Chapter Text
Groggy. That's the best way to describe how Looey was feeling as he started to wake up he could smell eggs- cooked sunny side up way too close to his face- as well as a faint sweet scent- and then Looey sat up almost immediately- rubbing his eyes while Sprout sits on the side of his bed. Sprout was holding a tray with a pop bottle and some eggs with ketchup on it placed on it- plus a fork, plastic, and Looey goes from tired to confused, but interested.
"Eeegh? Sprout? How did you get in my room?" Looey asks, his voice mumbly as he rubs his head, his ears slowly rising from the sides. " How long did I.. "
"You didn't lock it, and thirty minutes." Sprout responded, aptly, and grabbing onto the fork on the tray he fed Looey- to Looeys own confusion and slight sputtering but zero refusal at this point- he's too sleepy too, plus he's hungry from the fact he refused to eat that cupcake earlier-
Looey is then reminded of his breakdown, and his ears lower again as he's chewing on the eggs he's been fed. " Are they not good? " Sprout would ask with genuine concern, and Looey stammers- forcing himself to swallow down the food so he can respond faster.
"Ah—no! No, your cooking is perfect"! Looey would hurriedly say before he'd try to clarify. "I just- uh- you know, things just.. keep happening?" Looey ends, his voice heightening in pitch at the end while Sprout eyes him suspiciously.
" I.. don't follow, Loo. " Sprout would cautiously approach the conversation- his hand grabbing the pop bottle off the tray to hand it to Looey- which the balloon dog holds in his paws as he undoes the top chugging it. " Drink- good job- and can you tell me what's wrong? " The strawberry questions again, his eye contact unfaltering on Looey while he continues to fumble on the topic.
" I.. ehh, so.. Shrimpo left a thumbtack in my bed again- " Looey would begin, and Sprout already looks pissed off- he's had quite enough of the people he loves and is close to getting messed with by the shrimp- but Looey holds his paws up defensively. " Woah! Calm down there, berry-buster, you don't have to hit anybody- it's not his fault! It's just- "
His paws lower again, and he hands the pop bottle (now empty) back to Sprout- and Sprout sets the items aside, and almost naturally Looey's head rests in Sprout's lap- and Sprout's hand naturally rests on his head, petting him.
Looey pauses for a moment, just hugging the taller toon awkwardly and taking in his caring presence before he continues...His voice stops being so performative, which he'd barely noticed he was doing.
" I wondered if it'd just be better if I disappeared, y'know?"
Sprout would flinch at what Looey said- and like expected, his reaction was sopping wet with worry. " Wh- No! It absolutely would not be better! You know I care about you- I love you- and I'm not gonna let anyone, including yourself- speak to you that way. " Sprout would state it sternly, his hands going under Looeys chin to bring him up to his face.
Looey would look away again. His tail is still tucked awkwardly between his legs as he speaks, once again panicked. " But- I- but what if you get tired of taking care of me all of the time? What if I just- become such an- "
"I said- I wouldn't let you talk about yourself that way!" Sprout would say, smushing Looeys cheeks with his hands. " I will NOT get tired of you, that's not happening. Ever. I love you- and if you're a burden- you're one worth carrying. "
There's a small minute of silence, and Looey ends up tearing up, squeezing Sprout as hard as he can in a hug while Sprout holds onto him- the strawberry carefully pats and rubs on the crying balloon-dogs back, and Looey finally lets himself just cry. Sprout felt a little sorry he didn't bring more pop- poor guy was probably dehydrated- so after Looey seemed to be 'done' sobbing, he'd ask. " Do you mind If I go to? " Looey would end up bumping his snout against Sprout's face, and he'd say, almost begging-like. "Please don't leave, I just- I want you to stay for a bit."
There was no more argument beyond that. "Alright—I won't, I promise." Sprout would agree, and after kissing Looey on the nose, they held onto each other- and Looey feels once again- comfortable, better.
...but even then he's not leaving Sprout's arms for a while.