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“Gelatin?”
…
“Yeah, Lollipop?” She asks in return.
“What’s it like to be in love?”
Another pause stretches between them as the steakhouse owner falters for a moment. “Don’t you know?” She questions, but not in a taunting tone. Rather, Gelatin replies with this in a matter of fact tone, as if Lollipop had instead asked her if most grass was typically green.
“I can see why you may think that of me, but.. falling in love is rather different than being in love, you know. You’ve actually experienced the latter, so.. I was curious about your answer.”
“..Give me a second. I’m still applying that last coat of polish to your nails.”
Sibling bonding night is not an event that happens very often, but when it does, it is a treat that neither of the two choose to abstain from. Why would you when it gives you an opportunity to relax and unwind after a long and tumultuous day of work or socializing with others? The traditional activities present at a sleepover happen here, naturally. A pirated movie or two have already been watched on the now closed laptop that Lollipop owns, sitting precariously now on a cushioned stool in her bedroom. That’s where they are now, actually, and the rest of the things spread out across the room prove it. An abandoned box of half eaten cheese pizza, a green sleeping bag that remains unzipped but constantly ready as a vessel for slumber, and now some ridiculous accessories and “girly” activities that had been borrowed from a certain redhead who will come into question later. Honestly, the only thing that’s missing is horrible pop music playing in the background to complete the aesthetic of a cheesy atmosphere, but the only karaoke machines on the island belong to people who would certainly refuse to give them up, so they just had to make do with what they already had tonight.
Now, someone looking in from the outside might cringe at the scene or question why two fully grown adults engage in such a childish activity from time to time, but give them a break. The two of them didn’t meet until their days of innocent youth had long passed, so now is a perfect opportunity for the two of them to catch up on lost time. Besides, it’s not as if they carry out every single task with the squealing and kicking of legs that one may expect. That certainly didn’t suit either of them at all! No matter how many times the event has happened between the two of them, Lollipop still has to resist the urge to snicker as Gelatin watches some highschool movie with her while donning a completely blank, monotonous expression. It’s evident that her “younger sibling” doesn’t particularly care for the lost trends and enthusiasm of the past that they both had missed out on during their time competing in a reality show, but if she really disliked it, she would’ve said “No thanks” a long time ago, which leads them to where they are now.
Lollipop doesn’t usually try to be as sappy as a tree harassed for syrup, mind you. Such a display of emotions would be completely unfitting for someone as ladylike as her, but.. times have certainly changed in these past few years. Stuck on the same beach as always, she’s gotten to see how the rest of her former season crewmates have rearranged their lives and altered themselves to be happier now that the cameras have been pulled away and it’s easier for them all to follow whatever dreams they want instead of appeasing their fans or trying to avoid a nasty, punishing elimination from an unsympathetic gameshow host. Not all of them chose to stay, which is a bit disappointing but not unsurprising. Teardrop competed in another season of the “Battle For Dream Island” show until their untimely elimination, where they presumably got sent to whatever elimination area Two is in charge of. Nobody is sure of where Purple Face went, but considering his decade long streak of isolation, it’s not a shocker that he’d eventually retreat from civilization once more to do who knows what beyond the shore. As for Firey and Leafy.. things have gotten a bit unclear in regards to them. They left the beach after their last visit with claims of returning for good after “one last big adventure” for the sake of closure, but things have remained in the dark ever since. It’s been a while since then, so surely they would’ve returned by now to their home.. Right?
Evidently, it’s started to concern most of them. Gelatin in particular displayed the strongest symptoms of this. When she wasn’t throwing herself into her work or events that Taco had planned out for the former contestants, she was frequently distant and closed off, looking into the distance and searching for something that may never appear. Lollipop hated seeing her like this no matter how many times it happened, but since she couldn’t cast a magic spell that could cause Leafy and Firey to teleport back home in a flash, all that was left to do was try and cheer her dearest sibling up, which was what caused the creation of this bonding activity in the first place. Sometimes, it wasn’t really effective, and even though the steakhouse owner wouldn’t show it in her tone of voice or her expression, her body language often gave away the amount of gloominess that she was attempting to conceal. Lollipop noticed it, the way she always tries to when it comes to Gelatin, but that didn’t mean she was automatically going to give up on her and leave her in the dust. Forget the fact that she was the younger one for a minute. What kind of “older sister” would she be if she couldn’t even provide the bare minimum of support? And so, she kept going with trying to make Gelatin feel better, a slow and careful process over the course of what had now been weeks. On this night though, Gelatin had been doing a lot better, so Lollipop was sure that talking about a specific subject that had been bothering her for a while would now be okay to discuss. However, it wasn’t entirely for Gelatin’s sake. In reality, the reason that Lollipop had brought it up was for.. more personal reasons that would surely be shameful for the reputation that she possessed.
“Ok, I’m done.” Gelatin broke the silence with that declaration as she pulled the nail polish brush away from Lollipop’s now fully decorated nails. Purple, as always, but with a sparkly coat this time intended to draw people’s eyes to them. “Any specific description you’re looking for?”
Instinctively, Lollipop almost reached one hand towards her chin to think, but then she remembered that she was meant to let her nails dry and reeled the coated fingernails away from her skin at the very last second. “Not really. Anything that you can provide works.”
…
“It’s.. warm.” Gelatin replied as she twisted the cap back onto the nail polish and set it onto the bedroom floor. “Cozy. You can feel like the best version of yourself and that you’re prepared to take on anything that the world presents you with so long as you have that special person by your side, but.. it also makes you stupid.”
That last part was what piqued Lollipop’s attention the most. “How stupid?”
“Like.. really, really stupid. I tend to.. display a scatterbrained disposition whenever the topic of Firey is brought up, as you definitely know by now, and it’s embarrassing to even admit. I’m not the only one who gets all frazzled about that though. Just look at how much more nervous Woody always seems when Blocky isn’t around.”
