you big bully. THAT . . .

Finn Flounder || Twenty-Three || Day Care Teacher || Pansexual || Non-Magical

Everyone in Walt Grove that was in her age bracket seemed to know the triplets in one way or another, and it was definitely beginning to feel very weird to Webby. Not because she was on bad terms with everyone - quite the opposite, she liked to think - but because more often than not, her nights were spent alone in the mansion knowing that the boys were out with someone. They of course had their own lives to live, and she didn’t want to intrude, but she wanted to share in the fun too. So, she’d reached out. Again and again, it becoming incredibly easy to find someone who knew someone else, and everyone sort of interlinked. That’s how she found Finn after her injury, mutual friends leaving her his phone number to text and set up a catch-up date with.

His smile and genuine, sweet tone made her over the moon, the smile not fading and even dissolving into a giggle as he inspected her forehead. “ Well, I had a very good, very thorough nurse, ” she replied teasingly, brushing a strand of her own hair away from her face. · “ My new year has been good so far. Two months in and no major drama to speak of, ” she told him optimistically. “ School’s going good. We’re currently learning about the history of Japanese dynasties - we’re at the Meiji Period at the moment. ” It was definitely an interesting topic, but it was very in-depth, a lot of work and remembering. “ What about you ? How’re the kids and Sunnyside ? ” she asked in return. · “ Here, c’mon, I’ll go up with you ! ” She nodded toward the counter, the menu above it all fancy calligraphy and pretty white trim. “ Our seat is saved with my bag, it’s all good. ” In terms of recommendations, she thought about it for a moment. “ Well, their hot tea is always nice. It’s been pretty chilly, so it’ll make you feel nice and cozy. I always recommend the jasmine tea with a splash of milk, or the lavender with a shot of lemon, ” she offered. “ The rose-honey is an iced tea - I only drink hot drinks if I really need to. They tend to make me cry. ” It was a very strange, sad, involuntary response her body had with warm, comforting drinks.·

-·

He didn't questioned how Webby knew what number to use in order to contact him when he hadn’t given it to her back when they had first met. If anything, Finn assumed it was Huey who had given it to her. Besides, it was really nice to have gotten a text from Webby, happy to not only hear from her after it being a while, but was excited to see her as well. It also felt nice that she wanted to see him too, and hopefully that means this would be the beginning of a nice friendship between the two of them.·

It may have came off as a little forward of him when he inspected her forehead, yet when Webby didn’t seem to mind Finn doing so, he smiled even brighter at her. “Can’t take a-all the credit. I had a great patient too, who let me tend to her even when she didn’t have to.” He spoke right back, allowing his arms to drop back towards his sides. “After all that happened l-last year? Starting the new year with no major drama sounds like a-a great thing. Hope that continues to happen, and n-no more accidents for you as well.” Finn added, as if he could do anything to prevent Webby from getting hurt again. And from what he recalled the last time, she was use to that kind of stuff. “The Meiji Period? D-Don’t think I remember learning about that.” Finn mused, only for him to shake his head right after. “Things could be better.” He confessed, now with his smile turning fainter. “Received some news t-that wasn’t exactly thrilling to hear, especially from one friend who I won’t be able t-to see for sometime now.” Finn sighed, yet he tried to keep the positive attitude for Webby. “But other than t-that, my New Year has been okay. Getting to see the kids again by far i-is the best part, i-in fact me and some other teachers are planning on a zoo trip for all our kids sometime when Spring hits.”

After he finished saying that, the pair made their way towards the counter, and as they did, Finn listened as Webby gave a couple of recommendations. The jasmine tea also sounded good to him, and he was about to say he might go for that one when she mentioned how hot drinks made her cry. “C-Cry? Why’s that? Is it because they’re so hot, they steam and t-the steam of it irritates your eyes?” He questioned, now looking at her with slight concern. “Maybe y-your eyes are sensitive to steam?”·

    “Dude, no way.” Despite having just admitted a minute ago that he hadn’t smiled genuinely in a long time, the idea Finn presented of building their own course immediately brought a shine to his face. He didn’t even know exactly what his friend had in mind, but the details didn’t matter. The simple concept of constructing their own personal playground had him psyched; boys really would be boys after all was said and done. He clapped Finn on the back and then hopped up, rubbing his hands together in excitement. Then he paused.

