Y/N was in a bit of a dilemma. On one hand, Anne was his friend who he cared for dearly and he was certain about that, but he was also certain he held no romantic feelings for her. Over the past few days he had been avoiding her as much as possible, even going out of his way to wake up early to get out of the house. He had hoped that this would work in lowering Anne's affection for him but it didn't and she seemed quite persistent of him.
On this very day, Y/N was in his nest at the Plantar house desperately thinking of ways to get Anne to drop the affection. Whilst he thought, a sharp knocking at the trapdoor came which suddenly broke his train of thought.
Y/N: Oh, uhh come in! Up? Whatever.
The trapdoor was pushed aside and Polly jumped up the ladder and into the attic.
Polly: Y/N! Get your butt downstairs. Its lunchtime.
Y/N: Oh, yeah ... coming.
Y/N didn't move however and stayed laying in his nest. He heard the floorboards creak as Polly jumped in behind him.
Polly: What's wrong? Is it about this stupid crush thing with Anne?
Y/N immediately sat up in a cold sweat and panicked with a shaky voice.
Y/N: Huh? A-Anne? What are you talking about, Polly? C-crazy little pollywog.
Polly pointed behind him where there was a large green drawing board with chalk marks over it and at the top saying in large, bold letters "HOW TO MAKE ANNE NOT LIKE ME". He sighed heavily and stood up, facing the board.
Y/N: Trying to avoid her is crazy hard. And waking up early is even worse!
Polly: Mhm, I hear ya. Sometimes a gal just needs her beauty sleep. Have you ever just thought about telling her you aren't interested?
Y/N slowly turned around, a maniacal look on his face with a forced smile.
Y/N: Hah! You're funny, Polly! Real funny! That violates rule number 1 of the HTMANLM or HAM for short.
He took a long twig from his nest and pointed it at a long list of rules.
Y/N: Rule number one: Never tell her directly for fear of making her think it's a personal attack. Rule number one-
Polly: Wait, wait. I thought that was rule number one?
Y/N: They're all rule number one because of how important it is to follow these rules. Anyway, rule number one: Don't try force her feelings onto someone else, she should like who she likes without interference. Rule number one: Don't try to hurt or lead to any actions that could cause Anne harm in any way. Rule number one: Do it before we find Marcy ( 🎶 Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight 🎶) so Anne feels no hostility to Mar- her. And finally, rule number one: No running away from her. I don't want to make her feel like I've abandoned her.
Polly: Mhm, mhm. You already broke rule number one though.
Y/N slowly blinked at her, not understanding.
Polly: Running away? Ugh! Your list is so stupid!
Y/N: Well, no not really. I haven't been running away from her, just taking some time to myself away from her presence while ... leaving her presence in a fast motion and ... not coming back.
He slumped down in his nest disappointed in himself, covering his face in his hands.
Polly: Hey, relax buddy. Don't worry. I know just how to make her HAM.
Y/N looked up at her confused, cocking his head to one side.
Y/N: Well good for you, Polly. As I've heard, ham is a decent meal for proteins and things such as that.
Polly face-palmed and gave a loud groan.
Polly: Not ham ham. HAM. Your silly little acronym.
It took Y/N a few seconds as the cogs in his brain whirred but he finally got it.
Y/N: You ... you know how to help?
Polly: Sure do! Here, give me the chalk and I'll draw it up for you.
Y/N handed Polly the chalk as she scribbled away on the board. After a minute or so, she had finished and presented her work proudly.
Polly: Ta daa! So, what do you think?
His eyes glazed over it slowly. The idea's didn't seem all too bad, except one.
Y/N: "Show her how much of a total wimp you are"? Polly, what are you talking about? I have saved this family several times from bugs, monsters, toads, other things. I am not a wimp!
Polly: Come on, Y/N! Surely you have a fear? Everyone's scared of atleast something.
Y/N: What I'm scared of most? Uhhh, losing the people I love?
Polly: Well I ain't dying to make Anne stop having a crush on you so pick something else!
Y/N: Umm. Well, Carnivorous Plants are one.
Polly: That's great! Let's go find a pitcher plant!
Y/N: No!
He grabbed Polly roughly before placing her firmly back in the nest.
Y/N: We are not going out looking for any of those plants, do you understand me?! They are dangerous and you won't be going anywhere near them if I can help it!
Polly shrunk back a bit as Y/N's heavy breathing subsided.
Polly: Y/N are you ... ok?
Y/N: I'm fine. Lets just do something else. Hey, what about that? "Rude table manners"?
Y/N pointed at the option and looked towards Polly.
Polly: Great! That actually works with lunch. Now let's go do this!
The two headed down from the attic and to the table where Anne, Sprig and Hop Pop were sat at the table eating some bug soup. Y/N's bowl instead had a salad. He picked up his fork and dropped it on the floor, ravaging at the vegetables with his bare teeth.
Sprig: Hey! That looks fun! Can we do that too, Hop Pop?
Hop Pop let out a chuckle.
Hop Pop: Well I don't see why not. Dig in everyone!
Anne, Sprig and Hop Pop lifted their soups up and began chugging it. Y/N groaned in annoyance and picked at his now ruined salad. After lunch, Polly and Y/N went back to the nest and the drawing board.
