Chapter Text
Finn and Shrimpo... they go together like a cactus and a touchy person trying to interact with it. Everytoon gets concerned one way or another, it's pointless to even create a friendship with Shrimpo, considering his bully nature, but Finn? He never gave up! He interacted with him from the start, why, you may ask? Nobody knows, but considering he knows about marine life, it may be because he's a Shrimp, but there MAY be more to it.
Even if he was quite positive when it came to talking and supporting Shrimpo to make him less... rude.. Hook, line and sinker, the hook broke, the rabid shrimp chomping it, breaking it, making Finn less determined every day, somehow, into being his friend, so it's dead weight whenever he compliments him, helps him, or even hug him!
But hey! maybe this time, he'll change his heart, right? It's not impossible, after all!
All of this thinking beforehand makes Finn sit up from his bed, with a big ahh grin on his face, as he takes off the cork from his head, stretching happily, ready to start his day! Will his past unlucky days make it up for him when he finally becomes friends with Shrimpo, in this run he was assigned to be in? hopefully!
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SPEAKING of Shrimpo.... he absolutely knows what day it is today, and he's already hating every second of it. He was assigned to go on a run with FINN of all people. He absolutely hated his guts, even more than the rest, why did he have to be so forgiving and happy around him all the time?!
He hated his smile and his stupid missing tooth, how warm it makes him feel. After trying to insult him or push him away, it all seems to no avail, and he hated it, enough to smash his head against a wall and FREAKING SHATTER I-
"Oi, Shrimpo!" An annoying, yet laid-back voice interrupts his day, HOW DARE THEE?!
"Hurry up, breakfast is already being served!"
-- "SHUT UP!! I DON'T CARE ABOUT BREAKFAST! GO AWAY, GIGI!!"
-- "Sheesh, alright.. just wanted to check up on ya'..."
GIGI seems to also be interested in whatever the hell the situation he's in is called. Ever since he didn't have the vocal cords to scream back at Finn (even if it was ONE TIME!!), it's all been whispers around him, and he HATED it, he hates it when it feels as if people can see through his flaws and every desicion he makes in full detail, he just wanted to kill everyone in the room right there and now, with his bare hands....
All this overthinking makes him want to explode his head, it's starting to ache. He sits up from bed with a groan, looking around his hell of a room, and not in a good way: The holes on his walls he created from being so angry all the time, the punching bags he absolutely needs to channel his anger through.. (if punching holes wasn't enough-) and his table, with a little drawing of him and Finn holding hands, why hasn't he thrown that in the trash yet?! WHY did he even draw that in the first place??!! What kind of sleep deprivation demon possesed him to think that him and Finn would be cute together?!
He always sleeps with the same kind of 'shirt' he uses every day.... he has shirts for different ocassions, though. He doesn't sleep with the same shirt every day, that's called being stinky, and he HATES being stinky.
While picking out the 'shirt'... dress?... he wants to wear (which is pointless THEY'RE ALL THE SAME) he zones out while doing so, thinking about how much he hates Finn, but one thing led to another and now he's thinking about how he... doesn't hate him as much as the rest.
He hates to admit it but he admires how he's still talking to him even if he insults him in every way, it's so stupid of him, really, but it somehow makes him feel... included? Loved?? he tries to dismiss every kind of emotion that's similar to this, but it always comes back to bite him.
Maybe he isn't so bad, he only cared about the SHRIMP facts anyways, but maybe he wants to listen to him yap everyday about all kinds of fish to him, he looks so silly when he does it. He hates to think how cuddly he looks, or how adorable he seems when he's simply existing sometimes.... No, this is wrong! Where is he anyway? For how long did he think about him?!
Appereantly he's been staring at his oatmeal for too long, far away from the rest of the toons... well, as far as he can be. The corner he sat in felt small but comforting, with the thoughts about Finn wrapping him around like a blanket, he continues to stare at his oatmeal, ignoring everyone and everything as he always does, one thing he forgot about is to never stop frowning, the iconic and angry frown he always does turned into a almost disappointed, tired and relaxed face; one single glance and you can notice a significant change in the room: Shrimpo's energy.
