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Easter was always an interesting time of the year for Bassie.
First off, it was her season. Literally what she was created for. Around this time those darn isolation instincts dissipated, making her feel the most like herself then she had in months. Spring was (unsurprisingly) Bassie’s favorite season as well. Flowers bloomed, new life was born, and the temperature became just right.
On the other hand, Easter was also the most stressful time of the year for Bassie. There were eggs to be filled with candy and hidden, decorations to be placed and hung, activities to be planned for, and of course, the food. It was Dandy’s idea to make a feast for the toons whenever an event came around, only adding more to Bassie’s plate. Although Sprout and Cosmo usually made the food, it was Bassie’s job to oversee and plan what exactly was cooked. And Cocoa helped.
Cocoa…Cocoa was always sooo helpful, especially when things got busy. Cocoa was better at cooking than Bassie, better at painting eggs than Bassie, already in motion before Bassie could even begin to think on what to do.
All the easter toons helped out during the easter season. It would make no sense for the event toons of their respective to not help. However, it always felt like Cocoa pulled her weight the most as Bassie stumbled far behind.
It made her wonder if she was even needed. What’s the point of being a main if she didn’t act like one? Cocoa wasn’t the only toon on her mind though. It was also Rudie.
The event toons were aware of toons in other events. The thing is, they weren’t allowed to meet each other when the center was open. Due to their need to isolate themselves from the rest besides toons from their own events, they rarely crossed paths even with the center closed. Even then Bassie only really knew the mains of each event, not the event toon “extras.” She hadn’t expected much when they actually got to talk to each other at one of the many social events Dandy hosted to keep the toons, from, well, becoming too bored.
She never thought that the deer who seemed so obsessed with Christmas was actually much more than what the show portrayed. She never thought that the two of them would become friends. She never thought that months after that event, she would now be going to his floor to see if he could come to Easter in her Egg Hunting outfit. She wanted to change things up a bit from her usual outfit. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find the eggs that went with it. Still, that was the least of her concerns at the moment.
She knew that it was unlikely Rudie would come. As it wasn’t his season he would definitely be feeling the urge to isolate himself from the other toons. That never did stop Christmas toons, or event toons in general, from coming out outside of their season from time to time. As such, she wanted to at least try.
Ding.
Bassie jumped, being pulled from her thoughts at the sound of the elevator opening to the floor. The christmas toon room floor was like all the other toon living quarters in the center. The same coloured walls, the same small kitchen, and the living room down the hallways. The only real difference was that there were only three rooms instead of the usual six or more. When Bassie got off the elevator and made her way inside, she nearly jumped out of her skin as she looked into the kitchen.
All four Christmas toons were in the middle of lunch. Coal was sleeping at Bobette’s feet, the Christmas main wearing her pjs and a cup of hot cocoa in her hand. Ginger was at the table with a fork in hand and some leftover spaghetti on her plate. (Bassie remembered vaguely of Rudie telling her that Sprout was making them food so Ginger didn’t have to cook all the time.) Rudie himself was playing with his food and pushing it around his plate. All toons turned to look at Bassie with a haunted look in their eyes and a long frown on their faces. Their eyes looked hollow and though the bags under them weren’t deep, they were very, very obvious.
Clearly they didn’t want her here. “I’m so sorry, I’ll just come back another time!” Bassie said quickly and spun on her heels to get the hell out of there.
“Bassie, wait.” Rudie called out. Bassie paused, slowly turning back the table. Rudie had perked up, his gaze no longer piercing into her soul. “Do you need something? There’s no way you came all the way here just to see us and dip.”
“Oh, uh, well-” She couldn’t help but glance at Ginger and Bobete again, who were still giving her the glare of death. “Are you sure I’m not interrupting something?”
“No?”
Bobette shook her head. “We’re just having lunch is all.” She said, her tone much softer and a stark contrast to her harsh expression. Ginger nodded along.
“Oh really?” Bassie asked, pulling on her basket handle. “It’s just that everyone looked so angry when I walked in so I thought-”
“I’m not mad.” Rudie said, looking at Bobette and Ginger. “Are you?”
