❝ ＣＲＡＣＫ Ａ ＳＭＩＬＥ ❞

Joyous beams of shimmering golden sunshine decorated the slightly dewed emerald green grass, the tiny drops of crystal clear water from the early hours of the morning twinkling in the light.

Harry stood within the middle of the luscious field - hands over his eyes as he kept them scrunched closed, counting slowly.

"22, 23, 24, 25! Here I come! Ready or not!" He cried, releasing the grip from his eyes as his gaze met the beautiful nature surrounding him...

...as well as Gummy stretching himself on the very tips of his toes behind a stop sign beside the road by the edge of the field.

He trembled as he tried to keep his face hidden behind the bright crimson signal post.

Harry sighed, facepalming. "Gummy, I found you... again..."

This brought (Y/n)'s attention into the scene, revealing herself from behind the shamrock bushes situated behind the many trees surrounding Harry and his naïve green buddy.

She giggled, coming closer into view as she admired her innocent boyfriend quickly headed from behind his original, not so good hiding place and towards a patch of flowers across the same side of the graphite road.

Gummy cowered within the small decorative garden of lavender petals, tulips and geraniums, scrunching his azure eyes shut with all hope that if he couldn't see Harry, he couldn't see him.

"Ne ne! Try again, Harry!"

Harry groaned as (Y/n) came closer towards him. "This is too easy, Gummy! You have to really hide!"

"I do really hide!" Gummy chuckled, rising from within the cluster of blossoms and running further across the fresh, lime green grassy ground.

He innocently attempted to conceal himself behind a pure scarlet mailbox located a little closer to the road running beside the succulent grass.

(Y/n) giggled with entertainment as Harry grumbled a little more aggressively than the previous few times.

"Gummy! You never listen!" He angrily blurted out.

Gummy peeked his cobalt gaze from behind the strawberry red post-box, confusion crossing his expression as his view met an angered Harry.

"Wait, what? I wasn't listening!" He cheekily cried, smirking a little in response to (Y/n)'s laughter.

Harry groaned once more, throwing his hand back into his face with a sense of defeat.

Gummy chuckled, jumping out from behind the letterbox as heading towards his frustrated friend and entertained girlfriend.

"Aw, come on! How about I count and you hide?" Gummy asked, slapping his hands over his closed eyes before giving Harry a chance to reply.

Harry smirked, earning amazement from (Y/n) as he activated his incredible almost invisible camouflage. He simply blended into the leaves of the fresh trees surrounding him and the gorgeous grass between his toes.

After completing his counting sequence, Gummy released his ocean gaze from his tense hands. His cobalt eyes instantly landed on (Y/n), a warm smile crossing his face as she quickly turned away as she noticed his stare.

Gummy soon snapped back into reality, noticing Harry seconds later even though he still remained within his almost unseen form.

"Found you!" He chuckled, running towards his now confused buddy before bonking him on the nose.

Harry stumbled in surprise, shock and confusion consuming his stance.

"How'd you do that?" (Y/n) asked.

"Toenail polish!" Gummy replied, pointing to the deep garnet red gloss effortlessly decorating the hardened edges of Harry's toes.

Harry stared down, his face dropping with embarrassment as though he had forgotten the dark crimson polish was still coating his toenails.

Gummy quickly turned his attention to the surroundings behind his posture.

"Lookie lookie!" He squealed, speedily dashing towards a white wooden bench situated further into the open scenery of the luscious meadow.

The wooden seat had something a little unusual perched on the edge - what appeared to be a copper man, relaxing with a glossy book in his grip as his metallic complexion shimmered in the early sunlight.

Harry and (Y/n) soon followed, confusion yet interest crossing their expressions.

"Maybe he wants to play too!" Gummy happily cried, innocently pointing towards the interesting sculpture.

"Impossible, my dear Gummy - that is a statue..." Harry stated, examining the bronze figure balanced on the silver painted cedar wood of the lengthened seat.

Gummy frowned. "Nuh uh! It's a copper guy who sits very, very still..."

(Y/n) giggled, heading closer to her excited boyfriend while examining the 'copper guy' a little closer.

Harry sighed, leaning further towards the shimmering golden statue and gently knocking against its head with his frustrated fist.

Vibration rattled the bronze head - shaking it slightly as the crimson feathered bird perched within its stiff copper hair fluttered into the crystal clear sky.