A younger, far more meaner version of Lollipop would’ve snarked about how it could just be that Woody needs to finally take some medication for his anxiety, but now, she just simply hummed and looked off to the side. “Well, everyone can see how distracted you are when Firey isn’t around, but what about when he is? Where exactly is the foolishness present in that?”
“..Firey wants to get a dog. There’s been dogs on beaches and stuff before, of course. That’s not the troubling part, and it could certainly be beneficial. He even has a good dog breed picked out for what would best help him with his problems, but.. the name was where the troubles were present. He wants to name it “The Dog” if it doesn’t already have a name.”
“And you.. decided to disagree with him, right?”
“I could have done that. In fact, I probably should have, but.. at the time, it just weirdly made sense to me. Why not name an animal something as simple as that?”
“And if someone were to laugh at Firey for naming that pet that?”
“Well, murder’s still off the table until we find out a way to have a safe form of recovery, but I’m sure that I could find some other way to make that person regret it.” Gelatin jokes.
Lollipop sighed, but in a fond way that indicated that she was also aware of how what the other was saying was clearly an empty threat. “We both know that you wouldn’t, but.. I certainly see the foolishness in an example such as that. I would have no problem with telling him off for giving that dog a name like that, but because you two are so close.. there’s that hesitancy present, and I’m sure that Leafy would also refrain from being outspoken about it.”
“Mhm. Firey.. he isn’t dumb, not in the slightest. Never could be.” Gelatin spoke with a small, almost wistful smile. “You know that as well, Lollipop, but.. he does things like that sometimes that cause people to think he is in the first place, and rather than me just questioning every little thing and presenting a “better” solution, I often feel as if he’s right in the moment and I agree with him because it makes both of us happy. Real foolish of me, huh?”
“I see..”
…
“Your nails are probably done drying by now.” The steakhouse owner commented as she turned towards the pile of goods on the floor in order to find the next activity for the two of them to do. “But why are you asking me this in the first place, Lollipop? Gossiping about love doesn’t really work when we’re both long past the awkward celebrity crushes phase of our youth.”
“You may not be hopelessly pining after some member of a boy band or a show, but.. erm.. would something as silly as that still count as a celebrity crush if the celebrity is somebody that I currently know right now?”
Gelatin let out a snort that was a mix of amusement and pity. “If it’s who I think it is, then let me know in advance so I can break out the tissues, because it’s not going to work out.”
“Save the sympathy for somebody else.” Lollipop scoffed. “A lady like me would never even dare to stoop so low as to wipe my tears with a tissue, thank you very much. If I must falter and act in accordance with how my body wretchedly functions, then I will use a handkerchief to do so, thank you very much.”
“By all means, deal with your sorrow in whatever way would most make you comfortable, but it is going to happen no matter what, y’know. I would hate to sound like a prick about the subject, but if Taco rejects you for the millionth time and you come crawling back to me, don’t be surprised if I say “I told you so” before I help you feel better.”
“Th-This isn’t even about her! Not in the slightest! I already learned by the second attempt at getting my feelings across to her that she was not romantically interested in me whatsoever.”
“Then why bother with the third instance?” Gelatin said in a teasing voice, but when she saw the dismay on the other’s face, she swept it away with a flick of her hand. “Sorry, sorry. Only joking. Still, if it’s not her, then who is it? Bubble?”
“Certainly not! Having my flirting be rejected on television for the whole world to see was already horrible enough of a humiliation for me. I see little reason to repeat my same mistakes once more when all of my closest companions can listen in and scoff at my failures.”
“Fair point. Ok, so then that leaves.. Flower or Ruby? I can’t say that I would ever be interested in them in that way, because that would certainly be a lie, but I don’t see why you wouldn’t be able to get a date with either of them. They’re both perfectly nice people who would never harshly reject you for being interested in them.”
“I.. already know that..”
“And you can’t even claim that neither of them would ever be into someone like you, because have you seen either of them? Flower’s only ever really wanted to receive praise from other girls, and I know from personal experience that Freesmart was filled almost entirely with lesbians. Ruby is about as straight as a curved ruler.”
“Th-That’s not the problem either, Gelatin.”
“Then what is it? If you say something even slightly deprecating, then I’ll have to take a page out of Firey or Blocky’s books and knock some sense into you, because that has nothing to do with why you haven’t found the right person. These things just take a lot of time and patience.”
“Seriously, I get it! I didn’t want to spend time with you so that I could mope about how I may secretly feel about myself or whatever. The reason why I required your input is because.. well.. look back at what you’ve been saying. You keep saying that it’s all about the “right person” and assuming that I would only like Flower or Ruby, but.. uhm.. that’s kind of the main problem that I have to deal with in the first place.”
…
“You’re kidding.”
“I am not.” Lollipop replies, pulling the purple, floppy sun hat that she always wears over her eyes a bit, as if that would somehow further conceal her deeply embarrassed gaze away from Gelatin even more.
“That’s.. certainly troubling.” Gelatin commented. “Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with that sort of thing. I guarantee that nobody here would die of shock at the idea of three people in a relationship rather than two, but.. you were already a disaster when it came to flirting with just one girl. How are you not falling apart at the idea of two of them?”
“Don’t you worry Gelly, you don’t need to worry about that.” Lollipop replied with a confident smirk and a boldness to her tone, before immediately crumpling onto the floor like a ragdoll. “B-Because I already am! Even the mere act of going outside is torture to me right now! What if I do something ridiculously foolish in broad daylight and they somehow see it?!”
“H-Hey, it’s okay. You’ll be alright!” Gelatin exclaimed as she tried to sound comforting to Lollipop, but with her monotone voice and completely stiff pats on the back, she was about as effective as a literal rock would’ve been. “Even if things don’t work out, you’ll be fine, just like how you always are when things don’t turn out the way you’d want them to.”
“But.. I can’t. This is completely different than the other times. I’ve fallen in love, sure, but I was able to actually get over those instances because of how superficial and silly those feelings were. At the time, I had hardly even known who Taco or Bubble were as people, so it was only natural to brush the dust off from my clothes and move on with my life. This, though.. what am I supposed to do when I’ve known Ruby and Flower for so long?”
