Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The rest of the cast got into groups and began to scavenge on their own.

"Does everyone have everything in check? No last minute trinket set ups?" A voice echoed from the lobby, catching Dandy's attention. "If you need to do so, do it now."

"Ah, sorry! I forgot to buy speedy shoes!" Another voice spoke, whom he assumed was Poppy, quickly running from the line-up to meet face-to-face with the flower. "Heya, Dandy! Um, you probably heard it all so, could you pass me the shoes…?" She smiled, reaching into her bag for the correct currency.

Dandy put on his bright smile and hopped down from his seat. "Of course, Poppy! Just give me a minute." He bent down and rummaged through his boxes, flipping through a notebook that held every toons' measurements. The flower turned back to her, handing her the shoes.

"Here ya go! Just a size bigger in case you grow into them too fast." Dandy tilted his head and smiled wider, his petals flowing slightly as he did that.

Poppy's lips twisted into a grin, she slammed the capsule onto the counter, running away with the pair of shoes. "Thank you again!" She said waving off, tripping on herself as she rushingly threw them on.

Not so long after, the team had left and the lobby went radiosilent again. Dandy sighed heavily, sitting back in his seat and pulling out a sketchpad that he kept under the counter for when he had the time, which was now.

A few minutes pass, and Dandy hears steps approaching. Some that sound like heels tapping along a tiled floor. "Ahem."

"Huh? Oh," Dandy's head perked up, his eyes flying up to meet his assistant's. "Hey, Dyle! What can lil ol' Dandy do for ya?" The flower smiled, leaning on his arm. Dyle's hand tightened around the chain that hung off his head, his eyes closed as he cleared his throat.

"I was wondering if we could spend time together. It is our break after all." Timesly said as he pointed toward the analog clock on the wall. He tried to seem as calm as possible, considering it would usually be Dandy asking to spend time just the two of them.

Dandy's eyebrows shot up, his eyes widening just a tiny bit. "O-Oh… yeah. Yeah! We can—we can spend time together, just us!" Dyle stared at him, waiting for the flower to join him. "Lemme just get my essentials, okay?"

Soon after, Dandy and Dyle found themselves standing in the break room. Dandy had turned on the TV, he had gathered snacks, he made the space all cozy just for them. Well, for Dyle. "Okay, there we go! I tried to do it the way you like it. Not too much, but not too little." He presented the set up with open arms, his head turned over his shoulder to meet Dyle's. "I mean—how I think you'd like it… heh."

Dyle's hands tightened on his tie, twisting slightly as he fidgeted. He was feeling something foreign within his chest, a sharp pain that only ever appeared when he was with Dandy. The way his heart raced, or the way his palms began sweating. The heat that abruptly found its way onto his cheeks. It was all so confusing, especially considering their positions. He was meant to be nothing but Dandy's assistant, his associate, his business partner.

"Dyle?" Dandy muttered, carefully reaching for the pocketwatch's sleeve.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright? Was it too much after all?" Dandy giggled, scratching the back of his head. "I know you always tell me to tone it down—y'know, never get ahead of myself—but I thought this would be, um, fun."

Dyle's hand crept onto Dandy's, intertwining their fingers almost subconsciously. "No, no… I like when you 'get ahead of yourself', Dandicus." Dandy's face fell for a second, a slight glimmer appearing in his eyes. At the same time, his cheeks were quickly adorned by a bright pink blush. Avoiding Dyle's gaze by refocusing himself to the task at hand.

"Uh, ahem. W-Well, let's watch TV, yeah? We can run back on Vee's last show!" He chuckled, looking down at their hands before pulling him toward the seats in the corner of the room. "I know you… favor one of those episodes."

Almost the entirety of their time together was met with the awkward tension that hung in the air. The tension and unresolved emotions that surrounded the fact that their hands were still locked together. Neither of them dared to let the other go, no matter how nerve-wracking the urge was.

