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wreckless-tempestry · 3 days ago

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“May I have this dance?”

Year of the OTP 2025 — January Prompt

Characters: Finn x Shrimpo (Dandy’s World)

AN: WHOO I managed to make this 4.2k words exactly lmao. Anyway euhh this is my first time posting my writing to Tumblr so I hope you enjoy! These two tickle my brain so I dedicated my January to them (and will probably do so again for the rest of 2025 💀). Not sure how many shrimpbowl enjoyers are on Tumblr but pspspsps come out come out wherever you are.

As far as the whole New Years thing went, Shrimpo wasn’t a fan. Maybe other Toons felt the need to make silly resolutions, or claim it was time for a ‘new them’ but not him �� he was already awesome and the best of all Toons just the way he was; there was no need for change! Thus, every January 1st that rolled around was met with Shrimpo’s typical disdain. Clearly such a meaningless date change warranted no means for celebration.

His obviously impeccable logic never seemed to pick up with the other Toons, however, and just like every year Gardenview was hosting a dance that night in the center, with all Toons being welcome to attend. A certain hum of anticipation could be felt throughout the day, with all of Gardenview’s inhabitants bustling about to make sure everything was ready for the big event. Several Toons were helping to set up the final decorations, with Dandy’s supervision, and the rest were getting themselves properly dressed and prepared for the evening.

Shrimpo was… in his room, predictably. He was trying to get in some boxing practice, but it was proving rather difficult to get in the zone when Scraps was loudly rummaging through her closet next door, giggling with her brother Goob all the while. He hated Scraps, he hated Goob, he hated dances, hated hated hated—

“Heya, Shrimpo! You pumped about the dance too?”

Shrimpo’s fist missed the punching bag entirely at the sudden voice behind him, and he whirled around with boiling ire to yell in some idiot’s face — to be met with a familiar gap-toothed grin.

Finn had traded out his usual orange life vest (god how Shrimpo despised that thing) for a white dress shirt and crimson tie, accompanied with slacks that matched the shirt. The cuffs were folded back several times, and those shoes had to be at least 2 sizes too big, yet the fishbowl seemed practically ecstatic. Like staring at a goddamn sun, Shrimpo thought, his previous loathing bubbling down to faint annoyance.

“Your tie’s crooked, dummy,” Shrimpo commented rather than replying, turning back to his punching bag.

“Ack! Come on, Goob, I trusted you!” Finn replied semi-jokingly as he attempted to tighten the offending tie, with little success. Shrimpo sighed in agitation, staring at the bag in front of him for one fleeting moment before reluctantly beginning to take his boxing gloves off.

“You asked Goob to do your tie? That’s the dumbest thing I've ever heard.” Shrimpo snorted as he approached the other Toon.

“Well, it was his tie, and he seemed so happy about–”

In one swift movement Shrimpo grabbed the tie in his hands and yanked the knot upward (albeit perhaps a little too forcefully) so that it rested snugly against Finn’s neck. The boy in question coughed in mild surprise and tugged on his collar slightly. “Are ties supposed to be this tight?” he queried.

“Of course it is! I always tie them right,” Shrimpo boasted, a small smirk appearing on his face as he stepped back to admire his handiwork. No need to mention it was the only time he’d ever tied a tie — surely this was proof enough.

“Well, if you say so,” Finn conceded, his previous grin reemerging. “Thanks, Shrimpo! You’re a big kelp.”

Of course. Shrimpo knew it was too good to be true, to have evaded any aquatic puns for so long. His smirk fell almost instantly. “That doesn’t even make sense!” he answered with a scowl, crossing his arms. “All you did was switch out a letter!”

“I’m running low on material right now, okay?” Finn complained in response. “I’m going out to pick up some more books tomorrow, and then I’ll have a ton of good jokes for you, promise!”

Shrimpo was tempted to retort that all of Finn’s jokes were terrible and he was a menace to everyone around him, but the fishbowl was already backing out of the room. “Thanks again! Can’t wait to see you at the dance!” were Finn’s final words before he scampered off down the hall.

“Huh? Hey, wait—!” Shrimpo was far too late to call out to Finn and explain that he had no intention whatsoever of leaving his room tonight. What, did Finn think he’d be caught dead on a dance floor? Hell no. Besides, with all the other toons up at Gardenview Center, he might finally be able to get a moment of peace and quiet down here.

