Chapter Text
Wally woke up one morning to find that the door was still locked. He sighed quietly. That was fine, it was too cold to go out anyway. “Ha ha ha.” He went to the kitchen to make some hot cocoa before he started today’s paintings.
He did find it odd when he couldn’t find the sugar. In fact, there didn’t seem to be much of anything in the cupboards or even the fridge. “Home?” he called out. “Did you hide the sugar bowl again?” Creaking. “Ha ha ha! Silly Home, I need sugar to make hot cocoa!” More creaking. “Well, if you won’t tell me where the sugar bowl is, I’ll have to go to Howdy’s and get some more.”
Angry squeaking. “Oh, don’t be like that, Home! I wouldn’t be gone long. Besides, we’re running low on other food anyway. I need food, remember?” Another squeak. “Yes, yes, it’s a little chilly out, but that’s why I wanted cocoa. Can’t have cocoa without the things to make it!”
Home flapped its shutters. Wally sighed. “I promise I’ll be right back,” he told Home. Dashing upstairs, Wally inspected the now-purple bruise on his face before applying his makeup. He went back downstairs to the front door and tugged the handle. Pleasantly surprised, Home had unlocked it. “Thank you!”
Wally had tugged on a sweater and trotted down the cobbled path to Howdy’s Place. His ribs hurt a little, and a quick inspection showed that he’d forgotten to take off his binder last night. Oh well, as least it wasn’t as tight as it was supposed to be. It was just a little big on him. Strange, it fit fine when he first got it.
He’d take it off when he got home.
Wally hopped through the door of the bodega and waved to the storekeeper. “Hello, Howdy,” he said with his trademark monotone. Howdy smiled and waved back. “Well, hello, Wally! Nobody’s seen you around in a couple days!”
Wally tilted his head before his eyes widened minutely. “Oh! I’ve been cleaning up Home,” he half-lied. “Lots of paint to clean up!” And blood, but Wally won’t tell Howdy that.
Howdy chuckled. “Well, good to see you around. Whatcha come in for?”
Wally smiled. “Home’s being silly and hid the sugar bowl from me, so I came to buy more sugar and some other groceries while I’m here.” And maybe I can restock on my painkillers, he added silently. He was running low since his last… disagreement with Home.
The caterpillar man smiled politely. “Alrighty, then! Just remember, only five apples, Wally.” His gaze turned stern; they’d had this conversation before. Howdy made sure to limit how many apples Wally bought a week so everyone else could have apples too.
Wally nodded. “Okay.” And he wandered around looking for what he needed.
The small puppet was looking through all the different kinds of cereal when Barnaby entered the shop. “Heya, Howdy!” Wally heard the large dog say. Something about the familiar voice made Wally’s heart stutter. Barnaby and Howdy struck up a conversation while the artist finished up his shopping by picking up a bottle of aspirin.
Barnaby took notice of Wally as he tottered up to the counter with his stuff. “Oh, hey Wally!” Barnaby said cheerfully. “How you doin’?”
Wally smiled up at him. “Hello Barnaby. I’m good,” he stated. “I’m doing my grocery shopping.” Barnaby chuckles. “I can see that. You want some help bringing it home?”
Wally stared blankly up at Barnaby. He wasn’t sure Home wanted to see the other neighbors right now, but at the same time… “Ha ha ha. That would be nice, Barnaby. Thank you.” Wally paid for his groceries and Barnaby picked up the bigger bag while he himself took the other, smaller bag. “Goodbye, Howdy,” Wally told the shopkeeper. Howdy waved goodbye as the two left.
The two started walking up the path to Home when Wally had to stop and catch his breath. “Wally?” Barnaby stopped walking. “You okay?” Wally waved him off and said quietly, “Oh, I’m fine, Barnaby, I just forgot to take off my… my binder last night. My ribs hurt a little.”
Barnaby looked at him in concern. “That’s dangerous,” he noted. “Here.” The large blue dog puppet took Wally’s bag in one arm and lifted Wally himself with the other. “Huh? Oh, I’m up here now. Okay.”
Barnaby set Wally on his shoulder. “Hang on, lil buddy.” Wally obeyed and kept a hand on the back of Barnaby’s fuzzy head. Wally liked how fuzzy and soft Barnaby was. He was like a big blue cloud.
