Chapter Text
It was almost spring, and because of this every toon was helping decorate for the occasion and for the upcoming Easter event.
Connie and Flutter were helping flyte with the high up decorations, Goob and Scraps were helping create little paper flowers to put up everywhere, and Sprout and Cosmo were helping Cocoa prepare bon-bons for everyone.
Everyone was doing their part, except Shrimpo.
He hated it, spring, Easter, helping, he hated practically everything no matter how big or how small it was, he hated it!
“Y'know ya really oughta not be so hateful of everything son!” Eggson said, full of cheer “It's only gonna make you feel more bitter about things before you feel better about things!”
Shrimpo just scoffed “Oi! Shrimpo never feels anythin’ but hatred, an’ Shrimpo likes it that way!” He shouted in his very prominent Scottish accent
“So unless ye’ got somethin’ interestin’ tae say, I don't wanna hear it ya’ eejit! So save yer’ breath fer somethin’ I actually give a shite about!” he said storming off in his usual fit of rage
He really did hate everything about Easter and hated every toon involved in it..well almost every toon.
There was one toon in particular that he “tolerated” for lack of a better word, and that one toon was the Easter main herself, Bassie Bloomington.
Shrimpo had always found Bassie interesting, but he was mostly interested in her paranoia towards Cocoa and her fear about being replaced by her and she always acted towards her.
Then one day, while the event was going on, Shrimpo was simply walking around paying no attention to the other toons around him, when he spotted Bassie standing there looking at a few toons talking to Cocoa.
A bright and happy smile plastered on each of their faces as their lips kept moving, almost as if they were more happier talking to her than they were talking to Bassie.
She could hear all the words they were saying, each one felt like a poison tipped knife being plunged deep into her heart.
“Your skills are so amazing!” Exclaimed Cosmo
“The way you help people is so inspiring!” Said Shelly
“Your bon bons are incredible!” Yatta shouted
Every.
Single.
Word.
It felt as if each word was mocking her, making her feel more and more self-conscious and unfit to be a main toon.
Cocoa spotted bassie from afar and gave her a smile and a wave, genuinely feeling happy to see her.
To Cocoa, it was just a simple gesture of kindness, respect, admiration, and friendship.
But to Bassie it was Fear, resentment, mockery, and rivalry.
She simply just smiled and waved back, before she just walked away with her arms wrapped around her, unaware that Shrimpo was still watching and saw that whole thing go down.
Shrimpo tried to shrug it off and go about his day but he couldn't for some reason.
He tried to ignore as best as he could, but eventually his mind got the better of him and he ended making his way to Bassie’s room.
“I can't believe I'm doin’ this…” he said to himself before giving a few hard knocks on Bassie's door.
There was silence for a few moments, and just as Shrimpo turned around to walk away, the door opened revealing a tired Bassie who looked like she either had just gotten finished crying or was in the middle of it.
“Oh, Shrimpo…this is an unexpected surprise…” She said, her voice having that usual southern twang to it.
Shrimpo turned around and stood at her door for a second staring at her before speaking up “Can I talk tae ye’ fer a sec lass?”
She was taken by surprise at how his voice sounded
She half expected him to yell and be mean towards her for no reason as usual, but his voice was…calm, and almost quiet for once?
She was confused “Uh…is this your way of trying to mess with me or-?”
“Do ye’ wanna talk or not?” Shrimpo said, his tone fierce but his accent soft for once.
Bassie flinched a bit at his tone, but decided to let him in anyways “Uh, Yeah sure I suppose…” she opened her door fully to let him in.
He walked in, and didn't push her out the way like he did with the other toons and stood behind her as she closed the door.
She was still a bit skeptical about this, but she was also very surprised that Shrimpo of all toons wanted to talk to her.
Shrimpo took a seat on her bed and motioned for her to sit next to him.
She made her way over and sat beside him, hands in her lap “So…what did you wanna talk about?”
Shrimpo looked at her and took a deep breath “Are…Are ye’ ok lass?” He struggled to get that out past his mouth.
The sudden question had taken her aback for a split second and she had to make sure she heard that right
They both couldn't believe that Shrimpo, the Shrimpson Crustabon III, was asking someone else if they were ok
“W-what?...” She was stunned. “Say that again?” She needed to hear it again to make sure she wasn't hearing things.
“I asked if…ye’ were okay, cause…” he took another deep breath “Okey, look I saw what had happened in the lobby with ye’, Cocoa, and the others”
Bassie swears her heart sank down into her stomach at that moment and she covered her face and wanted to disappear into the mattress below them.
“You saw that!? Oh dear! I am so embarrassed!” Her voice was high pitched and her face was redder than a rose.
Shrimpo growled “Yes, I saw it!” He shouted, but was surprisingly quick bring his tone back down “but after I saw it, I…I figured I should come check up on ye’ tae make sure ye’ were feeling alright I suppose”
Bassie took notice on how quick he was to bring his voice down and lower his tone just for her so she doesn't feel nervous or scared around him
She was shocked at his words and couldn't help but blush, and not from embarrassment this time.