"See? Solid! And there was a bird on its head!" Harry continued, proving his obvious point.

Gummy chuckled, preparing another quick answer to reply. "Wanga! His foot went to sleep, and it spread! And who doesn't like animals?!"

Harry facepalmed another time, giving up all hope of convincing Gummy that this copper structure was indeed not a real man. (Y/n) giggled in response to her boyfriend's adorable behaviour.

Gummy smiled warmly at the bronze man, his copper eyes still fixated on the metallic book in his grasp as Gummy's innocent, azure stare burning through his metal body.

"Wati wu! How's the wife and kids?" He innocently asked.

Silence soon followed.

Harry groaned. "Gummy! He's metal!"

He bashed the metallic copper head, a ringing sound echoing through the glossed mineral.

"Nuh uh! He's reading! I'll show you!" Gummy continued, his cobalt gaze shifting from a frustrated Harry back to his bronze companion.

"Fred? Fred! May I call you Fred?" He asked.

Silence continued.

Gummy chuckled. "If you are truly reading, please ignore the following..."

He smirked, his fingers soon spreading his smile further and revealing the lime green inside of his mouth.

(Y/n) giggled, with Harry watching in disbelief and Fred providing Gummy with absolutely no response.

"See?" Gummy announced proudly.

Harry continued to stare, golden eyes filled with scepticism.

"Seriously!? That is defying the laws of physics and logic!!" He screamed.

Gummy frowned, hands on his hips. "Hmm... I shall prove to you Fred is as real as you, or me!"

"Well... me at least..." He continued, dashing behind the chalk white bench.

He grasped Fred's shoulders, panic crossing his cheeky expression as their weight combined tugged them both down to the emerald green ground.

Fred quickly slid from his perched position against the wooden seat, with Gummy still gripping onto his copper shoulders as the two of them landed with a crash.

(Y/n) giggled, her boyfriend collapsed on the ground with his rust coloured companion underneath.

Gummy quickly shot up from embarrassment, dusting himself clean before scooping Fred into his grasp before zooming across the fresh field.

Harry continued the watch with disbelief, as (Y/n) followed her enthusiastic boyfriend back towards their neon coloured apartment block.

Her confused chameleon companion groaned one final time, following the two of them seconds later...

...this is going to be interesting...

~

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Gummy?"

"Trust me, (Y/n)..."

(Y/n) nervously followed her over excited boyfriend, across the pastel green carpets decorating the mahogany floorboards leading down the long corridor inside the brightly coloured building they called home.

Gummy still had Fred in his secure grip, peeking through his bent arms to see where he was heading down the wide corridor inside the unique apartment block.

"Don't you remember what happened last time you visited Mr. Kronk? Won't he still be mad at you?"

"Nah..."

"Come on, Gummy! You know what that miserable guy is like!"

Gummy chuckled, his thoughts slowly leaving the current situation as the memories of the previous time he ventured into this part of the building took control.

~ Previously... ~

Banging sounds echoed down the corridor as Mr. Kronk did everything her could to secure a tight lock on his front door. After his many attempts, the door became perfectly closed.

He sighed, turning to face the rest of his living room with his eyes scrunched closed. He released many relieved breaths, his back sliding against the wooden door until his butt gently collided with the pale grey carpet.

After many huffs and puffs, he caught his breath, allowing complete silence to surround him.

"Finally, some peace and quiet!"

"Exactly..."

Mr. Kronk then recognised the voice, quickly opening his panicking gaze to be met with none other than Gummy...

...the same Gummy he had done everything humanly possible to keep out of his apartment...

His almost irritating green neighbour stood before his trembling toes, a smug grin crossing his face.

Mr. Kronk shrieked. "How did you get in here!?"

Gummy swiftly leant closer. "The window." He stated simply.

"I met this really friendly bird out there!" He continued, gesturing towards a small, crimson feathered bird perched against the windowsill of the now open glass pane.

"Or maybe it was a gorilla..." Gummy chuckled, earning a confused look from his miserable neighbour.

"Gorilla?" He questioned, seconds before Gummy reached towards his lips with a single finger, quickly blocking it before any other sound could escape.

He soon pulled his shushing gesture back, slowly heading across the room. "OK, before we argue about species, let me make sure your place is secure!"

