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The green pippins, more known by pippins as Greenie, was new to Tv world; he knew no one, but the pippins seemed to gravitate towards the bar in the green room (most likely because alcohol thrilled them, and pippins love being thrilled). So Greenie would hang out there, the bartender, Ramb, was very nice to new darkners, since he himself was from a different dark world, Cyber world.
So He always talked to Ramb, there was no one else to talk to anyways. Plus he and Ramb were both different from their species. So there he was at Ramb’s bar, doing dumb paper work for some odd reason (he’s in the costume design department, why is he doing paper work???)
There was a shadow guy that came over, they wore a cat tail and headband attachment (Aren’t shadow guys cats normally anyways???), The shadow guy sat down on the seat that’s next to the seat that’s next to him. Greenie didn’t seem to understand the shadowguy’s music language but this shadow guy in specific was very gesture-y, even their waving was very excited too, he thinks he saw them point at him, but it might just all be his fearful imagination.
“Ay mate,” Ramb waved at Greenie to get his attention; it stares at him confused “This guy wants to know you.” Ramb smiled sweetly as he pointed at the shadow guy, the shadow guy waved cheerfully as they pulled out a paper and wrote down something they wanted to say.
On the paper it said “haii!! question I haven’t seen you around the studio??? what do you do here? :3” Greenie immediately noticed the lack of grammar, maybe it was since they were talking casually, it bothered the greenie a bit too much but he tried to ignore it.
“Oh-umm er-I-uh do costuming- I uhm make costumes.” Greenie was quite awkward and wanted to die mentally possibly physically, before he could think much The shadow guy continued to write as they were pretty interested in Greenie’s skills. They had some small talk before the shadow guy had to leave for work, they were pretty nice and they came to Ramb’s bar quite often.
A while later, Greenie came to the bar during its lunch break, and he saw the shadow guy coming over and waving, who’s name was Louie based off pluey (awful inspiration for a name, it’s literally a minigame he found!?), he chatted with Louie, after they talked for a bit their lunch break ended and they both had to go back to working.
Greenie realized they felt oddly happier around Louie, like an odd mix of excitement and the thrill of being spun without really being spun? He feels like he recognizes the feeling he just can’t remember what it could be, maybe-
“Someone’s got a crush, or something awful happened chose one.” Ruby came from nowhere, at least Greenie didn’t except her, but that, the first one, definitely answer, an awful answer to his situation he stared at his tail to really know, and fuck she was right. His tail was faster; his diamond end turned into a heart.
He grabbed his tail to hide it out of embarrassment, “hehehe, well good luck on whatever’s going through tour mind”, he made sure no one was watching and ran off to some bathroom stall.
This was so dumb, so so dumb! This was just a dumb crush; it’ll blow over. This is just some dumb misunderstanding of his feelings, just him taking his joy from kindness to love. Love is dumb; he doesn’t need a relationship. Any of his genuine crushes will just end awfully or sadly. Why burden someone like that? Tenna hates him, His Radiance is either dead or stuck in the dungeon of card castle, he is not going back into a relationship with damn Garnet not again, and he’ll eventually lose purpose in the light world and turn to stone, and then Louie would just feel awfully sad.
Also what if Louie doesn’t even like him, why would louie like him, a pippins, an odd,odd weird outcast pippins? Ugh. He hates his dumb brain, why do feelings have to be so damn hard…dumb, dumb…ugh…
“…ughh…” Greenie grabbed the skin of his face and pulled he’s bang his head if he could. He didn’t know if there was somewhere else in the bathroom but he couldn’t care. But he washed his face and thought more; it’ll blow over. He’ll get over his crush.
It did not blow over.
But he doesn’t need to act on his feelings; it’s just a small crush, just a teensy crush, he definitely does not get all flustered and feel his heart flutter around Louie. Definitely not.
“Are you alright there, mate?” Ramb asks cutting off Greenie’s thoughts. Right. He just was at Ramb’s bar aggressively tapping his pen on the counter of the bar staring at said counter. Greenie stares up at Ramb embarrassed.
