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Second year of middle school is when Sprout fully acknowledged he had a crush on Astro Novalite. How did he realize that? Well, funny story. It was because of the one time he went to watch the meteor shower with the moon toon a few years ago and was promptly flown into the air and placed onto the clouds…a thousand feet from the ground. Not the best thing to happen to someone with a extreme fear of heights, but he wanted to make Astro happy. He couldn’t help it! He looked so pitiful, like a kicked puppy when he told him that no one in the group wanted to go with him.
He knows better now.
It was a cold night, the wind making it even worse as his teeth chattered against eachother. He only had a thin sweater that could barely fit him that went all the way down to his thighs and his lucky scarf to keep him warm. He was currently holding onto Astro’s long silky navy hat for comfort, hiding his face in it as he took in the rocky lavender scent to ground himself.
“Oh, you’re probably freezing,” Astro said worriedly. “I forgot you were sensitive to the cold. Come here.”
Warmth enveloped him as he was tugged into Astro’s arms, fully trapped in his firm hold. Sprout stilled, his face warming to an uncomfortable degree as Astro laid his head on top of his leafy hair. They’ve held hands before, only to get to somewhere faster or to feel a squeeze of reassurance…but this…felt different.
He felt safe. The chilly air that blew against his face felt like nothing compared to the arms that were holding him so close, so securely. He never realized how thick Astro’s blanket was until he figured out it was blocking the wind from reaching them inside. It’s no wonder as to why he struggled to get anywhere and why Dandy helped him carry it around occasionally.
“Do you feel better?” Astro asked.
“Yes!” Sprout blurted out, causing Astro to wince at the volume. He buried his face into Astro’s shoulders, his face completely red. “Yes, I feel better. Thank you.”
Astro sighed in relief, rubbing his cheek on top of Sprout’s hair. “Thank goodness…I don’t think I could look Mrs. Seedly in the eyes if I accidentally gave you hypothermia.”
Sprout shrugged. “My mom is not that scary.”
“That’s because you’re her son.”
Sprout sighed. “…That’s true…”
“Oh! Look!” Astro nodded towards the sky. “The meteors are here!”
Sprout moved away from Astro’s shoulder, curious to see the comet before he was met with the most beautiful sight. The cold air that seeped into his skin and the fear that he might fall to his death felt trivial compared to seeing Astro’s face. He could see the reflection of the meteors falling in his eye, lighting him up so brilliantly as he smiled with no restraint.
Astro has always been a little reserved than the rest of the group. He always felt like there was a wall between them when he was talking to Astro. Something he couldn’t climb over or even knock down no matter how hard he tried. But seeing him now…? He thought he was looking at an angel.
“Isn’t it so cool?” Astro said excitedly, unaware of Sprout blatantly staring at him. “I’m so glad you could see this with me.”
“…Me too…” Sprout mumbled as he forcibly tore his eyes away from his face, afraid that Astro would catch him in the act.
He will admit, the meteor shower was beautiful, especially upclose. But…it felt dull in comparison to how he felt seeing it illuminate Astro’s features instead, the star in his face being especially brighter due to his excitement. Ironically, this was the day that he saw him in an entirely new light.
He was oblivious to his own feelings of course. The only changes was him constantly trying to be around Astro more, stumbling over his words, and looking like he was emotionally constipated whenever the moon toon gave him the slightest bit of attention. It doesn’t help that Vee and Dandy seem to have caught onto his feelings before he did with the way they kept teasing him every time he asked for Astro’s opinion or tried to be “cool” around him as they described it, but it doesn’t mean anything! He just thought they should just get closer as friends.
Preferably alone.
With no one around them.
A totally normal thought that everyone gets time to time.
Luckily, getting older and gaining experience has it’s perks! And by experience he means seeing romance movies and couples in the hallway to fully understand what he’s feeling. Love! He’s in love with Astro.
But learning this information means that he has to actually do something about it…and that if they do date then he’s never gonna hear the end of it from Vee and Dandy. He already gets enough glares and sarcastic remarks as is. But being able to love Astro and letting him know it sort of negates the problems that he’ll face in the future. He’s at least thankful that Shelly would probably be supportive of the relationship without making his life a living hell in the process.
Sprout shook his head and slapped his cheeks. Focus! He needs a plan to woo Astro into dating him. It needs to be subtle too so it doesn’t alert the others…but Dandy, that jerk, is always hanging around him like a leech.
Sprout tapped the pink mechanical pen with starwberries against his wooden desk, his eyebrows scrunched up as he brainstormed ideas on colorful sticky notes. He should probably finish his math homework. It is due tomorrow…but this is definitely way more important than school work. Love conquers all and all that jazz. He nodded to himself, pleased with his rational decision-making.
So far he’s only got four ideas. He either asks him out by letter, after the movie theaters, during the diner, or asking him out at the park at night. If either one fails he can always pick the other option. Hopefully the letter works…
1. The Love Letter
He anxiously hoped that the sweat from his palms doesn’t soak into the letter as he hid it inside his hoodie pocket. Most of his classes are with Shelly and Vee, but he doesn’t want either of them to see him sneaking around Astro’s locker. Fortunately, Astro’s classes were still going and Dandy was probably still sick with the flu, so there’s no way he’ll know it’s from him. In the letter he asks for Astro to meet him after school at the—What the hell?
“Dandy?” Sprout said as he stood in the middle of the hallway.
“Sprout!” Dandy shouted as he waved. “It’s so good to see you here buddy!”
Sprout looked behind him before looking back at Dandy who seemed perfectly fine. “I thought you—you were—what the…I thought were sick…?”
“Might’ve told a tall tale or two to avoid school for a while until my dear ol’ parents found out!” Dandy pulled at his collar. “Let’s just say my folks were not happy at all and sent me back here as soon as possible! I was just getting my books out of from my locker.”
“Oh. Great that’s…” Sprout started to walk backwards, not caring that he could be bumping into a few students. “That’s great I was just—I gotta go. Bye.”
“Not gonna even stick around to talk to a friend?” Dandy said “sadly” with a pout that wouldn’t even fool a grownup or anyone for that matter.
“I’m really busy,” Sprout gritted out. “Super busy, got plans, things to do-“
“What things?” A voice behind him asked curiously.
