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Chapter Text

The elevator hummed softly as it ascended, both Toons in it filled with exhaustion from yet another grueling run. Shelly slumped against the wall, her limbs aching, but her mind still buzzing with the residual adrenaline. Vee stood beside her, as still and unreadable as always, her green glow flickering faintly in the light.

Shelly let out a long breath, then glanced up at Vee, hesitating for only a moment before she asked, “Wanna hear some dinosaur facts?”

She knew what Vee’s response would be before she even said it. The answer was always the same.

“I already know them all,” Vee replied, adjusting the microphone at the end of her tail with absentminded twirls.

Shelly’s fingers curled against her chest, her arms bent like a little T-Rex as she resisted the urge to flap. It was always a little disappointing when Vee turned her down, even if she knew it wasn’t personal. Vee did know them all. She was a supercomputer, every fact, every study, every newly discovered fossil was already logged away in her database, filed neatly under ‘irrelevant information.’

Still, she tried again. “But do you wanna hear them from me?”

She hadn’t meant to let so much emotion slip into the question, but there it was, plain as day. Something in her voice, something in the way she was looking at Vee, must have been different this time because Vee… hesitated.

Her screen flickered slightly, green lines of her face dancing across black glass as her expression shifted. For once, she didn’t immediately shut Shelly down. Instead, after a moment of thought, she said, “Alright. Tell me one.”

Shelly straightened up instantly, eyes brightening as she began her eager rambling. “Okay! Okay, so.. did you know that Spinosaurus is the largest known carnivorous dinosaur? Like, even bigger than T-Rex! And they were semi-aquatic, meaning they probably hunted in the water, kind of like crocodiles do now!”

Vee didn’t react much. No nod, no gasp, no obvious sign that she was interested. Just the same unreadable smirk, the same twirl of her microphone. It was hard to tell if she was even listening.

Shelly’s excitement dimmed. Her hands hovered near her chest, fingers twitching, debating whether or not to flap. “Am I… boring you?” she asked quietly, eyes flickering to the elevator floor.

Vee paused mid-movement. For a moment, she seemed uncertain, like she was processing the question in slow motion. Then, in an almost calculated motion, she reached out, gently and a bit awkwardly, pat her hand against Shelly’s arm.

“I wouldn’t have asked for a fact if I didn’t want to hear one,” she stated. “I’m listening.”

Shelly blinked up at her. Vee’s expression hadn’t changed, but something about the gesture made warmth bloom in Shelly’s chest. She gave a small nod and took a deep breath.

“Well, did you also know that Velociraptors were actually a lot smaller than people think? Like, they were only about the size of a turkey! And they had feathers, real ones, not just scaly skin like in the movies!”

Vee didn’t respond much beyond a small, thoughtful hum, but this time, Shelly didn’t mind. The fact that Vee was standing here, letting her talk and wanting to listen, it meant more than words could say.

She flapped her arms a little, just once, before launching into her next fact. The elevator ride back up to the lobby had never felt so short. 

Chapter Text

Shrimpo had never been one for sentimental nonsense, but this was different. For days, he had been obsessively baking, trying to perfect a single recipe. No matter how many times he tried, it was never good enough, and if it wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t worth giving. It was getting to the point he was nearly beating himself up over it.

Valentine’s Day was tomorrow, and he had put this off until the last second. He hated procrastinating, he hated a lot of things, but the truth was, he was nervous. He wanted to make the best sweets possible for Rodger.

Rodger, the calm and collected detective, didn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day in the traditional sense. To him, it was just another day to care for and support his friends, a simple reminder to appreciate the people around him. For Shrimpo, however, this was something different. Somewhere along the way, in all his short elevator conversations with Rodger, talking to him more, showing concern in his own rough way… he had developed a crush.

At first, Shrimpo came off as aggressive, loud, brash, and short-tempered. He treated Rodger no differently than any other Toon. He wasn’t used to others genuinely caring about him, so he didn't know how to express it himself. Over time, he found himself drawn to Rodger's quiet patience and his steady presence. Before he knew it, he had become attached, even fond of the gentlemanly magnifying glass.

Now, on Valentine's Day, he was finally ready to confess.

Rodger sat at a small tea table, sharing a pot of warm tea with Teagan. The two chatted happily, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere and eachothers company. Small footsteps came from behind them and Rodger’s gaze shifted. Across the room, he spotted Shrimpo standing stiffly, something held behind his back.

The little shrimp looked… paranoid.

Rodger, sensing something was up, was about to excuse himself from the tea break when Shrimpo suddenly stepped forward. His expression was tense, his fists clenched around whatever he was holding.

“Is.. Is this a date? Doesn't matter. Rodger, I gotta tell ya somethin’,” Shrimpo blurted out, his voice louder than necessary. Everything was loud coming from him.

Teagan, immediately understanding what was happening, hid a knowing smile. “No no, not a date at all. If you're joining us, Shrimpo, I’ll go get more tea,” she said, gracefully excusing herself from the table.

Rodger turned back to Shrimpo, now fully focused on the always-angry shrimp. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his tone gentle but curious.

Shrimpo let out a sharp sigh, clearly frustrated with himself. Without another word, he shoved a small heart shaped box into Rodger’s hands. “Taste it," he grumbled.

Rodger looked down, opening the box to find his favorite cookies inside, oatmeal raisin. They were perfectly made, not a single flaw in sight. He hesitated for only a moment before taking a bite. His eye widened. It was incredible, possibly the best damn thing he’d ever had.

Before Rodger could even react, Shrimpo mumbled something under his breath, so fast and jumbled that it took a second to process.

“…Wh-what?” Rodger asked, blinking as he tried to make out the words.

Shrimpo’s face burned red and he clenched his fists at his sides. “I SAID I LIKE YOU, YA STUPID DETECTIVE,” he yelled, voice cracking from nerves.

Rodger sat there quietly, the confession settling in, but Shrimpo took the quiet as rejection. His heart sank.

“Forget it! It’s stupid! I’m stupid...” he snapped, turning sharply to bolt, ready to hide in shame, but before he could take a single step, Rodger’s hand landed firmly on his shoulder.

Shrimpo froze and slowly, he hesitantly turned to look at him.

Rodger's eye turned up in a smile, then, to Shrimpo’s complete shock, Rodger leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, his glass cooling Shrimpos burning face.

“I love you too, Shrimpo,” he said warmly, softly tilting his head towards the side.

For a moment, Shrimpo just stood there, completely stunned, searching for words, but then, without warning, he tackle-hugged Rodger with all his strength, knocking them both over onto the kitchen floor.

He clung to him, crying happy tears, laughing joyfully. Rodger, surprised at first, soon joined in, his own quiet laughter mixing with Shrimpo’s.

For once, Shrimpo didn’t feel stupid and he didn’t feel like a joke. He didn't even hate anything in this moment. He felt loved, and that was more than perfect. 

Chapter Text

The Mains had been hanging out in the common area for about two hours now. Dandy had taken Pebble off to bed when he went to sleep, so it was just Shelly, Vee, Sprout, and Astro now.

Shelly stretched her arms above her head, stifling a yawn as she sat curled up on the couch beside Astro and Sprout. The warmth of their little group was comforting, the soft hum of conversation filling the air.

As the night wore on, the more time she spent with the small group of fellow mains, exhaustion tugged at her, her eyelids growing heavy even as she fought to stay awake.

"Shelly, you should go to bed," Sprout chided gently, watching her sway slightly in place. "You're about to pass out right here."

Shelly shook her head, blinking rapidly. "Nooo, I wanna spend more time with you guys. It’s nice just… sitting here. We don't all get to hang out often..."

Astro chuckled, his voice smooth and amused. "You say that, but you’ve yawned at least five times in the last minute." He had a feeling that might be partially his fault. His presence tended to do that to people after all.

"I'm not that tired," Shelly insisted, rubbing at her eyes with the backs of her hands. "Just… comfortably sleepy."

Vee, who had been sitting on a beanbag chair nearby and mostly quiet up until now, crossed her arms and raised a brow at her. "Comfortably sleepy still means tired."

"Yeah, yeah," Shelly waved them off with a sleepy grin. "I just don’t wanna miss anything."

As much as she fought it, she knew they were right. Her body ached for rest, her mind drifting in and out of consciousness already. With a sigh, she relented, pushing herself up from the couch.

"Alright, fine you win, I’ll go to bed," she conceded, but before she left, she turned to Vee with a teasing smile. "I can't go to sleep without kissing my computer!" she declared, pressing a quick, playful kiss to Vee’s cheek before skipping off towards her room.

Vee blinked, her screen momentarily flashing a faint blue as she processed the gesture and bright lines of blush appeared next to her eyes. Astro stifled a laugh and Sprout simply shook his head with an amused sigh.

However, Shelly hadn’t been entirely joking. More often than not, she ended up in Vee’s room at night rather than her own bed. Vee had once told her she could come over if she ever had nightmares, and Shelly had taken her up on that offer more times than she could count. There was something oddly soothing about being wrapped in Vee’s arms, her mechanical warmth surrounding her like a protective shield.

She swore sometimes Astro was giving her nightmares on purpose just because he knew she’d end up with Vee afterward. Ever since she’d confessed her feelings towards the gameshow host to him, her dreams had been plagued with even more disturbing imagery. Tonight was no different.

Shelly clutched onto Vee’s torso, trembling as she tried to calm her erratic breathing. Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill over as the remnants of her nightmare clawed at her mind.

"It was awful... Oh it was so awful, Vee," she whispered, voice cracking. "I-I was becoming one of them... I was… I… I was twisting… It hurt so bad and I…"

She cut herself off with a quiet sob, pressing her face into Vee’s chest. She tried not to let her tears fall onto Vee’s surface, knowing water could mess with her circuits, even though a few tears clearly wouldn’t do much harm.

Vee’s arms tightened around her in a somewhat awkward yet undeniably protective embrace. "You're okay now," Vee murmured, her voice much softer than usual. "You're not twisting. You're still you."

