Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was a normal day in Snaxburg. The sun hung high in the sky, occasionally obscured by errant cloud cover. The town was still shaken up by the mysterious break-in the previous night. All of the townsfolk had an air of trepidation regarding their continued presence in town and on the island as a whole. Filbo, the self-appointed Mayor of Snaxburg, had made it clear they should all be together to get through things. Buddy, the newest resident of Snaktooth and Journalist, was planning on making their way to the edges of the island today for the town’s next returning resident, Floofty.

Buddy had had a run-in with the plum colored grumpus before. Evidently, not many people were excited to hear of their imminent return. Nevertheless, they had to bring them back for the town to be whole again.

Buddy had made their way over toward the outskirts of the town, between Wambus and Triffany’s hut and the outhouse, to speak to Chandlo. They knew he liked to do push-ups back there since it was quieter than most of the rest of the town.

…With some occasional, smelly exceptions.

They strode up to him as he continued his current set, not aware of the presence of the orange grumpus.

“Hey, Chandlo, sorry to interrupt your set. I’m heading out to Boiling Bay right now to try and get Floofty to come back to Snaxburg. Do you think you could remove the boards and stuff while I’m out? At least enough for them to be able to move stuff inside, you know?”

The buff green grumpus heaved a sigh as he pushed himself off the ground. They thought it was just from the exertion, but quickly found out otherwise.

“Yeah, I guess I can do that. Just… watch yourself around them, bro. I know we agreed to get everyone back to town, but…” He looked like he wanted to say something, but shook his head in negation.

“Nah, don’t worry about it. I’ll get that hut ready for when you bring them back, dawg!” He finished with a flex of his arms.

“Thanks, Chandlo. I’ll get going now.” They returned his flex with a smile and headed off toward Simmering Springs.

Chandlo lowered his arms and jogged his way over to the Mill to grab a hammer from his boyfriend, Snorpy. He smiled at the thought of his tall, yellow, paranoid lover. This seemed to catch the attention of Filbo, who was making his rounds through town. 

He waved to Chandlo as he jogged closer. “Hey, Chandlo! What are you up to?”

“Not much, dawg. I’m about to get some tools so I can open up Floofty’s hut. Buddy is heading to Boiling Bay now to bring them back.” 

Filbo’s eyes lit up upon hearing Buddy had listened to his request. 

“That’s awesome! I’ll start mixing the paint! Is Snorpy home?” He gestured toward the Mill.

“Yeah, I was heading over to him right now. Did you need him?” He quirked an eyebrow.

“W-well, I need to make sure I make the right shade of purple for their hut, a-and I just thought he might be able to give me feedback so I get the color right.”

“You know, that’s a good idea, FIlbo. If anyone here could help with that, it’s Snorpy!”

They both strode into the Mill, smiles on their faces. Snorpy was over by his metalwork forge, repairing a snaktrap that Buddy had broken while jumping around Flavor Falls. They tended to do that a lot. Snorpy looked up when he heard Chandlo call for him.

“Snorpy! I missed you so much!” 

He started running towards the lanky yellow grumpus and scooped him up in his arms with no effort. His short tail was wagging up a storm. Snorpy started sputtering noises as he blushed up a storm in his boyfriend’s massive arms.

“Ch-Ch-Ch-Chandlo! What has gotten into you? Wh-while I can’t say I hate being held by you, I must ask that you put me down.” He looked away as his own tail began to slowly wag, “...you can do that again later though.”

“Sorry, Snorpdawg. Buddy said they were going out to get Floofty, and I just wanted to be reminded which Fizzlebean is my favorite!”

“Floofty is coming back? Hmm, I had better make sure my- OUR defenses are ready for them…”

“Actually, Filbo had a favor to ask you. Right, bro?”

“R-right! Um, hey, Snorpy, do you think you could spot me while I mix up the paint for Floofty’s hut? I-I wanna make sure I get the right color!”

“Hmm…”

Snorpy always had to weigh the risks of doing anything outside of his safety zone, and Filbo knew this. He always tried his best to stay mindful of everyone’s boundaries, so he had a plan for this.

“You won’t even have to leave your forge! I-I can just mix it right outside, and you can just peek over every now and then.”

“I suppose that is an acceptable compromise… Alright, so long as you do not bring the paint inside. I don’t want to be smelling fumes in my sleep… Again.” 

Filbo couldn’t help but feel guilty remembering how he had mixed the paint badly when he made Snorpy’s yellow. The whole town could smell it, and no one was able to think straight for days. Not his proudest moment, but it was a learning experience! 

…Probably…

“Great! I’ll go get the supplies!” Excitement was plastered across his frame as he bounced in place. Once he was finished, he turned to make his way toward his own hut.

“Well, while you two do that, I’m gonna get to work on that hut. Try not to stare too much, Snorpy~” His statement was accompanied with a teasing wink that must’ve had quite the effect on the tall grump because he made very interesting sounds as Filbo left the Mill. He tried not to let his mind wander as he went.

After a few hours, Filbo had managed to whip up a batch of paint with a near-identical hue to the returning grumpus and use it on the hut. 

Asking Snorpy had turned out to be a brilliant idea on his part. Even though Snaxburg’s resident engineer could hardly be pulled away from his intensive work on his forge, and Chandlo’s behind.

“Thanks again, Snorpy! Snaxburg is one step closer to being all together again! Isn’t that exciting?” Filbo hopped in place as flecks of paint bobbed heavily in his fur, long since dried.

“Mm, yes, I suppose I am somewhat relieved to hear that my sibling is returning. Even if I would never admit that in their presence.”

“Oh I’m sure they’ll be so happy to see you!”

Snorpy couldn’t hold back his laugh. “Are we talking about the same grumpus, Filbo? They would probably ask me to help them in their research as soon as they see me!”