Sprout almost bumped into him as he quickly turned around, his heart pounding out of his chest that he almost felt like he was gonna pass out right then and there. The toon of the hour was standing right there, his eye searching his face for answers with no idea that he was holding the one thing that would decide both their fates.
“I—you—“ Sprout gulped loudly. “Hey?”
“…Hello, Sprout?” Astro tilted his head curiousl. “Did you need something?”
“Uh…I…I need a lot of things…?” The letter crinkled further underneath his palms as he looked to the floor. “I just…uh…”
“Are you okay? You seem redder than usual…” Astro leaned forward to rest his forhead against his. “You don’t seem sick…”
“I’m fine!” Sprout shouted as he backed away quickly. “So fine! Great! I—I—“
Astro blinked. “I…?”
“…Need to go. Bye!” Sprout bolted down the hallway, practically slamming into the doors as the metal rattled against the walls.
He heard Dandy and Astro shouting his name, but it only made him run faster. He never even took a second to look back. He couldn’t handle seeing Astro’s face after pathetically humiliating himself in front of him.
He decided to run to his next class, only a feet away from where Astro’s previous class was. He leaned against the wall as he caught his breath before he spotted Shelly and Vee walking up to him. Shelly waved her hands excitedly while Vee nodded since she’s “so cool” and “above it all”.
“Wow, you look…” Vee looked him up and down. “Not great.”
“Vee, c’mon.” Shelly said as she nudged her side. “…Though she is right you do look pretty rough.”
“Thanks, I really appreciate the comments this good gracious morning.” Sprout said as he adjusted the hoodie pocket.
Wait.
Why does it feel empty now?
“Shit!” Sprout hissed as his hands came out empty.
Vee whistled. “What’s got you so worked up, Seedly?”
“My let—work. My homework, was in my pocket.” Sprout made a closed and then open fist motion. “Now it’s gone…also don’t call me that!”
“Oh no. Do you need help finding it?” Shelly asked worriedly.
“Ah just…” Sprout tugged on the end of his scarf. “It probably got blown away by the wind by now…it’s nothing.”
“You really need to invest in a locker.” Vee said as she lightly punched his arm.
“My backpack is plenty fine!” Sprout huffed as he leaned against the wall. “I just want this day to be done and over with already.”
The day went by like every other day. Listen to the teacher, get homework, eat lunch. Just like everyday. A boring blur of events and watching the clock as it ticked to the next hour. Except this time, during lunch, he was dragged away by Astro into the back of the school.
His heart sank when he saw the crumpled letter in his stars, the obnoxiously cute hearts sprinkling all over the pages and his bad handwriting mocking him from inside. In his rush to hide the letter…it instead delivered it right to him. He wonders if he could run away from home and legally change his name.
“This fell out of your pocket right?” Astro handed the letter back to him. “I’m sorry. Dandy made me too curious about it and I took a look at it and…”
“…Uh huh…?” Sprout said shakily as he held onto the crinkled paper.
Astro stepped forward. “Sprout…your secret is safe with me.”
“…What.” Sprout said dryly.
Astro’s face flushed. “It’s…I know it’s probably embarrassing for me and Dandy to know that you have a crush on someone. Oh, but don’t worry, I told him not to tell anyone. He kept laughing though, I don’t get why.”
Sprout groaned as he shoved the letter into the pocket of his hoodie. “…I’m gonna kill Dandy.”
“Sprout, it’s okay.” Astro said as he took his hands into his stars. “I’m sure you would make your crush the happiest toon in the world. You should go for it.”
“I want to make you the happiest toon in the world though…” Sprout thought internally.
Astro squeezed his hands before pulling away. “I need to go now. I promised Dandy I would help him with homework. Good bye, Sprout.”
“Bye...” Sprout said as he watched Astro walk away.
His legs collapsed under him once Astro was out of sight. If the conversation kept going for even another minute, he feared that he would’ve just confessed right then and there to get it over with. He’s never been a good liar if he was being honest. It was better to tell the truth than dance around it or sugarcoat it to make the other feel better.
Although that mindset also pisses other toons off like Dandy for example, but that is especially why he does it.
Sprout sighed as he slowly got back up, brushing off the debris from his pants. So the plan failed, but it’s a good thing he has three others to fall back on. He just hopes he has enough courage.
2. The Movie Theater
“A movie?” Astro said as he closed his locker. “Is everyone going?”
Sprout shook his head fervently. “No it’ll…it’ll just be the two of us.”
Astro hummed, his eyebrow furrowed before looking looking back at Sprout. “Don’t you have a crush on someone? You should ask them out.”
“Like I said before, I don’t have one. Not anymore.” Sprout mumbled the sentance as he kicked the ground.
“Interesting. Alright, I believe you. I wonder what type of movie we’re watching then if you only asked me.” Astro leaned towards him, whispering. “Should I be worried…?”
“There’s nothing to be worried about,” Sprout fiddled with the end of his scarf, his voice becoming more hushed. “It’s just…it’s a romance movie.”
Astro blinked, moving closer to look at Sprout’s expressions more clearly. “Are you embarrassed about the others finding out you like the romance genre?”
“I…I am!” Sprout turned away from him, his arms crossed as he pouted. “So get off my back.”
Astro moved around to face him, letting out a huff of amusement when seeing the cute pouting expression of his friend. “Calm down, I’ll go with you. What time will it be?”
Sprout grinned. “Seven p.m. tonight?”
Astro nodded. “I’ll be there.”
“Sweet! See you at the theater! You better be there and not in sleepy town or I’ll be super duper mad.” Sprout said as he poked Astro’s chest with one eye closed, a playful sour expression painted on his face.
Astro smiled fondly. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world. I have to go to class now. See you later.”
“See you later!” Sprout shouted as he waved his goodbye.
So…he’s become a little bit of a liar now. Hypocritical, he knows. It goes against the whole “honesty is the best policy” and “be blunt because lying is a hassle” thing, but he had to! The means justify the ends as they say... said no one ever. He’s so screwed.
The day went as it always did. Class, another class, talk, talk, almost run face first into a wall. He really wasn’t focusing on anything except the totally-not-date he was about to go on.
During lunch he was called out for his supposed strange behavior. What strange behavior was he exhibiting? Well, he doesn't need to describe it.
