Chip In The Head
About This Story: Alvin and Brittany discover a secret about each other that they may have forgotten to discuss to closure with Dave after all these years. They aren't sure how to tell him, especially after another emergency takes priority. Warning: some chapters contain more adult-ish themes than others (chapter warnings provided). Age-wise they are 11. I don't own any part of the Chipmunk franchise, just borrowing them from Nickelodeon, Janice Karman, & Ross Bagdasarian, their family, & their company.
About This Chapter: Rated PG-13 (T), for mentions of underwear, as well as conversations alluding to erections, and other adult relationship situations.
Pairings: Alvin/Brittany, Dave/Julie
7. Recharged For Discharge
"Funny that I didn't notice my room came with a window until now." Alvin blinked as he sat on the edge of his hospital bed, slightly swinging his sock-covered feet. "Is it OK if I take a peek out the window before we leave, Dave?" The bulky crown of bandages on his head had been replaced by a smaller version, that looked like a sweatband.
"Sure, Alvin." Dave chuckled as he pulled some clothes for his son to wear for discharge out of the overnight bag. "I'll hold you up so you can have a better view. But I looked earlier, and it isn't much of a view, I'll admit."
"Spoiler alert." Alvin snapped his fingers with a slight hint of disappointment. "Oh wait, do I need to get dressed before I look?" Before his father could pick him up, he motioned downwards to the hospital gown that he was still wearing. "You know, so the public doesn't see anything that's supposed to stay private? But I am at least wearing boxers under this - will that be good enough?"
"I'm pretty sure the windows are tinted so that no one from outside will be able to see you. Even if they could see anything, we're up on the fourth floor, so no one will recognize you." Dave helped Alvin climb into the crook of his left elbow, facing outward.
"Thanks, David Dear." Alvin smiled as he leaned back from his sitting position so that the back of his head rested against his father's shoulder. The right side of his head affectionately and comfortably rested right below Dave's left jawline.
Dave moved the curtain back with his right hand. "See? It's not a bad view of the parking lot." He chuckled as he motioned out the window.
Alvin smiled with a slight shrug. "For someone who hasn't seen the sun in - what - two or three days, it's nice. I'm still glad you helped me look." He sighed, "In fact, you've done so much for all of us - but especially me, personally - that you deserve a nice, much-needed nap when we get home."
Dave sighed happily. "It's been a lot easier to sleep restfully after that first rough night with you. But once you've woken up from being unconscious, then again once your memory came back to you, I could sleep much better. And the thought of being back at home, sleeping in our own beds sounds really nice. I know your recovery hasn't been easy, but you've come a long way." He looked down at Alvin. "Are you ready to get dressed so we can go home?"
"Yep." Alvin smiled as Dave set him back on the edge of the bed.
"How much help do you need getting dressed?" Dave asked. "Since you got your boxers and your socks on last night after I helped you with a shower, I would think you can put on your pants and shoes by yourself."
Alvin shimmied into his jeans and slipped his shoes onto his feet as his father spoke. "And for the shower...uh, thank you, Dave. I know most people my age value privacy and independence from their parents, but...well...hey, how many of them have staples in their head? I mean, I can't see my injury without a mirror. How else will I be able to keep it clean without getting it too wet? I guess it was even kind of a bonding moment."
Dave held up a red plaid button-up shirt with short sleeves for his son to slip into from behind. "I'm glad Brittany and Simon thought to pack some button-up shirts for you to wear home. It may be at least a week before you can slip regular T-shirts over your head." He chuckled slightly as he sat on the edge of the bed to Alvin's left, "And helping you wash your hair in the shower was a bonding moment for me, as well. Since you've been so independent with showering, bathing, combing your own hair, or dressing yourself since you were about...seven or eight, I had forgotten what it was like to do many of those things for you. Even though I'll admit that the dad in me may occasionally miss those times with you for sentimental reasons, I'm glad for all practical reasons that you can do them for yourself. You know, when you don't have staples in your head."