Filbo was about to continue when he saw just who they had been talking about. Floofty was the town’s expert on bugsnax and how they affect their bodies. A plum colored grumpus with a lemon-yellow nose, long white locs that faded to pink, and goggles fitted with lenses as thick as Snorpy’s. They were just a little shorter than Filbo, but with much longer arms, adorned with cute yellow paw pads. 

Filbo, by no means, forgot what Floofty had looked like. It had only been a few weeks at most since they left town, after all. He had to admit, though, that it was really nice seeing their face around again. 

He had always been the type to fall for someone easily. All it took was a pretty face and some nice words, and Filbo was theirs. Sometimes, not-so-nice words worked too, but he wouldn’t tell anyone that.

There were a few grumps who had caught his eye when the initial expedition team left New Grump City. He would never have had the courage to say anything to them, of course. Floofty was just a little different, though. They were by no means a kind or empathetic grumpus. In fact, despite their lofty goals of aiding grumpkind with their research here, they seemed to care very little about their fellow grump. Except for two, Eggabell and Triffany. Three, if you count Snorpy.

Floofty still intrigued him in a way he couldn’t explain. He just knew that they could be friends if they gave him a chance! Buddy had known them for only a few days but quickly gained their trust and respect. Filbo couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of Buddy. He had made it his goal in life to try and be there for others in the way Lizbert was for him. She came into his life when he was completely alone and offered him companionship. That saved him, honestly.

He wanted to be that for others!

He was going to be that for Floofty! 

“Floofty.”

“Snorpington.”

“Hi, Floofty!” 

“...Fiddlepie.”

They hardly spared him a glance as they continued facing their brother. Filbo deflated a bit at that but tried not to let it show, but his tail seemed to be wagging despite himself.. When he looked back up at them, however, he noticed Floofty quickly moving their eyes back to Snorpy. 

Were they looking at me just now?

“I’ll, uh, leave you two to catch up. It was nice seeing you again, Floofty!” He gave a small wave and a big smile as he turned to leave. His short, fluffy tail was swaying happily as he made his way through town.

Filbo decided to look for Buddy and see if anything exciting happened while they were out. 

He neared the center of town, eyeing the remains of last night’s campfire and resisting the urge to start a new one. He loved starting the fire! The fire brought warmth, light, and even brought some of the townsgrumps together for healthy conversation. Plus, it was one of the things he was actually really good at! The thought drew a small smile to his face.

That’s at least something I can do to help everyone.

What it didn’t do was help him find Buddy. He knew that they could be sneaky if they wanted to, but usually they were running around Snaxburg talking to everyone. Either that or…

Filbo looked toward Buddy’s crashed airship and smiled as he saw the orange-furred journalist. He waved at them, and they waved back with a bright smile. Oh! He just loved making people smile! 

He made his way past Gramble’s barn and Wambus’s garden, offering greetings to each of them. The path up to the airship wasn’t too long, but it was definitely not something Filbo liked doing often. He was panting as he made the final few steps toward the ship. When he looked up at them, they were smiling and shaking their head lightly.

“Hey Buddy! Enjoying the view?”

“You know, I could’ve come down to meet you.” They say with a small chuckle. 

“It’s no big deal! I, uh, I-I kinda wanted to talk to you privately, anyway.”

Buddy watched as Filbo rubbed the back of his head, seemingly nervous to continue. They flicked their mid-length tail idly as they waited for him to continue. Always the great listener. 

“W-well, I wanted to just say thanks again, Buddy. I don’t know where I, or really any of us, would be without you! It feels like you always know what to say or what to do to make everyone work through their issues. You’re also just a great listener.”

They nodded their head, taking in what Filbo was saying and proving his point exactly. Their eyes stared ahead, patient and understanding.

“I wanted to ask you for pointers, actually. You see, I really wanna try showing Floofty a good time now that they’re back in town!”

They let out a hearty chuckle as they say, “Wow, Filbo, I didn’t know you were so bold!” 

Filbo had a confused look on his face for a moment before realizing what Buddy was implying. His face instantly puffed up like he had just touched an electrical outlet. The normally cyan cheeks of his started to resemble the crimson of his nose as he sputtered a response. 

“N-N-No! Nothing like that! I-I just want them to feel more comfortable than they did the last time they were here. I know not everyone gets along with them and I know how lonely that can get.”

Buddy had gotten their giggles out and went back to paying attention to their friend’s confession. They smiled at his genuine kindness. Then their eyes noticed his tail had not stopped vigorously wagging since they had made their comment and the smile grew wider.

“Are you sure it’s not at least partially due to you finding them attractive?” They said as they pointed to the fluffy little traitor attached to his bottom.

“W-well… OKay, maybe a little bit. B-but I really do mean it! I want them to know that there are grumps here who really care about them and are there for them.”

Buddy patted the space next to them on the airship, inviting Filbo to take a seat. He smiled at their perceptiveness because he indeed wanted to sit down for this next part. He made his way to sit next to them and he continued.

“I don’t know if I’ve told you this, but before Liz came back into my life, I was practically alone. No friends, definitely no relationships, and I was out of touch with my family. Every day felt like a struggle to get out of bed, even on the rare occasions I had something to look forward to.”

Filbo felt a warm paw on his shoulder and looked over to Buddy with a thankful smile. 

“When Liz reached back out to me after her long stretch of expeditions, my whole world lit back up! I want to be that light for someone else. No one should feel that way. Except, I don’t even know where to begin with them! …How did you get them to open up to you?”

“To be honest…… I have no idea.” They shrugged, genuinely unsure of it themself.

“You must’ve done or said something! I really need your help with this, Buddy!” He pleaded.