"And don't you worry! Gummy is here to save you!"

~ Present day ~

Gummy chuckled nervously, soon reaching the tall, chestnut brown doorway leading into his downcast neighbour's perfectly immaculate apartment.

A thumping knock echoed through the room on the other side, distracting Mr. Kronk as he tossed his dusting tools onto the shelf he was aggressively cleaning.

He quickly swung the door open, intrigued expression dropping to be met with none other than Gummy - triggering the memories from their previous encounter to come flying back like a brick to the face.

"Howdy, Mr. Kronk! Wanna meet Fred?" Gummy happily cried, barging into the what seemed to be welcoming doorway.

Mr. Kronk groaned as Gummy quickly plopped Fred onto the deep brown wooden table located in the center of the coconut white carpeted floor.

"Get that hunk of junk off my clean carpet!" He screamed, noticing Fred's dusty bronze shoes ever so slightly touching the pristine carpet below.

(Y/n) rolled her eyes through entertainment as she slowly passed the unfolded doorway.

"Hunk of forst! Fred hates insults!" Gummy shrieked, leaping onto the table to shelter Fred's stone cold ears from the offensive language.

Mr. Kronk's agitated gaze widened in shock. "Fred can't hear them because... HE'S A STATUE!!"

At that second, Harry slid past (Y/n) beside the doorframe, adding his point to the conversation.

"See? Two against one!" He stated.

Gummy smirked. "He can't hear because he's slightly deaf, that's all!"

"Deaf?" Mr. Kronk seemed as though he was becoming more astonished by the second.

"Handicaps are not a crime, Mr. Kronk! Ask my ingrown toenail!" Gummy continued, a beaming smile crossing his face in response to (Y/n)'s giggles.

~

A deep, extended gasp echoed through the room now filled with dismantled displays and destroyed furniture.

"My pristine living space!" Mr. Kronk screamed.

Gummy watched with a little regret in his cobalt eyes and a frown across his face. His disappointed gaze shifted to Fred - now perched back on the chestnut table, oblivious to the abomination that Mr. Kronk's living room now was.

Harry and (Y/n) watched from the other side, Gummy's girlfriend quickly recovering from the incredible song that her boyfriend had just performed while swirling Fred across the room.

In the echo of their infuriated neighbour's screams rattled the walls and ceiling, the polished golden chandelier nervously swinging with its final grips.

Within seconds, the glistening diamond crystals surrounding the bulb created an ear-rattling crash as it quickly collided with the ground.

Mr. Kronk screamed once more, soon tossing Fred out into the pastel green rug decorating the chalk white floorboards outside his part of the building.

Gummy, Harry, and (Y/n) soon followed - colliding with Fred sending shivering metal rattles through the air as the front of their bodies aggressively hit the ground.

Mr. Kronk angrily emerged from within the doorway. "AND STAY OUT!!" He screamed.

A head-splitting slam soon followed, Gummy flinching in sudden response as he rolled over on the ground with serious regret.

(Y/n) chuckled, her boyfriend's remorseful expression now facing her.

"Don't feel bad, Gummy. That was a pretty good song..." She reassured him, a smirk crossing his face as the two of them soon rose from the ground.

Gummy chuckled back, turning to Harry - who was flopped onto the curved over posture of his copper companion.

"Pa poozie! We go elsewhere!" He cried with determination, swiftly pushing Fred across the coconut white floorboards with Harry collapsed against his tin texture.

~

"Alright, little atoms. Don't go nuclear while I'm gone! I've just cleaned up in here!" Granny Peters chuckled, leaning towards the steaming bowl of chemical liquid on her laboratory surface.

She slowly headed from behind said surface, swiftly opening the chalk white door leading into her peaceful living room...

...but what her shaken gaze met within the first few seconds amazed her.

"Gracious! What's going on in here!?"

The rounded, mahogany table in the center of the pleasingly decorated living room was surrounded by deep, ocean cyan cushioned chairs. On each chair sat someone that Granny did not expect to be in her apartment - Gummy, Harry, (Y/n), and a glistening copper statue man.

Harry groaned in response to his exasperated neighbour's traumatised question, head buried in his hands as his elbows almost touched the corners of the checker board across the table.

