Age 13
"Are you sure about this, Joy?" Sadness asked, her back pressed against the control panel as the lithe Emotion approached her.
"You always ask the same question, Sadness, and I always say the same thing to you; of course I'm sure!" Joy responded in what she hoped would be a reassuring tone. She reached up a hand to gently cup Sadness' cheek. "How about you? Are you sure about this?" Sadness took in a long breath, her eyes turned to the floor. With a huff she brought her gaze up to meet Joy's.
"Yeah, I think I'm ready."
"You 'think' you're ready?" Joy did her best to hide her smirk as she leaned in inquisitively.
"Yeah, I think...Well, I think that I think that I'm ready...I think…" Sadness trailed off, eyes back to the floor. In response, Joy trailed her hand up from Sadness' cheek to her glasses, bringing up her other hand to slowly lift them off and set them aside on the control panel.
"How about I help you make up your mind." Joy spoke breathily as she closed the distance between the two of them. She gently lifted Sadness' chin up, forcing Sadness to look her in the eyes. Mere inches away from the other emotions face, Joy stopped and gave the most reassuring smile she could, to let her friend know it would be alright. Sadness tried her best to reciprocate the gesture, giving a tiny nod in affirmation. Taking that as her cue, Joy closed the distance and captured Sadness' lips with her own. A few quiet moments passed between the two.
CRASH!
Said quiet moment came to an abrupt close when a loud smashing sound echoed around Headquarters. Far from being surprised, however, Joy merely stepped back from Sadness with a smile and a shake of her head. Sadness rolled her eyes as they both looked up at the currently ongoing dream.
Riley had been sneaking around the house in the dead of night, and had accidently knocked over an expensive vase. Like a genie summoned from a magic lamp, Riley's mother appeared almost immediately, barging through a door in front of Riley.
"What in the-Riley!" Dream mum screeched.
Sadness leaned against the control panel as she craned her head around to look at the projection. Joy walked out to the middle of the panel and folded her arms. They exchanged a glance as the simplistic dream unfolded; Joy gave a bemused chuckle so as to break the silence between them.
Dream mum yelled about non-descript stuff for a while. Eventually, she gestured to the broken vase. "Riley…"
How did this happen?
Age 12
"And…" Joy held one finger in the air, waiting for Riley's eyes to close for the night. "...The curtains are closed! Disgust, send the STM down to the LTM, then we can call it a night!" Joy announced to her fellow emotions. "Oh, except for you Sadness."
"W-why? What's wrong Joy?" Sadness twiddled her thumbs nervously.
"I'm gonna need you to be on dream duty tonight. Is that okay with you?" Joy asked sweetly.
"Yeah, I guess it's okay." Sadness responded in her usual melancholic tone.
"Alright, you know the drill...You do know the drill, don't you?" Joy asked, suddenly a little worried.
"This isn't my first time Joy." Sadness rolled her eyes.
"I know, but we don't usually...I mean-"
"I haven't been allowed to do it much before, so I've mostly only read about dreams." Sadness said pointedly. She looked over at Joy; her eyes were downcast and she was scuffing her foot across the floor nervously. Sadness sighed. "I'll be fine Joy."
"I-I know. It's just... " Joy stopped and took in a ragged breath, before breathing out calmly. "You know where to find me if you need me." Sadness nodded. Joy tried to give a smile, then turned and made her way out of the main room.
Sadness rested her chin on her hands, her elbows propped up on the control panel, watching the dream unfold with minimum interest. The current dream was simply Riley wandering across fields of flowers and the occasional tree. Endless fields of flowers and trees.
Sadness yawned.
"It can get pretty boring sometimes, right?" Sadness looked over her shoulder as a familiar yellow glow came into her vision.
"Joy? What're you still doing up?" Sadness sat upright on her chair. Joy put both hands on the panel to lean over it and watch the dream.
"I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about you out here, by yourself."
"I told you Joy, I can handle it." Sadness was a little offended by Joy's apparent lack of trust.
