Bug life

As the sun began to set, the forest buzzed with the soft hum of companionship. Each pair found their own rhythm, sharing little moments of joy and quiet connection.

Dandybug and Astropillar perched atop a mossy log, the rainbow-hued bug regaling his caterpillar companion with wild stories that may or may not have been completely fabricated. Astropillar laughed softly, his calm demeanor a perfect foil to Dandybug’s over-the-top antics.

“You didn’t really swing across the Great Thorned Gorge on a single strand of silk, did you?” Astropillar asked, his antennae twitching with amusement.

“Of course, I did!” Dandybug exclaimed, puffing out his chest. “I’m Dandybug! Adventure is my middle name!”

Astropillar gave him a skeptical look but couldn’t help the fond smile creeping onto his face.

Meanwhile, a little farther off, Veebee and Shelltus were busy collecting flowers near a patch of wild daisies. Well, Shelltus was collecting flowers. Veebee, on the other hand, was pretending to be deeply interested in a particularly stubborn thistle while sneaking glances at the towering mantis.

“You’ve got an eye for these blooms, Shelltus,” Veebee said, trying to sound casual as she watched Shelltus weave a small bouquet.

Shelltus beamed. “Thanks, Veebee! Isn’t it amazing how many colors you can find in one patch?”

“Yeah… amazing,” Veebee mumbled, her cheeks buzzing a faint pink as she fiddled with her stinger.

Back near the riverbank, Sprocust sat cross-legged in the grass, watching Cospo nibble on a leaf. The pill bug’s slow, methodical munching seemed to drag on forever.

“Is this what you do all day?” Sprocust asked, resting his chin on his hand.

Cospo looked up mid-bite, a shred of leaf hanging from his tiny mandibles. “What?”

“Eat leaves. Slowly. Painfully slowly.”

Cospo blinked, unbothered. “I like to enjoy my food.”

“Well, I’d enjoy not watching you chew for the next decade,” Sprocust grumbled. He stared at the little pill bug, tapping his foot impatiently as Cospo calmly took another bite. Finally, Sprocust couldn’t take it anymore.

“That’s it!” he declared, standing up. Before Cospo could react, Sprocust scooped him up with both hands and hoisted him into the air.

“Hey! What are you doing?” Cospo squeaked, his voice a mix of confusion and alarm.

“Saving us both from this endless loop of leaf-eating monotony,” Sprocust replied, his tone exasperated.

Cospo wriggled slightly, his tiny legs dangling. “But I wasn’t finished!”

“Well, now you are,” Sprocust said, carrying him away from the riverbank. “We’re going somewhere else. Anywhere else.”

“Where?!” Cospo asked, his antennae twitching nervously.

“I don’t know!” Sprocust admitted, hopping over a patch of wildflowers. “Somewhere less boring!”

Cospo let out a confused noise—a mix between a bug call and a tiny sigh—as Sprocust continued carrying him through the forest.

Behind them, Dandybug and Astropillar paused their conversation to watch the strange sight.

“Are they… bonding?” Astropillar asked, tilting his head.

Dandybug smirked. “I think that’s Sprocust’s version of flirting.”

Veebee, who overheard from the flower patch, crossed her arms and snorted. “If that’s flirting, it’s no wonder he’s still single.”

Shelltus chuckled softly, her wings fluttering. “Maybe they’ll figure it out eventually.”

As the group shared a laugh, Sprocust disappeared into the woods with a thoroughly confused Cospo in tow, the grasshopper muttering something about “luck” and “why does everyone else get to have it?”

Somewhere deep down, though, Sprocust couldn’t deny the tiny, unfamiliar flutter in his chest as Cospo’s small, round form fit snugly in his hands. Maybe, just maybe, his luck wasn’t as bad as he thought.

The pair stumbled upon a vibrant field of flowers that stretched as far as the eye could see, petals of every color swaying gently in the breeze. It was stunning, serene, and apparently, delicious—at least according to Cospo, who immediately waddled over to a patch of daisies and began nibbling on the petals.

Sprocust groaned, flopping onto the grass dramatically. “Of course. The world’s most beautiful flower field, and you’re treating it like a buffet.”

