#wcndered

‘Toy Day’ (as Nana called it) was coming up. She’d explained to him all the details of what it meant and what the customs were, so of course Nightmare decided he would absolutely wreck it and traumatize her.

He needed to have a hand-crafted gift for her, which’ll make it all the worse. And, well, here it was going to be.

“Yeah. The tannery.”

He was sure Nana never has had a real fur coat before, and she’d love to have one, considering how downright rotten and awful she was. But to have it come off some alien guy? That’s where the trauma comes in.

With a single brow already raised at him, Dominator tilted her head and softly squinted her eyes in bewilderment at how the furry little guy had just referred to her. “‘Ma’am?’”

Her and Sylvia always had the same reaction to that.

“Uh, are ya thinkin’ ‘‘Met, like, long ago’’ or ‘‘Not so long agoo,’’ or what? Gimmie some kinda ideas I can run with.” She said, making a rolling motion with her hands. She paused and splayed out her fingers as she served up an example. “Where are ya from?” She wished she could place him, but aside from a few planets Dominator could guess he could’ve run into or seen her at before, she was drawing a blank.

        --- “Nuh-uh, nope,” was her curt reply, quick as a whip. “If you think I’m gonna let you walk on that foot, then you are DEAD wrong, pal.”  

Sylvia was all too familiar with this. The scene that had just played out before them, that is.

She’d known. She’d known the MOMENT that they landed on this planet that Wander was bound to stir up some sort of trouble. Not on purpose, mind you- no, never on purpose. He was too good for anything like that. Too sweet. It just went against the poor guy’s nature to simply stand there and watch while trouble was a brewing. Be it a simple disagreement or a full on fistfight, Wander just had to jump in between it and settle the discord any way he could. 

That was just the way he worked; the way he always had. These thoughts crossed her mind and more as she allowed the quiet to settle in around them. A nice change of pace from the chaos, before, if you asked her.

She didn’t begrudge him for it, for any of it. In spite of her still-racing heart, the sweat on her palms, the uneasy lashing of her tail from time to time-  This was just who Wander was, and she’d accepted that ages ago. 

So why’d he have to go and sound so.. sad, over it? 

A sigh escapes her lips. She’d carried him here, and she’d be carrying him away when they were well and ready. Her arms wrapped around her friend in a makeshift hug- well, they tighten their grip. Just a bit. Just a bit.

--- “Look, Wander,” she begins in that tone. The kind of tone that she’d used time and time again, and the kind of tone that she would continue to use for as long as they know each other. 

--- “What happened back there? That wasn’t your fault! Hardly! I mean, SURE, you DID accidentally kinda sorta make that guy drop his watermelons, and SURE, you DID inadvertently lead to the destruction of that other guy’s cabbage cart-”

- not helping -

--- “- but it’s not like you did it on purpose! You were just trying to HELP! I’m not MAD at you, if that’s what you’re thinking! Heck, I’m just glad we got you outta there in one piece!” 

Something akin to a snort leaves her, then; the ghost of a smile playing on her lips. 

“Aw, are y’sure, Plankton? Y’know I’m always here t’ lend you a helpin’ hand if y’need it!” Wander tried to reassure him, leaning down to the sea creature’s height (or as low as he could get, anyway.)

“Plus, you do look as if you could use some company....”

❝ I don’t care if -- you don’t need to patronise me with your fake pity! ❞ Plankton growls in resentment, squinting at the other as he folds his arms. He can’t DEAL with the sickening optimism; it’s all too fake to him ( PEOPLE LIKE SPONGEBOB CONFUSED HIM ). People rarely gave him the time of day, and when they did, it was always for themselves. Nobody REALLY cared, so what was this guy’s deal?

continued  /  @wcndered​

She hadn’t much time to respond before he started scratching her chin, and she was secretly glad for it- as it gave her time to think as her muscles quickly began to relax, and they hadn’t even realized they were tense in the first place.    The lunar princess let out a content sigh, closing her eyes as she simply leaned into his touch, quiet for a moment.

“  Where would I even begin?  ”  she responds with a humorless chuckle, and let the silence reign for a little while more, ears drooping in relaxation.

 “  ... I won’t get much into it but- despite the .. unfortunate circumstances that lead me here, I shouldn’t want to go back, and yet .. "  she trails off, her tone soft as she vaguely gestures around with one hoof- teal eyes turning skywards, towards the stars, “  .. I miss being home- I miss how things were, and I don’t think things will ever be the same— a-and I know I shall return, someday but .. I’m scared.  ”

  Despite Wander’s reassuring touch, something that was keeping her grounded in the moment, she still felt that familiar shiver down her spine. Luna even felt HER, prodding around in her mind, making everything foggy again. She squeezes her eyes shut, willing her away- FIGHTING against her.    She just focuses on his soft hand on her, and slowly lets out a deep breath.