Archive of Our Own

1.

They all said that Cosmo couldn’t revive his friends.

Vee, someone Cosmo admittedly hadn’t been very close with. She was always there, bringing lights and quick-witted remarks wherever she went. Cosmo couldn't say they’d been close– not even friends, really. Acquaintances at most.

Sprout, Cosmo’s best friend. The one who shared with him as much laughter as tears. The one who let those nasty Twisteds rip him to barely identifiable shreds to protect Vee.

(When a teary-eyed Brightney broke the news, Connie had to numbly admit that they hadn’t realized what was lying on top of Vee was a corpse until they saw his face.

Cosmo couldn’t remember the last time he saw Astro cry, until he had to break the news that Sprout’s bloody death was in vain. Both of them were dead.)

Well look who was laughing now! They all said his grieving process was “concerning” and that he “really shouldn’t lock himself in a basement with a pair of corpses”, but it finally, finally paid off!

Vee he brought back first. He tried and tried and tried with Sprout, but for a while, he could barely look at what was left of him on the table without either crying, throwing up, or both. Vee was far easier as not only a robot, but also someone he hadn’t spent nearly every waking moment of his life with.

It still took a while, yes. Cosmo had no idea what he was doing. The other more tech-savvy Toons tried their damndest with her, but as her head had taken the brunt of the damage, it “wasn’t possible to bring her back” or some nonsense. And while Cosmo may not have done it in the most ethical way, he still brought her back! That should count for something, right?

So what if she was a little… zombie-like? So what if she didn't vocalize that often, let alone speak? She was still moving around on her own accord. She was still Vee.

The others would be delighted, he was sure. He just… wasn’t going to show them. Yet. He needed to make sure she was, uh. All the way there. Because he had maybe-sort-of sent lots of electricity into her body, and he had to admit, she was just a little bit twitchy.

Cosmo was sure it was fine though. Brightney and Rodger always had their heads buried in notes on Toons’ anatomy, so they could probably find some way to make her a little more Vee. So he didn't pour every ounce of his focus into her. As long as she was moving around and relatively cognizant, she was okay. That was good enough for him.

Which meant that Cosmo finally had to face the mangled remains of his best friend.

And finally, finally. After countless sleepless nights, the numbers on the alarm clock blurring into an incomprehensible spiral, Vee bringing him raw ingredients or things burnt beyond recognition to consume, he did it.

Sprout could move all on his own and not fall apart. Sprout could breathe, albeit it sounded raspy and hoarse, but he could do it.

And the first thing he did? Was lunge at Cosmo with the intent to maul.

It was only because of Vee’s intervention that Cosmo still had the left half of his face. Her arm got torn off in the process, but that was an easy fix compared to what Sprout could have done if Cosmo didn’t manage to restrain him.

For the past few days, Cosmo had been needing to chain his friend up. He felt awful about it; a sinking pit opened in his stomach every time he looked at Sprout, chained to the wall behind a glass window. The animalistic growling noises Sprout made didn't help to ease the nausea in Cosmo’s throat.

It got to a point where Cosmo had to ask Vee to feed Sprout. He still put together his food, sure– he always made sure it was Sprout’s favorite treat– but Vee was the one who had to bring it into his room to give it to him.

That opened up a whole new set of concerns about Vee and her ability to say “no”, but Cosmo was a little more worried about the whole “controlling Sprout’s murderous urges” thing, so he jostled Vee’s issue down in one of his many notes and returned to the issue at hand.

He didn’t know why Sprout was acting like this. Keeping him fed negated his temper a little, but more often than not, Cosmo could only keep the peace for up to a minute before Sprout’s teeth bared and he tried to lunge at him. Sprout never, ever acted like a wild animal before. He was Sprout, Cosmo’s goofy, overprotective friend who loved to bake and was selfless to a fault. It didn't make sense.

Vee dubbed him, in one of her very, very few spoken words ever, the “Berry Beast”.

There were other Toons who acted animalistic– take Pebble and Coal, for example. They were dogs, period. Rocks, yes, but they behaved like and had the personality of dogs. Eclipse was a wolf, and while not a dog, still sniffed and barked and chased her own tail and ran into walls trying to do so. She had animal-like tendencies. So did a Toon like Scraps, but on a far lesser level.

If Sprout was one of those Toons, he’d understand. Pebble and Coal’s Twisted variants chased Toons around like feral animals, slamming into walls in their pursuit and being generally careless about who or what was in their way. That kind of transformation made sense.

But Sprout wasn’t like that at all. He was a berry. Even his Twisted form had Toon-like behavior to it. So why was this happening? Why, why, why?

Over time, as Sprout very slowly began to settle, Cosmo came to a hypothesis.

Sprout was attacking because he was scared, and because he was in pain.

The ferality still didn't make sense, but as much as it hurt to think about, Sprout’s last moments couldn’t have been peaceful. He died using his body as a shield for Vee, against four Twisteds who would gladly tear him apart all over again if they could. Coming back to life couldn't be an easy thing either. So mix Sprout’s rejuvenation and the brutal way he died, Cosmo’s hypothesis was that Sprout was just confused. And because he didn't know which way the threat was coming from, he simply fought back against them all.

Again, it was only a hypothesis. And until Cosmo had a working theory, he could only create a temporary solution.

So he created the collar.

Putting a shock collar on his best friend was inhumane, to put it lightly, but Cosmo had his reasons. Mostly that Sprout’s usual reaction to seeing him or Vee was to try and maul them. So he was hoping that having the ability to shock him would… okay, explaining it was so much more messed up than how he had been justifying himself in his head.

Long story short, if Sprout was going to act like an animal, then for now, Cosmo might just have to treat him like one. Because he didn't know what else to do.

Cosmo had to, err, drug Sprout to sleep to switch out the collars. It was either that, or have Vee pin him down while Cosmo muzzled him and tried to wrestle a whole new collar onto him, and that seemed a lot less kind than just letting him sleep through the switch.

Now, as Cosmo sat on the other side of the glass, waiting, he had to admit that he had been seeing progress with Sprout. He stopped trying to attack Vee when she turned her back to leave the room (something he tried telling her not to do that she wouldn't listen to), and had more than once now stopped trying to lunge at Cosmo if he just stood behind the glass and watched. He didn't like doing that last one though, because he was pretty sure Sprout only stopped because he was borderline choking himself on the collar around his neck, and that made Cosmo feel a whole lot worse about the supposed “progress”.

Cosmo perked up as he saw Sprout stir. It occurred to him that he had never actually seen Sprout sleep, as he saw Sprout’s viney tail twitch, and his head slowly lifted. He blinked slowly, gazing at nothing in particular for a few moments, before turning his head to stare fully at the wall.

“Sprout?” Cosmo called to him testingly, wincing at the way Sprout’s entire body lurched, and he scrambled against the blankets Cosmo had laid under him until he was standing upright, pressing himself against the wall and growling. “Um, sorry! Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Are you feeling okay?”

Cosmo tried with that question every day, and it never got him anywhere. Mere moments later, Sprout snarled, and tried to lunge for him, nearly hanging himself on the chain with how hard he tugged on it. The sight made Cosmo’s stomach hurt.

Just do it. Cosmo fumbled for the button he’d equipped on his belt, unlatched it, and nervously tapped it.

A mere second later, he saw Sprout’s entire body lurch as electricity crackled from the collar. He let out a hoarse yelp, jumping backwards and looking around wildly for what had just shocked him.

