Hello again all! It is I, the true April Fool for taking so long to finally finish this chapter!
Seriously. I meant to get this out back in January. My bad.
I do hope this was worth the wait! Enjoy!
~RK
It was difficult to sit still as Clara swabbed a cold medicine on his arms. Bobble kept leaning forward, stretching as far as he could to see if he could hear anything in the next room over. He strained his ears to catch even a single word exchanged between Clank and Basil. Was Clank alright? Was Basil able to figure out why he was hurting so much? Was it Bobble's fault as he feared?
"Mr. Kettletree, if you don't quit fidgeting i'm going to miss a spot," said Clara calmly.
"Oh, sorry." Bobble sat back in his seat and let Clara continue her work. With a sigh, Bobble stared back at the doorway. He couldn't hear a thing from the next room, likely because Clank was in a room that had an actual door. Bobble's brow furrowed as he wondered what might be happening in there. He hoped Clank was alright. It took a lot of convincing to get him to come here first instead of going to get more Pixie Dust. Both he and Clank insisted over and over again that each other's need was more important. In the end, Bobble had won and their escorts brought them to the Healers.
Bobble had hoped that they would examine Clank, find nothing wrong, and they would be on their way. Instead, the Healers thought it was Bobble who had needed attention due to the damage to his arms and legs. He'd made a commotion that Clank needed attention far more than he did and had exclaimed rather loudly about the chest pains. Basil appeared almost immediately and agreed to see Clank. However, Clara insisted that Bobble be looked over while Basil checked on Clank, much to Bobble's disappointment. He hadn't wanted to leave Clank's side.
Paws and Rei had both left to go find Fairies Mary and Gary and inform them both that Clank and Bobble had been found and were now safe. Fawn had stayed with them until they were brought back into rooms, but Bobble suspected that she might have gone to find their friends.
"I said hold still Mr. Kettletree," Clara scolded again.
"I am holding still!" Bobble argued.
Clara smirked. "You're fidgeting. I suspect it has something to do with this?" She tapped Bobble's left wrist, and Bobble felt a blush creep into his face. "I'll try to hurry," she promised, "I don't want to keep you from your mate for too long."
"Thank you, Miss Clara."
Clara finished up disinfecting Bobble's scrapes and began wrapping his legs in clean linens. Out in the hall, there was a commotion of several familiar voices coming closer to Bobble's room. He grinned, relieved to hear his friends so close by.
"Which room was it again?" Silvermist asked.
"Room six," Rosetta replied.
"You're sure they're okay, Fawn?" Iridessa asked with obvious concern.
"As okay as anyone whose been lost in the woods for two days can be." Fawn replied. "Here it is, room six."
Four familiar faces peered into Bobble's room. He smiled and waved sheepishly at them. "Hello ladies."
"Bobble!" Rosetta cried. They all rushed into the room and one by one threw their arms around him. Clara shooed them back and continued with the bandaging.
All at once, Bobble found himself bombarded with questions.
"What happened to you?"
"Are you okay?"
"Where have you been?"
"Where's Clank?"
"Is he okay?"
"Did you ask him to Tie with you?"
Silvermist and Iridessa turned to Rosetta at her last question. "No, Clank was going to ask Bobble." Iridessa said.
"We were helping him set up the perfect date!" Silvermist continued.
"And look! Bobble's wearing Clank's cord!" Iridessa pointed out.
"Ladies, please!" Bobble interrupted. "I'd be glad to tell you all what happened, but can we let Miss Clara finish her work?" He gestured to the healer who was doing a brilliant job of hiding her frustration with the crowded exam room.
"Right, of course, sorry!"
After a moment, Clara finished up and told Bobble he was good to go find Clank. "You can remove the bandages in a couple days. If they're not healed over, come back and we'll rewrap them."
"Thank you, Clara." Bobble bowed.
The group went out into the hallway where the girls again asked their questions of what happened. "Let me find Clank, and we'll tell you." He went to the exam room next door and found the room shut. He reached for the door and hesitated. Was it okay to barge in? He could hear Basil talking inside, but couldn't make out what he was saying.
"Well? Aren't you gonna go in?" Rosetta asked.