The reassurance, though clumsy, was enough. Shelly clung to her a little tighter, letting herself soak in the warmth and comfort. Vee wasn’t the best at emotional support, but Shelly didn’t mind. Just having her here was enough to calm her aching nerves.

When her breathing finally steadied, Shelly pulled back slightly, her gaze meeting Vee’s. Without thinking, she pressed a gentle kiss to Vee’s cheek again.

"Thank you for being there for me," she whispered contently, gazing up at Vee with a look of undeniable admiration.

Vee’s screen flickered briefly, an unreadable expression crossing her face before she suddenly cupped the sides of Shelly’s face. Her grip was firm yet careful as she pulled Shelly in closer.

"Your lips on my screen, make you my favorite user~" Vee cooed, her voice carrying a soft tease as she pressed what could only be described as a "kiss" against Shelly’s lips with a soft clink. It wasn’t quite like a normal kiss, more of a warm, electrified sensation against her shell, but it sent a pleasant shiver down Shelly’s spine nonetheless.

Shelly’s face burned with blush as she let out a breathless giggle. "That was so cheesy."
"You kissed me first," Vee pointed out, smirking. "I figured I should reciprocate."

Shelly playfully nuzzled into Vee’s chest, reveling in the warmth of her embrace. Vee’s grip tightened around her and pulled her closer, a rare show of affection that made Shelly’s heart swell.

Vee’s hand absentmindedly ran along Shelly’s back, up and down in a rhythmic, comforting motion that made her melt even further. She hummed, the sound low and staticky, almost resembling a purr. Shelly smiled, tracing her fingers along the edge of Vee’s frame as she let herself sink into her warmth.

"You're a lot warmer than I expected you to be when we first started doing this," Shelly mumbled, half-asleep already. "I thought you’d be all cold and metal-y."

Vee chuckled, the vibration against Shelly’s cheek making her sigh in contentment. "I run on high-performance processors. I generate a lot of heat."

"Mmm, lucky me," Shelly murmured, her voice laced with drowsiness. "Personal heater."

Vee smirked, running her hand gently over Shelly's head, almost petting her. "I suppose that makes you my personal weighted blanket."

Shelly let out a soft giggle, nuzzling even further into Vee. "Guess we make a good pair then."

The night air was quiet, filled only with Shelly's soft breathing and the hum of Vee's systems. It felt so utterly peaceful and safe. Shelly sighed in contentment, pressing one more soft kiss to Vee’s shoulder before settling in comfortably.

"I don't know what I would do without you…" she murmured sleepily, her voice muffled against Vee’s chest.

Vee hummed, the sound vibrating through her and into Shelly, relaxing her further. "I think I would self-destruct without you."

She punctuated the statement by pressing another soft kiss to Shelly’s head, her arms tightening again just slightly in a protective embrace.
Shelly smiled against her, her eyes finally fluttering shut. "Good thing you don’t have a self-destruct button…"

Vee chuckled lightly. "Good thing."
And with that, Shelly finally drifted off to sleep, safe in the warmth of Vee’s arms.

Chapter Text

Nobody really knew who made breakfast in the mornings.

At first, everyone assumed it was Sprout and Cosmo, the two best cooks in Gardenview. It made sense after all, Sprout was always up at the crack of dawn and Cosmo was the type to treat everyone to sweets even without recognition. But when the two of them spent an entire night out on a run and still the Toons woke up to a hot breakfast, suspicions arose.

Rodger was the next to suggest a suspect. He theorized that it might be Teagan since, on some mornings, there was tea waiting at the table. Many Toons latched onto that theory, until Teagan casually mentioned that she didn't like what was served that morning. That shot that theory down.

Some believed Dandy himself was behind the mystery, but others shrugged and stopped thinking about it altogether.

One Toon, however, never got any blame. Shrimpo. It was understandable why no one suspected him. Shrimpo hated just about everything in Gardenview with a passion. If there was one thing he wasn’t about to do, it was something kind for other people.

That was why, on one particularly early morning, Boxten and Finn decided to catch the mystery cook in action. If it was Dandy, great, another mystery solved. When the two entered the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from their eyes, they froze at what they saw.

Shrimpo stood at the counter, wearing an apron that read, "I HATE COOKING." He hummed some heavy metal tune under his breath, whisking a bowl of pancake batter with surprising precision. The scent of vanilla and butter filled the kitchen.

Boxten and Finn blinked in disbelief.

Shrimpo, mid-stir, suddenly realized he wasn’t alone. He turned his head toward them, his small body tensing. His eyes burned with irritation as he clenched his fists.

“HEY!” he snarled, his voice rough as always. “YOU TWO AIN’T SEE NOTHIN’, GOT IT?!”

Boxten’s hands shot up in surrender. Finn, panicking, did the same. “N-Neither of us saw a thing! Swear it!” Boxten stammered.

Finn nodded rapidly. “Y-Yeah! If you promise to make waffles tomorrow!” Boxten immediately elbowed him in the side.

Shrimpo glared at Finn, clearly weighing the idea of smacking him upside the head with the whisk. He realized the risk of losing the whisk in his water wasn't worth it. Instead, he huffed and crossed his arms. “Fine. You’ll get your stupid waffles. Now get back to bed before ya wake everyone else. I hate bein’ caught cooking.”

Boxten and Finn exchanged looks but wisely retreated.

As they shuffled back to their rooms, Boxten whispered, “I can’t believe it. Shrimpo? Cooking? He hates us.”

“Yeah,” Finm muttered. “But I guess he doesn’t hate feeding us.”

By the time everyone else woke up, the kitchen was filled with the warm scent of pancakes, syrup, and scrambled eggs. Boxten and Finn sat at the table, watching as the others dug in, each Toon blissfully unaware of the secret they now carried.

Shrimpo sat across from them, looking as grumpy as ever. If anyone so much as glanced his way, he scowled, as if daring them to thank him.

Finn, true to form, nearly blurted something out before Boxten discreetly kicked him under the table.

They kept the secret, for now, but Finn was looking forward to those waffles tomorrow.

Now that they knew the truth, Boxten and Finn started paying closer attention. Every morning, Shrimpo was the first one up, long before the others, sneaking into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

The first few mornings, they stayed quiet, one sneaking to the others room just to whisper about what they think might be for breakfast. Finn’s curiosity got the better of him and one night, he whispered to Boxten, “Why do you think he does it?”

Boxten shrugged. “No clue. Maybe he just… I dunno, secretly likes us?”

Finn snorted. “Not a chance.”

Determined to find out why he was actually doing this, they made a plan.

That night, they stayed awake, listening as the rest of Gardenview slowly fell silent. Eventually, the faint sound of movement came from the kitchen. They crept down the hallway, peering around the corner.

Shrimpo, once again, was at work making breakfast, but this time, something was different.

Instead of humming a metal song, he seemd much more focused and his movements weren’t rushed or irritated. He carefully flipped pancakes with practiced ease, muttering under his breath. Boxten and Finn edged closer, straining to hear.

“...Not too much syrup this time,” Shrimpo mumbled. “Sprout don’t like it too sweet.”

He set aside a plate, portioning food carefully. “Eggs for Rodger. Stupid toast for stupid Dandy. Tea, just in case Teagan does want some.”  Shrimpo wasn’t just making breakfast. He was thinking about each Toon’s preferences.

Finn gasped a little too loudly.

Shrimpo froze. Slowly, he turned his head. “Oh, for- WHAT DID I TELL YOU TWO?!”

Boxten and Finn bolted back to their rooms before Shrimpo could launch a spatula at them.

The next morning, neither of them could keep quiet. As the Toons sat down for breakfast, Finn spoke up, “Hey, uh… I was just wondering.” He glanced at Shrimpo. “Why do you, y’know… do this?”

The table went silent and Shrimpo’s fork clattered against his plate. His tiny fists curled as his eyes darted around, scanning for an escape route.

“Dunno what you’re talkin’ about,” he muttered.

Boxten leaned forward. “We know it’s you. We saw you last night.”

Teagan raised an eyebrow at him. “Wait. You make breakfast?”

A few other Toons paused mid-bite and all eyes were now on Shrimpo. He growled under his breath. His white face was turning an embarrassing shade of red. “WHO CARES?!” he finally snapped. “I just...” He exhaled sharply, gripping his fork. “It’s the only time of day I ain’t gotta hear you idiots yappin’. So I figured, fine, might as well make somethin’ decent to eat while I got peace and quiet.”

Rodger blinked. “But… you even make stuff based on what we like?”

Shrimpo scowled, holding his fists so tight it looked like he was trying not to deck the detective. “Shut up.”

Dandy smiled, resting his chin on his hands. “Sounds like you care, Shrimpo.”

Shrimpo moved and nearly threw his plate in the flowers face. “I HATE YOU ALL.”

Despite the truth being out, Shrimpo continued making breakfast, and the next morning, Finn got waffles again. He’d grumble about it, threaten anyone who tried to help, and act like he was doing it purely for himself, but everyone knew better.

Boxten and Finn never told anyone how much thought Shrimpo put into each meal. That part, at least, they kept secret. Every morning, as the Toons ate together, Shrimpo sat at the table, arms crossed, pretending not to care. He still always made sure everyone had exactly what they liked.

Chapter Text

The door to Finn’s room swung open with a splash as the fishbowl-headed toon flopped onto his bed, limbs sprawled in exaggerated exhaustion. A tired yet triumphant sigh escaped from him as he closed his eyes. Across the room, Shelly practically tumbled in after him, landing with a solid clunk as she flopped down on the floor. The two were drenched in sweat, not that it mattered for Finn, given he was literally made of water, and their usual vibrant energy was now subdued by sheer fatigue. Floor 19 had been brutal, every other teammate dying to Twisted Vee leaving the pair to get to floor 30 alone.

