For the writing-prompts I'm doing on tumblr. troozart asked for "Sorry, were you sleeping?" for BusterXEddie.
Friend
Buster sets eyes on his theater, his beautiful, beautiful theater.
He smiles as he gets closer.
He's dying to enter the wonderful building, inhale the typical smell.
His smile deepens when it almost sounds like the theater is calling his name.
Buster.
I'm coming, he replies in his head because last time he checked, theater couldn't talk.
Although it's a nice thought.
He would love to hear what his theater, his girl, his life would have to say.
Right now, it sounds like she's calling him again.
Buster!
On my way, old girl, he replies.
And then he hears it.
Another sound, a terrible sound, a sound like cracking wood.
"No!" he calls out, starting to run.
But it's too late.
The theater falls down with a roaring sound, and Buster's heart stops.
It even sounds like she's calling for him again.
Buster!
It sounds urgent and panicked, and it sends a pang to his heart.
She's probably blaming him that he let her down.
"I'm sorry, old girl! I didn't mean to hurt you!" he says.
His heart is aching in his chest.
"I'm so sorry!" he says again before the tears start running down his cheeks.
Buster!
It sounds even more urgent now, and Buster wishes there was something he could do. But all he can do is saying he's sorry over and over again, and crying.
"Buster?"
The koala wakes with a start.
He knows that voice and it's not the voice of his theater.
He looks around the room.
Obviously, this is Eddie's pool house.
Which makes sense because the voice he heard sounded like Eddie's.
He turns to look at the sheep.
"Sorry, were you sleeping?" Eddie asks.
"Yes," Buster replies, lifting a hand to his head to rub that spot between his eyes where a terrible headache has built up.
"It's just I don't think you should sleep there," Eddie goes on. "Might lead to some neck pain."
Buster looks down. He's sitting on one of Eddie's inflatable armchairs.
"And maybe you should have a shower," Eddie suggests. "I can get the inflatable mattress ready for you, so you can lie down and sleep a bit."
"Yeah, that sounds great," Buster says as he climbs out of the chair.
He remembers now that while the theater calling his name had been a dream, the fact that it fell down isn't.
It is gone. His beautiful theater is gone.
All that's left of the theater now is a pile of rubble.
It's all what's left of his life, too.
He sighs.
That's why he ended up at Eddie's pool house.
Because he had nowhere else to go.
And because Eddie is his friend.
His best friend.
His only friend.
"And Buster?" Eddie aks, and the koala turns to look at him.
"Here," Eddie goes on and tosses something his way.
Buster catches it and realizes it's one of Eddie's T-shirts.
"Leave your clothes on the floor. I'll have wash them for you. Or let one of our servants do that It's safer that way. Managed to ruin two of my shirts when I did my laundry myself. I mean, it's so confusing! There's the washing powder and no one told me how much I need of that. And that you shouldn't wash white clothes together with dark ones. And what the heck is fabric softener and what do I need it for?"
Eddie laughs, and Buster knows he means to cheer him up. He just doesn't feel like laughing. He can't even manage a weak smile right now.
Eddie stops laughing and looks at him, his face all serious.
"You can stay as long as you want to, you know that, right? You might have to hide at some point because I'm sure my mom would like to kick you out after a week or two, but that's fine. It's not the first time I'm hiding something from my parents."
He laughs again, and again, Buster knows he should at least try to laugh, but he can't.
Eddie sighs. "You're going to be okay, right?"
Buster shrugs. "Maybe."
"I'll order us a pizza, okay? Everything looks a bit brighter with a little something in your tummy. That's what our cook always says."
"Sounds great," Buster replies before he sets into motion again.
After few steps he stops and turns back to Eddie.
"You're a real pal, Eddie," he says.
The sheep smiles. "Thank you, Buster!"
"No," Buster replies. "Thank you!"
And with that he continues his walk to the bathroom.
Yes, he might have lost his theater, he might have lost almost all of his belongings, he might have almost lost his life, but at least he has a friend like Eddie.
And somehow, that's a soothing thought.