Work Text:
It was a warm day in the neighborhood. The sun was slowly rising over the horizon, warming the blue-painted sky and the various shades of green that littered the surrounding plants.
Wally was currently sitting under a tree, a sketchbook in his lap and a tray of watercolors sitting beside him. He took a deep breath, enjoying the peace of the morning air. His sights were set on a beautiful flower, following its pretty pink and yellow strands with the tip of his brush against the page. He hummed a tune to himself quietly, filling the sleepy silence.
Wally looks up, taking in the familiar sight of the neighborhood and surrounding trees. Soon, he hears a slight chatter. Curiously, he turns to the source of the quiet noise.
There, he spots Eddie and Frank. Having a quiet conversation out on Frank's porch. They were sitting on a pair of dining chairs, seemingly carried out from inside. Eddie was quietly sipping on a cup of tea, while Frank was waving his hands around as he spoke, smiling despite his usual frown.
Wally tilted his head at the sight. How curious. He wasn't aware that Frank and Eddie hung out this early in the morning. It seems they were enjoying their visit too. Isn't that just the most?
Wally slowly stands up, brushing off his pants and gathering his art supplies carefully. He starts to slowly make his way towards the pair, adjusting his hair just slightly. It'd be a shame if he greeted them with messy hair, even this early in the morning.
Wally makes his way up to the house, ready to blow a kiss, when he pauses.
Eddie had stood up at this point, placing his hat onto his head. Eddy gives Frank a wide smile, his eyes soft and warm.
"Well, it seems I've outta get back to the post office. All these deliveries ain't gonna post themselves!"
Frank hums in response, standing up from his chair. "Alright, if you insist. Make sure to eat your lunch, alright? No getting distracted."
Eddie chuckles, scratching the back of his head. Wally watches as Eddie slowly leans in, giving Frank a soft, gentle kiss on the lips. "Don't worry about lil' ol me, alrigh' sugar bear? I'll see you later."
And with that, Eddie starts his walk towards the post office, leaving Frank on the porch. Frank let's out a sigh, stacking the two dining chairs, and starting to bring them inside. Looking a little disappointed, despite it all. Frank stares down at the teacup Eddie was sipping from, holding it in his hands delicately. He shakes his head, returning to his house, and locking the door behind him.
Wally stands in place, feeling the wind softly brushing against his skin as he spins the interaction in his mind. Huh. He's never seen anyone interact like that in the neighborhood. He didn't even know Frank and Eddie were that close. What an interesting thought.
Wally starts to head back towards Home, deciding to leave Frank and Eddie be for now. It isn't every day he sees Frank smile quite that widely. He wouldn't want to spoil the moment.
______
Wally perks up as he hears a loud knocking on the front door, followed by the sound of giggling. He slowly peeks his head outside, only to see nobody standing there. His brow raises in confusion, looking around curiously. Nothing but the bright blue sky, and familiar buildings in sight.
"... Hmm. I guess nobody is here." Wally slowly closed the door, walking back towards his desk. Suddenly, he hears another sharp knock. He raises a brow again, a slight smile spreading across his face.
"Now, who could that be? Any ideas, Home?" Wally asks the walls of Home, leaning against his palm. He hears one of the doors creak, back and forth, in a series of squeaks and groans.
".--- ..- .-.. .. . .-.-.- / .. / - .... .. -. -.- / ... .... . / -- .. --. .... - / -... . / .--. .-.. .- -.-- .. -. --. / .- / --. .- -- . .-.-.-"
Wally nods his head in response. "Ah, that makes sense." Wally hears another knock on the door, before he stands up.
He opens the door one last time, looking around. He examines the nearby bushes and trees and pokes his head around Home's corners. When he spots the familiar sight of blond hair sticking out of a bush however, Wally couldn't help but smile.
He gently pokes the strand of blonde hair, causing the mass to giggle. "See you, neighbor," Wally whispers sing-songingly.
Julie pops out like a jack-in-the-box, brushing out the leaves and twigs currently stuck in her hair. She lets out a slight snicker, a wide grin on her face. "Aww, you found me Wally! Now we can start our game!"
Wally tilts his head. "Wasn't this a game?"
"It was, but now you get to JOIN the game!"
"Oh, okay."
And so, Wally was roped into another game. He and Julie traveled around the neighborhood, ringing their doorbells and hiding behind something whenever they answered. It was surprisingly fun. Unfortunately, Wally wasn't the best hider.
Poppy poked her head out of the barn, looking around anxiously. She scans the surrounding trees, when she spots Wally. Standing to the side, his hands covering his face.
"... Wally hon, what are you doing?" She tilts her head in confusion.
"I'm hiding."
"... And, why are you hiding?"