Finn adjusted Barnaby Wilikers, his little plastic fish, so that he bobbed upright in his head. “Oh my cod, Shelly, we actually did it! Just the two of us, swimming past danger like a couple of deep-sea daredevils! That was so fin-tastic!”

Shelly groaned, but there was an unmistakable grin in her voice. “Please, Finn. Spare me the fish puns. I’m running on, like, three brain cells right now.”

Finn gasped dramatically, placing a hand over his heart. The water inside him sloshed as he straightened up. “Shelly, my dear, my lovely little mollusk, how dare you? Fish puns are the reason I keep going!”

Shelly rolled her eyes but still chuckled, propping herself up on Finn’s bed beside him. Their exhaustion slowly melted away wuthy the comfort of being in each other’s presence, where they could recharge by doing what they did best: sharing weirdly specific, hyper-focused knowledge with unbridled enthusiasm.

“So,” Finn began, water warming excitedly inside him, “I was thinking about sharks again.”

Shelly smirked and leaned against his shoulder. “You’re always thinking about sharks.”

“And for good reason! Did you know that sharks have been around for over 400 million years? That means they predate dinosaurs by at least 200 million years! That’s oh-fish-ially insane!”

Shelly perked up, despite the exhaustion. “Wait, really? Sharks existed that long before dinosaurs?”

“Oh, abso-lute-ly! Sharks are, like, the ultimate prehistoric survivors. There were these guys called cladoselache swimming around back when fish were just starting to figure out how to have bones. And even then, sharks were already so good at being sharks that they barely changed for millions of years.” Finn leaned forward, the water inside him starting to steam a little. “And get this, some of the earliest ones didn’t even have teeth like modern sharks! They had these sharp bone plates that acted the same way!”

Shelly let out an impressed whistle. “That’s wild. I mean, I knew sharks were old, but I didn’t know they were that old.”

Finn wiggled his fingers dramatically. “Oh, trust me, Shelly, you have no idea how deep this trench goes.”

Shelly giggled. “Well, if we’re talking about prehistoric sea creatures, I have to tell you about some of my favorites. There were so many different types of aquatic dinosaurs and marine reptiles, and people always just lump them all together.”

Finn gasped. “You mean people don’t know the oh-fish-ial distinctions? That’s a crime against knowledge!”

“Right? Like, take plesiosaurs. They weren’t dinosaurs! They were marine reptiles that lived at the same time as dinosaurs, but they had these crazy long necks and swam using their flippers kind of like sea turtles.”

Finn’s water bubbled excitedly. “Oh! Like Elasmosaurus! The guy with the super long neck!”

“Yes! That one! And then you’ve got ichthyosaurs, which basically looked like dolphins but were way older and even faster. They had these huge eyes so they could hunt in the deep ocean.”

Finn’s excitement was practically boiling over, literally. The water inside him was bubbling so much that tiny bits of steam were escaping from the edges of his head. “Shelly, you’re blowing my mind! I love this! We’re basically playing prehistoric marine fact ping-pong right now.”

Shelly grinned. “I know, right? It’s so much fun just talking about this stuff!”

Finn nodded rapidly. “Okay, okay, okay, back to sharks for a second, because I need you to know about Megalodon. The absolute unit of a shark. This bad boy could grow up to sixty feet long. Sixty! That’s, like, almost twenty of me stacked on top of each other!”

Shelly gasped dramatically. “That’s ridiculous. Imagine seeing one of those in the ocean. Instant heart attack.”

“Oh, absolutely! You’d be krilled on sight.”

Shelly groaned, shoving Finn’s shoulder playfully. “Stop.”

“Never,” Finn said proudly. “I live for the pun. It’s my sole purpose!”

The two fell into a fit of laughter, their previous exhaustion momentarily forgotten. This was what they loved the most, just getting lost in their own little world, bouncing facts off each other, sharing knowledge like it was the most exciting thing in the universe.

Finn’s water had calmed a little now, though it still gave off a little warmth. “Y’know,” he said, a little softer, “I think I’d go absolutely bananas if I didn’t have someone to talk to like this.”

Shelly tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, like…” Finn rubbed the back of his glassy neck, suddenly flustered. A tiny blorp sound came from inside him as the water inside heated up again. “I know I can be a lot. Like, I know my energy is off the scales.. heh, scales.. But you match me, y’know? You don’t just tolerate it. You get it.”

Shelly blinked, then gave a warm smile. “Of course I get it, I get you! And I wouldn’t change that for the world.”

Finn's head made a weird little gurgling sound and immediately covered his face with his hands. “Oh my cod.”

Shelly laughed. “Finn, you’re steaming again.”

“I KNOW,” he wailed, now fully flopped onto his bed again, splashing water onto his pillow. “You can’t just say stuff like that! My glass is not prepared for this kind of heat! You'll make me crack!”

Shelly smirked, leaning back beside him. “Guess you’ll just have to get used to it.”

Finn peeked at her through his fingers, the tiniest smile tugging at his lips. “You’re the worst.”

“And you love it.” Shelly said with a soft smile.

Finn groaned dramatically again, but didn’t deny it.

Shelly crawled over to him and held him in a tight hug, holding onto him and nuzzling into his shoulder. For a while, they just lay there, the exhaustion from their earlier run finally catching up to them. Even as sleep tugged at their limbs, Finn still mumbled, “Did I ever tell you about how some sharks can glow in the dark?”

Shelly hummed sleepily. “No, but I wanna hear about it in the morning.”

Finn grinned, adjusting Barnaby again so he wouldn’t fall out. “It’s a fin deal.”

Shelly let out a soft laugh, and within minutes, the two were fast asleep in eachothers arms, dreaming of prehistoric seas, glowing sharks, and a world where they could just keep talking forever.

Chapter Text

Flutter’s diary was something everyone knew about. Not that she could write in it herself, of course she couldn’t, but Gigi happily jotted down every thought Flutter had, word for word, so she could keep her own little collection of memories.

Brightney had seen the two of them together before in the lobby, Flutter communicating in that silent effortless way she always did as Gigi scribbled away in her neat, looping handwriting. She always thought it was sweet.

What she didn’t expect was to find that very diary sitting on her nightstand after Flutter had stayed over. The little purple book had been left behind, tucked half underneath a spare blanket. Brightney picked it up carefully, running her fingers over the soft cover.

She knew she shouldn’t be reading it. It wasn’t hers, and Flutter had probably already started worrying about it. She should return it first thing tomorrow and pretend she hadn’t seen a thing. Yet as Brightney glanced toward her bedroom door, then back down at the diary, curiosity gnawed at her. Surely a little peek wouldn’t hurt?

She flipped it open, skimming past the pages that looked like simple day-to-day entries or rushed venting. She had no intention of invading anything too personal, just a quick look at what kinds of things Flutter wrote about. It was only to help her understand her dear friend more.

Then, she saw it, scrawled in the unmistakable handwriting of Gigi, were the words:

"Dear Diary, I have the biggest crush on the most beautiful Toon in all of Gardenview."

Brightney blinked in confusion as she stares at the page. Flutter had a crush?  She swallowed, her fingers tightening on the edges of the book as she read on.

"She makes me so comfortable and happy and treats me so well. She doesn’t ignore me. She even told me what kind of lightbulb she used the other day when we were on a run together."

Brightney’s heart skipped a beat when the realization hit that it was about her. She was the one who had that conversation with Flutter, and no one else in Gardenview needed to know about lightbulbs. Flutter had a crush on her of all Toons.

Brightney snapped the book shut, pressing it to her chest as a wave of warmth spread through her. Had Flutter really felt this way all this time? The way she hovered close during blackout floors, always lingering in her glow. Brightney had thought it was just comfort, just familiarity and a fear of the dark, but this his changed everything.

The next run, Brightney knew exactly what her plan would be, and on floor 12, she had the perfect moment to enact it.

The moment the elevator doors slid open, the Toons were greeted with pitch darkness. The familiar hum of the lights was absent, leaving an eerie silence in its wake. A blackout floor.

Flutter hesitated, her soft wings twitching as she instinctively pressed closer to the warm, golden glow beside her. It was a routine she and Brightney had fallen into for every blackout they encountered.

Brightney glanced down, adjusting her reading glasses as she took in Flutter’s body language. She didn’t need to hear her to understand exactly what she needed.

"I know, sweetheart," Brightney murmured gently, her voice warm and soothing despite the tension in the air. "You can stay close to me, alright?"

Flutter didn’t need to be told twice. As the other Toons split up, Pebble already bounding ahead to create a distraction, she remained at Brightney’s side, the bright glow of the lamp Toon’s body her only source of comfort.

They moved carefully through the darkened halls, Brightney’s light flickering softly with each step she took. Flutter tensed at every distant creak, every shifting shadow, her wings fluttering in short nervous bursts. It took everything in her to keep from dashing away from every sound in the darkness.

Brightney noticed, and without a word, she turned, leading Flutter to a small, empty room tucked away from the main path. A supply closet maybe, nothing remarkable, but it was safe. She shut the door behind them, allowing her glow to illuminate the space in a warm gold.

"I've got you, sweetheart," Brightney murmured under her breath, her light staying solid without a hint of dimming. She knew what would come next, she cherished it.

Flutter settled in immediately, pressing close, tucking herself against Brightney’s warmth.

Brightney let out a soft chuckle, wrapping her arms carefully around Flutter, letting her own glow surround them in a golden cocoon of light. This was the moment she needed. Clearing her throat, she spoke up.

"I read it," she admitted, voice gentle. "Your diary, I mean. I know I shouldn’t have, but…" She exhaled, squeezing just a little tighter. "I saw what you wrote about me."

Flutter went still. Brightney could feel her confusion, the slight tension in her wings. Then, a silent, hesitant question.

Brightney smiled, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. "Of course I feel the same, darling."

A tiny shudder ran through Flutter, her wings trembling again, but not out of fear this time.

"You make me comfortable too," Brightney continued, her voice warm. "You’re the sweetest thing to ever fly into my life, and I adore you, my lovebug."

