Author's Note: One of my good friends, Stashy, has been feeling really down lately so I thought I should do something for her. Since I've been having trouble drawing for awhile, I decided to make a fic for her. And it shall be a fic about her favorite pairing at that- Kirby x Dedede! I'm not too experienced in writing for HnK, but I'll give it a try anyways. I hope all of you Kirby fans out there enjoy this!
Disclaimer: This series, nor does its characters, belong to me in any way. If it belonged to me, there would be a lot more slash in it.
It was late in the dead of the night when things took on odd turn between the star warrior and the penguin king. Dedede had ventured into the kitchen of the castle to fetch a midnight snack per usual. The self proclaimed king was digging through the fridge, trying to find something that would suffice as a decent snack. To think, with all the money they had they would at least have something good. Absolutely nothing looked appealing to him, which was evident by his actions of tossing the food over his shoulder.
"No, no, no…" Dedede mumbled sleepily, half-awake as his appetite had rather rudely startled him out of his sleep. He was having a very nice dream at the time too. Although now he couldn't even remember what it was about, probably something about Kirby.
He had been thinking about that puffball an awful lot lately, to the point where it was driving him crazy. Dedede knew he shouldn't be letting a mere child get to him this much, but he was so FRUSTRATING. No matter what sort of demon beasts he would send after him, Kirby would always manage to defeat every single one of them.
Then Kirby even had the nerve to get all of those lowly commoners on his side just to make them respect him less!
Escargon would remark that they never respected him in the first place and Dedede would give him a pounding for it, as always. But right now there was no snail for him to beat up. The only other way he vented his frustrations was by eating, of course. However, this was proving difficult to do when there was nothing good to eat.
Sighing, the penguin finally settles on some crackers after a fruitless search in the fridge. He was going to have to order Escargon to buy some better food later today. Just as this thought crossed his mind, he heard a shuffling of feet echo through the castle. Curiosity getting the best of him, he turns around to determine the identity of the intruder.
Who else would possibly be walking around the castle this late at night? Dedede considered the possibility of it being a ghost, but the last one had been a trick by Nightmare to get him to pay his bills. His confusion is finally appeased when he discovers that the one walking through the castle is Kirby. Dedede scowls in dismay at the sight of the pink puffball.
Just his luck! Leave it to Kirby to make his lousy evening even lousier.
Although…from the looks of it, Kirby seemed to be having a pretty lousy evening too. The pink puffball looked rather perturbed, which was uncommon for him. Kirby was usually always in high spirits, no matter what the situation. Unable to help himself, Dedede finds himself chuckling nastily at the thought of the star warrior suffering. If anybody deserved to suffer, it was definitely Kirby!
Kirby had been heading to the fridge to help himself a midnight snack too, when he heard the king snickering. He turns gaze over to Dedede forlornly, sighing when he notices that the penguin tries to pretend as if he hadn't been laughing at him. He shuffles around in the fridge a bit more, selecting quite a few snacks from its shelves. His palate wasn't nearly as spoiled as Dedede's, so a lot of it looked appealing.
Arms full of tasty delights, the pink puffball takes a seat at the dining table seeming to not care that the king is still there. Truth was, Kirby never really disliked Dedede in the first place. Even in spite of how mean Dedede was to him, he still wanted to be his friend. No matter how much older Kirby got (he was in his young preteen years now) he continued to hope that their one-sided rivalry might change into a friendship instead.
He didn't even understand what made the king hate him so much anyways. Kirby never remembered saying anything offensive to him when he first arrived to Popstar, he couldn't even talk back then anyways! He knew that it was going to take a lot to finally get Dedede to like him. In fact, he sometimes wasn't even sure if that could be possible. Coupled with the horrible nightmare he'd had, the idea of remaining enemies with Dedede forever was enough to start make him crying.
Taken by surprise by the puffball suddenly starting to cry, Dedede took awhile trying to make sure what he was seeing was real. Was that little brat seriously crying? He didn't have anything to cry about, he had everything he wanted. Aside from that, he didn't even think it was possible for Kirby to cry. He hesitantly approaches Kirby as if he's bomb set to go off any second, uncertain what to say, "Hey, what are you bawling your eyes out for? Cut that out-zoi!"