“That was me,” Cosmo told him quickly as he started scratching frantically at the wall. He hated seeing his best friend act this way– there had to be some way to restore his mind. “I-I'm sorry, but you’re so dangerous when you’re like this. I’m scared you’ll break yourself trying to hurt me or Vee.”

He didn't even know if Sprout was hearing him. He stopped moving when Cosmo spoke, but that was about it. It broke Cosmo’s heart.

“Can I come in?” Cosmo tried when Sprout didn't make another move to try and attack him.

Not reacting was better than a negative one, in Cosmo’s opinion. So he took a deep, steeling breath, and stepped into Sprout’s cell.

It was strangely both chilling and elating to be so close to Sprout again. Having a sure-fire way to disrupt any attempted attacks made Cosmo feel a lot better about trying to reach his friend. Sprout’s tail was lashing, his eyes pinned onto Cosmo as he stopped just beyond the range of his chains. Cosmo didn't really appreciate the way Sprout was watching him like a predator stalking its prey, but he supposed any progress was good progress.

“Sprout… I’ve missed you so much,” Cosmo told him delicately. “There were times I thought you were really gone, but I… if I could bring Vee back, I knew. I knew that I could bring you back, too.”

The mention of Vee made Sprout stiffen. It was a reaction that Cosmo didn't let go unnoticed, especially considering what happened before.

“Yes, Vee is okay,” Cosmo pushed the topic. “She’s been the one bringing you all of your food. I know she doesn’t act like how she, um… usually does… but I’m working on it! And I’m working on you, too. I promise, Sprout, you’re going to be okay. I’ll help you.”

Maybe it was a bad idea to push his luck, but he couldn't stand it anymore. Before everything happened, Sprout had been so physically affectionate. He playfully nudged other Toons, put his hand on their shoulders while he laughed, patted their heads to reassure them… Cosmo had become so used to being jostled and nudged while he was baking, it was a foreign sensation to stand behind the kitchen counter alone. Untouched.

Cosmo missed it. All he wanted was for Sprout to rest his hand on his head, to give him a grin and tell him they’d sort everything out.

Instead, Sprout let out a low growl. He didn't lunge though, which was even more reassuring knowing that he would definitely be able to reach Cosmo at this length.

“It’ll be just like before,” Cosmo continued, letting his voice soften. “We can bake together again! We can watch Vee’s show, and give everyone fresh treats every morning, and everything will be okay. It’ll be like nothing ever happened.”

Another cautious step forwards. Sprout didn't move.

“I just…” It was hard to admit it out loud. He blinked hard, trying to keep his voice unwavering. “I would really like a hug, Sprout.”

One more step, and that seemed to be as far as Sprout’s tolerance went. But he didn't lunge, exactly. He gave a sharp start forwards like he was about to, and that was enough of a warning to signal to Cosmo to step back.

It hurt. Sprout didn't have to lay a finger on him to make it feel like his heart was splitting in two.

“O-Oh… too much?” Cosmo asked with a breathy laugh. “Sorry… I guess you’re still, um… a little jumpy. And scared. I mean, it’s okay, I-I get it.”

(He didn't. It had been days. Why didn't he understand he was safe? Why was he still trying to hurt him and Vee? Cosmo didn't understand, he just wanted his friend back. Vee came back, so why wasn’t Sprout coming back?)

Letting out a small, trembling breath, Cosmo stepped through the door, making sure not to turn his back to Sprout. At the very least, Sprout didn't make an attempt to lunge at him again. He’d consider that a win.

It’ll just take time, Cosmo reminded himself determinedly. He’s not gone. I just need to bring him back to normal.

I just need to keep trying.

2.

Progress was slow. Almost infuriatingly so.

But Cosmo kept his frustration with the situation away from Sprout. And it provided good results.

Once Sprout kept up a reliable streak of not trying to maul Cosmo or Vee on sight, Cosmo decided it was time to try something new. He couldn't keep his friend cooped up here forever, chained to a wall. That was not only cruel, but also wouldn't do much to return Sprout to normalcy. No, if Cosmo wanted his best friend back, he needed to take risks.

Vee stared at him in silence for a solid minute when he brought up the idea to her. Translation being, that is a terrible idea. Lucky for everyone, she wasn't the one in charge, so Vee got to sit back and watch Cosmo guide Sprout around.

It was an interesting way to see how his friend was still functioning in the head. He hadn’t spoken in coherent sentences yet, but it took Vee a while to be able to put together even a single word, so Cosmo didn't want to try rushing him. Cosmo showed him around the entire floor, showing him the room Cosmo had revived him in, the staircase he’d barricaded that led up to the exit, and the kitchen.

Much to Cosmo’s disappointment, Sprout gave no reaction to the kitchen. He took it a step further, showing Sprout the oven, the sink, the fridge, the different cupboards– things he should be familiar with. Things that should spark some sort of interest.

But there was nothing. All Sprout did was blink at everything, and stare at everything Cosmo showed him as if he was trying to explode it with his eyeballs.

Not the most reassuring first step. But Cosmo eventually figured that he should be happy that Sprout wasn’t outright violent anymore.

Seeing as the first trip went so well– as in, nobody was maimed or injured– Cosmo decided to keep up the routine. Every day, he would bring Sprout out of his cell, walk him around the floor, and let him settle down with a treat back in his cell. There were only a few instances that Cosmo’s hand flinched towards his belt, prepared to click open the latch, but he hadn’t needed to shock him yet. Just pulling on the chain was typically enough to get him to relax.

As the days passed and Sprout’s behavior didn’t decline, Cosmo decided to go a step further and take him out on these walks twice a day. Once in the morning, once in the evening. And each time afterwards, Cosmo always fed him, and thanked him for being nice and not acting out violently.

It wasn’t perfect. Sprout still wasn’t speaking words. He growled and grunted and snarled like an animal, no wonder how much Cosmo pleaded with him to speak. And Sprout didn’t take well to any sort of physical contact– he always started backwards whenever Cosmo reached for him, even growling when he was unsettled enough.

Sprout was never so averse to touch before. Cosmo didn't understand.

“I’m going to bake something,” Cosmo said to both Vee and Sprout. “Vee, can you please watch Sprout?”

Vee didn't so much as blink. Sprout glanced over at her though, and his eyes stayed on her as Cosmo passed the end of the chain leash to her.

Cosmo’s heart was pounding as he turned his back, approaching the kitchen counter to get to work. Maybe the smell of baking would draw Sprout back to a few of his senses.

Because quite frankly, Cosmo was running out of ideas.

It was a natural process to fall back on, something familiar and repetitive enough to ease Cosmo’s nerves. Occasionally, he glanced over his shoulder to see how Vee and Sprout were doing. Mostly, they just stood there, but Cosmo did catch Sprout curiously prodding at Vee, trying to evoke a reaction from her. It made him nervous, knowing how easily Sprout could snap to violence, but he also couldn't help but be relieved. It wasn't quite the shoulder or elbow nudges he usually did, but something was better than nothing.

Although after a while, Cosmo realized that this might just be Sprout being curious. Which was a bit of a horrifying thought, considering that would mean that Sprout didn't recognize Vee. She may look a little different, but she was still clearly Vee.

Maybe Cosmo was freaking himself out over nothing. It could be that Sprout’s vision just wasn’t as good as it once was. Everyone knew that the Twisted’s had distorted vision, so maybe Sprout did, too. A whole half of his face was missing, after all.