“No.” Bobette said, taking a sip of her hot cocoa.
“I feel fine.” Ginger replied softly. “Just…tired.”
Rudie turned back to Bassie with a smile. “Just the isolation messing with us, we don’t mind you being here.” He said.
Of course. She was literally an event toon herself, she knew damn well that during off season her face looked a bit...offputting. She chuckled nervously despite herself. “Ri-right, of course! Why wouldn’t I know that, I’m an event toon myself!” Though the looks the toons were giving her now weren’t scary, they definitely wanted to make Bassie dig a hole and never come out. It was time to get to the point before she embarrassed herself further. She cleared her throat. “Ahem, so I came here to ask if you three were coming for Easter.” Coal huffed, glaring at Bassie with one eye. “All four of you, I mean.” Bassie corrected herself. Coal grunted and closed her eyes again.
“When Gardenview was open, we never got to see each other's events before.” Bassie continued. “I was just thinking it could be a fun experience for you guys if you come…not that you need to of course! I know it may be too much since it’s off season and all…” She trailed off, eyes flickering to each toon. Though, her eyes were mostly on Rudie.
Bobette put down her mug. “Easter is a week from now, right?” She asked.
Bassie nodded. “Yes, it's not far from now.”
Rudie put a hoof to his chin, eyes closed in thought for a moment before opening them again. “I’ll be there!” He said.
Bassie’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. “R-Really? You don’t need to push yourself if you’re not feeling well.”
“I should be fine by the time Easter comes around.” He smiled warmly at her. “I’ve always been hearing about how Easter is and I can’t wait to see it for myself with you!”
With you. With…her. Heat rose to Bassie’s cheeks. “Y-yeah, you won’t regret it. I promise! I’ll, uh, see you then!” Bassie said.
“Bye Bassie!” Bassie turned, a slight skip to her step as she walked to the elevator. As Rudie looked back to the table he found both Bobette and Ginger giving him a look. “What? Is there food on my nose?”
Bobette scoffed. “She clearly likes you bro.” She said, calmly sipping her coffee with a smug grin.
“WHAT!?!” Rudie exclaimed, his ears going straight up in the air as he choked on his food. Ginger chuckled softly. “No she doesn't! She was just inviting us is all!”
“Inviting you. She didn't even wait to see if we were going.” Bobette chuckled at Rudie’s annoyed face and red tipped ears. She turned her head to Ginger. “Maybe we shouldn't go so Rudie and his girlfriend can have some alone time.” Ginger’s smile got bigger as Rudie fumed. If he didn't have fur on his face, it would be a bright tomato red.
Ruide huffed, falling back into his chair. “You guys are both delusional. We’re just close friends. Friends. Nothing more nothing less.” He said matter of factly.
“You would look nice together though~”
“Shut up!” Bobette chuckled, only annoying Rudie more. Everyone always said Bobette was so sweet and so kind, but they didn’t know the true Bobette. The one that attacked him oh so brutally with snarky comments about a girl that definitely was not crushing on him. He didn’t even like her back that way! Yes he had been pushing himself a tad bit more to hang out with Bassie more often, but that wasn’t new. He always did it with friends when he was out of season. Though lately, it was more with Bassie than anyone else. And lately he had been feeling all bubbly near-
He pushed the thought down, as well as Bobette teasing in his mind. Surely, it didn’t mean anything. He just wanted to get to know her more.
Surely.
~🌸🧺❣️🦌🌸~
The week went by fast. Suddenly, Easter day was upon the toons of Gardenview.
Bassie was on the Easter floor, the bigger one of the two and in her usual flower dress. She was on the lower half of the floor, walking around and checking everything before going up to the Lobby to announce the start of Easter. Well, Dandy would announce it, as he always did for every event since the center closed. He just loved to have all those eyes on him. After that, everyone would come down here and start egg hunting. Then there was painting and crafts. To end off the Easter activities for the day, everyone would go down to the main floor kitchen to eat.
There was no need to check. She had already done a lot of checking the day before. However, going upstairs where there would definitely be a crowd was less than satisfactory. She had time. She could wait a bit, perhaps check one last time to calm down her nerves. This event needed to go well. If not, then it was proof enough she wasn’t fit for the job.
