Made for Each Other
Co-written with: A'Phrionnsa Fala

And so the weeks continued to march forward. Eduardo and Wilt spent majority of the time together, wether it be washing the dishes to helping Frankie out in any way they could. Course sometimes Eduardo was the reason they were so busy most of the time. Like forgetting his own strength and breaking something or another.

The weather was beginning to darken a bit, clouds over hung in the distance with the promise of rain. It even smelt of rain. Eduardo was sat in the large lounge room, staring out at the clouds - almost daring them to come near the house with the look on his face. He growled lowly at it. He was never comfortable with rain, having been out in a downpour for a week. Lightning and thunder still terrified him, even distant rumblings caused him to pull his blankets tightly around himself and rock back and forth, muttering that he's safe inside.

"Looks like rain," Wilt commented as he strode toward the front door, "Better go out and get the paper before it gets all soggy." with that, he ventured down the walk, leaving the door open, figuring he was going to come right back anyway. When he reached the end of the long walk where the paper was lying innocently close to the curb, he noticed a little girl with brown hair happily skipping along the sidewalk, followed by a woman whom Wilt could only assume was her mum. He lifted his hand to wave at the two of them and little girl stopped, her mouth falling open at the sight of the tall, bright red Imaginary Friend. She let out a bright squeal.

"Look, mummy! I wanna go play with him!" She then let go of her mother's hand and toddled out into the street, paying no heed to the approaching cars. The mother screamed and before he fully understood what was happening, Wilt himself was running out to the little girl, shouting.

"Nonono that's not okay!" in hopes of stopping her before she could be hit. And on came the cars. Many of the drivers, far too occupied with what was on the radio, or that phone call on the mobile, or just down right in a bad driving mood paid no heed at all to the situation. Luckily the little girl's mother saw a break in the traffic, and managed to step forward quickly and grab her daughter back into her arms and off the road. As for Wilt, he's left to the mercy of the drivers, who don't seem to have any at all.

Eduardo was just then beginning to leave the front room when he stopped. His nose flared, sniffing the air and he caught whiff of something a normal friend wouldn't be able to. The smell made his fur stand on end. Something bad was happening, something that a Guardian like himself should be there to be to stop. "...Wilt!" he spun around and ran out the front door, almost tripping over the rug as he went.

Before Wilt could so much as turn round to try and get himself back to safety, one of the cars was upon him, its front, and passenger wheel, swiping his leg. Emitting a broken yelp, Wilt crumbled to street, and pain exploded up his leg. He couldn't move it. Struggling to try and get back to his feet, he happened to glance up and found himself face-to-face with an oncoming SUV. For one dreadful instant, his memory exploded in a blinding flash behind his eye and he could hear his own voice echoing in his mind. 'I'm sorry, Teddy...' It's just then something large, and very bulky leapt in between Wilt and the SUV. It's Eduardo, and the look on his face is most terrifying to behold - his massive teeth bared to their full extent, his eyes narrowed and his horns even seem to be glinting with pure power. He roars loudly before bringing his head down and ran head first at the vehicle. A sickening crunch fills the air, as Eduardo's horns smash into the front of the car and he pulls his head back, taking the SUV with it. He flicks his head, sending the SUV into a full 180-degree spin and lands on its wheels just behind Wilt. The traffic has finally died down by now, the light turning red once more. Eduardo turns around and is quickly at Wilt's side, already pulling him into his arms. He hardly hears the woman or the young girl's calls from across the street - one in alarm, the other asking if Wilt was all right. Eduardo turns and charges back in through the wrought iron gates just as the rain begins to fall and gets Wilt indoors.

Once inside, Wilt began to come back to himself. He vaguely registered the sensation of moving without touching the ground as well as the murmurs of surprise and query from all round. Finally, he processed the soft, furry embrace in which he was being held. He looked blearily round him, familial face swimming into view, then finally up at another, even more familiar face. "Edua-aaah...!" he moaned as the pain in his leg throbbed back into his consciousness. Eduardo's attentions were elsewhere anyway. Wilt vaguely heard him calling out for help.

"Ayuda! Ayuda! Help, HELP por favor!" you could call it calling, I'd call it frantic yelps of terror. Eduardo was partially aware of what he just did, running through oncoming traffic, and sending one flying all in the name of protecting Wilt. But he knew the lanky friend was now injured, and that was a very bad thing. He looked down at Wilt, worry plastered all over his face. "Wilt, señor Wilt please wake up, you is going to be okay, you is!" he reassured him, not sure if he could hear him or not since he didn't hear him before due to his shouting. It didn't take long for Frankie to come into the scene and have Eduardo take Wilt to the infirmary - where they had bandages and what not for when an Imaginary Friend would be hurt. Eduardo sat down on the medical bed, still holding Wilt and kind of refusing to let go of him until he knew he was okay.