Shaking the gory mental pictures off, Cosmo set the timer on the oven– triple-checking the temperature– and sat back. Vee didn't react much to fire, but Cosmo didn't want to test Sprout's tolerance to it in such a vulnerable state like this.

“Now we just wait,” Cosmo told the two of them. He breathed in deeply, taking in the scent of baking dough. “Doesn’t that smell nice, Sprout? Chocolate chip cookies… we loved making them together, haha. Remember that?”

Much to his delight, Sprout sniffed the air. Vee glanced at him only as he moved, both of her antennas twitching.

“Once you have better, um… self control, we can bake together again,” Cosmo promised him. “We will bake together again. We can make a whole feast of delicious treats, and give them to everyone when we go back upstairs. Trust me, everyone’s going to be so happy to see you two again.”

Blank stares. As Cosmo expected, but no less disheartening.

“I know everyone has been… worried,” Cosmo continued. He found letters slipped under the basement door every once in a while before he boarded up the staircase; worried pleas for him to come out, promises that no one was angry and that he could get the help he needs. “But once they see that you guys are alive and okay, there’ll be no need to worry anymore!” And Astro can get out of my dreams, and Connie can stop trying to sneak through my barricades.

Another twitch of Vee’s antennas. Sprout blinked owlishly.

Having one Toon staring at him blankly whenever he tried to talk to her was bad enough, but Cosmo could take it. She probably never wanted to see him again after this, after he’d denied her access to the upstairs for so long.

“You are… listening to me, right?” Cosmo couldn't help but ask. He winced at the tremor in his voice, and cleared his throat to make his words a little stronger. “I mean, I know you have to hear what I’m saying. I know you understand me, I… I don't know why you wouldn’t, haha.”

It was just so quiet. Cosmo had been reassuring himself that once Sprout was back, that void of silence would be filled. But even now, he didn't talk. He made sounds, but he didn't talk. And Cosmo needed someone, anyone, to answer back to him. Because otherwise… Otherwise, he was scared that–

“W–e und–underst–and.”

Vee’s robotic, glitchy voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked back up at her, feeling a huge weight lift off of his chest. Even now, her expression was devoid of any emotion, her eyes half-lidded and a disinterested frown on her face, but her words did what he needed them to.

Right. Cosmo wasn't talking to himself. They listened, even if they couldn't respond. Vee’s words were typically scarce, as if she had to drag them up from the very depths of her memories to utter them. The fact she had found words for Cosmo meant so much more to him than she might think it did.

(But then why didn't Sprout comfort him? If Vee noticed how he was feeling, then why didn't Sprout, his best friend… comfort him…?)

But when Cosmo looked at him, Sprout’s eyes were on Vee.

Patience. Patience, Cosmo! Just like baking… everything takes time to finish. You can't rush it, or else it’ll come out half-done and bad.

At that moment, the oven’s timer dinged. Cosmo turned, hurrying to set the tray on the stovetop, and reminded himself to turn the oven off. It had become easy for him to check for a red light, considering how many times Sprout forgot to turn it off. His friend had a bad habit of getting distracted when they were baking.

“Cookies!” Cosmo announced cheerfully. He gently blew on them, taking in the scent. “Sprout, have one!”

Sprout flinched back as Cosmo approached him, staring at the offered cookie. Cosmo wasn't sure how much more his heart could take, especially as Sprout stepped back a step, and hid behind Vee.

Deep breaths. Deep breaths. You’re okay. You’re okay.

“Maybe, um… maybe taking things out of my hand is still a bit– a bit much, huh?” Cosmo laughed, hoping the way his voice broke wasn’t too obvious. He rubbed his eyes, blinking hard, and put on the smile he had so much time to practice. “Let's go back to your cell. I’ll, um… prepare something for you later. Vee, you can go charge, if you want. You were twitching a bit earlier.”

Cosmo took the end of the leash back from Vee, who seemed to take him up on his offer. She left the room with one final arm spaz, leaving Cosmo alone with the distorted echo of his friend.

It took only a little tug to prompt Sprout to follow him. Getting back to the cell wasn't an issue, either.

It was only when Cosmo tried to go in that Sprout suddenly dug his heels into the floor and skid to a stop, nearly sweeping Cosmo off his feet in the process.

“Sprout?” Cosmo prompted in confusion. He gave the chains a tug, and was surprised when Sprout stubbornly didn't budge. “What's wrong? You want to stay out?”

Sprout tossed his head defiantly, and tried pulling the other way.

As unexpected as his sudden disobedience was, Cosmo found himself relieved. He couldn't remember the last time Vee refused to do something, so seeing Sprout so clearly protest, even nonverbally, was a massive relief. And bonus, Cosmo was very sure that Sprout could have yanked him off his feet if he really wanted to get away. He wasn't trying to run from Cosmo. He was simply refusing.

Unfortunately, Cosmo didn't have any other place to put him. And he was a little terrified that if he let Sprout roam, he’d hurt himself trying to break someone or something. Cosmo had practically sewn Sprout back together with his own two hands, he had very little confidence that he’d stay together. At least, not until the ichor in Sprout’s body began its natural healing process.

“Sprout, please,” Cosmo pleaded. “I’ll let you out again soon, I promise! I just don't want you hurting yourself!”

Sprout sniffed loudly, giving the chain a harder tug and making Cosmo stumble. Gritting his teeth, Cosmo grabbed the chain with both hands, trying to drag Sprout into the cell and prompting a loud growl from his friend.

Cosmo wasn't sure what came over him, but he growled right back. And he was pretty sure Sprout wasn't expecting it, because he paused for a moment, his head whipping around to give Cosmo what kind of seemed like a look of bewilderment.

It was gone as quickly as it came though, as Sprout went back to stubbornly tugging on his collar.

“SPROUT!” Cosmo shouted before he could catch his temper. He didn't yell, he never yelled, so why did he–

Sprout froze, bared his teeth, and lunged.

In the fraction of a moment Cosmo had before Sprout barreled him over, he managed to flick open the latch on his belt and slam his fist down on the button. He was about a centimeter away from joining the electrical current as Sprout’s initial lunge caused them to tumble apart. And as Cosmo laid sprawled out on the floor, breathless and shocked, he heard Sprout howl.

“Oh my gosh– I'm so sorry!” Cosmo cried, rolling onto his knees and watching helplessly as Sprout curled up, saliva dripping from his parted lips as he stared blankly at the ground. He was sure the fall hurt worse than the shock did, but Cosmo still felt so, so guilty. “Sprout, are you–”

Sprout whirled on him again, and Cosmo scrambled back as Sprout tried to pounce on him. He leaped to his feet, darting for the door, and closing it about a heartbeat before Sprout could slam into his back. With shaking hands, he locked it, yelping as he heard Sprout ram his entire body into the door.

Cosmo hugged himself, watching through the window as Sprout threw himself at the door, over and over, like a rabid animal. He couldn't stop the tears now, the adrenaline dying down as he was left to stand there in numb shock.

I want my friend back. Cosmo sobbed, curling in on himself. I want Sprout back. And he is, but he isn't, and everything is so wrong.

The banging against the door slowly stopped. It took Cosmo a moment to realize that Vee had come into the room, likely having heard all of the commotion. She stood near him, having been waiting patiently for him to notice her.

