Work Text:
Nobody really holds hands in Apocalpyseburg, Emmet muses.
--
It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining! The sewer babies were looking tough as usual. Just another day in the super tough and edgy new city.
“Good morning, Benny!” Emmet greeted entering the astronaut-masterbuilder’s workshop with two drinks in hand. One coffee and one ice cold tang he had mixed himself especially for his friend.
Benny just nodded his head in acknowledgement. He was busy working on some vehicle (that wasn’t a cool spaceship) for an Apocalypseburg resident. There was a lot of spikes involved especially with the wheels. The construction builder wasn’t sure if it was a design choice or just a requirement.
Emmet’s smile slipped a little as he watched his friend work.
There was something about how masterbuilders had their own flair and style to building things. A quirk of sorts. He noticed Lucy always had a bit of a self-assured air to when she built things while Batman always had a cocky air to his (not that Emmet could blame him. He was Batman after all). Unikitty was unabashedly energetic with her builds. Despite the differences there was just an innate joy in each builder’s eyes when at work.
Lately, Emmet couldn’t help but feel that innate joy was missing. They weren’t building things they liked anymore.
He sighed at the thought of the Duplos being attracted to anything interesting or colorful. Out of self defense him and his friends had to hide behind all this edge. Sometimes he wasn’t sure they were all buying into (well, maybe Batman and Lucy did) the hard new image they’ve created. After all it had been so much better and awesome before all this, right?
Emmet swallowed, zeroing on Benny’s arm.
The spaceman had lost his arm in a bout of fighting with alien invaders. It had been a very intense and actioned filled day. They came out victorious for the most part while the invaders left. Benny was fitted with a prosthetic afterwards only making him look cooler and fit in with this gritty new world they lived in.
Benny set his tools down a moment to take a break. “What’s that?” he nodded at the thermos in his hand.
“I brought you some tang, Benny!” He held the drink out for him to take.
“Tang?” his friend’s eyes lit up as he took the drink. “I haven’t had this in forever!”
He floated over to take the thermos. “Alright!”
Emmet giggled happy to see his friend excited. Sobering up he focused on his friend’s hand again and without asking he held it.
Benny looked at him a little surprised. “Emmet?”
Emmet just smiled. “I just missed...stuff like this-” he bit his lip a little, “just stuff from before when everything was awesome.”
Benny sighed, gaze sad. “Aww Emmet.”
“Sorry, I know it’s not, like, cool or edgy or whatever to hold hands but I miss it.” He tried to not get so emotional but he couldn’t help it.
Everybody had to act so tough so rough.
Affection was sneered at and looked on as weakness.
He hated this flip-flopped world that he couldn’t find a foothold in.
Benny cleared his throat. “Y’know...I kinda miss it too.”
Emmet looked surprised. “You do?”
The astronaut shrugged. “Don’t broadcast it but yeah things were a lot more awesome before,” he sighed as he eyed their hands, “those aliens really changed everything.”
“Yeah.”
“Maybe one day,” his friend began, “when the aliens stop attacking us things can go back to normal.”
“You think?”
Benny shrugged again. “I’m hopeful.”
Emmet found himself smiling. “Me too.”
“Well, good, just don’t expect things to change overnight, kay bud?”
“Yeah sure, Benny!”
“Okay well, I’mma need my hand back.”
“O-oh right!” Emmet let go so his friend could enjoy his drink.
“Mmm!!! Spacetastic!” Benny zipped about excitedly making Emmet laugh.
--
Benny had no idea how much his words inspired him.
Emmet smiled as he looked over his blueprints. Pleased with the plans for the house in what he hoped would be many in a brand new neighborhood he went out to collect some pieces for it. It would take some time for what he had planned (especially the toaster room!).
It wouldn’t be overnight but Emmet was determined to make a small step towards making things awesome again.
A happier world for him and his friends and the people of Apocalypseburg.
A world where people held hands again.