His sobbing subsiding for a bit Kirby turns over to the annoyed penguin, rubbing at his eyes. He finds it's extremely difficult to try to make decipherable words while he's crying, "I w-would stop c-crying if I could! W-why does it b-bother it you anyways, poyo?"
This puffball was just full of surprised today, apparently. For a moment, Dedede isn't sure how to respond to the question. Too flustered to say anything else, the penguin rudely exclaims, "What kind of question is that? Of course I don't care about you, I only wanted for you to shut up! Your crying is really annoying-zoi!"
Oops, that was the wrong thing to say. At the king's words, Kirby immediately starts crying even more. He was getting pretty loud too, he might manage to cause a real ruckus if this kept going, "Y-you're so a-always so mean to me! Wh-why do y-you hate me so much, p-poyo?"
Dedede had never even thought of the possibility that star warrior didn't hate him nearly as much as he assumed he did. An unfamiliar feeling of guilt overwhelms now as he understands this. Come to think of it, Kirby had never really held a grudge for him in spite of all the bad things he did. Was it really true that their rivalry was one-sided? This was all too much for him to ponder in the middle of the night, so he settles with a hasty response, "Well you're wrong about that-zoi! I don't hate you, okay?"
Just like that, the puffball's tears seem to stop flowing as steadily as confusion takes over instead. Though the words are hard to believe, it brings him incredible relief to hear them. Yes, that was what he wanted to know all along. However, there was the chance Dedede didn't mean it so he couldn't help being slightly skeptical, "Really? Is that really true, poyo?"
Something about the look that the puffball is giving him causing a blush to rise to his cheeks and he promptly hides his face. What was that look supposed to be about? He wished that Kirby wouldn't stare at him that way since it only frustrated him even more, "Yes, really! I wouldn't say something like that if I didn't mean it, zoi!"
"That makes me so happy to hear that!" After wiping his tears, Kirby gets up from his chair. But then he does something that throws off Dedede yet again. He pulls the penguin king into a hug without any warning at all, a big grin on his face, "I always knew you weren't such a bad guy after all, poyo!"
Dedede almost jumps out of his skin in surprise at the sudden physical contact from his sworn enemy. What did that crazy puffball think he was doing? More embarrassed than ever, Dedede's stuttering so much that he could barely get a word out. He tries to push the pink warrior off of him, but to no avail. Kirby really was a lot stronger than he looked, "Hey! Just because I don't hate you doesn't mean you can get all touchy feely! I never said we could hug-zoi!"
Still giddy over the king's proclamation of no longer hating him, Kirby didn't notice Dedede was trying to pry him loose. He only takes note of this when he's practically yanked off and dropped onto the floor. Even he doesn't expect the giggle that comes out of him over the king's antics after getting back up on his feet, "That doesn't matter to me! I'm still happy since I got you to admit that you like me, poyo!"
Dedede was also confused by the puffball's giggling for a bit, giving him a strange look. Gosh, that kid be such a girl sometimes! He was just as confusing as one too. Once the star warrior's words reach his ears, he's even more flustered than before. He can't stand that this little punk always finds a way to get a reaction out of him. It ought to be the other way around for once, "LIKE you? Don't twist my words around! I only said I don't hate you, not that I like you!"
"But if you say that you don't hate me, then the only option left is for you to like me! What else would you have meant-poyo?" Kirby smirks mischievously as he says this, knowing that it was mean for him to mess with Dedede so much. But it was so easy to get the king ruffled up sometimes. He just couldn't help it.
Dedede opens his mouth to say something against that and when no words come out he closes it shut. Darn it! He hated to admit it, but that stupid puffball had a really good point. Oh, how he wished to rip that smug smirk off that little brat's face. To add insult to injury e was getting one-upped by a kid! He was a king, he shouldn't let a little snot-nosed child get under his skin so easily. Just to say something, anything, to counter his response, he replies with, "Isn't it past bedtime for little brats like you? Go on, shoo! You've overstayed your welcome-zoi!"
Dedede inwardly smirks in triumph at how drastically the star warrior's smile crumples into a deflated frown. Score one for Dedede, score big fat zero for Kirby. Kirby shakes his head defiantly against the king's words, managing to annoy Dedede all over again, "No! I won't go back to sleep-poyo!"