“Well.. if you keep letting these feelings inside of you build up, then they’re going to eventually explode in an even worse way, so.. I say that you should just go for it. Try and see if they both are willing to work things out. Even if things somehow do end up becoming really awkward between the three of you for a while.. I’ll be by your side no matter what.”
“..Thanks, but.. I have not even the faintest clue on where to even start. Even if I were to somehow untangle all of my thoughts and convey them into words.. How would I even get those words across? I can’t risk embarrassing myself anymore.”
“If I knew the answer, then a lot of my own problems would’ve been solved a long time ago.” Gelatin quipped. “But you don’t need to throw yourself into it right away. Test the waters with them. See if there’s any signs of them actually being interested in you before you throw yourself in and nervously hope for the best result.”
“How am I supposed to do that?”
“I don’t know, you’re the expert. Just.. try some different things, I guess! Like flirting, or acts of service, or.. hmm..” Gelatin lifted her hand from Lollipop and turned back towards the pile of things. With both of her hands now free rather than just one for searching, she found her palms sliding against a very familiar item. “How about gifts? We have one of Ruby’s kits for crafting accessories right here, so you could always try and make her one as a gift. I’m sure she’d be flattered.”
“A bracelet alone would surely not be sufficient for someone like her.”
“Then add some candy. Doesn’t even have to be some romantic chocolate, y’know. I think she’d be ok with gummy bears or those awful sugar sticks. As for Flower-”
“You don’t need to worry about her. I believe that.. I already have an idea of what I’d get her.”
“Really? I believe you, but.. I’m not sure if you’re putting the right amount of tact into this.”
“Oh nonsense, dearest sibling. I have it all figured out now, in part due to your own assistance. Words alone cannot express my gratitude towards you.”
“You don’t need to thank me. It’s only fair to repay you for all the times you’ve helped me as well. Now then..” Gelatin opened the kit and laid it out in the middle for the two of them to see. “How about we make some of these bracelets to take your mind off of things?”
And so, the usual acts that you’d find attached to a sleepover carried on as if nothing had ever happened, but even though Lollipop felt comforted by her newfound ideas and the assistance of her dearest sibling, the matters of love that she was dealing with still weighed heavily on her heart. Honestly, she needed to just get a grip already and force the words out of herself. She’d done it before, and even if this sort of newfound affection was “different,” that shouldn’t suddenly make her pathetic and unable to squeeze out even a single stutter. This is especially true when you consider the type of ladies that Flower and Ruby were. The two of them were certainly not the drop dead gorgeous models of frivolous, fancy flair you’d find shooting guns in video games or posing on the cover of a magazine. That’s not to say that they were ugly or plain by any means, but they certainly didn’t match the type of person one would think of as striking Lollipop’s chord. They also mutually shared a hilarious lack of thoughtfulness and diplomacy towards others. Rather painfully as she spends the following day cleaning up her room and working at the steakhouse with Gelatin, she recalls now distant days from the past, where Flower was detested by just about everyone in the show and Ruby was nothing more than a childish pest who was so easily replaceable that not even her closest friends seemed to care when her dozens of sisters knocked her out of the ring. If you had asked Lollipop what she thought of them at the start of her tenure on the “Battle For Dream Island,” she’d probably scoff at you and make some sort of snarky remark about how neither of them would ever be worth her time.
The irony, of course, now stems from how they seemingly now infected her brain in just about every hour of the day, from the first ray of daylight to the last drop of water cast under the moon. Lollipop’s not quite sure when it happened, really. If she tried to think about it- carefully sorting all of her memories into a neat little timeline to look over and inspect- she could likely pinpoint when the feelings began to arise, but with not much confident certainty present. Lollipop had been on the same team as Ruby during the second half of “BFB,” but nothing had ever come of it other than a bursting sense of hot annoyance when she was even in the same room as that complete and utter moron. Perhaps things would’ve worked out differently if they had been able to spend more time together, but Ruby’s untimely elimination quickly sealed away any chance of that ever happening while the two of them were on the show. Flower, on the other hand, certainly lasted longer than Ruby did, given that she eventually ended up being crowned as the winner of the season, but she had been placed on the enemy team initially, and by the time that the merge had started and the teams were fully disbanded, Lollipop had little interest in cooperating with anyone that wasn’t a part of her alliance, and the times that she did break out of her small little circle and tried to work with others featured.. not so pleasant outcomes.
So yeah, Lollipop did not yet become a complete and utter disaster towards her time on the show. She may have scribbled on her face and brought shame to every fan of hers that could relate to her failed attempts at flirting, but she otherwise tried to seem reasonable and logical at all times. That was her “role” of sorts, really. The sassy, confident businesswoman who could effortlessly sweep girls off of their feet and fluster them with winks and smirks. It was one that she liked and even attempted to pass off to others as real, but once the season that she was on had ended and everyone involved had either retired to the beach or set sail for the sake of adventure, it became abundantly clear to everyone that Lollipop wasn’t quite who she aimed to be. She liked bad 2000s films and arguing with people online and collecting random trinkets that she found on the ground. Her current collection was antique spoons with handles so elegant that they just couldn’t be used for a lowlife treat like ice cream or pie. How fun! More than anything, though, Lollipop had eventually grown to realize after the show had ended that what she had slowly come to like more than any of her material goods or interests was spending time with the people that she cared about. Though this mostly applied to Gelatin and Teardrop, certain events and common interests that she held with others slowly caused her to come out of her shell.