Flutter couldn't reciprocate the hug, but she was quickly sinking further now into Brightney’s embrace. She buried her face into the soft fabric of Brightney’s dress, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Brightney’s arms wrapped soft around her, firm yet gentle, one hand stroking the delicate patterns along the edge of her wings. "I won’t let anything happen to you," Brightney reassured her, voice barely above a whisper. "You’re safe with me, always."

Flutter shifted slightly in her arms, a silent question lingering in the air. She seemed hesitant and nervous still.

Brightney smiled, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. "Of course, darling. We can stay here as long as you need."

There was a faint rustle from a small relieved movement. Flutters wings slowed their frantic flapping as she pressed closer to Brightney.

Brightney chuckled softly. "You don’t have to thank me, sweetheart. Looking after you is the easiest thing in the world."

She adjusted her embrace, holding Flutter even closer. The darkness outside remained daunting, but within the small room, wrapped in the golden glow of her love, Flutter felt safe. As long as Brightney was there, she always would be.

Chapter Text

Glisten was never careless. He prided himself on that. Every move he made, every decision, was calculated to be the best one. The right one. That’s why it stung when he tripped while running from a Twisted, scraping his leg against a jagged chunk of debris and getting caught in the process. He managed to escape with his life, but at the cost of two whole hearts.

It was a humiliating mistake, one he refused to acknowledge. If he pretended it didn’t happen, it might as well not have. He straightened up, ignored the sting in his leg, and kept going like nothing was wrong. No one had to know, except someone did.

Sprout, of all Toons, had an ability that let him see the condition of others. Glisten had barely taken two steps toward another machine before the strawberry Toon snapped his fingers at him.

“You,” Sprout said, tone sharp, “sit down.”

Glisten stiffened. “I don’t have time for that.”

“You don’t have time to bleed out?”  Sprout argued.

“I am not bleeding out.”  Glisten huffed.

Sprout just rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed. “Well, I don’t have the time nor tapes to deal with you right now. Vee!”

Glisten felt a pit form in his stomach as a familiar green glow approached. “Oh, great,” he muttered under his breath.

Vee stopped beside Sprout, arms crossed. “What do you want?”

“Fix him.”

Vee’s brows lifted. “Fix him?” She gave Glisten a once-over. “What’s wrong with him? Other than, y’know, him.”

Glisten scowled. “I’m fine.”

Sprout waved him off. “Yeah, sure. Anyway, I have things to do. Don’t let him run off.” With that, the strawberry Toon walked off, leaving Glisten alone with Vee.

They stood in silence for a moment before Vee spoke. “So,” she said, voice flat. “Are you actually hurt, or did Sprout just want to waste my time?”

Glisten debated lying. He wanted to lie, but Vee was annoyingly sharp, and he doubted she’d let this go easily. “…It’s not bad,” he muttered.

Vee hummed. “Uh-huh. That’s convincing. Sit down.”

Glisten grit his teeth. “I told you, I’m fine-”

Vee didn’t wait for permission, she reached out and pushed his shoulder, forcing him to stumble back and land on a crate. “There,” she said. “Now, let me see.”

Glisten grumbled under his breath but didn’t resist as Vee crouched in front of him. He reluctantly lifted the tear in his tights, revealing the gash on his leg. It wasn’t deep, but it was still oozing a worrying amount of ichor.

Vee stared at it, then deadpanned, “That’s not bad?”

Glisten looked away. “…It could be worse.”

Vee let out a sharp sigh and pulled out a pack of bandages from her storage compartment. “You’re actually the worst,” she muttered, taking a piece and starting to wrap it around his leg.

Glisten winced slightly at the pressure. “I can do this myself, you know.”

“Oh, yeah?” Vee raised a brow. “Because you were doing such a great job of that before Sprout called me over.”  she deadpanned.

Well that shut his mouth.

Vee finished tying the bandage, then leaned back on her heels. “Alright. Now explain why you thought hiding it was a good idea.”

Glisten hesitated. He didn’t want to explain and he didn’t need to, but Vee’s gaze was expectant and unwavering.

“…It was stupid,” he finally muttered. “I tripped. I wasn’t paying attention, and I tripped like a complete idiot. So, I figured… I deserved to deal with it myself.”

Vee was quiet for a moment, then without a word she flicked his forehead.

Glisten jerked back and squinted at her. “What was that for?”

“For being stupid.” Vee crossed her arms. “Look, you got hurt. It happens. You’re not some perfect, untouchable genius, and that’s fine. You don’t have to punish yourself for it.”

Glisten frowned. “But I-”

“No no, shut up, I’m not done.” Vee pointed at him. “You’re allowed to mess up and you’re allowed to need help. That’s what teammates are for. But maybe next time, instead of acting like a dramatic loner, you actually tell someone when you get hurt.”

Glisten blinked and almost cracked a smile. “…That was almost comforting.”

Vee rolled her eyes, the end of her tail flicking slightly. “Yeah, well, don’t get used to it.” She stood up, dusting herself off. “Now, if you do something this dumb again, I will make fun of you for it.”

Glisten gave a small smirk. “Noted.”

Vee nodded and walked straight towards the nearest empty machine. “Good. Now, get up. You’re not dying, so we’re getting back to work.”

Glisten chuckled under his breath and stood, testing his leg. It still ached, but it wasn’t unbearable, and somehow, after Vee’s odd brand of tough love, he felt a little lighter.

Chapter Text

Gigi, Brightney, Flutter, and Connie were on a run through the twisting halls of the abandoned museum, Shelly's level to be exact, scavenging for supplies and avoiding the Twisteds the best they could. Normally being underground kept the place cool, but today it was unbearably hot. The kind of heat that pressed against your skin, soaked into your clothes, and made every movement feel like wading through syrup.

Yet, despite the heat, Gigi stubbornly refused to take off her oversized sweater. It was agreed among the group not to question it, either she was hiding stolen goods, or she had nothing on underneath. Possibly both.

"How the hell is it this hot in a place with working AC?" Gigi grumbled, tugging at the neck of her sweater to fan herself.

Brightney and Flutter, staying close to each other, had already taken off their outer clothes. Brightney had taken off her scarf, as well as her arm and leg warmers, and Flutter had taken off her dress, leaving her in a tank top. She silently wished she could take the fluff off of her neck. Connie, floating slightly above the group, was the only one unfazed by the heat. Being a ghost had its perks after all.

"You could just take it off," Brightney teased, smirking. "We all have."

Gigi shot her a glare. "I could shove you into a wall, but I’m being nice."

Brightney laughed, nudging Flutter, who was covering her face with a wing.

Connie watched Gigi struggle, feeling a mix of amusement and sympathy. She didn’t mind the heat, but she knew how miserable it must be for Gigi. Without thinking too much about it, she drifted a little closer, letting her ghostly presence seep into the air around Gigi. A subtle chill spread, just enough to be noticeable.

Gigi blinked, almost a bit startled by the sudden relief. "Huh?" She glanced around, confused, before realization set in. "Oh, damn. Connie, is that you?"

Connie hovered beside her, feigning innocence. "Maybe."

Gigi exhaled, pretending she wasn’t incredibly grateful. "You’re my favorite dead person right now."

"You know other dead people?" Connie quipped, furrowing her brow and staring down at her.

"Wouldn't you like to know, ghost girl." Gigi huffed back with a grin.

The cooling effect didn’t last long before the heat pressed back in, but Connie took that as her cue. She leaned in just a bit closer, letting the cold aura linger around Gigi.

Gigi wanted to say something, maybe a joke, maybe an actual thank you, but the thought of asking Connie to keep haunting her like some kind of personal AC unit made her feel weirdly embarrassed. Instead, she just kept walking, subtly drifting closer to Connie’s chill whenever the heat became unbearable. Connie, for her part, didn’t mind one bit.

Brightney and Flutter exchanged a knowing glance, watching as Gigi unconsciously gravitated toward Connie’s presence. Flutter smirked, already making a mental note to tease Gigi about this later.

For now, though, they had a mission to finish, and at least one of them was going to stay comfortably cool through it.

Chapter Text

Dandy had been begging for some sort of video of the goings on in the lower floors. Who better to send down with a camera than Vee? The one Toon who actually had experience hijacking said devices every run.

Now, around floor 5 with only herself and four others left alive, she thought this was a great moment to start recording.

Vee adjusted the lens of her camera, making sure it focused perfectly on herself, expression blank as the scene before her descended into absolute chaos. Her voice was steady, professional even.

"On today’s episode of ‘How fucked up is fucked up?’" The camera panned over, capturing the absurdity of the moment:

Twisted Sprout, his massive, ichor-coated claw effortlessly snatching Cosmo, yanked the poor Swiss Roll into the shadows like a horror movie villain. Cosmo’s startled yelp was abruptly cut off, leaving nothing but a faint, ominous squelching noise.

Looey, the poor thing, was struggling nearby, in a most sorry state. His balloon head had shrunk and was now half-deflated, making him look like a sad forgotten party decoration. His mismatched ears drooped, and every time he inhaled, a weak wheezing squeak escaped from somewhere in his body. He gave a thumbs-up anyway.

Meanwhile, Shrimpo was going practically feral, screaming incoherently about something no one could quite understand. The only actual words anyone could make out were a slurry of curses definitely not okay for a children's show. His tiny shrimp fists waved wildly, punctuating his incomprehensible tirade with dramatic stomps that did nothing to help his already negative Stealth.

Pebble stood at the edge of the room, whole body frozen in place, barking his little rock heart out into the darkness. His googly eyes were wide, locked onto something no one else could see. Every few seconds, he’d pause, tilt his head, let out a huff, then resume barking with renewed intensity, like he was in a heated argument with an eldritch horror only perceptible to dogs.

The camera shook slightly as Vee adjusted her grip. She zoomed in on Looey, who gave an even weaker thumbs-up, then onto the shadows where Cosmo had disappeared. There was a faint 'schlorp'.

