BFDI AND II ONESHOT BOOK!

Something About Change: Bookpin / Bookcil / Icebook

Different characters come to terms with the idea of change, and how their experiences have shaped who they've become. Book and Pin share two conversations, a year apart, reflecting on what it means to grow and change as a person. Book confronts Pencil, admitting she hates her for refusing to change, while Pen tries to help Pencil understand that change is inevitable and that, with time, things might turn out okay.

Featuring:
BFB 14, TPOT 16 – BookPin interactions
TPOT 17 – Bookcil interactions
TPOT 17 – Pen & Pencil TCOA conversation

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BFB 14...

"It was supposed to be Ice Cube and me against the world. We... We've been together since the very beginning. It was always us. We were a pair, even back in Freesmart, in BFDIA, we always had each other's backs. No matter what happened, we were there for each other. When things started changing, Pencil's attitude, the way the others acted, we promised we wouldn't let anything come between us. We knew we needed something healthier, somewhere safer, away from all that... and we did it. Everything I did was to protect Ice Cube, to make sure she was okay. That's all that ever mattered to me, her safety, and mine. I did it for her... not for myself."

Book's hands trembled as she spoke. Ice Cube had just walked away from her, after all those years by her side, and the sudden shift left her completely lost.

"I... I thought it was about Taco abandoning us. I was scared it would turn into something toxic again, like with Pencil... like how Freesmart made us feel. I didn't want to go through that again, but... I ended up pushing everyone away instead. And now Ice Cube won't even talk to me. It was supposed to be the two of us. I... I don't know if I can do this without her, and I can't even go back to how things were. I have nobody else..."

Pin let out a small sigh, sitting up on the park bench beside Book, letting her get everything out.

"I guess... I kin-da un-der-stand. But... not re-al-ly." She held her hands out in front of her as she spoke. "Who's to say you and Icy won't be friends a-gain? You had a mo-ment, and that's o-kay. Stuff hap-pens. It's what you do af-ter that mat-ters."

She glanced over at Book.

"Gi-vin' her space, givin' her time, that's good for her. Lets her cool off, lets her for-give you." Pin paused for a moment. "Took me a wh-ile to for-give you too. Back in BFDIA, when you and Icy wouldn't swing with me?"

She gave a small shrug.

"I get it now. You were wor-ried you'd get kicked outta this real-ly cool al-li-ance with Free-smart. But now look." She gestured lightly. "You and Icy left it your-selves. So... was it worth it?"

Book sniffled, wiping at her eyes.

"At the time... it felt fun. Pencil and Match weren't perfect, but friendships aren't either. We all got along at some point. It felt like they believed in me, like I belonged... but then it started feeling controlled. I don't even know when it changed. I just knew I couldn't let Icy or myself go through that again. I wanted to protect her from that kind of behavior, and... I think I let my fear take over. With Taco, I panicked. Then... I became the thing I was trying to protect her from. I controlled her. I didn't let her have a voice."

She stared down at her hands, quiet.

Pin followed her gaze for a moment before speaking again.

"Sounds like you al-ready know the an-swers." She said simply. "Just a mat-ter of what you do with 'em now."

Her eyes drifted over to where Ice Cube sat with a different team. Everything felt... off now. Different.

"Stuff like this hap-pens. But if that friend-ship means as much as you say it does... it'll find its way back."