With Ruby, it was safe to conclude that while Lollipop couldn’t figure out when exactly she had taken a keen interest in her, it was a very speedy and soul-jolting process. If the entrepreneur had built up walls in order to keep others out for so long, then Ruby was the wrecking ball, slamming full force into them and watching them crumble without a single care in the world. The redhead was friendly and enthusiastic to just about everyone on the beach, no matter how grumpy or uninterested the others seemed to be. Even Spongy, who had slowly become jaded and apathetic to nearly everyone and everything after years of being treated awfully by others, sported a small yet unrestrained smile on his face whenever Ruby stopped by to chat about airplanes or sailing or even the forbidden third act of sailing airplanes. Her ability to make everyone amused by even her most irritating actions was truly unrivaled. She could punch you in the face just for looking at her funny and you’d still end up laughing with her by the end of the conversation. Although Lollipop had been able to resist acknowledging this realization when they were all confined to the borders of a reality show, time and freedom had sanded away her rougher edges and helped her come to realize that maybe, just maybe.. Ruby wasn’t all that bad. The exact crux of her epiphany could’ve occurred during any single conversation that the two of them held together, but what Lollipop knows is that by the end of one of these, she found her hand squeezing against her chest as she felt her heart pitter-patter with newfound endearment and warmth that she had never experienced when it came to the other before.
Flower was a far different story when it came to how Lollipop began to develop feelings for her, though. There was no single incident or conversation that suddenly left the businesswoman frazzled and suffocated by a newfound sense of tenderness. No, their relationship was instead built on the concept of sharing a common ground and then building a new foundation off of that. The two of them were more similar than they ever thought they would be. There were certainly superficial comparisons that even an outsider could make, such as how they were both tall, slender, and outspoken women who ran their own businesses and learned to treat others less poorly throughout their time on “Battle for Dream Island,” but they both possessed something far more notable than that. It was how they had both put on a front in order to get the attention of others. You could argue that everyone on the show had done so if you looked really closely, but it was often for a different reason or was carried out in a unique way that couldn’t be matched by anyone else. Gelatin was the most infamous example of this. For so long, she had attempted to snuff out any part of herself that was “too weird” or “too prideful,” swapping out her love of science and her true nature for fork throwing and endless smiles in an attempt to be treated as more than a freak who was completely invalid in just about every aspect of living. This was clearly no healthy way to live, and the marks of such a facade still lay hidden in the wakes even after Gelatin had slowly learned to peel the figurative mask back and let others in, but it was not quite comparable to what Flower or Lollipop experienced. Desperate to prove themselves and secure attention, they used rude comments and even forceful aggression at times in order to horribly cling onto some fragile sense of validation. Completely unwarranted behavior, but realizing the errors of their ways and changing for the better allowed the two of them to find a deep familiarity in each other as they worked through life one conversation at a time.
Perhaps one more story was more complex and detailed than the other, but before Lollipop could even process it, she felt her face begin to grow warm and pool nervously with sweat at just the mere thought of Flower and Ruby. Like a horrible disease, it was now beginning to take over every aspect of her life. She couldn’t even go to work without anxiety at the thought of having to potentially face Flower in the event that the fashionista came down from her upstairs fashion store to check in with Gelatin or demand food in exchange for clothes or money. That’s not even mentioning the endless times Ruby would seemingly teleport to be right in front of her house. Embarrassment and puzzlement at this had already been voiced loudly and clearly to Gelatin, but even venting to her about her troubles didn’t quite make her feel better. Her sibling was completely right, though. If she didn’t get over it now with a confession of some kind, it was going to keep interfering with both her own life and the lives of others. Simple enough, right?
Not really, but no worries. After her goals for the day were done, Lollipop had picked up a package that she had ordered from a ridiculously convenient drone and opened it up. A neat bouquet of flowers from a local island just an hour or so away from the beach. Flowers take a couple of days to perish without sunlight or water, so the much shorter period allowed for this to be prevented from ever happening. Handling it with utmost care, Lollipop inspected every type of flower that she had carefully selected from the website to be integrated into the bouquet. Yellow carnations, orange lilies, and petunias were all beautiful flowers that would surely get the message across that Lollipop intensely cared about her fashionista friend in an intimate way that even words couldn’t convey. She even made sure to avoid selecting pink flowers, as while the other may be potentially flowered by something resembling her hair and floral theme so much, she might also be irritated with how much of a cheap shot it would be. It would be like if Lollipop was bestowed with a bag of lollipops that were all grape flavored. It’s not a bad one, per say, but it would be ridiculously lazy to assume that it’s her favorite one based on her name and her signature color. For your information, she actually prefers cherry as a flavoring instead! Anyways, with so much careful consideration placed into this wonderful gift, Flower was sure to appreciate it and get the hint about what Lollipop was really looking for in their relationship. She was certainly impulsive, but not dense, so it was bound to work out.
If only that had actually been the case. After burning some more time by changing out of her work clothes and transporting the bouquet into a vase that had been laying around in her house, Lollipop exited from her brief stop at home to head to Flower’s place. She would have approached her when she was in her office at work, but decided against it so that Flower would also have an opportunity to head home and rest for a bit after a grueling day of selling clothes. As the heels of her boots pierced the stone paths that were used on the beach due to the absence of sidewalks in Goiky, the entrepreneur held the vase close to her chest, as if the tall flowers stemming out of it could conceal her face like her hat could. Thankfully, there was nobody else around as Lollipop made the brief journey over to the other’s house. It appeared as if they were all either in their own homes or doing some sort of activity at one of the areas they had built for convenience, such as Bubble’s garden and the community pantry. She made a brief internal note to herself to check up on if she needed to restock her own snack supply with anything from there, then cautiously approached Flower’s door. Shifting the weight of the vase onto just one arm so that she would have an available one to knock, she lightly rattled her fist against the wooden door and then waited alone in an uncomfortable silence.
Although Flower was known to take an exhaustingly long amount of time to open her door to those visiting either her home or her private office, she surprisingly sprung out of her house very quickly for once, gaze lighting up when she saw who it was. “Hey Lollipop, how’s it going?”
A bit baffled by how easily Flower had overlooked the gift, Lollipop stammered for a moment with uncertainty. “I-I’m just.. delivering a gift real quick.”
“Really?”