Alvin chuckled. "You know, Dave, for a moment there I thought you were gonna wish for more of those times, since 'your babies are all growing up too fast', and pretty soon we won't need that kind of help from you. And you will soon feel that we don't need you as much anymore."
"Those were the 'sentimental reasons' I was talking about." Dave sighed and smiled over at Alvin. "But if I mentioned it, I'm afraid I would cry - and I thought I had cried enough already this week. Yes, I realize that you kids are all getting more independent as you grow up, and we'll have to find other ways for us to bond as a family." He looked uneasy, "Besides, someday I may need to live in a nursing home, where you guys and the nurses will have to do all of that stuff for me that I used to do for all of you."
It was Alvin's turn to look uneasy. "Gee, Dave, we may not physically get much bigger, and it may take all of us to lift you, but I'm sure we can pool our allowances together to put you in a nice nursing home, with a hot nurse taking care of you, and we'll come visit a lot - not just to see you, but to see your hot nurse."
Dave playfully nudged his son's elbow. "But hopefully not before you give me some grandchildren to spoil."
Alvin's eyes went wide. "Grandchildren?..." He muttered to himself as his mind raced anxiously. "Dave wants grandchildren someday? And how many? Would he settle for adopted grandchildren - if Alvin and his brothers didn't end up married to the Chipettes? It would be hypocritical of him not to accept them for choosing such a path, since Dave was a single human who had adopted three boys outside his species. But was Dave implying that he expected his boys would someday marry - and procreate - with the Chipettes? Did he agree with most of the paparazzi, as well as the mystic mate quiz results, and expect Alvin to end up with Brittany? Huh, that no longer seemed like a horrible nightmare to him. But what if Brittany still thought it was a nightmare? What if Brittany had been emotionally scarred from her earlier childhood trauma so that a happy, fulfilling relationship with her was not possible? What if that was true of Alvin?" Alvin shuddered at the thought, as his mind kept racing.
"Alvin Michael Seville?" Dave waved his hand inches in front of his son's face. "Are you OK?"
Alvin blinked and shook his head. "Huh?"
Dave patted his shoulder. "Sorry, you just looked like you zoned out again. Maybe it's the hydrocodone they gave you this morning for discharge. Good thing you aren't the one driving home."
"Oh." Alvin sighed. "Yeah, I guess I still do that a lot. I'm sorry, did you say something about grandchildren?"
Dave laughed. "Oh, I think I did. But don't worry, I meant that as a joke - not a very good one, either - you've always given me a hard time about how I butcher jokes that I try to repeat, or you correct me for the way I tell them."
"Oh, that's good to know..." Alvin felt relieved as he chuckled a little more with his dad.
"Dave, can I ride shotgun?" Alvin asked eagerly as they approached their car in the hospital parking lot.
"Absolutely!" Dave held the passenger side car door open until Alvin was safely buckled into the seat, after their overnight bags were stowed in the trunk.
He soon got into the driver's seat to drive them home. As he buckled his seatbelt and started the car, he sighed. "It sure was nice of Simon and Brittany to pack overnight bags for both of us."
"They sure did good with choosing button-up shirts for me." Alvin agreed. "The nurses seeing me leave almost didn't recognize me without my bright red hoodie with the cheerful yellow 'A' on it. But once they did, I was more than happy to sign a few autographs and take a group pic with all the nurses and doctors who helped take care of me. That was kinda fun!" He chuckled.
They soon left the hospital parking lot, and Dave nodded. "It was kinda fun to do that. Sure a button-up shirt is less conspicuous and maybe...less you than the red pullover hoodies, but for the practical purposes of getting dressed without messing up your bandages or staples, Brittany made a good choice there."
"Yeah, she did." Alvin smiled.
After a few seconds of silence, Dave tried another topic for conversation. "Well, Alvin, I'm glad you and Brittany were getting along well enough that you didn't mind her going through your socks and underwear. How did you feel thinking about that?"
Alvin lightly shrugged so as to keep from disturbing the bandages on his head. "At first, I guess that did seem weird - a girl going through my underwear drawers. Until I remembered the few times my brothers and I would panty-raid the Treehouse when the girls were on tour."
