Little Moments
Chapter Two
requested by BrittanyBrighttheMagikatin
I'm sorry this took so long and I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not, nor do I ever, own Littlest Pet Shop or its characters.
xx
Blythe always wondered how the pets created such a disastrous mess in the day camp some days. And on those same days she wondered how such small creatures could even make such big messes in the first place.
When she had gone to check on all of them after a long day of dealing with school and the Biskit twins, she walked in only to stop dead in her tracks. There was paint on the ceiling, walls, and it was even smeared across the carpet in several areas including near the pet food dispensers.
Her hand had promptly connected with her forehead as a headache began forming in between her eyes.
After giving her little pet friends a disapproving scowl to which they responded to by whistling innocently, grinning sheepishly, or looking ashamed, Blythe then heaved a long-suffering sigh and reluctantly began picking up scattered chew toys and assorted items that were caked in drying paint. It took her, with the combined help of the other pets, a total of three hours to clean up the entire day camp. Her arms was sore from scrubbing the carpet and the walls and from reaching above her head to scrape paint off the ceiling.
Blythe was going to be picking Minka's paint out from under her fingernails for several days.
"Finally done," Blythe moaned as she slid to the floor with her back against the wall and closed her eyes. Her long brown hair, which had been pulled back into her signature ponytail for the day, was hanging lopsided from the scrunchie. Her clothes were now stained several new colors and wrinkled. She swept a hand through her scattered bangs and sighed.
"Are you alright, darling?" Cracking open one eye, Blythe eyed the pampered pup with an expression close to irritation. Zoe blinked at the look and shifted her eyes to the side. "Sorry, standard question."
Blythe looped her arms across her chest. "So is someone going to explain what happened in here or what?"
They each exchanged uneasy glances and stayed silent. Blythe pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Okay… Whose idea was it?"
The pets shared another look. Then they collectively took a large step backwards, leaving Russell standing up front. He blinked up at Blythe for a fraction of a second before his eyes widened and he whirled around to face his friends. He stiffened briefly before he covered it up with a stuttered yelp. "H – Hey!"
"Sorry, Russell, but you were the one who suggested a fun 'activity'." Pepper air-quoted with a shrug. Russell's brows furrowed and his eye twitched.
"I merely suggested we take a break from our usual activities, not that we should make a mess of the day camp!" The little hedgehog cried indignantly.
"Oh lighten up, Rusty, we do that at least once a week." Vinnie told him indifferently with a wave of his hand. Blythe heaved a sigh and slapped her forehead. The fur on Russell's neck bristled slightly.
"It would be nice if we didn't since Blythe is the one who has to clean up after us!" The hedgehog threw his arm out to the side to gesture to the teenager behind him and she lowered her hand at the mention of her name. "If you and Sunil hadn't tried pulling pranks on everyone –"
"Oh, do not be such a muddy stick, Russell." Sunil interrupted and crossed his arms, a frown firmly settled on his face. "Besides you know as well as I that our pranks did not cause this big mess." Blythe raised an eyebrow at the mongoose, his comment sparking her interest. Curious, she leaned forward on her hands.
"So what did cause it, Sunil?" She asked him. Without saying another word, Sunil merely jerked his thumb over his shoulder in Zoe's direction and the Spaniel drew back at the accusation.
"Excuse me?" She yelped, outraged and offended. "I did no such thing!"
"Hey, yeah, it was Zoe that started it, wasn't it?" Pepper asked and glanced at Minka and Penny Ling questioningly. The panda shrugged and Minka hopped onto one of her low-hanging toys by her tail and began swinging from it.
"I don't remember. All I know is that there was a whole lot of paint being tossed around!" Minka threw her hands up as though miming an explosion. "Like a bomb!"
Zoe rolled her eyes. "Please. I was a victim." She scoffed dramatically. Russell cleared his throat deliberately and laced his hands behind his back.
"You tripped over a can of paint when you got distracted after you saw yourself in the mirror and you splattered paint all over Penny Ling who stumbled into Minka who threw her paint brush at my back and I fell into Pepper and stabbed her with my quills and she fell into Sunil who screamed and jumped into Vinnie who was thrown into a paint can that caused most of this mess." The hedgehog recited dully, his eyes half-lidded, as he stared at Zoe.
"Oh yeah," The rest of the pets chorused in murmurs at the memory.
"Talk about a domino effect." Blythe muttered. Russell nodded his head solemnly in agreement.
Zoe blinked and grinned a bit sheepishly up at Blythe. "Yes, well, accidents happen. Sorry, darling." Russell rolled his eyes irritably and shook his head. Blythe sighed and carefully got to her feet, wincing when her muscles protested.
