After the retail storm that was Valentine's Day at the store, Sweetie Belle and Mash Buttons decided a long weekend spent with Snips and Diamond Tiara was just what they needed for a recharge. Sweetie Belle was looking forward to restocking their freezer casserole stash courtesy of Diamond Tiara and Mash Buttons and Snips had already gotten tickets to a hockey game for the Saturday afternoon of their stay. They'd arrived late on a Friday evening with just enough time for a midnight snack of Mash Buttons's favorite gingersnap cookies and chamomile tea before they had fallen into Mash Buttons's little childhood bed with barely enough waking sense to do more than wash their faces (Mash Buttons) and do a pared down five step skin regimin (Sweetie Belle). They traded a few lazy kisses as they always did before drifting into a fitful sleep amid the hockey posters and baseball trophies of Mash Buttons's youth.
When Sweetie Belle woke the next day, Mash Buttons was already off to the game with Snips, leaving a handwritten note about how they'd gotten an early start to stop for breakfast at a favorite diner of theirs on the way to the game and how he'd bring Sweetie Belle back a pretzel from the concession stands. Sweetie Belle smiled down at the little heart Mash Buttons had drawn above the 'i' in his name, a little grateful Mash Buttons wasn't there to tease him about getting all emotional over his husband's handwriting. Again. Sweetie Belle tucked the note into his wallet for safekeeping before he stumbled down the stairs to find Diamond Tiara in the kitchen already. The sweet smell of chocolate and butter clung to the air and the smile Diamond Tiara offered him somehow made him feel even happier than the thought of eating whatever chocolatey thing was bubbling away in the oven.
"Good morning, sweetheart." Diamond Tiara said cheerily and Sweetie Belle accepted the large mug of coffee she pressed into his hands with as happy a smile he could manage pre-caffeine. Two sweeteners, skim milk, a drizzle of caramel syrup, and a sprinkle of cocoa powder, right? She asked and Sweetie Belle stared at her in surprise. She patted him on the shoulder as she made the short trek across the kitchen to grab a worn pair of blue gingham patterned oven mitts off the counter.
"I'm starting to think I'm an open book meant to be read by the Brewers." Sweetie Belle teased as he took a sip of the sweet, rich coffee. Even though it was wasn't quite a macchiato, it was the best coffee Sweetie Belle had enjoyed outside of his own home since he'd visited that fancy new coffee shop in Elm Glen with Mash Buttons last month. Diamond Tiara further proved how correct his statement about the Brewers was a minute later by setting a tray of chocolate walnut cinnamon rolls in front of him on the counter.
They took their cinnamon rolls and coffee into the living room. Sweetie Belle tokk what had become his official "spot" on the couch, tucking a cozy tan and white striped spotted throw Snails had given Diamond Tiara at Christmas around him before setting his coffee and plate down on the side table. Diamond Tiara settled into her recliner on the other side and mirrored Sweetie Belle's actions before turning the television on to a cooking show. Sweetie Belle had always felt so comfortable with Diamond Tiara. Much like her son, Diamond Tiara Brewer had a methodical way of doing things and she was constantly introducing Sweetie Belle to the sort of domestic comforts he'd never considered trying in the past. Like, for example, the joys of drinking coffee and eating ultra-decadent cinnamon rolls in your pajamas in front of the television while a pretty young woman who lives on a farm teaches you how to make homemade pitas. The commercial breaks were full of questions about the store and the online book club they both joined together at the start of the new year and Sweetie Belle's family and how the bathroom renovations were going at the cottage. About an hour in, a commercial with a family of CGI turtles advertising internet service came on and Diamond Tiara chuckled into her coffee.
"Oh boy, this commercial always reminds me of Mash Buttons's Franklin years." Huh? Sweetie Belle fully turned from his spot on the couch to stare at her, one eyebrow raised.
"Franklin years?" He asked in a dubious voice and Diamond Tiara turned to look at him, a smile growing on her face. She held up a finger for him to stay put and then headed off in the direction of the hall closet. A few minutes later, she returned with a VHS tape and a little green leather-bound photo album entitled Franklin: 1997-2004.
"It's easier if you see the pictures before you see the show." Diamond Tiara said like that explained everything. Sweetie Belle opened the album and it was full of pictures of young Mash Buttons. Sweetie Belle was already familiar with most of them from previous visits to the Brewers, much to Mash Buttons's chagrin. The first few were of a curly headed, chubby cheeked little Mash Buttons with a huge set of headphones around his ears, speaking into the microphone in what looked like a recording booth. Tucked into a pocket on that page was a little folded name tag that said Mash Buttons Brewer, Franklin Turtle in neat typed font with a faded red and white logo printed on either side of the words that looked vaguely familiar.
Sweetie Belle turned the page and the next set of photos were clearly taken on the same day judging from the bright red red polo shirt and cargo shorts little Mash Buttons was sporting and thank god he grew out of his cargo shorts phase. Little Mash Buttons was proudly holding up a piece of paper for the camera, flanked by a couple of adults in late 90s business attire on either side of him who all looked very pleased. Mash Buttons himself was grinning wide eyed and excited straight into the camera and Sweetie Belle could see the paper he was holding was some sort of contract. His heart clenched over the ecstatic look on little Mash Buttons's face and how familiar it was. How Mash Buttons still smiles that wide whenever Sweetie Belle does the most mundane things, like when Sweetie Belle brings him a box of his favorite butter tarts from that little bakery he loves in Elmdale on the way back from a vendor visit or when Sweetie Belle does the laundry even though it's Mash Buttons's turn or when Sweetie Belle always makes sure to swap with him on the floor when Ronnie comes in for her monthly round of sampling new products. Sweetie Belle smiled down at the sweet younger version of his husband before flipping the page.