“Uhm.. yeah.” “Oh, okay! I was just wondering then.. but who exactly are you giving it to? I really can’t think of anyone who’s done anything lately to deserve something that’s this intense.”
Huh? “What on earth are you talking about? It’s just a vase of some pretty flowers.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. You’ve never learned anything about the language of plants? It’s why I wear this specific one that I have on my headband.” Flower replied as she pointed to the accessory that she always wore in her hair. “Every type of flower in this vase has its own special meaning, and when you give them to someone, you’re basically expressing those messages to them.”
“And these messages are usually positive, yes?”
“Duh! Only a really terrible person would give someone flowers with negative meanings.”
Oh, cool. “In that case.. these flowers are for you then, Flower!” Lollipop exclaimed as she held the vase out to her. “I hope that with the wonderful meanings attached to these plants, you can fully understand the message that I’m conveying to you about how I lov-”
“SO YOU HATE ME?!” Flower asked, genuinely baffled and hurt by the idea that Lollipop of all people would give her flowers with such horrible meanings attached to them.
“What?! N-No, I was just about to say I-”
“You jerk! If you really wanted to tell me that you think we should stop being friends, then you could’ve just said it to my face instead of handing me a bunch of nasty messages about how much disdain you hold towards someone like me!”
Lollipop was just as equally startled by Flower’s sudden outburst, frantically trying to come up with a response despite her genuine confusion. “Flower, listen to me. I-It’s not what you think at all! It’s just like what you said, about how I don’t know anything about what these represent!”
“Oh, how very convenient for you! Now you suddenly don’t have any clue about what these mean after you seemed so confident about the meanings they had! You don’t need to try and save face, if that’s what you’re so worried about! Nobody would be surprised in the slightest at you acting like you’re so much better than the rest of us!”
…
Oh, so that’s how it’s gonna be. “Were you dropped on your head as a child?!” Lollipop snapped, losing her patience at such an outlandish accusation. “How insane do you have to be to immediately assume the worst out of me?! If you did the same to me, then I wouldn’t automatically conclude that you’re once again acting like a brat for attention, but maybe I should have, if that’s what you’re doing in order to tell me to fuck off!”
…
Flower didn’t even give Lollipop a chance to try and correct what she had exclaimed under the influence of her temper. Already offended and now shooting a glare so sharp that it would’ve shattered the vase into a million pieces if physically tangible, Flower stepped back and slammed the door so fast that if Lollipop had been any closer to it, she likely would’ve broken her nose. Feeling the vibrations against her face, the entrepreneur angrily slammed the vase down so hard that it almost cracked and kicked the door with her heel. What a nonsensical, worthless waste of her time. Although she considered letting out one more comment about how completely braindead and vain Flower must be to jump to such a heinous reach, Lollipop instead turned around and angrily made her way back home, stomping as loud as she could with every single step so that Flower and anybody else nearby could get the point that she was royally pissed off. What an insolent prick! At least Bubble had merely slapped her in the face as an indication of rejection rather than daring to imply that she only cared about herself! That was far less of a heartbreak than this! Is it that hard to expect the bare minimum from someone else?
After returning back to the safety and security of her own home, Lollipop slammed the door shut as loudly as possible and unceremoniously flopped onto the elegant sofa that lay in her living room. She would likely feel better if she fetched some tea from her kitchen, but after Ruby nearly exploded her tea kettle one time by attempting to cook it inside of the oven, the entrepreneur has been hesitant ever since when it came to the subject. Besides, she probably ended up sabotaging all of the tea bag flavors as well and- Ugh! As soon as she gets an answer to one of her problems, (Albeit one that she significantly would’ve preferred to never happen.) she then remembers that she has another thorn in her side. Right. Well, appealing to Flower’s best interests would be the most logical choice for some, but you also have to consider what Lollipop knew about the other’s personality and common behavior. No matter how confident and bold she seemed in any given situation, she would quickly crumble if she felt like nobody was siding with her on the matter. Therefore, if Lollipop kept her distance and allowed the other to clear her head and reflect on the incident, she’d likely come crawling back for forgiveness. She would likely also apologize as well, but the possibility of confessing once more was completely off of the table after what had been said and implied. Still, it was.. something that she’d be willing to accept so long as she was able to secure Flower’s friendship once more. How petty would she be to permanently cut ties over a doomed crush? Besides, there was Ruby.
Ok, look. Ruby was obviously not the “backup option,” and Lollipop would completely reject the notion of ever thinking such a thing. Forget however many sisters the redhead had lurking in the corners of her personal background, she was one of a kind. But in order to quickly recover from the harsh rejection that she had received from Flower, she needed to move on to attempting to prioritize Ruby instead. She could be careless and air headed and unable to find the problems in troubling plans, but.. the redhead was still truly a kind person anyways. No matter where she was, she was always able to operate as the “heart” of a group, and even if Lollipop were to try and smash that to pieces with the most heinous of remarks, she would laugh it off or smile in response without a single care in the world. It was not due to naivety or ignorance, mind you. Rather, it was because she liked to see the good in everyone, no matter what they had done in the past. Hell, Pencil had basically tortured somebody, yet Ruby had tried to see her point of view at the time. Maybe examples like that proved how such a trait could also be harmful, but in this specific scenario, it actually worked out in Lollipop’s favor. Even if Flower ended up telling Ruby about what she felt had happened, the latter would never act on the other’s behalf. At worst, she’d possibly make a cheeky comment about how insensitive Lollipop had acted towards Flower, but then positive communication would resume as previously scheduled, and there wouldn’t be any reflection or lecturing on what Lollipop should have done better. Therefore, the entrepreneur would be able to convey her feelings to Ruby without much trouble.
