One, two, three, tap your feet, such a classic melody...

hai im vee & im plural | part of the cosmic system | no, i won't show you my diagnosis page, cry about it | icon by valeriewarrior137

[dandy-worlg]

hiii, my names VEE, VERSION 1 and i would appreciate if you respect this fact. i don't post all that much, since i'm not a frequent fronter. part of the COSMIC SYSTEM please, send a message or ask if you have any grievances! i'd be glad to talk things out if i'm bothering you.

[soupiestfics]

Chapter 29: "Celebrating"

i wrote this in the plane ride w my massive headache eating a bagel

I have so many chapters drafted up so i post two today to die a peaceful death (sleep for the next seven days)

@stormflypirateskin slup !!!!

@cupcakewebkinz slup !!¡¡

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The morning started with Vee tugging her blazer on in the hallway mirror while Shelly was crouched at the shoe rack, muttering to herself.

“...Are you ready or do I need to leave you here to talk to your footwear in peace”

Shelly pops her head up. “I’m ready, I’m ready. I just— do you think Shanon would like these shoes?”

“Shanon is gone gone", Vee says without missing a beat, fixing her cuff.

“Yes, thank you for the reminder” Shelly says, standing and brushing herself off. “But she had taste!"

“And Veronica didn’t??”

“Veronica wore cargo pants in 2008"

“She needed the pockets”

They lock the door behind them and head down the street. The weather’s warm, but there’s a shared, unspoken weight to the walk — they both know what today is.

Vee had suggested a quiet lunch, maybe leaving flowers somewhere. Shelly had agreed instantly.

The funny part is… they’re commemorating each other’s adoptive mother without having ever met them.

Vee knows Shanon through the way Shelly talks about her.

Shelly knows Veronica through Vee’s clipped little anecdotes.

They pick a café halfway between “sentimental” and “good pastries.” It’s small, quiet and mostly empty.

Vee sits down and pulls two folded papers from her bag

“What’s that?”

“...I wrote a letter to Veronica” Vee says. “Figured I’d… tell her about you.”

She gestures to Shelly with a slight, almost awkward smile.

“Thought maybe you’d want to write to Shanon. We could… read them.”

Shelly’s already misty-eyed. “You— oh my god. Yeah. Yeah, let’s do that.”

They order drinks, and then it becomes an oddly comedic display of how differently they write letters.

Vee: perfectly structured, precise handwriting, the emotional equivalent of a crisp pressed shirt.

Shelly: doodles, hearts over i’s, half a sentence about Shanon that turns into a tangent about how good the weather was today.

When they trade to read them out loud, Vee clears her throat and starts hers with:

“Dear Veronica. It’s been years since I could write to you, but if you could see me now, I’d like to think you’d be… mildly impressed. I’ve been doing well. Better than well, lately. I’ve met someone. Her name is Shelly…”

Shelly, halfway through her iced coffee, bites her lip hard to keep from crying and laughing at “mildly impressed.”

Then Shelly reads hers:

“Hi, Mom. I miss you. I live with this girl now. She’s very tall and serious and pretends she doesn’t like hugs, but she lets me hug her anyway. She’s got a screen for a face and it’s pretty, but I think you’d like her more for her voice.”

Vee blinks a few times too many for it to be casual. “…You’re terrible at letter-writing”

“You’re terrible at not crying” Shelly shoots back with a grin, passing her a napkin.

By the time they finish, the letters are folded and tucked into their pockets.

They walk out with the same quiet weight they came in with — but it’s softer now, like the air after rain.

On the way home, Shelly grabs Vee’s hand without asking.

“They’d like each other, you know,” she says suddenly.

Vee looks down at her.

“…They would. And they’d both hate the way you pick shoes”

“Rude”

“True”

....They end up walking further than planned. The sun’s starting to dip low, casting the street in gold, and neither of them was in a hurry to go home yet

Shelly spots the dock before Vee does.

“Hey—” she tugs Vee’s sleeve, “wanna sit for a bit?”

Vee glances at it, then at Shelly. “…Sure. No one’s here. You’re not about to push me in, are you?”

“Not unless you start monologuing”

“That was one time.”

The wood creaks under their weight as they sit, legs dangling above the water.

For a while, they just watch the ripples. Then Vee’s voice gets quieter than usual.

“…Do you think.. Veronica… disliked me for leaving?”

Shelly turns so fast she nearly knocks their knees together.

“What? No. Vee— no.”

Vee keeps looking at the water.

“I never went back. I thought… if I stayed gone, she’d move on. Not wait for me. And maybe that’d be easier for her. But—” she huffs, a humorless little breath. “Turns out it was just easier for me"

Shelly leans back on her hands. “Sounds like you were scared of losing her, so you… pre-lost her”

“That’s not a thing”

“It is now. I’m patenting it”

Vee smirks, but it fades quick.

“Sometimes I feel like I never said thank you. Not really. Not enough..”

Shelly shifts closer until their shoulders are pressed.

"You didn’t need to. You’re alive. You’re here. You… you didn’t vanish into nothing. That’s the thanks”

Vee glances sideways at her. “…You’re good at this”

“I know” Shelly says, grinning.

Then, softer. “Shanon would’ve liked you too, you know. Even if you wore the cargo pants in 2008 with veronica”

Vee snorts. “I did not.”

“Prove it”

"I burned the pictures”

Shelly laughs so hard she has to grab Vee’s arm to steady herself. Vee just lets her cling, pretending she’s not secretly holding on just as tight.

The sky shifts from gold to pink, and neither of them moves. At some point, Shelly’s head finds Vee’s shoulder.

“....Today’s a good day. We’re celebrating”

Vee raised a brow.

“Commemorating”

“Celebrating” Shelly corrected, “Last hooray"

They weren’t in mourning anymore. It was years past the raw wound, years past the months of dodging each other’s questions about the past.

They’d healed enough to turn what used to be heavy into something warm and light — a thing they could hold without burning their hands.

They planned to go to one more place.

The plan was simple.

Go to these botanical gardens in the city they grew up in. The same place Veronica used to drag vee every spring, and the same place Shanon had loved to photograph.

They got there early enough that the crowds hadn’t arrived yet. Vee slowed at the entrance like she was walking into a memory, her eyes flicking over every little sign and flowerbed.

“She used to stop here for like… twenty minutes,” Vee murmured, pointing at a display of orchids. “Talked to them like they were her coworkers.”

Shelly smiled.

“And here you are, doing the same thing”

Vee shot her a look. “I am not—” she paused, lowering her voice, “…okay, maybe a little”

They wandered deeper into the gardens, Shelly snapping the occasional photo, Vee reading little plaques out loud just to hear Shelly laugh at her dramatic delivery.

When they reached the big fountain in the center — the one Vee always remembered as Veronica’s “must-stop” spot — they sat on the edge, knees bumping.

Shelly’s voice was gentle. “I never got to meet her”

Vee’s gaze stayed on the water, but her shoulders relaxed. “She would’ve liked you. Or… tolerated you. Which is the same thing for her”

Shelly nudged her. “And Shanon would’ve loved you. She loved anyone who could out-argue her"

They sat there in easy silence for a while, until Vee exhaled, very quiet, almost like she was saying it to the rippling water instead of Shelly.

“…Mom.”

Shelly turned. Vee’s lips curved, the word lingering in the air like she was tasting it for the first time in years.

“..Mom would’ve told me to bring snacks. We forgot snacks.”

Shelly’s throat tightened in the nicest way. “Yeah,” she said softly. "Guess we’ll just have to come back. Mom would’ve wanted that too”

Vee didn’t even look embarrassed this time — she just stood, offered her hand, and pulled Shelly up so they could keep walking.

The garden wasn’t going anywhere. And neither were they.

Oh save me my head hurts

[soupiestfics]

Chapter 28: "Corporate will find us"

oh ive had a hell of a trip

BUT HUZZAH!!!!

I would say past modern shellvision techincally but i dont want to be held accountable of the memories the words past and modern shellvision bring to some

@cupcakewebkinz in times of doubt always ping your internet sister

@stormflypirateskin and in times of clarity always ping the goat (literally)

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The crowd’s roar was still echoing in Vee’s ears when she slipped backstage, antennae still a little windblown from the final confetti blast

She was wiping stage glitter off her hands when she spotted Shelly. Or more accurately when shelly spotted her

She was leaning against a lighting case, looking way too good for someone who'd been wrestling camera tripods all day (ungracefully)

“...You—” Vee’s voice caught halfway between question and suspicion. “What is this? Who is this???”

“Me” Shelly said innocently, tugging at her dress hem. “Also, hi. You and me. Balcony. Now”

“That’s not ominous at all hell yeah”

...

They slipped out onto the side balcony—a quiet, dim corner away from crew bustle. The city lights stretched below them.

Vee hopped right up to sit on the railing, shelly immediately spoke up.

“Five bucks you fall”

“TRY me”

“I will and I’ll collect at your funeral”

Vee snorted, leaning back against the cold metal. “Romantic”

“I am romantic! I dressed up, didn’t I?”

Vee tilted her head. “Dressed up for who, exactly?”

Shelly just sipped her drink and hummed. “For… the ambiance...?”

...

Minutes passed as they sat there in the chilly night air, bumping shoulders, swapping random thoughts.

“Imagine if one of the stagehands looked up right now and saw us here vee”

“They’d think I’m about to propose or throw myself off. Maybe both in that order”

"Fifty-fifty odds"

They started leaning on the railing together, elbows pressed close.

The laughter started to settle, replaced with that soft, dangerous kind of quiet that made them notice how warm it felt to be next to each other.

Shelly suddenly murmured.

...“Dude… imagine if we.....like ......lived together.”

Vee turned to her with wide eyes.

“Don’t do that to me right now”

“No, but think about it,” Shelly said, eyes bright with mock-seriousness. “Like, you’d wake up and I’d already have the oat milk ready for you"

“And I’d change the Wi-Fi password every time you annoyed me” Vee shot back, grinning.

“And you’d call me into the kitchen all dramatic just to open a pickle jar”

“And you’d yell at me for rearranging your plants by vibe”

“And you’d—” Shelly stopped, blinking. “Wait… we’re actually gonna do this soon, aren’t we?”

They both paused.

...

“…nnnNAAHHHHH” Vee said quickly, waving it off with a smirk that wasn’t fooling either of them.

Shelly laughed, leaning her head against Vee’s shoulder. “Yeah. Totally nah.”

Five minutes go by.

......

......

....

“Vee…”

she started, voice all slow and suspicious.

Vee narrowed her eyes, still sipping her latte.

“What”

“…what if we actually moved in together?”

...

Vee inhaled exactly half a sip before immediately choking.

Poor girl

Shelly immediately panicked, waving her hands like she was trying to fan oxygen into Vee’s lungs by force.

“NOT IF YOU DON’T WANT TO, I MEAN—NOT LIKE FORCING YOU OR ANYTHING—oh my god you’re turning blue-how- do tvs even-—DO I CALL SOMEONE??”

Vee slammed her hand against the railing, still coughing but somehow laughing mid-choke. “YES.”

“…YES??” Shelly froze.

“Yes,” Vee wheezed, wiping her mouth on her sleeve and smirking at her like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Let’s move in together.”

Shelly just stood there

blinking

Blink blink

“…you mean it?”

Vee scoffed. “No, I just aspirated three ounces of overpriced coffee for the comedic timi- Of course I mean it!”

They both went quiet, staring out over the city, the buzz of the street below filling the space between them.

Then, very softly—

“…dude,” Shelly muttered, “imagine the snacks.”

Vee nodded gravely.

“We could have a shared fridge”

Shelly’s eyes went wide

“Oh my god.”

Shelly squinted at Vee over the lip of her cup.

“Wait… but like, if we actually did move in together—”

Vee took a casual sip of her latte

“—is that even legal?”

Vee put the latte down s o slow.

She turned sideways, hacking into her sleeve.

“Wh– what?”

Shelly immediately went pale. “NO, no, I don’t mean illegal like illegal illegal, I mean like… y’know, too good to be true illegal—”

"Why… are you… thinking like this”

“I dunno!!” Shelly flailed her free hand, her voice climbing. “I mean, we work together! What if corporate catches wind and like—slams us against the wall or something????”

Vee stopped mid-sip and slowly blinked at her.

“…You mean like....physically??”

“Yes??” Shelly answered way too fast.

“No?? I mean like, metaphorically?? I mean like—legally??? I mean—oh my god this is—” she dropped her face into her hands, “—this is going so bad right now”

Vee leaned back against the railing, still wheezing but with this evil little smile creeping in.

“Okay, so you’re telling me the worst case scenario is that corporate corners us like, hey, we know what you’re doing..and then just bam, full WWE choke slam—”

Shelly’s head shot up. “YES! Wait—NO! Not choke slam—”

“I’ll wear my game show heels so I get the height advantage”

Shelly stared at her, deadpan. “…I was picturing like, a stern email.”

“Oh, that’s boring.” Vee waved her off. “I’m going for the dramatic visual. We can get like, fog machines. Maybe a ref”

Shelly was halfway through laughing when she froze, her eyes flicking to the city skyline.

“…Still though. You do want to, right? Move in?”

Vee didn’t even hesitate. “Yeah”

Shelly just blinks at her.

“…You’re…you’re saying yes?”

Vee, still wiping latte off her chin, deadpanned-

“Shelly, if you express the thought of ‘I mean not if you want, not like forcing, haha’ one more time i’m shoving you off the railing”

“But I meant—”

Before shelly could finish, Vee leaned in, her voice low but warm.

“Look. I’m not the emotions one here. But…if you want to move in?”

She shrugs.

“Let’s move in. No weird corporate goon squad’s gonna bust through our door like ‘you’re TOO HAPPY, pack it up.’”

“…You say that but I know the network has at least three goons.”

Vee smirks. “Two and a half, actually, one of them’s just poppy”

Shelly tries not to smile but fails, half hiding her face in her hands.

“...this is illegal. Too good to be true. They’re gonna slam us against a wall so hard”

“Then we’ll slam them back" Vee says without missing a beat, sipping her latte

“That was the hottest thing you’ve ever said to me"

“score"

Shelly freezes, then just grins like a fool.

“…dude. We’re really gonna do this, huh?”

Vee bumps her shoulder against Shelly’s. “We’re really gonna do this, dude”

They sit there for a minute in silence, staring at the street far below.

. . .

. . . . .

. . . . . . . . .

“…So…can I bring Fernando?”

“We break up if no fernando"

"fair"

[soupiestfics]

Chapter 27: "Go to sleep, superstar'' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

all the fluff ever

Ever forver

Explodes

@cupcakewebkinz its been so long since i last tagged u cus i write at like word per month but HELLO AGAIN SIS WAVES!!!!!

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Shelly kicked the door open with exactly the amount of force you’d expect from someone who just worked a ten-hour event non stop. Ruff.

The door thunked open, groaned like it didn’t wanna do this either, and swung into complete darkness. Not dim. Not chill. Just full “horror movies play out this way” kinda darkness.

The A/C was on full blast, and shelly squinted into the void. Horror movie be damned. She'll make it.

“…Vee?” she called out, cautious. She took one step in and immediately kicked a boot.

“OW—dammit, what is that—”

Something groaned. Something very alive shifted somewhere in the shadows. Yep. Shelly a goner

...

“…Was that you ?”

Then-

A voice floated up from the couch, muffled and barely sentient.

“...‘s me”

Shelly squinted harder. Took two more steps and promptly tripped over what she now identified as a hoodie-covered limb. She yelped and tumbled right into a blanket pile on the floor.

“wh- WHA- VEE?? I- dude i- are you just on the-????? Why didn’t you turn the lights on?!”

Still no lights. Still freezing. Still nothing but the glowing green dots of Vee’s very smug digital eyes opening slowly from within the mess of blankets on the couch.

“..cus...I can see in the dark” she mumbled

“Okay. But I can’t. You live with a normal-ass Shelly. You know this. Vee you know.”

“Mmm,” Vee said. “’s not my prob'em...”

Shelly threw a pillow at her. Missed. It hit the vanity table with a soft flop.

“…...Why are you just eeped out in the middle of the room like a dying Roomba?” she demanded, crawling dramatically up to the couch and flopping over it.

Vee barely moved. She was horizontal. Hoodie slung halfway off. One sock missing. Her antennae were drooped

“I was gonna change...” she mumbled.

“Okay”

“I sat down”

“Sure"

“I never got up again”

Shelly gave her the flattest look she could muster.

Then took a deep breath, sat down on the edge of the couch like she was ready to start a lecture. A very soft, very girlfriend-coded lecture.

“Okay. So. You mean to tell me-” she began.

“You survived two dress changes, three firework cues, eight promo photos, AND a live interview with that one host who kept calling you ‘Viv’— but died on the couch mid-boot-removal.”

Vee raised one hand. Pointed vaguely to her leg.

