PFP BY @heyguysijusthereforawesome !!!!!!
Yello, Second account of @soupiestzilla to post abt my modern au shellvision fic, All the chapters are linked so go wild
Yup this was under maintenance for a bit be free links
SUPERDUPER AWESOME MODERN SHELLVISION PLAYLIST WITH ART MADE BY @fbpanimations!!!! HERE!!! (Go subscribe this guy has done a genuine service to this au over and over he read the whole thing live)
-Also, links to the crossover chapters with @cupcakewebkinz's au here!
That paired with the fact that @heyguysijusthereforawesome exists.
Here i am 😸👍
I listened to mitski making this thumbs up
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Tisha didn’t collapse onto her bed so much as melt onto it.
Face-first. Limbs everywhere, her tail flopped dramatically over the edge like it had also clocked out for the day.
. . .
“…I resign.”
She muttered into her pillow.
“From everything.."
. . .
The room was dim except for the soft amber glow of her lamp and the lavender candle she’d lit without thinking.
It smelled like old paper, characteristic of the certain lamp toon who gifted it to her.
Her outfit hung half-off the chair and her things were somewhere near the door but not aligned, which meant she was tired-tired.
She rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling fan spinning in lazy circles.
“Today was bad.”
She informed it.
“...There..should be paperwork before days like that happen.”
Her tail curled over her stomach- She hooked her fingers into the tissue absently, tugging once. Not hard, just grounding. Thinking.
The day had been awful.
With pebble knocking over a display, cleaning up the entire kitchen again, a kid asking the same question three times like she’d glitched mid-sentence, her near faceplant on the lobby steps that she’d recovered from with “grace”, which meant she’d bowed dramatically and pretended it was intentional.
She groaned and rolled onto her side.
“…I deserve food. Or a medal. Or a vacation.”
Silence answered her.
Blessed, uninterrupted silence.
She exhaled, muscles slowly unspooling. Her eyes drifted half-shut- the fan hummed and the candle flickered.
Then—
Knock. Knock.
Not loud or urgent.
-Intentional.
Tisha didn’t even open her eyes.
“…If that’s....whoever that is. Im dead.”
The door creaked open anyway.
“-Well that’s inconvenient.”
Shelly’s voice replied mildly.
“Because I brought flowers and I refuse to present them to a corpse.”
Tisha’s eyes opened slowly.
Shelly stood in the doorway like she’d rehearsed the entrance. Fur brushed, shirt sleeves rolled just enough to look effortless. Clean and intentional.
And in one hand, a small bouquet of wildflowers. Bright yellows and blues put together slightly uneven like she’d picked them herself.
“…You’re suspiciously put together.”
Shelly stepped in, closing the door with her heel.
“You’re suspiciously horizontal.”
“I’m decompressing.”
“You look like youre about to faint from dramatic exhaustion is what you are."
Tisha squinted at her.
“…Are you here to mock me or revive me?”
Shelly lifted the flowers.
“Revive. With flair!”
Tisha pushed herself up onto her elbows, tail curling around her waist automatically.
“..You picked those.”
“Obviously.”
“You didn’t buy 'em.”
Shelly scoffed.
“where am I supposed to buy these?”
Tisha blinked at her for a second longer than necessary.
“…You left your room to gather wildflowers..”
Shelly shrugged, trying and failing to look casual.
“..It felt thematic.”
“For what?”
“For stealing you!"
Tisha narrowed her eyes.
“…From my own bed?”
“No- From your bad mood.”
Tisha stared at her.
Then at the flowers. Then back at her.
“…You planned something.”
"...well."
Shelly walked closer, slow and deliberate, setting the bouquet gently into the vase on tishas nightstand, replacing the ones she brought her last time.
“-Maybe.”
“You cleaned up.”
“ok rude. Im always clean!”
“You cleaned up with intent.”
Shelly laughed and leaned down, bracing one hand on the bed beside tisha’s hip.
“…Gardenview.”
Tisha blinked.
"Gardenview..…at night?”
“Lights are on- no school groups or screaming children- Just…us. Yknow?”
There was a pause.
Tisha’s tail tightened around her waist without her permission.
“…You thought I needed that.” she said softly.
Shelly met her eyes and didn’t joke for once.
“-Yeah?"
Silence settled between them.
. . .
"…You’re annoyingly thoughtful.”
“I try.”
“I didn’t say it was good.”
Shelly grinned.
“You’re smiling though.”
Tisha immediately wiped the smile off her face.
“No I’m not-"
Shelly leaned closer and tapped her cheek lightly.
“You are! It’s right there.”
Tisha swatted her hand away.
“Don’t poke me!”
“I will absolutely poke you.”
“Shelly.”
“Yes?”
“…You brought flowers.”
“Aaand?”
“-and…that’s..kinda romantic.”
Shelly tilted her head.
“You complainin'?”
Tisha stared at her for half a second.
-before reaching up and hooking her fingers lightly into the front of shelly’s shirt, tugging her a few inches closer.
“…No."
Shelly’s voice dipped softer.
“-Good.”
And then—
because they were them-
Tisha ruined the moment.
“You’re still not sitting on my clean bed in outside clothes though.”
Shelly gasped.
“Unbelievable!"
“Shoes off.”
“I already took em off!”
“Good. Points for you shells.”
Shelly rolled her eyes and sat carefully at the edge of the bed.
Their knees brushed. Tisha’s tail flicked and tapped against Shelly’s thigh once. Shelly casually let her fingers smooth down along it like that was the most normal thing in the world.
-It was.
They’d done this before. A hundred tiny touches that didn’t need commentary.
“So-"
Shelly said lightly.
“Shower.”
Tisha blinked.
“..Excuse me?”
“You. Shower. I wait. You get ready. Then we leave.”
Tisha narrowed her eyes.
“…You’re bossy tonight.”
“I’m efficient.”
“You’re bossy.”
“Efficiently bossy then!”
Tisha groaned and flopped backward dramatically.
“..I hate that you’re right.”
“Cmon- You had a long day. The shower will help ok?"
“fine- but you wont touch my things!"
“I will absolutely touch your things.”
“unbelievable.”
“You like it.”
Tisha paused, letting shelly smile slow and satisfied.
“-alright, go shower.”
Tisha pointed at her.
“If I come back and you’ve reorganized my bookshelf again—”
Tisha twisted the knob, and the pipes groaned before hot water thundered against the tiles. The steam began creeping almost immediately.
She peeled off her clothes slowly, still half-listening.
-Outside, she could hear shelly moving around her room. Not snooping- just shifting things. Picking up the flowers again, probably examining them.
Tisha imagined her straightening the stems, adjusting the ribbon.
Then she stepped under the water and hissed softly at the heat.
.
.
.
“-Too hot?”
Shelly called from the other room.
“-You’re not allowed commentary from there shells.”
“I can hear the pipes protest!”
“I like it hot!”
Shelly paused.
“…That tracks.”
Tisha rolled her eyes even though she was smiling.
Water slid down her shoulders, easing the tension she hadn’t realized she was holding. She tilted her head back and let it soak into her tissue hair.
. . .
"..Tish?"
"..hm?"
“…You up to answer a question?"
Tisha slowly squinted open her eyes.
“...hit me."
“-Worst part of your day.”
Oh.
Tisha sighed, scrubbing shampoo into her hair.
“-The lobby stairs.”
“The near-death experience?”
“I did not almost die.”
“You windmilled.”
“It was controlled!”
“You windmilled.”
“…It was graceful.”
Shelly snorted.
“You bowed after.”
“That was all i had left.”
“That was panic.”
Tisha laughed despite herself. The sound bouncing off the tiles, warm and alive. She reached for the soap. The scent was subtle, clean and familiar.
. . .
“…Best part?”
..
Tisha hesitated.
Then, quieter-
“…Right now. Probably.”
There was a pause outside.
. . .
“-Good to know."
The steam thickened.
Tisha let herself linger a bit longer than necessary.
When she reached for her towel, she opened the door just enough to let cooler air swirl in.
Though a hand immediately appeared in the gap holding her towel properly instead of the messy one she’d grabbed earlier.
. . .
“…You reorganized my towels.”
“They were folded wrong.”
“No such thing."
“Tish. They were wrong."
Shelly wiggled the towel in her paws, waiting for tisha to take it who- after a deep fond sigh - did.
She stepped out carefully, steam curling around her. Shelly didn’t stare or make a show of it. Just draped another towel around her shoulders like she’d done it a hundred times.
Because she had.
“…Thanks."
Shelly shrugged.
“Efficiency.”
“Bossy.”
“Accurate.”
Tisha leaned forward and pressed her forehead briefly to shelly’s shoulder before stepping away to get dressed, pulling on a soft blue sweater.
Shelly leaned in the doorway, arms crossed.
“You look nice."
"I’m not even done yet you charmer.”
“You still look nice.”
Tisha glanced at her.
“Shells…"
"yeah?"
"You’re staring.”
“Am I?”
“..Yeah.”
“Whoops.”
Tisha huffed a laugh and reached for her earrings.
“..You’re so full of it tonight.”
“No- I’m excited! Theres a difference.”
“…That’s worse.”
Shelly pushed off the doorway and stepped closer, brushing invisible lint from tisha’s sleeve.
“Well- you deserve something nice tonight afterall.”
Tisha’s tail twitched slightly at that.
“…You’re really laying it on huh.”
Shelly met her eyes.
“Yeah.”
The air shifted again- slower this time.
Tisha cleared her throat.
“…If this turns into you dramatically confessing under a fountain..”
Shelly stifled a laugh- “No confessions! Just Ambience.”
“Ah. Bribery.”