With an exasperated groan, Shrimpo shuffled over to his bed and flopped down onto the somewhat stiff mattress. Punching the pillow once, he rolled onto his back and stared up at his remarkably unextraordinary ceiling. The hallway outside had quieted down significantly, he realized; most of the Toons must already be making their way upstairs to the dance. “I hate pillows,” he muttered for good measure.

It was at rare moments like these, when there was no one around to berate and nothing to profess his undying hatred towards, that Shrimpo presumed he would have some peace of mind. Usually he did, or at least his thoughts weren’t quite so loud. Today, however, his brain seemed to have different plans. Against his own will, he started to think with purpose, and not only about his hate for remarkably unextraordinary ceilings.

The hall was silent. Everyone else was at the dance. Shrimpo was alone in the dorms. The dance would last a couple hours. He had nothing important to do and a lot of time to fill. Thinking would only last him so long before he didn’t want to anymore. Nobody had any plans of running into him.

Well… almost nobody.

Heya Shrimpo! You pumped about the dance too?

Are ties supposed to be this tight?

Thanks again! Can’t wait to see you at the dance!

Might as well go to bed a little earlier than usual, eh? Not much else to do anyway. He closed his eyes. He could hear the faint buzz of the fluorescent lamps out in the hall. He opened his eyes. He looked at the clock. Four minutes had passed since the dorms had cleared out.

Thanks again! Can’t wait to see you at the dance!

He looked back up at the empty, empty ceiling.

Thanks again! Can’t wait to see you at the dance!

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He walked over to where he had placed his boxing gloves, stared down at them, and turned back around again. Shuffling a little ways, he opened his closet and stared at what little contents it harbored. He closed it, looked at the bed, looked at the doorway.

Thanks again! Can’t wait to–

He slammed the closet open again. The room felt smaller, the silence deafening. The air hung about him like a blanket made to smother.

‘I need to get out of here.’ He whipped around again to make for the hall, then paused. Where to? Hell would freeze over the day anything worth visiting popped up in this hellhole. The food in the cafeteria might as well be garbage, and he didn’t particularly have an appetite at the moment anyway. Stopping by the rooms of other Toons would be weird, not to mention pointless — everyone and their mother was probably at the goddamn…

He stood in the center of his room, breathing out of his mouth and his sights fixed on nothing. He looked up and to the side. Four minutes had turned to seven.

Thanks aga–

He turned, excruciatingly slowly, and glanced back at his closet.

Gardenview Center was, predictably, chock-full with guests. Several were up on the dais in the center of the room dancing to the music being broadcast over the speakers. Others were milling around by the food and beverage stations, and yet others were wandering aimlessly about, whether by themselves or with friends. Finn was nowhere in sight.

Shrimpo stood stiffly in the entryway, hands in fists at his side. The most remotely formal thing he could find was some unlabeled letterman jacket, which he had slung over his regular attire.

“Shrimpo! Glad t’see ya here, friend!” Goob waved at him as he walked past, his sister at his side. He sported an uncharacteristically dignified tuxedo, bowtie and all.

“Shut up!” Shrimpo hissed immediately. “I hate dances and I hate you!” He silently congratulated himself on not completely losing his touch; he still had his fiery tongue after all. Goob gave him a weird look before turning and making his way inside. Scraps gave Shrimpo a dirty side-eye as she passed; he shot her the finger in return.

This is stupid. He whipped around on his heel, fully prepared to take his leave. Why the hell was he here? He had made it abundantly clear to everyone that he wasn't all for such events. Finn would just have to suck it up and deal with it; what sort of imbecile leaves a guy hanging after all but–

A hand grabbed his own from behind him. For the second time that day, Shrimpo spun to shoot a scathing remark at an unfortunate Toon, and was met with the same face.

“There you are! I was waiting for you.” Finn shot him his trademark grin. When the hell would that tooth grow in again? “Not trying to leave yet, are ya? You haven't tried the punch yet!”

“Wh–” Shrimpo was already being all but dragged across the room to the food stations. A couple of Toons glanced at him in what looked like surprise – Shrimpo made a point to glare at them all, despite his slight daze from the abrupt change in plans that was occurring in front of his very eyes.