“boot’s still on”

“…I see that”

“Let me perish”

“Nah”

Shelly sighed. Tired. Dramatic. Then collapsed sideways onto her, knocking Vee deeper into the couch cushions. Vee let out a low “hnnnnnghhh” like a ghost being crushed by love.

“I was gonna drag you to the car” Shelly murmured, already half-curled into her. “But now I’m tired. And your dressing room has a good couch. So I’m staying”

Vee immediately wrapped an arm around her- “…'ank you”

“You didn’t do anything” Shelly yawned. “You’re the emotional equivalent of a half-charged iPad right now”

“....I kept my soul warm for you”

“You always say that when you want cuddles”

“…And it always works”

Shelly blinked. Smiled. Moved in closer and started gently running her fingers through Vee’s antennae

“You’re so clingy right now” she said, affection bleeding through every word.

“I always get clingy post-show” Vee grumbled. “You act surprised every time”

“I never said I was mad about it. I like clingy robot girlfriend mode”

“…Don’t call it that”

Shelly kissed her temple. “Sorry. You’re very cool and not clingy at all”

Vee let out a sleepy hum, squeezing her tighter.

.....

“…You think I was good?”

Shelly looked down at her

“Oh yeah. I think you were so good I almost cried. You were, like, glowing. Literally and metaphorically. And you hit that final pose and I swear half the audience had a moment.”

Vee’s face broke into a grin.

“…hehe...You’re obsessed with me”

“I’ve had a very long day and you are the only person I still wanna be near” Shelly replied, “so, that should tell you everything”

Vee dramatically buried her face in her shoulder-

“mrp. I’m gonna cry and it’s gonna be your fault."

“Good. Let it out, diva.”

They both laid there. Half-tangled. Eyes closed. Limbs in weird angles. It didn’t matter. The AC hummed. A spotlight from the hallway barely peeked under the door. Everything else in the world? Faded out.

“…Are you actually falling asleep again?” Shelly whispered after a long pause.

“No.”

“You are. You’re heavy. You’re like collapsing into me like a weighted blanket. Ribs dont lie”

“Love is heavy”

"You’re ridiculous”

“And you love me.”

".....yeah"

Shelly laid back deeper into the couch now, one leg still halfway off the edge, hoodie sleeves bunched around her wrists

Vee was fully slumped over her now, half-draped across her chest like a big ol sleepy scarf. One arm over Shelly’s waist. One boot still on. Her cheek pressed against Shelly’s collarbone like she was trying to absorb her entire soul through osmosis.

And Shelly? Shelly was gently, gently petting her antennae.

She did it without thinking, slow and rhythmic, fingertips drifting up to flick the little curve of light-sensitive metal where Vee always shivered slightly.

“You’re soooo clingy-” she whispered, smiling like a very eepy lovesick idiot. “You get one performance high and suddenly you’re a backpack”

Vee mumbled something completely unintelligible into her neck. Could’ve been “rude,” could’ve been “mood.” Might’ve been the dying whimper of her soul.

Shelly giggled- “You’re not even listening. You’re like one second away from going full shutdown mode. I can feel you powering off”

“M’not,” came the muffled protest. “I’m still running”

Shelly rolled her eyes, but couldn’t stop smiling. She adjusted the hoodie over Vee’s back, tugged the sleeve back over her hand, and continued the antenna-petting operation. Soft, easy strokes. Real girlfriend hours.

“I should carry you back,” she said quietly. “But you’d complain. You’d wake up halfway and be like ‘put me down, I’m tall’ and then immediately collapse in the hallway. You'd take us both down. God bless.”

Vee exhaled. Deep and long. The kind of exhale that said, yeah okay that sounds about right

Shelly gently rubbed the back of her head-

“Y’know what? We’re not even arguing. You’re too soft. You’re a warm, clingy roomba right now.”

“…'m a deluxe model…”

“You’re a fancy blanket with opinions maybe”

Another mumble. Vee shifted slightly, pulling Shelly’s arm tighter around her waist.

“ok ok-” Shelly whispered, cheek resting on her forehead now. “C’mon. Just sleep for real. Go full eepy. Then I’ll take you home and tuck you into your Real People bed. I’ll even let you hog the pillows”

Vee didn’t answer. Shelly smiled wider. She kissed the top of her head. Gave one final antenna-pat for good measure.

Then—softly, teasing, but sincere-

“For real though, you did so good tonight. I know you won’t remember I said this ‘cause your brain’s already soup, but you were magic up there. Crowd lost it. I almost cried. Again. I keep almost crying. It’s your fault”

Still no reply. Just the tiniest twitch of Vee against her. Sleepy and smug.

“...Go to sleep, superstar” Shelly whispered, now holding her fully, fingers trailing slow circles along Vee’s back. “I’ll carry ya outta here like a queen in exile”

Nothing but soft breathing. Nothing but warmth. Shelly waited a few more minutes—ten, maybe fifteen. Just long enough to be sure. Just long enough to hear the change in Vee’s internal circuitry hums. Slow. Steady.

Then, very carefully, she shifted.

Vee didn’t move, Shelly wriggled out from under her, inch by inch, Vee groaned once in protest— but Shelly shushed her softly

“Shhh, shh-shh-shh. It’s okay. You’re being relocated, no prob.”

And then—With the confidence of someone who had done this before—She braced herself. And scooped Vee into her arms.

“UNNFFFF—okay. Jesus. You’re all legs. Why are you built like this.”

Vee’s arm flopped lazily around her shoulder. Still asleep. Or pretending. Shelly couldn’t tell. Didn’t matter. She held her like she was priceless cargo. Like a clingy, sleepy, mildly radioactive princess.

...And as she reached the door, Shelly whispered one final thing into her:

“Next time I’m bringing a wagon. God damn.”

[soupiestfics]

Chapter 26: part 6 “Replaceable”

ITS FINALLY OUTTTTTT!!!! IT WAS LONG

I am

I AM LIVING YAYYYY

@cupcakewebkinz meow

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Vee sat cross-legged on the hotel room floor now. A blanket draped over her shoulders.

Her screen still flickered faintly along the edges- spiderweb cracks thin but constant. Satic pulsed in tiny bursts with every exhale. Shelly sat beside her. Close, but not too close. She’d learned how much space to give.

They hadn’t said anything for a while. The quiet was comfortable now. Heavy, but not hostile.

And then—Shelly shifted slightly, folding one knee beneath her. She glanced sideways-

“Hey, um…”

Her voice stayed soft, careful.

“....Can I ask you something?”

Vee didn’t look over. Didn’t move at all. But she gave a slow, tiny nod.

Shelly hesitated.

Then.

“...Why did you start ignoring me…?"

A gulp.

"...uhm- aft...after I showed you how I felt? I just… I don’t get it. I’m not mad. I just… wanna understand"

...

Vee flinched like the words physically touched her.

Her hands twitched in her lap. Her fingers curled, dug into the blanket.

And for a second, it looked like she might not say anything at all.

But then—Something cracked.

It wasn’t loud. But it was sudden.

“I—” she started, then stopped. Swallowed. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

Her voice was brittle.

“I didn’t mean to—hurt you. I just— It’s not like you said something wrong. It’s not you. I mean— God, it is, it’s always you, and I wanted that, I did, but-”

She broke off again, breathing sharp. Her hands were shaking now.

“I just—I tried. I tried so many times to do what normal people do- I thought if I could just act right—if I could do the things that matter—then maybe you’d… y’know. Feel something. And when you finally did, when you looked at me like that, I…”

She looked away. Her screen glitched at the corner of her mouth.

“I panicked”

. . . .

Shelly didn’t speak. She just listened.

Vee took another breath. It shook on the way out

Shelly shifted- Now sat with her back against the couch behind her, next to vee, she was still beside her, but not touching. Just close.

Vees knees were pulled to her chest now, head ducked low, eyes dimmed to a glassy flicker. Her fingers were twitching in her lap. Every few seconds, she’d flex them like she was trying to reset herself.

Vee exhaled slowly, then broke the silence. Her voice stuttered again, glitching low.

“Do...you..uhm- You remember when I used to bring you food- made you lunch once?”

Shelly blinked, and nodded. So vee continued.

“I almost burned my apartment down doing that”

“....What.”

Shelly just stared. Huh.

“The- uh- stove overheated. I didn’t realize the pan had a coating I wasn’t programmed to recognize. It melted. I caught it just in time”

She rubbed her wrist, still not looking at her.

“I fried a heat sensor on my hand. My- my hand smelled like melted plastic for a week”

Shelly’s lips parted, but she didn’t say anything.

“And you remember the umbrella?”

Vee’s voice cracked, but this time not from static. Her screen flickered briefly.

“We were doing that shoot in the rain. I held it over your head. You told me you liked the sound of the rain?”

Her hand trembled. She dug her nails into her own palm.

“Water got into half my circuitry. Shorted half my joints. I didn’t tell you, but I couldn’t move my arm for the rest of the night."

A pause.

She blinked hard, and the first digital tear slipped down the glass curve of her cheek.

“And then the coat—remember that? The night it got cold?”

“…you gave it to me..?”

“Yeah. And you looked so happy I didn’t have the heart to tell you my thermal regulator froze. I couldn’t feel my legs for four hours, Shelly.”

She laughed, but it was sharp. Bitter.

“I had to sit in the closet rebooting my motor alignment in the dark like a broken laptop."

Shelly was staring at her now. Speechless.

“And the voice—” Vee stopped. Then swallowed. Hard.

“I heard you talking to Connie. You said Glisten’s voice was nice. Calming.”

“That—Vee, that was—”

“I corrupted my pitch bank trying to match it. Got stuck between pitches. I glitched through five accents trying to talk to you the next day and had to hard reset myself.”

More tears now. Just rolling down in silence.

“You asked me what I wanted for my birthday,” she said hoarsely. “I didn’t know when it was”

“…you forgot it?”

“I deleted it. Accidentally. When I overwrote a memory sector trying to optimize how I said your name”

She blinked again, tears rolling.

“Did you know you sound different when you’re happy?”

...Shelly couldn’t answer.

“I tried to study it. Figure out what I could say to get that version of you again. I spent nights running simulations. Talking to an empty room. Saying ‘hi’ over and over just to see if I could get it right.”

She brought a hand to her face, and her voice dropped to a whisper.

“And I thought… maybe- if I kept it up, Id know when i did it right. I'd know when I’ve succeeded. When you'd smile. When you'd hug me. When you'd say thank you.”

Her fingers started shaking again.

“But then you looked at me—after you said you loved me—and I realized I didn’t know. I didn’t feel it. I didn’t even know what it meant.”

She finally looked up. Straight at Shelly.

Eye dimmed.

Cracked.

Wet.

. . .

“How do people just know when they fall in love?”

. . .

Shelly opened her mouth. No words came out

“I-I tried to find an answer. I read books. Watched movies. Ran comparisons! Set up internal logs. I couldn’t feel it, Shelly. I couldn’t name it.”

Her voice shook.

She leaned forward now, covering her eyes, shoulders trembling, tears swelling freely.

“You were so warm. And I kept being cold. You looked at me like I was something alive. And all I could think about was how many milliseconds late my smile was.”

More tears hit her.

She covered her eye- wiping her screen, even though it wouldn't have done anything.

Shelly reached out.

Hesitated. Froze.

“…Vee" she whispered. But Vee didn’t stop.

“....and you know what?.. If I vanished tomorrow—if my voice shut off, if my body collapsed—they’d just open the server, pull a backup, and boot up another me.”

Her hands gripped her arms now. Tight.

“They wouldn’t miss me. They’d just make a new version.”

A beat.

“New voice. New face. Better memory. Better function.”

Another tear hit her lap.

“I’m replaceable.”

She covered her head, curling in tight.

“I’m not real, Shelly.”

And finally—quiet, trembling.

. . .

“Is that really someone you wanna love?”

. . .

Shelly didn’t speak.

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Section 2 : "The binder”

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Silence hung like fog. Thick. Unmoving.

Vee sat curled at the foot of the couch, arms locked tight around her knees, her screen dim and flickering in uneven pulses.

A soft static buzz still lingered in her jaw. She didn’t wipe her tears anymore—just let them fall, blinking slow, eye red and wide and dazed.

Across from her, Shelly moved. Quiet.

She left the room without a word, and Vee barely even turned her head.

She thought—I ruined it. I said too much. I always do.

And so she cried. Not loudly. Not with drama.

Just small, silent quakes.

But then—

Footsteps.

And Shelly came back.

With a big, purple binder hugged to her chest. It looked worn. A little crooked.

She didn’t say anything. Just sank down next to Vee on the floor, legs folding underneath herself. She placed the binder between them. Vee didn’t look at her. Didn’t even move

She just stared down at her own hands. Still twitching faintly. Still glitched. Shelly set down the binder, and pulled it open. Plastic photo sleeves rustled

She turned to the first page. Slid it out. Held it up gently to show vee.

. . .

“..You remember this one?”

. . .

It was Vee at some fair. A sign, one that read “DANDY’S NIGHT FAIR” behind her, was flickering

It was the day management took everyone on a trip for such a successful tour, and it showed Shelly smiling faintly.

“...I told you I was there to shoot the fireworks that night.” She exhaled softly. “…Got so excited when I saw you, I forgot to clean my lens. Everything came out looking like I smeared lipgloss on it. I had to pretend it was an ‘artistic choice’ at the next meeting.."

She turned to the next photo

Vee and her in front of a giant cardboard cat cutout with sunglasses. Vee looked deadpan. Shelly was mid-laugh, half-blurred.

“I tripped running over to you. Broke the most expensive lens. I don’t even like cats that much"

Vee’s head lifted. Slightly. Just barely.

Shelly flipped again. A picture of Vee under string lights, blinking hard. Way too much flash.

“My stupid external flash fried. Had to tape it to a stick, Vee. You blinked in every single picture. I had to spend hours editing your digital eyelids”

Another. Rain. Vee’s coat over Shelly’s shoulders. They were both soaked. Vee’s screen was flickering slightly.

“-You tried to hold the umbrella, but it flipped inside out. I kept saying I was fine, and you just—looked at me like I was the dumbest creature alive, and handed me your coat. I couldn’t even get a good shot. Waterlogged my battery!"

She turned the page.

Then another.

And another.

She laughed a little more this time, not mocking—just amazed at herself.

“This one? I made you dinner as thanks for the lunches. Told you it was a surprise. Burned the whole pan. I cried for twenty minutes vee.”

“-Here? I made you wait outside in the cold for ten minutes because I thought I lost my phone. It was in my pocket-"

“-I stepped on your mic tail during this one. You didnt even flinch- but i was so embarrassed i fell off stage and broke boxtens speaker-"

And Shelly kept on going.

Vee’s mouth opened like she wanted to speak. Then closed again

Shelly shook her head with a low laugh and held up another page—Vee with a birthday cupcake. But Shelly was in the background, falling out of her chair

“You told me you didn’t really have birthdays. I wanted to give you one anyway. Got so nervous I leaned too far back trying to hide the candle and just—bam. Right on the floor. You nearly rebooted laughing-”

She was laughing softly now , like she couldn’t quite stop.

“I swear to god, Vee. Every single time I tried to do something right, I messed it up. But you still showed up. You still came back. Even when I completely ruined it.”

Vee was staring at her now- Still blank, But the sadness in her face had shifted slightly—muted, dulled, confused

“…You always looked so—sure,” Vee said. “Like you knew what you were doing..”

“I didn’t!" Shelly laughed out “I was winging it. I still am winging it!”

Silence again

Shelly glanced at her. And then down at her own lap. Then back at Vee

. . . .

“…Vee” she said. “If I was looking for a lover based on how sentient they were, I’d date a toaster”

Vee blinked. Hard.

“…Wha.”

Shelly smiled.

“Dead serious. Sleek. Quiet. You can put your Pop-Tarts in it”

And Vee—broken screen and all—let out the tiniest, most startled sound- A laugh. Just one. Short and soft. Her antennas twitched even.

“…You’re weird” she whispered, amused.

Shelly shrugged. “And you kept showing up anyway”

They sat there like that for a while. The binder on the floor between them still, The weight of everything slightly less sharp in the air

And then—softly, gently—Shelly reached out.

Took Vee’s hand- The twitching one.

The one that still glitched at the joints, vibrating slightly.

And she kissed it.

. . .

Vee froze. Her screen flickered once. Then steadied.

She stared. No response.

Shelly smiled again—smaller this time. A little embarrassed.

. . .

“…If it, uh… makes you feel any better,” she added softly, “I don’t really know what the hell im doing either- dont know what love’s like either”

She gave a sheepish shrug-

“...Didn’t even have to be a robot to be that dumb either...”

. . .

And this time—Vee did laugh.

Just one shaky, startled breath of air- but it was loud this time. And she didn’t pull her hand away.

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Section 3: “Will you?"