She was never too fond of these floors as they had fake grass and plant life. It was so unlike the Garden floor, an abandoned project of Delilah’s.
The Garden was a rather interesting floor. The grass there was real, unlike the fake plastic ones on the other floors. There were plants, mostly flowers, of all shapes and sizes here. Some grew in pots. Some grew into the ground itself. But the main attraction was the huge flower patch in the center. And of course, who could forget about all the butterflies. All of this was made possible by the lights on the ceiling that did just enough to mimic the sun to grant life. There was going to be a greenhouse too, though it never got built. Not like Bassie’s minded, as it let the butterflies roam free.
It was supposed to be a floor to teach kids to treat plants with care. Though due to the closure, the Garden never had a chance to be seen to the world. It had taken Bassie weeks to get rid of all the weeds, dead plants, and nurture the survivors back to life. Nowadays, Bassie had put it upon herself as the caretaker of the Garden. Since rarely anyone came here it was a perfect place to isolate. The butterflies were the only company she never got tired of. She often wondered what toon would have fit this floor best. Flutter seemed like the best option, hence the butterflies. Maybe it would have been another Easter floor.
Now that she thought of it, had Rudie seen it yet? Did he even know it existed? She doubted he did, considering it had been abandoned weeks before the closure and him being a Christmas toon. She didn’t know it existed either till Dandy randomly brought it up in conversation with her one day. She needed him to go see it, she just knew he would love it! Although, it would be hard to plan a time since they were from different events…
Events. Her event, happening in about thirty minutes. The first one after the center closed. She swallowed and tried to push down her fears. She would be fiiiine. No one else knew she was going to be replaced and not living up to the role of a main.
Well, anyone that didn't notice the Cocoa plushies overwhelming hers and lacked the brains to connect the dots.
Bassie paused at a shelf next to the main staircase of the floor. She slowly took a Cocoa plushie off the shelf, turning in her hands. She couldn’t even be on her own floor without being reminded of Cocoa, and honestly? She couldn't blame the founders for picking Cocoa as her replacement. Bassie knew she failed at everything she did. All the mains seemed to be good at something while she was good at nothing.
“Bassie!” Bassie jumped, loosening her tightened grip on the plush. She turned to see Rudie dashing right at her.
“EEK-” Bassie squealed out as Rudie stopped just short of crashing into her, his nose inches from her face. He gave her a sheepish smile and pulled away, rubbing the back of his head. “Whoops, almost miscalculated the distance there.” He looked her over. “Are you okay?”
“Y-yeah…” Bassie said slowly, taking a deep breath to calm down her suddenly very fast beating heart. Their faces had been so close…Bassie cleared her throat, trying to find her voice again as she looked at Rudie. “What are you doing here? The Easter event starts soon.”
“Oh I know, but I wanted to see you and couldn’t find you anywhere. So I asked Cocoa and she said you’d probably be here.” Rudie said. He then did a little twirl and pointed to himself with a hoof. “And here I am!”
She smiled softly. It was hard to stay upset when Rudie himself was a ball of sunny energy. Meanwhile she always felt like some dreary rainclouds. “I’m just making sure everything is ready for Easter.” Bassie replied softly. “You could have just waited till I came up, you know. You didn't have to search for me.”
Rudie gave her a look, his head tilted slightly and making his ears flop a bit. It was cute, honestly. “Why not? You’re my friend and I wanted to see you!”
“Really?”
“Really.” His smile fell. “Is something bothering you?”
It was like Rudie’s words had stabbed straight through her. Bassie quickly composed her, plastering what was hopefully a believable smile on his face. “M-me? Of course not, it’s Easter! It’s my season, why would I be worried about anything!”
“I didn’t say that you were.” Rudie said, an amused smile on his lips. Shit, he got her there.
Bassie chuckled loudly, a nervous sound. “Well for your notice I’m fine. Perfectly and wonderfully fine. Mains don’t get nervous about their own event.”