"Because that's how you play the game. Julie and Sally are hiding too."
"AW COME ON WALLIFORD!" Sally shouted from a nearby bush, causing Poppy to practically jump out of her feathers, covering her head with her wings.
After gathering Poppy and Barnaby, they realized the game couldn't be continued. (Frank spotted them both right away. Wally even hid in a bush this time!)
Soon, Julie started a new game where everyone had to work together to form a huge body. Barnaby and Poppy were the legs, Frank and Julie were the arms, Sally was the torso, and there Wally sat as the head. It was a rather fun game, trying to get everyone to cooperate. It reminded Wally of cheerleading.
While everyone tried to balance enough to make the huge structure walk, Eddie started his rounds across the neighborhood. As he passes by Frank's house, he looks around confusedly for the grey puppet. When he turns around to see the huge tower, his eyes widen.
"Holy heavens! What're y'all doin' over here?!" He called, practically running over to the mass of neighbors. He stands to the side, feeling anxious just looking at the tall tower.
"We're playing a game! Don't worry, we're staying up just fine!" Julie called, giving Eddie a wide grin.
Eddie groans, putting his hands on his head. "I ain't worried about that part, I'm worried how y'all are gonna get down! There ain't nobody to catch ya!"
The group paused their movements, identical, blank expressions spreading across their faces. Suddenly, Poppy's feathers start to fluff out.
"Oh feathers, I didn't even think about that! How are we gonna get everyone down?! Oh dear, I could drop Sally, or Frank can lose his grip, or-"
"Ey chill out, Pops! I'm sure we'll figure it out just fine." Barnaby cut through, letting out a nervous chuckle. "Besides, you don't wanna sway too much, you might make everyone lose their balance."
Poppy took deep breaths, trying to soothe the panic starting to settle in her lungs. Frank adjusted himself carefully on her shoulders, letting out a slight groan at the situation he was now in. "Perfect, just perfect. My arms are getting tired. I don't know why I didn't consider this!! Does anyone have any ideas?!"
Julie let out a forced laugh, looking down at the distance between her and the ground. "Uh... How about we try to get down one at a time? Ya know, make sure nobody falls?"
"And HOW will we do that if we're all too busy keeping OURSELVES up Juliet?!" Sally snarks, starting to feel her hands get sweaty and loose.
Wally gently pats Sally's sun rays, trying to calm her down. "Don't worry neighbor, I'm sure we can come up with something. We started from the bottom to top. How about we start the same way?"
"No, that wouldn't work. If we started at the bottom, then we'd all fall like a deck of cards!" Frank sputtered, as if insulted by the very idea.
"Well, do you have a BETTER idea, Franklin?!" Sally retorts with a jolt of her arm, causing Frank to stumble dangerously.
"Guys, stop fighting!" Poppy pleads, keeping a hold of Frank.
Soon, everyone started to join in on the argument, despite Poppy's attempts at de-escalation. Everyone was wobbling dangerously on Barnaby and Poppy's shoulders, causing the whole group to sway.
Wally was holding on for dear life at the top, looking down at the ground below with furrowed brows. His eyes search the grass, looking for anything to help them. He remembers Eddie and glances at him. He looked utterly panicked, his slick-backed hair now completely tussled.
Wally tilts his head, before an idea comes to mind. He's on top. If he gets off, then Sally can let go of Julie and Frank. So he just needs to get down. Wally looks at the ground, then at Eddie. Eddie was quick. And strong. Would he be able to catch Wally?
Wally thought about it for a few seconds, before starting to loosen his grip. He closes his eyes tightly, letting go and allowing himself to plunge towards the ground.
"WALLY!!" Everyone screamed, panic spreading across the group. Eddie runs as fast as he can, holding his arms out with desperation.
Wally falls into Eddie's arms, letting out a small 'oof' at the force. Eddie takes a deep breath, looking over Wally with wide eyes. "Dear God, are you alrigh' little buddy?!"
Wally opens his eyes, looking around at his surroundings. He knew he could trust his neighbor. Wally smiles up at Eddy. "I'm alright. Thank you."
Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief, Eddie setting Wally down on the ground carefully. He leaned forward, clutching his chest as if he had a heart attack, breathing heavily. "Oh good... Please don' do that ta me again... Dear Lord..."
Wally adjusts his shirt, giving Eddie comforting pats on the back. "Sorry neighbor. I didn't mean to worry you."
Wally looks up at the structure of puppets, seeing Frank starting to sway from side to side. Wally stands behind everyone, holding out his arms.
Frank stares at him, raising his brow. "... What are you doing??"
"Holding my arms out."
"... Why?"
"So that I can catch you."