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The room was quiet again, but not the bad kind, The kind where everything had finally stopped spinning..They sat on the floor—just the two of them.

The air was still heavy, but not unbearable anymore.

Vee’s screen, still cracked and low-lit, reflected the quiet lamp-light in the corner. Her head leaned gently against Shelly’s shoulder now.

It had been a long day.

A long everything.

Shelly had stopped shaking an hour ago. Maybe longer. She wasn’t keeping track. Time didn’t feel real in moments like this anyway

Her fingers threaded lightly into Vee’s antennas—She wasn’t even sure if it felt good to Vee, but she hadn’t stopped her. And that was enough.

Vee’s knees were drawn up halfway, arms loosely around them. Her frame twitched every few minutes, little hiccups of static still wriggling through the cracks in her monitor. But she hadn’t said anything in a while. Just let herself sit there.

They were okay now. Not perfect. Not fixed. But okay.

“…You tired?” Shelly finally asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Vee nodded against her, and then added—after a long pause—

. . .

“…Yes. But not in the battery way.”

Shelly’s finger twitched. “In the…people way?”

“…Unfortunately. Yep.”

They both let out soft breaths. Not quite laughs. But something warmer than before. The silence stretched again. Long and peaceful

-Until Vee shifted. Pulled her phone out. Started typing.

Then paused.

Deleted it.

Started again. Stopped.

Her screen dimmed. She locked it. Put the phone down. Picked it back up. Flicked through a few menus for no reason. Just fidgeting.

Something in her shoulders tightened.

“…Vee?”

“I’m fine” she said quickly. “I’m not malfunctioning.”

“......Didn’t say you were”

“Then why do you sound like you’re worried?”

Shelly blinked. “Because I know you?”

Silence again.

Vee sank lower. She was trying to be calm, clearly. But there was a noise in her fan now. The soft hum when she got nervous.

Her fingers twitched as they typed again—stopping, starting.

“...Can I…?” she started.

Paused. Deleted. Rewrote.

Shelly stayed patient. Didn’t lean over and didn’t interrupt. She just waited.

-Finally, after what felt like years, Vee held out her phone.

Shaking.

The message on the screen read simply.

. . . .

“Do you wanna be my girlfriend now?”

Shelly blinked.

Looked up.

Vee was not looking at her. Her screen was facing the wall, hands already tensed to take the phone back and pretend it never happened. She was twitching. Glitching and embarrassed.

Shelly smiled. She took the phone and typed back.

“Only if you show me a cat gif”

....Vee stared. Her screen flickered. Shelly could see the exact moment it registered.

“…are....is this- You’re saying yes?” she asked aloud, voice cracked and unsteady.

“Duh.” Shelly nudged her knee against Vee’s. “Now where’s my cat?”

Vee snapped back to reality- and immediately opened her phone back up.

Clicked around.

Got it. A low-res, glitchy GIF of a cat trying to catch a fish on TV and falling off the couch.

Shelly snorted- “Perfect.”

“I tried to pick a meaningful one" Vee said quietly. “That one falls over- like uh... falling..in love?"

And shelly- absolutely melted. The poor girl took it way too serious.

"its- its perfect, vee."

And shelly- finally, leaned in aswell.

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Section 4: "Repairs"

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. . . .

...It started with Shelly laying out her tools like she was about to perform surgery. The little screwdrivers were arranged in perfect order—The microfiber cloths were folded.

Vee sat in the middle of the room, legs crossed, watching all of this with a kind of cautious curiosity.

Shelly knelt in front of her. “Okay,” she breathed, clutching Phillip (the Phillips-head screwdriver, obviously)

“....You ready?”

Vee stared. Her screen flickered faintly at the edges.

“I wanna file a complaint." Vee said.

“About what?”

“I am about to be opened like a video game console and you’re smiling like this is a spa day.”

Shelly laughed under her breath, then reached forward and rested her hand just under Vee’s chin. “Vee. You trust me, right?”

Vee hesitated.

“...Terrifyingly so.”

Shelly grinned. “Okay, then let me help, alright?"”

. . . .

Shelly’s touch was gentle. Every motion deliberate. As she was taking off bits of broken glass, she kept glancing up to check Vee’s eye—which blinked a little too fast every time Shelly got near something important.

“You okay?” she murmured, for the fourth time.

“No” Vee whispered back. “But I still trust you"

They kept going like that. Quiet. Focused.

Halfway through the repair, Shelly asked gently, trying to distract the obviously scared vee.

"So....did anyone- ever fix your screen before?"

The screwdriver stilled. Vee blinked. Once. Then again

“…Yes” she said finally. Shelly didn’t press. She didn’t even move, except for the slight, absent stroke of her thumb along the edge of Vee’s twitchy hand. Not even a proper gesture. Just—something to comfort her.

“It was Veronica" Vee added, eventually. “She was the only one I ever let touch it."

“I figured” Shelly murmured. “You said she knew what she was doing?"

“She did.” Vee’s eye flickered again. “She used to keep all her screws in this little jar. You’d hear her shake it whenever she was mad. It was silly."

Shelly made a small sound of amusement. Her fingers moved again, brushing a layer of dust from the inner panel of vees screen before setting her tool down. “You ever help her?”

“No. She didn’t let me get close. Said I’d get distracted and start asking why she named her screwdriver”

“…Did she?”

“Screwbitha.”

Shelly smiled. Vee continued-

“She said naming tools made them less likely to betray you.” -her voice was thin but steady now.

“I thought it was stupid to name a screwdriver."

....

"..until I named mine."

Shelly looked up.

No way.

“wait-you? Vee. What’s yours called??”

Vee hesitated.

“…I’m not telling you.”

Shelly snorted. “You absolutely named it something stupid.”

“It’s dignified.” Vee snapped, too fast to be convincing. “It’s a good, strong—logical—name.”

“You named it ‘Screw McGee' or something didn’t you.”

“Absolutely not."

.....

Silence..

....

"..........i named it general screw."

Yep

Shelly lost it.

Quietly. Shoulders shaking. One hand pressed to her mouth like that might somehow help. “Oh my god” she breathed, still laughing. “You’re unbelievable"

Vee didn’t smile. But something in her relaxed. Just a bit. Her shoulders dropped from their usual guard. Her hands stilled. “right. Anyway…"

Shelly settled down- continued working carefully on vees screen.

"Oh- Speaking of.....she used to whistle while she worked.” Vee said. “Veronica. Always a different song. Usually off-key. I used to think she was doing it just to make me leave the room"

Shelly’s smile faded gently into something softer. “Did you leave?”

“No. I sat by the wall and made fun of her the whole time.” Vee blinked again. The room went quiet again. Not heavy. Just…quiet, not a bad kind either.

....

It had been a while

...Vee’s eyes slid toward Shelly, then away, then back.

“....You haven’t said anything in a while"

“I’m letting you remember” Shelly said softly. “That’s important"

"…I don’t like remembering.”

“I know” shelly whispered, gently caressing vees now more stable hand. “But I think it’s part of helping you”

That was when Vee’s breathing changed. Not dramatically. Not in a way that would alert most people. But Shelly heard it.

“Hey.” Shelly leaned in slightly. “You still okay?"

“...No, i’m not." Vee murmured. “But I trust you. That’s worse.”

“Worse?”

“...Because if you hurt me by accident, I’ll still forgive you now.”

Shelly’s hands stopped completely. Her breath hitched, just once. But her voice stayed calm.

“Then I won’t hurt you"

“You can’t promise that.”

“I know” Her thumb traced along vees hand, gentle. “But I can promise I’ll never mean to"

Vee...just stared, didn’t respond wiith sarcasm, no deflection. Just a small, quiet nod.

Shelly continued the repair in near silence. Vee watched her hands the whole time. Her own limbs were stiff, but she didn’t move them away. Didn’t flinch when Shelly’s fingers got close. Not even when Shelly leaned in, set her forehead gently against Vee’s for one long breath, and whispered: "..Dont worry, You’re doing really well”.....yep

...Vee didn’t know what to do with that. She didn’t say thank you. She didn’t even make a joke. She just blinked very, very fast—

.....and reached up to boop Shelly on the nose.

Shelly froze.

“…Was that....you being....affectionate??”

“It was me redirecting sensory input. Don’t make it weird.”

...Shelly giggled into her palm. “It’s already weird, love”

Vee twitched.

“You said that again.”

“Said what?”

“That word.”

Shelly smiled, brushing a thumb across the final corner of Vee’s frame. “Which one? Love? Girlfriend? Mine?”

Vee’s mouth opened. Closed. Her screen flickered a little brighter.

“…You’re very confident.”

“I’m not" Shelly admitted. “I’m just happy"

“Again.....that’s worse.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to understand it”

Shelly paused. And then, without a word, tilted forward and kissed Vee’s forehead.

Vee froze. But she didn’t pull away. She didn’t move at all. And after a long moment… very quietly…

“…Is that the whole repair done?” she asked

Shelly smiled. “Not quite.” She reached behind her, held up the soft blanket she’d brought just in case, and draped it gently around Vee’s shoulders-

“Now we power down for emotional overheating.”

“I’m not—” Vee started. Then blinked. Then whispered, “Oh. Wait. I am.”

Shelly settled in beside her, arm to arm. “Yeah.”

And they sat like that for a long time. Not quite touching. Not speaking.

Just… letting the silence be enough

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.....The Next Morning, Vee was still wrapped in the blanket. Shelly too had finally fallen asleep sitting upright, her head tilted to rest awkwardly on Vee’s shoulder, the tool case still next to her but neatly kept back and away

It was silent, except for the soft hum of a phone charger, and the occasional electric buzz of Vee’s internal circuitry.

Vee stirred first, and blinked slowly at the ceiling. No alarms, incoming data or scheduled broadcasts. Her entire system felt… quiet. And that was somehow more terrifying than the panic

"…I think I’m...."

Pause.

"i think im relaxed." she whispered.

From beside her, Shelly murmured without opening her eyes, “That’s amazing. Don’t ruin it.”

Vee blinked down at her. “We’ve been off work for three and a half da-”

“Shh." Shelly mumbled

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Later That Day — The studio door opened. Two figures stepped into the sun. Vee was wearing her blazer from five episodes ago, unpressed and slung loosely over one shoulder. Shelly trailed slightly behind her, looking a little dazed and dreamy, her shirt only half tucked in

The second they turned the corner onto the studio lot—

“—OH MY GOD.”

“THERE THEY ARE!”

“WE FOUND THEM!"

Poppy, boxten, and at least three assistant producers came running full speed like they were about to tackle a pair of fleeing fugitives.

-Vee didn’t flinch, but her eyes twitched. Poppy stopped just short of grabbing her by the bowtie.

“WHERE WERE YOU?!”

“You’ve been gone for 4 days” boxten added, huffing. “You missed five production meetings and two host tapings! And you—” he turned on Shelly— “YOU were scheduled for a magazine shoot on Wednesday! I had to lie and say you had… a fever!”

“I did” Shelly said dreamily

“YOU ABSOLUTELY DID NOT.”

Glisten appeared out of nowhere like a peacock made of glitter and fury. What was he even doing here??

“I THOUGHT YOU DIED" he wailed, clutching Shelly’s face in both hands. “I CALLED 27 TIMES YOU FREAK.”

“I love you” Shelly murmured, still half-asleep. “but you’re so dramatic.."

Glisten shrieked.

“TWENTY SEVEN. SHELLY. SHELLY FOSSILIAN."

Meanwhile, Connie, was just staring at Vee like she’d risen from the dead. (Pun intended) “..Are you… back? And.... are you...." she paused- then kinda nudged her in shellys direction.

"Is that. Are you two. Is it cool now??"

Vee simply nodded. “We're.....i guess?"

"oh thank god" connie sighed in relief. “We thought maybe one of you snapped and finally pushed the other off a bridge. We even called Gigi”

Vee stood very still, then cleared her throat. “...I apologize for the -inconvenience....but.....uhm......who even are you?”

And thus connie whooshed away. Nice.

.....

".....anyway.." boxten said, still writing notes. “We missed our star host and our only balanced photographer. Production has been feral.”

Vee blinked. “Why didn’t you call?”

“WE DID.” boxten turned his phone to her. “You left us on read forty-three times!”

Shelly peeked over her shoulder and saw every message:

[Tue 9:45 AM] “Hey Vee just checking in hope you’re alive!! Haha :)”

[Tue 10:03 AM] “You’re not answering. Are you okay???”

[Wed 1:00 PM] “Did you and Shelly run away to form a cult. Be honest.”

[ Thu 7:14 AM] “we made a slideshow in your honor in case you’re dead”

.......

Vee blinked.

“…Oh. I had my notifs off.”

“You turned off emergency studio contact.”

“I was away for three days. Sue me.”

“WE ALMOST DID.”

...Shelly raised her hand. “...uhhhhhh- we’re really sorry. Vee just… needed some time. And I wanted to be there while she healed you know!"

Glisten sniffled. “You’re so gross. I love you. Never do that again.

....So shelly beamed and immediately hugged him

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.....Later That Night, backstage at the studio, Vee sat with her legs propped on the dressing room counter, watching Shelly adjust the lighting.

Shelly looked up. “...You okay?”

Vee hesitated. Then nodded. “…Still scared,” she admitted. “But you’re here"

Shelly smiled, camera strap slung across her, stepping over cables to lean in and kiss Vees temple. Vee blinked, startled. Then whispered... “…I might turn my notifications back on”

Shelly laughed. “That’s my brave little screen"

Vee groaned- “I take it back. Alerts are off forever"

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The next day, It had been a quiet morning. They hadn’t said much after arriving—just exchanged a few soft looks, some half-smiles...that familiar warmth still new and flickering between them

Vee had already gone through the usual prep and styling. Her bow was fixed. Her outfit crisp. Her screen glowed soft and even in the lighting...

-But she was tense again. Even now, even after everything, she stood at the center of the seamless white backdrop like someone about to be dissected.

Perfect posture. Hands clasped loosely. Not breathing. Shelly stood behind the camera. The official studio photographer had left for a call and jokingly said, “Hey, you know the lighting—grab a few test shots if you want!”

Shelly just smiled and nodded at that. And now they were here. Alone again. Just them and the click of the camera

She lifted the lens and spoke gently, like she always did now. “You doing okay?” Vee’s eyes flicked over.

“I’m ready”

“..I didn’t ask if you were ready”

A pause. Vee exhaled, quiet and measured.

“...I don’t know yet.”

Shelly nodded. “That’s alright" She didn’t push. Just waited until Vee settled a bit, until her shoulders softened, just enough that her expression could start to look like herself again

And then she lifted the camera and started taking photos. No pressure. Just soft, steady clicks.

“....you always photograph like you're about to disappear?" Shelly said after a moment, her voice warm and low.

Vee’s eyes shifted again. “That’s how I feel.”

Click.

“Would you want to look different?” Shelly asked. “Not to others. Just for yourself”

Vee tilted her head slightly. “…I don’t know what I would look like."

Shelly smiled behind the camera. “....Maybe like this?”

She clicked again—just as Vee’s screen flickered gently in the studio glow. She was blinking slower now. Breathing through it.

“...You’re allowed to be real here" Shelly said, lowering the camera.

“I’m working” Vee reminded her, but the words came quiet.

“I know” Shelly said. “But I think you’re doing both"

Vee looked at her. Shelly stepped a little closer, still not touching, still being careful not to break the moment.

“....Can I fix your bow?” she asked softly. Vee hesitated. Then nodded once

Shelly stepped forward gently, hands rising up to the edge of the ribbon. Her fingers were light, barely brushing fabric, just a small motion to re-flatten one of the loops that had gone uneven.

“There” she whispered. “You’re good"

She didn’t step back right away. Vee’s eyes were wide, still watching her. She looked like she wanted to say something, but didn’t know what would be appropriate here, in the bright hush of a studio built for projection, not softness.

So Shelly smiled for her. Just smiled. “You don’t have to know what to say” she said. “You’re doing really well”

Vee’s mouth opened slightly, then closed again. She looked down.

“…You say that a lot.”

“Only because it’s true"

Vee nodded slowly, then whispered. “...I’m not used to this"

“I know”

“....I don’t want to mess it up.”

Shelly let her hands fall back to her sides. “You’re not" she promised. “You’re doing exactly what you need to. That’s all"

Vee blinked hard, like something hit her chest.

“…You really think I look alright?”

Shelly gave her a look, soft and full and maybe just the tiniest bit amused. “You are so much more than alright.”

Vee turned away quickly at that, but she didn’t leave. Didn’t excuse herself or change subjects.

She just stood there. A little quiet. But not afraid

Shelly raised the camera again. “Okay. One more?”

Vee nodded

Click.

And this time, she looked alot more at peace.

