"Father's Day"

Series: Sesame Street
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Friendship,General,
Summary: Father's Day is right around the corner, but Elmo may not be able to celebrate it this year. How is he handling it? Can Abby help him cope? (They're about 11 years old here).
First Published on Jul 4, 2013 at 10:55 AM
Published on Tumblr 6/14/2014 at 2:19 AM
WARNING: This is a slightly dark/sad fic.

Author's Note: This is a story that I wrote posted on my Deviantart accounT last summer around Father's Day. Enjoy!

* Disclaimer: This is a work of fan-fiction. This was NOT written for profit. I do NOT own any elements of Sesame Street. Sesame Street was created by Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett; all materials & characters are currently owned by the Sesame Workshop.

Thank you.

Written by: Brittany R./FoxieSango

He had been in a foul mood all day. It was totally unlike him, but he couldn't help it. People smiled and told him hello, but he ignored them. His friends tried to talk to him, but he'd snap at them. And when he was alone, he would just grouse to himself. It was one of those rare days where he'd be perfect company for Oscar the Grouch…which, on Sesame Street, wasn't necessarily a good thing.

Tomorrow was Father's Day. …and Elmo's dad was still overseas.

All day he had listened to his friends talk about how they'd celebrate with their dads. Baby Bear and Papa Bear were going to play ball in the park. Telly and his dad were going to play music together at home. Rosita was taking her dad out to eat. Even Big Bird was crafting gifts for Gordon (who had become like his adopted father over the years).

The only person experiencing something relatively close to how Elmo was feeling was Abby Cadabby, because her dad was not a constant in her household either. But she would be leaving tonight to spend the holiday with her father over the weekend. As such, Elmo even griped at her because at least she would get to SEE her father. But Elmo's mom had told him that his dad couldn't make it, and she didn't know when he would be home.

And so…Elmo was angry. Angry and grumpy. Super grumpy. And bad company.

"Maybe you can try video chatting with him tonight?" Abby suggested, packing her clothes in her suitcase. Elmo sat pouting in a beanbag chair in her room.

"Fat chance. We haven't been able to do that in weeks," he said, tossing a small ball up in the air repeatedly. Abby turned to look at him.

"Well…maybe,"

"Look, Elmo won't get to see him, okay?!" he threw the ball across the room. It hit her wall with a loud smack and landed on her bed, followed by a picture frame that plummeted from its hook after the hit.

"ELMO! You could've broken something!" Abby cried. But he didn't hear her,

"He's not coming, and he hasn't been home in months! Which sucks because Elmo is always worried he'll never see his dad again! What if something happens to him?! The least Elmo's dad can do is be here for Father's Day! …..He's….he…he's Elmo's dad!" Elmo cried, curling up into a tight, tense ball. He wrapped his arms around his knees and bowed his head; his form began to shiver. He was trying with all his might to hold it in. Abby stared at him in silence. Then she approached her friend and crouched down next to him.

"He tries, Elmo," she whispered, rubbing his back. At this, Elmo broke down and sobbed, wrapping his arms around Abby in a tight hug. And she just held him there for a while.

Author's Note: Also, this is partly based on the canon universe in that Abby's parents are divorced in the show, and Elmo's dad is in the service. I've played around with the idea that this aspect of their lives extends into their later years as well.

Reviews are welcome!

Thanks!