Home’s front door swung open when it saw them. Barnaby had to put Wally down so they could both fit in the doorway. Home clicked in what sounded like concern. “Hello Home, I’m okay,” Wally promised. “I didn’t take my binder off last night. Barnaby, can you put the groceries in the kitchen while I go change?”
Barnaby gave a thumbs-up. “Sure thing!” And he took the bags into the kitchen like Wally asked. Wally went up the stairs and into his bedroom, stripping off the sweater and button-up he had underneath before gently removing his binder. Ow… yeah, he definitely had it on too long. His chest kind of stung.
Choosing to forgo a sports bra for the time being, Wally just put the button-up and sweater back on. After taking a deep breath, he tied his ascot that he’d forgotten when he got up around his neck and went back downstairs where Barnaby, surprisingly, was making breakfast.
Huh? Wally went into the kitchen and saw Barnaby making scrambled eggs. Barnaby looked over at him, smiled, and waved. “Heya, Wals! Hope you don’t mind if I fix some food, you look a little thin over there.”
Oh, so it wasn’t just the binder. Was Wally losing weight? Odd.
Rubbing his sternum, Wally went to sit at the table. “That’s alright, Barnaby. I was going to fix myself some hot cocoa when I came back. It’s a little chilly out.”
Barnaby turned around with an eyebrow raised. “Chilly?” he asked in confusion. “Wals, it’s like eighty degrees outside right now.”
Wally tilted his head. “Is it? Strange. It was chilly when I got up.”
Barnaby shook his head. “I think you had that binder on too tight. Might’ve messed with your circulation or somethin’.”
“Ha ha ha, maybe.” Personally, Wally wasn’t sure that was the case. It was more likely that Home had turned on the air con and had it set too high; it wouldn’t have been the first time. Come to think of it, he still felt cold. Strange, but oh well. Wally rubbed his hands together and flexed his fingers to warm them up.
Barnaby fixed a couple plates and set them on the table, one for him and one for Wally. Home made some creaking sounds. “Ha ha ha, yes, Home, it’s nice to have some company.” More squeaks. Yes, that’s not what Home had said, but Wally wouldn’t let Barnaby know that.
The two neighbors ate peacefully, chatting about the goings-on of the past couple days Wally had been “cleaning”. Poppy just about had a nervous breakdown when Wally hadn’t shown up yesterday like normal, which made him feel inwardly guilty. “I’ll have to go see her today,” Wally noted. Poppy was like the mother he never had, and he hated making her worry. He’d bring her something nice. Like a painting! He loved his paintings.
They talked some more, finished eating, then Wally cleaned up. “You cooked, it’s only right that I clean,” he told Barnaby. The dog let him.
“How’re your ribs now?” Barnaby asked after Wally had placed the dishes on the drying rack. Wally smiled at him reassuringly. “They don’t hurt now,” he said, which wasn’t a lie. After a bit without the binder on, the pain subsided. He idly wondered if it would stay that way today.
Barnaby grinned. “That’s good,” he said. Looking outside at the clock tower, he noted the time. “I’d better get goin’. I told Poppy I’d pop by today and you know how she is.”
With a pang, Wally nodded guiltily. He did know how Poppy was. He shook his head. “Can you tell Poppy I might come over today, too? I feel bad for making her worry.”
Barnaby waved a hand. “No problem, Wally! I think she’d love seein’ you.” He opened the front door. “See ya later!” And the dog left.
Creak.
“I know, Home,” Wally said. “He was just being nice.” Creak creak. “I will have to go see Poppy. She’s already stressed enough as is.” Screech! Wally winced. “I’m sorry, Home, I am, but I haven’t seen the rest of my friends in days. I’ll come back tonight, I promise.”
Click click click.
“H-Home?”
Thwack!
One of the wood panels smacked him across the face, which sent Wally reeling. “H-Home p-please!” he begged, hand on his face. “I won’t even be gone all day, I-I’ll come back by s-sunset, o-okay?” He sat on the floor. “The others will get worried if they don’t see me today,” he whispered.
There was a few moments of silence, before a long creaking was heard. “Thank you,” Wally Darling whispered before sitting up and going upstairs to get ready. He had to look perfect for his friends!
He didn’t want them to see him hurt.