"What the hell is he doing?" Vee snapped her fingers in front of Sprout's face. "Hey? Earth to Seedly?"
"Sprout? You've been standing there for an awfully long time..." Shelly poked the side of his arm, seeing if it would evoke at least a twitch. "He's not responding guys..."
"Is there something on my face...?" Astro moved out of the range of Sprout's stare, frowning when his eyes still continued to follow him.
Sprout shook his head, gripping his lunch box harshly as he stammered over his words. "No! No, nothing is wrong with your face. It's great! I mean, not great! It's okay. It's a mighty fine face."
Astro tilted his head as he shot him a confused look. "Uh...thank you? Is there something you should be nervous about? You can talk to us you know?"
Sprout laughed in a manner that scared everyone, Vee quickly backed away while Shelly held her hands in defense. Dandy could only grimace at the awkward display, shaking his head in disbelief. "No! I just have to go...to cooking club! I have to check if we got everything in order...and stuff...bye!"
"Oh. I'll see you later then?" Astro said as he waved with his star.
Sprout froze as he heard Vee turn around, her metal heel clacking on the concrete floor. "I'm sorry. Later?"
Astro flinched before he cleared his throat. "I meant later as in help him with his homework. He asked earlier today."
"Aw! But I wanted to go play Galaga," Dandy whined. "I was gonna beat Vee's high score."
"Oh please." Vee said as she put a hand on her hip. "Like you could ever beat me. You're in fourth place!"
Dandy huffed proudly, wagging his finger towards Vee’s direction. "Second actually! That’s right. I played the game without any of you there!"
"Oh you have?" Vee crookedly grinned, stomping over to where Dandy was sitting and crouching to jab a finger into his chest. "Astro can go help Sprout. We’re settling this after school."
"But—But my emotional support buddy!" Dandy complained.
"Yeah, of course you're gonna need emotional support…after you lose!" Vee pushed Dandy’s forehead back, her smug grin growing even wider.
Dandy gasped. "As if!"
Sprout slipped away from the two as they continued to bicker as usual, running to the hide in the cafeteria and sitting down in an empty corner. All the tables were taken up, but he didn’t care. As long as he was out of Astro’s sight, then he was more than fine. He shouldn't have stared at him like that, but he was so nervous to see him that he couldn't even speak properly! He practically just asked him out on a date later tonight. How could anyone be normal under those circumstances!?
He slapped both sides of his face. No, he can do this. He can ask out Astro and they’ll be lovey dovey forever and ever. God…would he even say yes to marrying him…? Keep it together! Sprout shook his head violently, squeezing his eyes shut as he tried to get rid of these useless sappy thoughts. He needs fo focus on what he should say after the movie!
It had been a few hours since school ended. His palms were clammy with sweat and he felt his hair clung onto his forehead as he leaned back and forth on his heels. He decided to wear casual clothing and his very iconic pink and white scarf. Nothing too fancy to scare away Astro. After all, it is a movie theater. He wouldn’t be able to see his outfit anyways if they’re in the dark.
He abruptly stopped his movements when he felt a tap behind him. His body tensed, almost instinctually attacking whoever touched him before he he caught a familiar blue hue. His shoulders loosened as he sighed in relief. It was just Astro. He was still wearing his usual cape, although it now had a cloud pattern and buttons on the front.
“Don’t sneak up on a guy like that!” Sprout turned to lightly punch Astro’s shoulder. “I could’ve seriously smacked you to next Tuesday.”
“Sorry, I just wanted to get your attention,” Astro pointed at the poster at the side with a star. “Is that the one we’re watching?”
“Yeah!” Sprout said eagerly. “Can’t wait to watch it. Are you ready?”
“Of course.” Astro smiled.
“Good! Then let’s get going shall we?” Sprout moved to open the door for him, making a very gentlemanly gesture for him to walk ahead. “After you.”
Astro chuckled as he walked through the door. “Thank you, Sprout.”
Sprout could’ve sworn he saw his face get a little darker around his cheeks. No matter, he should get them popcorn. Sprout ran to the counter to pay for the tickets and popcorn much to Astro’s displeasure. He argued that he should’ve saved his allowance money for something important and that they could’ve halved the bill. To Sprout, this was nothing. Anything for Astro.
In the end, Sprout still won and Astro kept looking at him worriedly, probably feeling guilty for not paying his own share. Sprout smiled fondly, a little touched by Astro’s worry for him. They sat in the back of the theater, Astro’s favorite spot. He often got anxious to have anyone behind him, worried that he may be seen or whatnot. Sprout didn’t really understand this fear. Wouldn’t toons be more focused on the movie than on him?
But he respected Astro, so he made sure to get the back seats. They settled down into their seats, placing the large-sized popcorn in the middle of the divider. Earlier, Sprout told Astro that it’d be more cost effective to buy one big popcorn to share rather than buy two. Astro argued that he couldn’t even finish half of it. Sprout reassured him that he’d eat the rest by the night, making Astro relax a bit before they got in the theater room.
“Hm…” Astro hummed as he pushed himself up from his seat.
“What is it?” Sprout asked as he chewed on his popcorn.
“I don’t see anyone here,” Astro sat back in his seat. “When did this movie come out?”
“Ah, I don’t remember,” Sprout scratched the back of his head. “A classmate told me about it but I can’t remember when.”
“Well, at least we have the room to ourselves then. That’s great for us right?” Astro whispered closely as the lights dimmed.
Sprout’s heart sped up, his face warming up from the close contact. “Yea-yeah. It is.”
So, Sprout might’ve lied and orchestrated this whole thing to be completely alone with Astro. This was the last week the movie was showing, so of course everyone in town had already seen it by then. He realizes now that it makes him look hopelessly desperate to spend alone time with Astro.
The movie started to play and the two went quiet. Astro commented on a few things he noticed and tried to predict the ending while Sprout joked about some scenes in the beginning. He mimicked the love interest’s gestures that were so exaggerated that it made Astro laugh and almost choke on his popcorn. Sprout felt giddy to hear him laugh because of him. It gave him the extra courage to play the classic smooth move he’s seen in other movies.