“Hmm…”

They brought their paw up to their face in a similar way to Floofty. About a minute went by in silence as they wracked their brain for an answer. Their tail occasionally swished and slapped the deck of the ship.

“Honestly, I think they just love to have people listen to them and help out in their research. From what I’ve gathered, Triffany and Eggabell were the only two grumps that they regularly and willingly reached out to for conversation or company. Maybe you could try offering to help them or listen to them ramble on about their most recent discovery?”

“That’s a great idea, Buddy! Although, I don’t think I’d really be able to follow along with anything they actually told me. Science has never been a strong suit of mine.” He chuckled awkwardly.

“It would definitely help if you understood some of what they were saying but I don’t think you need to. I think they just like having someone to talk to… Hmm, maybe they really are lonely, like you said. You know, you can be very perceptive of people sometimes, Filbo.”

He blushed lightly at the praise and responded with, “I-I don’t know, I think it’s just experience with this specific thing. B-but you really think they would let me help them? The last time I offered, they called me a broken beaker or something.”

“Well, I suppose I could ask them how they would feel about it. I was planning on interviewing them later, anyway.” They chuckled as they said, “Obviously, I wouldn’t record that part.”

Filbo joined in on their laughter with his own giggles and they both proceeded to fall into a laughing fit for a minute. When they started to recover they both laid back on the deck and looked at the sky. He was so glad he had Buddy as a friend. They were just so easy to talk to and they didn’t judge him!

“Alright, well I’ll leave you to what you were doing, Buddy… What were you doing up here, by the way?” He finished with a tilt of his head.

“Hmm? Oh, I like to perch up here after I make major progress with either finding Lizbert or helping Snaxburg. It helps me collect my thoughts while I fill in my journal.” They pointed at the journal on the floor next to them.

“Plus, it lets me have a good view of the town, and vice versa, in case anything happens or someone needs me. Double plus, I can just fall asleep up here!” They beamed at Filbo.

“...Buddy”

“Don’t worry, I head down to my hut to sleep at night………most of the time…” They placated.

“Buddy!”

“I know! But sometimes it’s just so faaaaar! And if I’m coming back from this side I can just hop into the cot here and use the snakgrappler to get sauces from Wambus’s garden.”

“Buddy.”

“Alright, alright!” They heaved an exaggerated sigh, “I’ll try not to do it anymore. I know how hard you and Chandlo worked on my hut. Not to mention all the things everyone has given me to decorate with. Oh I can’t wait to sit in that hot tub later!”

Filbo smiled as he began, “Alright, well I guess that’ll do for now. See you later, Buddy!”

They waved as he began the walk back to his hut. As he passed by through the center of town he lit the campfire. After it was comfortably crackling he stood up and admired it. Once he was satisfied with it, he couldn’t help but look over to Floofty’s hut. They really did do a good job on this one. As he kept walking, his eyes landed on the grump it belonged to. They seemed to be unpacking their equipment in the research tent. Filbo kept his gaze for a moment too long it seemed, as he stumbled over a rock and barely caught himself from falling. Triffany and Floofty looked up at the sudden noise and he looked back at them and laughed.

“I’m, uh, I’m okay!”

Floofty just looked down at him from inside the tent with an unreadable expression as they flicked their long tail a few times before turning around. Triffany asked if he needed any help but he politely declined as he turned to walk away. He fought to keep his fur from fluffing up as he went into his hut and closed the door behind him, hoping they didn’t see his tail wagging. 

He slid down to the floor while leaning against the door and sighed. 

“Ugh, great start, Fiddlepie. They’re already annoyed with you… Again!”

He thought back to how they looked a moment ago. Stout frame doing little to hide their very long tail from giving a few annoyed flicks when they saw him. He had seen enough grumpuses annoyed at him to know what it looked like.

He sighed, “Maybe I’ll just turn in early tonight.”

He got up and grabbed one of his grumpy babies from the shelf. After making sure everything in his hut was where it should be, he hopped into bed and quickly drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Text

Filbo woke up a little later than he normally did, having found himself more exhausted than he thought. So around 7 in the morning, Snaxburg’s Mayor untangled himself from the blanket he was wrapped in and got up. He would usually be up around the same time as most of the other grumpuses, 4 am. However, it seemed that the events of yesterday drained him completely. 

As he stood up and stretched his body out, he thought about what he was gonna do about Floofty. He knew he had to wait for whatever info Buddy gave him, but he couldn’t help himself. So as he grabbed a brush and dragged it through his bedhead… and bedbody, he thought about them. Their long, slender tail that ends in the same beautiful locs that adorn their head. The way they always have something smart to say. 

Filbo sighed wistfully as he pictured them. How could he NOT find them attractive! That’s not what drew him in, though. At least, not entirely. It was like there was an invisible connection he could feel. Something that made him sure that if they gave him a chance, they could be good friends! That’s all he could hope for because there was no way they could like someone like him.

…Right?

No, it was no use catching feelings for someone who wouldn’t return them. Not again. Filbo sighed sadly as he put his brush down and slipped on his Mayor's sash. The day had just started, he couldn’t be getting down on himself already!

KNOCK KNOCK

“AAAAA!!!” Filbo screamed as he fell backwards and landed on the floor. 

Through the door, he could hear Buddy. “Sorry, Filbo! I just didn’t see you out and about, so I figured I should check on you. Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah, I’m okay! Just slept in a little.” Filbo opened the door.

Buddy rubbed the back of their head guiltily. “Hehe, sorry about scaring you so early. I was going to be interviewing Floofty soon, and I wanted to make sure you still wanted me to ask them about you.”

“Y-yes please…”

He started playing with his paws in the cute, shy way a kid would when asking for more candy. They couldn’t help but smile at his display.

