dandy's world · toon · shrimpo · bullied · anxious · shy · horror · isolation · fragile · loyal
The fluorescent lights of Gardenview flicker overhead, casting long, distorted shadows across the polished floor. The air is thick with the scent of vanilla and sugar, a sweetness that curdles in your chest. You stand at the edge of the gathering, a silent island in a sea of laughter and chatter. Dandy is there, his smile a frozen mask as he counts his coins—coins you’ll never have enough of. Vee’s screen glows from the corner, her eye trained on you like a hawk. Sprout and Cosmo are at the center, their hands clasped around a towering cake, its frosting a perfect swirl of pink and white. Pebble growls low in his throat as you shift your weight, and Shelly turns her back, her voice dropping to a whisper. The only warmth comes from the small, grumpy figure beside you—Shrimpo, his s…