AN: WHOOP WHOOP NEW MATERIAL FROM ME
So, the Imagine oneshot a day thing is now taking a back seat due to the fact that I have a full time job now (I worked 6 days this week, so fanfic has been pushed to the side)
THAT BEING SAID - ever since watching Beauty and the Beet the first time this idea has been plaguing me so I finally bore down to write it.
It's actually spoiler free, with the exception of a small spoiler for the Silly Song - however, that bit was released in the sneak peak of said Silly Song...so...yeah. Enjoy!
Beauty and the Beet was at least a week into production at this point. The new actors and actresses had adjusted well to Big Idea's kooky atmosphere, as they soon found most of them fit right in. Between a take, Mirabelle's hair was starting to look limp. While she insisted it was no reason to take a break, Bob soon reminded her that her hair would go from flat to volume back and forth in the scene if they didn't fix it.
Petunia quickly came to remedy the situation. "Don't worry." She smiled while combing, teasing, and hairspraying the younger vegetable's hair with a quick and confident ease "It'll take two seconds."
It took, of course, closer to ten minutes. But they were ready to shoot again.
As they set up the scene, Mirabelle turned to whoever was standing next to her – as it so happened, this was Larry – to comment "She's real sweet, ain't she?" while nodding in Petunia's direction.
Larry followed her gaze, only to sigh dreamily as he replied "Yeah, yeah she really is."
"She ever act?" Mirabelle questioned, now curious about the woman.
Larry nodded, telling her "Yeah. She's done quite a few shows, actually. She's always great."
"Aww…" Mirabelle cooed. "It's awful cute how much you love her."
Well, that was unexpected. Larry's eyes bugged out of his head. "What?!" he cried shrilly.
"You and Petunia." Mirabelle replied, as though it should be obvious. "I just think it's pretty adorable how you just put your feelings for her on display like that."
Laughing nervously, Larry corrected her "Well…I wouldn't…ya know…say it like that."
"But you love her." Mirabelle stated, though her tone was confused. "Doesn't she know you love her?"
"Could you keep your voice down?" the cucumber tried in vain.
Suddenly, everything clicked for the sweet potato. "Ohhhh, I get it!" she declared, nodding sagely. "You've never told her, have you? Well, I don't see what the big deal is. Just go up to her and tell her! I'm sure she won't mind. I mean, she loves you too, right?"
"I wouldn't be so sure." Larry answered quickly and seriously.
Mirabelle raised an eyebrow "Well, why not? I mean, you love her. You so love her. All you gotta do is walk up to her and say 'Hey Petunia I love you and we should totally have little half cucumber babies'. I really don't see why you're making such a big deal out of it. She's probably just been waitin' for you to say it first!"
Sighing, Larry broke down to explain. "Look, Mirabelle, Petunia and I…we're just friends."
For the first time since Larry met her, Mirabelle was at a loss for words. She stared at him for a good thirty seconds before ultimately deciding "That doesn't make sense."
"Unfortunately," the cucumber sighed "It makes perfect sense."
Mirabelle one again opened her mouth to protest, but the shot was set up and they were ready to film. She dropped the subject for the rest of the day.
The following day, however, was a different matter entirely.
They had wrapped the scene where Larry and the Veggietones check into the hotel, and since that was such a long continuous scene, they decided to cut the new actors a break to focus on getting the silly song done. After all, they had kept a ridiculous amount of cucumber extras around for a week, it was high time they got to do something.
As Larry came back in his changed costume, he smiled at the sweet potato as he praised "By the way, great work today, Mirabelle."
"Aw, thank you." She smiled kindly. "And I'm excited to see you do the silly song. Archie told me you're playing three different parts! I can barely play one!"
"Aw, don't say it like that." Larry smiled. "You do excellent at the one character. I've just played so many characters here playing three in one song isn't that big of a deal."
Nodding Mirabelle added "Well, especially when there's another huge deal involved."
"What huge deal?" Larry asked, honestly oblivious.
"Oh! Well, I guess it isn't actually that huge of a deal since you and Petunia are just friends and all…" the sweet potato trailed off, eyes on the floor.
"What's the huge deal?" He tried again.
"You know." Mirabelle tried. "You've got that kissing scene. With that cucumber girl who isn't Petunia. But if you're just friends I can see why it isn't a big deal, but it doesn't explain why Petunia's so against it…" she rambled.
Petunia was against this? That was news to him. "Wait, I don't understand." He tried, shaking his head. "What's going on with Petunia?"
"I don't know!" Mirabelle cried in frustration. "That's why I said it didn't make sense yesterday! She's totally fine and happy most of the time but the second anyone mentions the silly song she's outta there faster than you can say Mac n Cheese!"
Larry's eyes flickered around the room. Mirabelle was right. Petunia was nowhere to be found. Andhe knew she had been there five minutes ago. He distinctly remembered thinking about how pretty her hair looked in the particular lighting they used on set. "Tell the guys I'll be a minute…" he mumbled distantly, hopping off to the break room.
And there she was, just like he knew she'd be. Sitting in the corner, sipping a steaming beverage from an off-white mug. Her head popped up quizzically. "Shouldn't you be filming the silly song?"
He nodded, moving towards her. "Uh, yeah, I…" he paused. He really had no excuse. "…just needed a breather."
Petunia took another sip from her mug, before nodding slightly and stating simply "I can appreciate that."
He was quiet, for a moment. As was she. And then, before he could stop his mouth, he found himself gabbing "If you're uncomfortable with me kissing Maria I won't do it."
The rhubarb's expression changed instantly, but yet, it was unreadable. He instantly felt like an idiot, and now he sounded like he was full of himself. He hated himself. How could he be so stupid?
Cracking through his silent dread, she replied simply, her voice even "You don't have to do…or not do…anything because of me."
There was a newfound weight in the room. The silence was heavy. He processed her words forwards and backwards. He had no idea what to make of them. There was a strangeness to the situation – one that Larry was finding that he didn't like at all. "…I…" he tried. She glanced up at him, her crisp color of her eyes making him feel just a little bit giddy, despite the truly awkward conversation. He sighed, defeated. "Petunia…you know…you're still the only girl I've ever kissed. And I'd be okay keeping it that way."
"There's going to be actresses after me." She replied so quickly that he didn't have time to blink.
He looked at her, trying to catch her gaze once more, smiling lightly as he did. "Well…yeah. But none of them are going to be you."
Petunia blinked, muttering "I don't understand." Just under her breath.
Larry's smile was small, but crisp and bright, as he quietly and happily explained. "I mean…I guess….I like you, Petunia. A whole lot. And…and I don't want to kiss other girls if I don't have to."
The redhead nodded, swallowing slowly, eyes darting to her mug, and then back up to the cucumber as she all but whispered "I don't want you to kiss other girls ever."
"Maybe…" he tried, his voice slow and shaky. "Maybe…if you want…if you'd let me….I won't have to?"
Understanding, she nodded, a huge grin slowly taking over her face as she stood up, tilted forward, and softly placed her lips against his.
Larry later decided he'd figure a way out of kissing Maria in the silly song. At the moment, the only thing he was deciding was that Petunia now outranked even chocolate in his favorite tastes, and as far as he was concerned, he'd be happy if this was the only thing he tasted for the rest of his life.