“Now you sound even more suspicious.” His smile dropped, becoming a bit more serious. “We can chat for a bit if you-”
“I said I’m fine!!!” She snapped, making Rudie flinch and his ears drop for a moment. If she was feeling worse before, she was feeling terrible now. “I’m sorry…” She sighed, sitting back onto a nearby bench. “I didn’t mean to yell at you like that.”
Rudie watched her for a moment before joining her on the bench, hooves on his knees. He didn’t say anything at first. Bassie couldn’t look him in the eyes, only staring at the Cocoa plush in her hands. Eventually he did break the silence. “So, what’s up?” Bassie opened her mouth and closed it again. What if he said her worries were stupid? What if he laughed at her? Hell, what if he agreed that they were right for wanting to replace her? The words stuck in her throat, refusing to come out. “Bassie,” She felt a hand, well, hoof, on her shoulder. Bassie looked up and was met with soft eyes. “I’m here for you, whatever it is. Promise.”
Oh how she could stare into those eyes forever and get lost into them.
Bassie broke eye contact, staring at the Cocoa plush again. She sighed. Looked back at Rudie. He was still there, patiently waiting for her to speak. “Before the center closed, the founders were thinking of replacing me.” Bassie said softly, looking back at the plush. “Delilah thought I was too dependent on others and that I wasn’t fit to be a main toon. Their replacement for me was…Cocoa.”
Rudie’s brows furrowed. “Does she know?” He asked.
Bassie shook her head. “I ripped up their note about it and didn’t tell anyone. Since Gardenview shut down, it never happened.”
Rudie nodded, looking around the center. “That would explain the Cocoa plushies…” He said to himself. Bassie winced. So it was obvious to everyone she was going to be replaced. She wondered if anyone else knew. Did people talk about it behind her back? Did they agree? “Well if the center is closed, then you don’t have to worry about it anymore, right? I doubt the founders are coming back anytime soon.”
“I know but…I can’t stop thinking about it. If they thought I needed to be replaced, that meant I failed at my job as a main. The very thing I was built for. And…I think they may be right. Compared to the others, everyone else is just better than me.”
“Sprout is so kind, caring, and a great cook.” Bassie continued. “He’s also a wonderful leader when he takes charge during runs. Then there’s Vee! She’s so smart and runs an entire game show all by herself! I don’t really like Astro but…I know how sweet he can. And Shelly? Shelly seems to always know the right words to make anyone feel better again. Bobette is always cheerful and so enthusiastic about her season. Gourdy is funny and is already so capable for someone his age. And Cocoa?” She chuckled darkly, squeezing the plush so tightly it looked like she was suffocating the poor thing. “She’s just so helpful! Everyone can rely on her!” Realizing what she was doing she loosened her grip, staring at her hands in horror. She…she didn’t want to actually hurt Cocoa. But she didn’t like her at the moment either. She quickly put the plush to the side, sitting it next to her. “Meanwhile…I’m the one who usually needs help…” She sighs once more. “If I am good at something, it wasn’t enough for the founders to have confidence in me.”
“Well I’d say you’re good at a lot of things.” Rudie said.
Bassie scoffed. “Which is?”
“Let’s see…being you, hosting this entire event,” He gestured to the floor around them. “And, well, being my friend.” He gave her a small smile. “And I’m sure everyone else thinks you’re great too!”
“If only all of that was enough for the founders.” She replied softly, looking back at the Cocoa plush.
Ding.
Bassie jumped, turning to the elevator. The toons were here already. She thought she had more time…did Dandy make the event start earlier than intended? Rudie looked at her for a moment, then stood up. “Why don’t you egg hunt with me?” Rudie asked. “Today is Easter afterall, your special day! You can’t just be sitting in the corner here all day!”
Bassie stared at him. “I know where every egg is hidden on this floor. I don’t want to ruin the fun for you…”
He shrugged. “Just don’t tell me where they are.”
“But I’m supposed to watch over the event-”
“I’m sure no one will mind seeing you join in on the fun too!” Before Bassie could say more he had grabbed her hand and pulled Bassie to her feet. “Come on, let's go!” He took a basket from the table as well and ran to the field with Bassie in tow.