“Sorry,” Cosmo whispered. He quickly wiped his tears, barely able to form a word. “Sorry, I… I y-yelled at him, I’m so… so sorry… I didn't mean to…”

Vee didn't move for a very long few moments. Sprout was watching them both through the window, the top of his head poking over the bottom of the glass, as if he thought he was being sneaky. The thought made Cosmo hiccup a weak laugh, and he finally found the ability to move one of his hands, reaching up to cover his mouth.

The touch on his shoulder made him jump, but it was only Vee. She slid her hand down his arm until she found his hand, to which she wrapped her fingers around just a single one of his. This was her way of searching, Cosmo knew– he didn't know what her vision looked like, only that she tended to process things a lot slower than before.

Cosmo only understood what she was trying to do when she stepped back. She wasn't strong enough to budge him, especially not without risking losing her grip on his finger. Cosmo gave her a small, shaky nod, sniffling as he followed her towards the exit. He couldn't help another look back at Sprout though.

But Sprout wasn't looking at him. He was looking at Vee.

3.

The shock collar made it easy to make Sprout behave.

Now hold on, Cosmo knew that sounded bad. But hear him out.

Sprout’s violent outbursts had been at an all-time low, so Cosmo decided to try going a step further. He had already been leaving Sprout unchained in his cell, so he began leaving the door open for him, too.

It went extraordinarily well. Sprout spent a majority of his time with Vee, following her around and spooking her as she tried to go through doorways. It warmed Cosmo’s heart to see some of his friend’s goofy antics shining through the ferality of his beastism. It gave Cosmo hope that his friend was coming back.

Sprout ate at the table with him now, too. The first few times, he got up and walked away, but Cosmo’s pleas seemed to be getting through to him. Every breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Sprout ate with him at the table. And sometimes! Sometimes, Sprout even watched him bake!

But what gave Cosmo the most hope were his vocalizations.

There were no words yet, but there were things that sounded like words. There was too much of a growl to Sprout’s voice for him to get out any words right now, but Cosmo swore he could hear an occasional “okay” or “no”. Once, he thought he even heard Sprout say Vee’s name, and he knew he wasn't crazy because Vee reacted in a similar way he did.

With all of the progress though, there were still moments when Sprout was… well…

“Sprout! Don't chew on my wires!” Cosmo cried out in horror, shooing Sprout away from the very dangerous very electrical wires he’s been gnawing on.

“SPROUT! Out of the fridge!” Cosmo barked when he caught his friend nose-deep in the fridge, only to realize he’d gotten his massive head stuck in it and couldn’t pull himself out.

“What are you– Get down from there, you giant loon! You’re gonna hurt yourself!” Cosmo shouted up at Sprout when he somehow got himself balancing on top of an empty shelf, looking simultaneously confused and pleased with himself.

“Sprout. Listen, man, I love you. But please stop knocking over my furniture,” Cosmo begged through gritted teeth. “None of us are strong enough to pick it up!”

Each time, Sprout didn't listen. And each time, Cosmo shocked him for it.

It was really for his own good. Sprout’s body needed time to rest still, which wasn't going to happen if he kept doing silly things. Cosmo appreciated the goofiness of his friend, he really did, and words couldn't describe how relieved he was to be getting him back. But if Cosmo tripped over his stool one more time because Sprout kicked it over, he was going to lose his mind. Either from his growing impatience, or from the mild head trauma that came every time he fell and banged his head onto the counter or floor.

After some thought though… Cosmo wondered if it was his tolerance that had decreased. He knew he tended to get a little crabby when he was tired, and he had to admit he hadn't been sleeping well recently. That wasn’t Astro’s fault, no!

Okay, well, maybe it was his fault. Because every time Cosmo dreamt, Astro would take every opportunity he could to try and coax him home. Dreams about his other friends, the good memories he’d had with them and the things he was missing by isolating himself down here. Cosmo knew what he was doing and he was not going to let himself be enticed out of something he knew for sure was working.

It was better than when Astro himself came into his dreams, though. He had always begged Cosmo to come back, telling him how worried everyone was and that they couldn’t bear to lose him, too. It took Cosmo depriving himself of sleep for a few days to ward him off, making Astro resort to the aforementioned dreams.

The sleep deprivation was a little less intentional now. Part of it was because Cosmo couldn't stand to dream of the others, but most of it was simply because every time he closed his eyes, even now, all he could remember were the days he spent locked in a basement with the two mangled corpses of his friends.

(“I’ll bring you back,” Cosmo whispered like a prayer, holding Sprout’s blood-covered hand in both of his. His skin was so cold. “I’ll bring you back. I’ll bring you back. Please believe me. I’ll bring you back…”

He never answered him. But Cosmo was so numb to that fact, all he could do was keep promising to revive him, and wait for him to reply.)

Jeez, Cosmo was tired. He lifted his head from where he’d been dozing off at his desk, staring blearily down at the old letters he’d been reading. The one on the top of the pile was from Looey.

He rubbed his eyes, reading the letter.

Cosmo,

Please come back up soon. It’s nearly Christmas. The Christmas Toons will be here soon, and we all know Ginger really wants to see you!!! I think she could really cheer you up

I know it's hard losing a friend, much less 2. If I lost Blot and Yatta……I might have gone crazy. So please don't make us lose a friend too. We miss you and we’re all worried about you.

Write back to me soon.

Looey

P.S. What did the dog do when he saw an intruder in his house?

He says “I’ve got a bone to pick with you.” :o)

Oh, Looey. Cosmo set the letter back down, sighing. He couldn't even imagine what Looey would have done if it was Yatta and Blot who met such brutal ends. Cosmo wasn't even sure if it was possible to revive those two in the way he had with Sprout and Vee.

Cosmo wondered if everyone up there was okay. They had to be, surely– otherwise, Astro or Connie would have barged into his dreams or basement to give him some sort of news.

Still. It had been long enough that maybe he should check for more letters. Maybe Astro’s dreams had been getting to him, but he missed his friends so, so much. He missed when his friends would look him in the eye as he spoke, when his words actually held value instead of being something he had to wonder if anyone even heard.

Cosmo pushed himself out of his chair, shaking off the awful thoughts. No, he couldn't let himself think like that. He was sure of it– Vee and Sprout were doing so good. Sprout just needed a little more time, and then they all could ascend the stairs together, and everyone could welcome them back with open arms.

It couldn't hurt to check for any more letters, though. He should know what's been going on upstairs before he presented the resurrected Sprout and Vee to everybody.

Cosmo yawned as he walked out of his dedicated lab room. He couldn't remember the last time he had laid down on an actual bed– the one he set up for himself, he gave to Vee, seeing as he barely used it anyway while he was working on Sprout.

Sprout and Vee were in the kitchen, a place Cosmo had to pass to get to the stairwell. At first, he didn't pay any mind to them– they were staying well away from the counters, so he was just glad they were being careful– and continued towards the barricade.

At least, until he did a double take, and realized that Sprout had Vee pinned down, his leafy tail wagging.

A loud, screeching error noise from Vee is what propelled Cosmo to act. He shouted at Sprout, who was startled enough by the error that he didn't see Cosmo approaching. Sprout let out an odd yelping sound, doing an awkward side-hop to put more space between him and Cosmo, but his eyes were still fixated on Vee, who was twitching a concerning amount.

Cosmo didn't think twice. He flicked open the latch and slammed his fist down on the shock button.

