#the shoes and the socks remind me of Patrick and SpongeBob | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

squidbobpops · 4 years

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20 years

“Sometimes all the little things start closing in on me, but when I’m feeling down, I want to lose that frown and open my window and look around!”

//////////////////:::

The cashier frowned, his expression from one of irritation to that of concern, he felt his body anxiously tapping the ground and rubbing his arms.

“Spongebob?”

The young fry cook glanced up from where he was cleaning one of the many tables, it was a Saturday after all, so there weren’t really any customers. Their boss just decided to order them to clean the grease trap up, though it wouldn’t really be the first time he asked that of them.

“Yes Squidward?” The happy go lucky boy said

“Um..it’s about...uhh..”

Squidward didn’t really think this through, did he? Still he felt his hand reach back and nervously scratch the back of his neck, often his hand would brush up against his teal locks, but it didn’t really matter. The sweat though, was a different story. He coughed. stumbled, and stuttered. Why couldn’t he just speak?

Why couldn’t he had just said what he wanted that day?

///////////////////////

20 years later

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The bell above the door rang, signaling a new customer into the restaurant, Squidward reading his magazine didn’t even glance up at the individual who had decided to bother him at his break time, muttering something Squidward sighed and spoke the dull questions of what the customer would like, Ever since...Spongebob left, it had been lonely. The painful reminder of the kid was gone, as he shook his head in despair. Spongebob had left twenty years ago and moved out. Nobody knew why and without any warning he had just vanished. No one had seen him since then and over the years soon the once active town was..quiet and dreadfully boring. He didn’t bother to contact any of his friends, only taking his clothes and snail.

“Welcome to the Krusty Krab, What do you want?”

He grumbled, he waited for a response, but to no avail. The customer was silent and that’s when Squidward had enough, who had the audacity to come in here and bother him, just to not order anything? He was going to give this patron a piece of his mind, whether Eugene promotes it or not! He stood up eyes closed in frustration and rubbed his temples, hands brushing through his teal hair.

“Sir, if you’re not going to order anything and bother me while I’m on break then I’m going to have to ask you to leave”

“I just got back though.”

At the sound of the all too familiar voice Squidward opened his eyes instantly and rubbed them, he did a double take and got out of his boat register and walked in front of the former fry cook in shock.

“S-Sponge... is that really you?”

He felt his heart beat a mile a minute and his face flush, his eyes burned with tears stinging at the edges. What was he doing back here? Twenty years of nothing and suddenly he come back?? Why? Squidward felt so many emotions all at once. Anger, Resentment, Curiosity, Fear, Relief, Joy, Sadness, and an old but all too memorable feeling came back.

Love.

Squidward felt himself stiffen not moving or saying anything and according to spongebob’s concerned expression he did not expect to see his former co-worker looking at him as if he was a dead person.

Spongebob did a glance over Squidward’s body, tall, well built, teal locks messy and curled. He took in his face as well, his mouth with those pale pink lips, and a light blush on his pale skin. His eyes dark red and still beautiful as ever. But tears, were building up and immediately the lips were also teeth clenched, and his knuckles white from gripping them so tight. His eyes filled with hate and sadness.

Squidward kept his eyes trained on the moron, afraid if he looked away, he’d be gone. The tears blurred his vision, but he didn’t care. Same stupid adorable freckles across his face, and the same stupid blond ruffled hair. His clothes were different, notably the difference was the suspenders instead of pants and a yellow shirt with a grid pattern. Other than that, the same tie, shoes and socks. Only the socks were rolled down. His eyes still as blue as the ocean itself. His pale lips and light color on his cheeks. Yep it was his Spongebob alright.

“Yeah, it’s me Squid.”

Spongebob smiled warmly at him, causing the older man to loosen up slightly, his pose from that of fear to casualness.

“Where the *dolphin noise* have you been?”

“Out, just exploring.”

“You..you left for twenty years..that’s it?! You could’ve done this without moving away you..j-jerk!”

“J-Jerk? Squid you have to realize that-

“No! You don’t get it, do you? You left this town and look at what has happened since then, Conch Street is barren, The Chum Bucket is thriving! Eugene only gets four to five customers nowadays, Sandy decided to go back to Texas, When you left..everything fell apart!”

He glared at the man in front of him, a finger jabbed into his chest accusingly pointed.

“Why come back now? What changed your mind?!”

Spongebob frowned, something Squidward didn’t expect. A frustrated sigh left his mouth as he grabbed squidward by the arm and led him towards the kitchen.

“Listen Squid, It doesn’t matter why I left, I’m back now aren’t I?”

Squidward growled, How could he act like his disappearance was nothing?! How could he just leave everyone like that? How could he be so selfish?

“It really does Robert.”

He flinched, Squid never used his real name unless he was serious. He stepped back, surprised at how much this had truly effected his home.

“Squid...I...”

“No more playing around, I’m sick of this.”

“....”

Spongebob rubbed his arms, eyes refusing to meet Squidward’s, which only fueled Squidward’s anger towards him.

“Why are you here now? Was twenty years too long for you?”

He sneered.

“I..never meant to leave for so long..”

“Yeah well you could’ve at least warned us! Everday since your little “adventure” Bikini Bottom has changed for the worst.”

“W-What do you mean?”

Sponge in grimaced, what exactly happened in those twenty years that got Squidward so mad?

