multifandom oneshots for all of my ships

•masquerade {part one}• (shreddie- fred jones and shaggy rogers)

*high school a.u. i guess? they are just regular teenagers, no mysteries, no talking dog*

shaggy sighs as he takes a couple of hits of his bowl. he was nervous. he didn't want to go to this dance, but he knew how much velm wanted to go. she thought that this was her "last chance" to ask out a girl she's liked since 8th grade. i mean, they were graduating sort of soon. they were halfway through their senior year. velma was too nervous to go alone, though, and, as their best friend, what else was he supposed to do?

he looks back at his clear patio doors as he hears a small whine. "i'm coming, scoob," he laughs, taking another long hit from his bowl before standing up and making his way back inside. he leans down, petting his great dane puppy on the scruff of the neck, before changing into the outfit velm had helped him find at the thrift shop over the last few days.

shaggy did not understand why the dance had to be a masquerade. "it's romantic!" velma had exclaimed when shaggy dared to ask while they were outside smoking during lunch one day. "okay... and what exactly makes it romantic? it's just, like, impractical," shag responded lazily. "it just is," velma had laughed, causing shaggy to roll his eyes.

shaggy straightened his jacket in his mirror, "how do i look, scoob?" he looked at the pup in the mirror. scooby was currently trying to get on shaggy's bed from the floor. however, he stopped when he heard his name called and rushed over to shag, barking up his leg. he leans down to pick the puppy up, "i'll take that as a 'you look handsome, shag'." he places the pup on the bed, scratching behind his ear, before grabbing a masquerade mask that velma insisted that he wear. "don't have too much fun tonight, scoob," shaggy calls on his way out.

"like, that outfit is really doing something for you, velm," shaggy calls as velma steps out their house. she walks toward shaggy's small car, but stops, in her tracks, glaring, as her mom pops out the front door. "you're not trying to leave without me getting some pictures, are ya, kids?" their mom yells, barely decipherable through her thick new york accent. velm throws shaggy an annoyed grin before slowly turning on their heels, "you know we aren't mom!" velma makes a 'come on' gesture and shag climbs out of his car, all gangly limbs and awkward angles.

"okay, smile!" "mom, oh my god," velma is obviously annoyed with their mother's incessant photo-taking, flash and all. "okay, okay, just one more," ms. dinkley says, "velma, just plant a lil' kiss on shag's cheek." "mom, i've told you a million times that shaggy and i aren't da-" "aren't dating, i know, i know," her mom interrupts her, rolling her eyes, "i just want a couple of cute photos, okay? sue me." "don't tempt me," velma says, unamused. velm sighs deeply, before gingerly placing a kiss on shaggy's cheek. her mom all but squeals, snapping a picture and, finally, the pair were on their way to the dance.

"i am so so nervous," velma says from shag's passenger seat, over the softly playing music. "velm," shaggy says, taking his eyes off the road for a couple of seconds to flick them over at velma, "i know you are nervous, but, like, it's now or never." "i know, i know," she breathes, rubbing her hands up and down her legs, "i literally don't even know if she's going to be there." "if she isn't there, it'll just be me and you. that's not so bad, is it?" shaggy jokes, lightly knocking his best friend with his elbow. velm laughs, shaking their head, before humming along with the music, their leg occasionally bouncing in time.

"wow, i can't tell who you are at all," shaggy sarcastically quips to velm as they put on their masquerade masks. "oh shut up. it's romantic, okay?" velma reaches up to push shag's shoulder, "now let's go." "like, let me escort you," shaggy puts on a fake accent, looping his arm in velm's before guiding them inside. "oh my god, she's here," velm whisper-yells as they enter their school gym. "well, go get her," shaggy says, before unlooping their arms. "now?" velm asks incredulously. "that's what we're here for, right?" he steps back and gives his visually nervous friend a small push. "you can do this, velm. i'll be waiting here for you," shaggy smiles, leaning against the crackly cement walls. he watches as velma slowly makes their way through the crowd to were daphne is stood, talking to her friends.