He blinked, and then he stood in front of a bowl full of some crimson liquid, which Finn was currently ladling into a Solo cup. “Trust me, it’s great stuff!” the fishbowl assured Shrimpo, extending the cup to him. “Teagan was the one who made it, so you know it’s COD-ta be good! Hehehe.”

Shrimpo stared at the offending cup, and the contents of which were the reason his plans of escape had been foiled. Coming back to himself somewhat, he briskly snatched the thing from Finn’s hand, glared at the punch it held within, and downed the thing in one angry gulp. Sweet was the first word that came to mind, though not unbearably so. Tasted sort of like strawberries.

“I hate punch,” he muttered, not with the same bite as he thought it would have. He wondered where all his capability with Goob had gone. All that had changed was the audience, so what was it that kept him from speaking with the venom he knew he was capable of?

“You say that about everything, silly,” Finn chuckled, his eyes glinting in the dim lighting as he helped himself to his own cup. “SHORE-ley there must be something you don’t hate, right?”

Shrimpo was fully ready to counter that it was entirely possible and absolutely true that he despised everything, and maybe Finn should come to terms with that and stop trying so hard – and then all of a sudden they weren’t alone. Skittering towards them was a familiar little runt with a wide smile on her face, Rodger tailing close behind.

“Finn!!” Toodles hopped in place upon reaching them, hands clasped tightly together. Her usual hoodie had been replaced with a remarkably similar dress, except with a lot more unnecessary frills. “Hi hi hi!” Her gaze drifted briefly to Shrimpo, and her facial expression switched to the sort of look bratty little children give you when trying (and failing) to appear aloof. “And you’re here too, I guess.”

“You little–” Shrimpo had the sudden urge to upend the punch bowl over Toodles’ sorry mug, but was interrupted by Rodger’s more even tone.

“I apologize. Toodles, be nice,” he hummed, his one eye half-lidded as always (though he didn’t look too apologetic). “Though I will say I am… pleasantly surprised to meet you here, Shrimpo.” The older man continued on before Shrimpo could cut in. “Finn, I asked Teagan to reserve Toodles and I a table, and she requested that I open an invitation to you as well. It’s… quite a large table for only three.” Glancing at Shrimpo once more, he added, “I suppose you can bring along your company, if you’d like.”

“Really?!” Finn brightened immediately, his smile widening. “Well… gee, I’d love to!” His gaze turned to Shrimpo suddenly, fixing him with his bright, questioning gaze. “Only if you want to as well, though,” he added with a light laugh.

‘What the hell –?’ Why was Finn so adamant on keeping him around? Shrimpo wasn’t dumb; he was well aware that he would not be what other Toons might consider good company or whatever. Even Rodger, who was arguably one of the more level-headed members of Gardenview, seemed somewhat hesitant about extending the offer to him – his sole reason for doing so seemed to be out of politeness for Finn’s sake. The boy could have used this opportunity to slip away and head off to do whatever it is normal people do at a party. Yet for whatever reason, Finn seemed to be completely unbothered by Shrimpo’s demeanor. It baffled the shrimp to no end. And Shrimpo hated being baffled.

“Whatever,” he grumbled after a brief pause, glowering at the floor. Seeming to take this as a yes, Finn took Shrimpo’s free hand once more and proclaimed “Lead the way!” to Toodles, who seemed to have gotten bored of her withdrawn charade and was already beginning to skip off in the direction of wherever the hell they were headed, Rodger close behind and Finn and Shrimpo taking up the rear. The latter got the sense that he would not be arriving back at his dorm for a long while.

Sitting with Rodger and the rest wasn’t… horrible, Shrimpo supposed. Much better than dancing at least, God forbid. He had sort of tuned out the second the rest of the group had moved on from greeting each other, and was now staring off into space with his resting bitch face.

