Hello, ladies and gentlemen of FanFiction. Welcome to a new story with the Bubble Guppies.

For this story, it will take place before Bubble Puppy joined the class. This is also a prequel to "Veggie Land" and the Bubble Guppies show in general.

Taking a break from writing Veggie Land, I got this idea since Molly seems to always refer to Gil by his given nickname from her. So for this fic, we'll get to see how Gil reacts when Molly calls him, Gilly, for the first few times.

Of course, Bubble Guppies is owned by Nickelodeon.

I hope you all enjoy this one-shot.

When She Gave Me That Nickname

It was an ordinary day in preschool, the Bubble Guppies were playing charades and trying to guess what they were supposed to be.

Oona is making roaring sounds with a ferocious face and arms in a hunting pose. She's also slouching a bit.

"Ooh! You're a dinosaur!" Deema answers.

"You got it, Deema." Oona says as she stands up straight.

"Score!" The blonde guppy fist pumps the air.

"Okay, everyone!" Mr. Grouper grabs their attention. "Line up! It's time to go outside!"

"Alright! Come on, guys!" Gil gets to the front of the line, followed by everyone else.

XOXOXO

Once outside, the Bubble Guppies decide to play a game of basketball. Since it was preschool, the basketball hoops weren't very tall and the basketball itself is not that heavy. Goby and Oona called dibs to be the captains of both teams.

"Alright, let's pick our teams!" Goby scans the four to choose from. "Nonny, come on down!"

"Okay." Nonny says in his tone.

Oona's turn to pick, "I want Molly!"

"Happy to be on your team!" Molly states.

Now it's Deema and Gil left for the two captains to choose.

"I pick Deema!" Goby makes his last pick.

"Then that means Gil's on my team!" Oona says with determination.

"Come on, Gilly!" Molly motions him to come over.

Gil raises an eyebrow after hearing Molly calling him, "Gilly? Did she just call me that?" He asks in his thoughts as he goes to his team.

The six guppies spread across the basketball court. Goby had the basketball in his hand, bouncing it up and down.

"Go!" Goby yells out.

The two teams run in different directions as Goby evades Oona and Molly. But Gil grabs the ball as Goby wasn't looking.

"Hey, come back here!" The indigo-haired guppy chases after the blue-haired guppy.

Gil runs side-to-side, making Deema and Nonny lose their balance, and jumps! Getting the first score as he tosses the ball into the hoop!

"Yes!" Gil raises his fist in the air.

"Nice one, Gil!" Oona gives him a thumbs-up.

"Yeah, good throw!" Molly also cheers for him.

Gil looks at Molly with a questionable look, still wanting to know about this "Gilly" thing.

XOXOXO

The rest of the game continued. Team Oona had three points, while Team Goby also had the same amount of points. And now, Gil has the ball and Goby and Nonny are blocking him from scoring another point.

Luckily, Gil is a very hyperactive kid and with his energy, he shoots the ball and makes the score! Breaking the tie!

"Aw, man!" Goby says.

Oona pats his shoulder. "Way to go, Gil!"

Molly pats his other shoulder. "You did awesome, Gilly!"

Gil gets confused once more. "Again? Why is she calling me that?"

Mr. Grouper comes outside to call his students. "Okay, kids! It's time to get back inside!"

Everyone listens and goes back into their school as told by Mr. Grouper.

As for Gil, he stands still and thinks in the court. "Is Molly making fun of me or something? 'Cause if she is, it's not funny!"

"Gil."

"Huh?" The boy gets out of his thoughts and sees his teacher next to him. "Oh, hi Mr. Grouper."

"Is something wrong? You look confused." Mr. Grouper becomes concerned.

"Oh no. It's nothing." Gil says as he heads back inside.

Mr. Grouper rubs his chin, a little worried for Gil. "Perhaps I should check on him later."

XOXOXO

Once inside, the gups are in different spots of the classroom.

Molly is reading a book about princesses. But she has read that book eleven times already, this is her twelfth. Knowing what's going to happen, she closes the book and looks around to see what her friends are up to.