He yawned, stretching his arms in the air before his left arm wrapped around Astro’s shoulders. He could feel the moon toon’s shoulders tense up, his fingers stopping above the popcorn. His heart dropped to his stomach as he looked at Astro to gauge his reaction. Astro looked at him with worry, leaning forwards to grab his other hand.
“Are you cold?” Astro asked as he rubbed his hand with his own. “You should’ve told me. You know it’s hard for me to tell temperatures. Do you want my cape?”
Sprout shook his head. “What? No, no, I’m not—“
Astro moved Sprouts arm away from him, quickly unbuttoning his cape to drape over his torso, smoothing away the wrinkles and made sure to cover him fully. Astro looked glad that they were the same size so that he can feel fully warm. It was surprisingly very soft, but that wasn’t isn’t what he should be focusing on.
“I’m—I’m not cold,” Sprout said as his face flushed, the smell of rocks and lavender invading his senses. “Aren’t you scared of…you know…showing your four arms?”
“No one is in here. It’s okay. It’s the least I can do for you, Sprout.”
“That’s not fair though. Here,” Sprout moved to remove his scarf, wrapping it around Astro’s neck. “Now we’re both warm.”
“…Thank you.” Astro mumbled bashfully as he leaned away, settling back into his chair.
Sprout didn’t say anything else as he went back to eating popcorn, his hand twitching when his fingers brushed against Astro. The moon toon didn’t seem to mind the close contact, only muttering a hushed apology before focusing back on the movie. Sprout groaned internally for the failed romantic gesture earlier. He had to physically stop himself from grabbing and pulling at his hair by gripping onto the seat handles, the sharp edges preventing him from holding it harder.
The movie was surprisingly heartfelt…then tragic very quickly. The poster deceived him. It looked cutesy and romantic. The lovers were embracing each other with loving eyes with the moon in the background for goodness’ sake. He didn’t know that they were gonna die together at the end, holding eachother as they bled out in the forest because they were shot by their best friend who was jealous of their successful careers. Astro’s face didn’t seem to have any type of expression during the whole movie. Although, the way he clutched onto his scarf, pulling it up to cover half his face as he leaneed backwards while his eye trembled told a different story as the movie reached its climax. Sprout, on the other hand, was sobbing loudly, blowing into tissues that were handed to him as he wept.
His eyes were puffy and swollen as he got out the movie theater. Astro had already taken back his cape and tied his scarf back around him, only grimacing when Sprout started to use it to wipe his face. Astro exhaled fondly and patted him on the back, guiding him slowly through the building with his star on his back. Sprout mumbled apologies as he tried to get his bearings, wiping his eyes aggressively as they got closer to the exit.
“I didn’t expect the movie to take such a dark turn.” Astro said as he opened the doors with his star.
“I know! It,” Sprout sniffled. “They were gonna be so happy together. And then—and then the best friend ruined it. But the couple actually wanted him back in their lives!”
Astro shook his head somberly, rubbing circles on Sprout’s back with his star. “It was very tragic.”
Sprout wiped his eyes harshly. “If only they had just talked it out.”
Astro sighed. “It was hard for them…I can’t blame them for how it turned out.”
“I can!” Sprout shouted. “The best friend should’ve-“
“Sprout! Astro! What are you two doing here?” A cheerful voice shouted behind them.
Sprout mentally smacked himself. He had forgotten that the arcade was right next to the movie theater. His lucky day…
“Oh we were just watching a movie,” Astro replied.
“Without us?” Vee said suspiciously, eyeing the swollen-eyed strawberry. “Hey, wait a minute, I thought you two were doing homework.”
Sprout frowned. “We d-“
“Yes, but we finished early,” Astro pointed towards a random poster. “And I wanted to watch a new movie, a new change of pace, but I was worried you guys wouldn’t like it…”
“Aw, Astro! You could’ve watched it with me! I don’t judge. You know this!” Dandy said as he pouted, placing his hands on his hips.
“I wouldn’t have judged either! I like trying new things outside of learning and talking about dinosaurs. Well, not too much anyway!” Shelly giggled.
Vee shook her head, crossing her arms as she looked at the strawberry and moon toon suspiciously. “I still don’t believe it. But, that doesn’t matter. Because I still won, as always.”
“By 20 points!” Dandy shouted, his fists balled up as he tipped-toed to Vee’s height. Attempted to anyways.
“20 points is still very, very high,” Vee said smugly, placing her hand on top of Dandy’s head to push him back down. “Don’t be such a baby, Dandy.”
“Congratulations, Vee.” Astro softly clapped.
“Thank you, thank you. I’m here all night!” Vee bowed.
“Astro! Don’t congratulate her! You’re supposed to at least comfort me in my time of need!” Dandy whined.
Astro tilted his head. “…But she did beat you…”
“By 20 points…”Dandy grumbled.
“Anyways!” Sprout loudly said as he grabbed Astro’s shoulders, moving him to his side. “I’m gonna walk Astro home. We’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
“Excuse you mister! We’re walking together. We all live in the same neighborhood after all.” Dandy said with a cheeky smile.
“Yeah,” Vee walked over to Astro and wrapped her arm around his shoulder, pulling him away from Sprout. “I’ll tell you in full detail on how I beat Dandy so easily that I almost pitied the poor guy.”
“Hey!” Dandy shouted as he ran over, nudging Sprout even farther away as he walked beside Astro’s other side. “You cheated!”
“Oh, now you’re just saying anything to hide the fact that you lost fair and square. Such as the life of a loser I guess.” Vee grinned mischievously.
The two argued against each other for the entire walk home. Astro unfortunately had to stay in the middle as a mediator as he pushed the two away from each other when it got too heated. Shelly tried to make conversation with Sprout earlier during the walk, but every word that came out from his mouth sounded like he fell down a sewer hole and decided to make it everyone’s problem. Shelly decided to just walk ahead to talk to the others, making Sprout feel even worse for treating her that way just because he was a little moody about the situation. He should make some dinosaur chicken nuggets to make it up to her tomorrow.
Vee said her goodbyes to them as she entered her house, quickly being ushered in by her younger sister, asking to quiz her on a test she had the next day. Next was Shelly, then Dandy who was reluctant to leave them alone until his mother spotted him from their porch. He was dragged by one of his petals harshly into the house, his mother reprimanding him for staying out past curfew. Then it was just them, alone with the street lamps and the cool air of spring to accompany them.
