Sprout was alone for the longest he can remember. He pushed himself always to do his best in any task. Yet this new friend Shelly introduced him to may change his mindset for the better.
WARNING THIS STORY HAS PHOBIAS⚠️
-Nyctophobia: fear of the dar...
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Sprout was in the middle of a busy rush hour, the kitchen was chaotic, and orders were piling up. Despite his best efforts, he kept making mistakes and had to remake several dishes. Just as he thought it couldn't get any worse, a customer at the front started to get frustrated with the slow service. Sprout could feel the weight of the workload and the pressure to keep up starting to take a toll on him. The stress was making it even harder for him to concentrate on preparing the food correctly.
Despite all the growing stress, Sprout tried to keep a positive mindset. He took deep breaths, reminding himself that he was capable and that the rush would eventually pass. However, as orders continued to come in and the pressure grew, it became increasingly difficult for him to stay positive. He knew he had to remain focused and find a way to manage the chaos around him.
Shelly walked into the kitchen and immediately saw the whirlwind of activity. Sprout was dashing around, frantically making orders as the kitchen became increasingly chaotic. The once tidy and organized space had now become a frenzy of pots, pans, and ingredients flying everywhere. Shelly approached Sprout, who was clearly overwhelmed and struggling to keep up.
Shelly noticed the overwhelmed look on Sprout's face and approached him with concern. She gently touched his arm and asked, "Sprout, do you need any help? You look like you could use an extra pair of hands." Despite the obvious signs that he was struggling, Sprout shook his head no, refusing help. He looked tired and overwhelmed but stubbornly determined to handle everything on his own. "I'm fine," he said, his voice strained. "I can handle it. Just... just need to keep going."
The day seemed to stretch on endlessly as Sprout worked himself dry. It was as if time had slowed down, and the rush-hour felt like it would never end. The kitchen was a whirlwind of activity, and Sprout was running on sheer willpower and determination. He tirelessly served customers, prepared food, and tried to keep up with the never-ending stream of orders. By the time closing time finally arrived, Sprout was completely exhausted, physically and mentally. The thought of the approaching weekends gave Sprout a small comfort.
He knew that tomorrow was a day off, and that meant he would finally get some respite from the nonstop hustle of the kitchen. The thought of a day of rest and relaxation rejuvenated him, even if it was just a little. As he began tidying up the kitchen, a feeling of relief washed over him. As he began to walk to his room he unwrapped his scarf from his neck and put it on his bedside table before crawling in bed and lying down to go to bed.
The next morning, Sprout opened his eyes to the sight of the sun peeking through his curtains. It was the day of rest he had been waiting for. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, feeling a mixture of exhaustion from the previous day's toil and a sense of relief that he could finally relax. With a smile, he slowly sat up and stretched, savoring the feeling of having no pressing duties to attend to. Sprout yawned widely, the remnants of sleep still clinging to his eyelids.
He could feel the tension and fatigue from yesterday slowly fading away as he took in a deep breath. It was a rare moment of peace, and he loved it. The thought of the free day ahead filled him with contentment, knowing that there was no kitchen to tend to, no orders to prepare, and no stressed-out customers to deal with.
Sprout swung his legs out of bed and stood up, feeling the cool morning air against his skin. He stretched again, relishing the feeling of being able to move without the rush of the kitchen. After a long stretch, Sprout picked up his scarf, wrapping it around his neck like a comforting embrace. Sprout made his way to the bathroom, where he picked up a toothbrush and brushed his teeth.
When he got done brushing his teeth, Sprout exited the bathroom and aimlessly wandered around his room as he pondered what to do with his day off. Sprout decided to pay a visit to Shelly. He knew that she was always eager to share her vast knowledge of dinosaur facts, and the thought of indulging in some cookies was too tasty to pass up.