Frank sputtered for a few seconds, staring at Wally, flabbergasted. "What?? Wally, that's insane!! Look at yourself, you can't catch me!"
Wally tilts his head. "Why not?"
"Because- because-! Ughhh, forget it." Frank grits his teeth, looking down at Wally's noodle arms. "I'm not sure you'll catch me."
Wally points at Eddie. "Will you be willing to jump if HE catches you? Once you're down, Sally and Julie will be able to get down too."
Eddie scratches the back of his neck, looking up at Frank. Frank starts to wobble in place, causing Eddie's heart to pound. "Uh, I don't know about that little buddy."
"Don't you trust me, neighbor?"
Frank stares down at Eddie. The worry and anxiety shine through his features. He looks down at his own two feet, barely balancing on Poppy's shoulders. He sighs. "Eddie, get over here."
Eddie immediately stands behind Frank, holding his arms out in preparation. Frank carefully loosens his grip, allowing himself to fall backwards. His entire body tenses, holding his breath as he lands in Eddy's arms.
Now that Frank has jumped down, Poppy and Barnaby can help Sally and Julie off their shoulders. Carefully maneuvering the pair around, trying to get them to the ground safely.
Eddie lets out a small grunt, holding Frank up carefully. "You alright, Mr. Franky?" He asks softly.
Frank takes a few deep breaths, looking around, getting his bearings. He looks up at Eddie's concerned expression, giving him a curt nod. "I'm fine, Mr. Dear, thank you."
Wally watches the two, noticing as Frank lays his head against Eddie's chest. Eddy's arms start to slowly relax, curling them more comfortably around Frank's body. Holding him close. Wally tilts his head, his eyes focusing on Frank's hand, lying across Eddy's chest.
"Ey fellas, everyone alright over there?" Barnaby called, causing both men to jump.
Eddy quickly sets Frank down on the ground, his cheeks gaining a hint of color. "Yup, just peachy! He's just fine, aren't you Mr. Frankly?"
"Yes, I'm just fine. Only a little ruffled." Frank muttered, adjusting his hair. Avoiding eye contact with Eddy in those few moments.
"Surely not as ruffled as Poppy!" Julie chirped, giggling a bit at Poppy's spooked appearance.
"Oh dear, I think I need to go lie down for a while," Poppy mutters tiredly, stroking her feathers to try to set them back into place.
Barnaby gently pats her on the back, giving her a sheepish smile. "Yeah, I'm sure that was a bit nerve-racking for ya. How's about I walk ya home? Make sure nothing crawls up on ya, huh?"
"Yes, I would appreciate that." Poppy breathes, starting to walk alongside Barnaby. Sally stomps after the both of them, her arms crossed. "Hey, don't leave me behind!"
Barnaby chuckles. "Well, excuse me for almost forgetting the star of the show!" He gives Sally a dramatic bow. "Lead the way, bud."
Sally marches forward, her nose in the air, and her arms crossed. Julie giggles at the sight, turning to Wally.
"You wanna keep playing? Or are you heading home too?" Julie tilts her head with a smile.
Wally was still staring at Eddie and Frank. Frank was already walking home at this point, while Eddie watched him leave. Wally noticed the soft smile on his face, his eyes warm and almost loving. Wally blinks.
"... I think I'm tuckered out for now. Thank you for inviting me, Julie."
"No problem!"
______
Wally sat at his windowsill, taking a deep breath. The cool night air gently brushes against his face, and the smell of baked treats and spring flowers fills the air. Poppy must be baking something for tomorrow. How fun.
Wally looks up at the night sky, his eyes flitting between the gentle twinkles and glimmers of light. What a beautiful sight. Maybe he should get his paints? No, he doesn't have the paint to do this justice.
Wally starts to get up from his seat, when he hears the slight crunch of gravel. He looks out, spotting someone walking through the streets quietly, their breathing soft and slow. Wally tilts his head. Who's out this late at night? He squints, trying to get a close look at the figure.
He watches as the figure moves like a shadow, well, if a shadow were large and dragged large feet behind it. Wally's sure didn't. The figure makes its way to Frank's house, knocking on the door with a little tune.
Frank opens the door, bathing the figure in light: it was Eddie. He was wearing his usual uniform, but he had his hat in his hands, and his shirt was unbuttoned. He looked tired, and it seems Frank noticed too. Wally watches as Frank gently ushers Eddy inside, looking around cautiously. As if hiding something. He closes the door behind both of them, locking it tightly.
Wally tapped his fingers against the windowsill, letting out a slight hum. "... Home? Have you noticed Frank and Eddie meeting a lot more frequently?"
Home creaks the floorboards in response, rattling the wood.