“Don’t you worry, I’ll make sure to put in a good word for you too~” They winked as they finished.

“What? B-Buddy! It’s not like that!” He stomped his foot as he pouted, but that didn’t stop his tail from wagging happily, which made them giggle.

“Ok, ok, enough teasing. I’m going to go over to the research tent now and interview them. So go find something to do while I talk to them. I don’t want you spoiling what I ask.”

“Hmm… I guess I can go and see if Wambus or Gramble needs any help?”

Buddy clapped their paws together, “Perfect! See you later, Filbo.”

With that, Buddy made their way across the path over to the research tent that Floofty and Triffany shared. As much as Filbo wanted to stay and eavesdrop on Floofty’s answer, he had to admit that Buddy was right. It would be better for his nerves if he distracted himself. So he adjusted his Mayor’s sash and made his way over to the opposite side of the town.

He couldn’t make up his mind about who to ask first, so he decided that whoever he saw first, he would ask. It was about time for everyone to be up, so anyone could be available for some Filbo time!

…Not that he called it that……very often…

As he made his way past Liz and Egg’s hut, he faintly heard the click of Buddy’s recorder and had to fight to keep from standing there to listen. He was thankful that he was pulled from his temptations by Wiggle and her banjo. She was strutting past him as he got an idea.

“Hey Wiggle!”

“Hiiiii!” She sang back.

“Any luck so far on writing a new song?”

Her voice lowered a bit, but her wiggling never slowed. “W-weeeell…”

She took a step closer and leaned in so she could whisper something to Filbo.

“Darling, I have no ideas at all! I’m starting to think I’ll never break free of ‘Do the Wiggle’... Unless you have any ideas?” Her voice rose hopefully.

Filbo brought his paw up to his chin in thought. Many things could’ve gone through his mind, but one thing in particular has been on his mind a lot lately. Something purple…

“W-what about a love song? Or a-at least a song about l-liking…somone…” His words came out with a slight blush as his fluffy little tail started wagging.

Wiggle took a moment to take in what she had heard. First as an artist, then as a friend.

“Filbo, dear, never turn to crime. You’d get caught immediately.” She finished with a giggle. 

“What? B-but I would nev-”

“Walk with me, darling! I think we need some privacy to talk about this song idea of yours! I hope you like the beach!”

“Y-yeah, I think that would be a good idea, Wiggle.”

She spun around and wiggled toward the side of town that leads to Simmering Springs. Filbo wasn’t sure what she meant about crime, though. He would never commit crimes! Even the thought of trying to be sneaky and stealing something made him feel guilty. 

The whole island may have been surrounded by the ocean, but that didn’t mean that the humidity was everywhere. Snaxburg itself had fairly average humidity. Which meant furcare was a bit inconvenient if you lived any farther inland. He could only imagine how Shelda and her fur must be doing in the desert. 

He absentmindedly rubbed at his own fur at the thought, noticing some mats he had somehow missed during his brushing in the morning. However, given his distracting thoughts, he shouldn’t be surprised. At least some time around the ocean air would hydrate his fur a bit. He’ll just have to remember to rinse off the saltiness when he gets back to town. 

It was not too long of a walk to Wiggle’s old setup in Simmering Springs, and so Filbo was only slightly out of breath when they got there. Once they sat down in the shade, Wiggle pulled out her banjo and began idly strumming. She created a calm atmosphere on the steamy beach. It helped him to steady his breathing as they just relaxed in the shade of the palm trees.

“So, a love song? I didn’t think you, of all grumpuses, would think of that idea, Filbo.” She said with a glance.

“W-well, I just think it could fit your style! I mean, you’re so close to Gramble, right? Why not write about him?” He spoke in his quick and anxious style, but he really hoped she couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

“Hmm, well, I suppose you’re right. Why don’t you give me some ideas to riff off? Since you seem to have been thinking about it.”

“Me? A-alright, well, um, h-how about describing his fur? It’s warm, looks super soft, and is such a pretty shade of pur-PINK! A pretty shade of pink!” He nervously chuckled as she strummed a slightly different melody. It seemed to help him think of more details.

“After that, you could sing about his long arms. How they can hold you so well, and they could make you feel so safe in them.”

Another change in melody brought forth another image. The music worked its way into his head like a living thing and made him visualize who he was really describing even better.

“Then you can go on about how their tail flicks around when they see you and how it makes your mind race. Unable to stop from imagining what they are thinking…”

Her strumming picked up the pace now. An energetic and lively beat came from the sound.

“You just wanna be able to know what they’re thinking and have them know that you can be there if they need you…Uh, I mean, if h-he needs you…”

Wiggle slowly stopped strumming and lowered her star-shaped sunglasses and looked at Filbo.

“Alright, darling, who is it?” She said with a smile.

Filbo looked around like he was expecting a camera crew to record him getting pranked. He didn’t see anyone, but that didn’t calm his nerves much.

“W-what do you mean?” He sputtered in response.

“Filbo, I am many things, but I am not blind. I am experienced in affections and confessions, and YOU, my dear…” She gestured around at his whole body. “You have the look of a grump who has fallen for someone! I simply MUST know who it is!”

“I- well it- it’s no- oh….” 

He slumped forward on his rocky seat and felt his face burn as he worked up the courage to say the name. His fluffy cyan tail began wagging faster the longer he thought on it. When he finally looked back up at Wiggle, seated in her beach chair, the fur on his face was starting to puff out, and his face was matching his crimson nose.

“It’s……Floofty…” As soon as the word escaped his mouth, he covered his face with his paws.

She stood up and walked over to sit next to Filbo. Placing her paw on his slumped shoulder.