"Maybe I should wait until their done." Bobble replied.
"If that's your mate in there, you're more than welcome to go sit in on the examination," said a voice at the back of the crowd. Bobble turned and found that Rei had returned. With him were his mate, Fluss and Basil's mate, Elowen, who had a sly grin on her face. "I know Basil would agree." Elowen continued.
"Are you sure?" Bobble asked.
"Positive," Elowen smiled, "and if he doesn't Fluss would just knock down the door."
"I would." Fluss confirmed.
Bobble chuckled, picturing the spirited Water Fairy doing just that. He rapped his knuckles on the door, and Basil answered.
"Ah, Mr. Kettletree… and an entourage?" Basil smirked, his eyes drifting to the large group behind Bobble. "We were just finishing up if you'd like to come in." Basil held the door open for him "Just you." He added as half the group lurched forward to follow him.
Bobble stepped inside, "Thank you Basil." The door clicked shut behind him as he hurried to Clank who sat on a stool in the middle of the room.
"Are you okay?" Bobble asked, taking Clank's hands. "What did Basil say?"
"I'm okay." Clank assured him, touching his forehead to Bobble's. "Basil says I pulled a muscle."
"That's all?" Bobble asked, skeptically.
"Ah, no." Basil said, "I said it's likely a pulled muscle. Either in his chest or his back. I see it often in Tinkers. But I also see chest pains for other reasons. And as you two have had a rather eventful couple of days, it's likely that Clank's pain is stress related." He capped a bottle he was holding and placed it in a satchel he then handed to Clank.
"So, wait. You're just going to assume it's stress? Or a pulled muscle? Aren't you going to help him?" Bobble asked.
Basil chuckled, "I am, Mr. Kettletree. Believe me." He turned to Clank. "Take the medicine in the bag if the pain gets severe. It will help dull it. Take the next few days to relax. Try not to think about it, which I know is easier said than done. If it doesn't improve or gets worse, come back and we'll run some tests. No need to put you through that now if it will go away on its own."
Clank nodded. "You're sure it will just go away?"
"If it doesn't, we'll figure something else out," Basil pat Clank's shoulder. "You're going to be just fine, Clank. I promise."
There was another clamor outside. Basil curiously opened the door to the anxious faces of their friends. "Ah, sorry to keep you all waiting. We're finished now."
Clank was greeted much the same way Bobble was; with hugs and a flurry of questions about what in the world happened to them. It was obvious that this was overwhelming Clank a bit, so Bobble whistled at the girls for attention. "Ladies, please! Give Clank some space!"
"Oh, sorry!" Iridessa cried, and the lot of them backed off.
"We just want to know what happened to you two," said Silvermist.
"Ah ha, I've already got one question answered." Rosetta smirked and held up Clank's left hand. Silvermist and Iridessa gasped while Fawn, who already knew, giggled. "Details! Tell us what happened!" Rosetta gushed.
"Okay, okay! We'll tell you!" Bobble laughed.
"Ah," Rei cleared his throat from the back of the pack. "I know we're all excited and happy for these two, but could we maybe move along? There are other sick fairies that we're probably disturbing. Not to mention Fairy Gary is waiting for you both at the Dust Depot."
Bobble clammed up. He wasn't sure he wanted to see Fairy Gary just now. Clank gave him a reassuring smile that warmed his heart.
"Yeah, lets get a move on." Clank agreed.
Just as they'd done in the woods, Clank carried Bobble as they flew with their group to the Dust Depot. The entire flight there was riddled with questions. Clank and Bobble were barely able to finish telling their story due to their companions interrupting them at almost every moment.
"You ran away?" Silvermist had gasped, "After Clank's sweet proposal?"
"Aye, please let me finish." Bobble replied, trying to ignore the bad feeling and continue the story.
"You ran out of Pixie Dust?" Iridessa had cried before Bobble could say how he managed to get out of the tree he'd found himself trapped in.
"Yeah, we thought we both had," Clank explained. "There's more. Listen."
"What do you mean you thought you had?" Rosetta questioned.
"Just let us explain!" Bobble shouted.