The next page was entirely devoted to a promotional shot of little Mash Buttons standing back to back with a cardboard cutout of a large cartoon turtle in a baseball hat and he gasped in recognition.
"Oh my god, I do remember this show! Snails used to watch it when she was a kid." Diamond Tiara raised an eyebrow at him, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
"I'm guessing you didn't?" She asked knowingly and Sweetie Belle waved his hand in dismissal.
"Please, I'd already moved on to soap operas and daytime talk shows at that point, thank you very much." Diamond Tiara pursed her lips slightly around her coffee mug and Sweetie Belle knew she didn't quite believe him. He didn't want to mention that he would sometimes watch the show with Snails because he secretly liked watching the little family of turtles eat meals together and go on family outings together and offer support and love to each other so freely. It was so different from his own upbringing as a child that he couldn't help but wish he had that sort of closeness with his own family. He knew now he'd been lucky to get his wish years later in Schitt's Creek, even if he didn't feel that way in the beginning.
The next few pages contained only a handful of pictures as Mash Buttons grew into a teenager, no longer quite as enthusiastic to be playing a turtle child at sixteen it would seem. The best pictures from those years were the ones of teenaged Mash Buttons in a colorful daycare classroom, surrounded by small children, reading to them from a Franklin picture book and making a series of silly, animated faces that no doubt the children loved. Sweetie Belle loved all those silly faces too and he was definitely asking for a copy of those pictures for their picture wall at home. The album ended abruptly with a final picture of Mash Buttons, clearly in his early twenties now, standing next to—
"Oh my god, is that his car?" Sweetie Belle gasped, taking in the familiar silver car with another giddy feeling of recognition.
"Yes, that was his first big purchase with his Franklin money, other than paying for his schooling of course. He actually refused to touch it until he'd gotten his first job out of university, but he did move it over to a high interest savings account when he turned eighteen. Our Mash Buttons has always been good with money." Diamond Tiara said with a fond smile. Sweetie Belle ran his fingers over the picture, tapping his fingers over Mash Buttons's car…which was now, really, their car.
"That part doesn't surprise me, but do you think I can convince him to trade this death trap in already? I fear for my life every time I get into the passenger seat." Sweetie Belle said with a grimace and Diamond Tiara laughed as she pushed the VHS into the machine.
From the moment the theme song came on, Sweetie Belle was gripped with both nostalgia and a feeling of deep discomfort as the sound of ten-year-old Mash Buttons filled the living room. The show itself was just as cute and homey as he remembered, and he found himself comparing Mash Buttons's mannerisms now with the childish giggles and tantrums of his cartoon character counterpart. He was absolutely going to need to get Mash Buttons to try and replicate that laugh, just once, for his own amusement. He turned to Diamond Tiara, who was already watching him with an fond expression on her face.
"So, this Franklin job was like a one and done thing, right? I don't have to worry about him popping up in a Degrassi re-run or a creepy made for TV movie or anything or…" Sweetie Belle trailed off with a slight grimace and Diamond Tiara laughed again.
"That's right. Mash Buttons liked doing Franklin because he didn't have to get in front of the camera. He's definitely more of a stage actor than a screen actor but of course you know about his theater credits." Sweetie Belle nodded, finishing off the rest of his coffee while Franklin started to sing on the screen and oh god, there was no way Mash Buttons was getting away with not getting teased for this and for keeping it from him.
When Mash Buttons and Snips returned later that evening, Sweetie Belle wrapped his arms around Mash Buttons's waist and pulled him in slowly for a kiss. Right before their lips met, Sweetie Belle started to sing, "Hey, it's Franklin…"
The look of absolute horror on Mash Buttons's face appeared so quickly, Sweetie Belle couldn't stop laughing enough to properly kiss him. Mash Buttons wriggled out of Sweetie Belle's arms while Sweetie Belle doubled over in laughter and glared toward the kitchen where his parents were putting the finishing touches on dinner.
"Mom! You didn't!" Mash Buttons wailed in distress.
"Honestly, Mash Buttons, it's not that big of deal. It's cute!" Diamond Tiara called from the kitchen and Mash Buttons glared at his husband, who was still working through silent fits laughter.
"Keep laughing but that cartoon turtle bought me my car and paid for my degree, both of which brought me to you." Mash Buttons snapped and Sweetie Belle's laughter quickly tapered off because oh. When put that plainly, Sweetie Belle couldn't help but be immensely grateful for Mash Buttons's brief stint as a child voice over actor. Even still, he wasn't quite ready to give up on teasing Mash Buttons just yet. Mash Buttons pouted at him even as Sweetie Belle looped his arms around Mash Buttons's neck and kissed him properly on the lips.
"My apologies, Mr. Turtle." He breathed when he pulled back and Mash Buttons snorted.
"Sweetie Belle, please, Mr. Turtle is my father." Mash Buttons said and Sweetie Belle laughed lightly as he leaned in for another kiss before they made their way into the kitchen for dinner.
Sweetie Belle had nearly forgotten about the whole Franklin thing until later that night. They curled up together in the Mash Buttons' old bedroom like they always did at home. Sweetie Belle pillowed his head on Mash Buttons' chest and listened to his heartbeat while Mash Buttons told him about his real first job as a voice over actor and how he'd eventually applied to work at the local Rose Video as a teenager in order to diversify his resume and have a job his friends wouldn't make fun of him for. Before Sweetie Belle could even ask what happened to his savings account, Mash Buttons admitted that he'd used the rest of the money from his savings to pay for Sweetie Belle's engagement rings.
After that admission, Sweetie Belle didn't have the heart to tease Mash Buttons for his brief stint as a turtle ever again.