Goby and Nonny are playing a board game together.

Oona and Deema are playing with dolls on mini strollers.

And Gil is drawing something with crayons at the arts 'n crafts table.

Molly makes her decision on who to join and swims her way to…

"Hi, Gilly." She sits on the free chair next to him, not noticing her friend's unhappy expression. "What are you drawing?"

Instead of answering, Gil puts his crayons down and leaves the table. "Three times! That's three times she's called me that!"

"Gilly?" Molly raises her eyebrow as she sees him swimming away from her. "Was it something I said?"

Gil opens his backpack and pulls out a comic book he bought this morning. Maybe reading about an exciting superhero adventure would help him clear his mind from Molly and that name. He then goes to sit at the bean bag area and begins reading.

Molly just sat at the art 'n crafts table, still confused as she saw Gil at the bean bags. She wonders if he's upset with her. If he is, then why?

"Maybe I should join Deema and Oona." Molly says, almost in a sad tone.

XOXOXO

"Okay class, it's time to clean up!" Mr. Grouper announces.

Everyone heard him and they all begin to clean up their stations. Goby and Nonny put away their board game. Oona and Deema take their dolls to the toy box and their mini strollers to a corner of the room. Molly takes care of the materials at the arts 'n crafts table, putting away the paper, scissors, and colors. But now she needs the crayon bin and she sees it next to Gil.

"Hey Gilly, can you pass me the bin for the crayons, please?"

Gil doesn't do her the favor and swims the other direction. "How many times is she gonna call me that?!"

"Okay… I can do it if you didn't want to." She says mostly to herself as she grabs the bin and returns to the table, storing the crayons in the bin.

Gil stacks the chairs and puts them in another corner of the classroom. After that, he grabs his backpack and leaves.

"Have a nice day, guys. I'll see you all tomorrow!" Mr. Grouper bids his class goodbye for the day.

"Bye, Mr. Grouper!"

"Until tomorrow!"

"Thanks for today!"

The guppies went in separate directions. Oona and Deema walked to the right. Goby and Nonny walked to the left. And Gil walked to the middle, where Molly also goes. Since those two usually walk to school together.

"Gilly!" Molly calls him." Wait up!"

Gil doesn't stop and swims faster, not bothering to look back. Boy, was he getting mad being called by that name.

Molly, instead of running after him, stops and makes a frown. "What did I do, Gilly? Why are you ignoring me?" Then she turns around and sits on one of the preschool's swings.

Mr. Grouper saw the whole thing and now approaches the sad guppy. "Molly, what happened with you and Gil?"

"That's what I wanna know, Mr. Grouper." She responds, resting her head on her hands. "Ever since earlier today, he just leaves me without a word. It's hurting my feelings."

The teacher gently touches Molly's shoulder. "Any reason you might think he doesn't want to be with you?"

"No, not really." Molly remembers when it began. "First, he left me to read on the bean bags when I sat next to him at the arts 'n crafts table. Then, he swam away when I asked him to pass me the bin for the crayons. And now, he doesn't wait for me to walk with him like we always do."

"Oh my, and all that happened today?" Mr. Grouper asks.

"Yes." Molly sighs. "I really wanna know why Gilly's avoiding me."

"Gilly?" Mr. Grouper questions.

"Of course, Gilly. He ignored me three times today-"

"Oh yes, Molly." Mr. Grouper lightly interrupts. "You told me about Gil ignoring you already. But the name, Gilly. Where did it come from?"

Molly turns to her teacher. "Oh, it's my new nickname for Gil. I think it sounds kind of nice."

Mr. Grouper thinks he knows what's going on. "Molly, when have you begun calling Gil by that name?"

"Today when we were all playing outside."

"And when has Gil been avoiding you?"

She sighs. "When we came back inside while he was at the arts 'n crafts table."

Now it seems to make sense to Mr. Grouper. "Molly, have you talked to Gil about using that nickname?"

"Um… No." Molly replies. "I didn't believe I needed to."

