Hello :D FlakyxFlippy fluff but with some drama thrown in there~ Hope you enjoy!
I'll be writing the characters as humans. Please review and give feedback ^^
Flaky breathed in the crisp morning air. It was a beautiful day in Happy Tree Town as usual, with just a few clouds in the sunny Saturday sky. She was on her way to buy some groceries from the local store, humming a song that had gotten stuck in her head from the radio. Her long, slightly messy crimson hair, warm from the sun, tickled her back.
Sudden movement caught the corner of her eye and she turned her head. A girl with short pink hair waved at Flaky from her window. Flaky waved back, smiling, and the girl ran outside to greet her.
"Good morning Flaky! I was thinking we should get together and go somewhere this afternoon," Giggles said with a grin. "Wanna meet up at the Café? It'll be Petunia's and my treat."
"Sure, Giggles," Flaky replied with another smile. "I'll be there."
Giggles squee'd. "Yay! Be there at twelve, okay?" Then they said their goodbyes and Flaky went back on her way.
They'll probably bring Cuddles and Handy along. She was happy to have friends like hers, but sometimes she felt like an awkward third wheel at their gatherings. A playground to the right rang out with children's squeals.
Oh, they'll be such good friends, Flaky's mother laughed. Flaky was behind her leg, fingers digging into the denim. The adults towered above her, and she could feel their amused eyes on her as she peered at the sized boy in front of her, who was eyeing her back curiously.
They all chuckled when he grabbed Flaky's hand and pulled toward the swingset behind him. When she began to cry from fright, he quickly stopped, and patted her head roughly.
Good friends indeed, his mother agreed, as he bent down and pulled a yellow flower from the grass and offered it to her with a wide grin. Flaky's sobs slowed to a stop, her gaze transfixed on the present.
He tugged again, more gently this time, and Flaky quietly complied. They spent the rest of the afternoon laughing and playing. That carefree laugh…
"Looking for something?" a man asked, causing Flaky to jolt while she absentmindedly browsed through the produce. He was rather tall with scruffy blue hair and had a name tag. Hi, my name is: Lumpy.
"Oh, no, I'm all right," she mumbled. The grocer nodded and left. Flaky continued running her eyes over the fruits and vegetables, fingers hovering slightly over the selections.
Her hand hesitated when she reached the peanuts, remembering the shortness of breath, the swollen skin. Flaky didn't know what was happening the first time, as she stopped, frozen, gripping the bag of freshly roasted peanuts at the local fair.
The boy was walking next to her and paused when she did. His eyes widened in alarm. In an instant he ripped the bag from her fingers, throwing it in the nearest bin. When she looked to him in astonishment as they ran to their parents hand in hand, he only smiled in relief and she glanced down to see his hand swelling as well.
Into the basket went several bunches of bananas when Flaky was struck with a whim to bake. Flaky started towards the aisles, going past the bakery, the sweet smell of cake drifting in the air.
Balloons bobbed around the table and banners stretched across the walls. Happy 10th Birthday! they seemed to shout with huge bubble font. After the singing and candle-blowing, the boy immediately tore open the first present which had been from his parents. He gasped as he slowly lifted out a green, camouflage-patterned army beret and beamed uncontrollably. Flaky never saw him without that hat since.
Lumpy was now at the cashier. She raised an eyebrow slightly, but she gave it no more heed and handed her items to him.
Flaky stepped out of the cool air-conditioned store and into the hot, dry sun. She realized that she had forgotten to put on sunscreen before leaving home and walked faster.
After what felt like too long to be staying in the heart, she caught sight of her house and quickly opened the front door. Flaky sighed in contentment as she flopped on her couch.
The clock ticked and echoed through the house, and light streamed through the windows onto her face. She lifted herself off a little to see the side table and her smiling parents' pictures. Flaky blew off the dust and adjusted the frames. More laughter drifted in from outside…
Two identical boys with messy dark green hair cackled at her, cupping baby chicks in their hands and pushing them at her face. Despite being in middle school, she wasn't over her irrational fear over the fuzzy birds and couldn't help but feel her eyes welling up.
