers glanced up at Hater with a cheerful, almost smug glint in his eye, giving a nod in acknowledgement of the polite gesture as he entered the room first.

The skeleton just stood there, slack jawed in disbelief. The smug look on the commander’s face made something click within Hater.

So, that's how it’s gonna be.

There was no way Hater was going to let Peepers, his second in command, keep telling him what to do, it was ruining his authoritative image. He HAD to show Peepers just how charming he could be without the incessant interjections of the watchdog’s patronizing tips.

When Commander Peepers went to sit at the table, Hater was already one step ahead, pulling out the commander’s chair for him in one swift motion.

“Allow me. Take a seat.”

The watchdog’s heart fluttered, caught off guard by the romantic gesture. Peepers was not at all expecting a move like that from Hater, especially after they agreed the date would be strictly professional, but it did not go unappreciated. The watchdog glanced gratefully up at Hater–his mouthless attempt at a smile–as his wooden chair was carefully pushed closer to the table.

“Oh- uh. Thank you, sir.”

Once they were both seated, Hater fought the urge to kick up his feet onto the dining table, already predicting what Peepers would say. Instead, he lifted the lid off his dinner platter to see what their first meal would be. Underneath was an octopus-like space creature sectioned off at the arms, coated with a glittery purple sauce that one could only assume tasted like a savory jam, and served with caesar salad on the side. Despite its off putting appearance, it actually tasted pretty good and Peepers was already cutting himself a bite.

Hater’s eyes wandered away from the hungry Peepers and down to the assortment of utensils that sat beside his plate. There were spoons, forks, and knives, all meant for different courses of food. The skeleton simply sat there, his brain working overtime as he analyzed the different types of forks.

Peepers glanced up from his meal to see Hater struggling, “Ahem.”

Startled by the sound, Hater looked up at Peepers, who was now pointing down at the fork Hater needed to use.

“Right. I knew that.” The skeleton muttered and picked up his fork, tasting the slimy dish.

The sound of utensils clinking together filled the air, but not enough to break the uncomfortable silence between the two. The skeleton stared down at the fresh food on his plate as he struggled to come up with what to say next.

Hater glanced back up at Peepers and cleared his throat, “So, uh… how are you enjoying your meal, princess?”

Peepers, now fully engaged in the fake formal occasion, dabbed his nonexistent mouth with a napkin.

“It’s quite nice, sir. Much better than the sludge they serve in the cafeteria.

Hater nodded absently, already contemplating what he should say next, leaving both of them in uncomfortable silence.

The dim lighting, the fancy decor, the way Peepers kept glancing up at him like he was expecting more. Way too much pressure for the inexperienced skeleton.

Hater gnawed on his fork, staring at his plate as he concentrated on how to break the tension.

Come on, think of something cool to say!

In a moment of impulse, Hater snapped his finger. A spark of electricity flew from his fingers, jumping into a nearby speaker. It crackled to life with a soft hum before abrasively flooding the dining hall with obnoxiously loud punk rock music.

Peepers groaned in pain and covered his non-existent ears, squinting over at the skeleton in confusion. Hater grinned and lowered the music so it was at background volume level.

Much better.

Though his music taste didn’t exactly fit the romantic mood, it definitely helped Hater feel more comfortable with the fake date.

“Are you flarping-… Seriously, sir?”

“What? I thought you liked rock.”

“Well- Yes, but that’s not…”

Peepers stuttered, his head still pounding from the few seconds of hearing the deafening music. Now that it was a bit quieter, it didn’t sound too bad. The watchdog was a bit disappointed that Hater wouldn’t pick something more soothing, like jazz. But still, progress was progress. Peepers could deal with the punk music if it meant Hater was going to treat this like a real date.

It had to be perfect.

For the princess, of course.

“I’m not sure that the princess would appreciate having her eardrums melted.” Peepers grumbled while rubbing his forehead, soothing his headache slightly.

Hater scoffed and leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest, “Well, you’re not the princess, so I think you’ll be just fine.”

Peepers rolled his eye at his leader’s dismissive response. He knew there was no point in arguing with Hater, so he simply resumed eating the goopy dish on his platter.