"What?" Dave blinked in shock. "And you guys told me that you were going there to water the plants, or feed the kittens, or something."
"We did do those things, but usually after that was done, we hung out at the Treehouse a little longer." Alvin admitted. "Sometimes we even read a few pages of their diaries to see what all they wrote about us. But we learned a valuable lesson instead that day - that ignorance is bliss. But then the panty-raiding happened when we started folding laundry for them. We even made a game of it where we would reach into the pile, pull out some panties, and try to guess who's they were. Ha! I remember guessing that Brittany's were the pink bikinis. And I saw that I was right about that sometime later."
"Alvin..." Dave mumbled.
Alvin chuckled. "It's OK, Dave, it's not like I was violating Brittany by looking up her skirt or anything like that. It was because I would usually carry her suitcase during out-of-town trips, and I happened to drop it one time in the hotel room, and it popped open and some of those pink bikinis spilled out. I tried to be a gentleman and look away while she stuffed them back in, but I couldn't stop giggling - spilled luggage is kinda funny, especially when it's panties. Then she slapped me, of course, and said, 'Quit picturing me wearing them, you sick munk.' I was like, 'Eww, I was just laughing that your panties fell out, I sure wasn't thinking about that, but I am now that you mentioned it.' For a moment there, she actually apologized and felt bad for slapping me, but then she started laughing and saying, 'You're right, it is funny that of all my clothes in there, my panties were the ones that fell out.' I even said, 'Hey, maybe sometime I can dump my tightie-whities out of my suitcase for a laugh!' And we were both laughing by that point." Once Alvin took a break from laughing at this memory, he sighed. "It's crazy how both Brittany and I tend to assume the worst about each other, or assume that we already know each other, but then we learn something new about each other. And we share a surprising bonding experience when we least expect it."
Dave smiled. "I'm glad to see and hear that you have been getting along better with Brittany. Have you found a good way to get to know her better as a 'long-lost sister' or friend? You know, like our new friends over Spring Break, the Ninja Turtles, said they were going to try with their long-lost sister, Karai?"
"Oh yeah," Alvin blinked, "Now that I'm starting the summer with a head injury, I'll probably be inside more. Brittany and I may start binge-watching some TV shows together. We learned that we both like those survival-based reality series like 'Naked And Afraid', or 'Survivor'. They kinda bring back memories of the time we were stranded on that island during our Hawaiian cruise. Britt actually had some cool survival skills - like building an awesome shelter - that I never would've imagined someone would have who spends so much of their time at shopping malls or salons. I think she once told me she learned a few things from watching an eighties comedy movie called 'Troop Beverly Hills', and she said I'm welcome to watch that with her sometime. She even might know some hairstyling tips that can help me work around the staples. I was just going to wear my hat every day, but I've seen her do some good stuff with Simon's and Theodore's hair before some of our concerts that I might actually let her play with my hair. That woman never ceases to amaze me!"
"I'm glad you found some peaceful and practical activities to help you bond." Dave smiled. "Our next concert is a little over a week away. You and Brittany could also help with songwriting material if you want to sing about your newly discovered hobbies, or you're even welcome to work on a duet together, if you'd like."
"Wow! Really, Dave?" Alvin's eyes lit up before a slightly worried look crossed his face. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Dave paused. "Oh, yeah...I'm sure the paparazzi would be all over that..."
"Part of me wants to stop being obsessed with how the paparazzi sees me..." Alvin began, "Or sees us. I mean, I like hanging out with Brittany. I think she's pretty cool. And I'm sure it's just a matter of time before it's obvious to everyone around us that I...definitely don't hate Brittany, or that I even enjoy being around her." He nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "This might sound weird, but I feel like I can tell you this, since you said I could tell you anything about my body or my life, no matter how embarrassing. It's that...lately I've begun to notice...something unusual that happens to me when I'm around her, or sometimes even when I'm just thinking about her. It's at least a relief that it isn't as obvious when I'm sitting down, but it sure would be embarrassing if the paparazzi noticed it during a concert. Then they would probably assume that I really like Brittany, and that news would be spread to everyone on the planet!"
