Stay Gold

Bubs blinked his eyes, wiping away the sleep that collected in his eyes. Another day started. Nothing ever was different, and today would be no different. Bubs sat up slowly, grabbing his orange framed glasses.

Dameon was, of course, already gone. The cocker spaniel couldn't sit still even in his sleep. He always had to be moving.

Bubs nearly poked himself in the eye with his glasses, but he was able to stop himself before he did. Bubs swung his legs off the bed, throwing his sheet back lazily. He was never a morning person at all.

KJ sat at the table kicking his legs, he was reading a book about constellations. Bella and Paige were talking in the kitchen, so KJ could really just do whatever, but he didn't feel like doing anything. Dameon was busying Hope for him.

Dameon was the sweetest, he would do anything their friends asked him to unless it overstepped his boundaries, which not much did.

Bubs came wandering out of his room, sitting down beside KJ and laying his head on the table.

"Mornin'," KJ flicked one of Bubs' ears timidly.

The big guy could crush KJ if he wanted to, or just throw him. KJ didn't weigh that much. Nor was he that tall, in reality he was the shortest in the friend group.

Dameon came running in with Hope behind him, only buffering a bit as his leg came unlatched from its socket. Dameon didn't deserve what he got, but he had gotten a paralyzed leg. His parents had told the doctors to put him through surgery because they didn't want a 'non-funcinal child.' Oh, should they see him now.

KJ watched Dameon continue to run away from Hope, a fun game of chase.

"It's too early for this sh**..." Bubs sat up, rubbing his eyes.

Bella came out of the kitchen, "It's 10 AM, Bubs."

"I just woke up," Bubs snapped back.

Bella shrugged, "Maybe set your alarm clock."

"No," Bubs laid his head back down on the table.

KJ fluttered his wings at the loud thump when Lilac suddenly landed on the couch. The feline was still asleep.

"Lilac, get up," Cae, who was luckily on the other couch, looked up from her drawing and nudged Lilac.

Lilac made a soft mirp, rolling onto their stomach. They still didn't wake up, though. The feline's tail swung lazily behind them, not knocking into anything thankfully.

KJ got up, making his way to his room. He was usually so energetic, what happened with him? He just felt drained today, like there was a weight on him he couldn't quite lift. Maybe it was just a quick phase that would pass.

"Are you feeling okay?" Paige was leaning against the door frame of her room.

KJ jumped slightly, "Yeah, Auntie, I'm okay.. Just tired."

"You? Tired?" Paige raised her eyebrow. "Since when?"

KJ shrugged, rubbing his arms, "I don't know.. I just don't feel energetic today."

"It's fine, KJ," Paige gently scratched behind his elf ears, "We all have our days sometimes. I'm just giving ya cr*p."

KJ nodded, "I know, Auntie."

"You're gonna come down for breakfast when it's done though, right? Or am I going to have a loner teen again?" Paige wiggled her eyebrows at him.

KJ rolled his eyes, "Never again. I'll come down when you call me."

"Good, luv ya kiddo," Paige gently pressed her forehead to KJ's.

KJ returned the gesture, "Love you too.."

Paige began to walk away, and KJ stared after her for a bit. Then, he snapped out of his trance and walked towards his room. Then why did he stop right outside of Bubs' room?

Bubs stared after KJ, he wasn't usually like that. Bubs got up from his seat and made his way to the hallway. Bubs passed his door and stopped, hadn't he closed his door?

The door was cracked open just a hair, and Bubs peeked inside to see KJ curled up on his bed. Bubs smiled softly, knowing that KJ probably was just trying to find comfort. Bubs grabbed a blanket from his closet and laid it over the small avian.

KJ grabbed it and twisted himself into the blanket almost immediately. He seemed more content with the warmth surrounding him. Bubs sat down at his desk, picking up a book to read randomly.

KJ awoke to Bubs gently shaking him, "Bubs?"

"And I thought I was the sleepy one?" Bubs was sitting criss-cross on the floor, his head leaning on his hand.

KJ rubbed his eyes, smiling, "No, that's Lav (Lilac)."

Bubs laughed softly, "Yeah, I guess that's fair, but com'on it's time to eat."

"Okay," KJ swung his legs off of Bubs' bed, following Bubs mindlessly.

"Is anything wrong, by the way?" Bubs stopped at the stairs, letting KJ go down first.

KJ shrugged, "No, just feel a bit more tired than usual."

(Author's note: For context, KJ is a morning person. He's not normally tired. He wakes up and is immediately awake. It's like he charges, not sleeps, as Bubs likes to say.)

"Mmm.. Okay.." Bubs took what could be happening into consideration, the gears turning in his head.

It was never random when these things happened. There was always something causing it. Bubs just had to figure out what.

"We need to redo your hair, buds," Cae patted down KJ's messed up feather crown softly.

KJ smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, Ma."

"It's fine, Sunray," Cae smiled gently at KJ, showing she wasn't mad at him for getting more sleep.

Bubs looked at Paige with a bit of confusion. She looked like she was zoning out, which was normal. But the weirdest part was, she was staring at KJ. Her eyes followed his movements.

Bubs frowned, staring at Paige, only getting snapped out of his thoughts when Dameon ran into him.