"Wilt, hey Wilt?" Frankie was checking first to see if he was at least awake, but she already had a first aid kid in her hands. "Can you hear me? Wilt?"

"Y-yeah ...Frankie. Ed," Wilt replied slowly, quietly, coming out of the haze and riddled with pain. "C-car... that girl...?" Frankie glanced at Eduardo, since he knew better then her what happened out there. She began washing Wilt's injured leg, to warn off any germs to stop it getting infected. Eduardo nodded, petting Wilt's head with one hand while the other one remained around him.

"She is fine - her Mama got her, she is fine." he reassured him, beyond grateful that Wilt was talking. Wilt just sighed. Everything was so distorted in his mind... a child's smile, the mechanical roar of an oncoming vehicle bent on destroying everything in it's path, the impact of not being able to run fast enough to get out of the way ...a blurry portrait of a snowy street in the inner city where the buildings were as tall and grey as fallen gods... a voice calling out to him, "Where are you? Where are you?" and overriding it all, another voice, new and friendly and speaking softly to him, a warm touch warding off the chill of the snow and city... he leaned his head against that warmth, letting the steadfast sound of the beating heart beneath guard him against it all.

"Ed..." he whispered vaguely before passing into darkness. Frankie was quickly filled in from Eduardo - it took a while, he was quite upset when Wilt fell unconscious so quickly.

But eventually Eduardo carried Wilt up into their bedroom and set him on the bed. He even went so far to get one of those foot rests from the lounge, and tucked it at the end of the bed, so Wilt's leg was kept elevated since it was now bandaged by Frankie. He then brought in a stool, set it down besides Wilt bed and sat down on it. He didn't move, let alone blink for the next few hours. Just sitting, and watching over Wilt. His mind was replaying what happened, and he was surprised at himself. After what happened... with Carmencita, he thought he'd never be able to even walk near parked cars without cowering in terror of them. And just hours ago he had run head long into speeding traffic to fend one off, and all for Wilt. Thinking about it, he knew he'd do it again too. In fact, he decided right there that he was still a Guardian Friend. He'd just moved onto guarding Wilt, at least whenever he needed him. Lifting his head he stared out the window - the moon now beginning to show in the night sky. Had so much time passed already? He could barely believe it, and Wilt was still resting. Dinner had come and past, but Eduardo refused to leave the room. Even turned down the food Frankie had brought up to him.

Wilt, meanwhile, was navigating the murky waters of his mind, every once in a while driven to veer off-course by an unpleasant reflection. Eventually, however, he found himself drifting toward a bright light and his eye slowly creaked open to see it. As the real world swam back to him, banishing the shadows back to the corners of his consciousness, he sensed he wasn't alone and slowly swivelled his eye round. Eduardo's massive, violet shape shuddered into clarity and a dopey grin, the likes of which are usually only possible at ungodly hours of the morning, blossomed over Wilt's lips. "...hi."

It took all the energy Eduardo had from not squealing in delight and throwing his arms around the waking Wilt one he heard that one little world. He beamed down at him, leaning forward slightly. "Ah... y... you awake. Bueno... sí, good..." he looked exhausted, felt it, but wasn't going to give into it. Not when the charge he'd been watching all these hours just woke up. Wilt sucked in a huge gulp of oxygen and tried to sit up. He moaned a bit as his leg throbbed in response, more coherent memories coming back him,

"What time is it? How long was I out?"

"Is... is late." Eduardo replied, glancing at the clock across the room. In the darkness he could hardly see the clocks face or hands, but he squinted more. Ah. "Tis half to twelve." he said, and put a hand to Wilt's chest and gently pushed him back. "No no, Frankie says you to stay down."

"Sorry..." Wilt didn't fight the cloven hoof that pressed gently against his chest and let it ease him back onto the bed. "I remember what happened, now. With the car. Then something stopped it... it was you, wasn't it? You saved me. I... thank you, Ed." Wilt tilted his head toward Eduardo, his eye not entirely lucid... Frankie had given him a healthy dose of pain medication. He might not be fully aware of himself, but the honesty was there. "You really are a true Guardian and an even truer friend… your girl was very lucky to have you..." he added, smiling fuzzily. Eduardo smiled a bit, a bit happily, a bit sad. He had the faint appearance of a blush crossing his face at Wilt's kind words, even if they were brought on by medication.