Dave started to look panicked. "Uh...just a moment, Alvin, I'm gonna pull over." Once he pulled far enough off the road that he could park the car, he turned back to his son. "Sorry, Alvin, I thought it might be easier to have a talk like this while I'm not needing to focus on driving. Now, you were saying something unusual and embarrassing happens whenever you are with Brittany, or even when you are just thinking about her?"
Alvin blinked, confused as if he had done something wrong without knowing it. "I'm sorry, Dave, I guess it's a little confusing when it happens, since I don't really know what it means about how I feel about Brittany. But I am sure it means that I like her."
"Does it hurt?" Dave asked with concern. "Or is it uncomfortable? Or does it...leave enough of a mess that you need to change clothes?"
Alvin looked even more confused. "What? No, it doesn't hurt or anything, it feels wonderful - like a puppy feels getting its belly rubbed. I guess it means I feel good with Brittany, and I hope she feels that way around me. Well, even if she does, I haven't noticed it happen to her like it happens to me - and not that I spend much time looking."
Dave took a deep breath. "Well, Alvin, that's because girls...are, uh...not like boys, so they would, uh...have a different way of...showing how they feel..."
Alvin still looked confused. "OK... But since Brittany is also a humanoid chipmunk like me, I don't know why I don't see her tail wag like I'm pretty sure mine is wagging. Especially if she touches me - like pats my back or touches my arm or my hand. Maybe I'm reading too much into it - my tail just has a mind of its own and thinks she likes me because of the friendly touch, when to her it probably means nothing. Does that mean my tail has a crush on her - or that I unconsciously have a crush on her, but she doesn't mean anything by it or like me any more than just a friend?"
Dave blinked, then chuckled, and then sighed with relief. "Oh! You meant your tail!"
Alvin shrugged with a slightly annoyed expression. "What? How do you not notice that my tail wags like crazy around Brittany? I feel like it's generating enough wind power to make a hurricane!"
Dave shrugged. "I don't know. Sometimes the things that we are overly self-conscious about are not as noticeable to everyone as you may think they are. I'd add 'especially when you are a dramatic eleven-year-old', but it may be true of any age. Who knows? Maybe Brittany feels that her tail is wagging around you, but she is too busy worrying how obvious her own wagging tail is to even notice yours."
"Oh." Alvin blinked. "That never occurred to me."
Dave looked at his son again. "So...was your tail wagging the only embarrassing thing you were talking about?"
Alvin nodded. "Oh, yeah, totally. What part of me did you think I meant?" When he saw his dad's eyes widened again, he no longer needed an answer. "Oh, wait, never mind."
"Come to think of it," Dave began, "If humans had tails like your chipmunk tail, I'm pretty sure mine would be wagging during certain situations when I'm around Julie. And I would probably be just as paranoid wondering why her tail wasn't wagging at the same speed as mine." He chuckled. "Like guys need another reason to look at...such a nice, shapely area of ladies, huh?"
Alvin laughed with him. "Yeah, we're just 'emotionally reading' them, we're not necessarily thinking any 'ungentlemanly' thoughts about them. I guess that's what you tell their dads when you pick up the ladies on dates, right, Dave?"
"Only if they specifically ask, otherwise it's awkward." Dave sighed.
"Gotcha." Alvin nodded. He thought of another question. "But if - hypothetically in some future year - I want to take any or all of the Chipettes, like on a triple-date with my brothers, out for dinner and a dance, or a movie...would we have to talk to you and 'tell you our intentions' and stuff? I mean, you're the dad in their lives, too. I realize it sounds weird, like we would be asking our dad for permission to date our...step-sisters."
Dave sighed. "Well...I try not to think about that right now - any or all of the six of you kids dating. But, sure, I would like to stay in the loop if and when that day comes. I'd like to ensure that I raised gentlemen - and ladies. I love all six of you, and I want to protect you so that nothing terrible happens to any of you."