".. / .... .- ...- . / -. --- - .. -.-. . -.. .-.-.- / . -.. -.. -.-- / ... . . -- ... / - .. .-. . -.. .-.-.-"
"Hm." Wally stares at Frank's front door for a few more moments, before slowly standing up. Letting out a small sigh. "Well, best not dwell on it. I'm gonna go to bed. Goodnight home."
Home gives him a squeak of the hinges in reply. Wally smiles.
______
The next afternoon, Wally packs his small bag and slings it over his shoulder. He had gotten a burst of inspiration and decided to make everyone small star paintings. All tailored to each of his beloved neighbors. Hopefully, they will like the gift. He makes his way to the post office, kissing Home goodbye with a soft smile on his face.
Wally slowly makes his way to the post office, waving and blowing kisses at the neighbors he passes on the way. It seems everyone was involved in their own things today. Even better for Wally.
Wally opens the door to the post office, a little bell ringing upon his entrance. Eddie was sitting at the desk, dozing off when he suddenly sat up, a bit of drool on his cheek.
Wally chuckles at the sight, a hand covering his mouth. "Why hello, neighbor. Are you sleepy?"
Eddie let's out a slight grunt, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He gives Wally a kind smile, wiping the drool from his mouth. "Aw, just a lil' tired is all. What can I do for ya today buddy?"
Wally places his bag on the table and gently pushes it towards the sleepy mailman. Giving him a soft smile. "I made drawings for everyone in the neighborhood. There's some for you too."
Eddie takes the bag, giving Wally a little grin. "Aw, that's mighty kind of ya! Don't worry, I'll have these letters sorted lickity split."
Wally stays by the counter, leaning his chin against the smooth surface as he watches Eddie work. Eddie's hands were quietly digging through the bag of small packages, carefully placing stamps and marking each one. As Eddy works, Wally's eyes catch on a pop of color, currently tied around Eddy's wrist.
It was a soft, yellow bowtie, with a purple beetle pattern across its surface. It was currently tied into a bow around Eddie's wrist, the wrist that usually held his watch. Wally tilts his head, raising a brow.
He points at the bowtie. "Eddie? What's that on your wrist?"
Eddie looks down, his eyes widening. His cheeks go a little red, an awkward chuckle bubbling in his chest. "Oh, that? Well uh, that's just a bowtie Mr. Frankly gave me."
Eddie carefully unwraps the tie from his wrist, placing it underneath the counter. Away and out of sight. "It uh, it doesn't really fit me. Reason I tied it around my arm."
Wally tapped his fingers against the counter, staring at the spot where the bow was. He leans against his palm, noticing Eddy's hesitancy. "... You and Frank have been close as of late, haven't you?"
Eddie avoids eye contact, the tips of his ears going a little red. "I-I suppose you could say that."
Wally continues to tap on the counter softly, humming a bit to himself. How curious. "... I heard you call him 'sugar bear' the other day. Is it a new nickname?" Wally presses gently.
Eddie's eyes widen, and his face goes bright red. He chuckles nervously, tugging at his shirt collar. "I uh, I suppose you could say that. I just remember my Ma used to say that to my Pa all the time."
"Do you like Frank?"
Eddie pauses, taking in Wally's question. His heart starts to race through his chest, and his hands starting to feel a bit sweaty. "W-well of course I like Mr. Frankly! I like all my neighbors. Y'all are very important to me."
Wally shakes his head. "Do you like Frank the way your Ma liked your Pa?"
Eddie stays silent, considering the question. He keeps his eyes down on the mail, not wanting to look Wally in the eye. He takes a deep breath. "I... I don't know. I'm not sure it's the same. People sure wouldn't react to it the same way."
The two puppets sit in silence for a few moments, the air tense. Wally slowly sits up from his spot at the counter, letting Eddie's words sink in. He was scared, wasn't he? He was hiding.
Wally slowly walks around the counter, approaching Eddie carefully. He places a hand on Eddie's arm, gently brushing his thumb against the skin soothingly. "... If it helps, I don't think anyone here will be upset. If you like Frank in that way... I think that's just the most." Wally smiles softly.
Eddie stays silent, keeping his eyes on the mail in his hands. He slowly reaches a hand out, gently laying it on top of Wally's. He gives him a sad smile. "... That's mighty kind of you, Wally. But... I don't know if I'm ready to say anything yet. If I'll ever be."
Wally nods his head. "I understand."
The two puppets let a beat of silence past. Eddie slowly runs his fingers over the tie beside him, his thumb gently brushing the fabric. "... Do you think you can keep this between us? At least for now?" Eddie looks at Wally with a weak smile.
Wally places a hand to his mouth, keeping eye contact. "Your secret is safe with me."