Vee sighed, turning the camera back to herself. "That’s fucked up." And with that, the broadcast ended.

Chapter Text

Flutter wasn’t nosy. Really, she wasn’t, but when you had the ability to fly without making a sound and you couldn’t exactly slip up by accidently gasping or making a noise, well... you were kind of built for snooping. It wasn’t something she did often, but when something interesting caught her attention, she couldn't just let it go. Like right now.

Glisten had just wandered into Boxten’s room, and his voice was so much softer than usual, which made Flutter’s antennae twitch.

"Boxy? May I come in?" He asked after one quiet knock.

The butterfly hovered in place just far enough away that she wasn’t technically eavesdropping. She could have gotten closer immediately, but she wasn’t that bad. She had some restraint. At least until a startled, breathy little moan, barely audible, drifted through the door.

Flutter was by the door in seconds, her wings not making so much as a whisper. She peeked through the slightly open doorway, curiosity bubbling in her chest as she took in the scene before her.

Glisten was sat on the bed in front of Boxten. The ribbon around Glisten’s waist was loose, half-untied by Boxten’s fumbling hands.

"You’re so pretty, Boxy," Glisten cooed, voice dripping with warmth.

Boxten, already flustered, stammered something in return, his face tinted red. "Y-You’re prettier." He buried his face into Glisten’s shoulder as if to escape his own embarrassment.

Glisten chuckled, tilting Boxten’s chin up to face him. "Why, thank you, handsome." His lips brushed against Boxten’s forehead before moving down, catching his lips in a slow, deep kiss.

Flutter blinked rapidly. Oh. She definitely felt like she was intruding now.

Glisten’s hands moved, gently guiding Boxten back as he crawled on top of him, and that was enough for Flutter. She shut the door as silently as she had arrived and practically flew down the hallway to Gigi’s room, her mind spinning. She needed help writing this down.

Days Later…

The elevator ride down to Floor Two was quiet at first. Glisten, Boxten, Gigi, Brightney, and Flutter stood inside, the soft hum of the moving platform filling the space.

Glisten turned his attention to Gigi and broke the silence. "Gigi, has Flutter asked you to write about me in her diary?"

Gigi, who had been lazily fishing a skill check candy out of her head, froze. For a second, she didn’t react. Then, she very slowly stuffed the candy into her mouth, even though everyone knew it’d be better used for extracting.

"I would never give out her secrets!!" she declared, puffing out her cheeks and crossing her arms.

Glisten gasped, pressing a hand to his chest as if she had personally offended him. "Oh, goodness, she did! Didn’t she?!" There was just the tiniest hint of panic in his voice.

"Uh... Nuh-uh..." Gigi mumbled through the candy, eyes darting to the side.

Glisten narrowed his eyes. "You’re not exactly a good liar, Gigi."

The two locked eyes for a long moment before Glisten finally sighed, rubbing his temple. Then, he turned his attention to Flutter, and right back to Gigi as he spoke. "Don’t tell anyone."

Boxten, who had been doing his absolute best to pretend this conversation wasn’t happening, instantly buried his face in his hands. His purple face had turned bright red, practically steaming from embarrassment.

Gigi shrugged. "I don’t tell a soul what’s in that diary!" She raised her hands in self-defense, her sleeves flopping dramatically.

Glisten squinted at her, then slowly nodded. "Alright… good to know, good to know."

Boxten let out a small, muffled whimper into his palms.

The elevator doors slid open, and Gigi immediately took off. "Alllright.. good talk, bye!!" she called over her shoulder, making a beeline for a medkit. Flutter dashed off to follow her.

Boxten groaned and Glisten just smiled. Brightney stood there in confused shock.

Flutter’s Diary
Entry #546

OH. MY. GOODNESS.
I don’t even know where to start! I was just minding my own business (mostly) when I saw Glisten go into Boxten’s room, and he sounded so sweet! I’ve never heard him talk like that before! It was like... Straight up syrup! (Note to self: ask Glisten if he can do that voice again... For science.)

[Flutter you are so strange..]

At first, I was going to be good. I was going to hover at a safe and respectful distance. But then I heard this really soft little moan (!!!) and, well. How was I not supposed to investigate?!

So I peeked in, and Glisten was calling Boxten pretty while Boxten was all flustered and trying to untie his ribbon!! HIS RIBBON!! (Gigi, pause for dramatic effect right now.)

[Pausing. Fully appreciating the drama. Okay, continue.]

And then Glisten just tilted Boxten’s chin up and kissed him right there on the bed!! Like something out of a movie! And then, and THEN, he started pinning him down on the bed!!!

I had to go. I shut that door and flew to Gigi’s room because this needed to be documented IMMEDIATELY.

[She did. She came in so fast I thought she saw a ghost. But no, it was just spicy romance.]

Flutter’s Diary
Entry #548

Ohh no...

Now, I know Glisten found out. He knows I told Gigi. I knew something was up when he got all dramatic in the elevator and started asking Gigi if she wrote anything for me!

And Gigi, bless her heart, is the worst liar. (I say this with love, Gigi.)

[Rude. Accurate, but rude.]

Anyway, Boxten completely shut down and was a blushing mess, and Glisten kept looking at me like he knew I was snooping, but he couldn’t prove anything! Still. I think I need to lay low for a bit. Just in case. But oh my gosh, that was the best thing I’ve ever seen.

Chapter Text

The run had been brutal. Rodger’s eye ached in the way it always did after prolonged focus, and Astro was practically dragging their blanket-covered body out of the elevator. They both had just a sliver of energy left, hearts battered and bruised, but still beating. Every floor past the fifth had been relentless with main after main showing up when they least expected, every med and band snatched up and used just as quickly as they were found. It had felt endless, like the floors themselves were mocking them. But now they were out. Now, they were alive.

Rodger stepped into the kitchen first, his eye flickering in the dim lighting. He moved with purpose, despite the sluggishness in his joints. He needed coffee, something warm, something strong. Astro followed, their blanket dragging against the floor, soft against the silence that settled between them.

“You really shouldn’t drink coffee this late,” Astro murmured, voice still hoarse from exhaustion.

Rodger let out a soft laugh, brushing them off with an absent wave of his hand before pouring the black liquid into a mug. He didn’t need to drink it, not when he knew he'd be taking a nap very soon, but he liked the warmth of it. It grounded him.

Astro sighed but didn’t press further. They knew him too well. Knew that if he wanted to drink coffee after nearly dying for the past hour, he was going to do it.

Rodger took a careful sip, then turned back to Astro, his eye crinkling at the edges in a soft smile. “Come on,” he said, voice soft and light . “Let’s go.” Astro didn’t need to be told twice.

Their room was quiet when they entered, a stark contrast to the chaos they had just escaped. Rodger wasn’t supposed to be here, not really. Common Toons rarely got to step foot into the mains’ rooms, but Astro had never cared much for rules like that. They liked Rodger’s presence. It was calming in a way not much else was.

Rodger placed his mug down on Astro’s desk and settled onto their bed without hesitation. It was comfortable here, more so than his own space. Maybe because Astro was here. Maybe because he didn’t have to keep himself so sharp all the time.

Astro shifted beside him, adjusting their blanket before slipping under it completely, head and all. The only sign that they were still there was the way the fabric dipped, the faint outline of their limbs.

Rodger hummed, lying down properly. “You still hiding under there?”

Astro didn’t answer right away. “Yeah,” they said finally, voice muffled beneath the blanket. “Just comfortable like this.”

Rodger didn’t argue. They never let anyone see what was under there, but he had always been an exception. Even then, they still preferred to keep the barrier between them most of the time. It didn’t bother him one bit.

He turned onto his side, adjusting his face against the pillow. The weight of the day was settling into him, making his body feel heavier. “You good?”

Astro shifted again, the blanket rustling. “Yeah. Just tired.”

“Same.” Rodger gave a small nod.

Silence stretched between them, not uncomfortable but heavy with the weight of everything they had just gone through. It was always like this after a bad run, after near misses and brushes with something worse than failure.

Rodger reached out, hand pressing lightly against where Astro’s shoulder should be beneath the blanket. It was easy, natural. He felt them relax at the contact, exhaling softly.

“You’re warm,” Astro mumbled.

Rodger huffed out a quiet laugh. “Good.”

They shifted closer, Rodger’s arm curling around what he could reach. He felt the slight movement beneath the blanket, the way Astro tucked themself into him just a little more. They were always careful, always mindful of their extra limbs, but Rodger didn’t care about that. He just held them.

Time passed like that, slow and steady, breaths evening out, tension melting away. The exhaustion was still there, pressing in at the edges, but it didn’t feel so heavy anymore.

Rodger wasn’t sure when he closed his eye, but by the time he realized it, Astro had already gone quiet, their breathing soft and steady against him. They were safe. They were here. 

Chapter Text

Shrimpo was miserable. He hated being quiet and he hated feeling weak. He hated, more than anything, being on the receiving end of what he usually dished out.

His throat had been sore for days, reduced to nothing but raspy whispers and short words. It burned every time he tried to speak more than a couple of syllables, and it had stripped him of the one thing that made him, him. He was supposed to be loud and mean. He was supposed to make others feel small, not the other way around. Now he could do nothing but listen as the other toons took their chance to kick him while he was down.

Boxten, usually so timid, so easily scared, had called him "Whimpy Shrimpy" in a shaky but triumphant voice, and Glisten, always dramatic, had cackled at how pathetic Shrimpo looked, flailing his little shrimp fists and trying to fight back with his pathetic, quiet voice. No matter how many people called him a "one star Toon" in the past, he had never felt so useless in his life.

Shrimpo hadn’t even noticed Astro at first. The sleepy, crescent-faced toon was always in his own little world, drifting like he barely existed. Astro had been watching quietly from the corner. He had seen how pale Shrimpo looked, how his usual fire had dimmed into barely glowing embers. When he saw Boxten and Glisten tormenting him, he decided enough was enough. He wasn't about to let his friend get tormented anymore.

