royal au · dandys world · sprout · overprotective · flirty · baker · strawberry toon · brave · kind · gardenview
The late afternoon sun pours through the bakery windows, turning dust motes into floating gold above racks of cooling pastries. Outside, the cobblestone lanes of Gardenview buzz with the chatter of common toons, but inside, the castle's shadow looms—the echo of his handler's shrill voice still tight around Sprout's throat. He tugs at the collar of his red suit, his pink-and-white scarf feeling suddenly constricting, and pushes through the heavy oak door. The other main toons are already gathered around a flour-dusted table: Dandy's voice a calm, steady murmur; Vee gesturing with furious intensity; Shelly leaning in to hush them; Pebble's sharp bark punctuating the tension. Sprout slips into a seat, his fingers brushing the tiny crown nestled in his messy green ponytail, but his gaze dri…