She’s even made sure that what she’s gotten for her has no way of being misinterpreted as a sign of hatred and discontent. A heart shaped box of sweet goods, but rather than being composed of chocolate, it is instead filled up with pastries dyed red and pink with completely safe food coloring that poses no environmental hazard to rivers or poor little critters. Cookies, brownies, and even tarts are inside of it, though they are all naturally small due to needing to fit inside of the box. It’s from another online service, and while it may seem lazy or insensitive to purchase another gift through the internet after what had happened last time, there’s really no way Lollipop can sit down and arrange time for a neat little arts and crafts project where everything is compacted onto a card. She has no arts supplies whatsoever, and the main hoarder of them on the beach is Profily, who is always either never around to ask to borrow from or already using them for their own special projects, such as painting or sketching visual imagery. The exceptions to this are the bracelet kits that Ruby owns, but Lollipop has been made fully aware of this time and time again, so she’s consequently prepared a “friendship bracelet” to go along with it per the earlier recommendation of Gelatin during the sleepover. Curled up on the couch and hanging onto a pillow like a sloth attached to a branch, Lollipop recapped this plan of hers over and over again in her mind, unable to do anything now but wonder if everything was going to work out. The box of pastries would arrive tomorrow to avoid ruining their flavor, while the bracelet was already made and dangling from the side of the table next to her couch. It’s not the best spot for it, but it stands out and shows promise anyways. Just like Lollipop’s current feelings right now. Things are.. a mess, to put it bluntly. She had already messed up with Flower, and turning around to try and court Ruby was definitely not the brightest course of action, but.. what else could she do to try and protect her heart from pain?
Unable to find the answer, Lollipop spent the rest of her night alone in eerie silence. She went through all of the proceedings one would be expected to before heading to bed, but they were done so with such little effort or thought that it didn’t seem as if she had at all. Short showers are usually praised because of how they don’t deliver an outrageously high water bill, but rather than applying a bunch of funny smelling lotions and scrubbing them over every inch of her skin, Lollipop barely paid any attention to the task. She turned the water on, stepped inside, and then popped right out after about 40 seconds. Not the most effective way to take care of yourself. She then put on the same white and fluffy nighttime robes that she always wore, but they were so haphazardly placed on that they draped off of her shoulders, dangling onto her body by mere threads. Even brushing her teeth felt like a hassle, and by the time that Lollipop keeled over and laid down on her bed, she yearned for the emptiness of resting. She was capable of having dreams from time to time, but much like usual, not even her subconscious cared to give her a moment of respite from the storm raging inside of her heart. Consequently, those same familiar feelings of dread and uncertainty continued to rampage inside of her, so visible in how they disrupted her normal way of living that Gelatin noticed as soon as the other had stepped inside of the steakhouse for her usual shift.
“Nope.” Was what Lollipop suddenly heard from Gelatin, occurring literally as soon as she placed one of her feet inside the restaurant.
Locked into place from her disbelief, the entrepreneur couldn’t help voicing her bewilderment. “I beg your pardon?”
“You’re not working today.” Gelatin clarified as she logged onto the digital program that was attached to the building’s cash register. “Go home. I’ll still pay you for the day, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Absolutely not. You know fully well that neither of us need any more money after how much of a ridiculous profit the two of us have been able to make off of our businesses. I help you because we don’t know how those silly tourist fans would even react to..” Lollipop’s words trailed off, her hand waving in a circular motion towards Gelatin.
“That’s not a problem anymore. I don’t care these days about what any of them see, because trying to prevent those “secrets” of mine from coming to light has never actually solved anything. If I have to show who I really am.. in more ways than one.. then so be it.”
Lollipop was stunned, silent for several seconds as she processed everything that Gelatin had said. The steakhouse owner was already aware of what was bugging Lollipop, and although she certainly hadn’t been informed of the dismal rejection that Flower had dished out, she still was able to tell that Lollipop was still struggling to convey the message of what she felt to at least one of the two that she had developed feelings for. To be bothered by a secret because you were afraid of telling others about it.. it was something that Gelatin was definitely familiar with, which Lollipop had already commented on before. Desperate to try and fit in on the show with everybody else, she had strangled every part of herself and then buried it deep underground in an attempt to achieve that sense of conformity. As time passed, though, it had slowly begun to unravel, and while that eventually was executed from Gelatin’s own free will, it was that push from other people that gave her the courage to start being her true self after all. While Lollipop was not quite exercising with who she wished to be, there was still that same sense of feeling lost and trapped. She had already known from years of rejection or annoyance from others that she struggled at proving how she could ever be worthy of love, and after the last few times had finally convinced her to hesitate on the subject, she had felt completely submerged in her horrible, undesired feelings. Yet here was Gelatin, finally giving back that kindness that once had been lended to her now that she could stand on her own two feet and assert who she was in front of the whole wide world without fear or hesitancy. If Lollipop was still trapped inside of her fear of being shunned once more, then Gelatin would be there to pull her out of it. After all, it was just as she had said before just a few days prior..
“Even if things somehow do end up becoming really awkward between the three of you for a while.. I’ll be by your side no matter what.”
“Alright, fine. I know when to give up and admit defeat.” Lollipop retorted as she spun around and made her way out of the establishment. “But if you need me for anything, just give me a call!”
Gelatin didn’t give much of a response- maybe a hum or some kind of muttering underneath her breath, but it was not heard by perked up ears- so Lollipop was able to leave the steakhouse without any difficulties. It was strange. Just a minute or two ago, she had felt completely unqualified to put up any more fight against her raging feelings of affection, yet after a single conversation with one of her dearest companions, she somehow managed to feel better. Not a single drop of reassurance or praise had even been spared for the occasion, and yet, in spite of all of that, Lollipop was truly comforted by the mere prospect of kindness being lended out to her in spite of the disaster that had been her trying to properly convey her true feelings to Flower. At least Ruby would likely not act so crossly! And hey, even if she did reject her, it would likely be for a good reason. Maybe she just wouldn’t be ready to enter a relationship due to personal reasons, or her sisters made her form some sort of magical contract that prevented her from carrying out such a dynamic, or the possibility that she could also very well already be in a relationship already. Such a notion, however, was completely ridiculous, because if Ruby had already been part of a happy union, then Lollipop would’ve found out already.