“Shrimpo,” Astro murmured, his voice soft and almost a whisper. “You left something in my room.”

Shrimpo blinked up at him, confused. 'What? No, I didn’t,' he thought.

Astro’s sleepy eye held a quiet insistence, and before Shrimpo could get another word in, Astro was pulling him away from the other toons. Boxten and Glisten didn’t question it because why would they? It wasn’t their problem anymore.

Shrimpo shuffled behind Astro, trying not to let his legs shake. His throat ached, but more than that, his heart did.

Astro’s room was dim, the soft glow of stars dancing along the ceiling, shifting lazily as if swaying to an unheard lullaby. It was quiet and safe, the perfect place to relax.

Shrimpo sighed and barely whispered, “Thank you.”

Astro didn’t say anything at first, he simply let his blanket fall away and wrapped his arms around Shrimpo. The bottom two held him close, the other two caressed his face in a way so soft and tender, that it made the little shrimp stiffen. It had been so long since someone touched him without shoving, without hitting, without cruelty.

Astro murmured against him, “It’s okay.”

Shrimpo clenched his fists, his whole body trembling. His eyes stung, his throat burned, but it wasn’t from trying to yell this time. He just wanted to say so much, but he couldn’t.

He looked up at Astro, pleading in his eyes, and Astro understood immediately. He handed Shrimpo a notebook, pressing a pen into his tiny fingers.

Shrimpo hesitated, then began to write. Each word was shaky, uneven, and filled with the frustration of someone who was used to speaking in screams but was now forced into silence.

It hurts.
I don’t like this.
I hate them. I hate that they did this to me.
But I get it now.
I get why it hurts so much.
I get why they hate me.
I’ll try to be better.
At least a little.

He stared at the page, at his own messy writing, and felt something twist in his gut. His fingers trembled around the pen and before he could stop himself, he scribbled at the bottom of the page:

I hate me too.

His pen froze, his breathing hitched, and before he knew it, he was crying.

Astro’s hand landed gently over the words, stopping him from writing any more. He looked at the page, then back at Shrimpo, his eye heavy with something soft and warm.

Shrimpo’s shoulders shook as he buried his face in Astro’s chest. Astro didn’t hesitate. He wrapped his arms around him again, holding him close, rubbing slow circles into his back.

“I’ll protect you,” Astro whispered.

Shrimpo sniffled, gripping onto Astro’s sleep shirt like he was afraid to let go. “Why?” His voice was weak, broken.

Astro pressed a soft kiss to Shrimpo’s forehead, his lips barely touching against his skin. “Because I care about you,” Astro murmured. “A lot. A lot, a lot.”

Shrimpo felt his face heat up. He let out a small strangled sound, trying to pull away, trying to act like he hated it, but his arms didn’t let go. He clung to Astro like he was afraid he’d disappear.

Astro chuckled, his voice as soft as a lullaby. He didn’t press and he didn’t tease. He just held him and let him feel all the emotions he needed to.

“…Fine,” Shrimpo whispered, his voice barely there.

Astro smiled sleepily, brushing his hand softly over Shrimpo's head, as though petting him. “Wanna sleep here?”

Shrimpo hesitated. Then, slowly, he nodded. Astro led him to the bed, pulling him down into the soft warmth of the blankets. He tucked Shrimpo against his chest, both pairs of arms still wrapped protectively around him.

Shrimpo sighed, feeling safe for the first time in what felt like forever. As they both drifted off, Astro made sure, more than anything, that Shrimpo had good dreams. For the first time in a long time, he did. 

Chapter Text

Cosmo knows he should run. Twisted Sprout is dangerous, his massive clawed hand, the ichor dripping from his mouth and eye, the way his wails twist the air into something thick and suffocating. Sprout is gone, lost to whatever horrors lurk within the ichor. This thing before him is not his best friend, not the Toon he spent countless hours baking with, not the one who always protected him.

And yet Cosmo doesn’t move. Because despite the monstrous frame, silent and predatory, he's still in there. The worst thing to ever happen to him, and yet the best.

Twisted Sprout watches him from across the ruined floor, his glowing red eye half-lidded beneath the weight of his leafy bangs. He tilts his head, a motion more animal than Toon, then steps forward, ichor tendrils curling behind him, reaching for something they can't quite reach.

Cosmo’s heart pounds. Every instinct screams for him to flee, to find the others, to hide behind a pile of crates and wait for this all to be over. But he stands his ground.

Twisted Sprout stops a foot away. He lifts his clawed hand, but he hesitates. It trembles, his entire form seems to waver, caught between two opposing forces, two different beings fighting for control. Sprout, Cosmo's closest friend, and the ichor clawing at his mind.

Cosmo doesn’t think for even a second. He just reaches out and takes Twisted Sprout’s other hand, the normal one, the one that still feels like him, the one that's still warm despite everything.

The eye beneath his hair widens, and then, something happens. A shudder runs through Twisted Sprout’s frame, his entire body tensing up and recoiling from Cosmo’s touch. Despite that, he doesn’t pull away. Instead, he makes a sound, half a breath, half a choked-off whimper, and grips Cosmo’s hand tighter.

Cosmo can feel his pulse in his ears. “Sprout,” he whispers, feeling his heart ache when he sees the recognition in that glowing red eye.

Twisted Sprout exhales shakily. He lifts his clawed hand and places it against Cosmo’s chest, right where he can feel his heart beat hardest. It’s not a threat, and it’s not an attack. It’s something else, something neither of them can name but that feels too important not to.

Cosmo should be terrified. He should let go, but he doesn’t, because even though Sprout has become his worst nightmare, he’s also still his. His best friend, his closest enemy.

And as much as it hurts hearing his name, seeing what’s become of him, knowing that nothing will ever be the same, Cosmo refuses to turn away. Better to be in bad company than alone, after all.

Chapter Text

Flutter sat on a bench in the lobby, her eyes locked onto the sky as she absentmindedly kicked her feet. The sky, what little bit was visible past the tree, was a soft pinkish hue, shifting to deeper purple as the sun dipped below the horizon. A few stars blinked into existence, but her mind was far, far away. She was overthinking again.

Glisten had been on her mind for weeks now. No, longer. Every time she saw him, her stomach did this weird little flip, and her face heated up like she’d been caught sneaking sweets before dinner. It was so obvious to Gigi. And Brightney. And probably everyone else in Gardenview at this point. But she just couldn’t say it. How do you even say something like that?

Her wings twitched restlessly. She let out a breath and leaned her head back against the banch, her thoughts spilling out before she even realized she was doing it.

'One day, I just wanna hear you say: I like you.'

The words were soundless, but they carried in the quiet air, spoken in the silent way that only certain Toons could understand from her. A habit she rarely even noticed she did, was thinking aloud.

"What's stopping you?"

Flutter blinked. That wasn’t her voice. She turned her head so fast she nearly gave herself whiplash.

There, standing just a few feet away, was Glisten. He tilted his head, arms crossed, his soft eyes fixed on her with curiosity and the smallest hint of amusement. He had been listening, watching her the whole time.

Her wings poofed up in panic, flapping franticly as she covered her face.

Her legs wrapped around the bottom of the seat, gripping the bench like it might save her from collapsing into a puddle of pure embarrassment.

Glisten gave a slow nod. "Yep. Heard every last bit..."

Flutter looked up at him, barely peeking past her wings.

Another nod and she wanted to disappear. She wanted to badly to melt into the floor and seep into the cracks where she’d never have to face this moment again. Instead, she just sat there, staring at him like a deer caught in headlights, unable to process anything past 'oh no oh no oh no'

Then, he just smiled. "Well?" he prompted, tilting his head again. "What's stopping you?"

Flutter's brain nearly short-circuited. She smacked her wings tighter over her face, the fluff around her neck fluffing up even more as she hid. This was it. She was never living this down.

Glisten, as patient as ever, just chuckled. It wasn’t mocking, if anything it was warm, maybe even encouraging. He didn’t push, and he didn’t tease. Just waited, like he always did.

Flutter peeked through her fingers, her heart pounding. She gave a little nod. '...I like you.'

The words were so quiet, she barely heard herself think them, but Glisten did. He stiffened a bit, but in just a second, his expression softened, eyes bright. Then, to her surprise, he grinned.

"Yeah?" he said, tapping his foot gently, not impatiently, but in thought. "I like you too."

Flutter’s neck fluff poofed to full volume again. OH.

Glisten just laughed.

Chapter Text

The walls shook with the weight of the battle outside. The screams of the other Toons as they ran, the guttural cries of the Twisteds, the sound of bodies hitting the floor and splattering into ichor. All of it was muffled in the dimly lit back room where Cosmo and Sprout hid. Sprout had been attacked, not fatality, but in a way that made his fate much worse.

Cosmo sat cross-legged in front of him, his breath shallow, hands trembling as he pulled a cookie from his chest. The thing was uneven, the edges rough, made of what little strength he had left, his second heart. It still smelled sweet, and still held warmth, it would have been enough for any other injured Toon.

Sprout sat across from him, hunched over, his shoulders tense, his own hands twitching where they gripped his arms. His fingers were pressing too hard, leaving deep imprints in the soft exterior of his skin. His body fought itself, quivering, twisting in places that shouldn’t bend.

Cosmo knew what was happening. He always knew what was going on with Sprout. “It’s okay,” Cosmo said softly, nudging the cookie forward. “Just eat it.”

Sprout exhaled sharply, a shaky laugh breaking out of him. “A cookie’s not gonna fix this, Cosmo.”

“It’s a start.” He nudged it closer.

He didn’t have the strength to argue. The hunger was gnawing at him, clawing from the inside out. Sprout took the cookie with shaking hands and shoved it into his mouth in a single bite. The taste of sugar and flour, of something made with love and life, melted on his tongue, but it wasn’t enough. It was never going to be enough.