“You…came to check on me?” She asked in her usual quiet tone
Now it was Shrimpo’s turn to blush as he scratched the back of his neck “Yeah, but…don't get the wrong idea alright!?” he shouted
For once Bassie didn't flinch at his tone, but she instead started giggling.
Then soon that giggling turned into laughter, happy laughter.
Shrimpo looked at her while she laughed and could feel his heartbeat quickening while he blushed even more than he already did.
For the first time in what feels like forever, he could feel a small smile creep up on his face as he watched her laugh.
Her laugh was like music to his ears and it was like a song he could listen to for hours and not get tired of.
Now that he's really thinking about it, there's a lot of stuff that he likes about her.
Her face whenever he sees it, her eyes and the way they sparkle when the light hits them at just the right angle, her smile, her voice…there was just so much that he liked, no…loved about her
…Wait…loved?
He didn't have time to dwell on it as he was snapped back to reality when Bassie noticed him staring at her while blushing.
“Shrimpo?” She said waving her hand in front of his face
He rubbed the back of his neck again “Uh…Well, I see yer feeling better so I'm gonna go now!” He said getting up and walking out
But Bassie could stop him, he was already gone and out the door.
But, strangely enough, she didn't feel sad about it.
Actually, if anything, she felt lighter and more content with herself.
As Shrimpo walked out, he was still blushing as he made his way back to his room and he could feel a smile begin to appear in face as he opened his door
Although that smile was quickly replaced with a scowl when Finnegan, Shrimpo's best friend and who's most known as Finn, decided to pop up.
“I SEA a blush on your faaaaacceeee!” Finn said teasing “Someone must've FLOUND their SOLE-mate aye?” Dear God this Irish man was gonna ruin Shrimpo's good mood.
“Dear Delilah I hate yer puns!” Shrimpo shouted, pointing at Finn who had a shit eating grin on his face.
“I know…that's why I do them…to FISH you off” he sounded smug and cocky cause if there's one thing he enjoyed more than puns, it was messing with Shrimpo and pissing him off on purpose.
“But enough about that! Someone's got ya’ blushin’ and I wanna know who it is!” Finn said nudging him
Shrimpo scoffed “It's none of yer’ business, that's who! Now piss off ye’ fuckin’ numpty! Ye’ smell like a shark's tube sock!” he said walking into his room and slamming the door
Finn just shrugged it off, he was gonna find out one way or another who's got Shrimpo blushing and he saw that as a challenge.
He was gonna find out the lucky girl, or guy, or toon.
“Welp Barnaby, looks like we have a fishy case to solve! Time to find out who managed to get into Shrimpo's heart! Let's do this!” He sounded excited to look
Shrimpo groaned as he heard Finn happily trail off into the distance “Finally, he's gone”
Just as he was about to go to sleep there was a knock at his door.
He groaned as he turned back around it open it “who the hell is it and whatda’ want?!” He shouted, to his surprise there was anything or anyone there besides a shoe box with a note on it
‘Thanks for checking up on me Shrimpo, I really appreciate you doing that. It's a bit weird that you’re the one to do it, but I don't mind at all. Maybe we can talk again sometime soon? If you want to of course! Please don't feel pressured to, but I really would enjoy getting to actually tell you about things. Hopefully we could be friends? - Signed, B Bloomington.’
He opened the box and found a hand made scarf and a small bouquet of floors in various shades of orange, which was ironic considering orange flowers usually represent joy, enthusiasm, and warmth, things Shrimpo usually isn't.
But they also represent Caution.
Which definitely sounded like him, considering how people are usually cautious around him.
But he felt his heart skip a beat as he blushed.
He turned around to make sure nobody was around before he walked back into his room and set the box down.
He took out the scarf and held it in his hands before giving it a nice strong whiff as he fell back onto his bed.
It smelled just like the flowers he was given, with various notes of tiger lilies, marigolds, zinnias, with a slight hint of…tulips?
Tulips are one of Bassie's favorite flowers, which now explains why it reminds him of her so much.
He gave another strong sniff of the scarf as he laid down on his bed feeling calmer than usual.
“I gotta find something to put those flowers in tomorrow” he thought as he sat down on the edge of his bed “I'm sure that rainbow flower moron has a vase or something, him and his weird flower habits”
He set the scarf on his nightstand and rolled on to his back to look at his ceiling as he smiled, today was a good day for once.
He finally closed his eyes and fell asleep, and for once he finally had something good to look forward to tomorrow.
He drifted off to sleep and his dreams were nothing short of good ones, but even then his dreams always had one thing in common.
Bassie was in every single one of them…and he wouldn't want it any other way
…
It is gonna leave Astro confused when he looks into his dreamscape and sees all his dreams with Bassie and him being happy, but he doesn't care.