The shock caught him off guard, as Sprout cried out, dropping to his knees as his hands flew towards the collar. He collapsed onto his side, and Cosmo would have been concerned if he couldn't clearly see Sprout was just confused and surprised.

So instead of his best friend, Cosmo ran to Vee. 

“Vee! Vee, are you okay!?” Cosmo demanded urgently, quickly inspecting her. There didn't seem to be any wounds on her body, so more than likely, all Sprout had done was knock her over. Cosmo intervened before he could do any more damage.

“F–Fiii–ne–” Vee stuttered out, her screen flicking briefly to her usual face, before returning to the green hazard sign.

“I’ll fix you,” Cosmo promised her. “You’ll be okay, I promise. Just let me… I’ll be right back. Please don't move.”

Vee’s arm twitched a little violently. Cosmo winced at the sight. He should hurry.

Moving quickly, Cosmo swiped Sprout’s chain from where it dangled, tugging him along. To his credit, Sprout didn't put up a fight– he followed Cosmo’s urgent pace with due diligence, and didn't make any attempts to squeeze past him as Cosmo ushered him into his cell and locked the door.

What he did do was sit at the window with round eyes, looking remarkably guilty.

“I'm sorry, Sprout. Neither of us are mad, I promise!” Cosmo reassured him quickly, knowing Sprout’s old tendency to fret about keeping everyone happy. “I know it was an accident. I just need to make sure Vee is okay, and I think you need some time to, um… cool off.”

Sprout blinked slowly. He lifted one hand, pointing hopefully at the door while giving Cosmo the saddest puppy-dog eyes he had seen in his entire life.

Cosmo was tempted. Sprout had rarely, if ever, communicated with him so directly before. But, no– Cosmo shook his head, forcing himself to walk away despite the calling crrohrrr! Sprout sent after him. He needed to help Vee first.

Vee was still sitting exactly where he’d left her, apparently not having moved an inch. She only moved when he stepped into her field of vision, to which she tilted her head up at him.

“Can you walk?” Cosmo asked her softly.

It took a few moments to process, but Vee shakily stood on her own. A particularly harsh glitch nearly drove her back to the floor, but she managed to stay standing, albeit slouched over and looking unbalanced. Just in case, Cosmo took her hand, and guided her back to his lab.

It was an easy fix, thankfully. It was just that Vee was extremely fragile, so being knocked to the ground like that had jostled all of her delicate systems. Unfortunately, Cosmo didn't know how to strengthen them, and he was scared he’d do permanent damage in the process of trying.

“You need to rest,” Cosmo told Vee. “Do you know why he attacked you…?”

Vee was quiet, as she usually was when she was processing something.

“Di–d no–th–thi–ng,” Vee told him when she eventually found the words.

“Nothing, huh…” Cosmo murmured, frowning. He doubted Sprout had any malicious intent– if he seriously wanted to hurt her, she would be in pieces right now. More than likely, he just got too rowdy.

Why that entailed him needing to knock her to the floor, Cosmo didn't know. Maybe he was just trying to learn how to be Sprout again.

“I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt you,” Cosmo said to Vee. That was something he was confident in– he had faith that Sprout had just been playing.

Was it overkill to lock him away, then? Cosmo found himself wondering. No… If he was dangerous, it would have been the right precaution to take. I'm sure he’ll understand.

He’d explain that in a bit though. For now, he wanted to keep an eye on Vee.

4.

It was almost time. Cosmo was sure of it. When Cosmo let Sprout out this morning, after the incident yesterday, Sprout hugged him.

Sprout hugged him.

He was coming back, Cosmo could say that with absolute certainty. It wasn't a one-time fluke, either– whenever Cosmo put out his arms, Sprout took no less than a minute or two to embrace him.

The next day was the same. Sprout still didn't like any surprise touch, as Cosmo found out after nearly getting bit, but hugs were something Sprout seemed to really enjoy. There were multiple instances where Cosmo caught Sprout hugging Vee, no matter how not at all thrilled she looked at the prospect.

(Whenever Sprout noticed him watching though, he always separated himself from her. Maybe he was just shy.)

At the very least, Sprout finally seemed to understand that neither he nor Vee were in danger. He was a little more awkward with her now, not really touching her at all now, and seemed pretty content to split his attention between her and Cosmo.

It had been so long since Cosmo had truly felt the presence of his best friend like this. It was still a long shot from how he was before– Sprout didn't let Cosmo lean on him while he baked. He didn't let Cosmo touch him, and he never offered any touch outside of the hugs. He didn't speak, either– Cosmo hadn’t heard any development in his speech, which was.. disappointing, but bearable.

Cosmo wasn't going to be ungrateful though! For as much of Sprout was missing, there was still enough of him there that Cosmo could safely say he was making progress.

Besides, he didn't have to be perfect for Cosmo to bring him to the others. He just wanted him to be recognizable. And non-violent, preferably. Cosmo could recognize him as his best friend, able to see the little details in his gradual recovery, but the others might not see him as much as Cosmo did. Especially if Sprout had a violent outburst, they might look at him and think, beast.

Cosmo couldn’t deny there were some points where he caught himself thinking similarly. Those thoughts were what drove his hand to his belt.

The collar was doing a fantastic job of keeping Sprout’s head on straight, though! Every violent tendency could be stamped out in an instant with a single press of the button. It drove Sprout away from doing anything he really shouldn’t, like chewing on the electrical wires he kept somehow finding. Though at this point, Cosmo just wanted him to quit acting like a dog. Pebble would chew on things, simply because he was a dog, and didn’t know any better.

Sprout wasn’t a dog. He was Sprout. He was the one scolding Pebble for chewing on things it wasn’t meant to. Cosmo didn’t understand why Sprout was now the one Cosmo had to scold. He had even gnawed on the side of the table! The table! There were now a bunch of bite marks on the side of the table that served only as a grim reminder of the bad habit Cosmo couldn’t shake Sprout out of.

Vee didn’t act like an animal when she woke up. She just acted like Vee, but half-asleep and unenthused. The only difference in their revivals was that one, she was a TV, and Sprout was a berry. And two, Cosmo had to piece Sprout back together, whereas the others had already reconstructed Vee before he, err… brought her down here.

Did Cosmo do something wrong when he revived Sprout? Was he the reason Sprout was acting this way?

It was a recurring thought that had been niggling at the back of his mind for a few days now. Sprout didn't seem to hold anything against him though; the violence was directed at both him and Vee, so Cosmo was sure that his outbursts came from a place of instinct. However misguided, Sprout was just trying to protect himself.

None of that was really related to Cosmo’s current predicament though. He had been sitting here in silence for the past half-an-hour or so, staring tiredly at the stack of letters that he had found slipped under the door. The latest one had to have been left at least a week ago, from Shelly.

Cosmo knew he should read them. He needed to know what was happening up there. But he was just… hesitant. What if their feelings towards him had changed? What if he opened these letters to find that everyone hated him now?

He didn't know why that would be the case. Nothing had happened to change any of their opinions about him. But Cosmo couldn't help but be worried, and with the sleep deprivation weighing on him, it wasn’t making dealing with this any easier.

Cosmo hesitantly reached towards the waiting letter, before dropping his head back onto the table with a weak groan. He just wanted this whole mess to be over.

It’ll be back to the way it was supposed to be, he reassured himself. Though after repeating it so often, Cosmo couldn’t help but notice how dry it sounded even to himself.