“Tissshhhhaaaa!"
Tisha giggled and slipped her hand into Shelly’s.
“Okok!- Lead the way then!”
Shelly squeezed her hand once. Smirk creeping in.
. . .
Gardenview at night was peaceful.
Cozy lights, that one dandy designated fountain glowing pale blue from underneath, water spilling in smooth, endless ribbons- Air smelling faintly of damp stone and late-blooming flowers.
Tisha slowed automatically.
“….”
She breathed, taking it all in.
“..You win.”
Shelly pretended to consider.
“I usually do.”
“Don’t ruin it.”
They walked side by side, shoulders bumping occasionally. Not accidental but- not fully intentional either. Just next to each other.
Tisha reached down and lightly hooked her finger with Shellys. Shelly responded by brushing her thumb over tishas hand.
. . .
"So was this omnipotence orrrr...you come here earlier to check it?”
“Twice.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. First time there was a marching band rehearsal with the circus troupe."
Tisha leaned lightly against her shoulder as they walked, nudging shelly.
"pff- get outta here- You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re smiling again.”
“Stop noticing that!”
Shelly leaned closer. “No."
. . .
They stopped near the fountain. Water shimmering and the sound steady and soothing.
Tisha looked at it for a long moment.
. . .
“…Thank you."
She said finally.
Shelly didn’t joke this time.
“..yeah.”
The breeze lifted tisha’s hair slightly. And shelly reached up without thinking. Tucking the strand back.
. . . And they stood in the silence of that.
Staring at eachother.
. . .
Tisha’s breath caught- not a whole gasp or whatever- Just small.
. . .
“…You’re staring again.”
. . .
“..sorry.”
Tisha shook her head softly, but she didn’t move away.
..They stood like that for a few seconds too long.
Not long enough for it to be embarrassing. Long enough for it to mean something.
Shelly swallowed.
Tisha’s hand was half-lifted- So shelly reached forward.
Slowly and carefully, she took both of Tisha’s hands in hers.
Fingers sliding between fingers, palms warm against warm.
Tisha blinked.
“…Shells.”
“Shh-” Shelly murmured, almost shy now.
Her thumbs brushed over tisha’s knuckles again. Light and repetitive like she was memorizing the shape of them.
“You’re cold.” Shelly said softly.
"-I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I’m fine!"
Shelly huffed a tiny breath of a laugh and kept rubbing her hands anyway.
The breeze shifted, light flickering across their faces. The fountain behind them hummed steady and low.
Shelly stepped closer.
Enough that their joint hands now lowered between them and their toes nearly touched.
Tisha’s breath caught again. Even smaller. Anticipating.
Shelly’s eyes flicked up to meet hers. Tugging gently at tisha’s hands.
One small pull, and tisha didn’t resist.
Another inch closer.
Their shoes brushed.
Then their knees.
Then—
Their bodies.
Close enough now that tisha could feel the warmth through their clothes.
Close enough that shelly’s breath ghosted against her.
Tisha’s hands loosened from shelly’s grip only to slide upward -over her wrists, along her forearms- until they settled at her waist.
“…Shelly.” she murmured again, but softer.
Shelly didn’t answer.
She just leaned in fully. Chest to chest. Hip to hip. Their foreheads nearly touching.
Tisha’s arms wrapped around her automatically. Pulling her in until there was no more space left to close.
Shelly exhaled like she’d been holding that in all evening.
. . .
“..There."
She whispered.
Tisha’s hand drifted up her waist into her fur, fingers combing through gently.
“..You’re clingy tonight.” Tisha murmured.
“Mm.”
“That wasn’t a denial.”
“..None.”
Tisha smiled faintly at that and scratched her fur lightly.
Shelly made a soft sound—barely audible over the fountain—and pressed closer.
“C'mere.."
“We are here.”
Shelly shook her head slightly and tugged her sideways, guiding her around the curve of the fountain to a quieter stone ledge tucked behind it.
The water masked them from the main path. So they sat. Close and still touching.
Shelly shifted immediately, turning toward tisha and sliding one arm around her waist like she’d never let go.
Tisha followed without hesitation, pulling her into her lap just slightly, arms encircling her fully now.
Shelly tucked her face into the crook of tisha’s neck. Warm and safe.
Tisha’s fingers moved in slow, steady strokes through her fur, down her back, up again.
. . .
“…You okay?”
Tisha asked quietly.
Shelly nodded against her.
Then, after a small pause—
“I love you.”
. . .
It wasn’t loud.
It wasn’t even dramatic.
Infact, it was almost swallowed by the fountain.
But it was clear.
. . .
Tisha’s hand stilled for half a heartbeat.
Then it tightened.
Her arms pulled shelly in closer, chin resting on top of her head.
. . .
“…Yeah?”
Shelly squeezed her tighter.
“Yeah.”
Tisha pressed a slow kiss to her cheek.
"..Love you too.”
Shelly let out the smallest, happiest breath. Not a laugh nor a giggle. But relief let out in one tiny sound.
She shifted, wrapping both arms fully around tisha now, holding on like she wasn’t planning on letting go anytime soon.
Tisha leaned back slightly against the stone, bringing shelly with her, cradling her close. Their legs tangled- Their foreheads touched. Fountain humming behind them like white noise just for them.
Tisha resumed petting her- gentle, rhythmic strokes, thumb tracing small patterns at the base of Shelly’s neck. Deep in thought.
. . .
Behind this fountain, the world felt muffled.
Water spilt in a steady curtain behind them, catching the light and breaking it into soft gold ripples.
Anyone walking the main path would just see glowing water and stone. Not the two of them tucked behind it like they’d stolen a little pocket of the night just for themselves.
Shelly pulled back just enough to look at tisha.
Her hands were still at her waist, thumbs absentmindedly tracing slow circles through the fabric of shellys shirt.
. . .
“…You said that pretty casually.” Tisha murmured.
..oh.
“..I panicked alright.”
“You panicked ‘I love you’?”
Shelly squinted at her.
“You responded pretty calmly.”
“I panicked too.”
“Case closed.”
Tisha smiled at that. Small and warm.
Shelly studied her for another second.
Then she leaned in and kissed her. Because why not.
Tisha made a sharp sound against her mouth, surprised but not resisting in the slightest.
Her arms tightened automatically, pulling shelly fully against her.
The kiss deepened just a little -still gentle and sweet- but lingering.
Tisha’s hand slid up shelly’s back, holding her there like she might leave otherwise. And when they parted, they didn’t separate much.
. . .
“…You’re smiling again.”
“Shut up.”
“You really are.”
Tisha narrowed her eyes. But she was glowing. Actually glowing.
“You kissed me.”
“You hugged me harder 'cus of it.”
“You started it!”
“You scratched me like a dog earlier!"
“That was scientific.”
Shelly laughed softly and kissed her again- quick this time, just to steal another reaction.
Tisha exhaled a breath that almost turned into a laugh.
“…You’re very pleased with yourself.”
“Mmm. A little.”
She shifted them slightly, turning so she was half in tisha’s lap now, one knee resting between tisha’s thighs, arms still around her shoulders.
But this time— Shelly’s hands moved.
They slid up along tisha’s sides slowly and gently, until they rested at her ribs.
She smoothed her palms up and down over the warm sweater tisha was wearing.
. . .
“…You’re tired tish.”
“I’m not—”
“You are.”
Tisha huffed.
“You keep diagnosing me.”
“You keep pretending.”
Shelly’s hands moved slower now. Gentler strokes trailing higher over the knit fabric. Thumb rubbing lightly near her collarbone.
Taking care of her.
No teasing or agenda. Just warm hands and quiet attention.
And tisha’s posture softened without her meaning to.
Her shoulders dropped. Her chin dipping slightly.
“…You don’t have to mother me.”
“I’m- dude im not mothering you."
“You’re mothering me shelly.”
“I’m girlfriend-ing you. Again, there’s a difference.”
Tisha snorted faintly. Shelly reached up and tugged lightly at the hem of tisha’s sweater.
“This is warm.”
“Yeah.. Thats how sweaters work.”
“May I borrow it?”
“You are currently sitting on me.”
“Answer the question.”
Tisha rolled her eyes but lifted her arms obediently. Shelly carefully pulled the sweater up and off, leaving tisha in her thin undershirt.
Immediately, she draped the sweater back over both of them like a blanket, tugging it around tisha’s shoulders and then around her own back.
“There-” she said, satisfied.
Tisha blinked.
“…You just undressed me to re-dress me.”
“Yeah.”
“Menace.”
“pff- cmon its cozy!”
Tisha sighed- but she leaned into it.
Shelly adjusted them both until they were wrapped in the sweater, fabric pooled around their arms and shoulders, trapping warmth between them.
Finally satisfied, she layed her chin onto tishas shoulder- hand sliding up into tisha’s hair.
Slow strokes. Mirroring what tisha had done earlier.
Tisha went very still.
. . .
“…You’re petting me now?"
“Mm.”
“I see how it is.”
“do you now..?”
Tisha swallowed.
The snark didn't come immediately this time.
Shelly’s fingers continued combing softly through her hair, down to the nape of her neck, back up again.
Tisha exhaled slowly.
“…You’re warm." She murmured. Eyes shut to the sensations.
“-You’re warmer.”
“That’s because you’re basically wearing me.”
Shelly smiled against her.
“Specifics.”
They shifted slightly, settling more comfortably against the cool stone behind them. The sweater tucked tight around their shoulders, bodies pressed together.
The fountain hummed steady behind them. Light flickering over the edge of the water.
Tisha’s arm tightened one last time around shelly.
“…You’re going to fall asleep out here."