"Of course I know that Sadness, we all know. It's just…" Joy hung her head. "I wanted to start treating you like part of the team, to make up for what happened...before." Joy finished quietly.
"It's okay Joy. I guess I always knew you guys were just looking out for Riley." Sadness offered. On the one hand, she was still incensed by her previous treatment. But on the other hand, she couldn't entirely blame her friends; even she hadn't fully understood her own purpose in Headquarters until recently.
"Riley or no, we should've done more to make you a part of this group. You deserve a place here as much as the rest of us…" Joy's voice was wavering.
"Joy…" Sadness spoke gently, reaching out a hand to the other emotion. Suddenly, Joy spun to look directly at Sadness, tears flowing down her face.
"It's my fault! I'm the one who treated you the worst!" Joy collapsed to her knees, sobbing. "I thought I was doing...doing what was best for our little girl...But I should-I should've thought about you more!" Joy covered her face with her hands. "I'm sorry Sadness...I'm really, really…" Sadness slid off of the chair.
"It wasn't just your fault Joy. I never really knew what I was supposed to do here until you helped me understand." Sadness wrapped her arms around the taller Emotion.
"I know you must hate me…" Joy whimpered pitifully. Sadness could feel tears stinging at her own eyes as Joy said that.
"No; I don't hate anyone Joy. Least of all you." Joy's tears slowed as she returned Sadness' embrace.
"Really?"
"Really, Joy." Sadness was surprised when Joy's sobbing was replaced by soft laughter.
"Y'know, I really think I get it now; why we need you Sadness." Joy pulled back and looked into Sadness' eyes. "I can see why you're so important to Riley. And to us. I'm just sorry it took me so long to appreciate it."
"It's good to get stuff out sometimes; it helps you move past the bad and enjoy the good." Sadness said softly as she held Joy's gaze. Joy gave a quiet laugh.
"Actually, I've been up tonight trying to think of how I could make this up to you, and...I got this crazy idea, one that would never work, but that I thought I'd come out and try."
"What was it?" Sadness tilted her head in inquiry.
"You wouldn't want to hear it; I shouldn't have brought it up…" Joy shook her head. Then, Sadness made a expression Joy had never seen on her before. She furrowed her brows and smirked confidently.
"Try me." Somewhat taken aback by Sadness' uncharacteristic behaviour, Joy took a deep breath.
"I...Well, you see...It's…" Joy rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. " I thought I'd come out here and just...kiss you." Joy shrunk back as soon as she said it.
"Kiss...me?" Sadness pointed at herself in disbelief.
"Yeah, on the lips and everything. I know it was a stupid, stupid idea so if we just-"
"I wouldn't mind that."
"I'm sorry, I didn't-Wait…" Joy stopped in her tracks.
"I wouldn't mind it at all." Sadness reaffirmed. Joy's mouth hung open. She pointed to Sadness, then to herself, then back to Sadness. Sadness nodded.
"Wow, I mean, Wow! I wasn't sure-I hoped, but I never-"
"Joy, just do it." Sadness cut Joy short.
"Right, here goes!" Joy began to lean in closer, closing her eyes and pouting her lips, as Sadness did the same. "Really, you're 100% sure about this Sadness?"
With an irritated groan, Sadness placed one hand behind Joy's neck and brought her closer. In an instant, their lips met and any further protests Joy had lined up ceased.
"...Wow!"
Age 13
Joy pushed her tongue past Sadness' lips, with Sadness eagerly returning the affection. Sadness was atop the control panel, her legs around Joy's waist, keeping them close together as they made out. In all of the passion, however, Sadness did not keep track of where her hands scrambled to in their efforts to keep her upright. In her haze, she failed to notice as her hand pressed down on a button. A short alarm, only a second or so long, sounded in the Headquarters. However, neither of the Emotions took note of it; either due to their current engagement or the thought that it had come from the dream.
"Sadness! Joy! What the hell are you two doing?" A voice called out from the back of Headquarters. The two Emotions separated immediately, both surprised at being caught in the act. They looked over at just who had found them out.
"Disgust?!"