Of course, Connie noticed this, being the troublemaker she is, but with a catch, she has company, Gigi also wanted to tag along, to get some info out of Shrimpo to have something to gossip about... They giggle and whisper to each other as they approach the Shrimp, sat in a corner, as he jolts a bit at their sight.
"Hey, so..." Connie looks at him, with that stupid dumb smirk that made him want to punch her right there and now!--- except... he can't, Connie's a ghost. "Are you... like... okay? You look--- weirder than usual."
Shrimpo, with a grudge, leaves his plate on the floor, standing up and turns into his angry, normal self, as he shouts right back at her. "YES!! IM FINE!! SHRIMPO'S ALWAYS FINE!! WHY DO YOU CARE ANYWAYS?! GO AND MIND YOUR OWN BUSSINESS OR-- KISS YOUR- GIRLFRIEND OR WHATEVER."
Gigi and Connie looked at each other with a raised eye brow, it felt like he got all defensive over that simple question, which is honestly normal Shrimpo behaviour, alas, they leave him be, maybe bother him for another ocassion.....
--"Whatever, we just wanted to check up on you, sheesh." Connie exhaled as she followed Gigi to do whatever, hot girl stuff, maybe. Well, that was a GREAT way to start the day, another log in the campfire, to make Shrimpo more raging than he already is.
---- --------- --- (blehh :3)
Well, here we are, Gardenview Center, the lobby, at least. The 3 elevators hum alongside the even more buzzing noises shrimpo heard: Voices, conversations,, people.... ew.... but unfortunately he had to stick with the group: Vee, Rodger, Gigi, Goob, Finn and Himself.
This run was planned by Rodger, of course, he wants to look further into his... 'investigations' and decided to invite Vee over, Finn then decided to also tag along, then Goob got curious... then Shrimpo got forced to join this run by Goob... then Gigi.... it was a domino effect, really.
However, none of them are really fond to Rodger's 'investigations' per say.... they are just here to hangout! Weird, considering this is a LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION. He hates them, everyone in the elevator, their annoying smiles and how normally they can hold a conversation, how they can just say hello to each other normally. He's mad, jealous, almost.
As they go further down the 1st floor, everyone gets ready, adjusting their... WHATEVER THE HELL THEY HAVE!! Shrimpo doesn't care anyways! he just wants to finish this as quick as possible.
"...Okay, i think that's all of them." Rodger counts the members in the elevator.
-- "I SWEAR to God, Rodger." Vee speaks up, almost growling. "If you're using me like a machine for your 'investigations' AGAIN--"
-- "No, no! I promise you, Miss Vee, that this isn't about that!" Rodger tried to calm down the situation.
-- "You said that. LAST WEEK." Vee growled again, wanting to finish this run as quick as possible as well.
While all that... commotion.. is happening, Finn just looks around the elevator, grinning still, with his missing tooth, his GODDAM missing tooth... Shrimpo hated it SO much... of course, no need to repeat it, it's obvious from how he acts with everyone.
"So... Shrimpo!" Finn dares start a conversation with Shrimpo, but he wants to try and make him feel included or happy, so here he goes..
"How did you wake up this morning? Crabby as always?"
That was the last thing Shrimpo needed, one of Finn's annoying puns, and we're JUST STARTNG THE RUN!
-- "SHITTY! LEAVE ME ALIONE!! I HATE YOU!"
-- "Haha... well, i have a feeling this run is going to be... jaw-some!"
-- "UGH!! ENOUGH WITH YOUR FISH PUNS!!"
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The elevator door opened, revealing the eerie map the toons need to venture around to complete machines. Vee taps her microphone twice, to set alight the mystery of what twisted is accompanying them: Looey and RND's twisted. Alas, everyone jumps out of the elevator to complete the machines! Shrimpo goes on the opposite direction, he doesn't wanna be involved with anyone, spotting a machine.
He bangs his head against the machine while filling it with ichor, he hates doing machines! but he also hates how everyone sucks at them!! he's simply better!