"It's okay, Zoe. The day camp is clean again and you guys just need to be a lot more careful from now on. Mrs. Twombly wouldn't be too happy if she ever saw a mess like that." As if summoned by her name, Mrs. Twombly popped her head inside the day camp.
"Oh, there you are, Blythe!"
Blythe smiled. "Hey, Mrs. Twombly. What's up?"
"I was just letting you know that it's time for the pets to go home. It seems everyone's owners are here except Russell's. He called and said he'd be along shortly though." Mrs. Twombly announced in her chipper tone. Blythe quickly snuck a glance at the hedgehog to gauge his reaction to the news but he appeared to not have been paying attention. He had his gaze locked onto the rest of the pets, watching them with an impassive expression. She frowned.
"Alright, Mrs. T." As soon as Mrs. Twombly shut the door, Blythe knelt beside the hedgehog and whispered, "You okay, Russell?"
"Huh?" Blinking, Russell seemed to relax as he raised his head to look at her. He waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. In fact, this is great because it gives me time to properly clean and organize everything in the day camp."
Blythe casually swept her eyes around the room, noting that everything was already cleaned and put back in its proper spot. But instead, she sighed softly and grinned at the hedgehog. "Let me help you."
xx
Two hours later, Blythe found herself standing at the front counter of Littlest Pet Shop, idly drawing patterns into the surface with her finger in boredom.
She had apparently not wiped off one of the chew toys according to Russell's standards and after several failed attempts to explain how it was done, he immediately ordered her out of the day camp so he could finish up. Blythe had protested but Russell firmly stated he had everything under control and that she should relax out front while he took care of the rest. She found she couldn't argue with him when she felt a yawn building up in her throat and so here she was.
She just wished Russell's owner would pick up the pace since she wanted to get her pajamas on and relax in the comfort of her own room. Her dad should be getting home soon too. It was nearing closing time at Littlest Pet Shop and Mrs. Twombly had retired to bed early with Blythe's promise to lock up once Russell left.
But Russell's owner still had not shown up.
Blythe was a bit confused since she knew if she had a pet and a full day job under her belt, she would be itching to get home and get comfortable as soon as possible. But when she had asked Russell about it after the others had said their goodbyes he had merely shrugged and said he would be on his way shortly, seemingly unaffected by the late arrival of his owner.
Or distracted by his checklist.
Either way, she wasn't sure how he knew but perhaps it was just a hedgehog thing. Russell would know more than her and she wasn't about to argue with the little guy.
Just then, the sound of the pet door to the day camp opening and snapping shut gathered her attention and soon Russell joined her on the counter, dusting himself off as she heard him grumbling under his breath about needing a bath.
"I never want to see paint ever again." The hedgehog announced as he approached her tautly, idly flipping through the papers on his clipboard. Blythe regarded him out of the corner of her eyes for a few moments before she smiled. There was paint on several parts of his fur and even his clipboard was not spared from the colorful stains.
Yes, he definitely needed a bath. Then again, so did she.
"Having fun back there, I see." Blythe teased. He paused after setting his clipboard down and sent her a weary irritated look that caused a soft giggle to erupt from Blythe.
Russell had been particularly snippy the past few days. It was as if he just continuously woke up on the wrong side of the bed. He was constantly rigid with his posture and every so often she would catch him with a grimace on his face. And nearly every little thing out of place seemed to make Russell growl under his breath or roll his eyes. Sometimes she found it cute and other times she found herself getting a little worried, if not annoyed, at his constant grumpy mood.
"Regardless of the fun, that's the last time I suggest we try something new," Russell muttered in a clipped tone and stubbornly wiped at a smear of color on his arm, wincing at the sharp painful tug on his skin the action caused from the thick paint drying his fur in clumps. Blythe blinked when he twitched suddenly as if he'd been jabbed with a sharp stick. He then lowered himself on his front paws and began scratching furiously at his neck and sides with his hind legs. She raised her eyebrows in concern as several spines began coming loose from his frenzied itching. Blythe's eyes widened when it dawned on her.
Russell was still quilling.
She wanted to smack her forehead for not noticing that little detail.
She recalled reading up on quilling back when Russell had been about to leave the pet shop to avoid hurting the other pets. The article had said that hedgehogs will lose spines for multiple reasons throughout their lifetime. The condition in which they fall out, however, determines if it was a healthy reason or not. But because Russell was young, the chance of him having mites over just going through his hedgehog puberty were pretty slim considering how well cared for he was. Her gaze shifted from the quills to the hedgehog and back again. Curiously, she reached over and plucked one of the spines from the counter, holding it up to her eyes for inspection.
