Chapter Text
AU where Leafy and Firey joined tpot, not making up til before right before tpot started, except Leafy never confronts him about treating him terribly even after they made up. Firey refuses to reflect and chooses his other friends over Leafy, refusing to lose what he earned. They still continue to talk in private and occasionally in public, but something just wasn't quite right, to Leafy at least.
In this AU Puffball and Barfbag stayed with four, their roles being replaced by Firey and Leafy.
Everyone was at the hotel discussing the recently ended challenge with their teammates and friends. Either they won or not it still felt pleasing to talk about trying strategies or trying to find new ones.
But the shaming guilt of the fact Firey and his team, Are You Okay, lost lingered over his head.
"Hey!" A robotic voice echoed from across the hotel.
Firey tilted his head away from Needle, who he had been previously talking to about their goals for the next challenge, to see a friend of his—or a team member—TV.
The team sat with TV off to the side, all of them a bit uneasy, but being eager to win the next challenge.
Firey shifted his glance back to his pointy friend, "See you later Needle! My team needs me right now."
Needle waved in a farewell, returning to her own team.
Firey's hand waved in response before joining the rest of his team.
His team was sitting in the right corner of the hotel with two couches sitting parallel of each other.
Tennis ball and Golf ball sat on the couch that was against the wall.
Fries stood up leaning on the back wall, uninteresting in anything his teammates had to say.
Eraser and Pen sat on the opposite couch, Eraser being directly on the sofa while pen sat on the couch arm next to him.
In attempt of Firey trying not to bother anyone else, he sat on the far right side of the couch. Thank god it was fire proof!
Eraser had his head resting on his hand, leaning on the left side of the couch.
Firey glanced at him before resting his eyes. Eraser must be tired from all the competing, Firey thought to himself. He doesn't seem like all that much of a good contestant.
Ever since Firey joined Are You Okay his life has felt easier. Every looked up to him—besides Golf ball and Tennis ball—, he assumed it was the fact he's the only winner. He felt like he had found himself within his team, as much as he loved his pre-split bfb friends, he was happy here.
Golf ball was first to speak once Firey settled in, "Our team needs to work harder!"
She looked directly at Eraser, narrowing her eyes. "We cannot afford another loss after this," Golf ball said in a lower voice than before.
Eraser's jaw clenched, sending a look right back at her.
Tennis ball struggled to end the awkward eye contact by changing the topic, "Has anyone had an onion recently?"
Great job Tennis ball… you're a idiot!
The gray sports ball was not pleased by the change of topic. "You know I don't like onions Tennis ball."
"What!" Tennis ball stumbled off the couch facing Golf ball, "Four and X serve wonderful onions!"
Golf ball suddenly wished she had hands, so she could punch his stupid ass! "How do you know? Four and X has all of their food exclusively to hotel guests."
The yellow-greenish ball turned into a different color. Red. Oh the feeling of being caught!
No one knew—at least not until now—he had been sneaking into the kitchen at night without anyone knowing to eat onions!
Once the shame wore off he spoke again, quieter than before, "Well… if you don't eat unions then what do you eat?"
A BIG smile went across Golf ball's face—one that reminded Firey of nickle—she spoke with pure excitement, "Oh you know! The good stuff, like gears and wires!"
This went on for quite a while, Firey decided to step away for a second. All the arguing can really burn a man out.
Firey stumbled his way towards the entrance, he noticed Leafy was standing not too far away.
His thoughts overwhelmed him. His thoughts of Leafy.
The poor fire wanted to go up to her but he couldn't risk his teammates asking why he's been hanging out with her. He's been working so hard to keep a relationship with eraser and pen—even if they don't talk much—what would they say?
Suddenly the feeling was cut off.
The one and only leaf was looking at Firey directly in the eyes.
shit. I must have been staring Firey looked away as soon as possible, not trying to draw any—well…anymore—attention from Leafy.
Welp. That didn't work.
Leafy looked back at her team and dismissed herself before approaching Firey.
Firey could tell from the her face she was relaxed from seeing Firey.
"Hey, cou…could I talk to you for a second old pal?" The lemon leaf played with her hands as she spoke to Firey
it wasn't unusual for Leafy to seem "uneasy" or anything, at least when she talked to Firey it wasn't. But just something about her seemed off—unusual—with the way she was standing—or maybe it was the way she was looking?
The orange flame gave a loose grin, trying to make Leafy comfortable. But the way his smile sat did not help the leaf, "You know, I was actually gonna go back to my team."
Firey tried backing away. But unfortunately for him, Leafy wasn't interested in his lies.
Her hand darted towards Firey's arm before they tightened around.
And it just so happened, that she didn't have a yoyleberry.
Ever since tpot started everyone has been seeing less and less yoyleberries, so unfortunately that meant Leafy getting too close to Firey was prohibited, same rules apply to any other flammable objects.
But of course to Leafy, those rules don't apply when your best friend is about to leave you.
The fire spun, facing the burning leaf before releasing from her grip.
"Leafy! Are you alright?" Firey panicked, maybe a little too loud. I mean, what else are you suppose to do when your best friend just burned herself trying to get your attention?
Every single team, together or not, was looking at the two.
One was a terrible friend.
One was a burned mess.
It was all his fault.