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“Please- sprout just this one thing? You know he needs to learn how to solo run and you are the best solo runner here!”
“No, cosmo. You know I never say no to you, but DOING A DUO RUN WITH SHRIMPO? I will tear his second pair of arms off.” Sprout shook his head.
Cosmo sighed, “I mean- I could ask Goob? He’s nice to everyone-“
“Shrimpo might tear his only pair of arms off by the end of it.”
Cosmo sighed again. Sprout was right. They’ve gone through everyone. Every single toon, nobody likes Shrimpo.
Nobody besides-
“Wait! What about Finn? Aren’t they kind of friends?”
Sprout and Cosmo thought for a minute. It wasn’t a bad idea, not at all. Finn was the only person who enjoyed being around Shrimpo that Shrimpo doesn’t threaten on the daily.
“I’ll go ask- will you finish making my cupcakes for the run?” Sprout asked, taking his apron and gloves off.
“You got it, sprout!” He smiled and nodded, standing on his toes to reach and give sprout a quick peck.
Sprout laughed, “Stop- you’re going to get flour on my face! I need to go get Finn before our run.“
“Fine… so you don’t love me anymore-“
“Oh come here!” Sprout laughed again, pulling Cosmo into a kiss. Cosmo smiled and pushed sprout away.
“Okok- go ask Finn now!”
-
Finn slumped on the couch watching older Dandy’s World episodes. Just as his eyes were starting to flutter closed, he heard quick footsteps coming his way.
“FINN!” Sprout ran, breathing heavily with his hands in his knees.
Finn jumped up, terrified, “DID SOMETHING HAPPEN? IS A TWISTED HERE??” He asked with the most concern sprout has ever heard from him.
Sprout laughed, standing up fully to look at Finn. “No, Finn, nothing like that happened. I just had a quick question.”
Finn tilted his head, standing up from the couch and stretching, “Water you going to ask?”
Sprout took a deep breath, “Would you please go on a duo run with Shrimpo? He is like the only toon that can’t go solo besides the kids and you are the only person who tolerates him!!!” He begged, shutting his eyes tight to avoid looking Finn in the eyes.
Finn shrugged, “Shore, I have no plans.” He sat back down onto the couch, going back to watching whatever episode was on TV.
Sprout stood still- even though Finn didn’t mind Shrimpo, he didn’t expect him to just… accept it like that?? “Oh okay, I’m going back to help Cosmo bake I guess. Oh also youhavetoconvinceshrimpo byeee!”
Finn sighed, well karp, he’s had bigger fish to fry! He stood up and stretched his arms and tail before turning the TV off and walking to Shrimpo’s room.
-
Finn knocked on the wall next to Shrimpo’s door frame, “Shrimpo?”
Finn peered inside Shrimpo’s room and spotted him punching his punching bag. He wasn’t wearing what he usually wore. His shorts were a little longer and he wore an extremely form fitting shirt.
Shrimpo looked up and spotted Finn. He stretched his arms before talking off his gloves while walking to see Finn.
“Sorry for dropping by on such shore-t notice, Sprout wanted me to invite you to a run!” Finn spoke quickly, trying to avoid the Shrimp’s eye contact. He didn’t really expect Shrimpo to have as much muscle as he does.
“Ugh. I hate runs. Everyone messes up so much and they are so annoying and the twisteds-“
“Oh, it’s just us going.”
Shrimpo looked up at Finn, “oh.”
Finn stood still, still avoiding his gaze. What the karp does ‘oh’ mean?! “Yeah- water you say?” Finn smiled, looking down and Shrimpo and finally meeting his eyes.
Shrimpo looked at Finn’s slightly flushed face and laughed, “oh what the hell, why not. I hate runs but I guess going with not sprout is eh.” Shrimpo started walking out, going to the elevator.Finn smiled again, following after Shrimpo (which, admittedly, is not a hard feat).
The two stepped into the elevator to head to the lobby. Finn started going on about random fun ocean facts. Shrimpo could not care less, but he didn’t start yelling about how they were stupid. That would have been a waste of time.
Soon, the elevator stopped and the toons got off. Finn stopped talking when he saw a bunch of other toons.
“Heh- uh- it’s like a whole school of fish out here, right..?” He frowned slightly.
Shrimpo looked up, confused. He hated his facts and all but he just… shut up when he saw everyone else?
“Yeah, I guess. I hate crowds.” Shrimpo responded. The two walked past sprout and his group but soon got stopped by them.
“Oh, Finn! You convinced him?” Cosmo smiled.
Finn nodded, “Yeah! I don’t know why you came to me instead of just having someone like sprout though, he’s the best at solos!”
Cosmo laughed awkwardly, “You just… uh-“
Sprout cut in, “You work so well together! Right Cosmo?” Cosmo nodded frantically, responding with many ‘yes!’ And ‘of course’-s.
Sprout handed Finn a few items in a bag, “Here, mostly for Shrimpo. It has heals and two flashlights.”