The elevator yawned wide and all the toons of Gardenview spilled out of them. Toodles was dragging Gourdy with one hand, eagerly pointing to an egg she just spotted. Flutter flew up to one of the higher points of the map, tossing an egg down to Flyte. Glisten teleported to an egg, holding it up triumphantly for all those to see. Bassie even saw Ginger and Bobette. They were looking much more eager than last week, their eyes bright with excitement as they stepped onto the floor for the very first time.
She also saw Cocoa, watching everything with a proud look on her face that made Bassie want to vomit. She then ran off deeper into the floor. “Hey, do you think there’s an egg here?” Rudie asked. Bassie turned from Cocoa and to where Rudie was pointing at. It was a bush.
Bassie blinked slowly. “Uhm…maybe?”
He gasps. “So there might be an egg here, right?”
“Yeah?”
“And you’re sure there isn’t one here?”
Bassie paused, gears turning in her head as she thought over the question. “Uh, yes?
“So there is an egg here!” He quickly pushes his head into the push and comes out with a bright blue egg clutched in his hooves. “I found my first egg!” Rudie exclaimed giddily, holding it up like a trophy.
“You tricked me.” Bassie said, annoyed. Rudie turned to her with a sly grin.
“Nu uh, all I did was ask you!” He replies back teasingly with a chuckle. “Don’t worry, I plan to actually look for eggs!” The egg slipped around in his hooves for a moment before he put it in his basket. “Now on to the next one!” He heads off in another direction, dashing a short distance ahead of Bassie. Bassie rolled her eyes. How does one find so much excitement in egg hunting? Regardless, she followed suit. This was much more interesting than watching from afar.
As toons spread among the floor Rudie went from egg to egg, finding the ones in the more obvious spots first. “There’s one, and another and another-OOO!” He spots a brightly coloured green egg peeking out of a tree, held up by some low hanging branches. He jumped up and grabbed it. Eggs jiggled in his basket but none fell out. “And don’t you think I didn’t see you little egg!” Rudie said with a giggle, stuffing it into the basket with the rest of them. He turned to Bassie. “This is so much fun! It’s like hide and seek but with eggs!” His eyes were sparkling and his tail was wagging from his excitement.
Bassie smiled softly. “Yeah.” She replied. It was rather amusing to see Rudie get so excited over something she's seen time and time again. Seeing him get happy over something she contributed to made things even better. Bassie looked around. Toons were collecting eggs and showing their spoils to friends. Eclipse was using her strong sense of smell to try and track some eggs with Ribecca. Eggson was chatting to Dyle, the elderly egg showing Dyle one his finds. (She was surprised Dyle out of all toons was here.) Pebble and Coal were racing towards an egg, both balancing baskets on their backs as they ran. “Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves so far and we still have the egg painting after this.” She said out loud to herself.
Rudie turned to her, jaw open. “There’s more stuff to do after this???” He said, dumbfounded.
Bassie chuckled. “Yes, there is more stuff. Those eggs you are collecting are just plastic with candy inside them. For egg painting, we will be painting on clay eggs.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” He grabbed Bassie’s hand again. “Onward to egg painting!!!” Rudie practically dragged Bassie up one of the side stairs and to the benches. A few toons were already there, baskets put aside to paint their eggs. Scraps and Goob were putting their paw prints onto their eggs. Shelly was with Tisha, making a dinosaur themed egg. (To no one's surprise.) Meanwhile Finn was making his egg look like Barnaby, showing it to Vee with a bright smile. Rudie let go and sat down in front of an egg, spinning a clean paintbrush on the tip of his hoof. “So what are you going to do?” He asked.
“Oh, me?” Bassie said.
“Yes you silly.” Rudie replied teasingly as his paintbrush fell off his hoof and to the floor. “Shoot-” He leaned down to pick it up.
“Y-yeah, of course…” She stared at the egg in front of her. She usually did the same patterns for eggs when new ones were needed (as they tended to use painted eggs from previous years) but this time she didn’t have to do that. Bassie couldn’t remember the last time she had painted an egg just for…fun. “What will you paint?” She asked, turning to see Rudie holding a paintbrush in his hooves.
He looked at her, then back at the egg. “Hmnn…” He tapped his left hoof on the table as he thought it over. “You!” He smiled at her brightly.