While he does a better job than anyone else, he feels a sudden presence next to him.. sighing in anger, he stops doing the machine, only to notice Finn there. Of course...
-- "WHAT DO YOU WANT???!! DON'T YOU HAVE TO DO ANY MACHINES OR SOMETHING? I HATE USELESS PEOPLE!"
-- "Clam down, Shrimpy! Everyone's doin' one... so i've decided to just.. er.. visit ya! How's the machine goi-"
-- "GO AWAY!!!" Shrimpo interrupts, he doesn't want the warm feeling to come back.. "I DON'T NEED YOUR COMPANY. I HATE COMPANY!"
-- "Whale... alright, i'll sea ya later..." Finn sighs in his very unusual sad tone. Walking away. Still deciding to make puns, even at this state.
Shrimpo raises an eye brow at the sad state Finn was in, it's very unlike him. But he doesn't care, he's too cool to care!! HE'S SHRIMPO! He continues to fill the machine...
Finn crosses his arms, relaxing his head against the wall. Why did he even bother? Why does he interact with Shrimpo if he knows all his effort will be destroyed like worthless paper? Perhaps it's the determination of seeing Shrimpo happy, and maybe be his friend...
Maybe all he needs to do is try harder! His lips turned from a sad mess to a happy grin, maybe he just needs to try a little harder... yea.....
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It's floor four now, and Dandy's items were no good. They were getting low on resources, the only resources the toons had were gumballs, taking up space on their miserable slots, and a chocolate bar or two.
Finn promised Goob to find something useful and give it to him, since he was distracting.
The machines were almost done. almost halfway. 2/4.
Finn, as promised, was roaming around the map, looking for any useful stuff. To his luck, he found a bottle o' pop! And.. a bandaid??? He took them, which filled his 2 slots,, but he found an extra item, a soda pop..
Sure, he may use that soda pop to himself, but his mind inmideatly changed the topic to Shrimpo, does he want to give it to him?
No.. he'll inmideatly turn it down....
He looks at the soda pop in his hands.. will he???
He will. He went on to look for the lone Shrimp.
-- "Oy! Shrimpo!" He finally spots him, waiting near the elevator, Shrimpo's head perking up to him.
-- "UGH, WONT YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?!"
-- "Ahahah.. Well,,, i found a soda pop and i thought you needed it most! So..."
Finn offers the said object to the crustacean, but him inmideatly slapping his hand.
-- "NO! I HATE SODA POPS! AND I HATE YOU!!" Shrimpo's voice sounded way more louder to Finn, it stabbing him.
-- "Ahahaha.... alright, i'll be keeping this then!.."
Shrimpo's brow raised again, he isn't usually this sad around him, is he? Then again... he screams all the time, but that never stopped Finn from talking to him. Maybe he's being a bit more harsh today... but why does he care? He's shrimpo! he's supposed to be that way!
... Still, he can't help but worry he hates him back. He HATES worrying! And he never cared if anyone hated him back!.... right?
The elevator's door opened so suddenly it stopped Shrimpo from overthinking. Both of the toons stepping into the elevator awkwardly, silently.... too silent.
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"Ohhhh me goshhh!! I can't believe you found a bandaid this early, Finny!!" Goob exclaimed, Finn finally giving him the items he found off the floor to Goob, as promised.
-- "Heheh! Whale, i can't leave my friend hangin', ey?" Finn winks, giving Goob the bandaid.
Goob giggles at Finn's corny fish pun. "Hehehe, well, i'll.. sea you later!" The conversation comes to aclose when Goob walks off the elevator, with his silly and long spaghetti arms dragging across the floor.
Finn sighs, his determination slowly burning off like a candle light almost dying.
Floor ten, things seem to be getting fishier every moment everytoon breathes. The twisteds breathing down their necks: Twisted Shelly, Looey and.. Rodger. T.Rodger isn't much danger unless you open it, so T.Shelly is something they should be worried about.
Finn's breathing pattern is,, concerning, he's afraid he'll fail a skillcheck with a twisted as dangerous as Shelly around, especially with his overthinking not helping the situation at all: Shrimpo. In general.