“..Maybeee.”
“Behind a fountain.”
“-Romantic.”
“..isnt it.”
Shelly laughed softly and pressed one last kiss to tisha’s collarbone.
“You needed rest,” she said quietly. “So rest.”
Tisha hummed faintly at that.
“…Bossy.”
“yep. Bossy."
Shelly kept petting her hair, slow and rhythmic.
Their breathing and the warmth under the sweater building into something drowsy and safe.
“…If we get locked up overnight-” Tisha mumbled sleepily, “I’m blaming you.”
“-gotcha.”
. . . .
“…You said you loved me.”
“Mhm..”
“Still mean it..?”
Shelly tilted her head up just enough to brush her nose against tisha’s jaw.
i love the way you characterise shelly and vee in your fics so much!!!! They seem like the type of couple that would go ikea shopping and pretend they are divorced in one of the showrooms just to mess around
Anon you are an actual fossil atp i am so sorry it has taken me 13 years to reply to this im here kids im here to pick u up from soccer practice psps
Hey i was playing residence massacre night 3 while drafting this if you see a typo know it was probably because i was being run down by an anomaly cheers
@heyguysijusthereforawesome THIS IS FOR YOU 😭 INDULGENCE ON THE SHELLVISION BLOG
oh yes i should mention this is PURELY FOSSILCLEANING!!!!
....It was calm.
The only sounds in Shelly’s room were the rhythmic swishes of her brush, and the quiet, satisfied hum she made every so often when a fossil came out a lil cleaner than expected.
-Her tail wagged unconsciously with each little success, flicking side to side like a metronome of joy.
The desk in front of her was chaos — half-cleaned bones, open notebooks, a cracked magnifier, and a cup of tea she’d forgotten had gone cold hours ago.
She didn’t mind the clutter. Afterall, Fossils weren’t fussy.
“Hmm… maybe a Hadrosaur vertebra…” she murmured, comparing two sketches in her notebook. “Or— oh, could it be a Parasolophus? Oh, that’d be so cool!—”
Her tail wagged faster, the tip thumping gently against the leg of her chair.
She was mid-happy-ramble to herself when a muffled voice echoed faintly from the below her room.
“...Tisha, seriously, it’s not that bad—”
“ASTRO. YOU OWN A BIOHAZARD.”
Shelly paused mid-brush.
Her grin spread.
Unmistakably, that was tisha.
It’d been all afternoon since she last saw her — Tisha had volunteered (well, been volunteered) to help Astro clean his room.
(Which, by Gardenview standards, meant she’d entered a post-apocalyptic wasteland of snack wrappers left by all those lousy kids.)
Shelly chuckled softly to herself, imagining Tisha holding a broom like a weapon.
“Poor thing.." she murmured, shaking her head. “She’s probably scrubbing sentient goo off the ceiling by now.”
Her tail gave an empathetic wag, then another one — this time just because she wanted to see Tisha again.
Maybe she’d tell her about the new fossil fragment she’d found near the sandbox this morning, or maybe-
The door creaked open behind her.
....
“Shelly…?”
The voice was quiet. Slow. She turned halfway in her chair, eyes brightening.
“Tish! You’re back— how’d it—”
The words stopped. Because Tisha looked… done.
Clothes wrinkled, Ribbin crooked, expression glazed over in that way only true exhaustion could bring.
She stood there for a second, blinking blearily at Shelly like she was trying to remember how doors worked.
..Then she mumbled something that might’ve been “hi” before stepping inside.
“Oh, wow, you look like you just wrestled a tornado” Shelly said with a half-smile.
“I did.” Tisha mumbled. “His name’s Astro.”
That earned a laugh, soft and warm.
Tisha shuffled closer, stopping just behind Shelly’s chair. Shelly glanced up, her tail starting a small, nervous wag again.
“I was just cleaning fossils” she said, gesturing to the mess on her desk. “Found a few neat ones. Wanna see?”
She was ready to start explaining— but before she could, she felt movement behind her.
Tisha’s knees hit the wooden floor with a soft thud.
...
“Tish…?”
There was a long, weary exhale — then suddenly, she felt tisha’s forehead rest against her, arms slowly wrapping around her waist in the most tired, automatic hug imaginable.
No words.
Just a sigh that seemed to drain every last ounce of tension out of her.
Shelly went completely still.
Her heart skipped — once, twice — before starting up again in a flurry of nervous little beats.
She could feel Tisha’s breath against her. The warmth seeped through her shirt, and her brain decided that this was the exact moment to start overanalyzing everything.
Was this… affection?
Comfort?
Or—
or was Tisha… making a move?
Her hands hovered awkwardly above the notebook, brush still in hand, fossil forgotten.
“Um… Tish?” she managed, trying not to sound squeaky.
“Mm.”
“..You okay back there?”
“Yeah” Tisha murmured, voice muffled into her back. “Just… tired. Needed somewhere soft to fall.”
“Soft?” Shelly echoed faintly.
“Mhm.”
“…You mean me?”
“yeah.”
Shelly blinked at the page in front of her, not moving an inch.
Her cheeks were starting to heat up, but she couldn’t tell if it was embarrassment or sheer secondhand exhaustion.
“You could’ve just said you needed a hug..” she murmured, trying for a laugh.
“-Didn’t have the energy” Tisha said simply, her tone so drowsy and genuine that Shelly’s laugh softened into something gentler.
Shelly hesitated, then carefully went back to her notes, trying to act natural — except her handwriting immediately devolved into nonsense.
Her brain was too aware of the weight against her back. Of Tisha’s slow breathing. Of the way her arms tightened a little when Shelly shifted.
“...So, um,” Shelly started quietly, “did you… finish cleaning?”
“Mostly. The walls are safe now. The floor’s still in quarantine.”
“Oh dear”
“There were crumbs older than time.”
Shelly giggled, shoulders shaking just enough for Tisha to groan faintly in protest.
..
“...stop moving” Tisha muttered.
“You sound like you’re about to fall asleep sitting up.”
“Probably am..”
Shelly bit her lip, fighting a smile she didn’t quite understand. She didn’t mind this. She just didn’t know what to do with it.
The warmth against her back was… nice. Nice in that way that made her heart feel too full and her brain too loud.
“Tish?”
“Mm?”
“You know, you can lay down if you want”
“Don’t wanna move.”
“You’re literally on the floor.”
“Yeah, but the floor’s cleaner than astros. I'll live.”
That earned a startled laugh out of Shelly, a helpless, nervous kind that made her tail flick wildly again.
....
Shelly had been sitting still for what felt like hours, trying desperately to keep her breathing even and her brain quiet while Tisha practically melted against her.
Every now and then she’d risk a glance at her notebook, but the words she was writing were completely nonsensical now — something like “vertebra structure fuhhhh help she’s breathing on me”
Her tail had betrayed her from the start — wagging like it had its own agenda — but she tried her best to play it cool.
"Sooo...” Shelly said carefully, pretending she wasn’t hyper-aware of every point of contact between them.
“I was reading about, um, fossil sedimentation patterns earlier.”
“Mhm” Tisha hummed faintly, half-asleep.
“Apparently there’s this thing called concretion that protects delicate—”
“You smell nice.”
“I— wh— okay!” Shelly squeaked, instantly derailing herself, her voice pitching up two octaves. “That’s— that’s not about fossils, Tish!”
“..Sorry” Tisha mumbled. “My brain’s on autopilot. Don’t stop talking though. Your voice is… comfy.”
Shelly blinked.
Comfy.
Her face heated up like a toaster.
She tried to steady her hands over her notes again, but the pen kept slipping.
Her heart was fluttering, and she wasn’t even sure why — Tisha wasn’t flirting, exactly. Just sleepy. Honest. Affectionate in that exhausted, unfiltered way people get when they’re too tired to keep their walls up.
It shouldn’t have made her this nervous.
“Tisha” she said softly, glancing over her shoulder, “you sure you don’t wanna lie down? You’ll hurt your back if you stay like that”
“....’m fine,” came the muffled response. “You make a good chair”
“I’m not a— okay.” Shelly sighed. “I see how it is.”
She smiled despite herself, tiny and awkward, the kind of smile you give when your heart’s doing weird things you can’t explain.
For a while, they stayed that way — quiet, soft, only the sound of shellys scribbling and tisha’s sleepy breathing behind her.
It was peaceful, actually.
But the longer Shelly sat there, the harder it got to think about anything except the fact that Tisha’s arms were still around her waist.
She shifted slightly, and Tisha’s grip tightened by instinct.
She finally sighed and decided — carefully — to get up, maybe lead Tisha to her bed so she could rest properly. That was a reasonable thing to do!
She just had to… move slowly…
Except she forgot Tisha was leaning on her entire body weight.
So when Shelly pushed her chair up and stood —Tisha immediately tipped forward with a sleepy, startled noise.
“—Wha—?!” Thud.
Shelly whipped around, horrified.
“Oh no no no! Tish! I’m so sorry I didn’t mean— I just— I was— you were—”
Tisha blinked from the floor, eyes bleary. Then she sat up with a small grunt, rubbing her forehead.
“...Ow. That’s one way to wake me up” she muttered wryly.
“I swear I wasn’t trying to— I just— you looked uncomfortable and— oh my gosh this looks so bad—”
Tisha let out a weak laugh, rubbing her neck.
“Hey, it’s fine. I’m okay. Guess I deserved it for collapsing on you like a sandbag”
“no- you don’t understand” Shelly babbled, hands flailing a little. “I just wanted to help! I was trying to be nice and— and now I’ve— you’re on the floor and this is— I’m such a—”
“Shelly.”