Immediately her cheeks went red. “W-what? Why???”
“Why not?” He said with a chuckle, booping the spot between her eyes with the back of the paintbrush. “Don’t worry, I’ll make you look like the best egg ever!” He grabbed some brown paint and pulled it back towards him.
“Oh, okay then.” Bassie replied back slowly, looking down at her egg.
“What are you gonna make?” Bassie watched as he squirted some brown paint into his white plastic paint palette, the thing worn with stains of past painters. He then grabbed some pink and purple paint, squirting them blobs into his palette as well. He got to painting, dipping his brush into the brown and making a stroke across his egg. His tongue stuck out in concentration as he painted. It was cute, she decided. All of his little actions were. When his head tilts slightly when he’s confused, when his tongue sticks out when he's focused, when his tail wags when he’s excited, all of them.
Aaaand she was staring at him and had yet to answer Rudie’s question. Bassie abruptly snapped back to reality and quickly stared back at her egg. “Oh, uhm, I’ll do you too! Since you’re doing me! If you don’t mind, I can always think of something else-”
Rudie looked up from his work. “Yeah I don’t mind silly. I’m sure it will look great!” His ears then perked up. “Hey, what if we don’t show our work till after we’re done painting? So it’s like a surprise?”
“Sure.” Rudie smiled and put his basket between them in a way so it blocked his egg from view, but he could still see her face. He then looked back down at his egg, tongue out again in concentration. Bassie turned to her own egg, picking up her paintbrush and holding the egg in her left hand. Bassie examined Rudie, taking in his features. She wanted to get everything right, starting from his hoofs and ending at his majestic candy cane antlers. Once satisfied that his image was burned into her memory, she got to work.
~🌸🧺❣️🦌🌸~
“Okay let’s show our eggs at the same time!” Rudie said, hiding his egg behind his basket.
Some time had passed since Bassie and Rudie had sat down to begin painting. By now everyone had finished up their egg hunt, each and every egg having been found. Most of the toons were painting, making their own artistic creations. The ones that had finished painting were eating candy and chatting among their friends.
In all, the atmosphere was a calm one. Shrimpo, the guy who hates everything and anything for a living, was locked into painting an egg in his image. Sprout and Cosmo had been chomping on candies as they went to make final preparations for the food.The calmness was only broken by Yatta, who was trying to eat the egg to Looey and Blot’s dismay. (as she thought it was one of the chocolate kinds) Rudie and Bassie had just finished their eggs, carefully handling them as the paint was still wet.
“Okay.” Bassie said, getting her egg ready to be seen. She hoped it looked good. She had many years of painting, but it wasn’t something she did on a daily basis like Brusha. Besides, all she’s done up to this point was make simple and basic patterns, not something nearly as complicated as the deer in front of her.
Complicated…it was funny to think of him as that. Lots of time she’d overhear others call him the single minded toon obsessed with Christmas to the point that he thought it was everyday. At first she had easily believed it, but knowing him better he was much more than just Christmas. He was everything to her.
She often wondered if he felt the same, but that was silly.
Rudie began to count. “Three, two, one….go!” Rudie lifted his basket and put it besides him on the bench. Bassie’s egg was much more detailed and refined, while Rudie’s looked more of what a child would draw. “Awee, yours look so much better than mine!” Rudie said, peering to look at Bassie’s egg more closely. “I didn’t know you were such a good painter!”
A soft blush came onto her face at the compliment. “Thanks…” Bassie replied softly. “Yours looks good too.”
“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.” Rudie said with a huff, putting his elbow onto the table and resting his head up with his hoof.
“No no I mean it! It was made with the heart, so even if it’s not that good it still means a lot to me.”
Rudie paused, the ear tips becoming a tomato red. “Oh-well, uh, you can have it once it's dry!”
“Really?”
“Yeah! Think of it as a…a…” He tapped his hoof on the table. “very early Christmas gift! Or like, just a gift from a friend! Hmm….yeah that makes more sense.” He turned to Bassie. “Once it’s dry I’ll give it to you.”
“In that case, I’ll give you mine too. We can exchange eggs.”