“I’m-I’m fine just uh thinking about something is all.” Greenie stared off into the distance feeling too awkward to stare at Ramb directly. They continued to clean a glass staring at Greenie, making it feel even more awkward.
Louie walked over to the bar, fuck. Ok maybee the crush wasn’t that small just maybe. Ok fine he can admit he should confess, but maybe he should just hint to it. But unless you’re a pippins(or Ramb[how does he know so much about the pippins?]) you wouldn’t know certain signs of a pippins emotions, like the symbol of their tail turning into a heart; most don’t even know pippins tail symbol can change.
Just how can he hint to it? He can’t make romantic gifts, he can’t flirt in a way that doesn’t sound awful. The only thing he can think of is to just to make his blushing obvious to Louie and hope that she notices and reciprocates the feelings.
Louie was blabbering about someone, cutesy nicknames and all, but Greenie couldn’t focus on what he was talking about he was too deep in thought, it was fine anyways Louie was talking to Ramb anyways.
Though Louie definitely thought Greenie was listening, Louie said in saxophone along the lines of “Would you like to meet them later when you’re free?” Greenie tried to act like he was paying attention and just nodded.
Greenie saw Louie with someone, a zapper; maybe they were the person Louie was talking about? Louie saw Greenie, waved, and ran over, dragging the zapper with her, Louie started to talk in saxophone “Haii!! This is my partner that I was talking about!” Louie did a sort of presenting something pose and Louie smiled sweetly to them.
“Oh cool.” Greenie replied without a thought; wait…partner. PARTNER. Just great he is so awful at love, that the only crush he has that he has a chance with is taken, he was sad, angry, disappointed, his tail changed from a heart to a spade, he tried to mask his emotions the best he could, he tried to smile without making it seem it was an act.
Louie continued to talk “You’re not jealous, right?” Louie said jokingly lightly shoving it with her elbow, Greenie stared eyes widened for a second before making himself look calm and chill.
“No-uh Not at all why would I? Ha” Greenie tried to be as smug as he could; Louie didn’t notice the odd worried look on Greenie’s face. He had to escape this conversation, he felt so awkward, awful, tense… just emotions in general.
Some shadow guy from the costume department shouted his name, “Oh frick! I gotta go-uh work stuff!” Greenie ran off and waved goodbye. His luck the minute was better, he had a sort of sigh of relief when he wasn’t able to be seen by them. He was told to work on some costumes, so he worked; it was at least a method to forget that his crush is in a relationship.
Greenie, Now Battat (Awful name, those 2 ‘forced’(not really) to use that name, better than greenie anyways) has become a Mike, and somehow Louie, now Pluey and Jongler found out about the mike business, so he forced them into the job(he needed the help anyways).
The one downside of them joining him is that In the living room of the mike room whenever he came after his night mike shift he sees the 2 cuddling up on the couch watching something and being all lovey dovey (…ick).
And then when he’d see them he’d get all sad wishing he was in that relationship. He wants to be in that relationship. He should be in that relationship. He DESERVES that relationship. He’s such a selfish person; he’d be awful at a relationship he doesn’t deserve it…but it made him oh so sad.
Sometimes he just run to the bathroom angrily crying and having to redo his makeup which takes forever, and it’s just an endless loop of that every day. It’s just so stupid. Stupid brain. Sometimes he’d go to his apartment (not the mike room) and just throw stuff around and kick his head around his room.
This day after he came back from his Mike shift it was the same song and dance. Pluey and Jongler were all cosy on the couch watching so movie from Mew Mew Kissy Cutie series (definitely wasn’t the sequel, Pluey wasn’t angry and Pluey hates the sequel).
“Oh hey boss! Youse back faster than I thought, do youse want to watch with us?” Jongler pointed to a spot on the couch that was empty. Battat felt his stomach feel awful, he wants to just run off and scream.
“Er- I’ll uh take off my costume first, then I can join in.” Battat had an excuse to leave for a bit, he only had the head of his costume removed. He entered the bedroom of the Mike room(s, there are multiple rooms in the mike area, Tenna just calls it the Mike room for some reason.) and he started to take it off, he tried to focus and not think of joining the others. Upper, lower, gloves. Upper, lower, gloves. Upper, lower,- why does his brain keep returning to the topic? Why are his eyes watery? Why does he feel his mascara running down.
