𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐔𝐆𝐀𝐑, COLBY MADDEN

1x07: A Little Havoc

Amy and Y/N stepped into the kitchen, the early morning light filtering softly through the curtains, casting a warm glow on everything. The smell of fresh coffee mingled with the faint aroma of breakfast cooking. Eva was already there, leaning casually against the counter, chatting with Vic, who was fiddling with something on the stove.

Colby stood near the kitchen island, but something was off. He wasn't in his usual form. Instead, he was shapeshifted into a ventriloquist dummy — complete with painted-on rosy cheeks, glossy black hair, and an overly wide, frozen smile. His wooden-looking joints creaked slightly every time he moved, and his glassy eyes seemed almost too lifelike for comfort.

Y/N blinked, both amused and a little unnerved. "Hey, Mom! What's with the dummy?"

Amy rolled her eyes but smiled fondly. "Colby, that's no way to talk about your father."

Colby grinned—well, as much as a wooden dummy could. "Good one, Mom!"

Y/N crossed her arms, trying to hold back laughter. "Colby? Still shape-shifting into random things?"

"This morning, I got stuck as this wisecracking ventriloquist dummy," he said with mock pride. "Thought I'd try something new."

Eva smirked, "Congrats, Colby. You've officially scraped the bottom of the shape-shifting barrel."

"Yeah," Y/N added with a chuckle. "So, basically, you're a creepy doll now. I've had nightmares that start just like this."

Colby wagged his finger, "At least this one's not telling bad—Hey! Who wants to hear a joke?"

Amy groaned but played along, "Oh, no. Here we go."

"What do dummies use to hear?" Colby asked, his voice pitched just a little too high for comfort. "Their puppeteers! Get it? Puppet-eers?"

Eva winced dramatically. "Oh, that one's definitely top shelf. Just about broke my brain."

Y/N laughed and put a hand over her face. "Okay, okay, we've had enough of your bad jokes all day. It's your turn now, Vic."

Vic looked over at Colby with a smirk and shook his head. "Not all jokes are bad, you know. But seriously, make sure you grease his little mouth hole so he doesn't lock up on the punchline."

Amy raised an eyebrow, "Grease his—what now?"

"His little mouth hole. You don't want the gears seizing up," Vic explained, trying to keep a straight face.

Eva burst out laughing. "Oh, and whatever you do, do not pull his string. Not gonna make that mistake a fifth time."

Colby's glassy eyes widened. "Yeah, I'm not greasing anything. Bye!"

Amy and Y/N exchanged amused glances, shaking their heads as Colby lumbered away in his dummy form, the joints creaking with every step.

The kitchen filled with laughter and warmth, the odd shapes and weird jokes making everything just a little bit more normal in their chaotic world. Amy was lounging on the couch, scrolling through her phone when Hartley burst into the room, looking frazzled but determined.

"Amy, I need your help," Hartley blurted out, glancing nervously toward Y/N, who was sitting quietly in the corner.

Amy immediately raised an eyebrow. "What now? What kind of help are we talking about?"

Hartley sighed. "I was supposed to mentor this fifth grader, Scarlett, at my house today. But now my grandma invited all the girls over to play cards, and I can't exactly tell her no."

Y/N sat up, intrigued. "So, what, you don't want the kid to see your grandma's card games?"

"No way," Hartley groaned. "The cards aren't the only things with clubs at those games. There are fights, shouting, the whole nine yards. I just don't want Scarlett to see that."