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Although partying for days is a lot of fun, especially while being so small they could play with ATOMS, Book had to admit she missed the routine she was used to. While everyone else was inside the birdhouse, Book sat on the roof. All around her was white, with floating atoms. She missed the feeling of grass under her feet. She missed the feeling of staring at the moon on a late night. She missed the feelings of the world she was used to. And honestly? She was ready to no longer be so small. It was fun for a time, but day blurred into night, she was losing track of time, and she really just... wanted normalcy again.
Normalcy. Listening to Pencil, Ruby, and Needle. Maybe Bubble if she was currently recovered. Feeling grass under her feet. Laying in the same area as her friends. Laughing along with jokes she didn't actually understand. Having a sense of time. And silently staring at that cute boy she'd sometimes see walk by. A WOAH Buncher.
He was a WOAH Buncher. She was a FreeSmarter. They were "rivals". Yet she couldn't look away from him. And, when it came time for the challenge, where it was three teams of three. Where they misinterpreted how setting teams up worked. And the fact she was now on his team. She tried so hard so... the two of them could be safe together. She couldn't care less for Pin.
...This view of the world feels too quiet. She launched herself off the birdhouse, floating over to some of the atoms close by. Glancing back down at the birdhouse, she saw a familiar shape launch himself out, laughing as he did. He was so silly, and it shone like the sun on a bright summer day. She could listen to his voice without getting bored like FreeSmart when they talk about certain things, certain jokes she couldn't understand. She could get lost in enjoying his jokes like a maze she never wanted to leave. She couldn't help but smile whenever he skipped around with laughter. His laugh was so, so sweet, so flavorful, so him, her whole week would brighten just hearing him laugh. And it was a track she heard again and again, like a favorite song you listen to on repeat until you know all of its words. And yet he was a WOAH Buncher, and she was a FreeSmarter.
She had only realized she had been staring when Nickel bounded over using Bomby's help, "Hey, Book, ya doing alright? Not used to seeing you this astronomically shastatomically down."
Book couldn't contain a small chuckle, "I'm fine. Just missing what we'd do when not so small."
"Well golly jeeber weezers, surely there's a way to cheer you up?" Nickel, behind the playful demeanor, sounded genuinely concerned.
"Yeah," Book laughed, "and it's with that playful speech of yours."
Nickel stopped for a moment, before asking, "Do you mean it? Like, wooper-dooper super mean it?"
"Yes, I do mean it," Book smiled.
Nickel smiled back, before starting to joke around with Book. And the two stayed there, doing that, joking and smiling and laughing. Book didn't need FreeSmart to find joy and laughter and normalcy. And Nickel didn't need to find a crowd to enjoy his jokes, as Book got so much from so little.
And maybe, just maybe, Book's compliment made his heart flutter. But why would he ever say that? He was a WOAH Buncher, and she was a FreeSmarter.