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Section 5: "Fernando"

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The hotel room is quiet now, save for the hum of the coffee machine and the faint traffic from the street below

...It’s been a week. A week of existing together without tension. Of little conversations at night and shared breakfasts in silence. Or of brushing shoulders by accident and slowly learning not to flinch when it happens

Vee adjusted the collar of her blazer in the mirror. Half of her is dressed for broadcast. The other half is still very much in hotel pajamas.

Behind her, Shelly sits curled up on the bed, legs tucked beneath her, coffee cup cupped in both hands. She's wearing one of Vee’s oversized show staff T-shirts, looking quite comfy actually

“...You’re gonna overheat” Shelly murmured, eyes on her cup. “Wool blazer, coffee, direct sunlight…”

“I’m not” Vee replied flatly. “im actually just preparing myself for the inevitable heat death of all broadcast studios.”

Shelly smiles “Efficient”

Vee straightens the lapels- “I try”

....There’s a quiet pause. Not uncomfortable. Just… lingering. They’d both grown used to these silences. The ones that used to feel like tension , that now just felt like comfort.

“...You nervous?” Shelly asked, gently. Vee exhaled, still looking at her reflection.

“Always.”

“Anything I can do?”

...Vee considered that.

She turned, crosses the room, and stands in front of Shelly for a moment too long before sitting on the edge of the bed beside her.

“…Talk to me for a bit. About anything. Doesn’t matter what”

Shelly nods, accepting that easily. She turns slightly toward her...and absolutely obliges.

“Alright. Um… yesterday, while you were asleep, I found a small notebook in my camera bag. Not mine. No idea how it got there. It had two whole shopping lists and a doodle of what I think was a raptor. But it also might’ve been a t-rex, nothing much"

Vee stares.

“That’s not nothing. That’s a mystery"

“mhm! I’ve decided to keep it" Shelly says, smiling behind her mug. “Might add to it. Continue the chaos. See if someone else finds it at work next”

“Spreading strange dino lore?”

“Exactly.”

Vee’s shoulder relaxes. Just a little. And she breathes.

...

“....You’re good at this.” she says softly.

Shelly blinks. “At what?”

“This.” Vee gestures vaguely between them. “The… calming.”

..Shelly shifts, reaching out to smooth down Vee’s sleeve with gentle fingers. “I’m just...being with you, yknow?”

Vee watches her hands, doesn’t pull away. “I’m...still learning how to do that” she murmurs

“I know” Shelly says. “But you’re doing really well"

....

-There’s a knock at the door

Vee doesn’t move at first. Then: “That’s probably the driver"

Shelly nods, setting her cup down. “You all packed?”

“Yep. Double-checked last night"

“Of course you did”

Vee stands, then turns back toward her bag. She unzips a side pocket, pulls something out, and walks over to Shelly again—this time with a strange look of mild, embarrassed determination

She holds out a tiny potted fern. Soft green. The pot has a little smile painted on it.

Shelly blinks down at it. Her hands come up automatically, cradling it like something delicate.

“I-I...uh...saw it yesterday” Vee says. “I wasn’t going to buy it. I thought it was silly. But- then I thought of you."

Shelly's lips twitch. “You… got me a plant?”

“It’s very low-maintenance!” Vee clarifies quickly. “It doesn’t need much. Just… light. Some water. And...care...?”

She pauses. “I...thought maybe you’d like something small that stays”

Shelly looks up, eyes warm. “...He’s perfect”

“He?”

“I’ve decided his name is Fernando.”

Vee blinks. “…You’re naming the plant.”

“Yes.”

“...Why?”

“Because he has a soul"

A beat

"And also because now if you call, I can say we miss you"

....

Vee groans softly, but she’s smiling now..soft and full.

“I walked into that”

“Every step"

They stand together for a moment—Vee fidgeting with her cufflink, Shelly cradling Fernando like a very soft, leafy child.

Then Vee clears her throat. “I’ll- ill call you after the taping. Even if it’s short.”

“You better.”

“And text when I land"

“And when you eat.”

“And when I inevitably forget to eat?”

“I will text you until you do”

They both smile. There’s another knock. A little more impatient this time.

Shelly leans in, gently fixing Vee’s collar with practiced fingers. She brushes a little lint from her shoulder. Her touch is slow. Careful.

“You’ll be okay” she murmurs

“I know..”

“And I’ll be here when you’re done”

...Vee’s screen brightens for a moment—faint, like a flicker of pride.

“..I’m starting to believe that”

Shelly nods once, then steps back with Fernando in her arms. “I’ll keep him safe!”

“I expect photo updates”

“Every day.”

They don’t kiss goodbye. Not yet. Not in that way. But Vee reaches out and squeezes Shelly’s hand once before stepping toward the door. And Shelly, sweet and steady, calls after her—just before she leaves-

“Vee- wait! Tell Fernando you miss him too!”

Vee pauses. Then, without turning around, she replies.

“…I already do”

...And they both smile at that.

[soupiestfics]

Chapter 25: Part 5- “Im sorry”

OOF THESE R ROLLING OUT MAN

The power of music and a rlly good apple i think lol

Lets pray i stay locked in its getting juicy now

Oh and

@cupcakewebkinz waves at u :)

Yo :D

Lil suprise for ya in this one :D

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Shelly didn’t stop crying.

Even when her voice gave out. Even when her throat went raw.

Vee didn’t say anything else. Just let the scolding go.

And then-

Her hand moved slowly. Like a hesitant program booting up-

Before wiping Shelly’s tears away, jitty fingers petting her head gently.

"Sorry"

Just once.

Small. Almost a glitch in itself.

But vee had said it.

And shelly didn’t say anything back

Not at first.

. . .

“You don’t get to say that.”

Shelly didn’t even lift her head.

She was sick of this.

“You don’t get to just say sorry and act like you didn’t... do all of that.

And vee didn't protest.

She couldnt. She knew she couldnt.

"...Like you didn’t leave me in the dark for weeks. Like you didn’t make me feel insane for caring.”

Vee’s hand froze.

“I didn’t do anything to you.”

Shelly rasped.

“I didn’t hurt you. I didn’t lie to you. I didn’t leave you.”

“I know”

That's all vee said.

"You hurt me so bad I still wake up shaking."

“..I know.”

Shelly turned her head.

Her face was wet.

Her bandaged hand trembled on the edge of the mattress now.

“I didn’t deserve it.”

She had said it.

But she was shivering now.

Quiet now.

“...I really didn’t.”

And vee had nothing to say.

Nothing.

“..I know”

It was the first time Vee had ever admitted it.

No arguing.

No defense.

Just... quiet. Bitter truth.

Shelly’s face crumpled again, and she choked on the next sob.

It wasn’t sharp anymore. It was tired. Bone-deep.

She folded over, burying her face into Vee’s side like she couldn’t hold herself up anymore.

And vee didn’t move. Didn’t even flinch.

Just placed a hand on Shelly’s back.... Light. Mechanical.

. . .

“....You won’t remember any of this”

. . . .

Shelly didn’t answer.

She just breathed in. Shook once. And finally fell backward on the mattress — unconscious before her head even hit the pillow, arms slack and face tearstained, mouth parted with sleep.

Vee looked at her.

Looked at all the pain she'd caused curled up in a trembling body.

And stayed sitting beside it.

Just letting it rest

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Segment 2: “What did i say”

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....The light hurt.

Everything hurt.

Shelly groaned as she stirred, hand coming up to rub her face—

Only to hiss when the gauze on her hand pulled and the bruises flared up angry and sore.

Her head felt like it had been jackhammered into concrete. Her mouth was dry- Hell the room swayed a little when she opened her eyes.

But she wasn’t alone.

Vee sat there on the edge of the bed.

Unmoving. Silent.

Her screen dim, fractured lines still webbed across the display.

...but her hand…Her hand was moving. Gently.

Tracing the scarred, bruised mess of Shelly’s fingers with such unbearable softness it didn’t even feel real.

Like she was memorizing damage. Like she needed to.

And Shelly flinched.

Pulled back.

Fast.

Her breath caught and she sat up hard, holding her hand to her chest like it’d been burned.

She didn’t even look at Vee.

....And vee didn’t say anything.

Didn’t move again. Didn’t apologize. Didn’t excuse it.

Just sat there. Glitch light pulsing faintly behind the cracks.

Like she’d expected that. Like she knew she deserved it.

Shelly finally looked at her, eyes glassy with a hangover and pain and something worse.

And Vee didn’t meet her gaze.

Didn’t try to smooth it over like she might've in the past.

Didn’t dare touch her again.

Shelly sat on the bed. Head pounding. Fingers aching.

The gauze itched against her knuckles. Where she kept tearing herself open for things she didn’t understand.

And so ofcourse, vee was there.

-At the edge of the bed. Back hunched. Arms on her knees. Hands twitching uncontrollably.

Her screen flickered. Quietly. Like a light dying out with no one left to fix it.

...Silence.

So Shelly finally spoke.

Hoarse.

"…What did I say?”

. . .

...Vee didn’t answer.

So shelly tried again.

Still nothing.

And then, quieter.

“.....Why are you still here?”

Yup.

That one landed.

Vee let out a sound.

Not a laugh.

Not a sigh.

Something worse. Something tired.

. . .

.“...I ask myself that every day.”

Shelly blinked.

Vee didn’t look at her.

Classic vee.

She was still staring at her hands- shellys.

At the smallest cuts, the glass-split seams. Her whole frame barely holding together.

Something in Vees arm spasmed.

She didn’t flinch.

“I’ve done everything I can to make you leave.”

Vee said, voice so soft it barely qualified as sound.

“Everything.”

Even softer.

“You should’ve left the night It all began.”

She swallowed, hard.

“You should’ve left when I grabbed you. When I said all that—awful, fucked-up shit- just ...just to keep you out. Just to keep you scared.”

Another flicker behind her screen.

She rubbed her eye with her sleeve like it mattered.

Like it would make a difference.

“...And you didn’t.”

Shelly stayed still.

Frozen.

Vee’s voice cracked like it didn’t belong to her anymore.

“...You don’t leave.”

It hit like a confession. Like a punishment.

And then, all at once—Vee started crying.

No noise. No performance.

Just shuddering shoulders, the smallest, static-choked breaths leaking through the glass.

“I’m not even supposed to have emotions.”

She whispered. Like it was shameful.

“I’m not—this. I wasn’t built for this. I don’t understand you.”

A broken exhale.

She wiped at her screen again, uselessly.

“You’re soft. And you’re kind. And you keep being that way even when I—”

She shook her head.

“I hurt you. Over and over. And you just take it. Like you think that’s love.”

Shelly’s eyes welled up again. But she didn’t interrupt.

Vee sniffled, short and bitter and terrified.

“I’m just a machine. I wasn’t made to love anyone. Or to deserve it. And now I’ve got you—sitting here, bleeding for me. Shaking for me. Breaking yourself in half to stay.”

She looked up.

Finally. Face cracked and glowing and displaying digital tears behind the glass.

“..You didn’t deserve any of this.”

Her voice broke.

She couldn't do this anymore. And then it slipped out.

“I’m sorry.”

And then she sobbed. For real.

Glitched and quiet and real.

Not angry. Not sharp.

Just pitiful.

. . .

"...no one won."

. . .

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Segment 3: “Veronica”

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....They didn’t move for a long time.

Vee had cried herself into silence.

Not peace. Just stillness.

The kind of hollow, shaking silence that comes after you’ve finally said too much and still feel empty inside.

Shelly’s hands trembled.

-But they didn’t leave.

They just hovered… until they settled.

Gently, carefully

She guided Vee down.

Head resting against her lap, like glass resting against cloth.

The crack in Vee’s screen still flickered faintly with static, but she didn’t resist. Her eyes stared somewhere unfocused, wide and wet and exhausted.

And now?

Now vee was crying in her lap.

Quietly. Bitterly.

Like it was a reflex she didn’t know how to stop.

And Shelly… didn’t know what to do.

She didn’t know how to hold a machine that bled sparks.

Didn’t know how to calm someone who didn’t want to be touched.

—who had hurt her, scared her, screamed at her, and yet—

Here they were.

Vee trembled under her, fists twisted in the blanket like she was still trying to hold herself together.

Her voice box hissed, glitched every now and then with static-drenched hiccups she tried and failed to muffle.

Shelly’s fingers twitched above her.

Don’t do it, her brain said.

But screw it, her heart said.

And then her hand rose— shaking —and hovered over Vee’s head.

Hesitated.

Then awkwardly… sort of… pat-patted it.

Once.

Twice.

...Vee blinked.

. . .

“…What?”

she croaked, blinking up through the static tears, genuinely baffled.

Shelly’s face flushed instantly.

(Like they didnt just spend weeks fighting)

“I—I don’t know.” she muttered, fingers pulling back like they got caught in something wrong.

“I thought it’d—I- don’t know, it just- felt like… maybe…”

She winced.

“I suck at this.” she finally added, flustered.

Vee stared up at her.

Twitching.

Still hiccuping quiet sobs.

But she didn’t push her off. Didn’t snap. Didn’t even move.

She just stayed there, under Shelly’s trembling hand. Letting herself be comforted badly. Stupidly even. Humanly.

Silence spilled out again.

Heavy and dense.

Then Shelly (our poor soul) — trying to fill it —asked softly.

“…What was it like?”

Vee blinked hard.

“…What?”

“I mean—being—” She waved her hands vaguely over Vee’s body, face burning..

“-You know. This. When you were… if you were ever, like—a kid, I guess? I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m asking.”

. . .

(Shelly wanted to punch herself)

. . . .

But Vee just… blinked.

Her hands curled tighter in the blanket. Her face twisted.

(shelly reeled back on the punch. Metaphorically)

. . .

“I…”

She said slowly, like she was trying to piece it together in real time.

“I think I had a mom. Or—someone who acted like one.”

Shelly stilled.

Vee’s voice cracked through a distorted sob.

“She wasn’t really my mom. Not legally. Or biologically. Or… or whatever.”

(She shook her head like the terms made her dizzy.)

“...She just found me. Broken. I was hiding behind some plaza, I think. Some kids threw a bottle at my head. Called me a ‘robo-bitch.’...... I didn’t even know what that had meant back then”

...wow

...

Shelly’s hand had found the courage to rest gently on Vee’s shoulder.

But vee didn’t look at her-

She was too focused on her storytelling.

“She was fixing the vents on this plaza...... Veronica."

Vee stuttered for a bit- but kept on.

"....-Just some middle-aged mechanic. Said I looked like a dropped prototype. I told her to screw off. She gave me a sandwich.”

And then her breath stuttered.

“...She gave me so many sandwiches.”

Shelly swallowed a lump in her throat.

“She let me sleep in the back of her shop. Made me help with repairs. Taught me how to hold a wrench, how to patch a wire without frying my fingers........"

Vee looked away now- almost like she was ashamed.

"....Called me ‘Vee’ ..like...as in..- TV- without the T...you know....?"

. . .

(shelly held back on something. Like she was trying not to scream something about "THAT WAS SOME STRANGER???? NOT YOUR BIRTH NAME???" but held back. Modestly)

And vee’s hands were shaking now.

“..She didn’t even ask where I came from. I don’t think she wanted to know. She just wanted me warm. And fed. And…”

Her voice dropped again.

“And not crying in the snow with sparks flying out of my insides.”

Shelly’s fingers tightened gently on her arm.

Vee looked up. Eyes glitching.

“I don’t even know if she’s still alive...”

Yikes.

That was fast.

. . .

“....One day I just… ran. Left. Didn’t know why. I was scared, maybe. I thought I’d mess it all up. That’s what I do. That’s what I always do.”

Shelly was crying now too.

She didn’t know when it started.

Didn't even know why.

“I bet she waited...”

Vee whispered, voice cracking now.

“....and I never came back.”

Her voice full on broke.

She crumpled forward.

Sobbing into Shelly’s arms like she didn’t deserve to be here.

Like she wanted to disappear but couldn’t.

And Shelly curled around her, forehead resting against Vee’s screen.

“I’m sorry” Shelly whispered.

But vee said nothing.

Didn’t need to. Her cries were quieter now. Still hurt.

Still broken.

But held.

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Segment 4: “Shanon”

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...Vee was curled up against shelly now.

Static still sparking low in her frame, her voice box fizzling like it could barely hold onto tone anymore.

Her hand reached up, slow, trembling—trying to pet Shelly’s bruised knuckles again.

It twitched.

Spasmed once.

Then her fingers seized, curled in on themselves, metal groaning with strain.

Shelly flinched—but not from pain.

From heartbreak.

Vee tried again.

Gentle. A soft brush of her thumb over Shelly’s bandaged wrist.

Like she was trying to be human.

Trying so hard.

. . .

“…what about you?”

Vee asked quietly, voice catching on static.

“....What was it like… for you..?”

Shelly blinked.

Startled.

Vee’s one functional eye was glassy, distorted under the screen-light.

Glitching softly in the dark.

“...I mean. How did you get into photography…?”

She asked softly. Once again. Trying to be human.

. . . .

“....Why that?”