"What?" Dedede bellows, his temper getting the better of him. Kirby doesn't seem to be too fazed by it, unfortunately. Not that Kirby was ever easily frightened in the first place, but he probably saw his temper too often to react to it anymore. If anything, Kirby would probably only be worried if he was suddenly being kind and gentle, "Why not? I already told you what you wanted to hear! Andyou stuffed your face with half of the food in the fridge, zoi!"
A weary expression overtakes Kirby's expression, but not over the king's shouting. Whatever was making him worried seemed to have something to do with what was going on outside of the kitchen. This was made a little more evident by Kirby staring glumly at the hallway. He shakes his head no again, a little more firmly this time, "I absolutely cannot go to bed, poyo."
"Why not, zoi!" Dedede demands a second time, glaring up close at Kirby's face this time. Maybe if he intimidated the puffball enough that would make him get out of his sight finally.
Kirby takes a step back but doesn't seem to be afraid at all. He had a determined look on his face that showed how serious he was about this. He shakes his head no again yet another time, crossing his arms together defiantly. The puffball's antics only reminded the king why he was never going to have kids. They were far too much trouble than they were worth, "I can't go to sleep because…because…of the monsters, poyo."
"Monsters, zoi?" Dedede repeats, confusion dominant over his previous anger for the umpteenth time tonight.
"Monsters," Kirby confirms, his determined expression never even slightly wavering. Seeing that his answer needed a bit more clarification for Dedede, he explains a bit more, "I..I had a nightmare, about monsters. Well, demon beasts actually. It was a fight against a really powerful one and I thought I could beat him even though I hadn't trained in awhile," Then after a bit of silence, he adds in a mumbled tone as if he's ashamed to admit it, "…I lost, poyo."
Dedede blinks, mostly because he doesn't know what else to say to this surprising revelation. He was having a tough time trying to wrap his head around the idea. Kirby actually had doubts about his abilities. Kirby, the eternally optimistic and often times very smug star warrior actually had times where he worried that he wouldn't always win? Not only that, but Kirby had even had a nightmare about such a situation? Dedede looked him over a bit to confirm that this was really Kirby and not some poorly replicated clone.
No, everything about him was still the same as before. You know, aside from the fact that he actually had the capability to fearthings. Somehow though, just understanding this brought his outlook on the young hero to a whole new light. It was sometimes hard to remember Kirby was just a kid with all the powers he had. But the fact that Kirby admitted to being afraid and the fact he was refusing to go bed after having a nightmare, much like the way a child would…
Dedede sighs in defeat as he grudgingly accepts that it would be pointless to get Kirby to respond by being aggressive. From the little he did know about children, he knew they didn't like being bossed around. They especially didn't appreciate such behavior when they were already feeling terrible on their own. But it still stood that he couldn't let Kirby stay up all night either. The only problem was he didn't know how to get him to get back in bed.
He then recalls a similar situation that had occurred between him with Escargon when he was a child. That's right, he just had to do whatever Escargon did. He would usually be carried off to bed after being hummed a lullaby. Dedede blanches at the idea at the idea of singing a lullaby to Kirby of all people. Okay, so maybe he would have to leave out that part for this circumstance. But he could do the part of taking him to his room.
Dedede turns his attention back to the defiant puffball, trying to figure out how to go about this. Kirby was clearly very against the idea of going to back to sleep, so this might take some work. But he never backed down from a challenge anyways. He was all about making daring moves. After finally getting Kirby's attention, he says, "I normally wouldn't do this but this time, I'll make an exception. Will get your butt back in bed if I walk there with you, zoi?"
In almost the exact second that he says these words, Kirby's defiance is instantly forgotten as he's overcome with joy. If he didn't know any better, Dedede could assume Kirby put up this whole act just to spend time with him. Seeming to be too eager to comply with this idea, Kirby hoists himself up into Dedede's arms, much to the king's chagrin, "Okay! Sounds like a good deal to me! Let's go, poyo!"
Grumbling obscene curse words that Kirby will never understand, he makes his way to Parm and Memu's room in the castle. He remembered hearing Fumu and Bun asking Kirby to stay over earlier. So at least he didn't have to walk very far. Since he hadn't gotten much sleep, Dedede was yawning quite a bit on his way to Kirby's room. He frequently found himself wishing someone would carry him instead.