    “…How do we make a golf course? I don’t even have a back yard.” Maybe his friend owned a plot of land somewhere, but there was something telling Nibs that that was not the case. Exactly what did he have in mind, then? An indoor mini-golf arena with plastic cups and ping pong balls? A lot less cool, but he’d still be willing to play—it was still worlds better than sitting around, doing nothing but moping. 

-

As a daycare teacher, Finn has learned a thing or two on how to make a boring situation into a creative and fun one. Especially on days where it was raining and his kids couldn’t go outside for recess— those moments required a lot of imagination and teamwork just so all of the kids could have fun and not feel restless. This was kinda like that, and watching as Nibs smiled at his suggestion, the older smiled in return, going as far as to laugh when clapped on the back. 

Finn looked guilty - like, guilty guilty - and Adella could only grimace as she reached out to pat his shoulder. She had to love how oblivious the boy could be. Even if it did end him in situations like this one. At the very least, he was able to admit now that he might not have been so in the right. Most assholes never wanted to admit they were assholes. Finn wasn’t some narcissist. He probably just got swept up in the moment.

“A little bit of an asshole move, honey, yeah.” She wasn’t going to lie to him. “Would it make you feel better if I told you I made out with a waiter and I only know his name because he wrote his number down for me?” Champagne problems, to say the least. She’d be avoiding the Dom for a while. “…Do you like this Moana girl, too?”·

-

When Adella confirmed that it was, in fact, an asshole move, Finn let his head fall against his hands before he shook his head at himself. “I’m such an idiot……” He said, his words muffled by his hands yet it was audible enough to be heard. Wow, he really could not believe he had done that. Actually, no, he could believe that he did it because this wasn’t the first time he’s kissed two people on the same day before. But usually that’s when he’s at a bar or a club, when he’s drunk or something like that. But not in some important event like a ball where he had a date who wasn’t Ariel!·

“It would….. but y-you also weren’t there with a date, so it’s fine that you didn’t know the waiter’s name cause now you do……” Finn sighed, removing his face away from his hands yet he leaned against the table. He was frowning, but more so to himself than at Adella. And then she asked him another difficult question— did he like Moana too? Finn shrugged. “….I don’t know. I mean, we only met at the ball so, I-I don’t really know her like that. She was nice, and she’s really pretty but…..” There had been no romantic feelings when he kissed Moana. Then again, couldn’t he say the same when he kissed Darla too?

Huey let out a deep, defeated sigh as he held his head in his hands, stabling himself for a moment. He never imagined having to turn anyone down, certainly not one of his best friends. As much as Finn told him not to worry, not to feel bad, it made Huey feel worse. How was he supposed to continue as friends with Finn when the only thing he would ever be thinking about would be how painful this moment of rejection was? Huey was horrible at saying no, clearly, and if that’s what Finn wanted, though, that’s what they’d do: stay friends. “I can’t be happy and not worry about your feelings at the same time,” he said frustratedly, finally lifting his head. “All I ever want is for you to be happy, too, and I … can’t give you that. I want to be able to, I do, but I don’t know how to.” Huey felt defeated, and what made it worse was that he could tell that Finn was, too. They were just two people afraid of hurting each other, and they were hurting themselves in the process.·

-

By this point, the most Finn could do was ruefully smile at Huey. They both had just agreed that they should’ve been honest with each other, and while he did find that to be true, Finn was now starting to wonder that maybe it would’ve been better if he hadn’t been so honest. There was a weight lifted off of his shoulders now that he had been able to verbally express how he feels, but if it meant not having to see Huey be frustrated at not being able to do anything about Finn’s feelings, than the older would gladly choose to keep how he felt all to himself. Sure, it would make having to smile and act like he was truly okay with seeing Huey and Olivia together hurt a lot more because he never took the risks in letting the other know how he felt, but it would’ve been something he could deal with if it meant Huey wasn’t burdened by the same reason. Opening his mouth to apologize yet again, the older was cut off at the phrasing of Huey’s words. “What…… What do you m-mean by you want to?” Finn cautiously asked, afraid of what he was about to say next. “You shouldn’t want to if you d-don’t….” ·

   “No, it’s nothing you’ve done,” Darla assured him, feeling very much like this was a break-up even though they had never been going out. It’s not you, it’s me—only it was true, not just an age-old excuse meant to spare his feelings. Of course, she did want to protect his feelings as much as possible, and not put the blame for her mental state on him; what was he supposed to have done differently anyway, not be so sweet, cute and likable? “I mean, you didn’t do anything besides be yourself,” she explained, shaking her head. “It’s my own fault that I started having feelings for you. You’ve been a really good friend, Finn, but it’s hard for me to separate that from…wanting more. And—and with my history with Nico…it’s just best for both of us that I take a step back and don’t see you for a while. I don’t want to chase you away, the way I did him. If you could just remember our friendship as a positive thing, that would make me really happy.”