After he took off his suit, he wiped his face and the mascara. his dumb emotions ruined his makeup entirely (except for their lipstick). So they just wiped of his eyeshadow and all with a cotton ball. He was so damn tired from his mike shift he just gave up on redoing it.
He stared at himself in the mirror he didn’t look like he dumb cried, so he left the room to join the others. He joined the others on the couch. He looked at them, they seemed so comfy. He wished to be part of that relationship. I mean Jongler wouldn’t be a bad partner- who would want to be in a relationship with him let alone a polycule? He’s just a dumb odd-no wrongly colored pippins, disgusting.
‘Just focus on the movie’ Battat thought. He didn’t realize his tailed turned to a heart, “Bats youse tail symbol thing can change?” Jongler pointed out as Battat finally noticed; Battat grabbed his tail embarrassed, not looking their direction.
“It’s um-it’s just just some dumb pippins thing, it’s dumb to explain.” Battat tried to avoid explaining his crush; if they knew and they didn’t reciprocate his feelings his only friendship would be awkward and ruined.
Jongler and Pluey were both interested(for some odd reason), but they wouldn’t press. Not him atleast.
Jongler and Pluey needed to ask someone about it. They weren’t close to any pippins that aren’t Battat, so that crosses off the most expected to know the answer, But Pluey was close to Ramb. Ramb knew a lot about the pippins; they went to his bar quite a lot so it makes sense that he knows that much about them.
So Pluey and Jongler ran to the bar while Battat was on his Mike shift so he didn’t see them asking. Pluey stared to talk in saxophone “Say, do you know something about the symbols of a Pippins tail?” Ramb looked up at them confused.
“Likes do youse know about whys a pippins tail can change from one symbol to another?” Jongler added.
“Well it’s not my job to say something they might not want, mate.” Ramb said, Pluey did puppy eyes(as best as he could without eyes and being a cat), Ramb was not very convinced, but Pluey wouldn’t stop.
Ramb sighed “Fine, fine I’ll explain.” Ramb did a pushing motion to push Pluey away from his face. “A pippins symbol depends on their emotions, but their normal symbol will always be there when an emotion doesn’t have a symbol.” Ramb explained.
“So what does each mean?” Pluey asked wanted to get her answer already.
“Specify.” Ramb wanted to know, as explaining each one would be boring and long if he said everything that they didn’t want.
“Heart.” Jongler answered.
“Ah…well it usually means love or well…um extreme joy? I mean I’m really not the best to ask but I’m pretty sure their tail would wag faster when it’s love? That’s all really.” Ramb finished.
Pluey and Jongler thanked him and left. They thought quite a bit before they realized-
“He’s wasn’t that happy was he’s?” Jongler questioned to Pluey, Pluey nodded and put his hand on his chin, thinking more. “That’s would mean?”
“He likes us? He was looking at us slightly when his tail was a heart.” Pluey finished slightly blushing kind of shocked. Jongler nodded also slightly blushing, “I mean he is lowkey hot.” Pluey added, Jongler thought for a second and agreed.
“We’s got to check first.” Jongler added on. Pluey did agree with that, but the answer of him liking them back was the most logical, they returned to the Mike room doing whatever they wanted while they waited for their shifts.
Battat’s shift finally finished; he returned to the Mike room looking around for Pluey since her shift was next, “There you are, it’s your shift now Pluey, go change.” Battat was very straightforward his tail didn’t change so maybe Pluey and Jongler’s conclusion was wrong.
Pluey ran off to change into his Mike costume, Battat took off his Mike suit and ran off to continue on his theory board, he seemed very consumed in his board. “What’s dis thing about, boss?” Jongler asked interested in the theory board since they really couldn’t understand it so asking for an explanation what it is is the best method.
Battat was slightly shocked since he thought he just looked insane to others and that no one cared about it. “Oh-umm this thing?” Battat asked; Jongler nodded, so Battat started to explain the whole thing. Jongler doesn’t think they’ve seen Battat this dedicated other than him explaining the whole Mike deal to them and Pluey so they could become Mikes. Explaining the theory board took so long that Pluey’s shift finished.