The two ate under the dim candlelight near silence, save for the steady beat of rock music that faintly filled the room. It helped to ease the awkwardness, but not by much. Hater still wasn’t earning any charisma points for his dry conversation. They barely exchanged more than a few sentences at a time–their longest conversation being about Hater’s workout routine–and Peepers seemed more disinterested than charmed.

The watchdog’s gaze drifted off to a corner of the room as he sipped his sparkly drink, trying to think of anything besides their hopeless date.

Then, the candlelight shifted. The flame flickered softly and beamed across Peepers’s eye at just the right angle to make his red iris shimmer like a newly born galaxy.

The sight captured Hater’s attention mid-sip and he froze, grinning slightly as he set down his drink.

Peepers turned to Hater, sensing his gaze. “What?”

Hater shrugged, leaning in just a little, “Nothing. Just wondering if the princess will have eyes like that.”

Calm yourself, Peepers! It was a simple compliment. Hater was just being a flirt. That's all.

Peepers blinked, his heartbeat fluttering under the weight of Hater’s intent gaze,

“You… like my eye?”

“I- I mean- not like, like. It’s just, y’know, big. And… red. And, uh, sparkly, I guess.” The skeleton leaned back and rubbed the back of his neck, averting his gaze to seem less embarrassed. “In a dangerous, explosive kinda way.”

Peepers’s eye widened slightly, taking the compliment way more personally than he should have.

“Oh.”

A silence fell over the dining table, yet it wasn’t awkward like before. This time, it felt more alive, more suspenseful.

The sight of Peepers getting flustered sparked something within Hater, making him more bold. He liked seeing his commander like this, and he wanted to see it again. His tone shifted into something partly nervous, partly playful.

“So- uh… if this is a date, I guess I should try to flirt with the princess. How does this sound:” Hater cleared his throat and leaned in closer, “If you were a laser blast, you’d have me totally fried, ‘cause you are scorching hot.”

Peepers choked on his drink, “Sir- that’s…” He coughed into his drink, his face uncomfortably warm, “That was awful.”

“Ugh… I know.” Hater groaned and dragged his claws down his face, chuckling softly, “I sound like Emperor Awesome.”

“You sound like an amateur.” Peepers muttered, his voice slightly affectionate.

Their eyes met for a moment too long.

Peepers tore his gaze away, suddenly overwhelmed as panic prickled beneath his collar. Too much. Too close. He grasped for something–anything–to break the tension. The watchdog cleared his throat and lifted his drink in the air a little too quickly.

“A- a toast!” He tilted his glass toward Hater, trying to collect himself, “To the infiltration of planet Flendar.”

The shift jarred Hater back to his senses, and he nodded, hastily raising his glass as well. “And being incredibly charming while doing it.” Hater forced a confident grin as their glasses clinked.

They drank.

“Y’know,” Hater’s voice dropped slightly, “you’re surprisingly good at this, Peeps.”

“This, sir?” Peepers looked curiously up at Hater.

“All this,” Hater gestured vaguely around the dining table, “The datey, romantic stuff. You act so polite… and cool. I bet you’ve done this loads of times.” He grinned slightly, teasing the watchdog.

“Well- uhm…” Peepers glanced away nervously for a moment before returning to Hater’s gaze. Sure, he knew a lot about dating etiquette and maintaining appearances, but he was a busy commander. He didn’t have time for something as trivial as dating. “Not exactly…”

“Then how do you know so much?” The skeleton tilted his head slightly, amused by the watchdog’s squirming.

“I… I don’t know,” Peepers shrugged, not wanting to outwardly admit that he wasn’t as experienced with real dates as he pretended to be. “I just sort of imagine what I would want in a partner, and replicate that to the best of my ability.”

“So your big secret is being considerate? Lame.” Hater chuckled and nudged Peepers’s foot under the table. “And here I thought it felt kinda real.”

“Y-you did?”

Peepers’s heart fluttered, and his single eye widened, staying focused on Hater’s gaze as though he needed it to breathe. He tried to play it off by sipping his drink, but his hand wobbled as he held his glass.

There it was again. That stupid, endearing look that sent shivers through Hater’s bones.