Astro looked at Sprout as he stopped walking, a shy smile gracing his face. “Thanks for the movie and paying for everything. You didn’t have to do that…but you did.”
Sprout smiled. “Of course! I suggested the whole thing, so it was only natural right?”
“Mhm,” Astro bit the inside of his cheek. He looked towards his house that was only a few steps away before looking back at Sprout. “Look. I know you’re embarrassed about liking romance movies, but I think the others would understand. It would’ve been fun with all of us.”
Sprout felt a drop in his stomach, his shoulders flinching at the mention of their friend group. “I—was—was it not fun with just the two of us…?”
Astro’s eye widened at Sprout’s dejected expression, moving to place a star on his shoulder. “No, no. It’s nothing like that. I did have a lot of fun. I just…I thought I was too boring for you. That’s all.”
Sprout frowned. “You’re not boring.”
“It was just a thou-“ Astro stopped mid-sentence as hands found their way to his shoulders, firmly holding him still. Not too tight, but enough to make him hold his breath as he stared at Sprout.
“Hey. I wouldn’t have asked you to come if I thought you were boring.” Sprout’s gaze softened, his hands loosening their grip on his shoulders. “I liked listening to your predictions and observations. You were almost right on the money, which was cool.”
Astro sighed in relief, smiling softly. “I was worried about that earlier. Thank you for listening.”
Sprout raised an eyebrow as he grinned. “You don’t have to thank me for something I like about you.”
Astro’s face turned a darker shade of blue. “Thank you—no. Shoot. This is hard…”
Sprout gulped, his face turned more red as he took in Astro’s bashful expression. So pretty. He moved closer, his face only inches away from Astro’s. “Hey, aside from that, there’s…something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
Astro tilted his head curiously. “What is it?”
“I-“
Suddenly a strong wind blew across their sides, both toons almost stumbling onto the sidewalk. Sprout held onto Astro’s cloak, preventing him from falling, and yanked him back up. The two stared at each other for a second before backing away, staring at anything else but the other.
Astro let out an embarrassed chuckle as he patted and smoothed his cloak. “Thank you. I could’ve seriously gotten hurt. What were you saying again?”
Sprout’s eyebrows knitted together before he sighed heavily, moving to adjust his jacket sleeves before looking back at Astro. “I was gonna say we should…do things together more often. Without the group. We don’t hang out much together so…”
“Right. Right…” Astro cleared his throat. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. Thank you for walking me home.”
“No problem.” Sprout placed his hands into his pockets. “Good night. Don’t let the bed bugs bite.”
Astro smiled. Sprout didn’t dare believe it was fond. “Sweet dreams, Sprout.”
Astro waved at him one last time before walking to his house, opening the door with no one to greet him and closing it with a quiet click. Sprout crouched down to the sidewalk, his head on top of his knees as he let out a heavy sigh. That plan was a total bust, he didn’t even confess properly and probably looked like an idiot in front of him. Astro smiling and being bashful around him was too cute, he felt like he was gonna die. After a quick minute of reprieve, Sprout slowly got up, dusting off his clothes as he headed home, hands in his pockets.
Third time’s the charm.
3. The Diner
Sprout leaned against the locker next to Astro’s, a nervous grin on his face. “Hey, so…I know you’ve been busy lately so I thought…wouldn’t it be nice to relax and try out that new diner that opened up nearby?”
“I don’t know. You know I don’t have that much of an appetite,” Astro said worriedly as he opened the lock to his locker. “I wouldn’t even know what to order…”
“That’s okay! I just thought we should do something fun, just the two of us, that’s all. We can just eat some fries, talk, and then leave right after.”
Astro shrugged. “I guess…have you asked the others?”
Sprout rubbed the back of his head. “I haven’t had the time to ask them. They seemed too busy so I didn’t bother.”
Astro hummed. “Okay. Then does six p.m. work?”
Sprout smiled. “Yep! Definitely. I’ll see you later, gonna be late for class.”
Sprout ran out the hallway, his hands gripping on this backpack straps as he giddily laughed once he was out Astro’s sight. Another date! Well, not date. But still just as important. He’ll wear his best suit to impress Astro. Yes it’s a diner…but he’s going to actually ask him out this time, no more dawdling!
He arrived at the diner ten minutes early, sitting on the wooden bench near the diner as he stared at the parking lot for any sign of Astro. His palms were sweaty and the tuxedo jacket felt heavy against him. It was from his older cousin’s for his prom night. Apparently he had married his high school sweetheart and had commented that the tuxedo was what really reeled her in. He might’ve been exaggerating though since his wife only rolled her eyes before playfully shoving him. He wonders if Astro would agree to going to prom with him.
There in the distance, he spotted a navy blue color that he recognizes immediately. Astro waved at him with stars, smiling brightly as he picked up the pace. The sight would’ve been amazing for sore eyes if it weren’t for the others that came alongside him, ruining the view and his mood immediately.
“What are you guys doing here…” Sprout said with pure and utter despair as he slouched forward, his hands blocking his face as it burned hot from embarrassment.
“I invited them,” Astro said as he walked up to him. “I asked Dandy earlier if he knew about the diner and what I should order, but he surprisingly he wanted to go. So, now we’re here…is that okay?”
“…Peachy.” Sprout said through gritted teeth as he glared through his fingers at Vee who was trying so hard not to laugh and fall over onto the concrete.
“Wow! You’re all dolled up,” Dandy said rather loudly and obnoxiously. “Did you go somewhere fancy?”
“Yeah, Sprout, did you?” Vee said as she held in a snicker.
“Isn’t it too hot to be wearing that?” Shelly asked as she grabbed his sleeves and tugged it upward. “You’re sweating a lot.”
Sprout quickly yanked his arm away and crossed them. “For your information! I was—I was trying out a dance class!”
“A dance class…?” Astro asked curiously.
“A dance class.” Vee and Dandy said at the same time, eyeing each other with an evil grin on their faces.
“Oh! That’s fun! No wonder why you’re all sweaty,” Shelly added before grabbing his arm and yanking him up easily as if he didn’t weigh anything. “Come on! Let’s get inside before you get a heat stroke.”