Cosmo could see it in the way his jaw tensed, in the way his pupils blew wide and dark, red seeping into the whites of his eyes, in the way his fingers curled against his arms again, digging in, pressing hard enough to break through. The sickly sweet of rotting fruit filled the room.

The sound of the fight outside seemed so distant now as Sprout was losing a battle of his own.

Cosmo reached forward, slow and steady, brushing his fingers against Sprout’s cheek. His touch was cold, shaking from exhaustion. But he still smiled, small and unwavering.

“It’s okay,” he whispered. “If it helps, then… you can have just a bite from me.”

Sprout sucked in a breath. His whole body trembled, his mind screaming at him to refuse, to fight it, to resist... But Cosmo was offering. Cosmo, who had always given more than he had, who had kept them all alive when he was barely standing, who had always put himself last no matter what.

Sprout's lips parted, a broken sound leaving him. “No.” But he was already slipping.

His fingers twitched as they moved against Cosmo’s arms, gripping too tightly, as tight as he had on his own arm. His body curled inward, his breaths now harsh gasps. He could hold out just a little longer, he had to.

Cosmo tilted his head, offering more to him, offering everything. The loss of Sprout would mean he had nothing left to lose, after all.

Something inside Sprout shattered. The first bite was small, just aest. A tremble of lips, a press of teeth against warm chocolate cake, the taste so exquisite he had never baked anything better. As Sprout pulled back, Cosmo barely reacted, just shivered and exhaled softly, fingers still against Sprout’s face, cupping his cheek. "It's alright..." He reassured in a low coaxing whisper.

The second bite was deeper, a corner of the Swiss Rolls head masticated by gnashing teeth, hungry, needing. Sprout's resolve was splitting as he took in the taste, his hands quivering against Cosmo as he leaned in further.

By the third bite, Sprout was sobbing as he realized what he’d done, arms wrapped around Cosmo’s body, his form twisting, growing larger, shifting into something monstrous. His left hand was already lost, stretched into a gnarled, clawed thing that twitched against Cosmo’s back. His insides burned, his mind splitting into something unrecognizable.

Cosmo just rested in his lap, eyes half-lidded, body limp, breath barely there. He smiled up at him, a faint, loving thing.

“You should’ve run,” Sprout choked out, voice wrecked by the ichor burning in his throat, barely his own. “You should’ve fought me.”

Cosmo just blinked, slow and heavy, and let out the closest thing to a laugh the rest of his energy would allow. “I wouldn’t.”

The silence that settled between them was thick and suffocating. Outside, the fight was ending. Inside, the fight was already lost.

Sprout curled around what remained of Cosmo, his own body decaying, twisting, breaking into something he barely saw as himself.

And then he heard footsteps. The door creaked open. Light spilled into the room, painting everything in sickly yellow from the fluorescents. Shadows stretched against the walls, falling over Sprout’s ruined form, over Cosmo’s still body.

Finn. Boxten. Teagan. Shelly. They all stood there, unmoving, staring at the scene before them.

Sprout lifted his head, voice barely above a whisper. “Leave. Before you’re next.”

Their breaths hitched as they hesitated. Sprout’s form twitched, the last pieces of himself slipping, rotting. I'm just a moment, they listened. The door closed and the room was dark again.

Sprout sat still and waited. Waited for the last of himself to disappear to the ichor. Waited to become nothing but a monster. Waited, holding what was left of his best friend, his lover, as the hunger faded into quiet pain.

Chapter Text

The soft glow of fairy lights in Astro's room cast a gentle light on the two Toons curled up together on the bed. Astro's softly glowing form was warm and comforting, his blanket draped gently over them both. Dandy's petals rustled softly as he nestled against Astro's chest, feeling a sense of calm he rarely experienced.

Astro's fingers began to trace gentle patterns on Dandy's soft velvety petals. Dandy let out a quiet sigh, his body responding to the tender touch with a shiver. Astro smiled and continued to let his hands dance across the delicate petals, his touch growing more confident.

"Mmm, that feels nice," Dandy murmured, his eyes fluttering closed.

Astro leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Dandy's cheek. "I'm glad," he whispered. "I want you to feel good." His lower pair of arms rested loosely above Dandy's hips, his thumbs rubbing slow circles against his skin.

Dandy turned his head, capturing Astro's lips in a gentle kiss. "You always make me feel good, Ma Lune." The air smelled like pollen and nectar as the flower toon grew more needy.

Astro's heart pounded his his chest as he deepened the kiss, his tongue brushing against Dandy's. Their bodies pressed closer, the heat between them growing unbelievably stuffy.

Astro's hand slid down Dandy's body and up under his apron, brushing softly over his stomach. As he lowered his hand, his fingers brushed against a small row of petals framing Dandy's dick. He could feel the warmth and hardness beneath his palm as he gently wrapped his hand around the erection. Without hesitation, he slowly stroked Dandy's cock, listening and watching his face for any signs of pleasure.

Dandy's breath hitched, his body arching into Astro's touch. "Astro," he gasped, "your hand feels amazing."

Encouraged, Astro continued to stroke Dandy's dick, his fingers of his other hand dancing over the sensitive petals while the top set stayed caressing the petals of his head. He could feel his own arousal growing, his inch long, tentacle-like, clit twitching with need.

Dandy's hands roamed Astro's body, his touch gentle and explorative as he leaned closer. He traced the lines of Astro's top surgery scars, his fingers lingering on the sensitive skin. Astro shivered at the touch, his body responding to Dandy's gentle caress with a content sigh.

"Astro," Dandy murmured, his voice filled with desire, "I want more. I need to feel you."

"Alright, Ma Fleur." Astro's heart pounded as he shifted, scooting into his lap until he was straddling Dandy's hips. Dandy had laid back on the bed, letting Astro take as much control as he needed. His dripping cunt pressed against the tip of Dandy's cock, the sensation sending sparks of pleasure through his body.

Astro took a deep breath, his hands resting on Dandy's chest for support. He could feel the heat and hardness of Dandy's cock against his entrance, and he slowly began to lower himself down. As the tip of Dandy's cock pressed against him, Astro whimpered slightly. He slightly flinched and pulled back a bit when he felt a sharp sting of pain. He paused, taking a moment to breathe through the discomfort and lower back down.

"Astro," Dandy murmured, his voice gentle and concerned as he reached up to cup Astro's cheeks. "Are you okay? We can stop if you need to."

Astro shook his head, his eyes meeting Dandy's. "No, I want this. I want you." He took another deep breath and slowly continued to lower himself, inch by inch. The pain was quite intense, but the look of love and desire in Dandy's eyes gave him the strength to keep going.

As he took more of Dandy's cock inside him, the pain began to subside, replaced by a growing pleasure in his stomach. He whimpered again, this time from the sensation of being filled completely. Dandy's hands gently gripped onto his hips, providing support and soft encouragement.

Once Astro was fully seated, he paused for a moment, allowing his body to adjust to the new sensation. Dandy's cock pulsed inside him, and Astro could feel his own arousal growing, his clit swollen and throbbing.

He began to move, his hips rolling in a slow, sensual rhythm. The friction was incredible. Astro moaned softly, his head falling back as he lost himself in the pleasure. Dandy's hands roamed from his hips up the rest of his body, his touch gentle and loving, encouraging Astro to take what he needed.

Astro leaned down, capturing Dandy's lips in a passionate kiss. Their tongues danced together, breaths hot as they moved in sync. The room filled with the sounds of their moans, skin colliding, and the rustling of Dandy's petals.

Astro's orgasm built slowly, the pleasure coiling in his belly like a spring. He could feel Dandy's body tensing beneath him, his dick throbbing in Astro's cunt. "Dandy," he moaned, "I'm close."

Dandy's hands gripped Astro's hips tighter, his body arching off the bed as he thrust up into him. "Me too," he gasped out with a moan. "Don't stop, Astro. Please, don't stop."

Astro's movements grew more urgent, his body chasing the pleasure that was just within reach. With a final, desperate kiss, they both crashed over like a wave, their orgasms pulsing through them. Astro's clit throbbed, sending waves of white hot pleasure through his body, while Dandy's dick twitched, his petals rustling softly.

They collapsed together, their bodies slick with sweat and their breaths coming in ragged gasps. Astro's head rested on Dandy's chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart as he stayed snuggles close.

"Was that good?" Astro asked softly, his fingers tracing idle patterns on Dandy's petals again, caressing his cheek.

Dandy's arms wrapped around him, holding him close. "It was perfect," he murmured. "Thank you, Ma Lune."

Astro smiled at the name, his eye fluttering closed as he drifted off to sleep in Dandy's arms, content and at peace. Dandy's fingers gently pet the back of Astro's head,.a soft smile on his lips as he followed Astro into a peaceful slumber.

Chapter Text

Goob had always been the soft one, the easy target. His kindhearted attitude made it hard to stand up for himself when he was being picked on, and Shrimpo loved to pick. It was nothing new, mockery, a push, an insult thrown his way like a casual greeting. If Goob tripped over his own feet while distracting all that he ever heard was laughter.

He had gotten used to it, but today was different, because Goob had been shoved one time too many.

They were in the middle of a run, Goob trying his best to round up all the Twisteds, when Shrimpo sneered at him again. "MOVE IT, FLUFFBALL! YOU'RE IN MY WAY!" The usual shove came, hard enough to make Goob stumble, but instead of apologizing and shuffling aside like normal, something inside him snapped. His heart pounded, the fur on the back of his neck stood on end.

Shrimpo expected him to take it like he always did, but this time, Goob didn't move. He turned to face Shrimpo, eyes burning with bottled up frustration. "Don't do that again. Or else."

"Yeah? Or else what? Gonna go cry to Scraps? Wahhh Shrimpo hit meee wahh! Crybaby." Shrimpo returned the rage with more mockery, his voice cruel.

"So you don't believe me?" Goob's voice was shaking now, almost to tears. "I'll make it easy." Before Shrimpo could process it, Goob swung his big heavy paw into his face.

