Author: Sidebottom (Boober's Fun-Loving Alter-Ego)
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: The wonderful world of the Fraggles and all creatures and places therein belong to the Jim Henson Company and Disney.
Summary: Sequel to Her Friend Boober. Now that the emotions of their experience have passed, will Boober and Red's friendship remain strong even though they have next to nothing in common?
Author's Note: You should probably read Her Friend Boober first...also, knowledge of episode 1.17, "Marooned" is helpful as well, since that is the episode that inspired the first story. This is my first attempt at writing Gobo and Wembley, too...who knows, maybe I'll try adding Mokey next time!
"Oh, Gobo, I would've beaten you if it wasn't for that snail!"
"Yeah, right, Red," Gobo's kidding voice echoed down the tunnel.
"I bet I can beat you now!" with a whoop, two sets of footprints came thundering down the tunnel toward Boober's room.
The Fraggle sighed, shaking his head as he went back to stirring the laundry. He knew they were coming to him—he'd promised to whip up a batch of radish muffins.
"Hey, Boober," Wembley poked his head into the house, "Have you seen Gob—augh!" with a shriek, Wembley toppled over as Gobo and Red plowed into him.
"Oh, sorry Wembley," Gobo said, jumping to his feet and pulling Wembley up. "Didn't see you there."
"That's okay, Gobo!" Wembley giggled—always ready to forgive his best friend.
"Whatcha doing, Boober?" Gobo asked, munching on one of the muffins and standing close behind the blue-furred Fraggle.
"Laundry," Boober replied, a bit shortly.
"How are there so many dirty socks if no one wears shoes?" Wembley asked curiously, poking his nose down into the laundry tub.
"I don't—Wembley! Be careful!" with an exasperated sigh, Boober watched helplessly as the rest of Wembley's muffin fell into the tub with the laundry.
"Whoops! Sorry, Boober!"
Boober groaned. Now he'd have to refill the tub and start the laundry all over again.
"Hey, let's take these muffins over to Mokey, I bet she'd like them," Gobo suggested.
"Yeah," Wembley laughed, gathering an armful of muffins and happily munching on another. "Everybody loves Boober's muffins."
"Why don't you come with us, Boober," Gobo called, pausing on the doorway.
Boober sighed. "I can't," he said, a bit grumpily. "I have to start the laundry all over again, and if I don't get it done soon everything could be ruined."
"Aw, Boober, it can't be that bad," Red spoke up with a snort.
"If I just leave it all the colors will bleed together," Boober protested. "Besides...I have to make a soufflé for the World's Oldest Fraggle."
"All right, Boober," Gobo replied lightly. "See you later, then!"
"Yeah, bye!" Wembley scrambled after Gobo, dropping a muffin on the way.
Boober sighed, struggling to lift the heavy laundry tub to carry it down to the pool to pour it out. He could only lift one side, and was preparing to drag it, when he noticed it seemed lighter than usual. Boober looked back—Red was carrying the other end of the tub.
"Red," he said, almost impatiently. "You don't have to help me. I can do this myself."
"But I want to help you, Boober," she insisted. "It's not your fault you have to start over...besides, it'll just take you twice as long if you have to carry this thing by yourself."
"All right, Red," Boober said, with another sigh. He sounded reluctant, but on the inside he was rather happy to have her help. She was right—it would take him twice as long if he had to carry the tub on his own.
As they walked down to the swimming hole—or rather the stream that ran off from it—Red told him about her race with Gobo, and how she'd been distracted by this really big snail on the wall. "It was as big as my nose!" she insisted. "And it had green and blue stripes on its shell!"
In reply, Boober told her his rather boring story about making muffins, and how he'd found his lucky skipping stone in the bottom of the laundry tub.
Together they hauled the full tub back up to Boober's house, where Red insisted on staying to help with the laundry. Not that she knew much about laundry, but for once Red Fraggle didn't complain about helping with a mundane task.
As they hung the last of the laundry up, Boober couldn't help noticing Red was humming softly. The tune was almost familiar...it reminded him a bit of "The Friendship Song", but something about it was different. "What's that?"
"Hmm? What? Oh, the song..." Red hedged. "I don't know. I woke up with it in my head this morning and I can't get it out."
"Oh. It's nice." Boober pinned up the last sock, studying it in awkward silence.
"You know, laundry is kinda fun when there's two of you doing it," Red commented after a moment.
"Yeah." Boober did not mention that he thought laundry was kinda fun anyway. "Thanks for your help, Red."
"You're welcome. Guess you need to get started on that soufflé next, huh?"
"Oh...right," Boober sighed. "Though why do I bother? The World's Oldest Fraggle doesn't appreciate fine dining."
He thought he heard Red snort in laughter, but turned to get his mixing bowl. He couldn't understand why she was still hanging around. Sure, they'd been better friends since the cave-in last week, but she couldn't really want to just hang around with him, could she?
"You know," Red suddenly said, "I've never seen anyone make a soufflé before."
"You haven't?" Boober thought this was a rather odd comment.
"No."
He paused for a moment. Then he glanced over at Red. She was trying to look interested...trying very hard. And he understood...she really was trying to be a better friend, to find something they could do together. "Well, you can't learn anything by watching," he finally said. "Guess you'll have to help me make it if you really want to see how a soufflé is made."
Red beamed and hurried over to the counter. "All right, Master Chef, what do we do first?"
Boober caught himself grinning at her infection enthusiasm. Sure, it wasn't the way he normally liked to cook...but sometimes friendship changed things.
And he was glad...he had been worried their friendship would fade now that the cave-in was becoming a more distant memory.
But maybe they could make it stronger. Maybe there would be a way...for him and his friend Red.
Reviews? Flames? Tar and Feathers?
There is at least one more coming...probably sooner than this one followed the last.