“Okay…” Sprout mumbled grumpily.
They were seated at a red circular table right next to the window. Sprout had attempted to sit next to Astro when he was nudged harshly to the side as Dandy squeezed between the two toons, placing himself in the middle of table like he was the king and they were his knights. Ironically around a round table. He tried to get up to at least sit next to Astro’s right side when he was pushed back down by Vee’s mechanical arm with teasing grin on her face. Shelly had taken the spot next to Astro by the time he looked up.
“So, lover boy,” Vee whispered as her arm shoved his head closer to her shoulder.
“Shut up!” Sprout hissed quietly, roughly pushing her arm away with his shoulder. “He’s right there.”
Dandy leaned into his side, arm on his shoulder, his smile making his expression harden. “He’s not even listening, don’t worry so much!”
Sprout glanced at Astro who was distracted by Shelly who was pointing at the sections of the menu. Astro seemed a bit overwhelmed but nodded along with her suggestions. Sprout sighed heavily as he leaned back into the red squeaky chair. “…God, fine. What do you jerks want?”
“Don’t be like that! We’re just worried about you,” Vee’s grin widened. “What’s the real reason you decided to wear a tuxedo of all things to a diner? Especially alone? with Astro? At night?”
Dandy nodded his head as he crossed his arms. “Yes, it’s very, very suspicious, isn’t it Vee?”
“Very,” Vee replied. “It’s almost as if-“
“You guys suck, do you know that?” Sprout grumbled as he crossed his arms. “If you guys knew what I was doing, then why come here in the first place?”
“Well, I did wanna try the food here,” Dandy said as he leaned away. “But I’m also worried about Astro being alone with you.”
Sprout narrowed his eyes. “What does that mean?”
“Listen,” Vee placed her hand on his shoulder. “I…care about you. In a sense. As much as I can anyways. But Astro is…well I’m just worried about him getting hurt.”
“Yeah! What she said. Astro is my best friend and whatever happens to him, I’ll deal with the problem. Personally!” Dandy said with a smile that sent a shiver down Sprout’s spine.
“I would never hurt Astro.” Sprout whispered harshly, his face scrunching up from the idea of it.
“Are you guys gonna order anything?” Astro asked as he looked up from the menu. “Oh. Sorry, Vee. I forgot you couldn’t exactly…eat.”
Vee waved her hand. “It’s fine. Don’t worry your pretty little head, I just came here for fun.”
“If you say so.” Astro went back to looking at the menu, completely oblivious to the situation in front of him.
“Back to what I was saying. We’re watching you, Seedly.” Vee said as she used her two fingers to point towards her eyes and then to his.
“Like a hawk!” Dandy said gleefully, clicking his heels together under the table before grabbing the menu. “Now I’m starving. Astro, what are you gonna get?”
Astro had ordered medium-sized fries, Shelly ordered a chicken sandwich with a soda, Dandy ordered a cheeseburger with bacon, and Sprout begrudgingly ordered a beef burger and a chocolate milkshake. Might as well drink something sweet to lighten his sour mood. Vee quizzed everyone while they waited for their food from random facts to questions for their upcoming tests. Shelly was in first place with Astro running in second. Dandy was in third while Sprout was in last. He pulled at his hair as he got another question wrong, hiding his face in his arms as he leaned against the table. The frustration over the past two weeks had begun to surface and he was afraid he was gonna scream at his friends at this rate.
He knows they were just joking around and were worried about Astro. He knows his friends mean well. He’s known them since he was in diapers! But something in him feels like it was gonna snap. He’s never felt so humiliated before and it was becoming too much for him.
Vee luckily was sympathetic and didn’t say anything about his repeated losses and change of demeanor, only moving on to the next question of the quiz. Suddenly, he felt a light sensation on his back, running circles on top of his jacket as if to soothe him. Dandy would never do that in a million years and Vee was too busy using the incorrect buzzer sound every two minutes.
Astro. Sprout balled up his fists, his face warming at the soothing gesture as a few tears escaped, seeping into his sleeves. He refused to move his head from his arms when Vee asked him another question. His answer was muffled against his clothing and he flinched when he heard the incorrect buzzer play once again. Vee announced that he was disqualified, telling the group it was now the finals.
Astro continued to rub circles on his back even while he was answering. He couldn’t believe Astro was comforting him when he’s being such an asshole right now. His shoulders shook as he forced a quiet shaky exhale. He must look so pathetic right now. Especially since he was wearing a suit while everyone was in casual clothing.
The food finally came around, the plates moving and shifting across the table to their rightful owners. Sprout finally lifted his head from his arms, his eyes a little red as he eyed his burger. Everyone seemed occupied with talking about classes and eating which was a relief. He didn’t want them to mention how he probably looked like a mess. He grabbed the burger in his hands and took a bite, the flavor flooding his tastebuds.
Unfortunately, this is what finally broke him. He started to cry with every bite, almost choking from hiccups as he placed it back down on the sheet within the small red basket. Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at Sprout. Vee couldn’t help but scoot away uncomfortably, her screen listing off different ways to approach the situation. Dandy’s hand hovered over his figure, his eyes shifting to Astro’s. There was a silent conversation between them. A nod, and an eye shift was enough for Astro to get up and move to Sprout’s side, Dandy sitting in the spot the moon toon was previously in.
“Are you okay?” Astro asked as softly as he could.
Sprout shook his head, his words caught in his throat as he trembled. He wanted to reply so badly, that he was fine and they should go back to eating! But he just couldn’t stop crying and shaking. Failing at quiz answers and feeding into his insecurity over his academics, not being able to tell Astro about his true feelings, and just being humiliated by his close friends has finally got to him. Astro shifted a bit within his seat, using his star to grab Sprout’s hand.
He moved his hand down to the seat and grabbed them with his hands, rubbing his thumb over the top of his hand. “Do you want to go home” Sprout sniffled and stiffly nodded in his arm. “Okay. We’ll go home.”
“We’ll go too!” Shelly said as she stood up.
“Yeah, we don’t want to leave you alone like…like this.” Vee said awkwardly.
Astro shook his head. “I think it’s better if it’s just one toon taking him home. He must be overwhelmed. Plus, you guys have already ordered your food. Enjoy your time together, we’ll see you at school tomorrow.”