Not wanting to dwell on that thought, Cosmo picked up Shelly's letter, unfolding it before he could stop himself.

Some parts of her usually neat handwriting was messy, the ink blotting the page at some points from where her pen had stopped. The edges were a little wrinkled too.

Cosmo.

Some of us think you’re dead. I’ll say it really bluntly. Astro says you’re not but Connie is too scared to check. We don't want to find a third corpse.

We need you. Toodles got hurt and none of us know how to heal other Toons like you do. We miss your baking. I miss Sprout and Vee too so so so much. But please we need you

plese come back cosmo. Just tell us youre alive.

Shelly

Somehow, it was so much worse than if Shelly had told him she hated him. It was a reminder of all of the other friends he had left behind for the sake of two whom everyone already accepted as dead.

But they’re not dead. I made sure they’re not.

We’re almost done here. They’ve lasted this long without me. They're fine. I didn’t bring that much to the table anyway.

THEY’RE FINE.

Cosmo crumpled up Shelly’s letter, throwing it at the opposite wall as hard as he could. Instead, it bounced off of Vee’s screen, who didn't so much as flinch.

“Vee!” Cosmo yelped in surprise, scrambling to right himself. “Wh-What, um, are you doing here?”

He didn't know why he expected Vee to respond. She never did.

Robotically, Vee bent down to pick up the letter, carefully unfurling it with more delicacy than Cosmo thought her stiff fingers were capable of. Cosmo anxiously stood from his seat.

“You don’t have to read that, it’s not important,” Cosmo was quick to tell her, hurriedly trying to pry it out of her hands. She turned before he could grab it, and with her height, she had an easier time holding it out of his reach. “Vee, seriously, give that back. You don’t have to worry about any of that!”

Cosmo jumped, trying to grab it again, but Vee stepped back, making him narrowly miss. Worse, her eyes were locked on the note, as if she was actually reading through it. On one hand, at least she could read, but also why was she suddenly being so stubborn? That had been Sprout’s thing as of recently.

Huffing, Cosmo’s hand habitually twitched towards his belt, but Vee turned to him before he could realize he had been a heartbeat away from shocking the wrong Toon. Vee wasn’t great at emoting in this state, but the look she shot him was filled with so much skepticism it caught him off guard.

“We’re going up soon,” Cosmo told her. “As soon as Sprout is better. I want to go back too, Vee. I swear.”

Vee didn’t move, save for the twitch of her antennas.

“They’re fine!” Cosmo insisted almost desperately. “But I can’t go back while you and Sprout are still– are still like this.”

“...unr–reco-g–niz–able?” Vee guessed, an odd note underlying her voice. Not the glitchiness, no, Cosmo was used to that. It was some sort of emotion that was too subtle for him to pinpoint.

“Please understand,” Cosmo begged her, grasping one of her hands pleadingly. “I know you don’t like me, th-that’s– that’s okay. But please just wait a little longer. He’s almost there, I know he is! I just need to… he just needs a little more time…”

Cosmo trailed off as Vee stepped back, turning her head away.

“Vee,” Cosmo choked out, wincing at the way his voice broke. “...fine. But I can’t rush him! I don’t care how long it takes, I swear I will bring him back!”

Vee didn’t acknowledge him. Cosmo huffed, turning on his heel and starting for the door.

“Hu–rting y–ou–rsel–f.”

Cosmo stopped. He whirled around.

“What?” Cosmo demanded in disbelief.

“Hu–rting…” Vee’s screen briefly switched to a loading circle. “Destr–o–yi–ng y–ou–rsel–f.”

“I’m not–” Cosmo sputtered. Why would she think that? He was doing this for them both. He was doing this for everyone, giving them back two extremely valuable friends and teammates.

Vee walked forwards until she was standing in front of him. She closed her eyes, thinking.

“We don’t want a third corpse.”

A chill shot down Cosmo’s spine. Vee’s voice, unusually clear, unusually crisp and carrying a quiet, haunting tone to it. The perfect imitation of Shelly’s desperate words in her letter.

Shelly was worried because she had no way of truly knowing if Cosmo was safe or not. The only reliable source for his wellbeing would be Astro, who could only sense when he was dreaming.

Vee harbored concern because she was there to watch what she interpreted as Cosmo not just destroying himself, but slowly killing himself.

“...I’m not…” Cosmo breathed. He shook his head harshly, grasping her shoulders. “I’m fine. Vee, no, please don’t think like that! I’m fine!”

Vee didn’t reply again. She only stared. And somehow, that was worse than if she gave him a response.

“Why would you think I’m hurting myself?” Cosmo demanded frantically. “I’m not. See? Look at me! I’m fine! As long as I’m smiling, I’m fine!”

Nothing. Cosmo let her go, his chest feeling impossibly tight.

“I’m fine,” Cosmo said again. “...I’m going to… bake… something. Sprout’s probably hungry, haha. I am too, a little. Um, you can…” He glanced at the stack of letters, sitting imposingly on his desk. Vee followed his gaze. “...nevermind. Just don’t… touch that.”

He’d have to find a way to get rid of them. He didn’t want Vee stressing herself out by reading them.

As he hurriedly left the room, trying to find space to breathe, he thought he heard her mutter, “selfish.” But when he looked over his shoulder, she gave no indication that she had said anything.

Shivering slightly, Cosmo hurried to the kitchen.

Selfish? I’m not selfish. And I’m not hurting myself. The worst he’d been suffering was his sleeplessness, and that was just because dreaming was a whole new kind of restlessness. He didn’t believe that Astro was intentionally trying to drive him away from sleeping, but the dreams really weren’t helping Cosmo’s mental state.

I’m fine. We’ll go back up soon, and then I can sleep in a big, cozy bed, and bake in my own kitchen, and everything will be fine. Because everything is fine.

But as he saw Sprout, standing by the barricade he had set up, Cosmo wondered if he was just lying to himself. If Sprout wasn’t okay, then was everything fine? Or was Vee right, and Cosmo was trying to avoid the grim truth?

…what was Sprout doing, anyway? He was leaning over, poking curiously at the barricade. Cosmo watched him for a few moments in silence, earnestly confused.

It clicked when Sprout grabbed the top of the barricade, and started tugging.

He was trying to get out.

Cosmo’s mind blanked.

Sprout couldn’t leave yet. What if someone provoked him, and he responded violently? What if someone urged him to speak? What if– What if???

Cosmo didn’t realize he had pressed the button until Sprout was leaping away from the barricade, frantic and confused. He spun around, stopping with wide eyes when he saw Cosmo.

“Get away from there!” Cosmo scolded him, rushing forwards to stand protectively in front of the barricade. “Sprout, listen to me, you cannot go through here. Understand? It’s too dangerous. You’re not ready. You could hurt someone! Or yourself!” And you’d hate me for not stopping you.

Sprout blinked. And very, very slowly, he nodded, shrinking back in a way that looked guilty.

Cosmo let out a shuddering breath.

“...I’m sorry for yelling,” Cosmo told him weakly. “And for shocking you. Sprout, I’m really sorry. I’m really, really sorry… can… can I…?”

He opened his arms as an invitation, and much to his relief, Sprout accepted it. He pulled Cosmo into a warm hug, resting his chin on the top of Cosmo’s head. 

Cosmo leaned into him, and did his very best not to cry.

5.

Cosmo’s first attempt at getting Sprout to bake went… poorly.