Dandy, on one hand, was sinking into his seat. His only shield of protection was his petals, they closed around his face slightly, hiding the obvious shift of hue that affected his face. Dyle, on the other hand, sat up straight. He had a tight grip on the Toon next to him, if he let the moment waver, he might never forgive himself. As much as he was flustered, it was much less obvious than Dandy. Which, if Dyle was being honest, was the most endearing thing about the flower.

The episodes ended, leaving them in that silence again. Dyle's throat dried up, words unable to form, let alone sounds. He only hoped that Dandy was brave enough to try and break the uncomfortable silence. It didn't seem likely, though.

"Oh, uh. I saw the… pony books on your shelves." Dandy whispered, his voice gradually getting louder as he collected his voice. "I take it that you're big on them?"

Dyle's head turned to him, meeting his eyes. His lips parted, hoping his words would spill out, allow himself to be as vulnerable as he had to be in the situation. Would Dandy like his vulnerability? Or did he prefer his usual stoic attitude? Should he be dismissive, dare he say, nonchalant? Should he have let the question hang in the air, withering away slowly as the seconds ticked by?

Timesly nodded rather quickly, his eyes widening enough. "Yes. I-I've been a fan of ponies since… well, since I was a child."

Dandy giggled, his unsure half-grin turning into a tiny smile. "Really? Say, you don't mind telling your ol' pal about them, do you?"

Dyle could feel his mouth forming a careful smile, unable to control the excitement that invaded his body. He knew it wasn't overdramatic, or overexaggerated, especially when Dandy had returned the exhilarated mood. The pocketwatch fixed his position, having his body face Dandy entirely.

Oh, how prepared Dandy was for the insane infodump.

Minutes turned to hours, they shared knowledge, and learned new things. Dyle and Dandy continued to sit closer together, eventually laying together on the floor. Of course, beneath them laid a blanket and a few plushies that supported their heads.

Dandy's hands had wrapped around Dyle's waist, keeping his face pressed up against his torso, looking up tenderly at the pocketwatch. The pocketwatch who was now gossiping about every other Toon who had ever stepped foot in GardenView.

At this point, Dandy had stopped listening to what he was saying. Not because he was uninterested, no, never. It was because he was mesmerized. Dyle didn't notice it, probably too busy going off about how annoying Shrimpo was, or whatever. Dandy only giggled at his words, nodding his head whenever it seemed like the pocketwatch had asked him a rhetorical question.

It didn't take long for Dyle to realize that he was basically talking to nobody by the lack of reciprocation. "Dandicus—are you listening?" He mumbled, lifting himself with his elbows. His eyes locked on the flower's, recognizing the dazed look in his eyes. "Was I speaking too much?"

"No, you weren't. I love listening to your rambling sessions." Dandy smiled, his chin pressed into the clock's stomach. "I love you—YOUR voice. You have a very soothing and relaxing voice. It can make one woozy, haha!" Dandy sat up, his arms finally letting Dyle go.

"Ah…" Dyle cleared his throat, quickly recollecting his composure before sitting back up correctly. "That's—That's nice, I suppose. I enjoy your voice as well. It's capable of knocking anybody off their feet, impressive if I do say so myself."

Dandy fanned his hand in Dyle's direction, a blush decorating his cheeks again. "Aww, don't flatter me, Dyle! Surely, you can swoon anybody with just the call of their name…" He giggled, turning his head away from the clock again.

"Can it really, Dandy?" Dyle chuckled, his voice dropping to a gentle whisper.

Dandy's eyes widened impossibly wide. If their cartoony logic completely reflected on reality, one of cupid's arrows would've definitely pierced his heart by now. He giggled louder, his measly giggled turning to full laughs. "Oh, yes! Yes it can—how do you know it hasn't already worked, Dyle?"

Dyle leaned in closer, his legs tangling with Dandy's. His hands went to cup the flower's cheeks, keeping his attention on him. Timesly searched his eyes, looking for anything that told him what he would do next wouldn't change the trajectory of their relationship. That it would move them forward instead of breaking it.