"Gummy is trying to prove that this statue is a real person by teaching him to play checkers." He simply stated, a beaming smile from Gummy shining in Granny's direction.

She came closer, sighing in a little disbelief. "And I happen to have a checkerboard, is that it?"

"Yup..." (Y/n) added.

Granny facepalmed, releasing another sigh. "Gummy... sweetie pie? Listen carefully. Your plan is noble...

...BUT TOTALLY WRONG!"

Gummy simply continued to smile, as though nothing had been said. "So is yodelling!"

He took in a deep, long breath, before releasing a loud string of yodels, bouncing between the pale rose pink wallpapered room dividers.

His line of exaggerated singing came to a close, shocked eyes staring at Gummy from all around.

"And yet the Swiss still do it! And if that's wrong, I don't wanna be right!" Gummy continued.

Granny released another irritated sigh. "Enough! Would you please take your argument to another part of the building! Or... perhaps another city!"

Gummy continued to smile, like nothing else had been said. "Sure, but Fred only has one move left, and he can't decide what to do!"

He turned back to his metal friend, with his copper gaze sternly remaining focused on the small circular pieces decorating the cream and brown board game.

Granny was now right at the edge of the circular, chestnut brown wooden structure, preparing to shift a checkerboard piece.

"OK, how about this?" She asked rhetorically, shuffling a hazelnut coloured piece a few squares to the right.

Gummy gasped, leaping from his seated position to jump an orange wooden piece many squares further across the board.

He tossed himself against the teal back cushion of his chair, pride in his cobalt eyes.

"King me, baby!"

Granny's eyes widened in shock, an agitated growl escaping her now frowned mouth as the anger flamed up inside her.

Within seconds, Gummy, Harry, Fred and (Y/n) were tossed into the open, chalk white corridor surrounded by ochre wallpaper.

Gummy raised his head, his shocked cobalt gaze to be met with an enraged Granny. He raised the checkerboard now in his grip with a gentle, heart-warming gesture.

"Wanna play again?"

The answer, however, was a simple irritated grumble and an eardrum shattering slam of the sepia wooden door.

~

A bang echoed through Kala's neatly decorated apartment, the pastel blue doors separating until they bashed against the hot pink wallpaper.

Kala's attention shot from the bowl of protein filled liquid snacks to her friends and sister suddenly entering her privacy.

Gummy quickly carried Fred towards the small, circular, sky blue table that Kala sat by. He plopped him onto the surface, Kala shifting her bowl to the side as a metal rattling sound soon followed.

Kala's befuddled gaze shifted to her sister, who simply chuckled in response before her boyfriend began the following conversation.

"Kala, will you please settle an argument!?" He pleaded.

"Yes, good idea!" Harry added. "Tell this cotton headed gherkin that Fred here is not human!"

Kala sighed, coming to the inevitable conclusion that something like this would happen; as it hadn't so far and it seemed to be becoming almost daily.

"Gummy... you're a relatively... not too stupid guy..." She said nervously.

"Thanks!!" Gummy cried in response, as though it had been the best thing ever said to him. (Y/n) giggled a little, admiring that her boyfriend's innocence and naïve views.

"I want you to please examine Fred for me, as I do this..." Kala began, her navy blue paws now touching her seat as she pulled out a shimmering silver spanner.

Sounds of rattling copper soon followed, as the mechanic tool collided multiple times with Fred's bronze complexion.

He didn't make a single move.

"Any conclusions?" Kala continued, pride in her eyes and stance.

Gummy snatched the spanner, raising it beside his head. He smashed it against the side of his jelly green cranium, echoing clatters and clunks soon following.

"Hmm... B flat!" Gummy stated, his girlfriend chuckling as his azure irises and jet black pupils swirled around the whites of his eyes with dizziness.

Kala groaned. "Listen carefully... Fred is a cold, dull, solid metal statue! No brains, no feelings, no soul! KAPUT!" She shouted, hoping this aggression would put an end to this ridiculous debate.

Gummy, however, was paying little to no attention. He had one hand grasping onto the glimmering, silver spoon dipped into the raspberry red bowl filled with fuchsia protein liquid he held with the other.

He gently spooned the gooey consistency against the thin line across the copper material that resembled Fred's mouth, as if attempting to somehow feed him. (Y/n) was entertained as her sister continued to groan in frustration.

"Then why is he so hungry,