The whole group managed to keep their mouths shut as the boys continued their story, until an audible gasp sounded from the whole group, both old friends and new.
"You fought a snake?!" Fawn gasped, "are you crazy?"
"You're lucky you weren't killed!" Rei scolded.
"Hey! He saved my life!" Clank protested. "If Bobble hadn't fought the snake it would have caught and eaten me!"
"It was still reckless and stupid." Fluss frowned.
"But brave." Elowen smirked.
They shooed off that line of questions and continued with their story. Bobble explained about Clank's pains and how he'd discovered that Clank had Dust and didn't know it, and how Bobble had soothed him. The fuss about Clank's health nearly overshadowed the fact that Bobble had agreed to Tie with him, but Rosetta managed to catch that detail of the story and the excited congratulations erupted around them.
They finished their story just before they landed in the Dust Depot. Bobble slid out of Clank's arms laughing with everyone's excitement. This was how it should be. Him and Clank, promised to each other. Their friends, ridiculously happy and excited for them.
"So when's the ceremony?" Rosetta asked, eyes sparkling.
"We dunno yet," Clank said with a shrug.
"We haven't exactly discussed the details yet." Bobble explained.
"Oh! Can I help you plan it?" Rosetta asked. She was practically bouncing on her heels.
"Me too?" Silvermist chimed in.
"Can we all help?" Iridessa asked.
"I'm sure we could use all the help we can get," Bobble said, "we can discuss it more when we get to that point, right Clanky?"
"Right. I'd like to just enjoy being engaged for a bit." He slung his arm around Bobble and kissed the top of his head as they entered the Dust Depot.
"Did I hear that correctly?" came Fairy Mary's voice. Bobble looked up and grinned wide at the sight of his guild leader who was flanked by Paws and Steel. "Paws told me you two would be coming this way. Did you boys manage to get engaged? I certainly hope so after scaring me half to death… again."
Bobble couldn't help himself. He threw his arms around Fairy Mary. "It's so good to see you, Fairy Mary."
"It's good to see you too," she said, hugging him back. "By the second star, what happened to you two?"
Bobble's smile faltered. He glanced at Clank whose expression said what he felt. We just got done telling that story. Do we really have to tell it again? "Well…" Bobble started.
"Ah! Phineas, Clank! You're okay!" Fairy Gary approached the group, carrying rations of Dust in bags. He set them down and came closer, and Bobble felt a lump form in his throat.
He hadn't exactly wanted to see Fairy Gary so soon after everything that had happened. He'd rather hoped he could get his Dust from another Keeper and be on his way. Seeing Gary now made Bobble feel weird and clammy. He started feeling nervous as if he were about to be forced into another awkward conversation with the elder sparrowman.
"Aye… we're okay," Bobble said quietly. Clank rested a hand on Bobble's shoulder protectively.
Gary eyed them up and down, his eyes lingered on their left hands for a moment before he looked back up at them. "And you're both extremely low on Dust. What happened to you?"
"It's a long story." Clank answered, pulling Bobble closer to him.
"Well, lets get you boys your rations and you can tell us all about it." Fairy Mary said gently.
Clank and Bobble exchanged a look and a shrug. They would apparently have to rehash everything again. But at least they were finally getting their Pixie Dust.
Gary filled two cups with Dust and hovered over them. He poured Dust over Clank first, then moved on to Bobble. Bobble was still uncomfortable, but the moment the Dust touched his skin, he felt things he didn't expect. Fear, remorse, followed quickly by relief and joy. They were feelings he'd had over the last few days, but this time they weren't his own. He knew that he was feeling Gary's feelings through the Dust. He was used to feeling the emotions of their friend Terence when he gave them Pixie Dust, but it was so strange feeling Gary's feelings. They were almost like an apology.
All the feelings subsided and Bobble felt only his own again. He looked up at Gary as the large sparrowman hovered down to the ground again.
"Phineas, I owe you an apology," said Gary. "I realize I upset you the other day, and I truly did not intend to. And if anything I said caused… whatever happened to you boys, then I am deeply sorry. You two know what you want out of your relationship and I'm happy for you both." He smiled at them and Bobble felt himself smile back.