Maybe on his way back to his own bedroom, he could order Escargon to do that.
After what felt like a long time Dedede finally entered into Kirby's room, placing the puffball on his small bed. He was about to turn around to head to bed, when Kirby tugs on his coat. He sends an irritated glare in Kirby's direction, wishing the puffball would leave him be finally. He had done what the stupid little kid had wanted, hadn't he? Dedede couldn't imagine what else he could still want.
Seeming to sense his confusion, Kirby gets up off his bed to head further back into his room. After some shuffling around, he comes back with a book in one arm. Looking expectantly at him, he holds the book up for the penguin to see, "I can never get to sleep without a good story. Please, poyo?"
"No," Dedede immediately answers, annoyed and surprised all at the same time that Kirby was asking to be read to. He was…how old was he again? Er, in any case, Dedede was certain that Kirby was too old to be asking for a bedtime story. He was determined to refuse Kirby's childish request.
"Aw come on, poyode! It'll be just one story! I even got a really short one too, so it won't take too long either, poyo," Seeing that his reasoning had not gotten the desired reaction from the king, Kirby resorts to another tactic. He put on his best puppy dog face in hopes of swaying him to into agreeing.
Dedede's expression is deadpan, he was immune to this tactic since he had practiced it when he was a kid far too many times. However, since it was clearly the only way to get Kirby to leave him alone, then all that he could do was agree to it. Besides, it was just onestory after all, "Fine. But you better keep your promise of limiting it to only ONE story or else you're officially exiled, zoi!"
Giggling mischievously, Kirby hands the book to the king and crawls into his bed, snuggling into the covers. He has an eager smile on his face as he waits for Dedede to start reading, "What are you waiting for, poyo?"
"Don't rush me, zoi!" Dedede impatiently snaps at him, feeling that his patience was really being tested this evening.
He grudgingly opens the book, discovering that the story really isn't that long. It had at least had pictures in it too, so it wouldn't be completely boring. He checks the front cover of the book, finding that it's some stereotypical story about a princess. He passes Kirby an incredulous look, who merely shrugs and then he turns back to his current task and sighs, "Okay, let's see here… "Once Upon a Time, there was a princess. 'She was the prettiest person in the kingdom-' hey that sounds like someone that I know! Me, zoi!"
Kirby rolls his eyes exasperatedly as Dedede chuckles over his remark. He tosses one of his pillows in the king's face, effectively interrupting him, "I want to hear a story, not to hear you brag about your nonexistent good looks, poyo!"
The penguin flings the pillow off of his face, coughing out a few pillow feathers. He glares spitefully in Kirby's direction as he exclaims, "Well I didn't exactly agree to this on my own so you better watch where you fire that ammunition, zoi!" Satisfied that this seems to have shut up the star warrior for awhile, he returns to the page of the story he was last on, "So…ah, that's where I was: 'She was the prettiest person in the kingdom. But she could not find a suitable man to marry her. They were either too mean, too old or too greedy. So she set out on a journey to find her one true love…"
As the story went on, Dedede founds himself yawning more and more and his eyes were getting droopy at a fast rate. Along with how little sleep he had gotten and how mundane the fairytale was, he couldn't bring himself to stay awake. Dedede was pretty sure that the puffball must be asleep by now. The kid didn't have the longest attention span in the world anyways. Maybe he could just rest his eyes for a tiny bit before he headed back to his room.
Within a few minutes, the penguin ended up drifting off into dreamland almost effortlessly. The book falls out of his hands as he curls up on the foot of Kirby's bed, snoring. The aforementioned star warrior walks over to pick up the book, not having fallen asleep as quickly as the king had. He was feeling a bit tired himself now though, so at least Dedede's efforts hadn't gone completely to waste. He smiles thankfully at the sleeping king and then leans over to leave a tiny kiss on Dedede's forehead.
The action only slightly stirred the king, but he was still in deep sleep muttering something about puffballs being fruitcakes. Kirby walks quietly over to his bed, places the book on his night stand and crawls into bed. Just as he's about to turn off the lights, he mutters in a quiet voice, "Good night, Poyode."