    She was trying. Darla wanted to be the kind of person who could live a normal life, have normal friendships and maybe someday fall in love with somebody without becoming a monster in the process. It was painful to take the steps that would lead her down this road of recovery, but it was necessary—and with the courage granted her by several weeks of dedicated therapy and the knowledge that she still had friends around who cared about her, she could manage to let go of the one she felt she loved to ensure that she would never hurt him.

-

“It’s my own fault that I started having feelings for you.” It was ironic, how Finn had said something similar to Huey the other day after finally being honest with his feelings for not only himself, but for the two of them even when knowing that it’ll only result with a rejection. But now, hearing those words being said to him and by Darla— yet another very close friend of his, Finn didn’t know what to say. For a long time now, he hadn’t been so sure to whether she had liked him as more than a friend or not. In a way, he had suspected that she did because no matter how many times he would find himself thinking that Darla was just being herself when around him, it was hard to also not say that some of her actions hadn’t been a little questionable. And yet, it wasn’t until after the ball had happened and having Adella point out to Finn how kissing someone else at the ball when he was there as Darla’s date would upset her, did he start believing that she might actually have some kind of feelings for him. For crying out loud, the two of them had even kissed!

“I am being so serious!” Moana said, laughing awkwardly again. “I hardly leave the beach and my own home. I mean the beach is more like my home than my own home these days…” She knew that sounded lame. Goodness, all she wanted to do was not sound lame every time she had the potential to make a new friend. “I guess I should order a turnover then if that’s the hot item here.” And she did, only stumbling over her words a little bit as she did so. Not good, but not so bad that she couldn’t redeem herself. “I am a sucker for a good sweet, honestly. My gramma used to make the best kawakawa tea cakes….my stomach rumbles just thinking about them!” She sighed. “I am talking about myself way too much. Please stop me when that happens I don’t even like talking about myself! Umm…like, so how are you doing? What’s going on with the smoothest guy in Walt Grove?”

-

“That’s a first.” Finn mused, as he stared at Moana with a surprised look on his face. Most of the people he knew has been to the Lucky Cat Cafe at least once before so hearing Moana admit that this was the first time she’s been here was new for him. At the same time, he smiled a little, happy to be able to show her one of the bests places within town. “You h-have to get it— you’ll regret it if you don’t. I’ll regret it if you don’t, and now that I know that y-you’ve never been here before, I’m making sure you try one. I’ll pay!” He stated with a slight chuckle. As she brought up the tea cakes her grandmother use to make, Finn’s brows knitted together at the name. “A kawakawa?” He repeated, hoping that he said it right, having never heard of that kind of pastry before. Before Finn could ask that, Moana’s following words had him stuttering. “S-Smoothest guy? Me? Noooooo, you got me a-all wrong I-I’m not that smooth or anything l-like that.” He nervously laughed.

· · The way he looked at her mad her heart melt, and she considered that she might just forget about telling him everything that was happening and go on like nothing was wrong. She wished he would keep talking about himself instead of asking about her, because Darla had to confess the truth as much as she was dreading it. “Actually…” she started, shifting her gaze down to her hands in her laps, because it was only going to be harder to say what she needed to if she was looking at his well-loved face. “I’ve been going to counseling. I haven’t told you about any of this—actually, I didn’t admit to myself that there was a problem until recently. My mental health isn’t exactly stellar,” she explained, easing into the bigger story. Reliving everything that had happened with Nico (everything she had done, really) wasn’t going to help at this point, but she had to give Finn enough details so that he understand where she was coming from when she told him she couldn’t see him anymore—for his sake and her own. After revealing that much, she concluded, “So I don’t think we can be friends right now, at least until I get better.”

-·

Finn seemed a little offended, maybe annoyed even - but hey, these were pretty fair questions for someone who was going around kissing multiple people in the same night. This was why some people wound up in trouble, after all. Kissing wasn’t something so casual to everyone. In fact, plenty made a big deal of it. So the question was, why was Finn kissing Moana when he liked Darla? Did he like Moana too?

Adella was about to ask, but Finn honestly surprised her by telling her that Darla didn’t even know he’d kissed someone else. She couldn’t help but grimace then, feeling pain for the girl. She’d been in similar situations and it always hurt. A lot.