The spine in her fingers was thin and small and, thankfully, had a small bulb at the thick end of it. Blythe released the breath she was holding. He was losing quills naturally much to her relief. Although she wasn't an expert on hedgehogs, she could at the very least say she knew what to look for in case of mites.
"So how did your suggestion turn into a painting activity?" She hoped that her question would distract him momentarily from his itching and she almost missed the wince that crossed Russell's face. She wasn't sure if it was just that he was remembering the day's events or if his continuous scratching was causing him pain. He managed to keep himself from flinching as he stood. The skin on his back felt as though someone had scrubbed him raw with a bristle brush. Russell caught the worried look Blythe was sending him and he smiled a bit sheepishly when he realized she was holding one of his quills in her fingers.
"Sorry, I've just been really…itchy lately and my quills are still falling out." Russell's brow furrowed slightly in concern. "You'd think they would've stopped by now." He took the spine from her hand and stared at it briefly before he let it drop to the counter. "Anyway, it was Minka's idea to use paint and well…" The hedgehog scratched the back of his neck and shrugged. "You saw how that turned out."
Blythe groaned softly and face-palmed. "That was a disaster."
"Well, at least everything is back to the way it is supposed to be and perfectly spotless."
"I don't doubt it. Too bad we're not spotless." She pointed out. He blinked and glanced down at himself. He spread his arms as he took in his sticky fur, his expression dropping into a look of disgust.
"Ew, I'm a mess." Russell grumbled to himself in an annoyed tone. Blythe smiled sympathetically.
"Oh come on, it doesn't look that bad." She reached out and ran her fingers along the multi-colored quills on his back. Almost immediately the hedgehog's entire body stiffened at the contact and then, before he could stop it, a high-pitched whimper fell from his clenched teeth that made Blythe freeze like a deer staring down the headlights of a car.
"What the –" Blythe managed to utter before she dropped her hands quickly and Russell stumbled away from her with a startled yelp. She held a hand out as if to steady him but drew back uncertainly, not wanting to hurt him again. Her eyes grew wide and she bit her lip. "Russell, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"
"I – I uh… Yes, I'm just great! You just caught me off guard is all!" Russell told her quickly and pat her gently on the back of her hand to console her. He swallowed and inhaled shakily, struggling not to scream his frustration when his skin began throbbing. He couldn't stop the wince that crossed his face from the ache. Blythe watched him carefully, her eyes wide with concern.
"How… How long have you been in pain, Russell?" Blythe asked him softly. He remained silent for several seconds as they stared at one another. Russell then sighed and fidgeted with his paws.
"A couple days," He admitted quietly. "It's been getting progressively worse." Blythe frowned.
"Why haven't you told me? Or anyone?"
"Because I didn't want anyone to worry. I figured it that it would just go away on its own." He muttered. Blythe cautiously leaned closer to him but stopped as his eyes quickly darted to her in alarm.
"Mind if I take a look?" Blythe inquired gently. Frowning, Russell nodded at her and she got close enough to peer at his back. The skin was red and raw and looked entirely too painful. She noticed one or two spots that looked like the thick end of a chopstick was trying to break through a hole the size of a sewing needle. She winced and bit her lip.
"That looks like it hurts." She muttered to herself and caught the exasperated look he immediately sent her.
"Of course it hurts." The hedgehog grumbled irritably and crossed his arms tightly across his chest. Blythe bit her lip and searched her memory to try and recall something she'd read on quilling. Russell's quilling was causing the skin on his back to be sore and tender to the touch. Thicker spines squeezing through previously smaller holes would have the potential to cause a little hedgehog some serious discomfort and a bad attitude as well.
Blythe didn't even want to imagine how that felt. She wracked her brain for something, anything, to help Russell.
Lotion was out of the question. That would just be an even bigger mess when mixed with the drying paint already on his fur. Plus she wasn't even sure if it would help him or not. Blythe crossed her arms and frowned as she thought about his itching. Scratching his back for him might help. But at the same time it could cause him more pain and irritation and she'd rather avoid that. She couldn't very well put ice on his back either – that would make him cold and likely cause him to get sick. She blinked suddenly and snapped her fingers.
"I've got it!" Blythe exclaimed with a large grin on her face. Russell furrowed his brow as he peered up at her.
"Got what?" He asked suspiciously. Blythe smiled brightly at him.
"I know exactly how to help you, Russell."
xx
"Alright, nice and easy…" Blythe murmured as she gently held the quivering hedgehog in her hands above the warm bath she'd drawn. Russell clung tightly to her fingers, his expression a bit panicked.
"Are you sure this won't hurt?" He squeaked and reared his back feet out of the way as Blythe lowered him closer to the water. Blythe couldn't help but groan under her breath.
