I'm going to attempt a shipping fic. Never done this before, so bear with me. Also, this is Taffyta/Gloyd, and I'm pretty sure this is the first fic of them on FF. So, here we go.
Taffyta was an innocent bystander.
She was minding her own business, casually walking around and thinking. Okay, so maybe it was more like feeling sorry for herself, but still. It really wasn't her fault. She didn't mean for him to run into her and start this whole downward spiral. No matter what anyone else says, she was not the instigator. It was all him.
And when she says that he ran into her, she means it quite literally. He was going as fast as his feet could carry him, probably trying to get away from his latest angry victim. She wasn't paying attention and stepped out in front of his path, and he was unable to slow down in time. The impact sent them both tumbling into a heap. He didn't even say sorry before he was up again, ready to run off. Taffyta, however, was not prepared to let him off without an apology and grabbed his jacket hem.
"Gloyd Orangeboar! Don't you dare leave me here!" she yelled. Gloyd turned and glared at her, obviously anxious to run off. He didn't, though, because even he knew not to mess with a peeved Taffyta. Instead, he helped her up, albeit hastily and with more than a few grumbles.
"Sorry, Taff, but I really gotta go," he muttered. She narrowed her eyes, still completely unimpressed with him, and replied in a voice more sour than acid pops.
"That's Taffyta to you, Orangeboar. Besides, what are you so worried about? Another prank backfire or something?"
His expression hardened. "Oh, is that how things are going to be, Muttonfudge? If you must know, I seem to have gotten on your boyfriend's nerves again."
Taffyta's teeth clenched at the word 'boyfriend.' She knew exactly who he was talking about, since he always referred to Rancis as that when talking to her. It never bothered her before, but, well, things were different. Gloyd, apparently not noticing (or caring about) her annoyance, continued.
"And what's got you so bitter anyway? I mean, you're usually pretty mean, but this is different."
For a second, Taffyta thought she could hear a note of concern in his voice, but then she remembered that this was Gloyd. He only has two settings: annoying and insufferable.
"That's none of your business, Gum-wad. Now run off and hide like the little coward you are." She felt a moment of satisfaction when she saw his angry face, but it disappeared when he suddenly smirked.
"You know, Fudge-face, I don't think I will." He leaned against the nearest candy tree. "I think I'll just stay with you until you tell me what's going on."
"Don't you have something better to do? Weren't you just running away from someone?" she asked, realizing he was completely serious.
"I think I lost him. So, not, nothing better," he admitted, grin never wavering. They glared at each other for a moment before she huffed and sat on a gumdrop next to her.
"Fine. But will you leave once I tell you?" He nodded. It occurred to her that she could just lie, but she was fairly certain that Gloyd would know if she did. He'd always been pretty good at reading people, though he usually didn't use that talent for good. "Ever since Vanellope became President, Rancis and Candlehead barely speak to me. They act like I'm some sort of virus now." She glanced up to see Goyd's reaction, but his hair was over his eyes and it was hard to tell what he was thinking.
Deciding that it was kind of nice to be able to tell someone this, she continued. "Now everyone is obsessed with getting on Vanellope's good side. I can understand trying to make up for what we did to her, but they're taking it way too far. They're just being suck-ups." She frowned and looked back at Gloyd. "You know?"
To her surprise, he nodded. "I get it. Rancis has been acting really weird. Everything's always about Vanellope now. He does't have any time for me and Swizz. He's stuck to her like gum. Swizz is okay, I guess, but he's kind of all over her, too." He looked thoughtful for a moment before his expression brightened. "I've got an idea."
"What would that be?" His mischievous look made her suspicious. What in the world was he thinking? He didn't offer up an answer and instead grabbed her arm. She tried to pull away, but he was way too excited about whatever it was he was planning on to let her go. He dragged her back the way he had come from, jittering with excitement.
When he stopped pulling her along, they were at a certain male racer's home. She frowned up at the peanut-butter cup house.
"What are we doing here, Gloyd?" She looked over at him, only to find him rummaging through his hat. He seemed to find what he wanted and held it up for her inspection. She blinked. "Where did you get a jar of cherry juice? And what do you even need it for?"
He grined wickedly. "Let's just say that Jubileena owed me. What we need it for is a bit more interesting." She's opened her mouth to protest the 'we,' but he cut her off. "Rancis uses hair gel to get that weird swirly hair thing. All we need to do is pour this into that gel and, viola, instant red hair-dye." He looked up at her for approval.
She took a second before answering. "Why exactly are we doing this?"
The look he gave her was almost innocent, like a little kid looking for parental appreciation. "Rancis is being a cavity, and we need to teach him a lesson. Are you in?" He gave her a puppy-dog look, and she slumped in defeat.
"Okay, whatever. But no one can know I helped you, got it?"
The smile he gave her was surprisingly genuine. "Secret's safe with me. Now, let's hurry! He'll be back soon." He ran off, so positive that she'd follow that he didn't even look back. She frowned at his retreating figure, contemplating the consequences.
And then she followed.
I tried, and therefore no one should criticize me.
Just joking, I'd love to hear some feedback! Tell me what you think and how I could improve.
Also, about how the cherries could fit in Gloyd's hat: I have this headcannon that his hat is kind of like a player's inventory, how you can fit a ton of stuff in literally no space at all. Just thought it would be kind of funny, even though it probably wasn't.