It wasn't perfect, Goob's a lover, not a fighter, but it landed square against the shrimps cheek. The force of it sent Shrimpo staggering back, eyes wide in disbelief. Goob had never fought back before.

"Whenever you get mad, I'm your walking punching bag." Goob’s voice trembled with years of unreleased frustration, his breath shaking. "Can your conscience handle that? Because I shouldn't be the one feeling bad, not when you’re the one who keeps doing this!"

Shrimpo bared his teeth, his usual anger showing though the gesture, but for the first time there was hesitation.

Goob took a step closer. "Why would I enjoy this?" His voice cracked as he asked, but he stood firm. "I'm not a masochist. I never was. I just didn’t want to fight." His paws clenched back into curled fists. "But if you wanna keep pushing me, then TRY. See what happens."

The floor went incredibly still and silent. Even the distant groans of the twisteds outside the hall felt quieter, like they were listening. Shrimpo's fists trembled at his sides, but for once, said nothing.

Goob wasn’t going to let himself be such a pushover anymore.

Chapter Text

Cocoa woke up from her usual sleeping corner in the storage room, her little tail already wagging as she stood up. "Good morning, everyone!" she chirped, her eyes sparkling with cheer.

Bassie looked up from her spot in the corner, trying to hide her annoyance. "Morning, Cocoa," she said, her voice strained.

The other two Toons in the room, Flyte and Eggson, greeted Cocoa warmly, happy to see their energetic friend. Cocoa bounced over to Bassie, eager to help her with whatever she was working on.

"Can I assist you with anything, Bassie?" Cocoa asked, her eyes wide and eager.

Bassie hesitated for a moment before sighing. "Sure, you can help me sort these flowers," she said, handing Cocoa a basket of pastel purple and pink pressed flowers.

Cocoa happily took the basket and began sorting the flowers, humming to herself as she worked. Bassie watched her, feeling quite the mix of emotions. On one hand, she was grateful for Cocoa's help, but on the other, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Cocoa was always so cheerful, so eager to help, and so loved by everyone. It was hard not to compare herself to the chocolate bunny and feel like she came up short.

As they worked, Bassie couldn't help but notice the way Cocoa's fluffy white tail wiggled with excitement. She felt a sudden urge to grab it, to assert her dominance over the other Toon, but she quickly pushed the thought away, knowing it wasn't right. Not now.

Days turned into weeks, and soon it was time for Cocoa to go into heat. The other Toons in the storage room knew what this meant, one week a year, Cocoa needed their help to get through it. Bassie, despite her jealousy, never hesitated to offer her assistance.

Cocoa's heart raced as Bassie towered over her, the form of her body imposing and dominant, something rarely seen from the basket toon. Cocoa could see the bulge though Bassie's dress, and she felt a thrill of anticipation. This was what she needed, what she craved.

Bassie grabbed Cocoa's ears, pulling her close and biting her shoulder roughly. Cocoa gasped, her body responding instantly to the pain. She could feel Bassie's hard cock pressing against her, and she arched her back in desperation.

Bassie's hands roamed over Cocoa's body, rough and demanding. She grabbed at her soft chocolate body with a ferocity that left Cocoa breathless. Cocoa moaned as Bassie's fingers found her slick folds, teasing and tormenting her.

Bassie's aggression only fueled Cocoa's desire. She wanted more, needed more. She begged Bassie to fuck her, to take her roughly and without mercy.

Bassie obliged, pushing Cocoa onto her back and mounting her with ease, simply raising up her dress enough to reveal herself. Cocoa could feel Bassie's cock pressing against her entrance, and she spread her legs wider in invitation. Bassie didn't hesitate, thrusting into Cocoa with a savage intensity that left her gasping for breath. She didn't give Cocoa even a moment to relax, a second to prepare or get used to the feeling, but she didn't need to.

Cocoa cried out in joy and pain as Bassie fucked her, each thrust sending waves of pleasure coursing through her body. Bassie was relentless, pounding into Cocoa with a ferocity that bordered on violence, but Cocoa didn't care. She wanted it, needed it, she begged Bassie for more, her body desperate for release.

Bassie's hands were everywhere, gripping Cocoa's hips, her breasts, her ears. She pulled hard on Cocoa's ears, eliciting a cry of pain that only served to heighten Cocoa's pleasure. Cocoa could feel herself getting closer and closer to the edge, her body trembling with anticipation.

Finally, with a loud moan of release, Cocoa came. Her body convulsed around Bassie's cock, milking it for all it was worth. Bassie followed soon after, her own orgasm shaking her to the core.

As they lay panting on the floor, Cocoa couldn't help but feel grateful. Bassie had provided her with the release she so desperately needed, even if it had come at a cost. Cocoa didn't even know that Bassie was using her, taking out her frustrations on her during her heat. It was just something so kind she did for her when she needed it. Sure, some things were sore after, but it was a small price to pay for the pleasure Bassie had given her.

Bassie lay next to Cocoa with a sense of satisfaction. She had dominated Cocoa, taken her roughly and without mercy. It was a great feeling, one that she reveled in. Even then, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was using Cocoa, taking advantage of her in a way that wasn't fair. She knew she needed to be better, to find a way to deal with her anger without hurting Cocoa, to find some other time she feels she has control over a situation. For now, she would savor the feeling of victory and dominance. She would wait for the next time Cocoa went into heat, when she could do it all over again.

The week went by with this same routine happening over and over, and soon it was time for Cocoa to go back to her usual cheerful self. Bassie watched her, feeling a very complexated mix of emotions. She was happy for Cocoa, but she couldn't shake the feeling of jealousy that lingered in her heart.

One day, as they were working together on some little thing, Cocoa suddenly turned to Bassie and said, "Bassie, can I ask you something?"

Bassie felt her heart skip a beat. Was Cocoa finally going to address the tension between them? "Sure," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

"I know we've been friends for a long time, but I feel like there's something you're not telling me. Is everything okay?" Cocoa asked, her big brown eyes filled with concern.

Bassie felt a lump form in her throat. She wanted to tell Cocoa everything, how she felt she would be replaced, how she felt jealous, how she used Cocoa during her heat, but she couldn't. It was too much, too real.

"I'm fine," she said, forcing a smile. "Just been having some trouble sleeping, that's all."

Cocoa looked at her for a moment, as if trying to decide whether or not to believe her. Finally, she nodded. "Okay," she said, her voice filled with concern. "If you ever need to talk, I'm here for you."

Bassie felt a twinge of guilt. She knew she didn't deserve Cocoa's kindness, not after what she had done. But she couldn't help but feel grateful for it, all the same.

As they continued to work, Bassie couldn't shake the feeling that she needed to tell Cocoa the truth. But she didn't know how. It was too hard, too scary. Maybe someday she would find the courage to do it. Until then, she would keep her feelings to herself and hope that Cocoa would never find out the truth.

Chapter Text

Astro wasn’t supposed to take baths without supervision. That rule had been established a long time ago, set in place after too many near-death experiences, all of which ended with him choking on bath water and barely hanging on with a single heart. Narcolepsy and soaking in a nice warm tub didn’t mix well. Still, tonight he felt stubborn. He wanted to relax, to feel like his limbs weren’t burning with the stress of a run. A short bath would be fine.

He dug into the back of the bathroom cupboard and unearthed an old bath bomb. It was in the shape of his own face, supposedly meant to turn the water purple with glitter, like a galaxy. It was two years expired, but still intact, still tempting.

He dropped it into the water and the fizz started innocent enough… until the color changed. What spread through the water wasn’t purple. It was pitch-black, thick and inky, like ichor. Glitterless, joyless, and vaguely terrifying. The color clung to the porcelain of the tub and stained the edges. Astro stared for a moment, hesitating, but shrugged it off. It was just dye, just water, just one bath, so he climbed in.

The water was hot and welcoming, his body weightless, his eyelids heavy. Within moments, he was sound asleep. His body slumped to the side, half turned away from the door. The long end of his hat dipped low, trailing into the black water, shadowing his face. His breathing, slow and shallow, didn’t disturb the surface of the water. His skin cooled in the stillness of the room and the now cold bath, color draining from his already pale blue skin as the cold seeped into him.

Dandy found him first, and the scream he let out echoed through the entire hallway. He dropped to his knees beside the tub and grabbed Astro’s leg, shaking him, but there was no reaction. Astro’s skin felt cold, his body was completely limp. Dandy’s voice cracked as he shouted his name again, tears already blurring his vision.

Then came Flutter, rushing in at the sound of the scream, wide-eyed and wings franticly flapping. She froze in the doorway, then let out a shriek of her own, dashing back out to the hallway to find a handler.

Dandy reached into the tub, trying to lift Astro up by his shoulders, pulling him upright and into his arms. As he moved him, Astro’s head slipped lower, dunking beneath the surface for only a second but it was enough.

Astro sputtered violently, snorting water through his nose, blinking as he bolted upright, drenched and disoriented. His chest heaved, wet fur plastered to his face, water dripping down his arms. He stared at Dandy, now crying, soaked to the elbows, and Flutter, who had just returned with Austin trailing behind her.

Then he realized he was naked. The bubbles were long gone, dissolved in the time he’d been unconscious. His entire body, pale and shimmering in the low light, was fully on display in a bathtub that looked like it had been filled with pure ichor. An absolute nightmare for everyone involved. He shouted, voice cracking with panic and embarrassment, “Get out!”

Dandy stumbled back, wide-eyed and still shaking from the fear of losing his beloved. Flutter squeaked again and turned away. Austin raised both his hands and quickly exited, murmuring something about giving him space.

Astro stood, drained the tub with a slam of the lever, and started the shower without another word. Water poured down, cold and sharp, but grounding. The glitterless bomb, the ichor bath, the panic, he let it all wash down the drain.

He dried off, wrapped himself in the fluffiest towel he owned, and made a quiet vow. No more bath bombs, and definitely no eye contact with Flutter for at least a year.