#terrell tentacles

Started this a while back; here’s what my OCs would look like in the Patrick Star show era!! (Along with my personal headcanons for transfem Sandy and transmasc Squidward.)

Plankton tries to break into the Krusty Krab as usual with a brand-new weapon/invention. As usual. SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs are in the kitchen because the former keeps sneaking Patrick krabby patties (who’s also there). Squidward is at his post, waiting for the shenanigans to be over and watching Terrell. Riley’s at their gift shop, anxious as always. Sandy’s arguing with Plankton about his invention because it looks unstable. (While holding and watching Ellie.)

Plankton gets annoyed because Mr. Krabs is ignoring him. He turns on the machine…

And it explodes. The machine explodes and the entire building is brought down and the floor also collapses. Everyone- SpongeBob, Patrick, the customers- are brought down into the depths under the restaurant, and debris is everywhere, nearly trapping them.

Imagine Patrick was hit really bad and he’s not regenerating like he normally can because he’s partially unconscious. Imagine SpongeBob frantically trying to bandage him up and find Mr. Krabs, who’s close nearby but he can only tell where his boss is because he hears his voice through the rubble. Imagine Mr. Krabs trying to yell through the busted wood and brick how to stop the bleeding and keep Patrick awake, but SpongeBob is so scared his hands keep shaking and they can all hear pained moans and cries from the customers, adding to the stress until SpongeBob can’t take it anymore.

Imagine Sandy trying to navigate the wreckage with a terrified Ellie who’s crying for her dads, and then finding Plankton. Imagine they now both have to use their brain power to figure out where in the basements they are, and finding groups of injured customers nearby. Imagine Sandy having to find a way to escape the restaurant-landfill, protect her niece, and also keep the customers from lynching Plankton because even though she wants to do the same, she needs him and can’t take the pressure at some point.

Lastly, imagine Squidward trapped in an unknown room with nowhere to go until help arrives, Terrell and Riley by him. Imagine Terrell clinging to his chest tightly and crying, confused and just wanting to go home. Imagine Squidward halfway to panicking himself and having no idea what to do. Imagine Riley, who’s almost a statue with their scales frozen and not even their tongue flicking out like normally when they’re nervous. Imagine at some point Terrell goes to sleep, but then a piece of wood or metal falls down on the opposite end of the room and Riley jumps, suddenly clutching Squidward’s shirt by his side, and Squidward wanting them to let go but then looks down and sees their face. Imagine Riley, an independent 14-year-old who’s faced angry mobs, discrimination, and other horrors before and gotten away with barely a scratch, whispering in a broken, little-kid voice:

“I’m scared.”

And Squidward freezing for a while, then slowly exhales and loops a comforting, uncle-like arm around Riley and gently patting their shoulder.

“…I know.” He whispers back, holding the two kids closer.

“…I’m scared too.”

Really loving these kinds of questions!!! :D

I’d say for Terrell specifically it took a few months, since Squidward’s house was a lot different than the one he was used to, but the more he wasn’t treated as a “troubled child” and he was surrounded by people who really cared about him, he got comfortable in Bikini Bottom really quickly. There were a few events that brought the two cousins a lot closer, like Terrell’s brush with a bad fever and the small book he made for Squidward that I’d say moved it along. Squidward certainly took a bit longer due to him not wanting a ‘caregiver’ role and wanting to avoid his family more, but eventually he saw how much they had in common with their familial situations and plus, he had to admit, the little guy was winning him over.

As for the second question, that also took a few months due to his parents still bickering and refusing to settle things about their divorce, but eventually his mom Squidezebel started calling more and more and visiting Terrell, even though she wasn’t really supposed to. Squidward knew this whenever she did that, but he was a bit nervous more about telling her off because he didn’t want his OTHER family members getting involved and he also knew how much Terrell missed his mother. However, Terrell’s father also started doing it to influence Terrell to choose his custody, and after it reached a boiling point, Squidward put his tentacles down and called them out on their bs, not only because he was annoyed with both of them, but he himself also knew what it was like to be a child of a messy divorce, and he could tell that Terrell was happier with him anyway. It doesn’t end there, and there’s still conflict, but I will say that Squidward does get full custody of Terrell in the end. ;)

Thinking about Riley always instinctively looking for their siblings and waiting for them to say something, to hear their voices, only to realize they’re not there, and remember how their siblings that they helped and practically raised, abandoned them with their parents like they never even existed. Riley hiding their art and their passions and things they love to do under lock and key, because they were always shamed and labeled as the ‘family embarrassment’ for their behaviors and interests. Scared to displease anyone, to make the wrong choices, knowing if they do, they’ll be punished for causing anyone trouble- or so they learned under their parents’ disgusted and irritated yellow eyes. Riley getting anxious every time SpongeBob or Patrick have to leave, because they’re worried they’ll never come back like their parents did, and they did something to make them not want them anymore.