Dandy's attention was drawn to Dyle, completely undivided this time. As if all he ever needed on his mind was Dyle alone.

His hands slid up the pocketwatch's arms, gently wrapping around his wrists. Returning the longing gaze that Dyle was giving him, Dandy got even closer. Their proximity was impossibly small, his lips basically a breath away from his.

"Y'know… you didn't call me by my name for once." Dandy whispered, a smirk tugging at his mouth.

Dyle only chuckled in response, his half-lidded gaze returning. "Don't get used to it, Dandicus."

The pocketwatch didn't wait for his response. He leaned in and captured his lips in a kiss that was drowning in longing and yearning. Insinuating that this kiss was something Dyle had been craving for the longest of times, whether he'd like to admit it or not.

Dandy, on the other hand, had a multitude of emotions crashing down on him. So many feelings without names, basic descriptions. All he could say for certain was that he was feeling the happiest he had ever felt in his life.

But… did this kiss really confirm their feelings for each other?

Dandy decided to let the specifics wait for after their share of affections. Which, he was enjoying more than he expected to.

Dyle kept their lips locked together, making it his core goal to mark Dandy's mouth as his own. His hands kept their intense grip on his face, one of his hands letting go to assist their combined weight. Dandy continued to lean in toward the kiss, his hands falling to his sides to make sure he didn't fall over.

Timesly made sure to manage his time correctly, knowing when to let go and when to dive back into their exchange. He wanted to conquer Dandy's mouth, press lingering kisses on his lips until they were swollen. Until the only thing he could remember was the feeling of his mouth on his.

Unfortunately, as soon as their small session started, it had to end. It wasn't long before they heard the whirring of one of the elevators.

Dyle reluctantly pulled away from Dandy, his hands falling down to grab onto his overalls. It was obvious that he was breathing heavily, even if he tried to make it seem like he had his composure together the entire time. Unlike Dandy, who was all red, voice hoarse, and breathing a whole lot heavier than Dyle was.

"It seems as if… the others have arrived." Dyle murmured, patting the flower before helping him up. "Ah, as sad as it is, we must return to our posts." He sighed, turning around with Dandy following slowly after him.

Dandy found himself leaning on his counter a lot more, watching the clock from across the hall tend to his customers with such ease. It almost made Dandy jealous. As he stared, his attention was drawn from the little girl in front of them. Her voice came out muffled, her words not making it through Dandy's ears. His attention was stuck on Dyle, stuck on everything he did.

"Mr. Dandy? Hello?" Toodles said louder than usual, lifting herself up by gripping the counter. "I wanted to buy—hmph!! Are you listening?" She continued, turning her head around to look at what he was staring at. Her eyes opened wide, her mouth falling open, quickly turning into an 'o' shape. Toodles quickly began jumping up to see Dandy better, getting enough air time to grab onto the counter correctly. "Mister! Do you like.. Mr. Dyle?"

Dandy, finally snapped out of his trance, turned to her. His lips forced a giant smile. "Hey—Hey. Let's not get into adult business, okay? What did ya need from me, lil lady?" He continued, looking down at her with genuine eyes.

"All I wanted was the alarm!" Toodles smiled, finally placing down the capsule she had been holding onto for the longest time. Dandy sighed heavily, digging through his supplies before finally grabbing the alarm that she desired so. "Yaaay! Thank you, Mr. Dandy!"

"Yeah, yeah. Don't go annoying Mr. Rodger now, he might just kill me after this!!" Dandy called out, half-expecting her to listen to his words. He didn't want further trouble with the magnifying glass.

Even with Dyle's obvious confession through his actions, a question still stuck in Dandy's head.

Were they no longer just business partners?

Chapter Text

Easter season came around. The education center decorated in bright colors and adorned in floral patterns.

As amazing as it was for some people, Bassie wasn't one of them. Not after overhearing that her dependency, her lack of an identity, set her back. It kept her from being the Main that the crew wanted her to be.

