Get ready for some Team ZIT and Boomer angstttttt

----------

Zedaph walked out of his cave, hooking o his elytra and shooting off to the shopping district.

As he flew, he noticed some buildings: a ridiculous pyramid on the ocean with a giant circle thing on top of it. He looked to the other side, seeing a figure blast themselves out a window in the Toon Towers.

Zedaph sighed, knowing it was Tango. Flying some wide circles around the water pyramid, he could easily see Impulse building on top. Impulse looked up and waved, shovels in his arms.

Zed blinked, then remembered. Today, the Boomers would have their next job. He waved back at Impulse, then fired a few extra rockets to get to the mooshroom island.

----------

Zedaph walked around the buildings, trying to find the last thing he needed: sandstone. He looked around an entire half of the shopping district before noticing: the sandstone was sold next to the Boomers' building.

He jogged over from the Bigger Logs Inc. blimp, taking his time so the trio could leave. 

---------

It was sunset when he got to there. He looked around, then smiled. The Boomers were gone. They had already had their meeting, they wouldn't be in Zed's way to get-

Some rockets fired off above him, some loud laughs coming from there. He looked up.

A trio flew over him, landing right in front of the doorway to the building. It was The Boomers. Zed quietly shrunk around the corner not to be seen.

"Oh God, that was good!"

"Yeah, except I was blown up for the hundredth time!"

"And I lost my shovels!"

"Yep, an all-in-all great trip."

"Tangooo!"

There was laughter afterwards as the three brushed soot and gunpowder off each other.

"Okay guys, I'm going to go change into some good clothes." Impulse dropped his shovels, grabbed something off the ground, and ran inside.

Now, it was Bdubs, Tango, and Zed, if he even counted.

"So, how's Zedaph anyways?" Bdubs smiled. Zed held his breath.

"I guess he's good. Like, I haven't seen him much, but I'm pretty sure he's spending time with Beef nowadays." 

Zed tensed. No, he only did an invention with him once. That TNT was just so he could... be like his friends. He wanted to be like the Boomers, blow him and Beef up, and have a fun time. Get some ores off of it. But he didn't get much. He got two diamonds, plus some extra useless things. Impulse's message didn't help either.

"Sheesh, wannabe Boomers these days."

At the time, he had laughed it off with Beef. At the time, he had his mask. Now he didn't have Beef nor any help. He quickly zoned out of listening to the other's conversation. He put his knees closer to his chin, eyes closing tight as they could.

They're bad. You're good. They don't like you, they go away. Make a machine. Make something with somebody else. Then they'll feel bad for hurting you and then you can laugh like them.

You can laugh like them.

You laugh like them.

You like them.

You love them.

"Zed?"

He snapped back to reality. He was crying now. Sobbing. Really loudly. His shirt was splattered with teardrops and he felt really, really cold all of a sudden. He glanced up to see two foggy figures standing in front of him.

In the dim light, he could see red pants and tattered gray pants. He looked up more to see two black vests. Even more to blonde hair and dark hair with something red.

Bdubs and Tango.

Zed tried to stop, but he couldn't. He just cried harder and harder.

"Zeddie? What's wrong?"

He got quieter, if only slightly. He hadn't heard that nickname in weeks. He looked over to see Tango sit down next to him.

"Guys? Where are you?"

Bdubs sighed. "One second."

----------

After a minute or two, Impulse and Bdubs walked around the corner. Impulse's eyes widened, dropping his favorite shovels. No, he threw them at Bdubs as he ran over.

He quickly wrapped his arms around Zed, as Tango had done earlier.

Bdubs stood there awkwardly, before sitting down next to the three.

"Get away from my child!" Tango glared, pushing him away. "Go find your own bed." Bdubs sulked off, frowning as he stepped into Etho's ice shop.

----------

"So... what happened?" Tango asked quietly after a few minutes. Zed had calmed down, and the three all huddled together. Zed hadn't said anything the whole time, just leaned on Tango and Impulse and cried.

"Zeddie? What made you sad? We can help if you tell us." Impulse sighed, rubbing Zed's back.

Zed stayed quiet, more tears welling up in his eyes.

"Oh hun..." Tango got quiet when the shorter went back to sobbing into his chest. "One moment..." Tango quietly pulled his bulky vest off so Zed would be comfier. "There there. If you don't want to talk, that's fine. Just me and Impy are here to talk."

Zed gave a shaky nod, as the three huddled together.

Because that's what friends are for.

----------

(857 words)

The end! SorryIwasfeelngreallyangstytoday

Bye snakes! Stay safe and have a great day/night!