Pluey came back and waved very cheerfully to the two, Battat was clearly so out of it that he couldn’t act up his emotions as good as he would be able to, “Oh! Er-hey Pluey!” Jongler noticed the change in its tail symbol for a diamond to a heart and it started to wag faster than it was before. That was definitely some sort of confirmation.
Since both Pluey and Jongler don’t have genuine eyes that Battat could notice the both stared at each other noticing the tail nodding, they’d wait for a good time to ask him, that’d be after Battat’s night Mike shift. They’d have to have some time without him in the room so they could plan something to say to ask him. But it was Jongler’s shift now so they had to change in the costume.
Jongler and Pluey had something planned-ish out all they had to do was wait for Battat to be back from his Mike shift, and after a bit he finally finished his shift and came back.
Pluey and Jongler waved over to him, they were playing some sort of card game, Battat couldn’t see it that well but based off the colors they were playing ‘Ono’. Battat changed and they offered him to join them since they just finished a round; he was making some costumes for his genuine job(not Mike job) but Pluey’s Puppy-Cat eyes are very convincing to Battat.
In the Middle of the round Battat was kind of…out of it? He wasn’t paying attention probably lost in thought, his tail turned into a heart at some point in the game, “Boss? Boss, it’s youse turn.” Battat looks up embarrassed he did not have the color needed (green, how did he not have his own color), so he had to draw from the deck.
Because Pluey liked the idea of a really long game (or whatever evil being consumed her to add this rule) she added the rule ‘draw until match’ and poor Battat had to keep grabbing and grabbing. While he was stuck grabbing from the deck, Jongler started to talk, “Do youse like us?” Jongler very straightforward.
Battat looked up, and his cheeks turned green(his blood is green for some reason??? They turn green instead of red). “Huh? What-uh I mean yeah- we’ve been friends since the Mike thing started haven’t we?” Battat thought they meant platonically the other two were already in a relationship why would they ask him.
“I means romantically.” Jongler says, Battat turns greener and his tail wags faster.
“Huh-what-uh…No-Yes!-Frick-uh” Battat was not expecting the question he was awfully awkward he was dying mentally, he covered his face with his hands, why would they like him of all people he will die whether mentally or physically the world will decide.
Jongler and Pluey looked at Battat’s mental anguish, so Pluey did his best to calm him? “We like you back too!” Pluey said very casually; Battat looked at him and somehow turned even greener?(how???)
“ME?? I’M GREEN THOUGH??! I’M WEIRD-I UH- ME OF ALL PEOPLE?? I’M SURE THERE’S SOMEONE BETTER.”Battat rambled; he didn’t think they’d actually like him back. “I’M A PIPPINS THOUGH? ZAPPERS PIPPINS THEY DON’T-” Pluey shoved her finger in his mouth to shut him up.
“We don’t care; we’ll still like you for you! Green or not; pippins or not.” Pluey said to shut up his rambling to insure that they like him for him. Pluey and Jongler ‘smiled’ sweetly(Jongler doesn’t have a mouth but the expression overall was sweet.)
“…um-We should just-uhh…get back to the game.” Battat finally draws a green and places it, Pluey places her last card even though Battat swears she had more than one card last turn, “Ehh?? No way???” Battat just stared confused “You must’ve cheated?? No-uh.”
“I won, fair and square, anyways we should do something else; wanna watch something?” Pluey said very smugly gathering the cards. Did he cheat, did he not? It didn’t matter. They couldn’t continue anyways Pluey already grabbed and mixed up the cards.
Jongler turned on the Tv and shoved some VHS from the pile, Battat didn’t know which it was. Jongler and Pluey went on the couch first Battat went on the side where he usually does but Pluey grabs him and shoves him in the middle.
Pluey’s fur was so warm, he just felt warm for some reason. He was used to feeling cold, probably since he’s from another dark world something about turning to stone. But it was such a warm nice feeling, different from any other relationship he’s had somehow. He couldn’t put the feeling to words, well it was weird, Love… Love is definitely odd.