At least Finn seemed to be enjoying himself, Shrimpo mused with a sideways glance at the boy, who was amiably chatting it up with Teagan. The two of them had always had some sort of friendship, with the latter often inviting Finn to some dumb tea party or whatever. What was the point, anyway?— He would just end up drinking water the entire time. Somebody should host a water party instead; Finn would surely all but jump for joy at the—

“Alllright folks!” Dandy’s sunshiny voice echoing from the speakers derailed Shrimpo’s train of thought. Jeez, could he finish one sentence even in his thoughts?! “We’ll be wrapping tonight up with one more song! Everybody, grab a partner or two and head up to the dance floor!” Cheers rose joyously from the crowd, before hands started grabbing other hands and any Toons not already on the dais began to swarm forwards in small crowds. Toodles grabbed the hands of Rodger and Teagan and leaped out of her seat to join the throng, towing along the two chuckling adults.

‘Ugh.’ Shrimpo had never attended one of these godforsaken parties before, but already he could tell that this was his cue to head out. He rose from his seat, empty plastic cup still in hand – only for his free palm to be captured by another.

“May I have this dance?” Once again, Finn’s eyes that seemed to almost sparkle met Shrimpo’s, his hand extended towards him. Briefly taken aback, Shrimpo hurriedly regained his scowl. “Are you kidding me? You couldn’t bribe me a million dollars to go up there.” (If such an amount was actually procured, Shrimpo may have reconsidered, but no matter.)

“Oh, come on. Would it kill you to enjoy yourself, just this once?” Finn’s voice had gotten quieter. “It’s only one song.”

“I hate dances.” The words sounded less convincing then they had the first time around.

“You say that about everything,” Finn answered softly for the second time that night. He wasn’t laughing this time. The room seemed to get a couple degrees warmer.

“I can’t promise you you’ll like it, but better to try now than to be left wondering later, right? I have a feeling you’d be even less satisfied than if you just take the risk and see for yourself.”

People did not look at Shrimpo the way Finn was looking at him now. “I…” Shrimpo scrambled to speak, to refute Finn’s abruptly silken words – what do you care? How can you claim to know how I feel? – and for once in his life found his jaw unwilling to let the words loose.

Why? When any other Toon could have easily left him aside with little remorse, Finn seemed determined to pull him off the sidelines. He didn’t have to invite Shrimpo to the party, nor did he have to extend a seating invitation meant primarily for him to Shrimpo. And most certainly he did not have to invite him to dance. It could have been anybody that Finn invited. So then why him?

Shrimpo did not know. This he could not deny, no matter how much it terrified infuriated him.

The music was starting, sounding as if it were reaching him from underwater. Finn’s other hand reached forward to join its twin, wrapping lightly around the back of Shrimpo’s palm. The twinkle in his eye had become warmer. “Please? For me?”

One other fact Shrimpo was forced to acknowledge: Finn did know him, perhaps alarmingly well. Though his brain urged him to refuse, to play it safe as he always did, there was a nagging little flicker of curiosity that could not be beaten down. It whispered possibilities and queries in his ear, one after the other.

What’s it like to dance? Would people be looking? Would I care? Would I enjoy it?

Would I enjoy it more with Finn?

Finn knew the answer to none of these questions.

But maybe he’d be able to find them out.

“Fine.” His voice was almost a whisper, his gaze set on the ground underfoot. He could almost hear Finn’s eyebrows raise. The silence between them seemed to ring in Shrimpo’s ears.

Had Finn remained quiet for any longer, Shrimpo would have disappeared from Gardenview Center faster than Pebbles could bark, but such a thing was never to happen, for Finn smiled and replied, “Okay.” And then the two of them were walking towards the dais, their hands still intertwined. Shrimpo didn’t know if he felt weightless or even more weighed down than before.

The lights were glaring and the music was even louder and Shrimpo was already having second thoughts, but Finn captured his attention and kept it, and he felt a little more grounded. It took a second of standing and staring at one another to realize that the action of dancing was now a requirement.

“...Um. I might not actually know how to dance,” Finn admitted, giggling sheepishly.

“Are you for real?” Shrimpo quirked one irritated eyebrow, though he found he didn’t feel the familiar boil of anger beneath his skin. It felt funny… not necessarily in a bad context.

“Oh, I’m sure it’s not that hard,” Finn dismissed with a carefree wave of his hand, glancing over at some of the other dancers. “Uh, let me see… okay, okay, I think I get it! Sorta. Just… try to copy me, I guess. Okay?”

Not unsurprisingly, the instinct to make a snappy comment threatened to resurface, but no words ended up leaving his mouth. Instead he watched where Finn was stepping, how he held himself, and he took the same step. And he did it again. And again.