Hater chuckled again, softer now. “Sure, I mean, you’re so captivated… If I didn’t know any better, I’d guess this was an actual date, or something.”

Peepers quickly added, “It’s not though.”

“Right. It’s fake.” He nodded, still grinning at the watchdog’s flustered expression. “Totally pretend.”

“Exactly. Strictly professional.” Peepers confirmed, reassuring himself more than anything else.

The skeleton leaned in closer, his elbows on the table now, his voice dropping to something dangerously sincere. “But, y'know, if it was real… You’d kinda be killing it.”

“Heh– Th-thank you, sir.” Peepers barely managed to squeak out his gratitude, his body buzzing from the compliment.

Their eyes met again. For a moment, neither seemed to want to look away. The rich orange flame of candlelight flickered between them, and Peepers could have sworn the room got hotter.

His eye wandered down to Hater’s lips–parted slightly, so close yet so far–and lingered on them, almost longingly. He looked back up, only to find Hater leaning in even closer.

The commander’s breath caught in his throat.

And then–

Peepers shot up from his seat, nearly knocking over his chair as he slammed his hands on the table.

“W-well! I think that’s more than enough practice for tonight!” He blurted, voice pitched a little too high.

“Wha– Seriously?” Hater blinked, startled by his commander’s sudden eagerness to flee.

“No need to over do it, sir!” Peepers fixed his chair and let out a nervous chuckle, swiftly gathering their dinner trays, “Wouldn’t want to risk… overpreparing.”

“Right, wouldn’t want that…” Hater muttered softly, leaning back in his seat and watching Peepers with something oddly close to affection.

Peepers cleared his throat and darted off to the kitchen, “I’ll, uh… Have the watchdogs clean this up!”

Left alone at the dining table, Hater crossed his arms behind his head and smirked.

“Guess he couldn’t handle my game.”

A few moments later, some watchdogs came out to clear the table, an unspoken signal that the “date” was officially over. Hater sighed and pushed off the table, stretching as he got to his feet.

The dinner had gone pretty well, all things considered. He had actually learned a few things about etiquette for his future royal date, even if it was mostly out of spite. And messing with Peepers? Way more fun than he expected.

He was definitely going to find an excuse to get under the watchdog’s skin more often. And hey, if it helped him practice his flirting skills, even better.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Peepers was hunched over the kitchen sink, face flushed, body trembling as he gripped the cold metal basin.

“Stupid, stupid stupid!” He muttered to himself, beating his forehead with his fist. “What have I done??”

A couple of watchdogs exchanged confused glances, but none of them dared to disturb the commander’s spiraling.

Peepers stared down into the murky water, his reflection rippling with each shaky breath. “It was fake. Just pretend...”

He slumped pitifully against the counter, clutching his chest with one hand as though that would soothe the ache.

“Oh grop… What if he thinks I like him?”

Then, he scoffed bitterly, turning his head to stare at the dull gray wall. “Utterly ridiculous. I’m his second in command. Nothing more.”

It was just a fake date. It shouldn’t have meant anything.

At least, that's what he told himself.

He wasn’t entirely sure what the moment was leading up to, just that he wanted to get it back more than anything.

But he blew his shot.

Peepers let out a groan of self loathing and yanked a pint of ice cream from the freezer, quickly sneaking the cold treat up to his quarters before anyone could ask questions.

Now alone, he threw himself onto his bed, curled up under a pile of blankets, and put on the most melodramatic soap opera he could find.

As dramatic music swelled from the screen, he spooned cold fudge into his “mouth” and tried not to cry, pestered by thoughts of regret that refused to let him sleep.

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Hehehe... Peepers and Hater are never gonna have a loving relationship. I keep telling myself I'm gonna write a fluff fic where they affectionately embrace each other, but its way too tempting to make Peepers cry instead. I see Peepers as very closeted about his romantic feelings towards Hater. Whenever he's given an opportunity to express non-platonic affection towards Hater, he shoves his feeling down and panics. I left it kind of open ended because I might turn it into a longer slow burn with more chapters. Idk. Depends on how I feel. I'm also struggling to make the Deathglare dynamic work since Hater is usually just mean to Peepers. Regardless, I'm working on a new fic between them!! I'm also starting a oneshot with Peepers and Andy because I think that would be fun. They have so much potential! This year has been draining so far, but that won't stop me from writing about gay aliens!

