𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 ;; 𝒶𝓊𝒷𝓇𝑒𝓎 𝓍 𝓀𝑒𝓁 𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓉𝓈

↳ 𝕞𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕞𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕘𝕘 ・❥・: ̗̀➛

Instead of saying any of those or more, he shrugged.

Aubrey sighed. "Well, I'm fine and have been for the whole day. No one's bothered me, I'm not on my period, this isn't a bad day, everything's fine. You don't have to worry so much."

He didn't have to, but he wanted to.

"Then go to sleep," he said.

Aubrey looked away, and that was an answer enough.

Kel sat down comfortably and took note of the way her face fell at the realization that he wasn't leaving. His heart shuttered sadly, but he tried to ignore it.

"Tell me what's wrong," he said. "I won't tell anyone."

Aubrey stayed silent for a while. Eventually, she reluctantly said, "You know Mister Plantegg, right?"

Kel nodded. "Your stuffed eggplant toy you've had since forever. Why?"

Aubrey looked down, a faint hint of pink in her cheeks. "After Sunny gave all our old stuff back from the treehouse, I started sleeping with him. I didn't know how much I missed sleeping with a stuffed toy until then. I didn't bring him today because I knew if I did, I'd face so much teasing from you, but I now don't know what to do with my arms. Every position feels awkward now that they're not around something. And I know it's childish, but I just want Mister Plantegg..."

Kel's heart hurt when she said she didn't bring him because of him and his teasing. He would've never teased her ever if he knew that. No more teasing Aubrey about Mister Plantegg, he told himself.

"There's no stuffed toys here," he said. Why couldn't he or Hero be interested in things like that? Why couldn't Sally be old enough to have one of those?

"I know," Aubrey replied, a little smile forming. "But thanks for listening and not making fun of me or anything. You can go back to sleep."

He sat up straighter at her smile and thank you. "You can sleep on my bed, if that'll help."

"It's okay."

"Will a pillow work? I can find an extra pillow for you to cuddle."

"I don't cuddle Mister Plantegg...! And that won't be necessary."

"Are you sure?" he pressed. "I can get you whatever you need."

She looked up at him, and he kept her gaze, staring into her eyes. The pink in her cheeks got more visible when she broke the eye contact.

"Can..." She covered half of her face with her hand. "Can you come here?"

"I am here ." Kel gestured toward himself sitting right next to her.

Her face reddened even more, and she covered her whole face. "No, I mean...can you lie down next to me? And I can...cuddle you like how I apparently cuddle Mister Plantegg?" Her voice was quiet, barely heard when she added, "Please?"

Kel's heart died right then. Why did she have to be so cute without trying?

"S-Sure." Stop stuttering, Kel!

Aubrey didn't seem to mind it, making room for Kel. She didn't meet his eyes, and her fingers fidgeted anxiously with a strand of hair.

He laid down, and she immediately wrapped her arms around him. She relaxed soon enough and rested her forehead against his chest.

Kel nervously patted the back of her head. "This is how you normally cuddle Mister Plantegg?"

Aubrey frowned at "cuddle", but she answered anyway. "I usually cuddle him by being the big spoon, but I don't think you'd like being little spoon."