Chapter Text
‘It’s so loud
Why is it so loud.
Its bright and loud.
Why is it so bright…
My head hurts.
Like a million thoughts…
Are moving at once
And I can’t
Understand
Any
Of
Them.’
Astro pulled his stars from Cosmos head and helped pull the blanket over his shoulders before shutting the panic closet door.
“He really isn’t doing alright… How long is Vee going to be with his ichor..?” Astro asked, turning to look at Sprout, who was currently pacing while trying to disguise it as picking up after breakfast, and Shelly, who was watching him work with Cosmo beforehand.
“She told me she would get it as quickly as she could, she should’ve been back by now..” Sprouts hand adjusted his scarf, moving so the heat from it could sooth the scar underneath.
“How long has this all been going on..? Has this happened before you came to me asking Sprout..?” Shelly questioned, her tail lowering down closer to the floor.
“His dreams haven’t let up from what I’ve seen… if anything they’ve gotten worse after being found again, it's not just fires infecting his mind, it's rot and death and… it’s bad..”
“Okay! I get it! I get it, I really do, I just-” Sprout stopped his movements. “I can’t… keep listening to this, I know I have to, to man up and- do whatever Dandy should’ve been doing- but I can't FIX anything-! I can’t fix Cosmo, I don't even know how!”
Sprout felt his face grow warm, even thinking about it. He never had to worry realistically over Cosmo, he was his best friend, but he could handle himself…most of the time… it scared him to think about any of this.
He turned to look at Astro and Shelly, his vision blurry and wet.
“...I just want to help him… through… whatever this is but- I dont know how… or if I even can…” He choked out, his voice barely above a whisper.
Shelly walked first, then Astro, both of them trying to get him calmer through hugs. Sprout buried his head into Astros shoulder, as if crying in the open was a crime.
“I’m sorry…” he muttered after a moment, forcing the tears down to try and stop them, “...you two shouldn’t have to deal with any of this- or me- not..right now..”
“You don’t have to be sorry for anything, Sprout…”
“Mhm..! And just what do you mean ‘yOu TwO sHoUlDn’T hAvE tO’ , did you forget our code?? ‘Siblings stick together!! Just like Triceratops!’, we’re not going anywhere! Right, Astro?”
“Not at all..”
The three hugged for as long as it took for Sprout to calm down and let go. Once he did, he heard someone clear their throat behind them.
“Ahem… If I may…Intrude…”
Sprout quickly wiped his eyes and looked at who was there.
“...Rodger?”
“Yes, I don’t believe there's another toon with me currently.”
Astro and Shelly backed off a bit to give Sprout his space back.
“Go figure, did you need something? You can thank Yatta for breakfast being canceled.”
“Ah, no, I already heard. Vee asked me to give you a few capsules, and to inform you of great news.”
Sprout almost immediately looked at Astro to take down the magic-weird-as-shit- wall to let Rodger through, to which Astro obliged with a swipe of his stars.
Rodger stepped in, holding three capsules. “Thank you, Astro,” he said before handing two capsules to Sprout.
“Vee found only two capsules in her solo, Twisted Cosmo for once hasn't showed up. However, there was a twisted there that caught her eye.”
“Shes’ seen all the twisteds already, what could’ve shocked her?” Sprout questioned, moving the capsules to a cleared off part of a table.
“Well, back before Gardenview shut down, remember how a toon of ours went missing? Delilah spoke about it, she told me that he simply ‘went into a chrysalis and will come back a butterfly’, well… Vee found capsules of him. Squirm.”
“That wouldn’t make sense, Squirm, wherever he was place- went, wherever he went, how would he have gotten back, none the less his twisted.”
“Thats what I'm trying to figure out. Vee has a few things laid out on her floor, I've kept one capsule with her as I'll be working with her through the case. She asked me to give you the second. Safe keeping or however else you wish to use or keep it.”
Rodger passes him a third capsule, making sure it wasn't dropped. “That'll be all, take care you three.”
“Stay safe, Rodger. Don’t do anything I wouldn't.”
“I don’t copy others, Sprout.”
Rodger then left to go down the elevator once more, and once he was gone Astro put the wall back up.
“...What the hell am I meant to do with Squirm research..”