A/N: Just a 'little' oneshot I wrote up about SpongeBob and what might have happened to him following his humiliation in 'Fools in April'- this is my first SpongeBob SquarePants fanfic, so any advice/ reviews would be appreciated!
...
Gary was reading his favourite book – '1404 Classic Poems for Snails and Worms'- in his master's armchair when he heard the door slam, and his master's sobs echoing round the living room- which was concerning, as SpongeBob loved his job at the Krusty Krab, and wouldn't leave early- he once even came in when he was sick.
So why was his master so upset?
He decided to deduce the problem, like SnailLock Harbour would. SpongeBob had no issues with work, so that was ruled out. Both the sponge's boss and co-worker could drive SpongeBob to tears sometimes- though usually nowhere near as heartbroken or painful as he sounded right now. Gary knew Mr Krabs wasn't that mean to his favourite fry cook- but could something Squidward have said or done been the cause for his master's grief?
Gary watched as his owner threw himself on the couch and bawled tears full of pain and humiliation. His thoughts slowed as he listened to SpongeBob's sobs and gasps. He slithered over, climbed up the sofa and snaked along the sponge's arm before slowly meandering up his friend's back. This was when Gary realised that his master stank of trash- like he had been deliberately dropped or thrown into a trashcan. Nonetheless, he reached SpongeBob's 'shoulder' and snuggled close to the sobbing sponge.
Doing what he knew best (apart from reading poetry and eating cookies) he pressed his body into the poriferan's neck and began to purr comfortingly. His tonal flutterings reached his owner's ears and SpongeBob's yellow, spongy frame began to reduce its shaking in degrees. Encouraged, the snail continued until SpongeBob stopped crying for the time being. Then his master carefully lifted him off his shoulder and sat up in the sofa, before depositing his companion beside him.
"Hi there, Gare- Bear- you're probably wondering why I'm home so early," The poriferan's voice cracked, and he immediately began stroking Gary's shell to regain control of himself. He was dangerously close to crying again, but he wanted to confide in Gary about how hurt and angry he was.
Hurt and angry that Squidward- his friend and neighbour- would do this to him. Trick him into falling for the 'prank'; humiliate him in front of customers; injure his body and his pride badly; and then having the nerve to laugh at his distress.
"Listen, Gary- work today was...well, it...I..." He attempted to explain, his voice wavering into a fine line between coherence and looming sobs. He felt so lost and helpless, causing Gary's eyes to soften.
"Meow?"
Just then, the shellphone rang, making the duo jump, and SpongeBob shot Gary a brief but remorseful look.
"I'm sorry, Gary- I'll talk to you in a minute," SpongeBob told him, reaching across the sofa for the phone and picking it up. Clammy, stinky yellow fingers clasped its smooth purple curve, allowing the rings to dissipate into the silence surrounding sponge and snail.
"Hello, you there, boy?" A familiar, gruff voice asked impatiently, and SpongeBob gasped in shock, pulling the phone to his ear in seconds.
"Hello, sir!" He rattled off. Gary heard Mr Krabs go on about something, which he couldn't hear clearly- but it made SpongeBob sniffle again, so the snail gently nudged his owner's knee with his head reassuringly.
"Well, you see, sir, Squidward... played a really horrible April Fool's Day prank on me..." and quietly began explaining what had happened at the Krusty Krab earlier, causing Gary's eyes to widen in shock and disgust that someone- even Squidward- would act so atrociously- and to someone as sweet and well-meaning as SpongeBob!
A loud, indecipherable bellow rang down the phone, causing the sponge to pale, and beg "No, Mr Krabs, please! Don't fire him, sir!"
Gary gave up trying to listen to what Mr Krabs was saying and instead slithered onto SpongeBob's lap, allowing his anger at the cephalopod to boil inside- he hoped Squidward would get his comeuppance for making his master suffer for a joke!
"Thank you, Mr Krabs, sir," SpongeBob said softly. "That means a lot,"
"No problem, laddie- just mind and get those injuries seen to and I'll see you tomorrow morning," Mr Krabs said gently. Gary heard this loud and clear.
"Okay, bye sir," SpongeBob answered. "I'll...I'll see you tomorrow." He hung up, and looked at Gary.
"Meow?"
"Mr Krabs was just asking what happened earlier and if I was okay," SpongeBob explained wearily, his voice cracking up again, and his eyes refilling with tears. "He also let me have the rest of the day off because of earlier."
"Meow..."
"I'll...I'll be fine, Gary. But what I don't understand is why Squidward humiliated me...he's my friend..." SpongeBob whimpered.
"Meow, meow."
"Gary the Snail! We do NOT use that sort of language in this house! Squidward is my friend!"
Gary hissed at his friend in anger and disbelief that SpongeBob was still sticking up for Squidward- but stopped at once as his master collapsed into the sofa, and he instantly felt guilty. He wasn't trying to upset SpongeBob- but the fact that the sponge was still sticking up for his grumpy, selfish, arrogant and cruel neighbour, even when SpongeBob had been humiliated by him, was getting on the mollusc's nerves.
"Look, Gary- I know that Squidward crossed the line today- but everyone has those times, and I'm sure he didn't mean to go that far," SpongeBob tried to reassure his companion, but he didn't sound like he was convincing his pet- let alone himself.
"...meow..." Gary meowed apologetically- not for what he said about Squidward, but for hissing at his dear master at a time SpongeBob was hurting.
"I forgive you, Gare- Bear." The poriferan sighed.
An eerie silence filled the room- until SpongeBob began to sniffle before bursting into tears again, his face buried into his hands.
Gary remained on SpongeBob's lap, tolerating the sponge's hot, salty tears of the pain and agony of his humiliation caused by someone he considered a dear and close friend splashing onto his shell.
After all, it hadn't been the first time he had comforted his best friend following bullying by someone he cared about.