Finn smiled and took the bag, “I’ll use them when needed. Thank you, sprout!” The group (besides Shrimpo) exchanged goodbyes and the duo went into an elevator.
As the door shut, Shrimpo sighed, catching Finn off guard. “Uh- Shrimpo? You reel-ing fine over there?”
“Why did you stop talking when we got to the lobby- and why didn’t you make any puns???” Shrimpo questioned, his tail slapping the ground slightly.
Finn froze up. He didn’t know how to respond. “They just, don’t like my puns or facts! That’s it.”
Shrimpo’s tail seemed to start wagging faster, “For fucks sake- I HATE YOUR PUNS AND FACTS TOO?! What makes me any different.”
Finn started scratching his arm. He had no idea how to respond to this. “Well I mean- you let me fin-ish them most of the time, they usually don’t. I don’t think anyone reel-y likes my facts.” He said with a saddened tone. His ears flopped down as his head turned down.
The elevator door opened and Finn walked out sulking. Shrimpo did not like this, but there was nothing he could do when they were already on the floor. Shrimpo followed Finn around instead of going the other way to try and find another machine.
“Finn, it’s a duo machine.”
Finn looked up with a slight smile, walking over to the machine. He started to fill up the machine but was quickly pulled off by Shrimpo.
“I’m not letting you do this machine till you stop sulking. I hate when people sulk.”
Finn flushed red, turning around and going back to the machine. “Reel-y, I’m fine. We need to focus on you- this run is to help you!”
Shrimpo rolled his eyes and started doing the machine. He hated a lot of things. He hated machines, extracting, elevators, and literally everything else. He hated when toons decide to be stupid and not talk about their feelings when they need to. It creates more steps to something so simple that he is amazing at.
Once the machine finished, Finn started to make his way to find another but was quickly pulled back by Shrimpo.
“No.“
“What???” Finn was confused, very confused.
“Talk.”
“Shrimpo-“
“I hate excuses.”
Shrimpo grabbed Finn’s shoulders, looking in his eyes, “FINN. You know I don’t ask for anything. Hell, I yell at everyone. For the love of god, please tell someone what’s wrong. It doesn’t have to be me.”
Finn looked at Shrimpo then sighed, “I have nobody, Shrimpo. I’m annoying. I hate being this. Why is it the one toon everyone seems to hate and swear is rude is the only toon I can be me to?”
Finn started to tear up. He wiped his eyes and slid onto the ground up against a wall. “Shrimpo, why am I like this?”
Shrimpo looked down at Finn before sliding down the wall and sitting next to him.
“I don’t think you’re annoying.”
Finn looked to the side, tears falling down his glass. Shrimpo looked back, moving his hand up to Finn’s face. Shrimpo stroked his thumb across Finn’s face, wiping the tears away.
“You’re just lying to make me feel better.” Finn responded, more tears falling down his face.
Shrimpo moved in front of Finn. He grabbed Finn’s face with his upper arms, making Finn look at his face.
“Stop talking that way. I am not a lier. I might be an asshole, but I don’t lie- well not about stuff like this. You aren’t annoying at all. You are the smartest toon I’ve ever met. You brought a smile to every child’s face when they realized someone else is like them. You are smart, charismatic, and kind.”
Shrimpo sighed, stroking his thumb across the other’s face. Finn rested his head, letting it lay on Shrimpo’s left hand.
“Why do you deal with me?”
“…Finn,” Shrimpo took his hands off of Finn’s face. He looked away then back at Finn.
“Finn, you are the most beautiful toon. You glow, your shine is bright, it’s like the sun. I love you. Not just your looks, but your stupid puns and facts. I love you.”
Finn looked at Shrimpo, tears welling in his eyes again. He fell forward, splashing water on Shrimpo’s chin.
“Shrimpo, I love you too.”
Finn looked up, grabbing Shrimpo’s face. He pulled Shrimpo down, kissing his lips. Shrimpo, though shocked, returned the kiss, leaning in and grabbing Finn’s head with his upper arms.
Finn pulled away, crying again, “I-I’m sorry bud- not reel-y shore why I’m crying-“
Shrimpo kissed Finn’s tears then wiped up his cheek, “Just a lot of shit I guess. Come on, let’s finish that last machine and we can talk elsewhere.”
Shrimpo pulled Finn up to his feet and they wandered around the floor, avoiding all Twisteds.
After the final machine was complete, the two go in the elevator and immediately told dandy they wanted to go back.
“You literally completed 4 machines- Finn I know you can do more solo-“
“I HATE YOUR VOICE.” Shrimpo yelled, trying to change the topic.
Finn laughed quietly as the two bickered. He felt better. It’s going to take time for him to feel complete, but at least he isn’t wanting to die.
“Come on, Shrimpo- the elevator is open! Leave poor dandicus alone!” Finn laughed again, pulling Shrimpo’s wrists out of the elevator.