"..s...sí, sí..." he mumbled, before he smoothed out the bed sheet that covered Wilt. Not like he hadn't done that a million times this evening. He sat back, still smiling. "I is glad you is okay, Wilt... you scare me muchos tonight." he shook a hoof at him, almost in a scolding manner but not meaning it. "You never do that again, señor or I get angry. You no want to see me angry."

"Yes, Eddie... my bad," Wilt half said, half sighed "Now if only you could only head butt my leg and flip the pain away." Wilt mused aloud, just as Coco came in, carrying a bunch of grapes in her beak.

"Coco co co! Co co co!" she declared happily.

"MmmgrapesthankyouCoco." Wilt mumbled, offering her the same, medication-fuzzy smile and accepting the offering of fruit. "Hungry..." He murmured, then held out the bunch to Ed, though half of it was already gone. "Want some?"

"...sí, please." Eduardo smiled at Coco in thanks for bringing something up, he did after all miss dinner entirely. He reached out and took the remaining grapes from Wilt's hand.

"Co... co co co co!" Coco voiced her concern for Wilt, saying the entire house was shook up by what happened. Wilt's a very popular guy around the house, having helped bring in over half of the occupants after all. She was just glad to see he was awake, and out of respect she had offered to sleep downstairs. After both of them had thanked Coco for all of her help and she'd left, nest in tow, the two Imaginary Friends began to realise just how late it was. It had been a long day.

After Eduardo had showered and come back into the room slightly damp and smelling of sugary fruit, Wilt smiled up at him. The big friend flicked off the lights, flushing the room with peaceful darkness. As he was passing by Wilt's bunk enroute to his own, Wilt's arm suddenly shot out, his long fingers wrapping round Eduardo's wrist. "Que?" Eduardo stopped, and looked down at Wilt's long fingers wrapped around his small wrist. "Is something wrong?" he asked, concern already welling up in his voice. Maybe the pain medication was wearing off? ...maybe his LEG has fallen off?

Wilt just grinned in the darkness. "Thanks for saving me. You're a great guy, Ed. You're awesome..." he pulled Eduardo's arm a bit closer, laying the cloven hoof over his cheek and nosing into the soft fur of the underside of his wrist, breathing deeply and loving the sweet, freshly-shampooed scent. "You really do have nice fur... everything about you is nice. I like you, Ed. I like you a lot." there was a pause, but it seemed that the medication also warded off awkwardness, for Wilt just kept nuzzling Eduardo's wrist. Then, he lifted his head. "Tired. Bed. 'Night." and with that, he released his friend's hoof, his head hitting the pillow.

Eduardo could just stand there in the darkness, heart pounding in his chest as well as in his ears. Wait, what was just that? ...did he just say he liked him a lot, and he had nice fur? ...he stared at the sleeping form of Wilt for a moment before looking at his hoofed hand. The one Wilt had graciously nuzzled seconds before. He pulled his hand back, cupping it with the other and staring at it like it had just sprouted a face. Other friends had complimented Eduardo on his fur before, especially the Salon Friends from down the hall. How lush and beautiful it was, how much Brushie would give to brush him. But when Wilt said it… and how he liked him a lot… it sent shivers through him. His heart's beat had quicken too, imitating a butterfly by becoming flightly, free and wild. A massive blush invaded his face too, as he moved his hoofed hand to his mouth, nuzzling at it; Wilt's scent was still on his freshly shampooed wrist and he liked the smell… a small, and shy smile spread across his face as he did. Something suddenly made sense, in the depths of Eduardo's mind. He… liked Wilt, too. But more then just a regular friend. When Wilt wasn't around, Eduardo felt lost, alone. Even if he was with other Friend's. Wilt's presence alone made every situation better, even if it was that of a scary movie on movie night, from something so complex to something so simple. Like eating breakfast together. He… really really liked Wilt. Eduardo didn't even move from that spot for a good few minutes until his body reminded his brain - that was lost in a mess of thoughts - just how tired he was. One big yawn later, Eduardo had made it into his own bed and pulled the covers over himself.

The following morning, Wilt awoke, refreshed. His leg ached, but somehow the morning just made everything look so bright and fresh. He couldn't remember much of what happened yesterday... everything that followed bending over to get the newspaper was a blur. He did remember, however that Ed had been there. Must get round to repaying him for everything in some way... then it hit Wilt that he probably wouldn't be able to do much of anything for a while, given the state of his leg. No basketball for him for a good while... he sighed. Hoo boy...

To be continued