⚠️warnings⚠️: cursing, angst, negative thoughts and behavior, possible ooc, death, unnecessary aggression, etc
Shrimpo was never meant to find it. He never meant to find the letter. The letter that could change everything.
It had been a pretty normal day in Gardenview. Shrimpo had been stealing from rooms to slightly inconvenience people, essentially just being a little shit. After a full day of thievery, Sprout's room was his last stop for the day.
He started to come through Sprout's closet, noticing all he has was like fifteen identical scarves and one singular apron. Strange. After placing all the scarves on his curved head and turning to exit the room, a letter fluttered down from the top shelf.
"HUH." Shrimpo exclaims. He just stares at it, aggressively.
Eventually curiosity gets the best of him and he unfolds the strange paper, the scarves falling off his head in the process.
A confession letter? For him? From Sprout? What the fuck is going on?
Shrimpo rushed out of the room, note in hand, not noticing the scarf that had fallen on his shoulder, he wasn't very fast but it's the thought that counts. He couldn't let anyone else see this! What was Sprout thinking???
"Heya Shrimpo!" Dandy said, walking towards Shrimpo, hands behind his back in ease, trying to not stare at the scarf on Shrimpo's shoulder.
"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT." Shrimpo yelled at Dandy, hiding the letter behind his back.
"Finn died, sadly. We need to you to replace him for the next mission." Dandy simply started, no hint of emotion in his voice.
"TCH. FINE. JUST LEAVE ME ALONE." Shrimpo shrieked as he ran to his room.
After he made it to his room, he quickly slammed and locked the door. Stuffing the letter and scarf under his bed, mentally preparing for the dreaded run.
Approximately 30 minutes later...
"STUPID ASS RUN." Shrimpo whisper yelled to himself, walking towards the elevator.
There, he saw the team: Shelly, Goob, Rodger, Toodles, and Sprout. Wait. Sprout? Oh shit. It looked like Shelly had been crying... probably about Finn. Goob was trying to comfort her with his hugs. Rodger was trying to comfort Toodles, poor kid. And then Sprout... he looked sad... too sad for him. Shrimpo shook the thoughts away from his head, he had one goal, 'get this shit done.'
The elevator ride to the first floor was quiet. No one spoke, no one wanted to speak. Sprout had been watching Shrimpo this entire time, just staring. Floor after floor was like this. Staring, no talking. Though eventually, Sprout tried to talk to Shrimpo.
"Hey, how have you been holding up? I know you and Finn were close..." Sprout asked Shrimpo quietly.
"DON'T FUCKING TALK TO ME ABOUT FINN. I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT HIM." Shrimpo practically screamed at him.
Shrimpo was afraid to let him get close, knowing what he knew. Shrimpo wasn't a kind person, he knew it. He knew that he wouldn't be a good partner to Sprout or anyone. All he know is how to hurt, that's what he was taught.
Sprout knew his reaction was nothing new, that's how he was. But Sprout knew there had to be something past that, a heart under all that anger.
Sprout sighed before replying, "It's okay you know... to feel something other than anger? I'm honestly just worried you're gonna do something drastic."
"Hey... we'll get through this together," Sprout smiled trying to help Shrimpo to somehow make everything okay.
"GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OF ME YOU DISGUSTING STRAWBERRY!" Shrimpo shouted in anger, shoving Sprout to the ground, one of his hearts taken in the process.
Floor 20. The final floor.
Sprout darts out the elevator without another word. The others going to start working on machines to get this nightmare over. Shrimpo runs after him, again not very fast.
There Shrimpo finds him, standing in a very open area. He seems so tense, it's not like him at all.
"SPROUT. LISTEN. I DIDN'T M-"
Sprout suddenly pushes Shrimpo out of the way.
A twisted had snuck up on Shrimpo, Sprout had saved him, taking his own life in the process. Shrimpo watched the ichor leak from Sprout's body in horror. Why did he...
Just then the elevator opened, the others ran in, Goob pulling Shrimpo in before it closed.
"Not again..." Shelly quietly said to herself, she had started to cry again.
Shrimpo just stood there. It felt like the people around his faded, like he was alone. He couldn't even imagine this happening. Sure, toons have been dying more often but... not Sprout... The elevator chimed again. They were back at Gardenview.
Everyone had silently exited the elevator, heads hung. Shrimpo immediately went back to his room. Not feeling up to talk to anyone. He shut and locked the door, a habit he picked up so long ago. He dug out Sprout's scarf that he had stolen and wrapped himself up in it, it smelled faintly of strawberries. He also pulled out the note, tears falling on the paper as he reads it's contents again:
I never thought would experience love, not like this. Whenever I see you... I feel like my stomach twists up, but in a good way! I've never felt like this before. The truth is, I want you, I want you on your good and bad days, your scars, your pain, your imperfections, your mistakes. I want you, only you. Give me all of you and I'll accept with open arms!
"DUMBASS.... NOW YOU CAN NEVER TELL HIM HOW YOU FEEL." Shrimpo said as he sobbed onto the scarf. The other toons could hear his sobs, but he didn't care. He just wanted Sprout back.
