Gustav Gloom and the iPhone.
A Fernstav One-shot
Written for my HAPPY BIRTHDAY JELSALOVER3 tribute!
I'm sorry, I know I said I would wait until the series was over but I JUST COULDN'T TAKE IT. I also got a review from a guest saying he/she really wanted some Fernstav!
So here it is. This is set 4 years after the end of the series I guess, and I didn't include Gustav's dad because I didn't know how it was gonna turn out.
GGatIP
"It's an iPhone," 14 year old Fernie What explained to her best friend when he looked at the gift like it was from another dimension.
Gustav Gloom eyed it suspiciously. He, the What family, Mr. Notes, Fluffy the Dinosaur and Great Aunt Mellifluous sat in the busy, newly renovated parlor, exchanging gifts for a thing the What family called "Christmas."
"What does it… Do?" Gustav looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. Even battling Lord Obsidian must have seemed easier than this to him. Fernie sighed and took the phone from him, turning it on.
"You told me awhile ago that you couldn't call anyone because the house had no phone. So I got you one." She typed in the password, 4567, and got to the home screen. She had already set the wallpaper to a black backdrop, explaining that he could change it to whatever picture he wanted later.
Fernie the explained to him how to text, call and take photos and videos. To show him how to do it, she took a picture of the two of them. Gustav didn't smile of course, but there was a hint of one in his eyes.
"Thank you," Gustav said once he had figured it out. Fernie smiled.
A little bit later she saw Gustav switch his background to the picture Fernie had taken of them.
…
Fernie was walking back to her house to use the restroom (she was too afraid to ask Gustav where the one in his house was) when she got a call from her own iPhone. It was Gustav.
She was about to say hello when-
"So, what's going on between you and my sister?" She heard her sister Pearlie ask. The phone must have been on speaker.
"There's nothing 'going on' between us Pearlie. We're just friends," Gustav said. Fernie felt a weird pang of disappointment at his words.
"But do you like her?" Pearlie pushed.
Gustav sighed. "Of course I do. But why would she, a child of light, want to be with me, a halfsie boy who can't step foot outside his own yard?"
Pearlie sighed in what must have been happiness. "I knew it!"
"Keep it down!" Gustav hissed. "Your father looks like he's almost done with his lecture about the dangers of embroidered pillows."
Pearlie sighed. "Fine."
Fernie's eyes widened. She was so distracted that she tripped over her own front step."Aww, NERTS!" she shouted.
"What was that?" Gustav asked.
"Oh no," Pearlie said. "Your phone wouldn't happen to be in your back pocket, would it?"
"Why is that so important?"
"Because I think Fernie just heard our whole conversation."
"WHAT?!"
"Yeah… I guess we should have warned you about butt dialing."
"Well how do I turn it off?!"
"Here." There was a fumbling.
"Oh so you press the"- The conversation cut off. She must have hung up.
Fernie picked herself up off the ground. Gustav Gloom… Liked her?! She quickly went inside, used the restroom and went back out.
She'd have to face Gustav again.
Once she was inside the huge Gloom Mansion, she sat down with her family and friends. Gustav wasn't meeting her gaze. Pearlie looked delighted.
Gustav pushed a gift towards her. "I didn't get to give you mine."
Fernie thanked him and opened the gift. She gasped. Inside the box was a blue teardrop of a gem with a fiery red center hanging from a thin cord.
"It was Penny's," Gustav said quietly. "I thought you might like it."
Fernie knew Gustav was touchy on the subject of his- umm, the woman who would have been his mom, so this was a big step for him. A lump formed in her throat. "I love it," she said. "Thank you." She scooted over and threw her arms around him.
By then, Gustav had gotten used to hugging, and had altogether decided they did more good than bad. He finally knew what to do with his arms, which he wrapped around Fernie.
When she pulled away, Fernie thought she saw the corner of Gustav's mouth flick up.
…
Hours later after they had had dinner (The What sisters managed to get Gustav to try a bit of everything- he liked it all) and played a bunch of games, it was time for the What family to go.
Fernie stood at the door with Gustav, saying her last goodbyes. "I'll be back tomorrow for snow ball fights, snowmen, and snow angels," she promised.
Surprisingly enough, snow had fallen everywhere, including the Gloom Mansion. Fernie and Pearlie had spent most of the day teaching him how to do all the important things of a snow day. Surprisingly, Gustav had suits meant for the cold. Who knew?
Behind her, Fernie could hear her sister giggle. Judging by their earlier conversation, Fernie knew that only meant one thing… She looked up and growled.
Mistletoe.
Gustav looked up. "What," he said, "is that?"
Fernie sighed. "Mistletoe."
"Which is…?"
"During Christmas it's a tradition that if two people meet under the mistletoe, they have to kiss."
"Umm…" Gustav's eyes flicked from side to side.
Fernie sighed. "Ok, I have a confession." She inched closer to Gustav, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I like you too."
Fernie closed the distance between them and placed her lips on his. Since it was his first kiss EVER, she went gentle and slow. Gustav's arms hesitantly wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. She was really surprised when he actually started to kiss her back.
When they pulled away, Gustav frowned. Actually, legitimately frowned. "I really don't"- Fernie let out a shushing noise to stop him.
"I don't care," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. "I like you just the way your are. Halfsie boy and all."
Gustav was awkward with his movements, but he managed to lower his head to kiss her once more. Fernie sighed and eagerly responded.
"You know," Fernie said between kisses. "If I didn't know you, I'd think this WASN'T your first time kissing a girl."
Gustav might have responded if it wasn't for the camera flash behind them. Fernie whipped away from Gustav, staring at her older sister. "PEARLIE!" she shouted.
"I'm sorry!" Pearlie said. "I couldn't resist!"
Fernie sighed. "I should probably go. See you tomorrow?"
Gustav nodded. "Can't wait."
And for the first time since anybody on Sunnyside Terrace could remember, Gustav Gloom's smile split his face in two.