[thatonedestroyer]

Commander Peepers Has Had Enough

Hooray! This my first time posting any of my work on here and I'm excited to share it with the world. It starts off slow but there's fluff/emotional comforting towards the end. Hope you enjoy! :D

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Commander Peepers flops eyeball-first onto his bed after a long day of trying (and failing) to conquer a planet with his boss, Lord Hater. The planet was overgrown with vegetation and lacked alien life, but it was all that was left after Dominator’s wrath had destroyed most of the galaxy. Despite Peepers urging Hater to go after these fresh planets, Hater would just groan and call the watchdog lame, claiming that they were too easy of targets to qualify as worthy of being ruled by the Hater empire. The one time they go after one of these planets, they just so happen to run into Wander and Sylvia having a picnic. When Wander noticed the two invaders, he cheerfully greeted them and enthusiastically offered them sandwiches with mustard or mayo, leading to Lord Hater getting annoyed and ruining an invasion for the millionth time. Oh, how Peepers loathed when Hater got like this. It was a total waste of everyone’s time, especially after the poor eyeball had spent many long nights trying to come up with the perfect strategy for taking over countless planets, only for his plans to fail time and time again due to Hater’s incompetence. Regardless, the commander had a strange fondness for the skeletal alien.

When he wasn’t acting like a complete idiot, he was actually quite strong.

And commanding.

And ruthless.

The commander flips onto his back and stares at the roof, his eye droopy with exhaustion. He had to admit, he actually respected his boss quite a bit. Perhaps to a degree that was… less than necessary for professionalism. He didn’t have to look very far to see a poster of Lord Hater taped to his bedroom wall, followed by another four on the walls to his sides and behind him. But that didn’t mean anything. He simply had a strong admiration for his boss, as any right-hand man would. Still, Peepers couldn’t deny how his adoration for Hater only grew after he managed to defeat Dominator and declared that he would take the opportunity to conquer the entire galaxy.

The way Lord Hater’s voice became gruff and authoritative. A shiver runs through the watchdog’s body as he replays the memory in his head. It did things to him that he would never admit to anyone. Just then, the intercom for Peepers's room buzzed.

“Commander Peepers, Lord Hater wants to see you.”

Of course he did. As if getting his ass handed to him wasn’t enough, now he has to deal with his boss’ rage as well. Peepers reluctantly rolls off his bed and cleans himself up, popping on his helmet to complete his signature look before heading to the war room.

After a couple of minutes of navigating the large spaceship, he arrives at the locked metal doors. Knock, knock, knock. No answer. Knock, knock, knock. Still nothing. The watchdog grumbled something under his breath before calling out to Lord Hater.

“Sir, it’s Commander Peepers. You called for me?”

Disturbed by the lack of a response, Peepers overrides the lock with a passcode and the metal doors slide open. Curious, the commander enters the room, only to notice that Hater is nowhere to be found.

Well, this is just peachy. Now he gets to play a game of hide and seek. Just what his day needed. Another inconvenience.

He rubs his eye in annoyance before proceeding to search for his boss. The hallways blended together as he looked all over the ship, starting to get a bit worried. After half an hour of looking around, the short alien approached his boss’s bedroom doors. He knew that Hater didn’t like being disturbed when he was there. He had made that very clear. However, if there was something wrong and Peepers didn’t check in on Hater, he knew he would regret it. And besides, Hater had technically called for him in the first place. He was simply following orders. Peepers takes a deep breath before knocking on Lord Hater’s door.

“Sir? Are you in there?”

Not even a second later, the door slides open, revealing the inside of the dark room. Peepers squints his eyes, struggling to adjust to the pitch black after walking around the brightly lit halls.

“You, uh- You called for me?”

The commander takes a couple of steps in, getting a bad feeling about being in his boss’s bedroom.

“Go away, Peepers!” A familiar voice grumbles from beneath the covers of his bed.

Peepers felt a bit of relief that Hater was alright but was still very confused.

