The fluffies follow you to the back yard. The sun is beginning its descent in earnest, coloring the sky in red hues. A lawn chair unfolds beneath the mango tree, the small path lights waking up as the evening concedes to night.
Coco settles down on top of the metal shelves, shivering a little but keeping watch. The brown fluff’s head turns like you’re used to seeing. Looking here, looking there, looking down at the other fluffs, then a glance back your way.
Hulk is cuddled up to his little brother, cleaning the pink fluff’s face. Bubblegum leans into familial affection, but his eyes look down into the grass at nothing in particular. The fluff’s chest expands slowly followed by a quiet sigh.
Sonic is sitting off by himself, rolling a ball back and forth between his hooves. No “woosh” sound effects or giddy smiling. He does this a few more times then gives it a solid little whack, watching it go along the lawn a good foot or so before stopping before laying down.
These aren’t the fluffs you met last night or heard through the night for the past week. You can feel a bit of your heart being dragged down into your gut pondering this. You did the right thing with Saffron. You know you did. But… you didn’t expect it to hurt quite like this.
Wind rustles through the night, leaves rustling as it passes.
“Hey, Sonic? Bubblegum?”
The two raise their heads, looking at you. Hulk’s eyes turn to you while Coco’s ears perk up.
“I’m very sorry that Saffron is gone. And I’m sorry that its because of me the police came to get her.”
The two younger fluffs put their heads back down, Sonic huffing a little.
“Hoomins hab wuwes fow fowwow tu,” Hulk said. Coco nodded.
“Bubbwegum miss Saffwon.”
“Sonic miss Saffwon mowe.”
The pink stallion slowly stood up, head cocked to the side. “How miss Saffwon mowe dan Bubbwegum?”
“Cause Sonic wan’ ask Saffwon,” he said, swallowing hard. You can see the blue fluff trembling in the moonlight. “Sonic wan’ ask Saffwon fow be speshul fwend!”
Bubblegum backs up, clearly surprised. “…sowwy, knu…”
“Wai hoomin haff teww powice ‘bout Saffwon! Saffwon no huwt nobody! Jus’ wan be mama!” he starts yelling. “Sonic wan be daddeh! Be daddeh for Saffwon babbehs! But no can do dat naow! Saffwon gon!”
Hulk gets up as Coco climbs down from the shelves, walking towards Sonic.
“Den mabbeh Saffwon wike Sonic an’ mabbeh hab speshul huggies an hab babbehs wiff Saffwon but NO CAN DO DAT CAUSE HOOMINS TAKE SONIC’S WUMPS!”
Bubblegum jumps towards the crying blue fluff, joining the others in hugging him. From the middle of them comes a low wail, a moaning, huu-huus punctuating breaths.
Legs crossed, there’s not much to do but watch. If your stomach dropped any lower it’d be on the ground. Coco keeps her head on top of the pile, looking around but holding on tight. Hulk’s hooves are wrapped around Sonic’s neck as he lick’s the crying fluff’s face. Bubblegum leans up again the blue fluff, hugging a free leg.
The shadows move from beneath everyone until they’re almost hidden underneath you. The blue earthie’s face is still covered in emotion, but he’s quiet except for the occasional sniffling. Coco is back on her perch, surveying. Hulk and Bubblegum have retreated underneath the metal shelves, nestled in the blankets. They’re whispering quietly between themselves, to soft to hear.
The talking stops as you get up, stretching long and tall, before sitting down cross-legged in front of Sonic. He looks up meekly at you, spent both in body and heart. When you pick him up he doesn’t fight it, doesn’t lean into it, he’s just limp.
Your arms wrap around him, head resting on your shoulder. This close up the sound of his breathing is loud and clear, and you swear you can hear his heart beating. One arm holds him close while the opposite’s hand just strokes from the crown of his head down along the fluff’s back.
“I’m sorry Sonic, I’m sorry” is all he hears til your voice fades off.
Unexpectedly, he nuzzles against your face, Sonic noticing the wetness along your cheek. At first he tries to rub his fluff against it to dry it off, then licks it when that doesn’t seem to work as well as he hoped. It tickles and you laugh a little, squeezing him a little tighter and peppering him with kisses.
Its then you notice the other fluffs have gathered around, hugging you as best they can.
Its 2am before you get to bed and morning alarm will ring long before you’re ready for it. While you’re not sure whether or not the fluffies have forgiven you or not, they don’t seem to hate you. And that might have to do for now.
The back yard is very quiet tonight, but that’s not a surprise all things considered. Its a little weird how what started off as trying to get cheap fluffy manure fertilizer for your folks lead to this. A tap-tap-tap on your phone before plugging it in sets the alarm plus a reminder to call the Humane Society tomorrow during lunch.
If nothing else, you want to at least see if you can find out what’s going on with Saffron. For your sake and for theirs.
You hit a playlist on the phone and hope the music helps lull you to sleep…
((Questions, comments and feedback welcome! I’ll be honest, I’m worried this is a bit ham-fisted.))
