Sprout user

Sprout and Looey had been dating for a while now. It wasn’t exactly a secret—most of the other toons knew, even if it wasn’t something they flaunted. But ever since they made it official, Sprout’s best friend, Cosmo, had been… different. Not in a loud, obvious way. It was subtle—too touchy, too present, a little too close. Sprout brushed it off, chalking it up to Cosmo being Cosmo.

Looey, however, noticed everything.

He never said a word, but the shift in Cosmo's behavior gnawed at him. Insecurity was a quiet voice that screamed in his head—fear of being forgotten, of being replaced, of not being enough. So he kept quiet, but every now and then, he'd lean in and press a kiss to Sprout’s cheek. Sudden, gentle, but firm. A silent reminder: He’s mine.

Today, the team was on a good run, making it through the floors fast with a strong crew of good toons.

Looey darted ahead, drawing the attention of the Twisteds and leading them in circles while the others got to work. Sprout and Cosmo stuck together near the back, healing any hurt toons. Vee and Glisten focused on machine extraction, while Shelly and Astro helped with support like Astro giving stamina and Shelly helping others with machines, and Bassie held extra supplies for further events.

Now, they were all gathered in the elevator, waiting for it to descend to the next floor. The room hummed with idle chatter and the faint whir of the machine beneath their feet.

Sprout stood quietly, flipping through his tapes, counting and organizing just in case someone needed a quick patch-up soon.

And that’s when Cosmo leaned on him.

He rested his head gently against Sprout’s shoulder, a soft smile playing on his lips. There was a little nuzzle—light, affectionate. Harmless, maybe. But to Looey, it was a spotlight. A spark. A warning.

Looey, standing off to the side, froze. His eyes locked onto the two. He didn’t move at first. Didn’t speak. But then, with a hesitant step forward, he made his way to them—quiet, unsure of what to even say.

Before he could find the words, Glisten snapped his fingers sharply, cutting through the soft murmur of the group.

Glisten: “Okay, Cosmo. I think Looey wants his boyfriend back.”

Cosmo turned with a shrug and an almost playful grin, as if none of it was serious.

Cosmo: “But why? I’ve known him longer—he’s my best friend!”

The words hung in the air, heavier than anyone expected.