song inspiration: Perfect, by P!nk

Blue knows that something is wrong the second that Yellow bursts in. Actually, it isn't that hard to figure out, since the girl is already in tears, but Blue likes to think of herself as someone who is ready, always ready, to help. And that involves the right mindset. So she wastes no time in gathering up the crying girl in her arms and tugging her down to the sofa with tight hugs and soothing whispers about how everything would be okay.

"It's not okay!" Yellow says loudly, which startled Blue into quiet as she rocks them gently.

Yeah, that's right. Blue can do gentle. It's rare but possible.

"It's not okay," Yellow repeats herself, this time dejected. "I'm not...okay."

"What's wrong? Who hurt you?"

"Nobody. But. But I need help."

"Anything you need," Blue promises immediately. "I've got body bags in the closet and a footprint falsifier beneath my bed. Just tell me what you need."

"I." Yellow stops, blinking at Blue, who realizes anew that this isn't Silver. Perhaps her ready-set-launch attitude could use some minor tweaking.

"Never mind. I'll stop suggesting things, okay? How about you just lay it on me now."

Yellow swallows and rubs her eyes.

"I want you to fix me. I want you to help me be someone who...someone who...who..."

"Who?"

"Who people will like more. Who...isn't so...shy. And hard to talk to."

"Who told you that?" Blue demands, forgetting all about her resolve to let Yellow do all the talking. Maybe she would need the body bags after all.

But when Yellow finally gets it out, Blue nearly falls off the couch.

"Red," Yellow says.

It's too much to process. She can't even get out another threat.

"What-?" she only shrieks. "But he's in love with you!"

"I don't think so, Blue," Yellow says sadly. "Come on. What's there to like? There is nothing beautiful here." She gestures to herself from head to toe, from hat to sneakers. "Help me be someone Red will actually see as...you know. Crush material." Her face is three shades of red now from embarrassment at the admission and mortification at her own audacity. But the sudden heat in Blue's cheeks is definitely out of an angrier kind of heat.

"No."

Yellow gapes.

"No?"

"No." She shakes her head, more right about this than anything she's ever been sure of before. "Yellow, you are the most amazing person I've ever known. In so many different ways. You are beautiful. Your face is beautiful. Your soul is beautiful. Really. And if that knucklehead can't tell you, then I will. You are nothing less than perfect."

Yellow is trembling.

"Th-Thanks, Blue. I...That's very nice of you. But-"

"Nope. Nope. Uh-uh. No buts." Her phone rings, then, and as soon as she sees the unflattering candid contact photo pop up on the screen, Blue bites her lip and hauls Yellow off the couch. "Come on, let's get cleaned up," she says with reluctant cheer, shuffling Yellow into the bathroom to wash of her face. "You can go into my room, okay?"

As soon as Yellow is behind a closed door, Blue snatches up her phone and hisses, just straight-up hisses into the phone.

"Blue?"

"You are a bad, bad, bad man," she snarls. "What did you say to her?"

"It's a misunderstanding!" he says, frantic enough that she believes him. Plus, of course, is her prime inside knowledge that Red, along with being deeply enamored with Yellow, is one of the kindest people ever. He's not all that eloquent, though, so yeah, a misunderstanding is definitely possible. "I-I don't know, Blue; I was just trying to...I don't know. But then she ran off. I was almost sure that she was going to yours. Please, please, keep her there for me. I'm on my way." Blue's foot taps quickly on her floors. "Please."

"Look, buddy, I'll take care of things today, okay? You can have your turn to do damage control tomorrow, but for now you better go home and figure out how you're explain this properly. She needs a little TLC time for now." She's definitely taken him by surprise.

"So...?"

"So you better be here tomorrow morning on my doorstep with some flowers and the best speech you've ever written. You got me?"

"I-I got you. I'll be there."

"Good luck." Blue hangs up and tucks the phone away before pushing up her sleeves and cracking her neck. She's got some cheering up to do, big time, but she's got this under control. They'll make some pancakes. They'll watch some movies. They'll talk and talk and talk. And it doesn't matter if, after everything, Yellow still decides that she wants to take up a public speaking class or learn how to look someone in the eye when they talk. That would be just fine, so long as it makes her happy, because Blue will convince Yellow that she is the most worthy and most lovable creature in this universe or any other.