“You do realize you let me in, right?”

Lord Hater scoffs and grumbles, stumbling over his own words as he tries to come up with a good excuse for calling the watchdog,

“YEAH? Well- I don’t need you anymore! Everything is great, so just go away already!”

Peepers groans internally. Hater was in a mood, meaning that there was no way the commander was getting out of here anytime soon. Whenever his boss was like this, it usually meant he was upset over something. Usually, it was over something stupid, like Wander getting on his nerves. Still, it was Commander Peepers’s job to make his boss happy, so he sucks it up and puts on a concerned face on as he stands at the side of the skeleton’s bed.

“Sir, we both know nothing will happen if you don’t tell me what’s going on.”

Lord Hater sighs from beneath the covers and slowly slides out into the open, his face drooping like a sad puppy. Peepers feels his heart beat a little faster, putting that feeling aside to focus on resolving the skeletal alien’s issues first.

“Now, tell me what's wrong, sir.”

Hater crosses his arms dramatically and mutters a response. “It's nothing. Just… How is it that I, the greatest villain in the galaxy, can’t seem to keep even one planet under my control? It should be easy now that Dominator is gone, but today was a complete bust. Why is nothing going right for me?”

The smaller alien feels his eye twitch. Of all the flarping- Why is everything going wrong? Oh, there are so many reasons. He was behaving unfocused, conceited, and all-around incompetent. Maybe if Hater would just listen to what Peepers had to say instead of brushing him off like always? Or maybe if he didn’t chase that little orange freak all over the place and spend his time messing around, then they would actually be the strongest villains in the galaxy. Despite all the things that the watchdog wanted to say, he kept them to himself to not make the situation worse.

Peepers takes a deep breath and pats Lord Hater on the back. “I don’t know, sir… Have you considered that you lack the motivation to actually become the ‘greatest in the galaxy’..?”

The commander's words hit Lord Hater like a bag of rocks. The skeleton growls and glares at Peepers, who quickly pedals back and changes his tone, “Heh, what I mean is… Well, you just haven’t been yourself lately. Ever since you defeated Lord Dominator, that is.” The watchdog finishes his sentence with a bit of scorn in his voice for the villainess’s name.

Lord Hater scoffs defensively and leans in closer to Peepers, poking the one-eyed alien in the chest. “Oh yeah? Well, maybe that’s because you’re always such a BUZZKILL about everything! I mean, I was just trying to woo Dominator and you were all, like, lame! ‘Lord Hater, don’t flirt with her’ and ‘Lord Hater, she’s not into you.’ Wrong! It was totally working. Did you see the way she was staring at me when I destroyed her ship? She was totally impressed. Face it, you’re just jealous that I can get a girl to think about me while you’re over there acting all nerdy and lame with no chicks in your life.”

That was the last straw. Peepers was no stranger to being called “lame”, and he could easily handle being talked down to. But having the one person he admires believe that he’s not worth dating after ignoring him for years? No way.

Peepers retracts his hand and takes a second to deeply consider his next move before throwing caution to the wind. He hops onto the bed and stands between Lord Hater’s legs, his eye narrow with irritation,

“You have got to be kidding me, sir! Do you seriously think that getting ‘chicks’ is the problem here?! I’m talking about you and your ridiculous actions! You’ve got a huge ship with an arsenal full of weapons, an army of watchdogs awaiting your every command, and lightning powers that could make most planets bend to your will. And HOW do you apply these resources? By chasing some space hippie around the galaxy and putting your focus on looking cool instead of actually seeking results! I mean, just last week you had the crew do practice for your silly rock band instead of preparing for the invasion! The invasion, may I remind you, that we failed because you got distracted by Wander and his Zbornak! Would it kill you to at least pretend like you care about everything I worked to build for you? For us?”

The burning flame of initial anger in Peepers’s heart begins to dwindle into a desperate longing. Commander Peepers had spent years at Lord Hater’s side. He knew what the skeleton was capable of when he was at his peak, but nothing had been the same since he started chasing after Wander and crushing on Dominator. It killed Peepers inside to think about how everything he fought for, everything he believed in, might be for nothing. The air of the dark room is thick with unspoken feelings as tears threaten to leak from the watchdog’s eye.