For a moment, she didn’t even know what to say. But then she took a deep breath, and started calmly. “So, you kissed a girl that you had just met… and didn’t tell Darla.” Tilting her head, she gave Finn A Look. “And you don’t see what’s so scandalous about all of this? Finn, isn’t Darla going to be upset that you kissed someone else?”·

-·

He never told Darla about kissing Moana because he didn’t think there was a reason for him to. It wasn’t like he and Darla were at the ball as a couple or were ending to leave there as one. At least, that wasn’t the kind of mindset that Finn had when he agreed to go with Darla. It never crossed his mind to think that when there was someone else he already liked.

But Finn had the decency to look guilty when Adella pointed out how him not telling Darla about it would upset her. Oh no. He didn’t think of that as well. It would look bad for him to kiss Darla at midnight, only for him to go off and kiss someone else, wouldn’t it? It didn’t matter if it had been intentionally, Darla was his date— as in his date, date to the ball, so she would get upset if she found out about him kissing Darla, wouldn’t she? At that, Finn felt even more guilty.

“Yeah…..she would.” He admitted, shifting his gaze down at the table rather than looking at Adella. “I mean, w-we didn’t go to the ball being exclusive to each other or a-anything, and I’m not sure if that’s something she wants from me. But— it was an asshole m-move for me to kiss Moana right after kissing Darla, wasn’t it?”·

Huey wasn’t totally sure if he’d ever hear the words come out of his friend’s mouth, but there they were: spoken and out in the open. Finn·liked·him. It was kind of obvious, but it wasn’t something that he ever wanted to have to face like this: bluntly, to his face. He took a big breath, resorting to biting the inside of his cheeks to keep himself from saying something stupid in the middle of Finn’s admission. “You don’t have to apologize,” he blurted as he tried to keep himself from speaking. Why did Finn think he needed to say·sorry·for having a crush on him? If anything, Huey should’ve been the one sorry for choosing Olivia over him. “I’m·sorry. I shouldn’t have led you on or anything, and I should’ve been honest. Maybe we both should’ve been, but I knew it was going to hurt,” he sighed, running his hand through his hair. “I don’t know what else to say besides that I’m sorry. You deserve … everything in the world, and I’m sorry that I can’t give that to you, I guess,” Huey said weakly with a shrug.

-

This wasn’t the way Finn imagined he would confess his feelings towards Huey. There wasn’t any way he imagined confessing because he had no intentions of ever doing so. Then again, he was never secretive about his growing feelings either, he only tried to minimize them for the sake of not wanting to make his friend uncomfortable by having to deal with them. And now with his feelings out in the open between them, Finn still wasn’t expecting Huey to do anything about them. He just said them because he wanted to be honest, but hearing Huey apologize again, the older shook his head at him. “Led me on? You did none of that.” Finn emphasized, frowning at the way Huey felt like he had to blame himself for this. “ You h-have been honest with me. And that’s what makes this harder because I s-should’ve stopped myself from feeling this way when you’ve always been honest about how you felt.” But he agreed that maybe he should’ve been honest himself. Maybe if Finn had been sooner, none of this would be confusing or conflicting for Huey, and he didn’t want him feeling that way. Just because everything was out in the open like this didn’t mean he was to blame for liking someone else more. “You should like w-whoever you want to like. Don’t feel guilty for liking Liv. I didn’t tell you how I feel because I’m expecting you to suddenly c-change your mind and choose me instead. I don’t want that and I don’t want y-you to force your feelings. What I want is you to be happy and for you not to worry about my feelings.”·

    It wasn’t terrible advice; just let yourself feel. Better than bottling up all his rage and heartbreak and exploding from the pressure some unfortunate day…that was the alternative, wasn’t it? The only problem was that usually he poured his emotions into his music, channeling them into something therapeutic—but ever since he had been dumped, he hadn’t felt the same muse he used to whenever he picked up his guitar. He still played for a living, but he hadn’t been able to write anything lately, his creative process hampered by the heartbreak.

    The idea to go golfing was easy to accept. It would be a half-decent way to blow off some steam, he supposed, and he was half-decent at the sport only because of the summer he and Tootles had spent caddying at the country club. But he didn’t have a membership, and it would surprise him if Finn did either, so he wondered what exactly the guy had in mind. “Sure. Is there anywhere to golf around here that’s not…too expensive?” he asked. 