Sprout makes a quick stop in the kitchen to grab a few dinosaur-shaped cookies. They were her favorites, and he knew that Shelly would love the cookies. With the cookies safely stored, Sprout left his house and began walking towards Shelly's room. As Sprout approached Shelly's room, he could hear the sound of her animated voice inside. He could tell she was talking to someone as he approached the door. Sprout was about to knock on the door when it suddenly opened, revealing Shelly on the other side. She had a warm smile on her face and said, "Sprout, I was expecting you."
Sprout smiled back at her, his expression relaxed and cheerful. "It's great to see you too, Shelly," he said. "What have you been up to today?" Shelly replied "I'm just talking to someone I wanted you to meet." Sprout peeked inside the room, curious about the person Shelly wanted him to meet. "Who is it?" he asked curiously.
Sprout's eyes widened as he saw the pastry toon before him. His curiosity piqued, he studied the pastry toon's features, taking in the details of his attire. The starry sprinkles on his face, the colorful hoodie, and the striped socks all captured Sprout's attention. Shelly noticed Sprout staring at Cosmo with a mixture of fascination and curiosity. She spoke up to introduce them, saying, "Sprout, I'd like you to meet Cosmo. Cosmo, this is my good friend, Sprout." Shelly smiles and turns to leave, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I'll be back soon," she said. "I'm going to go grab my dinosaur books from the library. You two get familiar in the meantime."
The two stood before each other, their eyes locking in a moment of initial quiet. They extended their hands towards each other for a handshake. At the exact same time, they spoke, introducing themselves in unison.
"I'm Sprout."
"I'm Cosmo."
A brief moment of silence lingered, filled with the suppressed laughter of both Sprout and Cosmo. Unable to contain the amusement any longer, they both started giggling, the synchronized introduction having been a humorous unplanned moment. Once they had sat down on the couch, their laughter slowly subsided. Sprout looked at Cosmo curiously and decided to ask a few questions. "So, Cosmo," he began, a hint of intrigue in his voice, "How long have you known Shelly?"
The question hung in the air as Sprout waited for Cosmo's response. He leaned comfortably against the couch, his eyes fixed on the pastry toon with a mix of curiosity and eagerness to learn more. Cosmo, with a friendly smile, replied, "I've known Shelly for a little while now. We met each other in the library one day when she was reading a book about dinosaurs, and I accidentally knocked over a stack of books. I was looking at baking books."
Upon hearing that Cosmo was interested in baking, Sprout's eyes widened with excitement. The realization that they shared a common interest had him sitting up straight, his interest clearly piqued. He leaned forward slightly, an eager question forming on his lips.
"Wait, you like baking?" Sprout interrupted, his voice filled with a mix of surprise and enthusiasm. He looked at Cosmo with a growing sense of shared understanding, his eyes sparkling with eagerness. Cosmo smiled, his own expression warming at the realization of their common interest. He nodded and said, "Yeah, I love baking. It's one of my favorite hobbies. Especially making pastries and cakes." The conversation naturally moving towards their shared passion for baking. Sprout's smile widened as they talked about their favorite aspects that they loved about baking.
Shelly entered the room and saw Sprout and Cosmo deeply engrossed in their conversation about baking. They didn't even notice her entrance at first, too engaged were they in discussing their shared passion. A warm smile crept onto Shelly's face as she watched Sprout and Cosmo animatedly talking about baking. She stood quietly for a moment, not wanting to interrupt their engrossing conversation.
She was happy that she had introduced Sprout to someone who shared a mutual interest in baking, allowing them to connect and have an engaging conversation. After a few moments, Shelly decided to speak up, finally breaking into the conversation. "I see you two have been getting along well," she remarked with a knowing smile. Shelly's words startled the two, causing Cosmo to jump and lose his balance. He fell over with a surprised yelp, while Sprout couldn't help but burst into a fit of laughter, falling over himself in the process. The sudden commotion filled the room with a mixture of surprise and amusement. Even Shelly chuckled softly at the sight of Cosmo tripping and Sprout rolling on the floor laughing.