"And I believe that's the problem, Molly." Mr. Grouper says with a light smile. "Gil must think you're making fun of him."

Molly's eyes widened. "What? But I'm his friend. Why would he think that?"

"Sometimes Molly," Mr. Grouper begins to explain, "friends might think that the other is picking on them. And nicknames can give people that exact idea."

Molly is following her teacher. "You mean my nickname for Gil is making him unhappy?"

"Precisely, Molly. Gil is upset because he believes your nickname is an insult." Mr. Grouper answers. "I've had students that dealt with the same situation. But they made up and either kept or forgot those nicknames."

"Oh my gosh." Molly touches her cheek and realizes Mr. Grouper is right. "I need to let Gilly- I mean Gil know this is all a misunderstanding!"

Molly gets off of the swing and prepares to march off.

"Wait a second, Molly."

Molly stops and turns back to Mr. Grouper.

"While I do want you and Gil to talk, it's best if you wait until tomorrow. Gil might not want to see you at the moment after all that's happened today."

The pink-haired girl wanted to say something but knew that adults know better. Her mom and dad always do, and the same goes for her teacher.

"Okay, Mr. Grouper. Thank you for discussing this with me." She hugs the big fish.

"You're welcome, Molly." Mr. Grouper hugs her back. "Very well, then. I shall see you again tomorrow morning. Have a nice day."

"Bye, Mr. Grouper."

Molly bids her teacher farewell and starts walking home… on her own. Nobody as silly as Gil to accompany her.

XOXOXO

The next morning, Molly waits at the spot she or Gil would wait for the other. They had a specific time when they should meet up to walk together to school.

Seven minutes pass and no sign of Gil. Molly believes he left earlier to go to school on his own.

"Well, I guess it's just me on my way to school today." She states to herself.

XOXOXO

"Good morning, Mr. Grouper." The class, minus Molly, greets.

"Well, good morning, everyone." Their teacher greets back.

"Good morning, guys." Molly greets as she swims to her usual spot during circle time.

"Good morning, Molly." Mr. Grouper greets her. "Well then, everyone. It's a special day today!"

"A special day?" Deema asks. "How special?"

" Very special because today," the teacher begins, "we are going to the Candy Factory!"

The Bubble Guppies got surprised after hearing Mr. Grouper's plan for the day.

"FIELD TRIP!" They yell in excitement.

"Oh yes! Now, everyone pick a partner and he or she will be your field-trip buddy." Mr. Grouper tells his students.

Gil gets up and swims to Goby, "Hey Goby, wanna be my field-trip buddy?"

"Ooh, sorry Gil, I'm with Nonny." He replies, standing next to their goggles-wearing friend.

"That's okay." Gil now approaches Oona. "Hi Oona. Wanna be buddies at the Candy Factory?"

"Aw, I'm sorry Gil." Oona hugs Deema with one arm. "Deema already asked me to be her buddy."

"Oh, it's fine." Gil approaches his teacher. "I don't have a partner, Mr. Grouper."

"Oh, I see." Mr. Grouper looks at everyone else. "Does anyone else not have a partner?"

"Um, I don't." Molly raises her hand.

"Oh no." Gil makes a stern look.

"Very well, Molly." Mr. Grouper says. "You and Gil shall pair up."

Molly slowly swims to Gil with clasped hands. "Um… hi."

Gil crosses his arms and looks at everything but Molly, not saying a word.

If anything, it sure does hurt Molly's feelings.

Looking out the window, Mr. Grouper sees the bus has arrived. "Line up, everybody! The bus is here!"

"Woo-hoo!"

"Yay!"

"Candy Factory, here we come!"

Four of the Bubble Guppies run outside and hop on board. Gil and Molly slowly leave the school and enter the bus. With Mr. Grouper following behind.

XOXOXO

The bus ride is awkward for Gil and Molly as they didn't talk to one another. The Turbo-Charged Boy is looking out the window while Molly is trying to figure out what to say. Goby and Nonny are also looking out the window, but they're counting cars of a specific color they chose. Oona and Deema are playing with Deema's yo-yo, doing tricks with it. Mr. Grouper talks to the bus driver about their destination.