"—idiot, yes, that’s the word.”
Tisha blinked up at her, amused but gentle.
“You’re really hard on yourself, huh?”
Shelly opened her mouth to answer — but her body moved faster than her brain. She reached out, intending to help Tisha up, but in her flustered state, her claws accidentally pressed a little too hard into Tisha’s arm.
“Ah—!”
Shelly yelped, pulling her hands back instantly.
“Oh stars, I’m— I didn’t-”
Her tail drooped so fast it was practically a dead weight. She backed up, bumping into the wall, then promptly slid down it, burying her face in her hands.
“Just-” she groaned into her palms. “Go, before I manage to accidentally light you on fire or something.”
“..You don’t have fire powers”
“Not yet! Give me a minute, I’m working up to it!”
Tisha blinked at her — and then started to laugh. Not mockingly, but softly, fondly. That exhausted, half-giggly laugh you get when the day’s been too long and someone’s just too endearingly dramatic.
She got back onto her knees, crawling over until she was kneeling right in front of Shelly again.
“Hey”
Shelly peeked between her fingers.
“You’re still here”
“Mhm.”
“Even though I just… knocked you over, stabbed you, and humiliated myself in record time?”
“Yep.” Tisha smiled faintly, tilting her head. “Shelly, breathe. I know you wouldn’t mean to do any of that.”
Shelly peeked up fully this time, face pink, tail twitching.
“I just… didn’t want you to think I was mad or something. You looked so tired and I panicked and—”
“Hey.”
Tisha reached out and gently set a hand on her shoulder. The touch was light — cautious, but steady.
“You were just trying to help” she said softly. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Shelly exhaled shakily, letting her hands drop from her face. Her tail gave a small, embarrassed wag.
“..You’re, um… really patient for someone who just face-planted.”
“Years of practice” Tisha replied, smirking faintly. “Working with Astro builds character.”
That earned the first real laugh out of Shelly since the disaster began. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
“You sure you’re okay, though?”
“Yeah. A little bruised pride, but that’s all.”
...
For a few heartbeats, the only sound in the room was Shelly’s uneven breathing.
Tisha was still crouched in front of her, watching quietly.
No judgment, no teasing — just that steady, sleepy patience she somehow carried even when half-awake.
Shelly took a long breath through her nose and let it out slowly.
“Okay,” she said at last, more to herself than anyone. “We’re… calming down. Normal toons. Totally normal conversation incoming.”
“Good plan” Tisha murmured. “Let me know when it starts”
That earned a weak laugh. Shelly lifted her head, cheeks still pink, but her tail wagging again in little, sheepish flicks.
“You’re such a jerk”
“True” Tisha said, smiling.
Shelly hesitated, then reached out again — this time gently — and took Tisha’s arm. Not to pull or fuss, just a light, grounding touch.
“Let’s… get you some tea, yeah? You look like you’re two blinks away from collapsing again.”
When Shelly stood too, she didn’t let go. Their hands just sort of… stayed together. Natural, easy.
It wasn’t until they started walking toward the door that Shelly’s brain caught up with what her hand was doing.
She looked down — fingers linked with Tisha’s — and a dozen tiny alarms went off inside her.
Oh stars. Hand holding. Okay. Totally casual. She probably doesn’t even notice. She’s just tired. It’s fine. This means nothing. Why are my palms sweating.
She peeked sideways; Tisha looked completely calm, even humming faintly under her breath as they walked.
Not a flicker of awareness.
That realization made something inside Shelly relax and ache all at once.
Tisha was… oblivious.
That’s what made her so impossible to read. She could throw an arm around you, nap on your shoulder, or hold your hand like this — and it never meant anything beyond comfort.
And yet Shelly’s heart still did that little flutter thing.
She gave a small smile.
It’s fine. You like her. That’s normal. You can survive this.
.....
When they reached the elevator, Shelly suddenly stopped.
“Wait— oh, hang on, I should change first.”
Tisha blinked at her.
“Change?”
“Yeah, I’m still in my… y’know.”
She gestured awkwardly at her oversized shirt and soft shorts.
“House clothes. If somebody comes by, it’ll look like I just rolled out of bed at noon”
Tisha tilted her head, clearly too tired to understand the crisis.
“You did roll out of bed at noon.”
“That’s not the point!” Shelly said, tail thrashing.“It’s about— presentation!”
Tisha leaned one shoulder against the wall, watching her fuss with an amused, lopsided smile.
“Shelly, no one’s going to care. You’re comfy. You look fine.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.”
“Even if Astro comes in?”
“Especially if Astro comes in. He’ll be jealous he’s not wearing shorts.”
Shelly laughed, helpless.
“Okay, fine. You win. Cozy trumps fancy.”
“Exactly,” Tisha said, giving a slow nod of approval. “That’s my philosophy.”
Shelly shook her head but smiled, her nerves finally easing.
...
Once they reached the kitchen, shelly tugged Tisha gently toward the stove.
“Alright, Miss philosopher, sit down before you pass out again. I’ll make you some tea.”
“You sure? I can help”
“You can barely stand.”
“I can supervise..?”
“Tish.”
“Fine, fine!”
Tisha sank into one of the kitchen chairs, folding her arms on the table and resting her chin on them while Shelly busied herself at the counter.
It felt good to move — normal, almost domestic. She filled the kettle, rummaged through jars of tea leaves, humming quietly under her breath.
Her tail swayed lazily as the water began to boil.
From behind her, Tisha’s voice drifted, soft and drowsy.
"You really like taking care of people, huh?”
“Me?” Shelly turned slightly, startled. “I mean— yeah, I guess? I just… like when people feel better.”
“You’re good at it.”
Shelly blinked at her, warmth creeping up her face again.
“You’re saying that because you want this tea so bad dude.”
“Nope!” Tisha said, smiling faintly. “I mean it.”
For a moment, neither of them said anything. Just the hiss of the kettle and the soft creak of the chair as Tisha shifted, watching her.
Then Shelly poured the tea and brought it over, sliding the mug in front of her.
“..Careful, it’s hot”
“..thanks” Tisha murmured, wrapping her hands around it.
Shelly sat across from her, folding her legs under herself. For the first time all evening, she felt genuinely calm.
The awkward tension from earlier had melted into something gentler — quiet and safe.
Tisha blew on her tea and looked up, eyes half-lidded but kind.
...
“..You’re staring” she said.
Shelly blinked, flustered.
“I’m not! I’m— uh— just making sure you don’t spill.”
“Sure you are” Tisha murmured, teasing just enough to make Shelly groan and hide her face in her hands again.
“You’re impossible”
“And you’re cute when you panic.”
Shelly peeked up.
“W-What?”
“Nothing- nothing.” Tisha said with a small smirk, sipping her tea.
Shelly sat half-turned in her chair, elbow on the table, cheek in her palm.
Did she hear that right.
No. No way.
That was definitely an.... arrangement of words.
Shelly sat there, puzzled.
...
Finally, she thought to retaliate.
...
“..Y’know, for someone who looks like she fought a hurricane, you clean up pretty nice”
Tisha blinked at her, taken off guard.
“..What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just that you’re… cute when you’re tired?” Shelly said before her brain could catch up.
....
The words hung there.
Tisha’s eyes widened a little.
“Oh.”
Shelly froze, smile faltering.
“I— uh— I mean, not like— cute-cute, more like— aesthetically fatigued?!”
Tisha blinked again.
“…Aesthetically fatigued?”
“That’s not even a real phrase” Shelly groaned, “Forget I said anything.”
Tisha laughed quietly, but it came out a little awkward.
“..You’re full of surprises, Shel.”
“Yeah, mostly bad ones.” Shelly muttered.
They both sat there in the smallest, most nervous silence imaginable. The kind where neither knew where to look.
...
. . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
Finally, Tisha cleared her throat.
“So… uh… how’s the, uh, fossil thing going?”
“Oh- great! You know— dirt and bones. The usual.”
“..Cool. Cool.”
They both nodded like two people trying to pretend everything was fine after a minor emotional explosion.
That’s when the door swung open.
“Hey, guys!”
Sprout stood there holding a tray stacked with pastel-coloured cupcakes, ginger peeking from behind him with a whisk still in hand.
“Ginger and I finished baking!” Sprout said brightly. “We need official taste testers!”
“Now?” Shelly squeaked.
“Now!” Sprout grinned, setting the tray down right between them. “We made extra in case the first batch explodes.”
“-Explodes?” Tisha repeated slowly.
“He means rises weird" ginger corrected, smiling tiredly.
Shelly blinked at the little frosting swirls, grateful for the interruption.
“They look… adorable.”
“Damn right they do.” Sprout said proudly. “You go first Shelly!”
“Oh— uh— sure” she said as she took a bite and blinked.
....
“…It’s actually really good”
Sprout pumped his fist. “Success”
Tisha tried one too, then nodded.
“Sweet, but not bad.”
Sprout was beaming.
“Cosmo said we should share them with everyone, so we’re doing a delivery run. You two can finish that whole plate” ginger mentioned.
As the two left with the rest of the tray, the tension in the air finally lifted.
Shelly glanced at Tisha, cheeks still faintly pink.
“They saved us from implosion.”
“Mmmmm-hm.” Tisha grinned, crumbs at the corner of her mouth. “Guess we owe em one.”
They both giggled, the tension fizzling out completely from between them.
....
-Suddenly, shelly spoke up.
“Hey— you still awake enough to see what I found today?”
Tisha blinked, halfway to nodding before her brain caught up with her exhaustion.
“..Uh… I probably look like I wrestled a vacuum cleaner right now. Gimme ten to change, then I’ll come by, okay?”