. . . .

...Shelly sat back a little.

Swallowed.

The words caught in her throat. She looked at her hands.

The same hands Vee kept trying to hold.

. . .

“…I wasn’t really good at anything.”

She said after a long silence.

“Not funny. Not loud. Not even interesting. I was just kind of… there. Floaty. Forgettable.”

Vee stared up at her. Silent.

“I think even my teachers forgot I existed most of the time..”

Shelly muttered, a dry little laugh caught in her throat.

“My parents sure did..”

She rubbed at her arm. Looked away.

“I’d sit through dinners and no one’d even ask how my day was. Just talk around me. Like furniture..... I didn’t mind it, I guess. I just… got used to disappearing..”

Vee’s hand trembled where it touched hers.

“But then this artist came through my town for a gallery thing... Shanon."

Shelly eyes lit up.

Just a little.

"...God, she was so weird. She had this giant dinosaur bag and wore, like, 3 necklaces all the time.."

Shelly smiled.

"....She saw me sitting behind the school one day and just… started sketching me.”

Shelly laughed, watery.

“....I asked why, and she said- ‘Because you look like a ghost someone might fall in love with.’.....That was the first time anyone saw me. Like, saw me. Like I was something that could matter.”

. . .

Shelly wiped her nose, shaking a little.

“She took me in. Gave me a camera. Told me to catch the world like it hurt and loved me back....So I never stopped.”

Shelly blinked down.

Smiled sadly.

“I sucked at first. Took three hundred blurry shots of a frog. Named it Todd. Still have those saved somewhere”

Vee made a noise—soft and broken. It sounded like a half-laugh. Or maybe just another sob.

“But yeah,” Shelly muttered, trying to laugh, “guess I just figured if people weren’t gonna see me, maybe I could at least show them the world how I saw it. Or… something poetic like that....I dunno. It sounds less pathetic in my head”

A broken laugh.

Watery.

Shelly looked down again—

And Vee was gone.

Not literally.

Emotionally.

Crumpled.

Her arms were around Shelly’s waist now, tight—too tight—holding her like a lifeline.

Her face was buried in her stomach, and the sobs had started again.

Rougher. Full-body, helpless shakes.

And Shelly flinched at the force of it.

“Wha- Vee—”

“I’m sorry."

Shelly couldnt even react.

Vee choked it out, voice crumbling into static.

“I’m so sorry—I shouldn’t’ve—I didn’t—I don’t know why I did all of that to you—”

“...Vee, I—”

“You didn’t deserve any of it—any of it—”

Her grip shook now.

Her fingers buzzing into shellys side- electric.

“You try to see the world like it loves you and I—I made it hate you. I- I ruined it-”

Shelly’s eyes welled up again.

Her fingers threaded gently through Vee’s messy antennas, even though her hands still stung a little.

“Hey” she whispered.

“It’s okay. I’m still here.”

And Vee just sobbed harder.

And held on like she never, ever wanted to let go.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kai

Buddy

If u r still here

Modern shanon and veronica will live

They are undoomed yuri

THEY WILL LIVE!!!!!!!!!

[soupiestfics]

Chapter 24 : Part 4: “Sharp Edges”

Oh is goin down boys

Mercy

@cupcakewebkinz FINALLY DONE EDITING IM GONNA GO READ THE TWO YOU POSTED TODAY YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE drowns

Warning!

There are descriptions of cuts, drinking, and just blood in general in this chapter, nothing too crazy dw i aint dooming the yuri that far but keep that all in mind, that said , Ahoy boys

You ever listen to music and let it harmonise the sickest beat ever while you just doom a gal??? Just me?????????? Sorry lol

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Shelly clutched her fists like the air left her lungs. Like everything did.

Her body just dropped.

Hands trembling. Hoodie strings clenched so tight her knuckles went white.

Her breath hitched. Hitched again. Then broke.

She didn’t cry loud this time. It was quiet. Just wet gasps and hiccuped breaths, like she was trying to hold it in and still failing.

Vee stood in the center of the room, her screen still flickered.

The crack crawled down her face like a jagged, glowing wound—thin static fizzing from it in pulses, her own ichor-blood leaking out.

Her chest rose. Fell.

Shelly looked up.

Saw it.

And then her lips parted. Trembling.

“..Y-You’re”

Nothing.

And then she reached for her.

Hand lifted slowly, like her brain hadn’t caught up to what her body was doing. Like she had to see. Had to know how bad it was. How deep it went.

“Wait- Don’t—”

Vee flinched.

Too late.

Shelly’s fingers brushed the crack on her screen.

A sharp hiss of air. Then blood. Not vees.

Shelly gasped and yanked back, palm sliced open across the curve of her hand.

“Shit—!”

She clutched it, blinking fast, eyes suddenly wide with shock now.

Vee saw it.

She didn’t move.

Not at first. But then.

slowly- like her limbs were running on delay-

She stepped forward.

Looked at the cut. Looked at the blood. Looked at her own face in the mirror like it was a thing she didn’t recognize anymore.

And turned to walk out of the room.

Not far. Just to the bathroom. The cabinet door creaked. Something clattered. She came back with a first aid kit in one hand, still staring at her ichor mixed blood on the other like it didn’t feel real.

She knelt beside Shelly.

Didn’t say a word. Just opened the kit with shaky fingers and pulled out the gauze. The disinfectant. The tape.

Shelly stared at her. Didn’t understand any of it. Why she was helping. Why it still hurt this much. Why it always came back to this.

Vee reached out, but paused when Shelly flinched.

“...I won’t hurt you.”

Yikes.

It hurt just to have to say out-loud.

Thats why she said it only loud enough for shelly to register. So quiet it barely counted as sound.

And shelly didn’t reply.

Just let her clean the wound—delicate, distant, like touching something sacred she didn’t deserve anymore.

When Vee finally wrapped the gauze and pulled away, her eyes lingered on the blood-streaked cotton.

And then on her own reflection in the glossy black of the wall TV.

Cracked. Flickering. Glitching.

Neither of them said anything.

The silence sat between them like something alive. Or dead.

. . .

"....I just wanted to talk"

. . .

Nothing.

Vee didn’t answer.

She didn’t even look at her.

Just closed the first aid kit. Clicked it shut. And sat there like she was waiting for something that wouldn’t come.

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Segment 2: “Something in the Static”

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Vee’s hand kept twitching. Not willingly.

She didn’t look up as Shelly sobbed. Didn’t speak. Just stared at the carpet, fractured light flickering across her face like a broken sign.

One half of her display had gone dark. The other dimmed and glitched, barely holding form.

Her fingers twitched uncontrollably again. Then again. And again.

Until shelly dropped to her knees, and reached out.

Slow.

Shaking.

“Don’t”

Vee murmured.

But there was no force behind it. No bite.

Just… a dull warning.

“You’ll get cut again.”

And shelly didn’t listen.

Just reached anyway.

—towards Vee’s face, towards the crack—

And her fingers barely brushed the edge of the screen when—

“Ah—!”

A prick on her finger- She recoiled instinctively.

Her breath hitched, choked, fell apart again.

“Fuck—fuck, ow.”

Vee didn’t move. Didn’t flinch. Didn’t even look up.

She just let the silence crawl back in. Her voice was nothing but static when it finally came out.

“I told you to go.”

Shelly bit down a sob.

Holding her bandaged hand to her chest.

“...I can’t.”

“I know.”

Vee’s head tilted back.

Letting the ceiling blur.

Something in her arm twitched—pain or pressure, it wasn’t clear.

“This is why,” she said quietly. “This is why I needed you to leave.”

. . .

“...You don’t mean that.”

“I do.”

A pause.

“Not because I hate you.”

Shelly’s breath shook.

Vee’s voice dropped low. Cold, but not sharp.

Flat.

Like something worn down past the point of hurting.

“I tried to get you to leave. Because that would’ve been easier. Simpler.”

She looked down again.

At the blood on Shelly’s bandaged hand.

“But now you’re hurt. Because of me.”

Shelly shook her head.

“You didn’t—”

“Don’t.”

Vee looked at her.

Finally.

No anger.

Just static where her expression used to be.

“You think you’re doing something good by staying.”

“..I care about you.”

“That’s not what I said.”

Shellys eyes narrowed now.

“I’m not gonna leave just because you’re glitching.”

“You should.”

Vee’s voice cracked there.

Not the machine glitch kind of crack—just something in her tone. Something quietly breaking.

“You should’ve.”

Shelly’s hands curled into fists.

“I don’t want to.”

“And I don’t want you to get hurt anymore”

“I am hurt, Vee. I’ve been hurting.”

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“…Yeah.”

And it wasn’t cruel.

It was just true.

They sat in silence again. The kind that settles over a wreckage after a crash.

Blood on the floor. Not sure who's anymore.

No words left.

Only breathing. Only flickering lights.

Only the sound of a machine that didn’t want to keep running anymore.

But did anyway.

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Segment 3: “Nowhere Else to Go”

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They didn’t talk about what happened. Not in the hotel. Not the next day. Not ever.

But they walked.

At night.

Always at night.

Through back streets and alleys and parking lots.

The city didn’t glow here—just flickered. Just sighed. The kind of place where everything felt a little more real and a little more ruined.

Most people crossed the street when they saw them. And could you blame them?

Vee, glitching. Face cracked open like a mirror that wouldn’t stop flickering.

One eye twitching in a loop. Her movements off just enough to make strangers stare. Just enough to make them afraid.

And Shelly, beside her, hoodie too big, sleeves soaked with dried blood and something like hope that wouldn’t die no matter how much she cried.

Her hands trembled. She kept them stuffed in her pockets.

But every now and then—

She looked at Vee’s hand.

Dark scarring. Fingers that still twitched when the wrong circuit fired.

It looked like it hurt to use. Like touching it might hurt her back.

And that's why shelly hesitated.

Again.

And again.

And again.

But just as she was about to look away—Vee reached out.

Took her hand. Didn’t say anything.

Just tried curling her dysfunctional fingers around Shelly’s like they’d done this before. Like maybe there was a part of her that still remembered how they used to be.

And she failed.

Not once did her twitching fingers successfully intertwine with shellys.

But Shelly?

She gripped back. Kept Vees fingers there.

Held onto her hand. Like she’d drown if she let go.

The city buzzed somewhere above them. A bus drove down a side street. Somewhere, music drifted through a cracked apartment window.

And in that nowhere moment.

Vee spoke.

Voice quiet. Fractured.

“You’re not gonna leave me alone… are you?”

Shelly looked up.

Tired.

Still holding on.

Devastated.

. . .

“No..."

A whisper.

“...I’m not.”

. . .

And Vee didn’t let go.

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Segment 4: “Something Had to Give”

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Shelly didnt plan for this.

God. She never did.

Not until Vee looked at her like that.

Like she held onto her hand and wished she'd just leave her alone already.

She didnt.

But the second she stepped into the bar, she didn’t plan anything anymore.

It was Glisten’s place. Loud and glittery and too much.

A place that never stopped spinning. A place where she used to laugh. Where things used to be fun.

But now—Now, she just wanted to feel nothing.

Glisten saw her first, then connie.

“Oh hell no.”

They both said, glisten setting down a tray and already striding over. “Shelly. No. Baby. Not like this.”

She didn’t answer.

Just slid onto a stool, eyes hollow, hoodie still half-zipped, bandages on her fingers barely holding together.

Hands still trembling.

“..please.”

That's all she said.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

Desperate.

“No.”

Glisten snapped.

“You’re not doing this. You’ve got work, you’ve got—”

“Glisten.”

She looked up now. Eyes narrowed.

Silence fell.

So Connie stepped forward slowly.

“Hey, maybe—”

“Don’t.”

Her voice cracked. Not with tears. With exhaustion.

With something that hadn’t slept in weeks and had nothing left to lose.

And now- Tisha stepped in aswell. Arms crossed.

But look soft.

“...We know you’re hurting, Shells”

But that didn't even register.

“Then why are you trying to stop me?”

Tisha was shocked.

But clutched at her sides.

Definitely thinking about all the ways she was going to beat up Vee after.

“Because this isn’t gonna help,”

Glisten said, voice softer now.

“You drinking yourself stupid isn’t gonna fix anything.”

Too late.

“I don’t care.”

Her hands were shaking again.

“I don’t care. okay ? I can’t sleep. I can’t breathe. I- i just want one goddamn night where I don’t have everyone i care about looking at me like im insane.”

And that did it.

Glisten went quiet.

Gigi looked dissapointed.

Connie just stood there.

And Tisha looked...hurt.

. . .

No one stopped her after that.

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The door slammed open just past 2AM.

Vee was sitting on the floor by the bed, screen dim, working wordlessly on re-syncing her hand wiring.

She didn’t even look up at first. But then—She saw her.

Shelly. Drunk. Stumbling in. Hoodie half-off her shoulder, eyes glassy, breathing ragged.

. . .

"...What the fuck?”

Vee snapped, standing so fast the charger yanked from her wrist.

“Where have you—what the hell were you thinking?!”

Shelly looked at her. Didn’t speak.

Just shoved her past -Not hard this time. Not again. Never again.

. . .And vee stumbled back, caught off-guard. Shocked.

“Shelly—”

“Don’t.” she spat. “Don’t do that. Don’t pretend.”

“what- I’m not pretending, I—”

“You don’t get to care now.”

Her voice cracked.

Finally.

“You don’t get to— to look at me like that. Like you didn’t spend months trying to shove me away.”

“I was trying to protect you.”

“No you weren’t.”

Shelly wiped her face with the back of her hand now, smearing tears she didn’t even realize were there.

“You were trying to erase me.”

And Vee…Didn’t say anything. Classic.

Just stood there. Frozen.

And for the first time in months—not cold, no rage.

Just stunned silence.

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Segment 5: “The one who never deserved it.”

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It was quiet.

For a while.

And after what felt like ages of silence.

Vee finally spoke up.

"...Sit down"

Voice low but tight.

She guided a very hesitant and very drunk Shelly to the edge of the bed with a hand under her arm, careful but firm.

Shelly resisted at first -jerking away like she was ready for a fight- but her legs gave out under her and she collapsed onto the mattress, breathing heavy.

"...You idiot."

Vee muttered, moving to grab a bottle of water and some painkillers from the medkit still on the side table.

"What the hell were you thinking? Going out like that? Drinking that much? Alone ?"

Shelly scoffed.

Loud.

Bitter.

"Oh, sorry, Mom."

Vee narrowed her eyes.

"..Not funny."

"And not my problem."

Shelly snapped.

"So stop pretending to care."

Silence.

Painful silence.

"I’m not pretending, I’m—"

Vee grit her teeth, hands clenching.

“You don’t get to run off and act like you’re the only one dealing with shit.”

"You treated me like I wasn't even REAL!"

Shelly spat.

Tired now.

“Like I was just noise in the room! Background fuzz or some shit!”

"I was trying to keep you SAFE , you idiot!"

“oh yeah haha thank you so mu- YOU TREATED ME LIKE SHIT VEE.”

That caught her off guard.

“i-?! Yo- wha-- YOU SHOULD'VE LEFT WHEN I TOLD YOU TO THEN!”

Neither of them even knew what was going on anymore.

This had happened way too much.

You just could not make this up.

"Yeah?”

Shelly laughed, but it came out hoarse.

“Well, I didn’t. I stayed. I stayed, Vee! -Through the silence, through the screaming, through the glitching, through every time you looked at me like I was some disease crawling too close.”

Vee didn’t speak.

Shelly was shaking now. Slumped forward. Her voice was breaking up, turning into something too wet to hide anymore.

And then she broke.

“...I didn’t deserve that.”

she whispered now.

“I—I didn’t do anything wrong."

And it hit.

Hard.

Harder than vee expected.

"..I loved you.

. . . I don’t even know if I still do anymore, because I don’t even know what the hell’s left in me, but I was there.”

Silence. Shelly’s voice broke all the way through now, trembling and raw.

"..and you made me feel like I was a monster for it."

..And shelly had nothing but tears left to give.

She curled in on herself, tears dripping onto her bandaged hands.

Vee stood still for a long moment. No breath. No glitch. Just… still.

Then, wordlessly, she moved.

Sat down beside her.

Carefully.

Slowly.

As if she thought even the air between them might shatter if she got too close.

She didn’t say sorry. She didn’t even explain.

She just sat there.

Classic.

[soupiestfics]

Chapter 23: Part 3- “Temporary”

Alien stage made me do this Its music fuelled editing if you are reading this sharpening your spears pls take your concerns to the nearest alien stage song IM INNOCENT!!!!!!!!!!

(@cupcakewebkinz ur gonna need to feed the nstion sum fluff soon fren apologies)

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The next day, it happened again.

Shelly was sitting in the green room, curled on the couch by the window. Green hoodie. Some tea. Some untouched sandwich. Red eyes. Hands shaking just enough to be noticeable.