“Just be careful getting home alright? I’ll pay for both of you.” Dandy looked at the leftover food. “Are you still gonna eat this or are you gonna pack it up to go?”
“You can have my fries.” Astro looked at Sprout. “Do you want the burger still?”
Sprout shook his head, his voice quiet and shaky. “I lost my appetite.”
“That’s alright! I’ll finish it for you. Just get home safe. Both of you!” Dandy said as he lightly smacked Astro’s shoulder.
Astro gave him a small smile before getting up. His fingers held firmly onto Sprout’s limp fingers as they made their way out of the diner and through the door, the sounds of chatter quieting as the door closed behind them. Astro didn’t say anything else and walked forward and in front, looking back occasionally to see if the strawberry toon could still walk properly. Sprout still didn’t say anything as he continued to cry, his other hand wiping away his tears when his vision became too blurry.
Astro began to hum a tune, a familiar song he’s heard from the radio when they were kids. Dandy’s dad used to drive them to places in town since he worked from home. He always had the same station that played the same songs over and over again. There was only one song he liked and he always started rocking his body back and forth as he played a fake air guitar. Vee would roll her eyes with huff as she went back to staring outside the window while Shelly and Dandy would join in. Shelly was the drums and Dandy would fake lip-sync, grabbing Vee’s microphone tail as he “sang”. Astro would just lightly bop his head to the beat, smiling as he watched his friends mess around.
Sprout wetly laughed as he remembered the memory, coughing a bit as he rubbed his eyes dry. “Really? That old song? I’m not seven anymore, Astro.”
“You still liked it,” Astro replied. “That’s worth something.”
“Maybe…” Sprout mumbled. “…Hey…”
“Yes?” Astro said without looking back.
Sprout bit the side of his cheek. “Was…was I overreacting back there…? I mean…I just started to cry over losing a stupid quiz.”
Astro shook his head, his nightcap following the movements. “I think it was more than just the quiz. But…I think you’re okay, Sprout.”
“…But I worried everyone…” Sprout mumbled.
“We’re your friends. It’s our job to worry about you too,” Astro said with a light chuckle. “I think you forgot that you can rely on us. You keep trying to put everything on your shoulders. Like how you keep paying for me when we hang out.”
“I want to.” Sprout frowned as he squeezed Astro’s fingers.
“You can take a break,” Astro stopped to look at Sprout, giving him a reassuring smile, his eye twinkling underneath the lamp post. “Let me take care of you today. Tell me what happened.”
Sprout’s body unconsciously moved on its own, his arms wrapping around Astro’s torso as he hid his face in his shoulder. Astro let out a surprised gasp as they wobbled for bit, his legs bending a bit to prevent them from falling onto the street. The strawberry toon held him closer, breathing in the scent of lavender as he tried to control his breathing.
“Can we just…stay like this instead…? I don’t wanna talk about it…” Sprout asked with a raspy voice.
“…Of course.” Astro unbuttoned the lower part of his cape and wrapped his lower arms around Sprout. “That’s okay too.”
A few cars passed by them, probably neighbors they’ve never met. Sprout couldn’t really give himself the energy to care anymore when Astro’s holding him so gently. He melted into his arms as his breathing evened out, his small sobs becoming quieter as the minutes passed by.
Astro was the one to pull away, rubbing his arms reassuringly. “It’s getting late. I think some sleep would do you some good.”
Sprout shakily exhaled. “Yeah. Yeah okay.”
They walked home, side by side, hand in hand. Sprout held his hand tightly as he looked down, his steps heavy against the sidewalk. Astro swung their arms a bit, his side hitting his every once and a while since they were so close to each other. Sprout could see the lights were still on in his house. His parents were probably watching that show they’ve been talking about for the last few weeks, something about a private investigator’s daily life.
He just wanted to sleep, but his parents always played the tv too loud and he was too tired to say anything against it. It was only eight p.m. and they go to sleep way later than that. He groaned as he let go of Astro’s hand to rub at his face.
He looked at the moon toon, his eyes heavy with fatigue. “Can I sleep over at your place?”
Astro blinked. “Really?”
“Doesn’t your family go to work at this time?” Sprout asked.
“Yes…but we don’t have a guest room.” Astro looked away, avoiding Sprout’s gaze. “I don’t know where you would sleep.”
“I’ll sleep on the floor, anything. I just…I just need silence.” Sprout said as he kicked the concrete a bit.
Astro was quiet for a bit, his silence making Sprout’s hopes grow dimmer and dimmer. “…We can share my bed. It’s big enough for two, no, even three toons. Go get washed and get wear your pajamas. I’ll wait for you at my house.”
“…Seriously?” Sprout asked, genuinely surprised, his eyes wide as saucers.
Astro nodded, chuckling at his expression. “Mhm. I did say I’ll take care of you. Now go on. I want to sleep too.”
“Right! Right, I’ll go do that…now.” Sprout started to walk backwards until he fully started sprinting when he turned around, opening the door so fast that his hair flew.
His parents immediately noticed him the moment he stepped in. His mom asked him about the diner hangout while his dad offered a place at the couch. Sprout explained to them that he wanted to have a sleepover at Astro’s and if he was able to. His parents agreed since they trust Astro’s family and went back to watching their tv. He quickly took a shower, scrubbing himself harshly with soap to make sure he was squeaky clean since he didn’t want to ruin Astro’s sheets. He might or might have not used his dad’s vanilla-scented shampoo.
After drying off, he ran into his bedroom, rummaging through his drawers haphazardly until he found his lucky cupcake-patterned pajamas. He quickly threw off his tuxedo onto the carpet floor and wore the soft pajamas, hugging himself as he felt cooled down and refreshed. After a long sigh of relief he left his bedroom, grabbing the extra keys to the house so he could come back in the morning, and opened the outside door.
Luckily, Astro’s house was only a few steps away. He knocked on the door gently, rocking back and forth on his heels as he waited before he heard a click. Astro’s mother opened the door, waving at him with a smile as she led him in. Astro was waiting for him in the living room, sipping on chocolate milk as he clicked his fuzzy bunny slippers together.
“Where’d your dad go?” Sprout asked as he grabbed a chair and sat at the table.