"And if it's not me or my brothers taking the Chipettes out on a hypothetical date," began Alvin, "I don't blame you for wanting to meet their dates and get to know them a little. I mean, if my brothers and I can't be there to escort the Chipettes to prom ourselves, I'd hope the lucky guys who do get that pleasure would treat them right. Eleanor has always been like a little sister to me, even when she kinda acts like a mom to me." He chuckled as he thought. "And Jeanette is so sweet and understanding, and we have a close friendship where I know I can tell her just about anything. She's like a big sister who always looks out for me. I've always felt a little...protective of both of them, even though I know Eleanor can kick my butt and Jeanette is way smarter than me. That won't keep me from fighting for them!"
Dave rubbed Alvin's left forearm, delivering a few gentle pats toward the end. "You have always been my adventurous and passionate son who likes to play the hero. Does any of this protectiveness extend to Brittany?"
Alvin shrugged. "Pretty sure it does. Even though for the most part, she seems like such a self-made and independent woman." He sighed. "I can't help but remember what she was like when we first met the Chipettes. She may have a tough exterior, but underneath that I've seen her sensitive, vulnerable, and scared - maybe even paranoid, as Jeanette has described her. During the first few months when we first got her back from Ian, Brittany would zone out once in a while. Jeanette told us later that Brittany was having some flashbacks, nightmares, and night-terrors. Ian and Giorgio may have occasionally drugged her so that she forgot many of those painful memories. But Simon said it wasn't just like pressing 'control-alt-delete' and erasing it off of a computer, but it was more like 'swept under the rug' of her subconscious. Simon and Jeanette can still explain this stuff better, but the point is that I don't like to see Brittany that way. It's like I know she's suffering, and I want to help - I want to be her 'Hero' and rescue 'My Princess' like I did back in Kindergarten, but she doesn't ask for my help." He sighed again. "I guess she shouldn't have to ask, I should just know when to fight for her and when to protect and comfort her - but I get wrapped up in my own life and forget about hers, or how much she really matters to me. No wonder her tail doesn't wag when she's around me." He bit his lower lip, feeling like he might start crying.
Dave lovingly held Alvin's left hand. "I must admit that there were times I thought you were too young to have those kinds of feelings, both in general and for any specific girl in your life. I guess the truth is that you're never too young to get your heart broken. But I guess those feelings are deeply-rooted. Maybe more like a male instinct, especially wanting to be the 'hero' and feeling protective of the females in your life - sisters like the Chipettes, mom figures like Ms Croner, lady-friends...later even girlfriends, or daughters." When Dave saw Alvin's eyes widen, he clarified, "Sorry, Alvin, those last two examples were more for me - I think of the Chipettes as my daughters, and feel protective of them as such. And ever since I've begun my relationship with Julie, I feel that need to be a protector and provider."
Dave continued, "But it's OK to have these feelings, Alvin. Just because you don't see Brittany's tail wagging like yours, doesn't mean that she doesn't care about you. Females just show these feelings differently. While the guys like to be the protectors and providers, the girls usually have those...more maternal instincts. They can be doting and caring, even for their brothers, dads, guy-friends, or boyfriends. I still haven't figured out what they see in us, guys, though." Dave shared a chuckle with his son. "Kinda like how you said that Eleanor can act like she's your mother, or that Jeanette can listen to you and look out for you like a big sister. Brittany does like to ensure that you are warm and well-dressed, sometimes even well-groomed - you know how she loves giving makeovers."
Alvin started to smile. "Whoa... She does care! Thanks, Dave, hearing this means a lot to me."
Dave gave his son's hand a gentle squeeze. "Glad I could help. Are you ready for me to drive us home, now? We can continue to talk." As Alvin nodded, Dave started the car again and got back on the road.
After a few moments, Alvin began another topic for their conversation. "So, uh, Dave...uh, hopefully you can keep driving if I ask you another question."
Dave blinked with a quick glance to his son. "Sure, I guess." His gaze went back to the road.