"Russell, this is just a bath. You've had a bath before." Russell turned his head just enough so he could scowl at her, his ears flat against his skull. He was clearly unamused. Blythe sighed. "I promise this won't sting. It will help your back feel a whole lot better."
"Well…" Russell muttered and stared at the water as if it was going to reach up and yank him under. "If you're sure."
"Positive." Blythe confirmed and she slowly began guiding him to the bath. His paws tightened just before his feet slid into the warm water. She hesitated, briefly meeting his gaze, before she lowered him the rest of the way, completely submerging his belly and most of his back into the soothing water. As soon as her hands slipped out of the water, Russell was so still for a moment she thought he'd gone into a self-induced shock. But soon enough, he heaved a sigh and a small groan escaped him as he melted into the tub.
Why didn't I think of this before? Russell thought briefly as he slowly relaxed into the water. For the first time in days, he was finally feeling some relief from the constant pain of quilling. The warm water was calming the aching skin and comforting his stressed mind into a euphoric haze. Russell was dragged back to reality when he heard Blythe speaking.
"Does it feel any better, Russell?" Blythe asked and knelt beside the bathtub. He managed a small nod in response to her question. He stretched his arms and legs out, enjoying being able to do so without cringing, before he paused. Russell sat up slightly and peered into the murky water. He ran his hands through the clouded bath curiously.
"What's this?" Russell asked, craning his head around to look up at the girl. Blythe leaned against the rim of the tub and smiled tiredly.
"Oatmeal."
The hedgehog blinked and turned back to stare into the bath. "Um…why am I sitting in a tub of oatmeal?"
"Oatmeal is good for a lot of things, and luckily for you, it's also good for relieving dry skin on a quilling hedgehog." She explained. She then reached off to the side and picked up a small cup before dunking it into the bath. Russell watched her curiously until she poured the water gently over his spines. The oatmeal-water blanketed him in a cocoon of heat and he exhaled slowly through his nose as he felt more stress leaving his body. He sunk down in the water to lay on his belly in the water for several more minutes.
Blythe was silent as she continued to pour the water over the hedgehog until he spoke. "Blythe…"
She waited. "Yes, Russell?" The hedgehog cracked open an eye and raised his gaze to her.
"I'm really sorry for snapping at you and the others," he murmured as his ears lowered against his head. He felt downright ashamed of himself. "It was hard to stay in a good mood and deal with everything else. It was just getting so painful and…" Blythe's eyebrows creased in worry. His voice cracked when he continued. "It's just – I think it was just –"
"R – Russell, it's okay. I get it." Blythe interrupted him in a gentle voice. She smiled at him when he glanced at her, his eyes wide. "I could never understand the kind of pain you're in but the least I can do is help you try to feel more comfortable while it lasts." She told him and reached down so she could carefully stroke the wet fur on his forehead with her thumb. "You and the other pets… You guys are my best friends. I'll do just about anything for you."
Russell stared and he said nothing, looking a little stunned, but the large grateful smile that brightened his face said all the words he just couldn't find at the moment.
Suddenly, the sound of the front door opening made both of them pause. "Hey, uh, I'm here to pick up my hedgehog?" Someone hesitantly called from the front of the shop and Russell's ears perked at the familiar voice. Blythe smiled.
"Better late than never," she whispered before she called out, "Yeah, just a sec!" Blythe quickly rinsed off the hedgehog and pulled the plug to drain the water. She then gathered Russell up in a large fluffy white towel and, after carefully using the cloth to dry his ears and face, she held him close and gently placed a kiss on his forehead. Russell stiffened in surprise and stared at her even as his cheeks burned in embarrassment.
"Blythe, what –"
"Please don't ever be afraid to talk to me, Russell. Like I already told Sunil, I love you guys more than anything and I'll always help if I can."
"I…" The hedgehog blinked and his brow furrowed as he shifted his gaze to the towel she'd cocooned him in. A warm feeling settled in his abdomen and a smile slowly formed on his face as he finally relaxed in the towel. As Blythe carried him out to his owner, in a rare moment of affection, he closed his eyes and carefully leaned up so he could gently press his damp forehead against her throat beneath her chin.
"Thank you, Blythe." Russell smiled timidly, his ears folded back. "I – I appreciate that."
xx
I really hope this isn't too bad. I spent such an awful long time on this and erased more than half of what's here. I apologize if Russell isn't in character but I tried to write him as I think he would react should his quilling eventually cause him pain. I also apologize if my research on quilling for hedgehogs isn't accurate. Please don't forget to review and let me know if you like it, hate it, or simply want to correct a few things! Thank you very much for reading!