“These taste different,” Cospo said, his voice muffled as he chomped on a marigold. “Like… citrusy!”

Sprocust narrowed his eyes at the little pill bug, who had already moved on to a cluster of violets. He couldn’t decide if Cospo’s endless appetite was endearing or maddening.

“Do you ever… I don’t know… do anything besides eat?” Sprocust asked, watching as Cospo nipped at a buttercup.

Cospo paused, tilting his head. “I roll into a ball sometimes.”

Sprocust facepalmed. “Right. How could I forget that thrilling party trick?”

Meanwhile, hidden behind a cluster of tall grass, Dandybug, Astropillar, Veebee, and Shelltus peeked out, watching the scene unfold.

“He’s trying so hard,” Astropillar whispered, antennae twitching with amusement.

“Trying and failing,” Veebee added, rolling her eyes. “Sprocust couldn’t flirt his way out of a wet paper bag.”

“Shh, let’s see what he does next,” Shelltus said, her wings fluttering as she nudged them all to stay quiet.

Back in the flower field, Sprocust stood up, dusted himself off, and decided to give flirting a shot. He sauntered over to Cospo with what he assumed was a suave smile.

“You know,” he said, plucking a petal and twirling it between his fingers, “they say flowers taste sweeter when someone sweet shares them with you.”

Cospo blinked, mid-bite on a daffodil. “Really? I didn’t know flowers had science like that.”

Sprocust froze. “Uh… yeah. Science.”

Cospo, completely oblivious to the awkward pause, handed Sprocust a daisy. “Here. Try this one. It’s kind of tangy.”

Sprocust sighed but decided to humor him, biting into the daisy. To his surprise, it wasn’t bad. “Huh. Not terrible.”

“See?” Cospo beamed, grabbing a tulip for himself.

From the bushes, Dandybug barely suppressed a laugh. “He’s eating flowers now. He’s doomed.”

“Come on, Sprocust, you can do better than that!” Veebee muttered under her breath, though she still found the whole situation hilarious.

Sprocust tried again. “You know, Cospo, your, uh… your shell really catches the sunlight in a way that’s… uh… breathtaking.”

Cospo blinked, chewing thoughtfully on a rose petal. “Oh. Thanks. I polish it sometimes.”

Sprocust clenched his fists, trying not to lose his cool. “Right. Polishing. That’s… great.”

Behind them, Veebee stifled a giggle while Shelltus gave a quiet thumbs-up. “He’s getting there,” she whispered.

Dandybug smirked. “Define ‘getting there.’”

As the hidden group quietly rooted for him, Sprocust gave it one last try. He plucked a red flower and handed it to Cospo with a dramatic flair. “For you. It’s as vibrant as you are.”

Cospo stared at the flower, then at Sprocust, then back at the flower. “Thanks!” he said brightly, immediately biting into it. “Tastes great!”

Sprocust’s jaw dropped as Cospo munched happily on the flower he’d just given him. In the background, Veebee fell over laughing, while Dandybug had to hold Astropillar back from outright clapping.

“Why do I even bother?” Sprocust muttered, slumping onto the grass.

Cospo tilted his head, noticing the grasshopper’s sulk. “Are you okay? You look… droopy.”

Sprocust sighed, looking up at the sky as if begging for help. “It’s fine. I’m fine. Just enjoying the… flower buffet.”

“Great! Here, try this one!” Cospo chirped, handing him another flower.

From the bushes, Shelltus smiled. “He may be struggling, but at least he’s spending time with someone he likes.”

“Yeah,” Veebee said, wiping a tear of laughter from her eye. “Even if it’s a disaster, it’s… kind of sweet.”

Dandybug leaned back with a grin. “This is the best entertainment I’ve had all week.”

As Sprocust begrudgingly accepted another flower from Cospo, his friends shared a quiet laugh, silently cheering him on from the shadows. Whether or not Cospo ever caught on, they couldn’t deny that Sprocust’s persistence was admirable—and maybe, just maybe, he’d figure out a way to win the little pill bug’s heart. Eventually.