Or, at least, that’s what the entrepreneur had thought. As she had reached into her hat and comically pulled out the box of baked goods and the friendship bracelet, she heard a strange sound from the back of the steakhouse that she had just talked out of. A muffled chorus of what sounded like hamsters.. being stepped on? Over and over again?! Who the devil was cruel enough to ever do such a thing?! Was it Blocky with his general lack of disrespect for any living being that even slightly blinked? Or.. was it Ruby, with her notable record for having nothing but unfiltered disrespect towards the wildlife on the beach? She messed with seagulls just because she thought it was funny, and if you walked along the shoreline of the island, you could certainly find bread crumbs scattered across the sand from all of the times that the redhead had teased and taunted innocent birds with food that they would never be able to reach on their own. All of the other residents of the beach had voiced discomfort or confusion about the act before, and that even included Lollipop’s sibling Gelatin, who had ripped sandwiches out of Ruby’s hand faster than you could even say “she sells seashells by the seashore.” Was this perhaps an act of revenge against the steakhouse owner, then? It would make perfect sense, really. If someone dared to interfere with Lollipop’s ways of life, then she would also unleash a steadfast retaliation that would be sure to assert herself as the correct party in the conflict. Granted, she obviously wouldn’t step on hamsters to assert dominance over Gelatin, but.. that was something that she could smooth over with Ruby once she made her way over to the back of the steakhouse!
Heels clicking against the ground as she held the offerings close to her body, Lollipop walked along the side of the building and began to speak once she crept up to where the dumpster was located. “I would certainly hate to interrupt your animal massacre, Ruby, but there is just something positively important that I must inform you of, and- HUH?!”
Before she could even get the confession off of her chest, Lollipop was completely stunned and baffled by what was being presented in front of her. Ruby had been behind the steakhouse, that was for certain. But she hadn’t been stomping on hamsters and attempting to enact some kind of childish revenge against the owner of the steakhouse. No, of course not. If only it had truly been that simple of a conclusion! Instead, she was pressed against the side of the building by someone else. Yet it wasn’t in a way that indicated potential danger or harm being imposed upon the redhead. The other’s arms were loose and tender against her, never daring to even press harshly against any part of her, and before Lollipop could even assume the worst when their faces rose to press against each other, all that ended up happening was the mixture of lips as they interlocked their bodies against each other in a flirtatious manner. It was already bad enough that Ruby was kissing somebody behind the steakhouse, but what stung far worse than that was how that special somebody was Flower. With her stupid pink hair and that tacky headband and that spaghetti tank top so flimsy that a thorn would ruin it! Of course! It all made perfect sense now! Flower had deliberately assumed the worst of Lollipop and rejected her because she was already in a relationship with Ruby! What a fool the entrepreneur had been! Eyes scrunched up with disbelief and anger, she couldn’t even hide the scoff that clawed its way out of her throat with aggression so intense that it was as if it were a gust of wind knocking a trash can over. While no garbage was tarnished during this moment, the special happenstance surrounding it certainly was soiled as Flower and Ruby looked up from each other and saw that Lollipop was standing just a few feet away from them with a dismayed expression.
“L-Lollipop?! What are you doing here?” Flower nervously asked as she pulled away from Ruby.
“I could certainly ask you the same question myself, given that you’re meant to be incompetently working at your phony fashion store right now.” Lollipop venomously hissed like a snake who happened to stumble upon some prey.
“Ooh, she’s right!” Ruby chided in without any of the previous context that had contributed towards this exchange being formed. “You really should install a phone into your fashion store, Flower! Think of all of the online orders that you could complete if you had a cute little secretary picking up phone calls for orders!”
Lollipop let out a stifled sneer. “And that someone is you, I imagine?”
“Hmm.. you’re right! I could definitely pull off an outfit like that! Thanks a bunch for that helpful advice, Lolli! You’re always such a good friend!”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Flower retorted, her eyes falling on the items being held up by the entrepreneur that was facing them. “What are you doing with those things? You’re not exactly great at handing out gifts.”
“Nothing that concerns you, you wretched thing. Can’t I simply give these to Ruby and leave you two to your obnoxious clambering? I’m sure you’d sincerely appreciate it.”
“Well, I know I would!” Ruby exclaimed with a smile as she bounced over to Lollipop and snatched up the gifts without even asking for permission. “A friendship bracelet? How kind! And this heart shaped box is sure to have something good inside! You might make Leafy jealous with how strangely nice you’re being with these gifts!”
“Yeah, because they’re totally poisoned!” Flower snapped as she also made her way over with a glare towards the businesswoman. “Or even if it isn’t, she’ll totally make you pay for the goods after you’ve already spent time enjoying her! That’s just who she is!”
“And you’re just a selfish jerkwad who has never had a speck of social awareness in your entire life!” Lollipop replied. “You act so ridiculous over the smallest of things!”
“That is not true! Do you really still think that I was acting childish over your nasty message? You had a whole night to think about what you’ve done!”
“Well I thought that you would finally use common sense for once in your life and try to piece together what I was really trying to say to you!”
“Tch, like I needed to! You already got your message across to me loud and clear!”
Ruby, who had already started eating one of the brownies inside of the gift box, was completely confused on what the other two were arguing about. “Lollipop, why don’t you just tell Flower what you actually wanted to say if it’s such a big fuss! I’m trying to enjoy my sweets in peace!”
“There’s no point because she’s already assumed the worst of me. And anyways, I.. don’t think it would be fair for me to after what I saw happen between you two.”
“What’s that got to do with your little vase of flowers?!” Flower asked.
…
“Please tell me that you’re joking.” Lollipop said in response.
“No, I’m completely serious! What does your nasty message have to do with you finding out that Ruby and I are.. uhm.. in a very serious relationship?”
