What a Merry Way to Rot. (Cosmo/Sprout)
How .. How long has it been by now?
Days blurred together, seconds that ticked by seemed to last for hours on end. The mere thought of how long it had been since .. that made his stomach turn.
It hadn't been easy. Only a few toons remained, the others had been picked off and turned into these twisted and distorted versions of themselves.
And Cosmo had fallen victim to that.
It was always hard having to wave off another friend or toon he cared about. He only kept pushing for Cosmo, someone who he had loved dearly. Someone who he would wake up next to, someone who would hold him in such a warm embrace that it felt like he belonged there. Someone who would poke fun at him for some of his mistakes, joke around all the time. Someone who held him during the toughest of times, letting his tears stain the others clothes as he gripped onto him so dearly.
All of that, all of that was gone.
He laid on the cold bed that was once something the two shared, the side That was once warm and full of life, had become cold, it lacked the life that made him excited to get up each morning. It made him feel sick to even be here. It wasn't the same with him. It wasn't easy to sleep anymore, it wasn't easy to feel relaxed. His muscles felt tense each night, and there was no one to tell him it was ok. That he needed to calm down and just relax. There was no more of that. None.
It was all gone.
His eyes felt heavy as he looked at the Polaroid photos that Cosmo loved oh so dearly. Outside of baking, Cosmo loved photography. The other loved to take photos of the two together, or photos of the area surrounding him. He flipped through them. His heart weighed more in his chest as he did so. Though he could've sworn it stopped for a second .
He shot back up. Hunching over as he gripped onto a photo tightly. Like someone was gonna pry it away from him if he didn't. His hands shook, his heartbeat picked up as he struggled to breath.
"He's officially mine <3 4/26/.."
The last numbers were smudged-- it didn't matter though. It was the photo he took when they had finally gotten together. Sprout with a huge smile on his face as tears fell from his eyes. Holding a cake shaped like a heart. It was the day he got to call Cosmo his boyfriend, and the day Cosmo got to call Sprout his. He stopped breathing. As a small hic left him. Before another did- and another. Before eventually his breathing was completely staggered. Quick and uneven breaths filled the room as tears swelled at his eyes. Soft and quiet sobs left him as tears rolled down from his face, landing onto the photo. He held it close to his chest.
Maybe Cosmo would come back
Maybe this was all a bad dream that he couldn't wake up from-- maybe Astro is just playing a cruel joke on him !!
But that wasn't the case.
Astro was long gone by now.
It was real. His boyfriend had become one of those things. The very monsters he made sure they were wary of avoiding. He wailed as he held onto the photo dearly. His chest rose up and down rapidly, as the photo crinkled from his grip. He couldn't care though. His beloved Cosmo was far gone by now- and he would never be able to see him again. It hurt, it hurt so much. The familiar pain in his stomach returned as he simply just shook in the once shared bed.
Yearning for the others touch once more, to tell him it was ok, that it was ok to feel like this, that it was ok to cry. But he wasn't gonna get that. Not anymore.
⋆.˚ ★—
The photograph of the two hid snugly in the crook of his scarf. Dandy had requested Sprout to go down in hopes of finding some sort of supplies for the few toons that remained. The elevator hummed as he leaned against the wall. The elevator that was usually full of chatter and other toons felt, was silent. The only noise being the humming of the machinery, he sighed as he tightened his Apron, struggling to tie the two bits of cloth that hung from it. Cosmo usually helped him with. Usually jabbing at him for not knowing how to do it on his own. He gave up after some time- his apron falling loose as the two strings dragged on the ground. The elevator dinged- the door opening in front of him as he slowly stepped out. The sudden slam of the machinery caused him to flinch.
The place reeked of ichor. It was everywhere- it stained the floor, the walls- it seemed to seep from places where it shouldn't. His tail dragged on the floor as he made his way around. Look behind shelves, benches, anything to see if he could just find- something.
He found nothing.
He sighed in defeat. It seems they had run this place dry of any and all resources .. he'd need to find another place- one that wasn't crawling with the deformed bodies of the toons he once called his friends. He shook his head as he turned around, seeming to drag his feet back to the elevator. It was hard to keep standing, to keep doing anything. There was no one by his side to keep him company and tell unfunny jokes that he couldn't help but cackle at.
He missed that.
He missed how the serious task didn't always feel so serious and dreadful. It felt more like memories made rather than a tedious task. He missed basking in the warmth of the other. He missed the one he had once loved.
.. He still loved him though, he still loves him
His thoughts couldn't last for long, as he heard the floorboards creak under footsteps that weren't his. Someone else was here.
He quickly spun around, adrenaline rushing through his veins as he did. His heartbeat increased, he didn't know what or who to expect- nor did he know what to do when he confronted them. There was a scowl on his face. Like a dog ready to bite at the hand that hurt them.
Though that was short lived . His scowl disappeared as his eyes softened. He could've sworn his heart skipped a beat. Was this real?
The once toon that stood before him was his lover- Cosmo. God he looked horrific. Something that should've made him turn back around and run- scream with terror as it chased him down. But.. he didn't. He stayed anchored into the ground, frozen even. The other stared blankly at him, the eyes that were once filled with love and adoration- were replaced with a sick feeling of dread, and confusion. He reeked of ichor, his arm seeming to be the most affected by it. It seemed heavily deformed, the side of his head not seeing much better. But he couldn't care about that. He didn't care about the others' looks.
It was Cosmo. It was really him.
And almost on instinct, his feet began to move. Carrying him to his lover- as he practically pounced on him. His arms wrapped around him as he clung onto him for dear life. Tears streamed down his face as a mix of laughter and sobs crept out of him. His knees felt weak, his body felt faint, If it wasn't for the support of the other- he would've buckled over.
"Oh Cossie- It's, it's you!! It's really you- I knew you would come back to me- I knew you would!!"
His voice was broken, a small smile on his lips as he squeezed the other tightly. He wanted to hear Cosmo talk- say something- just anything!! .. though all he got in response was a low rumble sound and a blank face. Surely he didn't forget him- surely the ichor didn't make him forget!! They did everything together- even before dating!! .. Cosmo didn't forget, he would never! He .. promised
He buried his face into the crook of Cosmos neck, his tail wagging as he did. Like watching a lost dog reunite with its owner after all of these years. He desperately clung onto Cosmo. Draining his eyes of any tears he had left- he could've sworn his head would've popped at this rate. He knew this was just an empty vessel of Cosmo. This wasn't the Cosmo he knew, not the Cosmo he loved. He choked on his own spit, it was getting hard to breathe.
He felt the cakerolls arm slowly wrap around him. It was cold. It didn't feel sincere, it felt .. wrong. It didn't feel like, him. His claw-like hand dragged along his back, making Sprout shiver as he did.
This wasn't Cosmo.
This wasn't his Cosmo. This was far from it
He didn't want to believe that though. He felt the pastry's claw dig into him. Ripping the back of his clothes, sinking the ichor covered claw into his skin. Dragging it down as it only sunk deeper. Sprout winced at the pain, he wanted to scream. It burned. It burned in ways he couldn't describe- like being torn apart. Though, he didn’t .. mind it. He could feel a warm liquid dripping out of his back. The claws of the cakeroll only sinking deeper. He choked on his own sobs again. He didn't wanna move. He came in contact with the tainted ichor- it was already game over for him.
He wouldn't mind being with his Boyfriend again. No, Not at all.
Even if he did forget who he was. He would always be with him.
Forever.