Not once did their hands part.

If other Toons had been looking, Shrimpo hadn't been paying attention.

“Let's give a round of applause to Boxten for helping to assemble tonight's playlist!” Clapping ensued from the crowd, with Glisten grinning and uttering a whoo! The music box in question turned a light shade of crimson and ducked his eyes, though a small smile flickered across his lips. “Thank you all for attending, and have a wonderful rest of your year!” The speakers shut off with a click, and all the gathered Toons erupted in jubilant chatter. Some began to file out, while others lingered around for conversation.

Shrimpo stared at it all, unmoving. He didn’t know how to feel. His naturally angry front seemed pointless to him now, so how should he be instead? His chest felt tight, his head a little dizzy, but the sensation was… certainly not unpleasant.

The warm pressure on his hand tightened slightly, returning his attention to the present. “So?” Finn surveyed him inquisitively, grinning from ear to ear. His eyes were brighter than stars. “Was it okay?”

Shrimpo seemed to be having a bit of trouble with his reaction time, for it took a moment of all but gawking at the other boy before he could muster up a response. “...It… wasn’t bad,” he finally answered.

“Are you glad you tried it?” The two had started ambling out of the center along with the rest of the lingering partygoers, almost without their knowledge.

“...Uh-huh.”

“I thought so.”

Neither Toon spoke for the rest of the trip to the dorms.

“I guess this is where part ways for the night,” Finn hummed as the two paused outside of Shrimpo’s room. The muffled sounds of Toons winding down for the evening could be heard around them.

“Eh? Oh.” Shrimpo had thought the walk would take longer than that, but he supposed he wasn’t in the most capable state of mind to be the judge of such things.

“Well… Goodnight, then. And, uh…” Finn lingered, looking almost uncertain for a moment. “…I had fun, earlier.” Shrimpo’s hand was released, leaving his hand abruptly cold. He tucked it into his pants pocket, feeling an odd sense of loss.

“Um. Me too. I guess,” he added, his usual habits refusing to be fully abandoned even now. A brief pause, in which the two boys stared unblinkingly at each other. Finn had small specks of amber in his eyes amidst the usual blue — like grains of sand, Shrimpo noted.

The silence quickly devolved into awkwardness, so to spare himself from further tension he muttered, “See you tomorrow,” and began to turn towards his doorway.

He felt the faint brush of warmth against his cheek, a single soft breath close to his ear, and when he glanced to the side Finn was already dashing off down the hall, whipping around a corner and out of sight in a matter of seconds. He blinked, then blinked again. The hand that had been occupied by someone else’s moment before now raised to touch his fingertips to the skin.

If he thought about it a little too hard he started feeling weird and fizzy, so he put that train of thought aside, shook his head and entered his room.

Other thoughts quickly rose to fill the empty space in his brain as he took off his letterman jacket. He felt as if something had shifted slightly between him and Finn tonight, though what exactly it had become he could not pinpoint. Should he ask about it, or should he just… know? Or maybe he wasn’t supposed to talk about it at all? Where did they stand with one another now?

Come to think of it, he had never really known what the two of them shared. He had thought that he would naturally be unapproachable with everyone, but a certain someone seemed to not apply to this dynamic the way everyone else seemed to. He found himself acting differently around Finn than he might with other Toons, even if it was but a slight difference — and what had transpired at the dance was decidedly not slight.

But… looking back, although he had certainly felt a little out of place and unnatural, he had felt almost… liberated, in a way. The act of ire came easily to him now with how often he used it around others, but back up on the dais, when the people around him were the last thing on his mind and his only focus was the mimicry of Finn’s steps… he hadn’t felt that uninhibited in years. And, he realized with shock, he wanted to feel that way again in the future.

Which left him wondering:

How many things did he do, did he say, simply because he wanted to?

Perhaps he should save this revelation for another time. He slipped on his sleepwear and rolled onto his mattress, laying in the same position which he was in only a couple of hours before; the high of the night’s events was beginning to catch up to him. His ceiling was still remarkably unextraordinary. He didn’t mind; there were plenty of other, more extraordinary things he could think about instead.

He rolled over to face the wall and shut his eyes. He was out in seconds.

He dreamed of sparkling eyes and a gap-toothed grin.