Polly: Ok! So that was a complete fail. But don't worry, I know the next best tactic! Commence plan: Annoyance!
Anne was currently downstairs sitting on the sofa and flicking through photos on her phone. Y/N slithered down the stairs and sat next to her. Her eyes shiftily went to the side, staring at him. Y/N raised a hand and poked her in the cheek.
Y/N: Blep.
Anne narrowed her eyes and raised a finger, poking Y/N in the cheek.
Anne: Blep.
Y/N's eyebrows furrowed as he poked her harder in the cheek.
Y/N: Blep!
This went on for some time as Anne and Y/N constantly poked eachother in the face. As Y/N realised it was leading to nowhere he left to go back to Polly.
Y/N: It didn't work! I feel like- Polly what are you doing raising your bucket as if you were about to knock me out?
Polly whacked Y/N in the face with her bucket roughly. When he woke up again, he was outside with Anne and Polly looking over him.
Anne: Hey dude, you alright? Polly said you got knocked out.
Y/N: Where ... where am I? Polly where did- no.
Y/N looked around. The same leaves, flowers. It hadn't changed. 10 bloody years and it stayed the same.
Y/N: No! Get me away! Keep it away!
Anne: Get what away? Are you ok, Y/N?
Polly: Oh, well Y/N's scared of carnivorous plants you see so I thought that we should go see what all the fuss is about. And just our luck, there was one right near the village.
Polly moved out the way and there in the middle of the clearing sat a giant pitcher plant with a leaf laying dormant on the ground.
Anne: Woah, not cool dude. You dragged him out here so he could be scared? That's seriously messed up.
Polly: Pssh, relax. It's just a plant. See? I'm gonna go touch it.
As Polly hopped over to the plant, Y/N sat covering in fear, his hands over his head, eyes and ears. He slowly peeked and saw Polly about to touch the giant leaf. His hand outstretched for her.
Y/N: No, Polly, no!
As Polly touched the leaf, it instantly coiled around her, gaining a grip on her and lifting her into the air, it threw Polly into the pitcher while her screams echoed from inside.
Anne: Polly! Come on Y/N! Polly's in trouble! Y/N?
As Anne turned around, Y/N had ran off as fast as he could, hiding behind a rock and crouched into a ball. His breath was heavy and tears pricked at his eyes.
Y/N: No! Polly, why? Not again! Not again! Not again!
Anne quickly ran over to him behind the rock and pulled him into her chest, hugging him tightly.
Anne: What's wrong?
He looked up at her, his eyes bloodshot and his nose sniffling.
Y/M: I-it's all my fault! I didn't have the courage to tell you I don't like you and now Polly is going to die and it's all my fault!
Anne: Woah, woah, calm down. Why is it your fault?
Y/N: I ... I didn't want to hurt your feelings. I noticed that you've been interested with me ... romantically. I didn't want to hurt you by turning you down and Polly and I were trying to find ways to make you not like me and now, it's all happening again!
He hugged into her chest tighter and sniffled while she pet his hair comfortingly.
Anne: Dude, it's alright. Thanks for trying to consider my feelings. To be honest I probably should've been a bit less pushy with it, knowing you like Marcy and all that. But, what do you mean it's happening again?
Y/N: Well ... back 10 years ago there was an accident. Me, Ant and Mantis were out getting food ready for the winter and I ... I wandered a bit too far away and grabbed that leaf.
Y/N pointed to the leaf attached to the pitcher plant with a shaky hand.
Y/N: It ... grabbed me. Tried to eat me. But Mantis and Ant saved me but it hurt them alot. Ant lost his nose senses to that thing's acids and now he can't smell anything and Mantis' wings were burnt off. Thats when I made the decision to change myself, so they wouldn't have to be hurt again because of me.
Anne: Y/N ... it's not because of you they got hurt, it's because of you that they're getting better. You were the reason they came together from what I understand, so I think they're more than willing to give up their wings and nose to keep you around. But now there's someone else who might get hurt by this plant, and you have more family to protect now.
His eyes widened. He had never thought of it like that but he supposed she was right. The Plantars, Anne, all of them were his family aswell and he wouldn't let that plant hurt them ever again. He stood up and faced the plant, his knees were shaking but he stood his ground. He shot into the air and charged towards the plant, slicing at it with his claws.
Y/N: You ... won't ... take her!
His eyes momentarily flashed yellow as he sliced through the plant's flesh as the wound gashed out the acid on the inside. Polly popped out the slit, shivering and crying. Y/N held her close into his arms as he shushed her.
Y/N: It's ok ... it's ok. I'm here. Come on, lets get you back home.
Anne and Y/N took Polly back to the Plantar farm and wrapped her in a town, drying off any acid that wasn't wiped off by Y/N on the way back. Polly had fallen asleep or passed out, neither one were sure which it was but she was asleep peacefully in her bucket as they closed the door to her room.
Y/N: Man, it's just like raising a kid. Except we just picked her up and someone else did most of the work for us already.
Anne: Yeah. Oh, and don't forget about the deal. I'm gonna make the greatest godmamma!
Anne turned around, pinching her fingers in a stereotypical italian fashion.
Anne: "You come to me, on the day of my daughter's wedding"
The two laughed about it together, heading back into the basement and tucked themselves in, still chuckling about it.
Y/N: Hehehe. I wish I understood that reference ...