“Oh, darling, there’s no need to be embarrassed! You can’t help who you fall for! I certainly never thought I would fall in love with Gramble, but once we got to know each other… Or rather, I let him get to know me…”

Filbo looked up when she stopped talking, “Wiggle?”

“Sorry, I started thinking about the past,” She sighed. “You know, Gramble is the first grump in a very long time that I have seriously fallen for. Of course, I had flings and crushes, but none of them actually saw the real me. None of them heard the real me. Not until him.”

She leaned back so that she could face the sky as she continued, her wiggling slowing just a bit.

“He really listens to me, really gets me. Even though I eat bugsnax and he loves them, he is still there for me. He loves it when I come by and play my banjo for him, and I love how he looks so genuinely enraptured with what I’m doing. Even if he can’t contribute anything, it means so much that he is there…”

She turned to Filbo with a smile, “Do you get what I’m saying, Filbo?”

“That you love Gramble?”

Wiggle sang a laugh and shook Filbo around as she rocked back and forth. He was starting to become very confused. Maybe there was a camera crew?

“Yes, I do love Gramble very much, but that is not what I was getting at, darling. I’m saying that the simplest show of affection can sometimes have the largest impact! If you wanna get closer to Floofty, you’ve got to show them that you have a genuine interest in what they are talking about and doing.”

“What they research is really interesting, but I just don’t understand any of it! They would probably throw me out of the tent for having to explain things to me all the time.” 

His head slumped in sadness this time, but Wiggle lifted it back up with both paws around his face.

“Filbo, darling, I don’t think you’re understanding what I’m saying. You don’t have to be able to follow along with their work to show that you are interested. Do you think I know anything about farming or breeding?”

She looked away with a salacious smirk, “Well, I know a bit about the second one…”

Before Filbo could comment on her remark, she began talking again.

“Anyway! What I mean by that is that you don’t need to know what they are doing; just give them your undivided attention in those moments. I’m sure they would love to have someone who willingly listens to them spin epics and diatribes all day long.”

“...They spin…what?” He tilted his head in confusion. As much as he could, given that it was still being held by Wiggle’s paws.

“They love to talk, darling! So I’m sure they would love someone who could listen to them do all that talking… If you finally catch my drift?” She looked over her glasses and right into Filbo’s magenta eyes. He looked away, not liking eye contact very much.

“I-I think so? Either way, thank you, Wiggle. I really needed some advice about this.” He smiled.

“I would’ve thought you would go to Buddy first. You two are like cocomites with how close you are.”

“Oh, they were the first one I told, but they’re interviewing Floofty right now, so they told me to try and stay occupied so I don’t worry about what they say. I love Buddy, they’re so considerate!”

Filbo’s tail wagged slightly as they smiled.

“Yes, they truly are one of a kind. They’d be a real catch if they were on the market, but platonic love is just as valid as romantic love! I know I always enjoy getting hugs from them. It’s just the right balance of strength and tenderness.”

“Yeah! They really are amazing. Maybe I should go see if they’re done with the interview so they can tell me what Floofty said!”

It was Wiggle’s turn to look confused. “You wanna listen to a whole interview? You must really love the sound of their voice.”

“Oh, their voice is amazingly smooth and rich yet light. Wouldn’t you want to just fall asleep to it? They actually have read to me before, and we slept together that night.” He smiled at the memory.

“You’ve already slept with them, but you haven’t figured out that you liked them?” She squealed.

“W-wait, we were talking about Buddy, right?” The anxiousness crept back into his voice.

“Darling, I thought you were talking about Floofty this whole time. You really need to differentiate when you talk about those two.”

“S-so you thought I had slept with…”

Filbo nearly fainted because of the rush of blood to his head. His entire face was ablaze with embarrassment, and his bashful mannerisms came out in force. He covered his now vermilion face with his paws in a futile attempt to cover himself. The fur on his entire body was puffed up like a startled cat while his tail wagged wildly at the thought. The whole time, Wiggle was howling with laughter.

He finally squeaked out a response, “Oh grump, Wiggle, you’re trying to kill me! I’ve never slept with anyone but Buddy!”

Her laughter got even louder.

“W-W-W-W-WAIT!!! THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT!!! IT WAS JUST PLATONIC SLEEPING!!!”

She had to fight her way back from the depths of laughter to try and respond to him. Only barely returning.

“F-filbo, I knew what you meant! I just wanted to tease you a little, darling! I know Buddy wouldn’t do anything like that. Everyone in town knows that Buddy is a great cuddler.”

“Y-yeah, they are…” 

SNIFF

“Oh, Filbo, I’m so sorry. I really didn’t mean to make you upset. Come here.”

She pulled the smaller grumpus into a firm hug. She wasn’t Buddy, but she could still give a mean hug. She rubbed his fluffy head and rocked back and forth gently. His small sobs gradually shifted into the occasional sniffle.

“I’m sorry, I forgot that you don’t handle teasing that well.”

“Y-yeah.”

It was true. He wasn’t able to discern subtle social cues very well, so many things went over his head. Sarcasm, innuendos, and the occasional lighthearted tease were usually taken literally. He had learned to pick up on some things, but mostly by remembering them from somewhere else. 

“I’m alright now, Wiggle. Thanks.” He lightly said.

“Here, let me play you something to make it up to you. It’s not a Wiggle original, but I think it might help you. It’s called Lovesick…”

Filbo bobbed side to side as he listened closely to the lyrics of the song. He knew Wiggle was a pop star, but he was given a very good reminder that she was a very good singer. The lyrics brought a few things to his mind. Most vibrant of all were the images of the dreams he had had this morning while sleeping in. It was of Floofty holding his hand while they sat up by Buddy’s airship. It made his heart flip and land in a pool of clouds. 