The commander quickly notices and turns away, disgusted by his lack of ability to hold in his emotions. Lord Hater catches on and, despite wanting to punish Commander Peepers for speaking against him, he stays quiet, his gaze stern yet not devoid of empathy.

The moment of silence was destroying Peepers inside as he was forced to dwell on his past and current emotions, which was far too much for the little alien to handle. The commander wipes his eye and sits himself between Hater’s legs, keeping his back to Hater, who is leaning forward on the bed with his eyes fixed on the back of the watchdog’s helmet.

Since it was clear that neither one of them really knew what to do, Peepers just blurts the first thing that came to mind. “And for your information, sir, you had zero chances with Lord Dominator.”

Way to go Peepers. The watchdog kicks himself internally for breaking the tension with something so stupid, but Lord Hater just chuckled in disbelief, knowing deep down inside that Peepers had a point.

“You’re right.”

The one-eyed alien turns around, his eye wide with surprise and confusion. Was Lord Hater actually admitting that he’s wrong for once? He must be hearing things. “I- I am?”

Lord Hater simply nods and looks off to the side, seemingly reminiscing on the time he spent with Dominator.

“Maybe I’m still out of it from today’s loss, but I get what you’re saying, Peepers. I saw how she was really looking at me. She hated me just like everyone else. Every girl I meet is always calling me rude and disgusting, but… I really thought she was different. That she might be the one.”

It was rather clear to every person who saw Lord Hater and Dominator together that there was zero chemistry between them. Lord Hater simply fell for someone who was way out of his league and it’s his own fault for being disappointed when he inevitably realized it was never going to happen.

Even so, Commander Peepers blinks in surprise, his gaze softening as he sees the look of diffidence and disappointment etched on Lord Hater’s skeletal features. Something about finally hearing his boss say that he was wrong for once sent shivers down Peepers’s spine and made his tiny heart flutter with vindication.

In a moment of pure impulse, the watchdog reaches out and grabs Lord Hater’s hand, his fingers brushing against the skeleton’s sturdy bones as he looks up at Hater with adoration,

“Sir. You are the most powerful, aggressive, and frightening alien in the galaxy. You don’t need some girl to make you happy. You’ve taken hundreds of planets in the past and made billions of citizens bow down to the Hater empire. You have this whole ship and the entire watchdog army ready and awaiting your every command. Your resilience and devotion to proving yourself as the greatest in the galaxy inspires me to never give up, and teaches me that nothing is truly impossible if you work hard enough. I don’t think I could even imagine myself being anyone else’s right hand man. I truly admire you, Lord Hater.”

Oh grop.

The air of Hater’s dimly lit room grows tenser than before as the two aliens sit on Lord Hater’s bed in uncomfortable silence. Lord Hater stares back at the watchdog in disbelief, his sockets wide with surprise at the passion in his commander’s supportive words. Commander Peepers glances down at his hand, which is now tenderly squeezing his Hater's boney fingers, then looks back up at Lord Hater, who is completely taken aback.

The commander feels his face flush and laughs nervously, awkwardly shifting out from between Lord Hater’s legs to get off the bed. Peepers’s mind is racing with conflicting emotions. On one hand, he’s relieved to finally get some of his feelings off his chest, but on the other hand, he completely gushed about his admiration for Lord Hater! Of course, that should be a natural feeling for any commander. But for some reason, hearing those words come out of his own body felt less like a show of respect and more like a heartfelt confession.

Noticing Peepers’s embarrassment, Lord Hater grabs his commander’s wrist and pulls him back down, causing the alien to fall onto the skeleton’s lap. “Oh, no you don’t. You can’t just say all that and expect to get away so easily.”

Commander Peepers is completely flustered by the position he’s put himself in, so he simply stays seated on the skeleton's lap, looking up at Hater sheepishly.

“So, you really look up to me that much?” Lord Hater questions Peepers, his rough voice sending shivers through the commander.

The smaller alien simply nods, unsure of how to properly respond to a what should be a easy question.

Lord Hater grins and gently nudges Peepers's shoulder, “Of course you do. You always were pretty short, even for a watchdog.”