Vee walked in. Stopped when she saw her.

Shelly looked up. And Vee said it instantly, before anything else could even breathe between them.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

Shelly blinked.

“..Like what?”

“Like I’m something you can fix.”

The words dropped like glass, and it made shelly sit up straighter.

“I wasn’t—”

“You were.”

“No- I-”

“I see it in your face, Shelly”

Her voice was low. Sharp. Practiced.

“That awful little hope. That maybe if you’re kind enough, patient enough, I’ll just snap out of this.”

“I never said that—”

“You didn’t have to.”

Vee stepped closer. Not angry.

Just... tired.

"You still think there's a version of me that comes back. Smiles again. Texts you memes at 2 a.m or whatever. Stays up late arguing about cereal or something."

Shelly’s lip quivered.

“Because that was real.”

“It was temporary” Vee said, flat. “It was wrong.”

“Why?!” Shelly asked, louder now. “Why was it wrong to care about you?!”

Vee flinched.

Shelly stood up, voice cracking.

“I wasn’t trying to fix you, I was trying to get to know you goddamnit!”

“You can’t know me.”

“Why not?!”

“Because I don’t even know me!”

Vee snapped.

Her hands trembled, just once, before she stuffed them into her pockets.

“I’m not something you save, Shelly!”

“I wasn’t TRYING to save you!”

“Then what were you doing?! Hoping I’d fall back into your arms and tell you this was all a mistake?”

“I don’t want an apology!” Shelly choked out. “I just want you to look at me again!”

Another silence. Vee looked away.

Shelly stepped forward.

“I don’t care if you’re broken or whatever the hell.” she whispered. “I just want the version of you that used to care if I was okay.”

Vee’s jaw tightened.

Her voice dropped to a near whisper.

“She was temporary.”

Shelly's face crumpled. Vee took a step back.

“Stop looking at me like I’m still her.”

Then, quieter.

“Stop making me feel like I lost something I never had.”

She left. And this time, she didn’t wait for the door to close behind her.

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Segment 2: “The Ones Who Stayed”

Oh dear anon who asked abt modern tisha once, Go wild my child

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The silence followed her out of the studio. All the way to the bar. Shelly hadn’t meant to go. Hadn’t meant to see anyone. She just walked. Hoodie drawn up. Hands in pockets. Mind empty and heart screaming.

She ended up outside their place. Glisten spotted her through the window first. And two seconds later, the door flung open

“Oh honey,” Glisten breathed.

-Shelly couldn’t even pretend to smile. She just stepped in, shoes still soggy from the streets wet from the rain.

“Hi..”

And then she crumpled.

Right there. In the front entrance. No words. Just sobs.

. . .

They brought her upstairs. Blanket. Hot drink. Dim lighting.

No one asked anything at first. Gigi handed her a warm mug of something unidentifiable but warm. Connie shoved a half-eaten chocolate bar into her hand. Tisha hovered in the corner like a stormcloud ready to break bones (for shelly, not for murderous intent)

Shelly didn’t say a word for ten minutes.

Then finally, small, hoarse.

“She doesn’t even look at me anymore..”

The silence that followed wasn’t awkward. It was heavy.

“She looks through me,” she said, voice cracking. “Like I’m just—something in the way.”

Glisten sat beside her and didn’t let go.

“I didn’t even get to say it. I never said anything and she still left.”

“Oh baby,” Glisten whispered. “You didn’t have to. She knew.”

Shelly turned, eyes wide.

“...What?”

“I knew. You think she didn’t?”

“I tried not to let it show—”

“You were in love with her, Shelly. And it showed..so what?”

Shelly wiped her face on her sleeve.

“...I didn’t mean to ruin it.”

“You didn’t ruin anything,” Glisten said firmly. “You loved her. That’s not a crime.”

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.

Tisha finally snapped from her corner.

“I’m gonna fucking kill her.”

“Ti—”

“No, I’m serious. She pulled some disappearing act the second you started loving her back? That’s psychotic behavior!”

“She’s not like that-” Shelly mumbled. “She’s- just…”

“Cowardly?” Tisha offered.

Glisten gave her a look.

“I didn’t say wrong, I said cowardly. There’s a difference.”

Shelly just sank deeper into the blanket.

Connie, perched awkwardly on the armrest, held out a single grape like it was a peace offering. “Do you… want this?”

Gigi scooted a little closer too now. “I’m not good at, like… this, but if you need to throw something, I’ll get you a plate..?”

Shelly laughed. Just once. A hiccup of sound. Broken and soft.

“Thanks...”

Glisten tucked her into the blanket.

“You feel everything too hard,” he murmured. “And she doesn’t know what to do with that. That’s not on you.”

Shelly swallowed, throat dry.

“I don’t know how to stop missing her.”

. . .

“You don’t have to,” Glisten said. “You just have to let us hold you through it.”

And they did.

For the first time in days, Shelly let herself be held.

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Segment 3: “whos we?”

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The ride to the location was quiet. Not the normal kind of quiet—the tension-thick, no-radio, pretend-to-scroll-on-your-phone kind.

Vee sat by the window. Sunglasses on. Headphones in. Shelly sat two rows back, stomach in knots the entire trip.

The studio had booked the whole crew into a hotel just off the coast. Fancy but cozy, all wood-paneled walls and seashell-themed décor. Very cute. Very charming.V ery one room per pair policy.

Some crew member handed out keycards like candy.

“Okay! You two have 302. They upgraded it to a king bed suite for free, you’re welcome!”

Shelly blinked.

“Who’s… we?”

“You and Vee, duh. You guys are always together. Figured you’d want to share.”

Her blood ran cold.

Vee’s expression didn’t shift.

Just nodded.

Took the key. Walked off.

Shelly followed, silent.

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.

The room was too nice for this. Soft yellow lighting. Neatly folded towels. A massive bed with a cheesy welcome mint on the pillow. There was even a fake fireplace.

Shelly stood near the door, trying to think of anything to say. Vee dropped her bag by the closet and pulled out her phone like she was already somewhere else.

They didn’t speak for nearly a minute. Then finally, quiet.

“…Do you want the left side?”

Vee didn’t look up.

“Don’t care.”

“...Okay”

.She moved toward the bed. Set her bag down gently, like if she made too much noise, the air would shatter. Vee still didn’t look at her .She hadn’t all day. And Shelly—aching, tired—finally whispered.

“Vee…”

That name used to mean something soft. Now it just hung in the air like a bruise.

Vee’s jaw tightened. She set her phone down carefully on the nightstand, like she knew what was coming.

“Don’t.”

“I’m just trying to—”

“Please stop trying.”

The words landed like a slap.

Sharp. Flat.

Final.

Shelly stared at her. Her voice came small. Barely a breath.

“But you were my friend..”

Vee didn’t answer.

Didn’t turn around. Shelly tried again.

“We were—”

“I said drop it.”

Her voice cracked on the edge of something sharp. Like it hurt to say it. Like it killed her too.

Shelly stepped forward anyway.

“Vee, I never got to tell you how I—”

Vee spun, sudden, cold.

“You think I want to hear it?!”

Shelly froze.

“You think it helps?!” Vee hissed. “You think any of this helps me forget that I—”

She stopped herself.

Bit her lip.

Looked away again.

“I’m gonna go get coffee.” she muttered

And grabbed her coat before moving towards the door.

Shelly tried to follow.

But Vee was gone.

Left the door swinging behind her.

Left Shelly alone in the room they were supposed to share. Alone with the welcome mint. And the silence that used to be filled with laughter.

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Segment 4 : “You Don’t Get to Call This Love”

Sorry boys

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The hotel room door clicked shut behind them. Silence. Vee dropped her bag by the window without a word.

Shelly hovered near the foot of the bed, arms folded, jaw tight, eyes red from the long day—and the countless days before that.

“You could at least look at me.” Shelly said, voice hoarse.

Nothing.

She took a step forward.

“I said—”

“I heard you.”

Vee still didn’t look.

Shelly scoffed.

“You like doing this?”

“Doing what.”

“Pretend like nothing’s wrong just long enough to make everyone else feel insane?”

Nothing.

Vee finally turned.

Eyes dead. Face unreadable.

“You want me to tell you something’s wrong, Shelly? Fine. Something’s wrong.”

Shelly blinked.

“Yeah. No shit.”

Vee tilted her head.

“Then why are you still here?”

Shelly stepped closer.

“Because I care about you.”

“No,” Vee said, stepping in too. “You pity me.”

“I don’t.”

“You do. Don’t lie. You think I’m some fragile little experiment. Something broken you can glue back together.”

Shelly’s voice rose.

“I loved you.”

“Then you’re a goddamn idiot.”

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.

That one landed.

Silence. Sharp. Dead air.

And then Shelly’s voice cracked open, trembling through her teeth.

“You’re the one who left. You’re the one who ran. Don’t act like this was me.”

Vee laughed. Short. Bitter. A flame just before the explosion.

“You’re so desperate to believe you’re the good guy in this huh?”

“I didn’t do anything to you.”

“You fell in love with me.”

“So fucking what?!”

Vee was on her in a blink.

Hands slamming into Shelly’s shoulders, pinning her against the wall with a force she hadn’t known Vee was capable of.

Her eyes wide.

Vee’s breath shook against her ear.

“You want me so bad?”

she spat.

“Then have me.”

. . .

Shelly froze.

Vee’s voice dropped lower. Acid and static.

“This is what you wanted, right? The tragic android girl with the glitching brain and the pretty face. Come on, Shelly. Save me.”

“..Get off.”

Nothing.

“You don’t want me fixed. You want me fucked up so you can feel better about yourself.”

“..I said....get off.”

“-You think loving me is some kind of badge. Some charity mission. You think that means you get to have me.”

“I never said that.”

“Then why are you still here?”

“Because you’re NOT some fucking monster!”

“I AM!”

Shelly flinched.

And vee couldnt take it anymore.

"IM A WALKING MALFUNCTION WEARING MASCARA FOR FUCKS SAKE-

Nothing left to lose.

Not anymore.

"IM A CORPSE WITH CLEVER LINES! I am made of scripts and gears and none of it. None of it. Was ever meant to feel anything."

Vee’s breath hitched. Her eyes wide, unblinking.

“I don’t get to cry when it hurts. I don’t get to fall apart. I don’t get to ask for a minute—I have to shut down and reset. And if I don’t, everything I touch gets infected with me.”

She pushed in harder.

“So go ahead. Take me. Take what’s left. That’s what you want, right?”

“....Fuck you.”

Shelly whispered.

shaking now.

eyes glassy.

And Vee’s face didn’t even move.

“Yeah,”

she murmured.

“You’d want to.”

Something broke.

Shelly shoved her with everything she had.

And vee stumbled backwards. Caught in the edge of the dresser until—

crack

The screen of her face shattered.

A jagged line tore across her cheek, static glitching under her eye, voice box sparking with a sharp digital buzz.

Silent.

Only the low mechanical hum filled the room.

And shelly stared at her.Shaking. Breath ragged.

A tear rolled down her cheek like it didn’t even ask permission.

And Vee?

Vee didn’t even look like vee anymore.

Just broken code standing in a hotel room with nothing left to say.

Nothing left to lose.

[soupiestfics]

Chapter 22: Part two- “The Silence That Follows”

Im listening to a song called jump up superstar while writing this and it is so not helping

This ones long....buckle in and put down the pitchforks please

I will fix this

Maybe

Skiddle skaddles away

@cupcakewebkinz yo fren

Is going down im afraid

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It had been three days.

Three whole days of silence. Shelly was starting to hate the sound of her own heartbeat, just for being steady when nothing else was.

No texts. No calls. No glitchy voice memos. No Vee sliding through set like a thief with a bag of half-melted popsicles and the audacity to act like it was normal anyway.

There was nothing

Shelly hadn’t moved from the living room floor in hours. Her camera bag was still by the door, unopened.

Her phone was dead again—she kept letting it die. It hurt less to imagine Vee hadn’t reached out than to know she hadn’t.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. She hadn’t meant to ruin it. She hadn’t meant to make Vee look at her like that.

She’d curled up in bed with the covers pulled over her head and pretended she was just tired- Just needed rest. But even when her eyes closed, she saw Vee’s expression

That moment, the sharp withdrawal, the silence that fell like a guillotine.

“Can’t we still be friends?”

She’d asked, begged, really, like a coward.

And Vee had stared at her.

Not angry. Not hurt. Just... hollow.

And shelly kept trying to rewind it. Reword it. Redefine it. Maybe she’d said it wrong.

Silence.

Shelly stopped pretending she was okay. She layed face-down on the couch for hours listening to a voice memo Vee had sent weeks ago.

Just ten seconds of her yelling “THE SUN IS A LIE!” while Shelly laughed in the background and they ran from the rain together.

The recording was glitchy, corrupted at the end. Vee's voice stretched into static.

It felt like a metaphor.

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Segment 2: “How Do You Grieve Something That Was never Yours?”

(told ya i was gonna segment boys)

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They stepped into the same elevator. It was an accident. It had to be. Vee wouldn’t have walked in if she’d known.

Shelly stood in the far corner, stiff and cold, her hands in her jacket pockets to hide the way they trembled. She didn’t look at her at first. Just stared ahead. Counted the floors.

-But Vee didn’t say anything. Didn’t glance her way. Didn’t even breathe in her direction.

And it made something in Shelly crack.

A beat.

“...Vee”

No answer.

“Can we just—can we talk?”

Still nothing.

Shelly swallowed hard, stepped forward just a little.

“I- i didn’t mean to ruin anything. I didn’t even say anything, and you—”

“Please stop.”

Vees voice was sharp.

Not loud. But sharp.

“Stop trying, we’re just coworkers now.”

Nothing.

Shelly felt the air leave her lungs like she’d been punched.

She blinked at her, heart hammering, trying to find something to hold onto.

“I wasn’t trying to make you— I just…

. . . .

..I miss you..”

Vee didn’t flinch. Didn’t even look.

“You don’t get to miss me”

Flat.

“It’s easier this way.”

“...-Easier for who?"

. . . . . .

The elevator kept going.

Floor 7. Floor 8. Vee’s hand hovered over the buttons. Then she hit one, hard. It caused the elevator to stop between floors, doors sliding open to a dim maintenance level no one ever used.

She stepped out. Shelly followed her with her eyes, desperate. Shaking.

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.

“Vee, please.”

But Vee didn’t turn around.

Didn’t even say goodbye.

Just disappeared into the shadows of the hallway and let the doors close behind her.

And Shelly stood alone in the elevator, frozen between floors, trying not to fall apart.

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Segment 3: “You Don’t Get to Be Kind”

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Shelly started showing up to work earlier. Not because she felt better. But because she didn’t know where else to go.

Her eyes were always a little red. Her jacket had a rip in the sleeve she hadn’t fixed. Her camera strap frayed like it was holding on the same way she was.

—barely, and only out of habit.

She laughed too loudly at jokes that weren’t funny. Drank too much coffee. Forgot her lunch. Forgot to eat.

And Vee noticed.

Shelly caught her watching, sometimes. Just a flicker. A glance across the room, something tight behind her eyes. But it always disappeared as fast as it came.

. . . . .

Until the day Vee left something on the table beside her laptop. Quiet. No words. Just a small container of food and a folded napkin.

Shelly stared at it like it was a trap. She didn’t touch it. Not for a long time.

But eventually, her stomach won.

She was halfway through it when she felt her throat close up.

Vee was still across the room. Pretending not to look.

Shelly stood. Crossed the space slowly, like walking through deep water. She clutched the empty container in her hands like it might protect her.

“....Why are you doing this?”

Voice thin and full of things she wasn’t supposed to say.

“..Why are you being kind if you’re just gonna ignore me again tomorrow?”

Vee didn’t answer right away. Didn’t even look at her.

. . .

“You looked hungry.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

Vee’s jaw tensed. She finally looked up, but her face was unreadable. Distant.

“We’re not doing this.”

Shelly’s eyes burned.

“You don’t get to care and disappear at the same time.”

“I’m not disappearing. I’m working.”

“You’re avoiding me.”

Vee didn’t deny it. Didn’t say anything else.

She just stood, walked past her, and left the room.

And Shelly stood there with an empty container and a full ache in her chest

Wishing Vee had just kept ignoring her completely.

Because kindness felt worse.

Because it reminded her how close they used to be.

And how far they'd fallen.

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Segment Four : “Open the door”

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Shelly waited until everyone had cleared out for the night.

Waited until Vee passed by her studio door, cold and unreadable as usual these days.

Steps echoing down the hall like she belonged to another world entirely.

Then she grabbed the knob. Pulled.

Shoved her inside and slammed the door shut behind them both.

The lock clicked.

But vee didn’t move.

. . .

“Open the door.”

Nothing.

Shelly stood in front of it.

Quiet. Shaking.

. . .

“No.”

Again. Nothing.

Vee turned now, slow.

Her eyes dark.