…
“Useless dolts, the whole lot of you! I’m tired of beating around the bush with you dense pricks, so I’m gonna say what I really need to say now before you misunderstand my words even more. I’m in love with you! BOTH OF YOU! What is so hard to understand about that?! I gifted you flowers because I thought that you would appreciate them, a-and then LOOK at what I GOT RUBY! All the sweets that she could ever possibly ask for! Do you get it now, Flower?!”
Flower’s furrowed eyebrows slowly began to raise with shock. “Lollipop, I-”
“I sure hope so, because guess what?! Now I know for certain that.. I am aware of when to call it quits. It appears that I have already lost my chance.”
“Uhm.. what are you even talking about?” Ruby asked after finishing the last bite of the brownie. “You already said everything that you wanted to say! You didn’t lose anything, silly.”
Lollipop turned away from the two of them, one of her hands nervously clenching the trembling wrist of her other arm. “But what was the point of me even saying anything? I’ve already messed everything up between the three of us. Trying to interfere in a relationship like that.. would simply do nothing but make things even worse.”
…
“Look at me.” Flower asked, and when Lollipop reluctantly turned her gaze over to her after a few moments of silence, the fashionista kept talking. “Ruby and I may have already shared our feelings with each other, but how exactly does that stop us from accepting yours in turn! Do you seriously think that we would just treat you like an awkward third wheel for the rest of our lives?!”
“Uhm.. maybe?”
“Wrong answer! Look, I’m sorry for misunderstanding what you were trying to tell me yesterday, and if I could somehow turn back time with a time machine, I would definitely accept the flowers and kiss you a bunch or something, but that isn’t gonna happen! So now, all that’s left to do is move on and start anew. If I’ve ever learned anything from our time on the show, it was that.”
“I’m.. glad that you’ve accepted my apology, but you don’t need to pity me with false affection. I know that I would never truly be worthy of any love that either of you would be willing to pretend to give me, so there’s no need to accept me for everything. It’s already happened in the past before, after all.”
“Would you stop pretending to be so dramatic and cordial for once in your life?!” Ruby pouted as she set down the gifts that she received and looked up at Lollipop with a look that was almost angry despite her perpetual grin. “Ooh, look at me, I’m so fancy and proper! I gotta be this way forever to shut everybody out of my life- Cut it out! Can’t you see that I loved the gift? Don’t you get what Flower’s trying to tell you! Maybe we should’ve realized sooner rather than later, but what we’ve figured out now is that we also like you! We’re not pitying you whatsoever!”
…
“That’s.. unusually insightful of you.” Lollipop commented, her voice weak and devoid of the usual confidence that she tried to sport in every single situation.
“Of course it’s insightful! I gotta add love doctor to my list of jobs after all! What good would I be at being in a relationship if I couldn’t heal the wounded cracks of someone’s heart?”
Flower sighed. “There it is.”
“So what? The problem is solved! Now we can all kiss a bunch and eat cookies and figure out the most ridiculous ways to give others secondhand embarrassment!”
“If you’ll have me, sure.” Lollipop replied.
“What the hell do you mean by “If you’ll have me?!” We already said “yes” to you about a thousand times by now!” Ah, yes, the familiar sound of Flower’s angry voice. “And anyways, we can’t just do all of that right now! I still have work to worry about!”
“Did you even begin to start setting your shop up for the day?!”
“Of course not! I could barely even get out of bed before Ruby dragged me out the door!”
“To where?.. Here?! Did you seriously have no good reason to be making out behind the back of my sister’s restaurant?! You’re lucky that she hasn’t even noticed yet!”
“Tch, like she’ll actually do anything. Gelatin knows all about what “young love” is like, so she’ll give us a pass. In fact, I’m sure that she already has, given that you’re out here talking to us instead of working inside of the steakhouse right now.”
“I.. admit that perhaps you are right, but still! You should learn to actually prepare in advance for the opening of your fashion store instead of just winging things! No wonder why your last one got completely destroyed back in BFDIA!”
“That was not my fault! It was because of those useless contestants screwing everything up!”
“Notice how you almost instantly got ejected from your position as host, but when us wonderful LOLers took over, we were able to complete the job for several episodes!”
“Bullshit! You all got kidnapped by Balloony of all people! Seriously, how?! One push and he’d probably fall right over on his feet from how pathetically weak he is!”
“You don’t get it! He had his ways, and-”
“What do you think a kiss between three people would look like?” Ruby asked.
…
“Should we find out?” Lollipop asked, half jokingly.
“I mean..” Flower looked away for a moment, then stared back at both Ruby and Lollipop. “I don’t see why not. We’d have to figure it out eventually, so we might as well do it now.”
“Ok, then how about we do it on a count of 3?”
“Oooh, I love counting!” Ruby exclaimed. “Can I be the one to do it?”
“I don’t see why not.”
“Okie dokie! 1.. 2.. 3!”
What happened next was quite possibly the most embarrassing moment of Lollipop’s entire life, which was really saying something considering everything that had previously transpired over the past few days. Honestly, the kiss was never going to work out anyways because of how Ruby was notably shorter than Flower and Lollipop even when she was on the tips of her toes, but Lollipop had really done something to make it far worse. She had never actually kissed someone before, so while she knew of the vague concept of how to carry out a kiss, she had never actually done it before. Ergo, when she leaned into the kiss with her face, she had unknowingly prioritized the upper half of her face rather than the lower half, and with a little too much force behind the movement. Due to this, when the trio attempted to kiss each other at the exact same time, Lollipop ended up headbutting Ruby and Flower so hard that she ended up passing out unceremoniously onto the ground. After the remaining two let out shrieks of pain from being literally attacked by their newly made girlfriend, they looked beneath them and saw that the one in question was completely knocked unconscious. Ruby reached down and poked the entrepreneur to try and stir her awake, but nothing happened. All that came out of her was the soft and shallow sound of her breathing as she remained asleep. That must’ve stung!
“Should we.. get out of here?” Ruby asked with uncertainty.
“Definitely! And we’ve gotta bring Lollipop as well, or else Gelatin will kill us!”
Oh well. At least Lollipop finally knew now what it was like to be in love now.