Molly knows one of them has to say something or stay quiet. And she chooses the best option. "Gil," she breaks the silence, "are you mad at me for calling you Gilly?"

Gil looks at her. "Now, you call me by my real name?"

"So you are mad because of the nickname."

For Gil, he looks at the floor and sighs. "Yes, Molly. You called me Gilly a bunch of times and I didn't like it. Why did you do that?"

"Gil, I didn't know I was making you feel bad. I never intended to hurt you. Honest." Molly assures him.

"Really?" Gil raises an eyebrow. "Where did that name come from, anyway?

"I just thought of it yesterday." Molly replies. "I got it since my mom and dad would sometimes call me by the nickname they gave me, Molls."

"Your parents call you that?"

"Yes, Gil. I had no problem with either of them using that name for me. But I wasn't thinking about how you would feel with me giving you a nickname."

Gil couldn't believe it. And here he thought Molly was making fun of him by calling him Gilly. True, Molly never talked to him about using that name. But he shouldn't have jumped to conclusions and ignored her.

"Wow, Molly." Gil looks down once again. "I really messed up, didn't I? And here I thought you wanted to hurt me. I'm sorry."

Molly smiles at her friend and touches his shoulder. "You're not the only one who messed up, Gil. Hurt feelings wouldn't have been made if only I had talked to you about using that nickname." She sighs. "I'm sorry, too."

Gil looks back at Molly, this time with a smile. "I accept your apology. Friends?" He extends his hand to her.

"Friends." She accepts his hand in a handshake. "And if you want my opinion, the nickname sounds a little adorable." Now, she's blushing.

"Gee, thanks." Gil replies, rubbing the back of his head.

Mr. Grouper saw Gil and Molly making up. Happy now that things have been resolved and everyone can enjoy the field trip to the Candy Factory.

XOXOXO

Exiting the bus, Goby, Nonny, Oona, and Deema quickly run to the Candy Factory's gates.

"Guys, hold on!" Mr. Grouper chases after the four of them.

Gil and Molly take a good look at the factory's exteriors. Their expressions are in awe. Molly slowly makes her way after her friends.

"Hey, Molly."

She stops and turns to Gil. "Hm?"

"I grant you permission to call me Gilly. You may call me that as many times as you like." Gil states.

"No, Gil." Molly shakes her head with a smile. "If you don't like the nickname, it's okay."

"Well, I thought you were making fun of me at first." Gil tells her. "But you just wanted to give me a nickname since we're friends. And because your parents gave you a nickname. Both sides of the topic are different."

Molly clasps her hands. "Are you sure, Gil?"

"I'm sure."

"Positive?"

"Positive."

"100%?"

"101%!"

"Positively 100% sure?"

Gil rolls his eyes in amusement. "Yes."

"Okay… Gilly!"

Molly laughs and so does Gil.

"Gil! Molly!" Mr. Grouper calls them. "Would you like to join us?"

"Be right there!" Gil replies. "Let's go, Molly."

"Right behind you, Gilly!"

THE END

And that's a wrap!

This story kinda had the same premise as my other story, "Nate is Done", with Nate not fond of being called average by Katie. That's why he chooses to avoid her. Like how Gil did with Molly because of her nickname for him.

In fact, I wanted to write a story about Gil avoiding his friends for causing him trouble and picking on him during their little "bad luck sketches". But alas, I was beaten by "I'm Not Okay", written by Superfloxes. I must say, it seems she did a better job than what I had in mind.

In case you're wondering, I don't know yet of writing a fanfic of the Bubble Guppies in the Candy Factory. I want to finish my other BG fanfic, Veggie Land. So it would be a sequel and a prequel at the same time. Before the show and Veggie Land, and after When She Gave Me My Nickname. Kingdom Hearts timeline confusion vibes, anyone?

Thank you very much for reading When She Gave Me That Nickname. I hope you have a great day.