That was mostly his own fault, for severely overestimating his capabilities. That wasn’t to say Sprout was stupid or incapable! He was doing great recently, effortlessly taking up the more intricate, complicated tasks Cosmo tested him with. He could copy whatever Cosmo wrote down in his normal handwriting (though asking him to read it out loud was another story), he could order things correctly depending on what Cosmo specifically asked. He could read the time, as proven with some back and forth between he and Vee.

The problem with baking was that it was a multi-step process, and there were some steps that was a bit… tough for even the old Sprout. Cosmo couldn’t count the amount of times Sprout had just flat out eaten the batter, or the countless instances of him forgetting how long something was meant to be left in the oven, and assuming every time that it had only been a few minutes when it had really been ten.

On one hand, it was reassuring that Sprout’s old habits were still shining through. On the other, they were shining through a little too much. Because Sprout was trying to eat everything. The frosting, the dough, the cooked batter, the uncooked batter, the cherries Cosmo had prepared, everything.

“Sprout,” Cosmo said in growing exasperation, pulling his friend away from where the bowl that once held the uncooked dough was. “You can lick it after. We’re baking and I need your help.”

Sprout grunted mockingly, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms.

“Very mature,” Cosmo retorted back. “Sit your butt down, mister. We’re decorating cookies. Or, well…” Cosmo shot the frosting tubes a look. “I’m decorating them, since you keep trying to eat everything.”

At this point, Cosmo knew that the puppy-dog eyes Sprout had been making were one hundred percent intentional. He blinked innocently, his viney tail wagging.

“You can eat the cookies afterwards,” Cosmo compromised. He held out his hand expectantly, focusing his attention on the unfrosted cookie in front of him. “Orange, please.”

It was a simple, methodical process. Orange frosting, purple frosting, cherry. He remembered this recipe clearly, not only because of it's simplicity, but because it was the last thing he baked with Sprout before he went off on that fated run.

Is this what Vee meant when she said he was “hurting himself”? Indulging in memories of an unreachable past?

It wasn’t something he wanted to think about. He allowed himself to be absorbed in the repetitive motions, finishing one cookie, sliding it to the side, and beginning a new one. At some point, he didn't even need to tell Sprout which ones he needed– he caught back onto the order quickly.

Cosmo waved his hand expectantly when the process was suddenly interrupted. But when he didn't get the cherry he needed, he looked to the side, already expecting to see– yep, he was eating them.

Rolling his eyes, Cosmo tapped the button. Sprout jumped as the shock struck him, sending a few cherries bouncing loose. He shot Cosmo an awkward, sheepish smile.

Cosmo shook his head in exasperation. “You can eat this cookie once it's done, alright?”

Sprout didn't perk up quite as much as Cosmo thought he would. But as Cosmo placed the cherry atop the now finished cookie and offered it to his friend, he devoured it in mere moments. He licked his lips, his tail wagging excitedly as he looked hopefully at the other cookies.

“Okay, okay! At least let me have a few,” Cosmo laughed, stepping aside to allow Sprout near the finished batch. “They’re cute, right? And they taste really good, too!”

“Mmmhhrmm,” Sprout agreed as he finished yet another cookie.

Cosmo made sure to grab one before Sprout could eat all of them. He couldn't ever remember his friend’s appetite being this big, but maybe that was a new development that came from his rejuvenation. Maybe he acted out so much because he was hungry…?

Between the two of them, it didn't take long for all of the cookies to be eaten. Cosmo got to work in putting everything away, while Sprout watched from behind. He’d been having to be especially careful with his baking, especially considering there was no Tisha here to clean up any mess. Cleaning was especially more difficult when, recently, he’d found that he’d been getting winded more easily. Aches and pains covered his entire body, sometimes striking at random, and carrying anything too heavy was a lot more difficult than he remembered it being.

Also, cleaning up was necessary because of Sprout. The same Toon who drank his entire tube of green frosting in the middle of the night, before Vee stopped him. Cosmo had tried his best not to let himself show too much sympathy as Sprout moaned and laid pathetically on the floor the next day, holding his stomach. Because really, he brought that upon himself.

Cosmo was so caught up in the memory, he didn't notice who was approaching him from behind. Arms wrapping around his shoulders made him jump in surprise, and in turn, Sprout leaped back as well, clearly not having expected him to be so jumpy.

“Oh– sorry!” Cosmo quickly apologized. “I was thinking– you can hug me, if you want. I promise, Sprout, it's fine.”

Sprout still looked hesitant. His eyes flicked downwards for only a moment, before he slowly crept forwards again, a little more uncertain this time. Cosmo didn't know why he was so nervous all of the sudden, but he didn't point it out. All he did was offer his friend a warm smile.

It was enough to lull Sprout back towards him, finding a familiar seat behind him, chin resting on the top of his head, as Cosmo put everything away.

It was only when Cosmo was finished cleaning that he realized. 

Sprout was afraid because Cosmo had instinctively for the button.

+1

Cosmo wasn’t sure what woke him up first. Vee prodding his shoulder, or the familiar smell of smoke.

He lifted his head drowsily, wincing at the way his neck and back cried in protest, and shot Vee a questioning look.

“Be–rrybea–s–t,” Vee told him with what he thought was urgency. “Tr–ie–d b–aki–ng.”

That was one way to wake him up. Cosmo stood quickly out of his chair, wondering if he had heard her right.

“Sprout tried baking?” Cosmo asked. He didn’t want to let himself get too excited, because he did just wake up, and maybe Vee meant something else.

But if she didn’t, and Sprout really tried baking something…

Hope prickled at his fingertips.

And immediately after, he finally registered the smell of smoke.

“Sprout tried baking!?” Cosmo cried out in horror, booking it towards the kitchen. Bless his friend, but if he struggled with keeping an eye on timers as a normal Toon, Cosmo could only imagine what it was like now.

The entire oven was engulfed in flames, smoke piling at the ceiling. Cosmo yelped at the sight, scrambling for the fire extinguisher he had the foresight to store nearby. He remembered back then, Sam was always the one to spray down the raging flames. But while it had been a while since they’d encountered a fire this bad, Cosmo didn’t find it hard at all to completely buffer it. After ensuring the fire was entirely out, he let out a heavy sigh of relief, regretting it instantly as he started coughing on the remaining smoke.

“Jeez…” Cosmo muttered to himself, covering his mouth with his hand. He’d have to find some way to air it out in here.

More importantly though. Sprout tried baking. With no prompt from Cosmo, entirely on his own. Sprout tried his hand at the kitchen.

He’s ready. He’s back. 

He may not be perfect, but being surrounded by friends would complete whatever else Sprout was missing.

Cosmo turned, fully prepared to embrace his friend, when he finally realized that both Sprout and Vee were nowhere to be seen.

The fire probably scared him, Cosmo figured. He didn’t know why Vee hadn’t followed him, nor where the two of them had wandered off to.

“Sprout?” Cosmo called out. “The fire’s out! Sprout!”

Strangely, no response. Cosmo hummed, quietly confused.

Maybe he hid?

Cosmo had fallen asleep at his desk, and considering how light of a sleeper he’d become, he’d probably have noticed if Sprout ran to hide in there. Cosmo checked a few other places easily open; Vee’s room, the closet… he even checked behind the barricade, to no avail.

The last place he checked was the old room he used to keep Sprout in.