“Great idea!” Rudie said, picking up his egg. “Let’s go put these to dry.”
“Mhn.” Bassie picked up her own egg and followed after Rudie. They put their eggs to dry on some racks with the others. “We should go and eat, it’s lunch time afterall.” Rudie nodded, both picking up their baskets of eggs before heading to the elevator. As they walked other toons followed after them. Dandy was yapping to Astro. (Though it was hard to tell if the latter was listening) Squirm was with Brightney, the lamp helping him to stop crying. The duo split from the other toons, taking one of the side staircases instead.
“So, how are you feeling?” Rudie asked.
“Hhmn?” Bassie said, looking back to Rudie.
“Like, feeling better?”
“Well…I did have fun. It was nice to talk to you during egg hunting. Painting eggs was fun too.” She then paused, looking around at everyone ahead of them down on the lower floor. She took in their bright smiles, their baskets filled with goodies and the light chatter they made. “Everyone is so…happy.”
“And you did all of that.” Rudie said, gesturing to all the toons around them. “Yes you had help, but you planned all of this and made it happen.” His voice became gentle as he stopped at the railing. “Look, I don’t know why the founders wanted to replace you. Maybe they were right or putting too high of an expectation on you, but whatever the case that doesn’t matter now.” He gestures to all the toons ahead of them. “The toons here think you’re great for the job, like I do. And the present is all that matters right now ya know? The past is in the past now.”
“I know that.” She said a bit snippily. “But…I can’t help but think about it from time to time.” She leans against the rails of the staircase next to Rudie, looking out to the floor below. “Do you…really think the toons loved Easter?” She then said softly.
Rudie nodded eagerly, his ears bouncing up and down. “For sure! I know I did! This was my best Easter ever!” He paused, putting a hoof to his chin. “Well it was my first Easter, but still the best!” He said with a bright smile on his face. “Just look at all of their happy faces!”
“Yeah, I can see that.” Bassie replied with a soft smile on his own. She wished his words would suddenly make all her worries on the matter disappear. Although, they did soothe those voices in her head a bit. The toons here had enjoyed themself and so did she, surprisingly. Maybe…maybe she was good at being a main. Maybe she was being too hard on herself. Maybe the founders were wrong. She then pushed those thoughts away for now. It was something to think on later. “I’ve always been supervising Easter for as long as I can remember. It’s been awhile since I’ve participated in the holiday myself, or enjoyed it all.” She turned to Rudie. “Thank you for showing me what Easter is really about.
Rudie looked at her, a soft smile playing on his lips. “Of course Bassie. I should be thanking you too. All I’ve known is Christmas. It’s nice to do something non Christmas related for a change.”
“So that means we’re even then.”
Rudie chuckled. “Yeah, you could say that.”
The two of them looked back out towards the Easter floor. More toons walked down to the elevator. Teagan was laughing at one of Rodger’s jokes. Soulvestor was rolling his eyes as Gigi and Connie giggled at him. Poppy was speaking with Boxten by the elevators, Boxten nodding along to whatever Poppy was saying. She even saw Brusha picking through the eggs in her basket, opening one and eating the treat inside with a small smile. Everyone had a basket in their arms, some of them eating the candies like Brusha was. It was nice to see everyone enjoying themselves because of something she did.
It took Bassie a hot minute to realize that Rudie was leaning against her, his head against her own. It took everything in her power to not react and keep her composure. If you could call a very bright-red-tomato-mess “composed.” What-what was she supposed to do? Tell him they were touching? Then what? It’s…it’s not like she minded his touch, let alone wanted to separate. His fur was so soft, like the cozy grass filled with flowers in the Garden…
“Do you want to go somewhere else after this?” She whispered, worried about ruining the moment. “Just the two of us?” If he was still up for it, it would be the perfect opportunity to show him the Garden she loved so dearly.
“...Yes.” He let out a content sigh, closing his eyes. The response surprised her. She was expecting him to break away, but instead he stayed here with her. She also stayed, despite her increasingly burning face. Those actions had…implications. Implications about their entire relationship that Bassie would gladly push aside to wonder about later. But for now?
She could stay like this forever.