“He went grocery shopping,” Astro said as he sipped from his cup. “My mom is about to go to work, right mom?”
“Mhm. You two be careful and don’t open the door to strangers.” Astro’s mom said as she kissed his forehead. “Sleep well, little bunny.”
“Mom…” Astro’s face flushed a dark blue.
Astro’s mom laughed, pinching his cheek. “I’m just teasing you dear. I love you.”
“I love you too. See you in the morning.” Astro mumbled.
Once Astro’s mom left Sprout leaned forward on his crossed arms, grinning mischievously. “Little bunny, huh?”
Astro nudged Sprout’s leg in embarrassment, his face a darker shade of blue. “It’s just because my first word was bunny…”
“Huh. Why bunny?” Sprout asked as he placed his cheek against his palm.
“If you look closely, you can see a rabbit pattern on my mom’s face. My dad called her bunny a lot as a nickname, so I guess I picked up on it. Of course my nickname had to be little bunny embarrassingly enough.” Astro said as he finished his cup, moving to place it into the sink. “Please don’t tell the others, it’s embarrassing.”
“I won’t. Your secret is safe with me.” Sprout replied as he followed Astro to his room.
This was the first time he’s been to his house. They’ve mostly hung out at Dandy or Shelly’s house, but never Astro’s or Vee’s. Astro’s parents use the morning and afternoon to sleep and Vee’s parents didn’t like having guests over at thier home. It was probably why Astro hung out with Dandy so often, he must be so lonely at home.
His room was pretty big. His bed was a king size and the sheets were star patterned. His bookshelves, which were filled to the brim with books, reached the ceiling that was littered with glow-in-the-dark stars. His wooden desk was in front of his bed, the surface filled with notebooks upon notebooks.
“What happened to your parents day jobs? I swear they used to work during the day a few years ago.” Sprout asked as he stood near the door while Astro shuffled the mountain of pillows he had on his bed.
“Well,” Astro started to place the pillows in the middle. “I got older. The moment I turned eleven, they decided I was old enough to be alone at home. My whole family have been mostly night toons as you can see. I myself feel tired in the morning too, but you can’t change the school system…”
“Right,” Sprout awkwardly tapped his right foot onto the carpet. “Is that why you have so many notebooks?”
Astro lightly chuckled. “Yeah, I keep falling asleep in class, so I need to catch up don’t I?”
“That’s terrible!” Sprout stomped his foot. “The school should be more accommodating.”
“That’s just the way things are, Sprout. Here,” Astro patted the empty side of the bed. “I got an extra blanket for you. It’s weighted though, I hope you don’t mind.”
“It’s alright. I was the one who wanted to be here.” Sprout said as he shuffled onto the bed, his weight sinking into the sheets. “Wow.”
“Cozy?” Astro smiled.
“Absolutely. It’s almost like—it’s like a cloud!” Sprout dove into the bed, digging his shoulders into the mattress and sighing. “Oh my god, this is heaven.”
Astro laughed. “I’m glad you like my bed.”
“It’s so comfortable. If this was my bed, I wouldn’t want to leave bed,” Sprout dragged the weighted blanket to his collarbone. “Ever!”
“Now you know my small morning struggle. I also got you something to sleep with since you’ve been feeling bad.” Astro handed him a blue star pillow that had a navy fabric that was cut attached to it, making it look like a shooting star.
“No way. Your old pillow?” Sprout said with a grin. “I was wondering where that went! You used to take that everywhere with you.”
Astro scratched his cheek sheepishly. “It helps with nightmares. You can have it for tonight. I insist.”
“Well, if you insist then.” Sprout said as he grabbed the pillow, holding it close to his side underneath the blankets. “It’s still so soft…thank you, Astro.”
“It’s no problem.” Astro patted the top of his blanket. “Now get some sleep. Sweet dreams.”
“Good night.” Sprout adjusted himself before finding a comfortable position that was facing away from Astro’s sight.
He listened to Astro’s breathing as it slowed. Only after he was sure that the moon toon was asleep did he close his eyes, holding the pillow tighter to his chest. Maybe…he wasn’t ready for a relationship. He still needs to figure himself out first if he was gonna cry so easily after so many failures. He’s been relying too much on Astro’s kindness for the past two weeks and even more. Astro gave him so much attention, so much comfort so easily without a second thought. He wanted to be someone Astro can rely on.
He wanted to show him that he could give him everything he gave him, but more. So much more. Slowly, his limbs and eyelids started to feel heavy, his grip on the pillow loosening as he succumbed to sleep. Tomorrow will be different.
A Few Years Later
“So let me get this straight,” Sprout said as he pinched inbetween his eyebrows. “You only just realized now that I wanted to date you years before you even asked me out?”
Astro nodded, hiding his face in the blankets. “I thought you were being sweet. You’re sweet to everyone.”
Sprout squinted his eyes. “I’m not. Have you seen the way I talk to Vee and Dandy?”
Astro blinked. “Outside of them, you are. But other than that…it’s a good point…”
“We’re so dumb.” Sprout sighed heavily before he tackled Astro, wrapping his arms around him as he littered the back of his neck and cheek with kisses.
“Sprout! Stop it! I’m ticklish!” Astro giggled as he squirmed in his hold, his hands slipping in their attempt to grab Sprout’s arms.
“Nuh-uh-uh, you’re gonna have to deal with the attack of affection to make up for lost time…” Sprout smiled widely. “Little bunny.”
“Goodness, Sprout, don’t use that nickname. It’s embarrassing.” Astro’s face turned dark blue as he laughed.
“I embarrassed myself in front of everyone by wearing a tuxedo! To ask you out! At that dumb diner.” Sprout licked his cheek in retaliation, earning a light slap to his side. “God, the health violations after a month of opening!”
“It was years ago, Sprout. I didn’t know!” Astro said as he pinched Sprout’s arm.
“Ow! Oh, you’re getting it now!” Sprout said as he released Astro before climbing on top of him and kissing every surface of his face he could reach.
Astro laughed as he wrapped his arms around him, moving quickly to kiss him on the mouth, stopping the onslaught of affectionate pecks. Sprout grinned, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him up to deepen the kiss. He’s still embarrassed about the things he did as a preteen, but the lessons he learned from it made these moments all the more worth it.