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“Sprout?”
Sprout looked up from where he had been sitting at one of the tables in the kitchen. It was late, later than any normal tool tended to stay up. Despite that there were some exceptions.
“Th’ fuck you doing up so late” Shrimpo asked, his usual bad attitude making its appearance. Sprout sighed.
“I'm trying to eat,” Sprout muttered, staring down at his admittedly pathetic dinner, simple eggs and a left over muffin from that morning, Cosmo was the one that made them.
There was the sound of something dragging across the floor and Sprout glanced up to see Shrimpo dragging a stool around as he began to pull groceries out to cook with. There was something in his movements that mesmerized Sprout. Watching as Shrimpo chopped carrots, peeled as sliced potatoes, made sure the water was boiling just right, he hadn't seen a side of the second shortest toon before. It took him a moment to realize just how he was staring.
“You’re really tired aren't you? I can go get Astro if you want-” Shrimpo huffed drying off his hands as he waited for the soup to heat up further. Sprout shook his head
“No its just-”
“Bad run?” Shrimpo finished for him, bringing out three bowls, Sprout just assumed there was another late night wanderer “Astro already told me.”
“It’s just! Frustrating that people keep running into danger faster than I can heal them! They can't stay away from twisteds for longer than five seconds and getting in our distractors way!” Sprout couldn't help but shout, Shrimpo nodding along as he went to check on the food “I'm really trying to keep everyone safe but no one wants to be!”
“Sounds tough,” Shrimpo sympathized, turning the heat down, before muttering “be right back”.
Sprout slumped, and rubbed at his side slowly, to try and soothe the phantom pains of being ripped apart by twisteds.
A few minutes later, Shrimpo came back and placed the kettle on the stove, probably to prepare some tea for who he could assume was Astro, seeing as that was the only other toon that Sprout knew of that stayed up so late.
“I didn't know you and Astro were close?” Sprout hummed as he watched Shrimpo reach and grab Astro's favorite with some difficulty. He could help but smile softly as Shrimpo cursed out how short he was
“He's my only friend, he doesn't-” Shrimpo cut himself off, shaking his head softly as he sighed. Sprout watched as Shrimpo prepared the tea in a way that Sprout knew Astro liked:. sweet but not too sweet with a dab of milk, and a little lemongrass from the plant they had growing in the kitchen. The water eventually reached boiling and Shrimpo took it off the stove, pouring it in with the tea bag and using a chopstick to stir. Methodical and practiced.
Shrimpo grabbed the serving tray, placing a cracked coaster on it. Shrimpo sighed softly seeing it but continued with his task, there wasn't much dishware they had that wasn't chipped or cracked anymore. On went the tea, and he turned the soup off as well, using a ladle to measure out an even portion for all three of them. Sprouts eyebrows furrowed as he counted the bowls again, did they have someone else out there with them?
His question was answered when Shrimpo brought one of the bowls over to Sprout, it smelled amazing and Sprout was keen to try it. He already had a spoon from his other attempt at a meal, and his appetite seemed to return when Shrimpo placed it in front of him. He took one initial sip, cringing a little at the heat, but it was quickly overshadowed by just how flavorful it all was.
Sprout lifted his head to compliment Shrimpo, but the tail end of his fin had already disappeared around the corner. Sprout was left sitting there, blinking softly, glancing down at the food and deciding the polite thing to do was to finish what Shrimpo took the time to make him. He probably wouldn't stop thinking about this interaction for a while yet, he needed to have more of the others cooking, maybe if he stays awake long enough?