-

It may be easier said than done. As someone who didn’t know the full extent to what his friend was feeling since only Nibs knew how he felt, letting himself feel may not be the best advice to give, but it was one that Finn felt like was best to do. Because bottling your emotions up for however long never does anyone good, and after time and time again of seeing Ariel’s past heartbreaks and her sisters and watching them hold it all inside, it never ends well. Heck, even Finn himself knows that at some point he’ll need to start being honest about his own feelings unless he wanted them to get worst as well.

Things between him and Huey may have been a little tensed, but none had anything to do with Webby. Then again, the way both he and the blonde had met alone could’ve caused the second time they meet to become tensed as well— she had gotten injured to the point where she needed to be tended, and despite not knowing who she was at the time, that didn’t stop Finn from worrying over her. Which in hindsight, now that he has time to think it all over and reevaluate how severe her cut had been, he will admit that he may have overly reacted a little. And yet, Webby had still stayed and allowed him to take care of her injury. It may not have been the best first impression one can have with someone else, but it was a memorable one and Finn’s glad to be able to see Webby again.

Walking into the Potts Tae Shoppe, a smile made it’s way on his face at the sight of her. “It’s g-good to see you too, Webby!” He laughed as a greeting, hugging her right back. Once they pulled back, Finn inspected the place where she had gotten hurt the last time they met. “Looks like y-your cut had healed and didn’t scar, which is always a good t-thing.”  He commented. “Happy belated New Years to you t-too, has it been a good one for y-you so far?” Finn’s smile turned gentler as he shook his head. “No, I need to take a l-look on what they have first. A rose-honey tea sounds good t-though, maybe I’ll get the same unless you h-have other recommendations?”

“You’re welcome.” Finn replied with a smile as he took a seat across from Moana. After meeting her at the ball, he found that he quite liked Moana’s company. They had spent some time talking to one another, and though it had been a little short, he thought she was cool and nice. They had even kissed sometime after midnight, and while it was a casual kiss with no other ulterior meaning behind it, Finn had thought that he wouldn’t mind seeing her again. Maybe get to know her more and hopefully one day solidify an actual friendship with her. So he was glad when Moana accepted his offer to go to the Lucky Cat with him when he had invited her to it. “Wait, seriously? This is like o-one one of the best cafe’s around town.” Finn blinked, having never heard of someone who hadn’t came to the Lucky Cat at least once.  “You need to try t-the turnovers from here then, the ones back at the b-ball are nothing compared to what the owner makes here.”

Finn was so embarrassed, it was adorable. His cheeks were rosy and he kept looking around all nervous, and Adella couldn’t help but laugh. She’d keep things a little quieter for his sake from now on, but it was still cute to see him squirm a little. Over someone who wasn’t her sister!

“I guess it’s only as scandalous as the two people see it, huh?” Typically someone would take an issue. “Was your date okay with that? I thought you liked her - Darla, right?” Had she gotten something wrong here? “Why did you also kiss Moana? Did she know you had a date?”

Adella was just so surprised to hear Finn was going around kissing girls at midnight, and none of them were Ariel.·

-·

“I do like Darla.” Finn claimed, looking a little offended that Adella was even asking him that. Of course he liked Darla, she was one of his closes friends and the two of them had a great time at the ball together. Granted, his feelings towards Darla was more platonic than anything else and knowing Adella, she was most likely referring romantically, but still. He liked her.

“I w-wouldn’t kiss someone I didn’t like, you should know that by now….” but as he was asked the following question, he fell silent.·

Truth was, Finn hadn’t told Darla about kissing Moana. “Actually,…..no, she doesn’t know.” He admitted, feeling his face flush even more, but now due to another reason. “I didn’t tell her I h-had kissed someone else, but in fairness, kissing Moana wasn’t something I o-originally intended to do. I mean, we both had literally met that night!”·

· ·Finn asked where she wanted to meet up and Darla frowned, not because she didn’t want to see him, but because it would only make all of this so much harder. Perhaps it was better if they didn’t meet up in person at all, but at the same time she couldn’t bear to break up with him over the phone—not that they were actually together, but a friendship break-up was just as hard as that of an actual relationship, and Finn in particular deserved better than to have this news broken over mobile. So she told him to meet her at the park and headed out, waiting until he arrived, at which point the sight of him automatically brought a smile to her face before she tamed it down and greeted him with a small wave. “Hi, Finn. Thanks for coming on such short notice. It’s important for me to tell you this…How have you been?” She was stalling, not wanting to rush into goodbye now that he was actually here in front of her.

-