"Sorry!" Dameon quickly apologized for his mistake.

Bubs shrugged, "It's fine, better than Hope running into me."

Dameon laughed softly, before looking back and running again.

"Do that outside, you two!" Bella shooed Hope and Dameon outside, telling them to continue their little chase out there.

Bubs sighed, "Thanks, I don't always want to be the one yelling at them."

"But you also know nobody else would put their foot down," Cae came up to him and elbowed his side gently.

Bubs laughed, "Yeah, I guess that's right."

"They'll come back in when they want, just save them some breakfast," Bella reassured Paige as she looked a bit annoyed that Dameon and Hope were outside right when food was ready.

Paige sighed, "Fine, fine."

Hope sat outside, watching the clouds as she ate. Dameon wasn't out here with her, so she had nothing better to do. She loved the outside anyways, so this was no big deal.

KJ sat above her on the tree, also watching the clouds from his perch on the branch. Hope couldn't help but smile as she remembered the first time he ever climbed a tree.

"But I'm scared!" KJ shivered from where he was on the tree branch.

Hope watched as Bubs opened his arms, "It's going to be okay, just jump to me."

KJ looked skeptical about this whole thing, but he was the reason he got stuck. KJ had offered to climb the tree when the frisbee they were playing with got stuck. When he did though, the three of them (Hope, Dameon, and KJ) all realized they didn't know how to get him down.

Neither Hope nor Dameon wanted to climb the tree, so they got the tallest person in the group; Bubs. Maybe he could reach KJ?

Nope, the tree was still too tall. And now, they were here.

KJ closed his eyes and leaped, landing square in Bubs' chest. Bubs caught KJ easily, taking him over to where Dameon and Hope were.

"No more climbing trees, any of you!"

Hope smiled softly to herself. Now, KJ climbed trees all the time; drives Bubs insane. Luckily, now KJ knows how to get down by himself. That would be bad if he didn't.

"Hey, Hope?" KJ's tail flicked, which meant he was scared about he was going to ask.

"Hmm?" Hope opened her eyes to look at her brother.

"Have you heard of Harley?" KJ's voice was so quiet, Hope had to strain her ears to him.

"You think I haven't?" Hope sighed, she had heard about Harley many times.

Harley was a blonde rabbit who KJ loved with all his heart. She didn't deserve him. Harley was one of the most toxic people Hope has ever encountered.

None of them really deserved KJ, to be honest. He was too sweet for the world. He believed everyone has good, and he was the type of kid where he deserved parents, but his parent's didn't deserve kids.

"Sorry," KJ looked down at the branch, scratching at the bark idly with his talon.

"Why is that your favorite word?" Hope sighed, putting down the container she was eating out of.

KJ shrugged, continuing to scratch a random doodle into the bark. KJ jumped as Lilac suddenly jumped onto the branch next to him, effectively shaking the branch the avian was on.

"Hey, Lav," KJ greeted them with a small, soft smile.

Lilac purred softly in response, "Mmm..."

"Hi, Lilac. Ya finally awake yet?" Hope smiled up at Lilac teasingly.

"Nah, it's still too early," Lilac commented, which made Hope laugh.

"Just like Bubs," Hope shook her head while she laughed.

Lilac giggled, and KJ had to scrape his feet talons into the bark to stabilize himself as he laughed nervously. He had to act like he hadn't taken a nap only an hour after he awoke today.

"You good?" Damn Lilac and their ability to see through people.

KJ nodded, "Yeah, I'm good."

"You don't seem okay," Lilac commented softly, reaching a hand for his hand.

KJ sighed, "I'm okay, Lav."

Lilac luckily left KJ alone after that, but KJ couldn't shake the feeling that they were watching him.

Lilac stared at KJ as they watched him attempt to skateboard. They were a bit concerned about him, about how he was acting earlier. Dameon told them about that after KJ went outside. KJ taking a nap? That didn't seem normal.

"Hey, Lilac!" Dameon called below them.

Lilac waved at Dameon with their tail, still staring at KJ. Dameon touched their tail gently, and Lilac pulled him up onto the tree branch. Dameon quickly got situated in a position that was comfort for both him and Lilac.

"Whatcha watching?" Dameon stopped smiling as he followed Lilac's gaze to KJ, "Oh, you're concerned about 'im, aren't ya?"

Lilac nodded, closing their eyes as they felt Dameon rest his head on theirs. Lilac purred softly, wrapping their tail around his midsection. They nudged his head gently, making his tail wag.

Cae watched Bubs from afar, squinting her eyes. Was he blushing? There was no way that should have been possible. Usually, instead of replacing his brain with his heart, his brain replaces his heart. He always picked logic over emotion, it was just Bubs. So why was there a soft bit of red dusted on his cheeks?

Cae would find out later, she knew she would. There was no way Bubs wouldn't tell her about it. Even if he didn't, she would pry. Bubs couldn't escape that fate of his.

Bubs watched KJ and Hope skateboard from afar. He shuddered as he remembered Harley berating KJ for something so random and stupid Bubs had to step in. Bubs had stayed close from that day on, even as Hope replaced Harley.

Bubs watched KJ with a soft intensity, monitoring his movement and watching out for possible injuries.

Why was his heart squeezing?