"You had the best intensions, Fairy Gary. It's alright." Bobble assured him.
"Yeah, it all turned out okay." Clank said. A weight looked like it had been lifted off Gary's shoulders as he brightened and grinned wide.
"Hey, this is all well and good," Paws said from off to the side. "But Steel and I would still like to know what in the world happened to you two."
With a heavy sigh, Bobble glanced at Clank. They both laughed then turned to those who hadn't heard yet. "Okay, here's what happened…"
The door of their home swung open and Bobble floated inside with Clank right behind him. They had finally managed to make it back home just as the sun outside began to set.
Almost immediately, Clank headed for the bed and flopped face down in the blankets. "Oh bed, I've missed you so," he mumbled into the pillows.
Bobble laughed quietly. He too was exhausted, but instead he went to the cupboards. They had been back in Pixie Hollow for hours now and hadn't had a moment alone. They told and retold their story to so many fairies and sparrowmen that Bobble was sure he could recite the whole dialogue in his sleep.
Everyone they'd told their story to had congratulated them on their engagement… but only after they gave the same shocked question midway through the story. Why would you run away?
Bobble had already answered that. He knew why, Clank knew too, and Clank forgave him. But then why did he still feel bad every time he said that part? It was all okay in the end, right?
He took the jar of blackberry jelly and partial loaf of bread from the cabinet and brought it over to the bed. He perched himself on the edge beside Clank and tore the bread in half and nudged Clank's side.
Clank lifted his head and spied the bread, then the jelly jar on the nightstand and grinned. "I've been craving this," he said cheerfully. He sat up and accepted the bread offered to him and held the jelly jar between them as he dabbed the bread into it and enjoyed every bite he took.
Bobble was slower to eat. He fidgeted with the bread in his hands, staring at the floor contemplating everyones reactions as he listened to Clank's happy little mutterings about how much better this jelly was than what they'd found in the woods.
Then Clank rested his hand on the small of Bobble's back, bringing his attention back to the present. He glanced at Clank who stared at him curiously. "What are you thinking about?" Clank asked.
Bobble half smiled and held up his left wrist. "You are happy with me, right?"
Clank set down the jar and wiped his hand off on his shorts. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"
A large lump sat in Bobble's throat that he tried to swallow. He fisted his hands against his knees as he tried to say what was on his mind. "I… I ran away from you Clank."
"Hey," Clank said gently, moving directly in front of him. "Hey, no. It's okay. I already told you it's okay."
"But how can you be happy with me after that?" Bobble choked, "I know, I know. I was panicked and upset, but that's still no excuse."
Clank cupped his cheek. "You were trying to come back," whispered Clank. "You didn't stay away and you ran right to me when I called for you. You can't begin to imagine how happy I was just seeing you in that clearing."
Bobble sniffled and leaned into Clank's palm. "I really do make you happy?"
"You really do." Clank nodded. "Do you honestly think we'd be wearing these cords if you didn't?"
Bobble reached up and brushed the cord on Clank's wrist. "I've wanted this for a long time, Clanky."
"Me too," said Clank, "and now we have it. We're gonna get Tied and we can be together forever. And no matter how far we get from each other, we'll still be together."
Bobble leaned forward, curling his arms around Clank's neck. He kissed him once, twice, a third, long lingering kiss, before he leaned his forehead on Clank's. "I don't think we'll have to worry about distance." Bobble whispered, "I'm never running from you again."
He could feel Clank smile against his lips as they kissed again. "You promise?" Clank asked.
Bobble chuckled softly, tangling his fingers in Clank's hair. "Aye, Clank. I promise."
Thank you so much for reading my story.
I hadn't intended for this to take over a year to write, but here we are.
I'd like to thank you all for your support through this crazy year. You readers are amazing.
I'd also like to thank Rei, who helped me so many times in organizing this story. I couldn't have done it without you.
For those who may be thinking "Wait! RK, aren't you actually going to have them get Tied?"
I had never intended for their union ceremony to be a part of this story. This was their engagement story only.
But their union is coming, I promise!
I look forward to seeing you all in the next story.
Thank you all!
~RK