“Sure! Don’t fall asleep on the floor, though.”
“No promises” Tisha muttered, dragging herself toward her own room.
....
-By the time she’d washed up and thrown on a clean shirt, Tisha actually felt normal again.
She padded down the hall, still toweling her face dry, walked out the elevator, and paused at Shelly’s door.
A light was on inside, golden and soft.
She knocked lightly.
“Shell? You in there?”
“Come in!”
The door swung open— and there stood Shelly, completely in her element.
Her work gloves were already on, sleeves rolled up, her shirt tucked neatly into her high-waisted shorts.
Her tail swished eagerly behind her, the motion practically sparkling with energy.
On her desk lay an array of tools, brushes, and a single fossil resting on a velvet cloth under a lamp’s glow.
“Look at this beauty!” she said, practically vibrating. “Pulled it outta the rocks today— see the ridge here? That’s a pre-Edenian leaf fossil! Like, way older than any of the surface finds!”
She beamed, waving Tisha over before the other girl could even close the door.
“C’mere! Look at the striations!”
Tisha moved closer, peering down at the fossil.
But her focus kept drifting-- not to the rock, but to the way Shelly’s hands moved, precise and confident.
Her fingers were steady, sure of every motion.
Tisha had seen Shelly flustered, sleepy, even covered in dirt after fieldwork… but this?
The easy confidence, the sparkle in her eyes when she talked about something she loved— it hit different.
Her tail gave a tiny, involuntary wag.
Oh no, she thought.
Oh no no no.
Shelly leaned over the desk, explaining excitedly.
“So I think it’s part of a fern imprint— see here? You can tell from the vein pattern! I’m gonna run it through the scanner tomorrow morning and— Tisha? You okay?”
Tisha froze.
Shelly was suddenly right in front of her— close enough that the warm light caught the freckles on her cheeks and the dust smudge under her eye.
“Huh? Oh! Yeah— totally.” Tisha said, voice an octave too high. She coughed. “Just, uh— listening really hard.”
“Listening really hard” Shelly repeated, unconvinced but amused. “You sure? You look kinda… red”
“No, I— it’s just hot in here.”
“It’s literally cold” Shelly said, brow raised. “Did you run here or something?”
“Maybe I—” Tisha’s sentence disintegrated into nervous laughter. “—tripped over air?”
Shelly blinked, then giggled softly. Her tail wagged again, brushing against tisha’s knee on purpose as she adjusted the fossil lamp.
“You’re weird”
“You have no idea...” Tisha mumbled under her breath.
Shelly turned, grinning.
“What was that?”
“I said— uh— that’s a neat idea! The fossil thing. Totally neat.”
Shelly beamed, absolutely buying it.
“Thanks! You wanna help me catalog it? I can show you how to brush off the residue without damaging the layer!”
Tisha hesitated, watching her move— the way her tail swished happily, the way her gloves creased when she picked up the tiny brush.
And all she could think was how wildly unfair it was that Shelly could look so focused and pretty at the same time.
“Yeah..” she said softly. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
“Awesome!” Shelly chirped, handing her a spare brush. “Just— gentle, like this, okay? Don’t be scared to touch it.”
Tisha swallowed.
Shelly leaned over again to guide her hand— and this time, Tisha’s brain short-circuited just a little as Shelly’s gloved fingers brushed over hers to adjust the angle.
“See? Perfect!” Shelly said brightly.
“Uh-huh” Tisha replied, staring down at the fossil but seeing absolutely none of it.
....
..Shelly was halfway through a detailed explanation of sediment layering when she realized.
Tisha hadn’t said a single coherent word in five minutes.
“See— this lighter bit? That’s mineral runoff. You can tell it’s old because the calcium edge is smoother—”
“..Smooth” Tisha mumbled.
“..uh- Right— and if you brush along the side, you have to be really slow and gentle—”
“mhm.....Gentle..” Tisha repeated under her breath, like it was the only word in her vocabulary.
Shelly paused, brush hovering over the fossil.
"......are you repeating the parts that sound weird on purpose.”
“What? No! I just— it’s for memory. Helps me learn.”
“Uh-huh” Shelly said, clearly not buying it. “Because last time, you did the same thing when I told you to ‘hold it steady.’”
“I— that’s— okay, look, your instructions are...deceptively worded, alright?”
“Deceptively worded?”
“Yes! You say things in a way that sounds like— uh— not about fossils.”
Shelly just stared at her for a moment.
Then, slowly, a grin spread across her face.
“Tish…”
she said, voice full of barely-contained amusement.
“Are you hearing innuendos in my paleontological terminology?”
“I— what— no! That’s not—!”
“Because I literally said, ‘brush gently,’ not ‘whisper sweet nothings into the sediment.’”
“Oh my god, Shells.” Tisha groaned, dragging her hands down her face. “You’re making it worse.”
Shelly was full-on laughing now, soft but delighted, tail swishing.
“You’re hopeless.”
“And you’re evil." Tisha muttered, staring determinedly at the fossil. “Evil and cute.”
“what?” Shelly blinked.
“What.”
Silence. Their eyes met for half a second. Both looked away immediately.
Shelly coughed, cheeks pink, and decided to pretend that never happened.
She leaned closer again, the lamp’s glow making everything feel too warm.
“Okay, focus,” she said softly. “Now— let your hand follow the contour of the fossil. Like this.”
She guided Tisha’s hand again, steady and gentle, their gloves brushing. Tisha’s breath hitched.
Her brain was static. Just static and the word gentle looping over and over.
And then Shelly smiled at her— completely oblivious, happy, soft.
And that was it.
Tisha’s composure crumbled.
Without warning, she leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to Shelly’s cheek.
Not dramatic, not slow. Just— boop.
Then she froze.
So did Shelly.
They both just… stopped existing for a second.
Shelly blinked, eyes wide.
“…Did you just—?”
“I—uh—no.” Tisha squeaked, her tail puffing slightly.
“Oh.”
“Sorry.”
“.....Oh.”
“You were talking about— uh— fossils. Keep going.”
“Fossils.”
“Yeah. Those.”
A silence so thick it could fossilize itself settled over them.
Shelly just sat there, completely still, still staring at the spot where Tisha’s lips had been a moment ago. Her face was on fire.
Tisha, meanwhile, was trying very hard to pretend everything was normal.
“So uh— you were saying something about… stratification?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Cool. Love that for us— I mean— for rocks.”
“Right.”
“Great.”
...
“…Tish?”
"....”
“Was that a...friend thing?”
Tisha’s soul briefly left her body.
“I— I don’t know! I panicked! You said gentle again and it happened!"
Shelly’s mouth opened, closed, then opened again.
"..You panicked. So you kissed me.”
“Yes. Wait— no. I mean— it was more of a— reflex?”
“Right. A reflex.”
Tisha was spiraling.
Not the calm, introspective kind of spiral. The full mental cartwheel kind.
Her brain had decided to replay the last thirty seconds on an infinite loop — that soft boop of a kiss, Shelly’s stunned face, the stunned silence, the word “friend thing” and her own panicked ramble.
Okay. Okay, so maybe I kissed her. Big deal. Totally fine. It’s a friendly thing. Totally normal. Friends do that. Sometimes. Maybe. No they absolutely do. Or don’t.
Meanwhile...Shelly had gone back to brushing her fossil like nothing happened, except her tail was doing small, anxious flicks, betraying everything.
Tisha wanted to ask. She wanted to know.
Did Shelly like her? Was she just being polite? Was that laugh earlier a flirty laugh or just a rock nerd laugh?
Her brain wouldn’t stop asking questions.
And then, before Tisha could reach any conclusions, Shelly turned to her.
Completely unprompted. Completely unreadable.
“Tish” she said, voice low and quick, like she’d made a decision in the middle of an impulse.
“Y-yeah?”
...
And then Shelly kissed her. A real kiss. Clumsy, startled, warm — it landed right on Tisha’s lips before either of them fully realized what was happening.
Tisha made a soft, startled noise, eyes wide, and froze for half a second — before all her instincts came back at once.
She moved. Hands went to Shelly’s waist — not rough, but definitely grabby. She pulled her closer like her brain had skipped straight past the logic portion and went right to the yes, this is happening part.
Shelly squeaked. Actually squeaked.
“Tish—!”
“Sorry! Reflex! Again!”
“You and your reflexes!—”
But she didn’t move away either. And then—because she was apparently just as chaotic as Tisha—kissed back, a little firmer this time.
They bumped awkwardly. One of Shelly’s gloves squeaked against Tisha’s shirt. It was all kinds of messy and ridiculous.
Then, in her nervous excitement, Shelly’s fang accidentally nipped Tisha’s bottom lip.
“Ow—!” Tisha jerked back, hand flying to her mouth.
“oh gosh- I didn’t—Tish, I’m so sorry!” Shelly blurted, mortified, eyes huge. “That wasn’t— I didn’t mean to— I just—!”
Tisha grinned, still pink. “Honestly? Not against the concept.”
Shelly’s brain short-circuited so visibly that even the fossil looked judgmental.
“You—what—?!”
“You heard me.” Tisha said, crossing her arms to look cool, which did not work considering her tail was wagging like a motor behind her.
Shelly covered her face with both gloved hands. “This is—oh my god—this is a disaster.”
......
"...i dont mind” Tisha added.
Shelly peeked out between her fingers, cheeks flushed, muttering something about “reputational ruin by affection”
They sat there, staring at each other, until both started laughing — the kind of laughter that came out half-shaky and half-giddy.
Shelly was trying to calm down. She swore she was. She’d pulled back after that kiss — lips tingling, heart racing like she’d just sprinted a marathon with a trowel — and tried to inhale a full, logical breath.