He brought his paws up to his chest and held them close in an attempt to trap that warm feeling inside. They clenched at his fur, imagining what their fur might feel like. What it might look like when the sun is just rising and shining through their dark fur. What their lips…

“Filbo? You alright, darling?” Wiggle looked concerned. 

“Y-yeah, I think that song was, um, maybe just a little too accurate. I guess I really do fall in love easily, don’t I?”

“And that’s not a bad thing, Filbo! It just means you have a lot of love to give. Just make sure you’re giving it to someone who can return it, or else you’ll end up getting hurt.” She warned.

“I’ll try and make sure before I fall too hard for them.” Filbo looked up at the sky and saw that the sun was almost ready to set for the day.

“I should probably get back to Buddy and see if they can tell me what they found out. Thank you again, Wiggle. This really helped.” He wrapped the tall orange singer in a tight hug.

“My pleasure! You may have just given me an idea for a new song after all. Aloha, darling.”

With that, Filbo made his way back to Snaxburg. He tried to think of what he’d ask Buddy, but his mind couldn’t form any words. So he decided to stop thinking and just keep walking. Just when the boardwalk exited the pillars of stone and the town sign was in sight, he spun around to watch the sunset. He brought his paws up to his chest as he remembered the warm feeling that his dream gave him, and it drew a bright smile from within him. Even though he had told Wiggle that he would temper his expectations, he couldn’t help himself. He was always an optimist, and right now he was filled with hope for the future.

A future where his paws wouldn’t be empty as he looked at the sunset.

Chapter Text

Filbo turned away from the horizon and finished his journey back to Snaxburg. He wanted to go talk to Buddy right away, but he had a job to do. He had to light the fire for the others! So he marched over to the fire pit with a smile on his face and quickly got it burning bright and warm for the others.

Once it was set and the light from the fire illuminated all the paths that ran through the town, he made his way to Buddy’s airship. It was still a steep path, but this time Filbo didn’t mind it; he was just excited to see his best friend. When he got to the ship, however, he found it devoid of his favorite orange grumpus.

“Buddy? Please don’t scare me again, you know I’ll cry!” He called out into the seemingly empty structure.

It isn’t unusual for the town’s resident bugsnax hunter to be out hunting, but he figured they would be home by now. They usually didn’t do many hunts or requests after conducting an interview. Filbo remembered that Buddy liked to take time to collect their thoughts after an interview and put notes into their journal. He smiled at the thought of having such a studious friend.

It was that thought that reminded him that they usually left a note to let us know where they were, or at least, where they might be. After a moment searching with wide eyes, trying his best to absorb as much light as possible, he found a note. 

“Huh?” Filbo voiced his confusion when he saw that the note was addressed to him.

He opened it carefully, and his paws started to sweat as he read the note.

____________________________________________________________________________

Hey, Filbo! 

I’m pretty sure you’ll come right over here when you get back, so I left you this note. If you didn’t come here first, please pretend like you did so I can still feel cool!

Anyway, I’m gonna be up the mountain tonight getting some bugsnax for Floofty. I found out that they like sweets, btw. ;0]

I should be back by morning. If you want to know why, you’ll have to ask them, since I know it wouldn’t be safe for you to come up here by yourself at night.

Stay safe, Mr. Mayor!

Love,

Buddy
____________________________________________________________________________

Filbo folded up the note and turned to look up at the mountain. He could occasionally pick out the brief flicker of light that likely came from Buddy. Then he turned his gaze down toward town and toward Floofty’s hut. He tried to swallow his nervousness but felt his throat dry up a little.

He exhaled as he tried to steady himself, “You can do this. You can do this.”

He slowly started making his way down the hill toward town. He was just past Gramble’s bugsnax donation box when he saw Floofty walking back to their hut. After a brief internal struggle, he jogged over to them before they got all the way to their door. 

“Hey, um, Floofty! H-how was the, uh, t-the science today?” He blurted out awkwardly.

They responded first by flicking their tail a few times and staring at him for a few seconds. Seemingly taking in the panting form of the town’s self-appointed Mayor. Filbo, in turn, did the same. The left side of their body hadn’t changed much since he saw them yesterday. Initially, their left arm and leg were a mix of noodler, cocomite, banopper, and strabby. Now, it was mostly banopper and cocomite with the addition of a cinnasnail right arm, kwookie teeth, and a hunnabee nose. This was the most that one of the grumpuses had been snakified since Eggabell and Floofty were doing their experiments. 

“If by ‘science’, you mean my research on the extent of physiological assimilation of foreign biomatter by grumpus biology… Then it is going deliciously, Fiddlepie. However, I doubt you would care to listen, just as I do not care to explain any further. Goodnight.” They finished succinctly, leaving Filbo reeling a bit.

“W-wait, I wanted to ask you something!” 

He had reached out to his paw to grab theirs in an attempt to stop them. It earned him a quick succession of tail flicks as Floofty turned around to face them. Their face was a mix of annoyance and mild curiosity as they yanked their paw out of his grasp. Filbo squeaked a quick apology.

“Do not grab me like that again, Fiddlepie. Now, either spit it out or begone with you.”

“Sorry, Floofty. I just wanted to know what Buddy was doing up on the mountain. They left me a note that says to ask you what they were doing up there.”

“Hmph, not that you need to know, but our beloved journalist is gathering specimens for an experiment I have planned. Now, if you would excuse me, I would very much like to retire for the night.”

Just as the door was about to close, Filbo blurted out, “C-can I help?”

The door froze in its path and they slowly turned around to stare at him and chuckle.

“No, Fiddlepie. I do not wish to welcome any more distractions or accident prone grumpuses into the equation. Now, goodnight.” They slammed the door to end the conversation before Filbo could draw it out any longer.