“Like I said before, look at this town! The people barely say anything and if they do, it’s professional. No one visits and the population has decreased further! Sheldon and Eugene although are the same, there is always a look of despair on their faces, nothing was the same as it is before Robert, and now look at us! You honestly think that you didn’t have any impact on these people at all?!”

“I didn’t think..that they..”

“Yeah? Well you were wrong! Everyone has fallen into a depression cause of you!”

“.....what about you?”

Squidward tensed..what about him? Did it even matter to the man standing before him? Furthermore, despite everything that had happened..Squidward never did truly move on. How could he? It was hard to forget the little ball of joy that started his morning and ended his evenings..who had always smiled and giggled cutely. It was so hard to forget his face, and he spent nights, sitting on the floor of his bed room looking through photo albums, wondering if he’d ever see his sunshine again..it destroyed him, and tortured his mind at night. little urchin. He couldn’t sleep, he couldn’t eat, he refused to continue forward. So much had happened in that blip of time, just for him to come back..So, how was he? He was unsure, confused, and terrified..what if Robert left again? What would he do then...?

“.....I stayed the same.”

He lied through his teeth, he watched as Spongebob glanced away..yet again.

“I’m so..sorry Squidward I never—

“Don’t apologize to me Squarepants.”

Spongebob gulped as he knew exactly what he was about to face..alone.

“..Where?”

“Where else? Their at conch street. They never really stopped passing by where you lived. Sandy sometimes visits too.”

“...”

“Can..you maybe..?”

Squidward sighed...typical Spongebob. He reluctantly agreed and walked him there, as they did, a few residents were shocked. They looked at the two and a few tried to call out to Spongebob, while others grumbled curses. Finally as they arrived, There was the gang. Plankton and Krabs has grey hairs by now and stood next to each other staring at the empty space, it looked as if they hadn’t bothered do anything with it. Patrick and Sandy cried a tearful reunion, Pearl was there too. Karen watched from a distance, but Squidward had stopped walking and Sponge immediately turned to him, confused.

“...aren’t you coming?”

“This is as far as I go Robert, and I’m sure you know why.”

Spongebob shamefully nodded, as he started to head forward he gave one final wave as he headed towards them. Hoping that maybe..he could at least do this one thing right.

He approached, slowly at first..but the first one to see was Sandy. She pointed and cried..Everyone then immediately rushed over pulling Spongebob towards them. They had started loading a barrage of questions towards him, asking him why he left, or why he returned. But Patrick hadn’t come over yet, and Spongebob sighed. He walked towards Patrick and tried to reach out a hand. Only for Patrick to swat it away.

“Pat I..I’m sorry I left you..I truly didn’t mean to.”

“Bull shrimp.” Patrick mumbled.

He turned towards his old friend and had tears in his eyes and a scowl present in his face.

“B, F, F, that stands for us. Or..it did anyway. You said you’d never leave rob, why come back now?”

Spongebob swallowed, So Patrick was mad too huh? He guiltily tried to come up with something..anything to soothe his friend’s hatred.. but to no avail.

“Patrick I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you all behind I just thought..it’d be for the better.”

“Better? Better?! You call this (he motioned towards their friends looking tired and lifeless) better?! Rob, I tried to stay hopeful, I really did. Everday I told myself he’ll come back, he didn’t mean to hurt us. I told myself this for years until finally, I realized you weren’t and that broke me.”

“.......”

“So what? Apologize for twenty years of nothing?! Actions have consequences rob and I thought you of all people knew that.”

“I never wanted to hurt you guys.”

“But in the end, look around. This isn’t your home anymore. It’s nothing like it was.”

“....Pat...I know..my words probably seem meaningless to you right now and I can’t blame you, but please know..I do still consider you one of my bestest friends. B.F.F stands for us, and it still does. Please at least try to find it in your heart to forgive me.”

“.....You have no idea how much I am torn between wanting to accept that apology or punching you.”

SpongeBob’s eyes widened and he chuckled nervously, “Maybe..not the l-latter!”

.......

2 hours later.

————————

“I’m glad we’re all friends again, and I’m happy that at least one person was ok in this entire epidemic!”

“Who would that be exactly?” Pearl asked

“Squidward!”

Everyone immediately stopped smiling and frowned sending sad glances to one another.

“What? Did I say something?”

“Spongebob..Squidward was the one who was the most devastated by this.”

Karen chimes in

And just like that Spongebob felt something shatter.

“W-what are you talking about?”

“...He hasn’t played music in years, last time I saw him he was thinner than a nail”

“..oh my god.”

SpongeBob’s tone was laced with fear, as he ran to find him. He went to where he left him and panicked.

Where could he be??

“SQUIDWARD!”

He called out voice cracking, tears forming but he didn’t care, where did he go? He frantically glance around. The world was shrinking and the pounding in his ears wouldn’t shut up. It was all just static...

Until finally, he was grabbed into the tightest hug ever, it happened so fast he didn’t see who it was. He immediately embraced the person and cried, they were much taller.

“I’m here..”

The voice...it was squid’s and he smiled letting out a choked sob.

“Twenty years wasn’t enough to keep me away from you, you dimwit.”

He smiled as he chuckled, gripping Spongebob harder. Tears forming again in his own eyes as he held him closer.

#squidward tentacles #sbsp #spongebob squarepants #squidbob #humanization #alternate universe

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