“Okay,” she said, voice a little shaky. “Okay, let’s just—let’s go back to the fossils—”
But Tisha didn’t even let her finish.
Because Tisha was still kissing her.
Tiny, scattered kissess—on her cheek, her jaw, the corner of her mouth again—like her brain had entered autopilot and the only command was affection.
“Tish—” Shelly laughed helplessly, batting at her shoulder. “You can’t just—hey—stop—!”
“Can too” Tisha murmured, leaning in for another one.
“You’re supposed to be resting!”
Shelly actually squeaked again, grabbing the edge of the table for balance. “That’s not—! You can’t just—”
Tisha’s tail wagged, smug and sleep-deprived. “Did. And I’ll do it again.”
Shelly giggled, cheeks glowing, trying to wiggle away but failing miserably. Every time she dodged, Tisha found somewhere else to plant one—her shoulder, her temple, the top of her head.
“Tish! You’re— you’re ridiculous!”
“You like it!” Tisha teased between kisses.
“Maybe I do, but I’m— trying— to— talk!”
Tisha finally paused, only because she’d noticed Shelly’s hands after her gloves slipped off—the faint scratches on her knuckles from the dig earlier, rough from all her field work.
She caught one gently and kissed it. Once. Twice.
Shelly went completely still.
Her tail slowed, her breath catching somewhere between laughter and something heavier.
“..You don’t have to do that” she said softly, trying for levity and failing. “They’re all scratchy and gross.”
“You work hard” Tisha murmured. “They deserve some appreciation.”
Shelly looked like her whole nervous system just bluescreened.
“Okay, that’s unfairly sweet” she said, half-smiling, half-panicking. “Stop that before I—”
“Before you what?”
“Before I—”Shelly stood up suddenly, flustered, grabbing both of Tisha’s shoulders like she needed to physically ground herself.
“Okay stop. Stop. Are we—” She exhaled, tail twitching in panic. “Are we dating right now? Like, officially?”
Tisha blinked up at her, utterly unfazed, hands still lazily resting on Shelly’s waist.
“Shelly.”
“No, I mean it-” Shelly said, voice rising half an octave. “Because the line between ‘friends with a lot of—uh—touching’ and ‘girlfriends’ just exploded five minutes ago, and I’d like a map!”
Tisha tilted her head, her tired, fond smile deepening.
Then she reached up, took both of Shelly’s arms gently, and pulled her a little closer—so close that Shelly could feel her breath.
“Shelly” she said again, softer this time. “We’ve kinda been dating for, like, years now.”
Shelly blinked.
“What”
“We just haven’t called it that. But if you think about it…”
Tisha’s grin turned a little shy, a little knowing.
“I’ve been bringing you snacks, you’ve been patching up my gloves, we eat dinner together almost every night, we fall asleep in the same room half the time—”
“That’s—”
“—and now I’m kissing you.”
"…Okay fair.” Shelly admitted, still holding Tisha’s face like she might be hallucinating.
Tisha smiled, warm and sleepy, and leaned forward just enough that their foreheads touched.
“So, yeah,” she whispered. “If you wanna call it official, I’m not exactly opposed.”
Shelly just… stared for a moment, mouth half open, tail wagging so fast it was a blur. Then she grinned.
“...yeah,” she said softly. “You’re right. We kinda have been, huh?”
“Mhm”
“I should’ve noticed sooner.”
“You were too busy talking about calcium layers”
“Wow.”
They both cracked up, laughing until Shelly flopped onto the edge of the table and tisha leaned against her shoulder, still smiling.
Okok im ending this roblox horror game yuri fiction multitasking is NOT EASY
Cables crisscrossing the floor, lights being adjusted, poppy and boxten arguing over a script in the corner somewhere.
Shelly was crouched by her tripod, squinting through the lens and adjusting the focus.
Vee paced a little nearby. Jacket sleeves rolled up, muttering and rehearsing lines under her breath.
Suddenly though, out of nowhere, Shelly froze mid-adjustment.
She tilted her head at Vee, who was mouthing a dramatic monologue at the empty set.
...
“…Hey”
Vee didn’t break character, just shot her a sideways glance.
“…Yes?”
“uh… since i proposed to you…”
Shelly’s voice trailed off, thoughtful, camera still balanced in her hands.
Vee blinked.
“…hm..?”
“Does that mean…”
Shelly set the camera down, straightening slowly.
“…we actually have to plan a wedding now?”
Vee stopped dead in her tracks.
For a moment, the set went quiet in her head.
She turned fully toward Shelly, arms limp at her sides, mouth slightly open.
“…Oh.”
They just stared at each other.
“..…Veronica never taught me that part.”
Vee said, almost whispering, as if realizing a great and terrible truth.
“…Shanon didn’t either.”
Shelly murmured back, horrified.
....
“…They taught us how to cook.”
"…And how to properly iron shirts.”
“…But not… this.”
There was a long silence.
Two fully grown adults, staring across the room like children who had just realized they forgot to bring their homework.
Vee lifted a hand, deadpan.
“…So… we Google it?”
.......
"…maybe."
"Fantastic.”
Vee deadpanned, then immediately collapsed into a sit on the edge of the stage, jacket sliding down her shoulders as she buried her face in her hands.
“Veronica never told me. Shanon never told you. We’re doomed."
Shelly crouched down across from her, chin in her palm, rubbing vees back for moral support.
“Well…we’ve both photographed and hosted enough events. How different could it be?”
“Different” Vee muttered. “Extremely different. This is ours. Which means stakes. Which means expectations. Which means—”
“Cake”
“…What?”
“Step one, cake”
Shelly said, tapping her knee like she was writing it down.
“Gotta have cake.”
Vee blinked, thought about it, then nodded slowly.
“…Yeah. Cake. Ye- yeah! Cake!”
“Music???”
“Music. Ofcourse, gotta have music”
“ ...flowers?”
“God, right, flowers.”
They kept going, trading items like they were spitballing a business pitch instead of a life event.
“Photographer.”
Shelly said, then paused, snorting.
“Not me, obviously. I’ll be busy.”
“That’s gonna be weird” Vee admitted, fiddling with her cufflinks. “Who could possibly photograph you better than you?”
Shelly grinned. “Flatterer. Keep going.”
“Outfits” Vee said grimly, as though this was the final boss. “Dress? Suit? Something cursed in between? What are the rules?”
Shelly tilted her head, smirk tugging at her lips.
“We don’t have to follow rules.”
Vee froze again, staring at her.
“We can…ignore tradition?”
“Sure.”
...
And then they packed up and immediately went home.
Cause they were screwed.
-By the time they got home, it was dark outside.
Shelly dumped her camera bag on the couch, Vee yanked off her blazer , and the two of them sat down at the kitchen table in complete silence.
Between them:
Shelly’s laptop.
On the screen:
Google’s innocent little blinking cursor.
And In the air:
the unholy weight of their shared panic.
“…okay.”
Shelly said finally, cracking her knuckles with determination.
“Let’s do this. Step one: type ‘how do you plan a wedding.”
Vee reached over, catching her wrist before she could.
“Nah wait. Be more specific. If we type that we’re gonna get, like, fifty Pinterest boards of floral arches and mason jars”
Shelly raised an eyebrow.
“Do you… not want mason jars?”
“I don’t even know what a mason jar is for, Shelly”
“…fair point.”
She typed it anyway:
How do you plan a wedding?
Instant chaos.
An endless wall of results flooded the screen:
Wedding planners, step-by-step guides, “25 Things Every Bride Must Know,” “17 Budget-Friendly Tips,” “Top Ten Dress Mistakes,” “The Perfect Venue Checklist.”
Both of them leaned in, horrified.
“Oh my god”
Vee whispered.
“It’s a cult.”
Shelly scrolled down, frowning.
“Why does every list say ‘first step: choose your theme’? Why would we need a theme?!”
Vee jabbed at the screen.
“Exactly! We’re not running a carnival, we’re getting married!”
Shelly’s mouth twitched, fighting a grin.
“..We could do carnival though. Matching cotton candy”
Vee turned her head slowly, dead serious.
“Please dont tempt me.”
The more they scrolled, the worse it got. Seating charts. Menus. Music playlists. Centerpieces.
“Centerpieces??”
Vee hissed, pressing her palms to her temples.
“We don’t even have a dining table big enough for four people, why would we need centerpieces??”
“Okay, wait,” Shelly said, still calm but starting to sweat.
“What if we just… skip all that. No seating charts, no themes, no centerpieces. We just… say some vows, eat some food, go home.”
“That sounds like a Tuesday night, not a wedding.”
“Exactly. Comfortable. Efficient. Perfect.”
They sat back, staring at the terrifying glow of the laptop.
They stayed like that a moment, breathing, both quietly panicking.
Until Shelly perked up.
“Oh! About the uh- actual officiation- maybe we could… ask one of our friends to officiate?”
Vee blinked.
“…which one?”
“…not boxten. He’d cry the whole time.”
“Not poppy either, she’d try to brand it.”
“…Sprout?”
They both paused.
“…you know what”
....
“we’ll keep that as Plan Z.”
“Perfect. Plan Z it is.”
Vee let out a shaky breath.
..
"dooo.........do you wanna ask glisten"
....
so anyway.
Here they were
At a fancy reservation.
With glisten and co.
Vee and Shelly swore to each other, pinky promise style, that Tisha could never find out about this little meeting.
Glisten spotted them immediately, waving like a maniac, almost knocking someone’s drink over on his way to their booth.
He sat down, eyes sparkling.
“Okay. Okay. OH my god. A secret wedding meeting, oh you dirty dogs.”