Thinking about Maverick always remembering their dad when they see hospitals or hear someone coughing from illness. Maverick seeing a younger sibling play with an older brother and getting so wrapped up in memories they snap and need to blow something up to forget. Them getting injured and when Plankton or Karen suggests a hospital, Mavey breaks down in tears and begs to not be sent there, memories reeling and them covering their ears so tight they can barely hear the former/latter apologizing and asking what’s wrong. Mavey flinging theirself into their performances and magician-themed explosions they nearly get their fins blown off, but they don’t care because they only feel alive and free from the thrill.

Thinking about Terrell pushing himself hard to do things his ADHD won’t let him do, or forcing himself to read so much he gives himself headaches, because then he thinks his parents will stop fighting and they’ll love each other again. Terrell seeing Squidward leave after scolding him for something to go to the store, and Terrell suddenly grabs his legs and cries, profusely apologizing and promising he’ll stop “being weird”. Terrell meeting other kids like in Squidville and immediately the other octopus kids avoid him, saying he looks strange and he’s too ‘dangerous’ and ‘outside-y’ to play with, and Terrell ends up slumping in Squidward’s arms, wondering what he did wrong.

Thinking about Vaiana putting on shows, all day, every day, wanting to take a break, but then her manager tells her that she’s disappointing her fans and that she shouldn’t be afraid of a little hard work, and his phrases are so silkily spun that she believes every word and can’t think otherwise because she’s born into high society. And in high society, you can’t have problems or disappoint anyone. Those are for other people, not her. Vaia hating herself every time and refusing to keep mirrors in her penthouse, covering herself in the most expensive clothes and dieting so hard she barely eats Suh-lads, both from her anorexia, and from her manager that celebrities don’t have imperfect bodies. Vaia refusing to wear short pajamas, even in summer, because she knows what’s underneath and hates it.

Thinking about Rhiannon thinking about all the different fashion schools and degrees she could’ve gone to, and all the modeling contracts she could have gotten if she had just been there to catch Morrigan before she fell and got her leg amputated, and how Rhia still loves her sister, but feels so broken when she thinks about what could’ve been. Rhia not reacting to anyone saying anything speciesist, but still hearing people say “isn’t she too big to be in a place like this?” and “darn ink-squirters, always getting in everyone’s way” and just sighing numbly instead of calling them out on their bs. Rhia wanting desperately to make fashion lines for more species than just fish, but every time she tries people harshly judge it and call her too “exetreme” all because she made suits for cephalopods like her and dresses for crustacean women instead of fish outfits other species have to modify.

Thinking about Odell not following the sea turtle way of life, and staying in Bikini Bottom instead of traveling nomadically. Not because she wants to, but because of her fin injuries and how she physically CAN’T. Odell not seeing her family anymore and being seen by other turtles as ‘pitiful’ despite still being able to do everything else they can. Odell wanting to go out and talk with Mr. Krabs, or go to a cafe and hang with Mrs. Puff, but her pain meds making her so sleepy and weak she can’t leave her house. Odell looking at pictures of her memories in Kamp Koral and wishing she could have stayed there with her campers instead of what happened after.

Thinking about Ellie, when she gets older, and she goes to school do the first time. How the other kids avoid her like the plague and mock her spines and last name, calling her “Urchin Girl” and being scared of her no matter what she tries to do. Ellie picking fights against the kids who pick on her, only for them to pick on her more. Ellie coming home every other day on the verge of tears, and no matter what SpongeBob says while he holds her, or what Patrick does with her to take her mind off it, it doesn’t wash away how she feels when the other kids whisper about her behind her back or their parents complaining about their children being in the same class as a venomous lionfish. Until she meets her friends, of course…