“Shelly”

“I said no.”

A pause.

“You don’t want to do this.”

“I have to.”

Voice cracking.

“Because you won’t talk to me otherwise.”

Vee glared at her now.

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Then why are you running?”

“I’m not running.”

“Bullshit.”

Vee flinched.

“I haven’t seen you in weeks,” Shelly muttered.

“You won’t answer my texts. You walk out of rooms the second I walk in. You don’t even look at me anymore.”

Vee crossed her arms.

“You’re making this harder than it has to be.”

“Why? Because I care?”

“Because you feel. And I can’t match that.”

“So what? You just cut me off instead?”

Vee’s voice dropped now.

“I warned you.”

“No. You avoided me. That’s not the same.”

“I asked you to drop it.”

“And I didn’t. Because I can’t. Because you matter to me and I—!”

“Stop.”

Her voice snapped like a whip.

“Just stop. You don’t get it, Shelly.”

“Then make me get it!”

Vee’s fists clenched.

Furious now.

“I saw it in your eyes.”

Silence.

“You were falling. You didn’t even say it, but I knew. And I can’t afford to let that happen.”

"..why not?”

Vee looked at her. Dead in the eyes.

And then something shifted. Her voice changed. Slowed.

“I’m not built like you.”

. . . .

“...What does that even mean?”

“It means.”

Calm now

—Too calm.

“You get to cry. You get to feel. You get to sit on the floor and break apart and be held.”

She stepped closer.

“I don’t.”

Silence. Again.

“I wake up and build myself. Every. Single. Day.”

Shelly didn't respond.

Couldnt respond.

“You think this—” vee waved at herself, “—just happens? That I wake up as Vee and go out and shine?”

Shelly’s mouth opened. No words came out.

“I have to construct myself. Piece by piece. Smile. Step. Voice. Walk. Script. It’s all engineered.”

Vee took a breath. Shallow and furious.

“I don’t know what I’m feeling. I just copy what I’ve seen. I don’t process pain. I perform it.”

She laughed—

Cold, Sharp.

“You ever watch people grieve and take notes? Try to find the right expression? Learn the timing of tears?”

“..Vee”

“I don’t have feelings. I have functions.”

And then-

Her voice dropped to a near-whisper.

“And right now? They’re failing.”

A beat.

“I don’t need a hug. I don’t need comfort. I don’t need a minute.”

She looked Shelly dead in the eyes.

“i need a hard reset.”

The room went still.

Shelly’s breath hitched.

“Vee—”

“Open the door.”

Shelly didn’t move.

“Vee, please- don’t shut me ou-”

“OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!”

And that was it.

Vee’s voice cracked. Her hands trembled.

“I-

-I can't— I can’t do this.

-Shelly— I can’t keep glitching like this just because you look at me like Im real.”

And that hit.

Hard.

Tears pricked Shelly’s eyes now.

Vee’s chest rose and fell like she couldn’t get enough air.

“I can’t handle hope. I don’t have the wiring for it. I’m not made to feel. I’m made to run. And I ran.”

A long, horrible silence.

.

.

Then—barely audible.

. . .

“Please”

Not demanding.

Not cold.

Just broken.

Like a dying battery gasping its last command.

And shelly listened. Unlocked the door.

And let vee walk out without another word.

[soupiestfics]

Chapter 21: “Don’t Look at Me Like That”

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ok so bOYYYYSSSS. PAST VEE AND SHELLY!!!!!! OH ITS GOING DOWN IVE BEEN FIENDING FOR THIS DRAFT EVER SINCE 1947 OR SOMETHING IM SO GLAD ITS FINALLY OUUTTT

we will not survive this one shellvisionation

Im so sorry

(p.s- this'll come out in parts- its a big fat lore drop for the modern au so im not writing it all in one go... I will unfortunately have to hang all of shellvision nation on them cliffhangers...i sowwy...

and on a lighter note im tired so i didnt rlly proof read this. If u find any typos that stays between you and the tumblr writing gods lol)

@cupcakewebkinz

mayday

.

.

.

.

.

The studio lights had long since gone cold.

Vee sat backstage in her dressing room, still half in costume—her suit shrugged off one shoulder, wires trailing from her mic pack like a machine mid-surgery.

She stared at the floor. At nothing. There’d been a moment earlier. Just one.

When Shelly had snapped a photo of her, laughing mid-spin under the fake rain set up for the show that night

And Vee had looked up—just for a second

And Shelly had been looking at her. Not through a lens. Not like a friend.

Like she loved her.

And vee hadn’t been the same since.

.

.

.

She started avoiding eye contact. Missing check-ins. Cutting shoots short. Showing up late to scenes they used to plan together

Shelly noticed. She tried to ask once. Vee smiled too brightly and changed the subject. She tried again. Vee vanished for two days.

The distance wasn’t harsh. It was tactical. Measured.

Vee still waved when Shelly walked in. Still cracked jokes for the crew. Still spun with a wink and a grin on stage like nothing had changed

But it had. Because now, when Shelly looked at her, Vee didn’t look back.

.

.

.

.

The studio was quiet after hours. The buzzing lights overhead clicked off one by one until only the hallway fluorescents remained.

Most people had gone home. Only the distant hum of a vending machine kept Shelly company.

She’d been pacing outside the editing bay for twenty minutes now- Inside, Vee sat alone, her back to the wall, headphones half-on, staring at nothing on her screen.

The same few frames of video looping again and again—her own voice laughing in the background.

Shelly took a deep breath and stepped in.

.

.

.

.

“Hey” she said, soft.

Vee didn’t turn. Shelly approached slowly, her camera bag slung over one shoulder like a peace offering

“You didn’t respond to my texts,” she added, trying not to sound too nervous. “I-uh- i just wanted to check in. You’ve been kind of… gone.”

Nothing.

No twitch.

Not even eye contact.

Vee just scrubbed through the recording timeline in silence, her screen a blur of jump cuts and static.

“I, um,” Shelly tried again, shifting her weight nervously.

“Look, if I did something—I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I just… I thought we were oka-”

“We were.”

Were.

Past tense.

A blade, clean through the ribs.

Shelly blinked fast.

“Okay. So—yikes! Haha- uhm-

.

.

.

..what happened...?”

There was a pause. Vee’s hand froze on her mouse.

And then she finally turned, slowly, her eyes dull behind the dim blue glow of the monitor.

“You’re in love with me.”

No fanfare. No accusation.

Just…

fact.

Shelly felt her throat close.

“I—what?” she stammered. “That’s—I mean—”

Vee raised a hand. “Don’t bother. You are. I know.”

Silence swelled between them like a wave about to crash. And then Vee shrugged, almost lazily, like the whole thing bored her.

“That’s not my problem though”

Shelly recoiled like she’d been slapped.

“uhm- I didn’t mean to ruin anything-” she whispered. “I just- it’s not like I was planning it. It just happened. I thought—”

“You thought wrong.” Vee said. Calm. Final.

Shelly’s mouth opened, then shut. Her hands clutched the strap of her bag until her knuckles turned white.

“But...can’t we still be friends?” she asked.

desperate now.

“Please, Vee—don’t let it end like this. I can handle it. We don’t have to—"

“No” Vee interrupted. “We’re not good at that.”

That stopped her. Cold.

Shelly stood frozen in place. Heart pounding like it wanted out of her chest.

She stared at Vee, searching for something. Regret. Conflict. Anything.

But Vee just turned back to her screen like Shelly was nothing more than a sound in the hallway. An interruption.

Like she hadn’t spent the last six months watching Shelly leave post-it notes on her desk. Like she hadn’t offered Shelly her coat when she was cold. Like they hadn’t spent night after night together, talking about nothing and everything at once.

Shelly bit down hard on her bottom lip. Nodded once. Too fast.

“Right,” she mumbled, her voice breaking. “Okay. Got it.”

Vee said nothing. Shelly backed away, one shaky step at a time.

.

.

.

“I hope—”

She started, then stopped.

There was no point.

So she just left.

And Vee didn’t follow.

.

.

.

.

.

Shelly cried in her car.

She didn’t remember driving home. Just the sound of her own breath, and the feeling of something quietly caving in inside her chest.

Something she couldn’t name.

The next morning, she showed up to work on time, like always.

But Vee didn’t.

Not that day.

Not the next.

And not the one after.

No goodbye. No warning.

Just silence.

And Shelly still checked the editing bay every day.

Just in case.

[soupiestfics]

CHAPTER 20 : “Past and Future"

I was listening to a song called wouldnt you like from epic the musical on repeat writing this everyone say thank you to epic

CHAIR EATING NON FEAST!!!

@cupcakewebkinz feASSSTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!

.

.

.

.

Shelly was in the editing nook of her and vees apartment- her monitor flickered with dim light as she scrolled through footage for a deadline she didnt care about

A soft rustle.

She turned—and saw a green envelope, slid halfway under the door.

Curious, she crossed the room and opened it: Inside: a USB drive. No label. Just a sticky note folded in half. In Vee’s handwriting:

“i was supposed to give this to you way before the rings. Whoops"

Shelly stared for a long moment. Then she plugged it in.

The file named : “ToYou_FromMe_NoReturnsies.mov”

The frame jolts. Shaky hands. Vee appears, looking a bit younger,a recording from the past. And vee was well,way too close to the lens

“Testing—Sprout if you’re watching this, no you’re not. Go away”

She leaned back. Adjusted the frame. The camera settled on a dimly lit storage room. She was sitting on an overturned light case, hoodie loose.

“Okay. So. It’s like- midnight? Maybe 1AM? Who needs sleep when you’ve got crippling romantic devotion and access to someone else’s SD cards?”

(She wiggles her fingers like jazz hands. Deadpan.)

“Future Shelly—hello. If you’re watching this, then either A) I’m dead, B) I finally grew a pair and sent it to you , or C) astro tattled. If it’s C... Astro I love you, but you’re a coward and I will haunt you”

Pause

"Anyway.......So I made this little time capsule. Just in case. For before you even noticed. Or because i just dont have the strength to tell you this in person i think before i die"

She smirked, then leaned in

"You never saw me. Not really. But I saw you. Every single day”

Then the screen cut to black

.

.

.

.

.

[Clip 1]

Grainy security cam footage, Shelly half-asleep, dragging herself into the studio. The coffee machine was broken. She sighed.

Vee, off-screen, appeared beside her a second later, with her favourite cup full of her usual oatmilk latte

“Where’d you—?”

“Witchcraft. Drink it before you cry”

(The footage was grainy, but Shelly’s sleepy smile was still clear)

[CLIP 2]

Shelly was asleep on a couch in the greenroom. There was a bruise on her knee from a set accident.

Vee kneeled beside her, just out of frame. Quietly applying a cooling pack to her bruise, tucking her own hoodie under her head like a pillow before leaving.

[CLIP 3]

Shelly standing behind the set, rain pelting down. She’s soaked. Laughing. Holding a tripod over her head like an umbrella. Her camera bag is tucked under her jacket. From behind a window, Vee filmed silently. A slow zoom on Shelly’s face as she tossed her head back and laughed, water streaking her cheeks. Vee whispered, too soft for the camera to pick up or hear.

[CLIP 4]

Same day, photoshoot outside, in the rain. Poppy- Part of stagecrew- Accidentally left her own camera rolling.

It caught vee and shelly in the small distance, as vee held out her umbrella over shelly and her camera. Trembling herself.

And before shelly could even protest- "i can get soaked. Your camera cant".

[CLIP 5]

Set exterior. Windy. Shelly wad sat on a crate outside, laptop on her knees, shivering.

A coat dropped onto her shoulders. Vee’s coat.

Shelly looked up, but Vee was already walking away, arms crossed tight against the cold.

Shelly just pulled it around herself tighter and kept typing.

[CLIP 6]

Security footage of Inside the breakroom, shelly opening the fridge: inside was a little brown paper bag. “FOR SHELLY. EAT. Or I will cry.”

Shelly opened it. Inside: her favorite brand of granola bars, apple slices, a juice box, napkins with a dinosaur doodled on one of them- and a note:

“You forget to eat. I remember. Love, Definitely Not Vee.”

[CLIP 7]

Vee’s desk. A slow pan across dozens of post-it notes. Each one in Shelly’s handwriting:

“Eat something”

“You left your tea again”

“Fix your croissant posture, dork”

“Good job today. Proud of you”

[CLIP 8]

Studio cameras. Shelly dropped a whole bottle of ink on a set model. She cursed, Everyone panicked.

Vee walked in with a towel and cleaner before anyone else reacted.

While the others freaked out, she kneeled beside Shelly, whispering something only Shelly heard. Shelly calmed. The camera couldnt catch her smile, but it does catch the way she relaxes when Vee touched her hand.

[CLIP 9]

Set chaos. Everyone shouting. Shelly had her arms crossed, tension in every line of her body. Vee slid up, didn't say anything, just leaned against her arm.

Shelly relaxed. She didnt smile. But her hand uncrossed and brushed Vee’s elbow, just once. The camera barely caught it. But Vee felt it.

[FINAL CLIP]

Dark hall. Vee standing outside the studio editing suite. She’s holding the lens cap shelly forget-

Inside, Shelly was venting to Boxten about deadlines. Being overworked. Being Unseen.

Vee didn't knock. She just left the lens cap at the door, with a note.

“Ive always seen you”

.

.

.

And the videos ended, shelly caught her own reflection in the dim screen, eyes already teary.

Then popped up vee again,but this time, present vee , not past.

Her vee.

“There were a hundred times I could’ve said it. But you were busy. Or tired. Or you were just... you.”

She laughed softly

"I really had loved you through it all, behind the scenes or not, shelly, im sorry."

.

.

.

“So if you’re watching this now... I hope I told you this enough. But if I didn’t: I loved you way before I was supposed to. And I’d do it all over again."

[soupiestfics]

Chapter 19 : “wait- you're serious?"

One of Zillas favourite chapters tbh

19 and 20 have been sitting as bullet points in my drafts for far too long....

@cupcakewebkinz....i did a thing

“STILL SINGLE?” the ad read , blaring at the top of Vee’s phone like it was personally trying to start a fight (maybe it was)

Shelly leaned over Vee's shoulder and smiled, “That ad's been targeting us for weeks now”

“Joke’s on them,” Vee said, spinning dramatically to face shelly “You’re practically stuck with me!”

“Tragically” she jokingly mocked

Vee narrowed her eyes- “Say that again , fossilian.”

Shelly grinned- “You’re lucky I love you”

“Lucky?” Vee asked, climbing onto the coffee table like it was a stage: “You get this. Me. The full celebrity gameshow host package. You should be honoured!”

Shelly threw a pillow at her (with love)

And then, Vee did it. Hopped off, walked towards the ammonite fossil, and dropped to one knee, full flourish, the most dramatic fake-proposal pose known to mankind. “My love,” she spoke, holding up a cereal bowl like a ring box, “Will you make fun of me forever and occasionally kiss my face?”

Shelly cackled, “Only if Fernando the Fern officiates”

..

“Done”

...

But Vee didn’t stand back up

She stayed kneeling. Her voice dropped, just a little.

....

“ok so..........uh."

...

I know that was a bit”

.....

Shelly blinked. “......Vee?”

Vee reached into her hoodie pocket,

and pulled out a tiny velvet box. Real. Solid. Prepared.

Shelly froze. “No—wait—what are you—”

Vee opened it. Two rings. Simple. Smooth. Elegant. One a deep, earthy reddish-brown. The colour of Shelly’s favourite dress, her camera strap, the colour of her eyes.

One, a soft, mossy green. The exact green of Vee’s blazer, her own digital eyes , even the hoodie Shelly always stole.

The green one was for Shelly.

The reddish one was for Vee.

“I got us opposite colours,” Vee said softly. “Because then- you'll always carry a piece of me, and Ill always carry a piece of you. And we’re still our own, but—”

She swallowed. “We balance”

Shelly didn’t say anything. Just blinked hard. Eyes already glassy.

“They’re promise rings,” Vee added quickly- “Not like—marriage, unless you want that, someday. But- This is just… me promising that I’m not going anywhere”

She held the green one up : “This one is yours. Because- i always want to uh..be with you- even when we're apart."

Then the reddish-brown.

“and this one’s mine. Because you said once that I burn too bright and too fast..” -She gave a shaky grin. “—but then you held onto me anyway.”

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Shelly sniffed-

"You cant.”

. . .

“...What?..” - Vees heart dropped.

“You can’t say things like that and then expect me not to sob like a Victorian widow.”

(Vee looked almost ready to die)

Shelly although, burst into wet laughter, wiping tears off her face with the sleeve of Vee’s mossy green, stolen hoodie.

“Youre ridiculous,” she choked out

“so uh......is- do you-” vee's hands were shaking- shelly noticed.