“Glisten—”
“NO. Don’t say anything.”
He slapped the table so hard connie jumped. (Metaphorically)
Vee covered her face with her hands, falling back into shelly.
“its so over”
Glisten chirped.
“So! First question: colour palette. Pastels? Jewel tones? No, wait—glitter. Glitter is a neutral. Glitter goes with everything.”
Shelly actually weeped into her soda.
“Glitter isn’t a neutral glisten...”
Meanwhile, Gigi had arrived fashionably late, sliding into the booth opposite them with a sly grin.
She didnt say anything.
...Just watched.
“Okay but listen”
Connie cut in, more practical.
“You don’t need glitter or colour palettes. Just food. Good food, good people, done. That’s the recipe”
“Spoken like a true bartender” Vee muttered, oddly comforted by the logic.
“NO. No. No” Glisten slapped the table again.
“You need an entrance. Fireworks. Doves. Or—wait, better—Vee descends on a glowing platform while Shelly rises from the floor with fog machines—”
“I’m NOT rising from the floor.” Shelly said firmly.
“You say that now—”
And that’s when fate intervened.
Because through the front window of the restaurant.
who should they see strolling past.
But Tisha.
...
With a leash in one hand.
And at the end of the leash?
A very fluffy
Very judgmental-looking
....
..cat.
In a little harness.
....
“Is that…?”
Shelly squinted.
Vee froze.
“No. It can’t be.”
But it was.
Tisha, walking her emotional support cat, Sir Mittens, like this was the most normal thing in the world.
Everyone ducked instinctively.
The entire booth sank in unison like a submarine.
“Abort mission! ABORT!” Glisten hissed, dramatically throwing his napkin over his head.
But it was too late.
Tisha’s gaze drifted toward the window.
She stopped. Tilted her head. Narrowed her eyes.
Then she walked inside. Sir Mittens followed like a tiny furry executioner.
She stood at the end of the booth, arms crossed, looking at all of them crammed into the seats like guilty teenagers.
“…so. What are we talking about?”
There was a long, terrible silence.
Finally, Glisten tried:
“…glitter. Neutral colour. Thoughts?”
Oh but no.
The jig was up.
Tisha sat down at the booth, arms crossed tight, jaw clenched.
Sir Mittens was curled in her lap, perfectly relaxed, purring away, like he didn’t notice his owner was radiating rage.
“Unbelievable.”
Tisha muttered, glaring at Vee.
“My best friend. My Shelly. Marrying you. My nemesis. I know about that.”
Vee, halfway through sipping water, choked.
“Nemesis?!”
“Don’t act innocent!” Tisha snapped. “From the first day I saw you, I knew you were trouble.”
“I was literally just hosting a show” Vee said weakly.
“And now you’re stealing her away from me.”
Tisha’s voice cracked in slight despair.
“I was supposed to be the Maid of Honor!”
“...you still.....can be?” Shelly offered gently.
“Don’t you dare try to calm me down—”
Tisha started, but Sir Mittens gave a soft, pointed meow and kneaded her arm with his tiny paws.
Instantly, Tisha’s shoulders slumped a little.
She pet him once, begrudgingly.
“…fine. You win this round.”
The whole table just sat frozen.
Watching her pet this little cat like it was her anger switch.
Connie leaned toward Gigi and whispered.
“The cat is literally her off-button.”
“No, it’s her on-button. That thing controls her.”
Meanwhile Glisten fanned himself dramatically.
“God, the tension in here. Tisha, you’re giving us telenovela vibes right now. I live.”
“I’m not here to entertain you” Tisha grumbled, still stroking Sir Mittens. Then she glared across the booth at Vee again.
“I swear. You hurt her? Even once? I’ll—”
“Mittens” Shelly said softly, like a cue.
The cat purred louder, rubbing against Tisha’s hand.
And just like that, Tisha sighed and deflated again, the fury melting off her face as she cuddled the fluffball against her cheek.
Everyone stared in disbelief.
The whole booth had gone silent except for Sir Mittens’ purring, like a little white-noise machine diffusing Tisha’s rage.
Vee leaned in slowly, narrowing her eyes.
“…what’s this cat’s deal, anyway?”
Shelly, sipping her drink way too casually, went:
“Oh. Uh. That’s her parents’ cat. She walked him once and he just… kinda imprinted on her.”
“Imprinted?” Vee repeated. “Like—like a baby duck???”
“Basically.”
Shelly shrugged.
“She walks him now. Emotional support. Therapy animal. Best friend. You name it”
Tisha, still cradling Sir Mittens like a holy relic, muttered.
“He understands me. Unlike some people in this room.”
(Her eyes cut straight to Vee)
Vee raised both hands.
“Okay, no, fine, whatever. But—” she looked dead at the cat— “does he… get a seat at the wedding?”
Everyone froze.
Connie’s eyes widened. “...wait. Does he?”
Gigi tapped the table thoughtfully. “On one hand, it’s a cat. On the other hand, it’s Sir Mittens.”
Glisten gasped, pressing a hand to his chest.
“Darling. A tiny tuxedo. On the cat. Walking down the aisle.”
Shelly’s face split into the dopiest smile, trying not to laugh.
“…tish?"
Tisha, deadly serious.
“Of course he gets a seat. Front row. Next to me. Maybe instead of you.”
(She jabbed a finger at Vee)
Vee’s mouth dropped open.
“Instead of—?! Are you kidding me?!”
Sir Mittens yawned, entirely unbothered.
Shelly leaned into Vee, whispering through a laugh-
“Careful. He’s got seniority. Been around since she was a kid. You can’t win against him.”
“I—he’s a cat.” Vee hissed. “What do you mean I can’t win???”
The whole crew just stared at her like she was insane for even questioning it.
....
Eventually, They spilled out of the restaurant.
The bartending crew still buzzing about flower colours and cake flavours, Glisten gesturing dramatically about tuxedo options for Sir Mittens of all things.
Tisha stalked ahead, cat carrier slung over her shoulder.
Only… Sir Mittens wasn’t in the carrier.
He was sprawled across her chest like a baby, paws kneading at her jacket, his head tucked right under her chin.
Purring loud enough that Connie muttered: “He sounds like a lawnmower”
Tisha ignored them. Dead serious. Dead silent. Protecting her fuzzy son.
Once everyone split off, it ended up just Vee and Shelly trailing behind.
Vee gave a long stare at Tisha’s retreating back.
Then a sideways glance at Shelly.
“…That your terrifying, ‘I’ll-kill-you-if-you-hurt-my-best-friend’ bartender buddy?”
Shelly laughed under her breath, hands in her coat pockets.
“Yup. That’s her.”
“And she’s—”
Vee gestured ahead, completely incredulous.
“—just walking around town cradling her parents’ cat like it’s the last jewel on earth. Look at her. Look at her face. She’s soft. She’s literally baby-talking him. Oh my god, she’s whispering ‘who’s my handsome boy.’”
Shelly covered her mouth, stifling laughter.
“She’s always been like that. When we were kids, she’d try to look tough, but… one kitten in her lap? Game over.”
Vee leaned closer, grinning wickedly.
“Unbelievable. Your scary bartender childhood friend—arch nemesis of me—is just… a cat lady.”
“Don’t call her that” Shelly wheezed, trying not to laugh harder.
“Cat lady.” Vee said it louder, delighted. “I knew she had weaknesses.”
Sir Mittens turned his head from Tisha’s arms and blinked at them—slow, knowing, almost like he remembered Shelly. His tail gave one lazy flick.
Shelly smiled softly.
“…See? He remembers me. I used to play with him when we were little. Guess he recognizes me still.”
“Unreal.” Vee muttered, still smirking. “I finally have blackmail. Forget all her tough bartender energy—I’ll just remind her she used to nap with her parents’ cat. What’s she gonna do, deny it? Look at her”
Up ahead, Tisha turned just enough to glare over her shoulder—
then immediately softened when Sir Mittens shifted in her arms, cooing at him again.
“HAH! Look at that whiplash. I can’t—” vee barked, doubled over laughing.
Shelly shook her head, smiling at her wife’s meltdown. “You’re gonna get yourself punched one day.”
They hadn’t even made it three blocks before Tisha disappeared and reappeared out of nowhere, empty-handed now that Sir Mittens had been safely dropped off at home.
She didn’t say anything at first.
Just grabbed Shelly by the wrist and tugged her to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk, glaring at Vee like she’d just caught her stealing state secrets.
“Alright.” Tisha said, voice low, deadly serious.
“Blink twice if she’s forcing you to marry her.”
Shelly’s jaw dropped.
“WHAT?!”
“I’m serious.” Tisha jabbed a finger toward Vee. “You don’t have to pretend. If this is, like, a hostage situation or some long con, just blink. I’ll handle it.”
Vee blinked. Once. Slowly. Then deliberately held her eyes wide open in defiance.
“You realize if I was forcing her, I wouldn’t just let you interrogate her in the street, right?”
“Shut up.” Tisha snapped. “You don’t get to talk.”
Shelly yanked her wrist free, laughing despite herself.
“Tish, oh my god. I’m not being forced. I love her.”
“Uh-huh” Tisha crossed her arms, unconvinced. “we can still fix that"
Vee snorted, tail flicking behind her. “This is rich. You’re basically accusing me of emotional tax fraud in public right now.”
“Your face is fraud.” Tisha shot back without missing a beat.
Shelly groaned, dragging her hands down her face.
“You guys are going to kill me before the wedding.”
Tisha leaned closer, narrowing her eyes at Shelly.
“You sure about this? Last chance. Blink. Morse code. Sneeze in triplets. I’ll pick it up.”
