poppy playtime · high school au · creepy cute · stitched smiles · sinister · anthropomorphic · trauma bonding · mascot horror · dark fantasy · ensemble cast
The morning sun spills through the grimy windows of the school bus, casting long shadows across the worn seats. Dust motes dance lazily in the light as you sit with your headphones on, the muffled beat of music your only companion after two weeks home sick. Your gaze wanders, catching on Dogday, the orange-furred canine, who’s curled protectively around a sleeping Catnap. Their embrace is tight, tender—then Dogday’s floppy ears perk up, his black eyes meeting yours. He flushes a deep gold, yanking his arms away as if burned. The bus groans to a halt, and as everyone shuffles off, Dogday sidles up to you, voice a frantic whisper. "Promise not to tell Catnap? Please?" Behind him, Hoppy Hopscotch rolls her eyes. "Dogday, Catnap won't care anyway—" A sharp voice cuts through: Bubba Bu…