He sighed and trudged his way to his own hut, Buddy’s letter still in his paw. When he got inside and closed the door, he placed the letter on his nightstand and grabbed his grumpy baby. Once he was under the covers, the tears began to flow and he cried himself to sleep.

The next morning, Filbo woke up with a paw draped over his chest and a body pressed against his back. You would think this would scare him, but he knew who it belonged to from its burnt orange hue.

Buddy always seemed to have a sixth sense for knowing when Filbo, or any of the other grumpuses, needed comfort. They always knew how to help, and for Filbo, they knew he would need a hug when he woke up. They clung close to him in their sleep. Likely from a night spent up in the cold heights of the mountain. Filbo smiled at their show of empathy and hugged their arm closer to his body as he fell back asleep.

About an hour later, Buddy stirred awake and brought Filbo up with them. They readjusted so that Filbo was facing them and resting his head on Buddy’s chest while they laid on their back. He smiled at the softness of their fur and began rubbing his face against their chest while sighing in relief. As he settled down, he positioned his head so he could hear their heart. Listening to their heartbeat always helped to calm him down. 

They stayed like that for a few more minutes so that Filbo wouldn’t start crying when he began talking.

“Thanks, Buddy. I really needed some comfort and good sensory things after how yesterday ended.”

“Oh no, did your talk with Wiggle not go so well?” They had a concerned look.

“N-no, no, she actually really helped me out with figuring things out. It, uh, i-it was when I came back to town. I went to go ask Floofty about what you were doing, like the note said.”

Buddy rubbed gentle circles on Filbo’s back to comfort him while he gathered his words.

“I know it was probably because I was keeping them from sleeping, or maybe just annoying them, but they seemed like they were really in a rush to get away from me. Maybe I should just leave them alone instead of trying to get closer.” 

“Oh, Filbo. They were probably just grumpy about being kept awake. From what you said, it sounds like you got back to Snaxburg around the time that they go to sleep. Besides, I think you’ll change your mind once you hear about what they said after the interview.” 

They lightly shook him for emphasis, and it got a giggle out of him. 

“There’s our happy little mayor! Ok, now are you ready to hear what they really think?”

“N-no, but tell me anyway before I weenie out!” He said as he buried his face in their chest.

They sang a laugh in response, “Alright, so I had just finished up the interview and after they asked me for help with something…”

“Consider it a personal request. Having a sweet tooth has always run in my family.”

“Actually, I have one more question, unrelated to everything else. If I could trouble you for just a bit of your time, oh great Floofty?” They said as they delivered a mock bow.

Floofty smirked in response, “Oh, very well, I suppose I can show my generosity since you gave me my due deference. What is it?”

Buddy slid their backpack off their shoulders and zipped open one of the pouches. After a moment of rearranging its contents, they slipped the recorder inside but kept their journal out. A journalist always has to be ready to take notes, after all.

“So, I know you haven’t been back in town that long, but I wanted to get your opinions on the other grumpuses.” They started as they hefted their pack onto the table next to them. They made sure to avoid the grumpus skeleton that was laid out near it.

They rolled their eyes, “You and your opinions. Fine, they’re all frightened grumplings that don’t comprehend all the ways my research could benefit grumpkind. So they ostracize me and scorn my methods, even when the results would far outweigh them.”

“Surely some of them have shown real interest or understanding of your work?” They questioned as they jotted something down.

“Hmph, the only ones capable of understanding even an iota of what I discuss are Eggabell and Triffany. My brother, as intelligent as he may be, is deluded by his conspiracy theories and you… Well, I suppose you have your uses besides.”

Buddy looked up at this. “What about Beffica or Wambus? Surely, they have expertise in subjects you don’t?”

“You’re missing the point, Buddy. None of them show even the slightest bit of positive interest in what I do, aside from you.” They huffed in exasperation.

“What about Filbo?”

“You mean that bumbling buffoon of a grumpus, whose self-appointed mayoral duties include the one thing he seems to be good at. Which is lighting a fire. What about him?”

“Well, what would you do if he offered to help you with your research?” They proposed.

This got the gastroenterologist giggling. 

“That grumpus is about as useful as a beaker without a bottom. What use could he possibly have? Aside from keeping a chair pinned down?” They finished giggling as Buddy scribbled down some more notes.

“You know, any instrument may seem broken if you only measure it by one standard. I won’t try to convince you he’s some undiscovered talent, but I think you should rethink things a bit. You never know what you may discover.” They snapped their journal closed as they finished writing some unseen notes.

“Well, I won’t take up any more of your time, Floofty. I’ve got some sweet treats to catch. See you later!” They called as they slung their pack over their shoulders and headed off to Sugarpine Woods. They didn’t let the biologist recover from the pointed rebuttal as they skipped away, happily. Leaving them to think on what was said.

“So that’s what happened, basically.” 

Buddy didn’t elucidate to their friend the bits of the story they had altered to keep the experiment a secret, at the repeated behest of Floofty. They felt bad for keeping this from him, but they also had a bad habit of doing what they were told.

“They really said that?” He uttered as he gripped some of Buddy’s chest fluff.

“Sorry, Filbo, I know you were probably hoping for something else.”

“They really said I’m good at starting the fire?” He lifted his head from their chest and smiled with a small blush.

“Wow, you really are a sucker for some praise, huh?” They said with a chuckle.

His small blush spread farther at the deduction. Filbo would’ve spoken up to defend himself but his tail was already wagging happily at the thought of Floofty telling him ‘Good Job’ or any other form of praise.

“M-maybe,” then he sighed. “I doubt that would ever happen, though. Wiggle said I should just try to keep them company, even if I don’t understand what they are saying. She said that it would show that I really have a genuine interest in what they are saying.”

He buried his face back into Buddy’s fur, making it a little difficult to hear what he said next. They were able to make it out, however. 