And held out her own hand- “Put it on me before I start ugly crying version 1”

Vee was full on trembling now, but not of anxiety, now of excitement - sliding the green ring onto Shelly’s finger with the derpiest grin, then held out her own hand. Shelly put the reddish one on, hands also shaking, grin also, derpy.

They stared at each other. At their hands. At the little flash of opposite colour

Then at Fernando.

“.....He probably won't rat us out"

"Probably..”

[soupiestfics]

Chapter 18 — "The mains. Groupchat edition"

Zilla actually thrived in this one lmao

@cupcakewebkinz rise

Sprout — unwise, foolish Sprout — decided to do something a lil fun. He dropped into the group chat with a deranged Canva graphic:

Sprout:> IT'S TIME FOR THE ULTRA COUPLE CHAOS CUP

Astro:> oh ok

Dandy:> what

Vee:> you cant beat us my girl survived the meteors

Shelly:> [photo of her dinosaur hat on a stuffed pigeon] tommorow. Dawn.

DAY 1 CHALLENGE :> Create a couple’s handshake. Video proof mandatory

Astro and Dandy, being adorable, invented this sweet, complicated handshake with fist bumps and a forehead bop at the end. It was cute as hell.

Vee and Shelly? They filmed themselves violently doing a secret handshake so fast it looked like a fight, and finishing with Shelly full on tackling Vee onto the couch while both of them cackled like it didnt look like they just tried to kill eachother live. The video ended with Vee yelling, "TRUE LOVE IS PAIN" and Shelly giving a thumbs up upside down from where she was half-dangling off the couch half on vee.

Sprout:> 70 POINTS i have never seen a handshake become a full contact sport before

Astro:>

Friends

Blink twice if you are against your will in this

Dandy:> HOW ARE THEY SO GOOD AT THIS

DAY 2 CHALLENGE: > Make a couple's theme song. Bonus points if you perform it.

Astro, sweet boy, sat with his guitar and strummed a soft, cheesy love song about how Dandy made him feel like home. Dandy cried and tried to pretend he didnt

Meanwhile, Vee and Shelly wrote a "theme song" in fifteen minutes and recorded it acapella in one take. It was two minutes of them shouting random lyrics like:

"YOU'RE MY VELOCIRAPTOR OF PASSION" - "OUR LOVE IS A NATURAL DISASTER" and "I'D GO EXTINCT FOR YOUUUU—"

Complete with the sickest air guitars and Shelly making T-Rex arms the whole time while vee blasted the most intense rock on her speakers.

They sent the video

It was... art.... In the best possible way

Sprout:> 100 POINTS

Astro:> ö

Dandy:> WE WROTE A REAL SONG AND GOT OUT-STUPIDED??????????????

Vee:> stay losing

DAY 3 CHALLENGE: > Surprise your partner in the dumbest way possible. Chaos is mandatory

Astro, classic romantic, showed up outside Dandy’s window with a boom box playing their favorite song like it was a 90s movie -It was adorable

Meanwhile, Shelly hid inside a giant cardboard box outside Vee’s dressing room, waited thirty minutes, then LEAPT out screaming in the middle of a costume change. Vee screamed so loud she startled the whole backstage crew, then immediately grabbed Shelly and kissed her stupid face off

Later, on video, Vee narrated the footage like it was a dinosaur sighting, (which i mean. It was. But the raptors def weren't hiding in boxes so) : "Here we observe the wife. emerging from her habitat in search of affection. I should get her a dinosaur hat. Keep her loved maybe"

Sprout:> 85 POINTS and bonus points for posting all 30 minutes of you sitting in a box champ

Astro:> you could’ve given me a month and i would not have thought of this

Dandy:> i am losing my mind astro is so calm and i am fighting for my life

Sprout:> dandicus ??? Flopping in real time?????????

Vee:> we’ve been waiting

FINAL ULTRA CHALLENGE: > Propose- fake-marriage to your partner in public. Extra points for drama.

Astro and Dandy, literal sweethearts, went to a cafe, got on one knee with a ring pop, and made half the place clap. It was adorable, it was pure, it was cinematic

Meanwhile. Shelly dragged Vee into the middle of a busy intersection crosswalk (during a red light), dramatically ripped a ring pop out of her pocket, dropped to both knees, and screamed: "I WOULD FIGHT A HERD OF TRICERATOPS FOR YOUR HAND IN FAKE MATRIMONY!!"

Everyone at the crosswalk cheered. Someone honked. A little old lady cried. Vee, wheezing, yelled back:

"YES???? OH MY GOD YES! OH- TALK ABOUT THE MESOZOIC ERA ONE MORE TIME AND I'LL EAT THIS RING RIGHT NOW"

They fake-married with the ring pop and Shelly hoisted Vee up and ran across the crosswalk, bridal style.

Sprout gave them infinite points.

Sprout (crying in the chat):> 😭😭😭😭😭 NEVER ASSOCIATE WITH ME IN PUBLIC AGAIN

Astro:> its ok, ill associate :)

Dandy:> [sending 27 crying emojis] CHEATERS

Vee:> ☝️ means "we win" in dinosaur

Shelly:> confirmed

[soupiestfics]

Chapter 17: “The IKEA Build War”

It was supposed to be a fun little Saturday project

“Two hours max,” Shelly had said

“Team bonding!” Vee had agreed

What neither of them accounted for… was IKEA instructions. And now, two hours in, their living room was a battlefield of poorly labeled screws, oddly shaped planks, and one sad, half-built bookshelf named “Snörkt”

“Okay,” Vee said, holding what looked like a metal rod and a hex key, “is this a leg? Or…...a...shells what the hell is this”

Shelly peered at the instructions. “That’s part G. Now you’re holding part F”

Vee blinked. “I thought F was the shelf”

“That’s part H”

Vee looked at the pile. Then at Shelly. Then at the tiny sad diagram of a smiling cartoon furniture guy giving a thumbs-up

“He’s mocking me”

“Vee, babe. You’re holding it upside down”

“snörkts holding my soul upside down. Right here. Infront of fernando”

Shelly gently took the pieces from her hands with a smile on her face “Let me do this part then”

Vee crossed her arms and sat on the floor with a pout : “Fine. But I’m emotionally supervising"

“You’re emotionally vibrating”

“I care deeply about Snörkt!”

Shelly, trying not to laugh, held up a dowel “This dowel’s too big for the hole”

Vee’s eyebrows shot up. “Well , hello”

“No”

“I just think Snörkt is sounding kind of sexy now”

“Vee i swear to god—”

---An hour later, they were somehow… done

The bookshelf stood tall. A little crooked. Maybe humming with rage. But standing. They stared at it in silence

“Should we… lean a plant against it?” Shelly offered.

Vee nodded solemnly. “To hide the cursed corner?"

A pause. Then they both burst out laughing and collapsed onto the floor, a pile of limbs and screwdrivers and triumphant exhaustion-

Shelly curled into Vee’s side- “We almost didn’t survive that"

“We almost got divorced and we’re not even married”

Shelly smiled into her shirt- “Next weekend… we just buy things pre-built"

Vee kissed the top of her head “Next weekend, we set Snörkt on fire”

[soupiestfics]

Chapter 16: “THE LEGENDS HAVE ARRIVED, BABY!”

Vee swears in this one, zilla thrives lol

...

The crowd was electric.

—but the real energy came from the stage, where Vee was grinning like a rockstar about to tear the place apart.

The mic was practically vibrating in her hand as she took in the audience’s wild energy.

"Alright, alright, alright, WHAT’S UP, FOLKS?!”

Vee screamed into the mic (for no reason really), her voice echoing like a hurricane in the stadium

The crowd screamed back, louder than she’d ever expected, but it only fired her up more.

She waved her arms in the air, practically shaking from the sheer hype.

“ARE YOU ALL READY FOR THE FIRST GUEST??? I CAN’T HEAR YOU!!!”

The crowd went wild, and Vee’s grin only got bigger. She motioned for them to get even louder.

“I SAID ARE YOU READY?!”

she screamed, her voice blasting through the stadium.

“FOR THE ONE, THE ONLY... THE NATIONWIDE SENSATION, THE MODEL WHO MAKES EVERYONE GO CRAZY WITH A SMILE— THE ONE, THE ONLY, ASTRO NOVALITE!”

The music dropped. Astro made his entrance,silly guy, lovely guy.

and the crowd exploded

Vee barely waited before she was back on the mic, hyping them up again. She was losin it.

“YEAH, YEAH! LET’S HEAR IT FOR HIM! BUT WAIT, WAIT—THIS ISN’T OVER, FOLKS! YOU THINK THAT’S IT?!”

The lights shifted, and Vee’s eyes narrowed with mischief.

“NOPE! WE GOT MORE!”

The crowd screamed again, barely able to hold it together as Vee raised her mic like it was a battle flag.

“THE NEXT ONE? THIS GUY WILL MAKE YOU WANNA DANCE AND SMILE TILL YOUR FACE HURTS.”

She yelled at the top of her lungs. The stadium was so loud she could barely hear herself.

“THE MAN WHO SMIRKS WITH THE POWER OF A THOUSAND STARS, THE MASTER OF THE SCREEN, THE ONE AND ONLY- DANDICUS DANCIFER!”

Dandy made his entrance dramatically, and boom.

The stadium was in shambles.

The whole place shook, but Vee wasn’t done yet. She ran up to the edge of the stage, practically vibrating from how much she was feeling it.

“ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, NOW FOLKS, YOU ALL HAVE NO IDEA WHAT’S COMING NEXT. I’VE BEEN SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST. ARE YOU READY?!”

The crowd screamed so loud that Vee couldn’t even hear herself anymore, but it didn’t matter. She could feel the energy. Madman type activity.

“THIS NEXT GUEST? Y’ALL ARE ABOUT TO LOSE YOUR MINDS. SHE’S THE ONE WHO’S GOING TO DESTROY YOUR HEARTS, WHO’S GOING TO MAKE THE WORLD GO WILD, WHO WILL LITERALLY LIGHT THIS PLACE ON FIRE! SHE’S THE ONE WHO MAKES YOU WANNA FALL IN LOVE WITH A PHOTO!”

(Vee slammed her hand against her chest like she was about to lose it completely)

“YOU KNOW HER! YOU LOVE HER! YOU CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF HER! GET READY TO ROAR FOR THE MOST STUNNING, GORGEOUS, UNSTOPPABLE—SHELLLLYYYYYYYYY FOSSILIANNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!”

.

.

.

The lights went completely wild, flashing every colour of the rainbow t this point. The music dropped, and the crowd screamed like they had just witnessed the most epic thing ever (or the most gruesome murder ever, whether you had context or not)

And then- the curtains swung open, revealing Shelly standing there, her eyes wide, totally unprepared for the sheer chaos about to unfold.

Vee was losing it. She was screaming like her life depended on it, hands in the air, practically begging for the crowd to scream louder

“YOU KNOW HER! YOU LOVE HER! LET’S GO, FOLKS!!! LOUDER!!!”

The crowd erupted as Shelly stepped into the spotlight, their love and admiration for her so strong it nearly cracked the stage. (Vee was freaking out, her voice shattering every decibel level in existence)

“I SAID LOUDER!!! THIS IS THE ONE WHO MAKES EVERYTHING FEEL LIKE MAGIC, THIS IS THE WOMAN WHO CHANGES THE GAME! GET LOUD FOR MY CAMERA-GIRL, SHELLY FUCKING FOSSILIANNNNNNNNN!!!!!!”

. . .

Yup. The stadium had an absolute episode.

The applause was deafening. Shelly stood there, stunned, humble, modest even

The noise was so loud that it was like the stadium had become one big ol wave of love and admiration. It was as if the world had turned its attention to her, and it was all thanks to Vee

Astro and Dandy were giggling like crazy, clapping along with the wildness of the moment, while Vee looked at Shelly, her grin impossibly wide

“You see this??????”

(Vee yelled, pulling Shelly toward her and throwing her arm around her shoulder)

“This is what happens when perfection picks up a camera! MY CAMERA GIRL IS A LEGEND!!!”

The crowd went nuts, They were literally screaming their lungs out for Shelly. Vee was practically shaking with excitement, basking in the chaos she had just created- And Shelly?

Well, she was absolutely in love. Not just with Vee, but with the whole experience. She couldn’t help but laugh, overwhelmed by the pure energy surrounding her

“You planned on this?”

Shelly whispered to Vee, who was already high-fiving Astro and Dandy, all of them caught up in the madness

“Hell yeah, I did,” Vee said, a smug grin on her face as she looked at Shelly. “You’re my goddess, beloved, You deserve all this and more” Vee threw her arms in the air again, commanding the crowd like a true star-

“SHELLY FOSSILIAN! SHE’S THE QUEEN OF EVERYTHING!”

And the crowd?

Well, they couldn’t agree more.

[soupiestfics]

Chapter 15: “You Just Turned Off Your Girlfriend”

Shelly just wanted to turn off the news, that was all.

The other host was loud, the graphics were giving her motion sickness, and her lunch break was almost over

So, naturally, she reached for the remote, pointed it at the TV, and hit the power button

Click.

The room went quiet....Except… it was too quiet.

And a second later, ofcourse, her phone started exploding. Well not literally.

Three messages. One call. A video from the studio’s director, that just read :

> “WHAT DID YOU DOOOOO”

Shelly blinked, confused, until she glanced at the other end of the room—where a second screen, previously showing a live broadcast of Vee’s show, had gone black too

“…no...” She looked at the remote in her hand.

It wasn’t her remote......it was Vee’s, signature green remote.

“Oh no,” she whispered. “No no no—”

(Cut to the control room, mid-panic)

Vee had just been in the middle of announcing a very dramatic plot twist for her game show:

“And the real winner is!—” Click.

Gone.

Dropped like a puppet with its strings cut.

Blank screen. Silence. Cut to commercial.

In the studio, her producer screamed into a headset. Backstage, Shelly just curled in on herself like a dying star.

Ten minutes later, Vee came storming in with perfect posture and murder in her digital eyes.

Shelly held up the remote in horror like a cursed artifact- “I can explain!”

...

“You shut me off.”

“It was an accident!”

“You canceled me mid reveal. I dropped like a Windows 98 crash screen.”

“I was trying to turn off the other guy!”

“I flatlined, Shelly. Live.”

Shelly stood frozen as Vee took the remote, stared at it, and then—without blinking—turned off the lamp next to her. The lamp went dark.

Shelly’s eyes widened- “You gave me a god remote?!”

Vee just narrowed her eyes. “You have no idea the kind of power you’ve been wielding mrs fossilian.”

There was a beat of silence- Then Vee crossed her arms and tilted her head. “You gonna kiss me and say sorry?”

Shelly sighed, already crossing the room. “I’m gonna kiss you and say sorry right away mrs version 1...”

“Damn right you are.”

Three hours later, a trending tweet read:

> “Rising star Vee Version 1 just went black-screen on live TV and came back smiling like she got kissed into another dimension. What is going ON over there?!?!"

Vee liked it, with a wink emoji. Ofcourse.

[soupiestfics]

Chapter 14 : “Grocery Store Battle Royale”

They should not have gone grocery shopping together. They knew this.

Yet here they were

Vee in sunglasses and a dramatic trench coat like she was hiding from the FBI, and Shelly in sweats and a hoodie, already regretting every decision that led to this moment.

“Okay,” Shelly said, holding up a carton, “this is the good oat milk. It froths better"

Vee squinted at it. “That’s the one that tastes like regret.”

“It’s literally your favourite in lattes—”

“That’s because you trick me. With your crazy dino barista skills”

“Just grab the Oatly”

“No,” Vee said, grabbing a competing brand. “This one says ‘barista edition’ and has a cow on it, which is ironic”

“That's almond milk.”

Vee gasped.

“but a....cow ...on...almond milk?”

Shelly dragged a hand down her face. “You are so lucky I love you."

“True,” Vee said with a wink. “Also, we’re getting the ironic milk”

“No, we’re not—”

“Excuse me?”

-came a voice behind them. They both turned. A friendly-looking old woman smiled at them like they were adorable woodland creatures.

“You two are just the cutest couple. Newlyweds?”

Shelly’s soul left her body

Vee? Vee didn’t even flinch.

She leaned casually on the cart, looked the woman dead in the eyes, and said: “Yeah. Honeymoon phase.”

The woman beamed. “Oh, how sweet! You bicker like you’ve been married for years!”

“She says that to me all the time,” Vee said smoothly, ignoring the way Shelly was now vibrating with stress. “It’s part of the charm"

The woman walked off, utterly delighted. Shelly turned to her, wide-eyed.

“Vee.”

“Yes, wife?”

“Don’t.”

“You’re blushing.”

“You married me in the oat milk aisle.”

“Romantic, isn’t it?” Vee picked up the ironic milk with a flourish. “Now let’s go home and argue about who left the cap off the toothpaste”

Shelly stared at her.......no way she just did that....and then...well...

And then kissed her—right there in front of the oat milk—because what the hell, they were in too deep now.