"hi," shaggy hears someone speak up near him. assuming that they aren't talking to him, he continues to watch velma interact with daphne. he hears someone clear their throat, pulling his attention away from the pair. "hey... you," says the same voice as before. shaggy searches for the source before his eyes land on fred jones, standing in front of him. "uh, me?" shag points to himself, cocking an eyebrow. "yes, you," fred answers, with a smile. shaggy briefly wonders if velma was right when they said that the mask hides your identity. fred jones, an engineer-in-the-making, was smart, but pretty oblivious when it comes to social interaction. shaggy has had exactly one (1) conversation with fred before this moment and if he had to rank the most awkward interactions he's ever had, that one would be in the top 7, at least. all of that is to say, there is a distinct possibility that fred has no clue that it's shag behind his mask.

fred waves his hand in front of shaggy's distant eyes, "hey, did you hear me?" fred really doesn't want to have to repeat his question. unfortunately, as shaggy is pulled from his thoughts, he shakes his head, "no, sorry, man." fred sighs, "did you want to dance with me?" although his words are rushed, he can see a look of recognition in shaggy's eyes. "you know who i am, right?" shaggy asks, incredulously, before lifting his mask. "yes, shaggy, i know who you are," fred scoffs, before once again asking, "so do you want to dance with me?"

shaggy stops for a second, staring at fred's outstretched hand. his eyes flick to where velma and daphne are standing across the room. they are looking at the two of them with mischievous glints in their eyes. shaggy feels himself blush slightly as velm makes a go on gesture with her hand. his eyes flick back to fred. "it's just a dance," shaggy thinks, placing his hand gingerly in fred's. he sees a flash of relief come across fred's face as he leads them onto the dance floor. shag smiles, amused, looking over to see both velm and daphne cheering. he looks down at fred with a more genuine smile. "this is nice," he thinks as they awkwardly begin to dance.

"i tried to tell you that i can't dance well, man" shag laughs, as he and fred sit at his and velma's lunch smoking spot. "i think your dancing was good... cute. like a baby giraffe taking their first steps," fred smirks, quirking an eyebrow. "hey!" shaggy feigns offense, blushing lightly.

their masquerade masks have been discarded at this point and fred's tie has been loosened. shag wasn't wearing a tie. this is the type of date shaggy prefers. relaxed. no pressure. not that this was a date. or that shag has been on a ton of dates, but nevertheless. "do you mind?" shaggy pulls a joint and a lighter out of his inside coat pocket. fred didn't seem like the smoking type but he shook his head, "no worries." "cool," shaggy nods, lighting it before taking a drag. he offers it to fred. "oh, um..." fred trails off, seemingly unsure. "you don't have to if you don't want to," shaggy offers, "no pressure at all." "oh what the hell?" fred says, taking the joint from between shaggy's fingers. he takes a long drag and shaggy laughs, "okay, okay, hold it for a second." fred manages about 5 seconds before coughing, hard, smoke all but billowing from his throat.

"that wasn't so bad," fred strangles out as he catches his breath. the pair sit for a while longer, smoking and talking and laughing. after what feels like an hour or so, they startle as they hear two voices rounding the corner. "shaggy?" velma whisper-yells, "are you out here?" "you know it, velm," shaggy answers, feeling slightly disappointed at their makeshift "date" being interrupted. "hey!" velm and daphne turn the corner. shaggy smirks as he notices the two holding hands.

"the dance is over and my curfew is soon," velma laments, rolling their eyes. "we should probably get going, then," shaggy sighs, "time to say goodbye, lovebirds." velma and daphne look at their interlocked hands and blush. "give us a few," daphne says, pulling velma back around the corner. "well, i guess..." shaggy turns back to fred, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, "this is goodbye?" "for now," fred says, melancholically. they both awkwardly tap the wall, waiting. "let me know when you are ready, velm," shaggy yells to his best friend.

after a few more long and awkward minutes, he finally hears velma's voice, "okay, i'm ready!" "cool!" he waves awkwardly at fred, "see you around, fred jones." he turns to walk. "wait!" he feels a tug on the back of his coat. "yeah?" shag turns, his heart beat speeding up. fred reaches up, tugging shaggy down by his jacket's collar. "is this okay?" fred asks, softly, his face centimeters from shag's. he nods slightly before he's pulled forward a bit more, their lips connecting. after a few seconds, they pull away.

"call me freddie."