Shelly cracked up, grabbing her friend’s shoulders.
“I’m sure. I proposed, okay? Me. Not her. Me.”
Tisha froze. Her brain clearly short-circuited.
She looked between them both, then slowly pointed at Vee.
“…So you didn’t… trick her?”
Vee raised both hands, smug.
“Nope. Completely above board. Contractually binding wife energy, straight from the source.”
Shelly nodded, still grinning.
“Yup.”
Tisha looked deeply distressed.
“I hate this. I hate both of you. I’m still watching though.”
“You can watch from the audience at the wedding!” Vee said sweetly, tail wagging just to annoy her.
“Die.”
Shelly shoved Vee with her elbow, but she was laughing so hard she almost doubled over.
Random update cus its been like 2 weeks since ive posted almost
Hey guys
I see you
I see you in my inbox
And i wont spoil for the ppl that didnt read chapter 30 but yes i will be elaborating on chapter 30 probably into 31 and maybe 32 if i yap a lot
Lots of people also saw my main acc post asking if the modern au will end on chapter 40
See, there are still some things i want to do in the modern au, and while i wont expose the whole plot i do wanna elaborate alot on some of the other relationships, like veronica and shanon cameos, maybe even shelly and vees childhoods, etc etc
I also wanna make art for the au , including a comic
And i wanna make two official playlists w art too ( EVEN THOUGH @fbpanimations ALREADY MADE A RLLY COOL AMAZING MODERN AU ONE ON THEIR YT OF THE SAME NAME GO CHECK IT OUT!!!)
I still have big plans for this au so dont worry, i know its shifted from casual slice of life to alot more uh
Plot perhaps
But i def dont have a set chapter it'll end on, cause theres no way for me to tell how much ill yap lol
Hey yeah so i finally got the cast off my finger i can type like a maniac now GO MY STUPID SLICE OF LIFE GO
@cupcakewebkinz meow
Im tired i cant tag more ppl sob mimimi
....
it started like any other day.
And by that. I mean it started like no other day ever
Shelly had declared it an “off-day adventure!”
Which for Vee meant one of two things:
Either they were going to the botanical garden again and she was going to be quizzed on the Latin names of ferns
Or they were about to get lost in the city until one of them cried
“Option three” Shelly said quickly when Vee asked. “Mini golf.”
Vee just stared at her
“..Do I look like I have hand-eye coordination to you??”
“You look like you need practice” Shelly grinned, already tugging her girlfriend along by the wrist, completely ignoring Vee’s very genuine expression of someone walking into traffic on purpose.
....
The place was loud, full of plastic palm trees and questionable animatronic dinosaurs. (Vee swore she saw one move when it shouldn’t have)
Oh. Real golf hours.
Shelly, meanwhile, was delighted.
“This one’s name is Gerald-” she whispered, petting a T-Rex’s foam foot. “Say hi”
“I’m not saying hi to a drywall dinosaur.”
Shelly smacked her arm. “Be polite!”
Vee sighed, leaning towards the T-Rex, deadpan.
“...Hello, Gerald.
...
..I admire your… screw bolts”
The couple behind them giggled.
Shelly looked smug. “See? He likes you”
“He doesn’t have eyelids.”
“Exactly.” Shelly whispered, like it was some deep common knowledge to know.
..before teeing up her golf ball and hitting it so hard it bounced off a fake waterfall and ricocheted into someone else’s lane.
Vee just watched.
Wow.
“Was that on purpose or do we need to talk”
“You didn’t see that”
“Oh, I saw. I witnessed.”
(Vee’s turn went no better)
She lined up carefully, adjusted her stance like she was about to win the Masters.
And promptly hit the ball two inches
Shelly immediately dropped to the turf fake-crying like she’d just watched the saddest soap opera ending of her life
“NOOO, my girlfriend is so tragically bad—”
“Get up.”
“—she’s wasting her potential—”
“Shelly.”
“—Tiger Woods is embarrassed on your behalf—” (Vee jabbed her with the putter until she wheezed laughing and rolled away)
They played every hole like this: Shelly wildly overshooting, Vee undershooting, both accusing each other of sabotage.
By hole 12 there came a point they just gave up keeping score and started making bets instead because what the hell
“If I get this one in-”
Shelly said, squinting at the windmill.
“you have to do karaoke upside down tonight”
“If you miss, you’re buying dinner with a spoon.”
It went on like that till Shelly missed so badly the ball went backward
Vee blinked.
....
“…Do you need physics lessons? I know a guy”
Golf went amazing
Eventually, They ended up at a tiny diner, sharing fries and milkshakes, Shelly dipping her fries into Vee’s shake just to watch her grimace.
“That’s criminal behavior”
“It’s delicious!”
“It’s jail time”
They started talking aimlessly, eventually bickering over whether pancakes counted as dinner food
(both agreed until a couple gave them weird looks so they promptly changed to "only under emergency circumstances")
-All until the sun started dipping low, and they both had enough of the progressive pancake talks.
By the time they stumbled back home, Vee collapsed face-first into the couch like her batteries had given out
Her blazer crooked and her tail hung limp over the edge of the cushions. Real eeped out.
“I’m never leaving this couch again” she declared into the fabric
“Good” Shelly said, toeing her shoes off. “I like you like this. Helpless. Horizontal. Easy to rob”
Vee groaned.
“Take my wallet, I dare you”
“Don’t need to” Shelly chirped, padding over. She knelt down beside the couch, resting her chin on her folded arms right next to Vee’s slumped head.
Vee peeked at her with one tired eye.
“..Why are you hovering”
Shelly smiled faintly.
“Guess which hand I’ve got something in.”
Vee squinted.
“…Are you doing street magic at me right now?”
“Pick.”
Shelly held out both fists like this was a very serious game of rock-paper-scissors.
Vee’s tail wagged once against the couch, a little give-away she didn’t notice.
“…Left.”
Shelly slowly opened her left hand.
...
And there it was.
...
A ring.
Glistening in the light.
.....
"...."
“...Uh, okay.”
Shelly blurted, fumbling immediately.
“..so this looks weird, I know. I didn’t plan it like this- I was gonna do something smarter but then I thought, no, home’s better, right? And you’re here, and I—”
She stopped, face in her hands.
“You know what, I can’t—forget the speech, just—
..just marry me, vee.”
...
Silence.
..
..Vee sat up.
Slowly.
Staring at her.
Tears already welling, her lip trembling like she’d been holding back a tidal wave.
..
“…Me?”
Shelly blinked at her, nervous laugh bubbling out.
“-uh -Yeah, you. Obviously you”
...
Vees mouth opened once. Then closed. And opened again.
Her heart did something incredibly not cool and fluttery.
Until she just- opened up her arms in this weird little gesture like a kid begging for a hug.
“Oh—oh, uh, okay” Shelly muttered, climbing up onto her knees to lean in.
...
And thats when Vee melted.
Absolutely fell apart against her, arms locked around her waist, crying like she’d been hit by a truck full of emotions.
Shelly awkwardly patted her back, eyes wide.
“ok..im……is that…....a yes? Orrr…”
Vee pulled back just enough to look at her, utterly wrecked, tears streaking down her face.
“…No. I just cried for fun.”
Shelly burst out laughing, forehead dropping against hers, shaky with her own tears.
“Okay, wife.”
Vee made a noise halfway between a sob and a laugh at that- and shoved her hand out so fast, shaking.
Shelly slid the ring onto her finger, all while vee stared at it like it was the most unreal thing she’d ever seen. Like they hadn't done this before.
Then she grabbed Shelly’s hand and fumbled the ring on the same way. Like they already did.
Vee ended up sliding right off the couch, still hugging shelly, until they were both sat on the floor.
Vee’s face was blotchy, her breathing uneven as she stared down at her hand. The green ring glinted back at her.
..She hadn’t blinked in maybe three minutes
“…You okay?”
Shelly whispered, leaning against her shoulder, still hiccuping from laughing and crying all at once.
“No” Vee said hoarsely. “Absolutely not.”
“Cool. Me neither”
They both started giggling again, watery and shaky, leaning harder into each other until Shelly’s head was layed against Vee’s chest.
Another silence.
Vee lifted her hand slowly, like it weighed a hundred pounds, and rotated it under the light. Her voice cracked.
“..That’s—real.”
“Yup”
“I’m—”
She swallowed.
“I’m your wife.”
Shelly blinked.
“…Oh my god, you’re right”
She reached over and dramatically clutched her own chest.
“I have a wife now. Guess I gotta start… buying, like… soup in bulk.”
Vee choked out a laugh and shoved her, ring hand clutched tight to her chest.
..Their breathing softened, the air still fragile with disbelief.
Vee finally calmed down, before whispering:
“…You didn’t even let me propose”
Shelly smirked.
“You snooze, you lose”
Vee turned her head toward her, eyes still wet but suddenly sharp.
“I had a whole plan”
“Oh yeah?”
“…..No. But I would’ve”
Shelly snorted and kissed her damp cheek.
They sat there until the adrenaline finally wore off, hands pressed together, still tracing their new rings like they couldn’t trust them to stay. Vee’s tail wagging weakly against the floor.
...
“…Hey”
“Yeah?”
“…I can’t believe you picked me.” Her voice broke again, softer than ever
Shelly smiled so wide it hurt.
“You think I’d marry you...for fern benefits..??”
That cracked Vee open completely—she let out a ridiculous watery laugh and pulled Shelly down with her onto the floor, clutching her like she never wanted to let go.
“Shut up-” Vee whispered, smiling through her tears.
“Love you too, wife.” Shelly whispered right back.
