fandomhigh | Show and Tell, Tuesday, Period Two

Okay, Sparkle was looking mildly disgruntled when he showed up for class today. He'd messaged the students asking them to think of some music to share this week. That part had gone just fine. But no matter how many times he tried to rehearse his lecture for today, it came out sounding... flat. Not terribly enthusiastic. And for a guy who used enthusiasm as a cover for a lot of things he'd rather not talk about, the island's shenanigans today left him feeling weirdly naked.

"So, uh, today we're sharing music," he said, trying to make up for his near deadpan with a wry smile. "Some song that's really meant a lot to us, or something we heard a lot when we were kids, or that we wrote ourselves, or just something you heard on the radio and thought was fun. Like, I brought in Hello, Dolly, because-- ah, shit. I just made a lot of memories to that song, for better or worse."

While drunk. And crying on some old woman's floor. Details.

"But also because I just shamelessly love musicals. They're fun, and theatre folks just get... things."

This was really hard without the ability to put emphasis on anything, for the record.

"Here, look, I'll just play the song, it's the Carol Channing version because she did it first, though there have been a bunch of great versions since, and then you guys can go."

Hopefully Carol wouldn't come out of the speaker sounding flat, too.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"There was maybe a little cuddling," Sparkle admitted after a moment's pause. "I had a cat at the time. He got cuddled a lot."

Once Sparkle was in his right mind enough to actually take care of him again, poor Velcro.

"Aw, kitty." She couldn't even coo over a kitty? COME ON. "I bet that was superduperduperduperduper helpful."

There. Overcompensating by way of modifiers. That could work.

"Velcro is basically the best cat that there ever was," Sparkle agreed with a fervent nod, because otherwise he almost sounded like he was being sardonic. "He really was super helpful through all of that, yeah."

"You don't have him anymore?"

Sparkle gave his head a little shake.

"Nah," and he punctuated that with a sigh. "I had him while I was a student here, but I couldn't take him with me when it was time for me to go home, so I gave him to another student here. I think they kind of needed one another, honestly. I still miss him, though."

"Awwww." Yep, that coo still didn't quite sound right. Sigh. "I'm really really really glad he has a nice happy home though and maybe you can go visit him?"

"Maybe I can," Sparkle mused. Sort of. He sounded significantly less thoughtful than he'd hoped he might. "Next time I see his new catmom, I'll have to ask her if she can bring him by Demon Marcus for a playdate or something."

He'd probably have like eight cats if Atton would let him, really.

"Playtime with pets is the absolute veriest best," Pinkie said blandly. "Fluttershy, my friend from home, is friends with all the animals all over the city. She volunteers at the animal shelter just so she can spend more time with them." She looked around furtively and then leaned in, like she was telling a secret — and spoke in the exact same neutral tone of voice. "She sometimes smuggles bunnies to school in her backpack."

"... I want bunnies in my backpack."

His backpack was usually full of toy cat, but bunnies would be so much better. So much. Sparkle was still pretty sure Atton wasn't going to let him get a bunny, though.

"You're a grown up," Pinkie pointed out. "What's stopping you?"

"I'm a grownup with a roommate that doesn't like pets," Sparkle replied. It totally would have been a mumble, but apparently emphasis in any direction was still emphasis. Dammit. "I have a fish, but fish don't really travel well in backpacks."

"What if you got a bowl with a lid?"

No, Pinkie.

"It would have to be a really, really secure lid," Sparkle decided. "And the sloshing would probably be bad for him."

Bettas didn't generally live a sloshy lifestyle.

"I guess." That should have had several more eye-rolling syllables in it. "What if you got a lizard?"

...

What if he did get a lizard?

"Would I have to feed it bugs?"

Sparkle didn't do bugs.

"I have no idea. Maybe it depends on the lizard."

"I... might have to look into that."

Not that he suspected he could play with a lizard quite the same way as a cat or a dog, but it'd still be neat, and a little more portable than a betta.

He could play with a lizard in an excitingly different way from a cat or a dog maybe.

"I can ask Fluttershy for you if you want. She knows all about all the animals."

That second all should have had some sort of emphasis on it. Just for comprehensibility.

Ah well.

"Could you please? I'm actually super interested, no matter how completely bored I sound right now, I promise."

He just wanted to put some stress on something, dammit.

"Okidokiloki." At least Pinkie could still get some Pinkie-isms out. "I'll text her right away."

"Awesome."

Sparkle actually meant that. Seriously. He did.

"Thanks, Pinkie."

Show and Tell, Tuesday, Period Two

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