Through the window, Cosmo could easily see both Sprout and Vee there. Sprout was curled in a ball on the ground, his hands over his head, while Vee kept a single hand on his back and repeated something Cosmo couldn’t make out through the window.

“Sprout!” Cosmo blurted out amidst his excitement. He hurried to the door despite the way Sprout lurched, and Vee stopped talking, lifting her head as Cosmo entered the room. “You tried baking? On your own? I knew it, you just needed a little more–”

Cosmo stopped talking as Vee stood, glowering towards him. His jaw clicked shut, confusion washing over his joy.

Even more puzzling, Sprout hadn’t moved from his spot on the floor. He didn’t even look at Cosmo.

“Vee?” Cosmo asked, seeing as Sprout was… upset. “Is something wrong…?”

Vee’s expression didn’t change. She looked deathly serious in contrast to the happiness Cosmo had been feeling a few moments ago. Now, he was really only just confused. And maybe a little concerned.

“L–ong wo–rd–s,” Vee told him, her screen flickering. “Pl–e–as–e ho–ld.”

Cosmo blinked. It was true that Vee had been making an effort to speak more after… after seeing Shelly’s letter, but how much did she have to say that she needed to prepare herself? Did Cosmo do something…?

And why wasn’t Sprout looking at him still?

“Be–rrybea–s–t tr–ie–d to tell, y–ou, “sorry”,” Vee informed him suddenly, entirely to Cosmo’s extended confusion.

“What?” Cosmo couldn’t help but ask. “Sorry for… what? Sprout, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

Sprout shivered.

“He fe–els l–ik–e he is in t–ro–ubl–e wh–ene–ver y–ou sh–oc–k him,” Vee clarified. “Wh–ich, y–ou have b–ee–n do–in–g… lots.”

Cosmo stared at her. He had been using the button for reasons other than Sprout’s violent outbursts, he supposed that much was true, but… he hadn’t been using it that much…

Vee was still staring at him, as if waiting for him to draw a conclusion his mind shied away from. He glanced between the two of them, from Vee, to Sprout, his heart thudding in his chest.

Did Sprout hide because he thought he’d get “in trouble” for setting a fire? But he did that all of the time, usually he and Cosmo just laughed it off after putting it out. Cosmo only used the button when he was trying to make Sprout stop doing something, a nonverbal nudge telling him to knock it off. Like when he chewed on things, something he wasn’t supposed to do! Or when he was being especially stubborn when Cosmo was trying to get him to do something…

…but if Sprout was… if he wasn’t wearing that collar. If this was the before. Cosmo wouldn’t have done that, would he? He’d be annoyed, he and Sprout might argue, but… never before was there…

Cosmo didn’t want to call it a “power dynamic”. That sounded horrible. That sounded like Cosmo was– was doing something horrible to his friend. And he wasn’t.

…was he…?

“No… I…” Cosmo shook his head, the sinking dread in his stomach making him feel dizzy. He wouldn’t– he knew what he was doing. He was just trying to… he was just… tired, and fed up with Sprout’s misbehavior, and…

That’s no excuse.

Why didn’t he realize? Why didn’t he notice sooner? He had seen Sprout’s increasingly nervous behavior, the way he flinched whenever Cosmo reached for the button, the apologetic winces and submissive ducking of his head.

Sprout was… scared of him. And it was all Cosmo’s fault.

This isn't what I wanted, Cosmo thought, unsure of where to direct the desperation he felt. I just wanted my friends back. I didn't want to hurt anyone! I didn't want anyone to be hurt!

Vee was staring, waiting for him to say something. Sprout was still hiding from him. Cosmo felt frozen to the spot, his misdeeds paralyzing him.

What could he do? Hurting his best friend… making him scared– even the thought was making Cosmo’s stomach hurt.

When someone’s hurting… you get them away from the source. Cosmo understood that– it was something he always kept in mind when Gardenview was still open, always keeping an eye out in case anyone needed help, human or Toon. But what could he do if that source was himself? Avoiding Sprout forever wasn’t feasible; Cosmo still needed to be there to bring him upstairs to the others.

The source…

It clicked. And Cosmo understood.

“...Sprout,” Cosmo finally found it in himself to speak. “C-Can I… come closer? Just really quickly.”

Sprout, for the first time, glanced towards him. He didn’t confirm nor deny Cosmo’s request, which, in his case, without an outright denial, was usually a yes. Moving slowly, Cosmo came closer, lowering himself to his knees next to his friend.

There was a minor issue with this plan, but he hoped that Sprout understood. And additionally, Cosmo wouldn’t be able to hurt him anymore.

With some nimble maneuvering, Cosmo clicked the collar open. He carefully lifted it off of Sprout’s fragile neck.

“Don’t move, please!” Cosmo warned him before he could budge so much as an inch. “Your neck is really weak. I have the… the first collar. The one that doesn’t hurt you. It won’t shock you, and it’ll keep your neck safe, and help you, um, keep your head up.”

A small idle buzz from Vee. Sprout blinked at him from his place frozen on the ground, watching him from the corner of his eye.

Feeling uncomfortably warm, Cosmo stood up, hurrying to the lab. He didn’t have much down here that was both stable and secure for Sprout, and he had needed a way to stop Sprout from attacking him originally. Once they were upstairs, Cosmo swore to himself that he would find Sprout a more comfortable alternative, but until then, Cosmo was more worried about his safety.

When he returned, Sprout was still on the floor, having heeded Cosmo’s warning. Vee was sitting next to him, swishing her tail temptingly back and forth in front of Sprout. They both shifted slightly when Cosmo came back in, and he made quick work of re-equipping Sprout with the collar.

“There,” Cosmo said once he was sure it was on snug, sitting back with his hands up. “I-Is that okay? If it’s too tight, or uncomfortable…”

Sprout sat up. He tested moving his head, gently stretching his neck. His tail began wagging, rapidly picking up speed as he seemed to, slowly, process what Cosmo had done.

It wouldn’t make up for how Cosmo had hurt him. No matter how tiny of a shock, Cosmo had been electrocuting him. The fact it had taken Sprout quivering in fear for him to come to his senses was a little terrifying. What else had Cosmo been doing that he hadn’t yet been hit with clarity over? How else had Cosmo hurt his friends?

Cosmo didn’t get the chance to dwell on it. Sprout was scooping him into his arms, sweeping him off his feet in a joyful twirl.

“Waah–!” Cosmo yelped, anxiously clinging onto his friend as he spun him around. “R-Really, I should have done that earlier! Please put me down!”

Sprout lowered him back to his feet, but the wagging of his tail didn’t stop, and there was more light in his eyes than Cosmo had seen since he revived him.

“I’m sorry,” Cosmo told him, his voice cracking as tears threatened to break free. “I’m– I’m really sorry, Sprout. I shouldn’t have… I didn’t mean for it to…”

Sprout was still hugging him. He didn’t seem to have any intent of letting go. Cosmo hesitantly hugged him back, feeling guilty and relieved and undeserving all at the same time. A weak sniffle escaped him, and he blinked hard, trying not to be selfish and let himself cry.

“D-Do you…” Cosmo swallowed thickly. “Do you want to bake something together?” He glanced at Vee, whose arms were crossed disinterestedly. “All of us.”

A surprised hum of static from Vee, her expression twitching only slightly. Sprout was bouncing on his heels.

Cosmo smiled weakly. He’d take that as a yes.