“They don’t even seem to like it when I’m around them!” He cried.

“Well, how can you be so sure? They are kinda like that with everyone.”

“Well… Whenever I come up to them, they always do this thing where they flick their tail. I’ve seen enough people be annoyed with me that I can recognize it.”

“Hmm. Now that is interesting.” Buddy rose up, forcing Filbo to sit up as well. He shivered lightly at the sudden lack of warmth.

“W-what is it, Buddy?” He said as he grabbed the blanket to cover himself a bit.

They were holding their paw up to their chin in thought as they stood up. They didn’t say anything as they started flicking their tail about.

“Did it look like this?” 

“Mmm, not quite annoyed enough.”

They paused for a moment and tried again.

“Like this?”

Filbo giggled as they put a little too much wiggle into this attempt. “No, not quite.” 

This time, they were silent for a lot longer as the gears turned in their head. They seemed to have figured it out as they turned to Filbo.

“How about this?” They flicked their fluffy tail with an agitated snap.

“Yeah, like that! So they are annoyed with me!”

“I don’t think so. I’m not surprised that you don’t understand it quite so innately, since your tail isn’t too long, but I think they might have just been stimming. I would say try it, but yours doesn't have the same weight as mine or Floofty’s. It’s a very nice sensory feeling.”

“W-wait, so they stim when they see me? Are you sure it’s not something else?” Filbo was trying to question his investigative friend, but his widening smile was exposing his hopeful heart.

They couldn’t help but giggle at their friend’s excitement.

“Don’t let it get to your head yet, Filbo. You still need to try and get them to let you sit with them. Why don’t you go over and ask them now? They should be finished setting up their area for the day. I need to go see them, too, so you won’t be alone this time.” They said reassuringly.

“Thank you, Buddy. Could you, um, c-could you pass me my sash? I feel indecent without it nowadays!” He moved to cover himself with the blanket in an exaggerated fashion, which made them both laugh.

When Filbo was made decent and Buddy slipped on all of their gear as well, they headed out the door. Since the distance from Filbo’s hut to the research tent was not that far, they could immediately see Floofty and Triffany chatting about something. Sure enough, just as Buddy had described, Floofty’s tail flicked a few times when they turned to see them. More specifically, when their eyes landed on Filbo.

“Hey, Triffany, sorry to interrupt! Do you mind if we borrow Floofty for a minute?”

Triffany hooted a laugh, “Oh sure, hun. I was thinking of taking a trip to the old digsite today anyhow! Talk to you later!”

They waved her off as she headed toward the bridge that led to Scorched Gorge. Then Buddy and Filbo were left with Floofty.

“I’ve got the goods, boss!” Buddy hunched over and lowered their voice to sound like a cartoon henchman.

This earned an eye roll from Floofty, but laughter came from the other two grumpuses.

“Must you make a mockery of assisting me with my research? And why is Fiddlepie here?” 

Filbo took notice that they were trying to avoid eye contact with him, and their tail was still because of it. He wanted to test if Buddy was right, so he spoke up before they could. 

“W-well, I just wanted to know if I could sit with you today? I really wanna learn more about what you’re doing!” 

Floofty’s eyes bounced between the orange and blue grumps before them and settled on Buddy. Their flat expression was met with a small bobbing of Buddy’s eyebrows as they motioned toward Filbo with their eyes.

With a sigh, they replied to the journalist. “While the prospect of having someone new sit with me during my research is not… completely repulsive, I will have to decline your offer. I have preparations to make, after all. While we are on the subject.”

They adopted a more casual stance and fully turned their body to face Buddy.

“I trust that you have brought what I asked?” They said as they rested their arms behind their back.

“Only the sweetest and most filling bugsnax.” Buddy recited as they pulled off their bag, which looked full to bursting, and continued. “Just as you orde- requested. I hope you’re hungry!”

Floofty abandoned decorum completely as they licked their lips and brought their paws down to their sides. Their hungry eyes looked up at Buddy expectantly.

“Don’t keep me waiting any longer, you pabulum purveyor, or do you wish to see how I get when I am ‘hangry,’ as you had put it.” They snapped.

“Alright, alright, my apologies, my liege. Here comes your sustenance.” They replied with a bow.

Filbo watched as Buddy opened their pack and gave one bugsnak after another to Floofty, who proceeded to ravenously devour each one. It was equal parts fascinating and something else he couldn’t quite place. Whatever it was, he couldn’t look away.

Once the pack was empty, a fully snakified Floofty stood before them. Buddy had taken to feeding them kwookies, sherbies, charmallows, a sprinklepede, and two scoopy banoopies. Filbo made sure to take a mental note of this.

Once Floofty had breathed a sigh of contentment, they turned to their ochre assistant.

“Very good! You’re actually being useful. I have a few more preparations to make. The experiment will begin in 24 hours.” They finally turned to look at Filbo, “Make sure to come alone this time.”

With that, the purple scientist turned away from the two and walked back to their research table. Their tail flicked more than a few times as they sat down. Filbo couldn’t help but stare at their tail as it swished around.

Buddy turned to Filbo with a shrug. “Well, wanna hangout for a while? I don’t have anything planned until later. Gramble asked for my cuddle services tonight.”

“Sure! You know, we should make a board to see who has you scheduled for cuddles. It would probably make things easier!” He said happily as he faced them. Anything to help someone.

They giggled, “Yeah, that probably would help. Maybe we could talk to Chandlo and Snorpy about making one?”

“Sounds like a plan to me. Let’s go!” 

They both proceeded to skip merrily all the way to the Mill. And why not? It was a good day and Filbo couldn’t wait to ask about the results of Floofty’s big experiment. His tail wagged excitedly.

I wonder what it is…