And, luckily for her, there was one other toon who knew how it felt.

"Duchess Bloomington?" A male voice echoed, his hands kept behind his back. "May I have a word?"

"Huh? Oh, yes," she paused. Her eyes carefully looked back at the other Easter toons, dismissing herself quietly as she was dragged away by her peer. "Have I done something, your grace?"

The pocket watch played with the hem of his sleeve, his eyes looking deep into hers. "On the contrary, I'm simply curious." He chuckled. "I've noticed that you've been sitting in the corner, as if awaiting something. Why?" Dyle whispered, eyeing the sea of people that flooded the halls.

"Oh…" Bassie mumbled, her hands coming together. "It seems as if I don't pique the audience's interest… but not that I mind, of course. Everybody prefers something different."

"Nonsense!" Dyle laughed, his eyebrows creased and hand pressed to his chest. "You're the main attraction of the Easter season, Duchess. If I'm being honest, I've never seen the center more crowded."

"If I remember correctly," He paused, his finger pressing against her cheek to turn her head over. "All those people came for you." He said, his voice dropped to a whisper.

Bassie's eyes flickered around, noticing the assemblage. All the people that were wondering and asking where she was. Dyle's hand slipped to her shoulder, a fleeting comfort that Bassie clung to. Her hand hesitantly landing on his, her fingers tight around his.

Dyle looked back at her, his expression turning to shock when he saw the tears that adorned her face. Her sobs caught in her throat, causing her to stifle her coughs. "Duchess—are you alright? Did I say something wrong?" He muttered, leaning forward to get a better look at her.

"N-No… it's just—I've always been so caught up on the attention the others get." She admitted, her eyes landing on Cocoa. "The attention she gets. The attention I've always wanted!" Bassie exclaimed, her hand falling back onto her arm, hugging herself.

Her words came to a pause, her gaze down-turned. "I guess I never realized that—that the people do like me… they like my personality and who I am." Her weary eyes flicked back up to him, the droplets still sliding down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry… about dropping all this on you, your grace…" Bassie mumbled. Her face scrunched further, the redness of her face deepening. "Thank you for opening my eyes…" Her rambling turned muffled by her crying, words turning incoherent.

Dyle forced a smile, watching her go on and on about how grateful she was for him. "Alright, alright." He started, lifting her back up. "Let's get you back out there, wouldn't want to keep your people waiting."

Bassie nodded, wiping her tears and sniffling. She brushed off her clothes, making sure to make herself look approachable. Dyle helped her puff up her sleeves and fix the flowers that adorned her head. The basket felt heat creep onto her face, watching the pocket watch care for her with such precision.

He curled the tendrils in her flower bush, brushing the leaves aside to make way for her face. Dyle's hands fell onto her cheeks, his touch lingering a little too long. When he realized it, he quickly pulled away. Hoping that she didn't realize it. "Ahem, are you ready?"

"Yes, yes! I am." She responded, her hands falling back in front of her.

"Then go get 'em." Dyle smiled, unable to keep the blush from dressing his cheeks.

A pause.

"Thank you again." Bassie smiled, her teeth poking out of her small grin.

The pocket watch looked down at her with an uncontrolled amount of admiration. Dyle was so proud of her, of how far she came and how she was able to accept and embrace her role of importance.

He didn't respond, he couldn't say anything unless he wanted to blurt out nonsense. Instead, he replied with a nod. Something simple enough for her to understand. Bassie looked around hesitantly, contemplating doing what she wanted to. The seconds stretched longer, the anticipation filling the air. She could feel her heartbeat fasten and her lips go into a thin line.

"Would you join me in the garden later, your grace?" She whispered, her eyebrows furrowed as if she was scared of rejection.

The duke seemed surprised at her request, he thought the conversation was over the moment she had turned to leave. "Of course."

With the confirmation, Bassie nodded and smiled widely, bowing down eagerly. Her composure recovered and she stepped back into the light, her hand raised as she waved to the crowd with a new wave of confidence that he planted in her.