The Text

AN: Hello folks, welcome! For some background, a while back this year I got into Gumrob, and now it's my number one ship (you can thank a friend for that lol). Anyways, with that, I got thinking of a really angsty idea for these two, so here we are! This is my first Gumrob fanfic, so I tried my best to make it very good. :)

Disclaimers before we start! I do not own Tawog, it belongs to CN. This story is set two years into the future, so Rob is 15, and Gumball is 14 respectively.

With that said, enjoy!!

It all started with a text.

Rob was fairly used to Gumball's panicky messages, often with all caps. Ever since the two started dating a couple months ago, it was a fairly standard thing.

However, something always told him to check it out, just in case, even if it was just nothing to worry about. Today's was certainly no exception.

As he walked down to the familiar blue house, he took another glance at his phone, rereading the text he left open. It was in the same song and dance. All caps. Gumball freaking out. A request to come over. Though something was off. The panic felt all too real this time, but.. Maybe it was just his mind worrying too much.

Though, he did remember the cat's earlier venting texted to him hours before. Something about a suspension for vandalism he didn't do, his mother grounding him for a year, and his friends refusing to talk to him. It made the cyclops's concern all the more higher.

Reaching the destination, he buzzed the doorbell. Rob waited for a while, growing confused as nobody greeted him. He pressed it again.

"Gumball? Are you there?" He soon flinched, hearing a loud crash from inside the home. "What the?"

The cyclops couldn't stand around. He opened the door, thankfully it wasn't locked, and made his way in. Nobody else seemed to be around, much to his surprise. The TV was shut off, most of the lights weren't on, all of it seemed desolate.

"Gumball, it's me Rob." He mentally slapped himself. The cat would know it was him, why would he need to say his name? "Is everything okay?"

Rob raised his unibrow with confusion, as nothing but silence hung in the air. He soon heard noises coming from upstairs.

"Hello?.." Cautiously, he went to the source, each stair creaking under his feet. As he approached the bedroom door, the commotion was getting louder to a worrying degree. "Gumball?.."

Rob opened the door. He wished he hadn't.

The room was an absolute mess. Curtains ripped, a nightstand and dresser knocked over. Water and glass was seen on the carpet, which he could only gather was Darwin's fishbowl, telling by the rainbow rocks scattered everywhere. Claw marks decorated the walls, having ripped through posters.

And there to show it all was Gumball. Or, at least what looked like him.

The cat had glowing orange eyes with yellow slit pupils, his claws unsheathed and his breathing ragged. The moment he saw Rob, he let out a deep snarl.

"What in the.." Rob stepped closer, rather curious if anything. This was definitely not something he had ever seen before. "..Gumball, is that you?"

The cyclops was quick to dodge, as Gumball suddenly lunged towards him. His one eye widened in surprise, as he continued to try and avoid several more. "What has gotten into you?!"

He fell into a pile of plushies, a few choruses of squeaks crying out around him. This only angered the cat, who jumped right over, to which the cyclops thankfully scooted away. He watched the other tear into the stuffed animals, until they were nothing but stuffing and scraps.

Unfortunately, he ran out of time to move. Rob found himself cornered into the bunk beds, an oval mirror behind him. Gumball approached, growling and snarling as he bared his fangs.

The cyclops felt at odds, but soon a thought popped into his head. "...Is this about earlier? Are you.. Are you upset by that?"

He got no answer, the cat breathing in his face.

"Gumball, you know that wasn't your fault. You weren't the one that caused that, it was framing at its worst." Rob gave a look of sympathy, as the other's eyes widened. "I believe you."

Everything fell silent.

Rob watched, as tears started pouring down Gumball's face, though the cat wasn't looking at him. He was staring right dead set on the mirror.

"I-I.. Oh crud.." Gumball blinked, his eyes returning to normal, though it didn't cease his crying. He finally collapsed onto the carpet, sobbing heavily as he was on his knees.

"..Gumball?.. Are you-"

"No! D-Don't touch me.." The feline avoided Rob's hand, hugging himself by the arms. "B-But.. I.."

He suddenly fell into the cyclops's arms, burying his face into his glitchy shoulder. "I-I'm sorry you shouldn't have seen that I-I can't believe you saw that I-I feel so-"

"Woah woah, it's okay.." Rob gave him a hug, comforting to the cat, as he frowned. He wasn't the best at comfort, still getting used to it since dating him. Even through it, he was going to try. His partner needed him after all. For all the times the feline comforted him, the cyclops figured to do the same. "I'm here, you're safe now.."

Gumball was quiet for a few minutes, before he finally spoke up. "..I-I didn't think I had it.."

Rob let him continue, silently holding him there.

The cat looked at him, face full of devastation. "..M-My mom has this.. This limit thingy.. S-She went all nuts in the grocery store once and.. It was so scary.. I-I thought I didn't have it 'Cause I-I have nothing to be that upset over..."

His crying continued, as he snuggled closer to the other, admittedly finding his warmth comforting in the moment. He could hear the faint hum of static, almost like a soothing white noise. "This is the worst form of puberty.. I-I don't want this.. I-I don't wanna turn into a monster when I'm mad.."

"You aren't.. It's not your fault that you couldn't control it, trust me.."

"...Do you still love me?" Gumball immediately froze by the words he blurted out.

Rob looked puzzled. "You think I don't?"

"I-I don't know.. It's just.. You saw all.. Of this." The feline gestured to the horrible state of the room, his paws trembling. "Y-You saw me.. And.. Aren't you scared?.. I-I could've hurt you Rob.."

"Hey.." The cyclops's words were quiet, comforting. He carefully wiped a few tears off the cat's face. "I'm not scared of you. None of this was your fault at all, it just.. Built up. It's a genetic thing too, isn't it?.. You couldn't control that."

Gumball looked at him with uneasiness. "..So.. Do you still love me then?.."

Rob sat there a moment, before a warm smile appeared on his face. "Why don't you take a guess?"

The cat hesitated. "..I.. I-I don't know.."

"I'll give you a hint then." The cyclops swiftly yet gently placed a kiss on the other's forehead. He couldn't help but smile, seeing him beginning to blush.

"..Yeah.. That's.. That's a good indicator I guess.." Gumball's gaze fell to the carpet.

"Gumball, listen." Rob shuffled in his place, the cat adjusting to such. "I'll help you with this, okay?.. You don't have to try and control it on your own."

"..You promise?" The feline looked at him. "..W-What if you get hurt?.."

"I won't leave your side, promise."

Gumball soon smiled, his fears quietly lowering. Though he knew the limit could return in some way, perhaps it was okay now. He has someone to lean on. "..Thanks."

Rob nodded in response, as they sat there a little longer, cuddling with one another. He was glad to never ignore a single text.