Commander Peepers gives Lord Hater an unamused glare, not expecting the dig at his height during such a tense moment. Before the eyeball could make a retort, Lord Hater lets out a snort, laughing at the watchdog’s attempt to be serious, “Relax, C. Peeps. I don’t mind how short you are. In fact, I think it’s sorta impressive.”

The skeleton brings one of his hands under Peepers’s eyeball and lifts it so that he’s forced to make eye-contact with Hater. The watchdog could feel himself growing warmer as his eyelashes fluttered up to meet the larger alien’s intense gaze.

“Heh- You, uh- You think I’m impressive, sir?” Peepers swallows nervously, his heartbeat fluctuating at the realization of the position he’s in.

He’s currently nestled between Lord Hater's thighs, looking into the eyes of the person who he admires the most and it feels surprisingly nice.

Lord Hater nods, his nonexistent lips lifting into a surprisingly soft smile, “As much as it pains me to admit, maybe I do enjoy having you around. You keep me grounded when I’m at my lowest. Even though you’re a total nerd most of the time.”

The smaller alien laughs at Hater’s remark, not bothered by being called a nerd this time, “I’m glad you think so highly of me, sir.”

Lord Hater sighs, his smile turning bittersweet, “I can’t believe how lame I acted earlier. I don’t know how you put up with me when I get,” He hummed softly, trying to come up with a word that wouldn’t bruise his ego, “Emotional.”

The commander shrugs casually, adjusted to his position on Hater’s lap. “I wonder the same thing, sir.”

He averts his gaze for a moment, “Y’know, it wouldn’t hurt you to actually listen to my advice once in a while.”

Even though his tone was lighthearted, Peepers really did wish Lord Hater would follow his plans instead of just going on instinct all the time. The skeletal alien could see this, and he gently strokes his commander’s cheek with his thumb. “Tell you what. I’ll follow your plans for the next invasion if you promise to come to my rock band's rehearsals later.”

The watchdog leans into Hater’s touch and nods. “It’s a deal, sir. I’d love to show my support.”

Lord Hater lets out soft chuckle, enjoying the feeling of his commander’s head against his hand, “You always were a loyal watchdog. Don’t tell Andy, but you’re my favorite.”

Peepers’s eye gleams with pride and reassurance. He was well aware that he’s Lord Hater’s favorite, but hearing those words come out of the skeleton’s mouth made him feel special.

“You really promise?”

“Of course.”

The commander shifts from his seated position to wrap his arms around Lord Hater in a warm embrace. With a playful roll of the eyes, the larger alien returns the hug and squeezes Peepers gently. Though the evening had been an emotional rollercoaster, Commander Peepers could really tell that he had made an impact on Hater. With a renewed emotional bond, the two aliens share high hopes of their next invasion attempt being a success, but even if it wasn’t they would still be there for each other to see it through.

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It was fun to finally start writing again. Maybe next time, Peepers will actually express his feeling instead of keeping them all bottled up. I was thinking about having them kiss at the end to make the story more romantic, but I kinda like them better as buddies who emotionally support each other in times of need. Plus, Hater was being rude, so it would feel weird for Peepers to just kiss him after all his whining. If you enjoyed, lmk what you think! I'm also always open to new ideas for one-shots involving the silly eyeball alien, so if you want me to write about something, I might do it.

[thatonedestroyer]

Hello!

This is my first time using Tumblr and I have no idea how to operate things on here. I like to draw, write stories, and crochet. As of right now, I'll probably just post fanfics and rant about my current obsessions. I'm getting into back into my theater phase, so I might talk about a few musicals. Some fandoms I'm in / used to be in are: Falsettos Heathers Be More Chill Wander Over Yonder Steven Universe Hazbin Hotel Gravity Falls Supernatural Gilmore Girls Cookie Run Kingdom There's probably more, but I can't remember them right now. There's a good chance I won't post anything about some of these medias. If it wasn't apparent, I really like WOY, so be ready for posts involving that. I plan to only post chill stuff on here, but I can't be held responsible for the type of stuff I'm putting on my AO3... *cough, cough*

That's it :D