Ha! Whatta crybaby! They sniggered. The school was on a field trip to the zoo, and the rest of the kids had gone ahead. Flaky quivered slightly, her feet glued.
The fluffy yellow disappeared from her field of vision as a familiar green appeared. Hey! Leave her alone! A boy shouted, balling his fists. The twins exchanged nervous glances and grins, wavering for a moment before dropping the chicks to flee while they could.
Are you okay, Flaky? He asked, turning around, eyebrows bunched with concern. The two were now alone in the petting zoo. Flaky said nothing. I won't let anyone hurt you.
Before she could think, Flaky shot out and embraced him tightly. He tensed, but then gently returned the hug, and she could feel the warmth through his shirt. She smiled up at him and he grinned back.
Then Flaky realized what she was doing and let go. She looked down, her face burning hotly. The boy coughed, and gestured for her to catch up with the class. She wasn't sure as she ran behind him, but was he blushing?
Flaky gazed up lazily at the ticking clock, still immersed in old memories. The long and short hands pointed straight up. Twelve o'clock. She jumped. Oh no, the hangout! Flaky flung on her bag and slipped on her sneakers, practically falling out of the door.
"S-sorry I'm late," Flaky panted. She staggered into the Happy Tree Café and her friends were standing inside, their heads turning to her.
"It's fine, Flaky," Giggles said with an easy laugh. "We were just about to sit down."
"Haha… oh." She brushed the hair from her eyes and followed the group to a table. Giggles had brought Cuddles, and Petunia, Handy.
The couples held hands (though in Petunia's case, holding a dangling bandage of one of Handy's amputated arms) as they walked and sat down at a table. Then Giggles and Petunia got up and went to the kitchen to fetch them some food and drinks. The five chatted cheerfully with the occasional cracked jokes by Cuddles, which led to bursts of laughter.
Despite her happiness in the moment, Flaky couldn't help but let her mind wander back to his laughter as though, if she did not replay it enough in her thoughts, it would slip from her memories.
Goodbye, Flaky, the olive-haired boy said, lowering his beret. Flaky's heart skipped a beat and ice ran through her veins. Why? Why are you going? She said, her voice beginning to waver. Will I ever see you again?
The boy said nothing, only looking away. Flaky felt her eyes prick. A familiar sensation. This is my duty, was all he said. Her closest friend. Her guardian. She tried to speak again, but her throat started to constrict and she couldn't let out a word. The boy started to turn away and out of her life. No…
She ran to him, giving him one last hug with his back to her, his camouflage jacket warm and familiar. When she let go he turned and kissed her lightly on the forehead. She flushed and he chuckled softly. Then she watched him walk away.
Her tears fell slowly but without end, even until she slept that day. Flaky was visibly more withdrawn and paranoid since then; her friends tried even harder to cheer her up. She was grateful and it did help, but there wasn't a day that went by without thinking of him. Yet they still flew past. Getting her job. Graduation. Get-togethers like this one.
The group talked and ate for hours until the sun started its path down the sky. They walked outside and waved goodbye to each other. Flaky hugged Giggles and Petunia tightly before she started back home again. Crickets began their chorus as she strolled.
Another fun day come and gone… Flaky rolled her shoulders on her couch, opening an unfinished book to spend the rest of the evening.
VREEEEE!
A vehicle's screech pierced the quiet nightfall, and Flaky started in alarm. What could be going on at this time of day? She opened the curtains to check outside.
Flaky screamed as a car swerved wildly and haphazardly down the road until she heard the crunch of metal. Even though accidents – of any kind, really — seemed unusually common in this town, she never got used to seeing them.
Flaky ran out of the house to help the victim. In the soft light of the streetlamps she could see there wasn't too much damage to the car; it had collided into a tree at the empty passenger's seat. There was no one else was in sight.
"Are you alright?!" She exclaimed, reaching the site of the accident. She heard a groan, and the driver's door opened. Flaky stiffened.
A young man limped out of the car, a bruise on his forehead slightly covered by a tuft of green hair and a faded beret. He shakily leaned against the car door, eyes darting around in the shadowy surroundings until they met Flaky's. She watched recognition light up his face, and felt her own still unable to speak.
"Flaky?"