His head perks up when he hears Shelly's footsteps chasing someone, at the corner of his eye, the very toon he was thinking of.
He panicks, stopping mid-way his machine, running towards the danger, conveniently stepping on the airhorn on the floor, as he pushes Shrimpo away from the scene.
-- "FINN! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?!"
-- "Shrimpo! Run! I'll be okay, i prawn-mise!"
Shrimpo, too panicked to even think once, runs away and hides. Why the hell did Finn do that? He should've done something to help... He hates worrying about a toon as stupid and air-headed as Finn.
Conveniently, the last machine is done, panic mode starting.. the clock ticking.
Shrimpo, with the little speed he has, tries to make a run for it to the elevator. With everyone except Finn in the elevator, where the hell is he? Most importantly.. WHERE THE HECK IS GOOB?? WASN'T HE SUPPOSED TO BE DISTRACTING???
God dangit.. he hates useless toons.
The timer is super close to hitting 10 seconds now...
-- "Wait!! Where's Finn?!" Gobb worringly asks, looking around, panicked.
-- "I think i saw him being chased by that,,, other twisted..." Vee responds, rather.. calm? Even in danger, she forgets Shelly's name.
-- "I-i'm.... Here!!..." Finn FINALLY decides to appear, rather tired from running around. Goob quickly pulls him in safely, closing the elevator door.
Finn, clearly exhausted, hugs Goob back. Heavily breathing into his fluffy rabbit-like fur.
-- "Thanks.... i owe ya one.."
-- "Thank me later!!" :D
Finn pulls away from the hug gently, as he glances over to Shrimpo, softly approaching him.
-- "Hey bud.... you okay?"
Out of pure muscle memory and without thinking, Shrimpo screams back like he always does. Not even a 'thank you'..
-- "WHY DO YOU CARE SO MUCH ABOUT ME? LEAVE ME ALONE!!"
Finn doesn't know why, but something agressively shattered inside him, anger, almost. After supporting him the entire time, not even judging him for the way he is, always sticking alongside him, Hell- sacrificing his literal LIFE to SAVE HIM?? and THIS IS what he gets?
Yea, maybe Shrimpo's supposed to be mean and a bully, like what Gigi told him, but he can't help but have at least a glimmer of hope that he... changes for the better, at least a little bit. But.. this is how it went. Not even his inner monologue at the beginning could help change the fact he was always going to be this way.
Shrimpo's face slightly changes, his frown softening a bit, looking away quickly. What the heck was that??? Did he SERIOUSLY shout at Finn? Ironic, he shouts all the time, but this time.. it felt... different.
-- ....."Seriously, Shrimpo?"
-- "WHAT??? I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING WRONG!.."
-- "Yea... right." That change of tone in Finn's voice STUNG. and hard.
Finn's usual grin changed to a more serious, mad look, crossing his arms. Geez, even Vee felt the change in the room..
-- "Let's take a break, everyone...." Vee sighs.
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After the very awkward 15 minutes of silence, everytoon finally reached the main lobby, everyone going to their respective rooms..... After the event, not even Finn glared back at him, a situation Shrimpo never thought he'd get into.
He hates the fact everyone's whispering around him now, He hates how even Finn wont talk to him, he HATES EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS!!!
He... hates... he.... regrets.
He regrets the way he even said that. At least a "IM FINE" Would've been good! But nooo.. he decided to fuck everything up towards the only toon that actually liked him.... respected him...
-- "Shrimpo?...." Goob's voice interrupted his inner monologue, jolting a bit at the sudden intrusion.
He glared back at Goob, this time, not having the courage to even shout back. His vocal chords hurt anyway.
-- "Ugh... just skip to the part where you go all- 'aww!! im so sorry for what happened!!' . I don't wanna listen to shit right now."
Goob's expression softened. Approaching him and placing his hand on his shoulder.
He hates to admit it, especially in this situation, but he really wishes he could.. talkto Finn.
-- "... Did you see the way he looked at me?." Shrimpo speaks up in his very unusual soft tone.
"I hate everything about this...." Shrimpo covers his face in his hands. Groaning.