Alvin nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Dave, I was just wondering...and you kinda brought up a bit of it while we talked on the side of the road. I also hope you don't think I'm 'too young' to hear an honest answer. If you don't mind me asking...I really want to know where you are and how things stand, and where and how things are going...in your relationship with Julie?"
Dave chuckled nervously as he drove. "That's a perfectly legit question, Alvin. I'll at least start by saying that I like where and how things are with Julie. Currently, we have no problem calling each other boyfriend-and-girlfriend, and we fully acknowledge that we are in a relationship. But we also aren't in any hurry to get engaged or married - although we're sure we could see it happening someday, and we aren't afraid to at least mention the subject. We also aren't in a hurry to get as physical as dating couples seem on TV. I honestly feel like I was never good at that, even in high school or college, when there was more pressure for that."
Alvin blinked. "I don't think I ever really understood what that meant - pressure to get physical?"
"Count your blessings, then!" Dave chuckled, with less nervous tension. "It's kinda like when you go on a date with a girl, and you enjoyed it and felt like she enjoyed it...until you get to telling your friends about it. Then they start asking questions about how the kiss was - whether it was just cheek, or lips, or tongue. And you're like, 'It was just a first date - just dinner, a dance, or a movie, or a cup of coffee!' And after maybe a few more dates with the same girl, they ask if you 'had a good time in the sack with her' or if you've 'spent the night together at your place or hers' yet. And you feel like a failure or a prude telling them that both of you have decided to wait or to save yourselves. It's like I would feel comfortable at a slow pace for the relationship, until I would talk to my friends, who would seem to think we should be moving much faster than we are."
"Sounds to me like your friends are the problem for putting extra pressure on you in your relationship." Alvin shrugged. "Or I'm sure you would just tell me to make some new friends, if that were me."
Dave continued. "Who says a date has to be just you and her, anyways? There's even less pressure if you invite some of your friends and some of her friends along to make it a double or triple date. And it totally counts if you are both single parents who both invite your kids along for some family-friendly activities, like going to the beach. Since Julie is also a single parent, I'm glad she understands the attitude of the kids taking priority. After all, Julie and I are not the only ones affected by our relationship - it affects all seven of you kids. I enjoy getting to spend time with and getting to know Logan, and I like seeing you and the rest of my kids enjoy the same with Julie. And it's nice to see all seven of you kids having fun together."
Alvin sighed with a smile. "I like that too, Dave. It's fun doing stuff with our whole family and Julie and Logan." He slightly winced as he touched the bandage on his forehead. "You know, it was fun aside from any accidents where we ended up in the hospital, with staples in my head." He shared a laugh with his dad for a moment.
They both sighed together and shared a few moments of peaceful silence. Then Dave spoke up, "You know, Alvin, since we've only eaten hospital food for the past few days, how about the two of us swing by a fast-food restaurant for some 'real' food?"
Alvin's eyes lit up as he smiled up at his father. "Yeah, Dave! That sounds awesome!"
A/N: A possible adverse effect of hydrocodone is anxious and racing thoughts.
The "Mystic Mate Quiz" was from the Nickelodeon cartoon episode "Al-Brittina". I also gave Alvin the middle name Michael after Michael Bagdasarian, in a previous fanfic. Brittany's survival skills like building a shelter were seen in the 2011 live-action movie "Chip-wrecked". There may have been kittens staying in the Treehouse for a few months since the cartoon episode "Good Luck, Mister Whiskers". The Ninja Turtles trying to get to know Karai as their "long-lost sister" comes up in my crossover fanfic "Munks Meet More Mutants".
This is mostly a "fluffy" filler chapter just showing some bonding conversation between a father and a son. As kids grow up, so do the conversations they have with their parents, as well as those relationships with their parents. In some ways, Alvin is in a hurry to grow up and talk to Dave about grown-up stuff like he's talking to his best friend. And in some ways he likes being the kid, without having the adult responsibilities. Dave kinda feels the same way, as he realizes Alvin is almost a teenager. He treasures the bonding conversation, but likes for Alvin so stay young for "sentimental reasons".
