"hey welcome back Liv." Precious said. she got no reply and looked up to see Livia staring at Buddy in shock. Buddy took a step closer to Surly ,who could sense something was going on and put an arm around Buddy. Surly knew he wouldn't be much help if a fight broke out, but he could still try. after a moment of quiet Surly got frustrated.
"hello, guys temporarily blind here. someone tell me whats going on." Surly finally demanded. this got him a curious squeak, but it wasn't Buddys.
"who are you?" Livia ask.
"Surly and this is Buddy. who are you?" Surly ask. Buddy answered before she could reply.
"l-lah-livah-Livia." Buddy said. suddenly he ran forward at Livia and tackled her in a hug.
"Buddy what are you doing?" Precious ask.
"si-uh..." Buddy huffed and tried again. Surly knew what he was trying to say after a few minutes and put him at ease.
"sister." Surly said.
"yuh-yes!" Buddy exclaimed pleased that his lover had, once again, figured out what what he was trying to say. Livia's eyes suddenly widened.
"b-bro?" Livia exclaimed. she suddenly shoved him away. "your not my brother. he can't be alive. he died when our tree fell over. even if you could pass as my brother, he can't speak. he has an illness that causes him to be mute!" Livia explained. Buddy looked hurt. his older sister, the only one who believed in him before and possibly his only living relative, just rejected him. he whimpered at her and took safety with Surly, who suddenly found himself on his back.
"Buddy?" Surly ask, but the only conformation he got was the arms around him tightening. he could feel the wetness of the tears soaking into his fur. Surly struggled for a moment to get Buddy situated in a way that allowed him to sit up. he glared in the direction that Buddy had attacked him from. he wrapped his arms around Buddy and whispered to him softly.
"i think we should leave." Precious whispered. he heard ,who he assumed was, Livia get off the counter and leave with Precious.
"Buddy, whats wrong? what happened?" Surly ask. Buddy just shook his head. how foolish was he? to think that his sister would know it was him, remember him, love him, but instead she rejected the possibility that he could be alive and standing right infront of her. Buddy could still remember the sign language she'd taught him. Surly knew he wouldn't get much out of Buddy, and if times had been better, and Andie was there, she would have picked on him saying he'd gone soft. Surly wouldn't mind though, he'd take one look at Buddy ,who would most likely be giggling, and be reminded something. no one in their right mind could look at Buddy and not go soft, it was just an effect Buddy had on others; and Surly ,to be honest, didn't mind because it was true. a few months ago Surly would have sat Buddy down and questioned him until he caved, but now, Surly couldn't dream of doing that anymore. Surly would rather sit with Buddy, in Buddy's prefured silence, then sit him down and upset him by making him talk. eventually, Buddy would talk about it. maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, maybe a little at a time, and maybe all at once; but Surly would be there waiting until Buddy was ready. "alright will you help me get back to the room?" Surly ask softly. he felt Buddy nod against his chest before he stood. Buddy helped him up and wrap an arm around his waste to keep him from falling. Surly wrapped an arm around Buddy's shoulders.
*room*
Buddy all but sat in Surly's lap. he knew with his heart that Surly wouldn't hurt him, but his instincts had taken over and would only allow him to cuddle up to Surly and it barely allowed him to do that. Surly was rubbing his back and they talked quietly.
"Buddy thah-thuh-thought huh-he ha-had L-Liva-via buh-back." Buddy whimpered softly. Surly rubbed his back soothingly. why did everything happen to his sweet little rat? Surly didn't know but he wished he did so he could put a stop to it.
"Buddy, she'd just in shock. she'll come around. you'll see." Surly told him. he knew it was no excuse to the way she'd treated him, but he was saying what he thought Buddy needed to hear. his suspicions were proved correct when a pair a lips came crashing onto his. Surly chuckled quietly after a moment and Buddy pulled back to cuddle up to him. Buddy seemed to ignore ,or at least try to ignore, his instincts because he planted himself firmly in Surlys lap. Surly couldn't help but smile. Buddy was making him go soft. Surly hate's hugs, yet he hugs Buddy so tight sometimes it's Buddy who has to break the contact; Surly hate's physical contact, yet he can't get rid of the cold feeling he get's when Buddy isn't around; Surly doesn't smile, yet thats all he really seems to do around Buddy; Surly doesn't like cuddling, yet if Buddy is scared or hurt he won't leave Buddy's side. Surly knew that, even though Buddy was pulling him out of his shell, he wouldn't have it any other way. Surly decided to break the silence after a while. "so Buddy, how is it you talk to Lana if she can't understand us?" Surly ask. he felt Buddy shift and could feel his eye's on him.
"Buddy l-learn suh-signa-nah lana-g-" Buddy started but Surly cut him off.
"you learned sign language?" Surly ask sounding impressed. he felt Buddy nod against him. "thats cool Buddy. guess that means Lana knows sign language too." Surly replied. Buddy nodded again.
*later*
they'd decided to take a nap, since nothing was going on. when Surly woke up, he could tell Buddy was not there. Surly was worried and clumsily climbed off the bed and onto the desk and from the desk to the floor. he wandered around a moment trying to find the door, which when he found it he wasn't surprized it was open, before he left the room. he knew there were no stairs for him to worry about, so he had no problem with walking around, literally, blindly. Surly had never actually been around the place with out help, so he didn't really know what or where everything was. he could hear someone's foot steps and was suddenly picked up.
"hey, Surly. where's Buddy?" Eric ask. Surly decided not to attack him, simply because Eric had the upper hand on him since he couldn't see, and shrugged. he could almost hear the confusion on the mans face. "thats odd." Eric mumbled. he was surprized when Surly nodded in agreement. "would you like help looking for him?" Eric ask.
"no." Surly replied shaking his head.
"ok but watch where your going." Eric said as heknlet to put the squirrel back on the floor. Surly glared in the direction of his voice and Eric cleared his throat. "right, sorry." Eric said. he stood and watched Surly stumble off before he left. Surly walked around abit still not having found Buddy. he bumped into something, hard, and landed on his behind with a yelp.
"oh! Surly are you ok?!" Lana exclaimed kneeling and picking the dazed squirrel up. Surly shook the stars out of his vision and rubbed his nose. Surly gave a small nod to answer her question and she let out a breath. she'd seen him walk ,well more of stumble, into the wall. "I was actually looking for you. Buddy is worried." Lana added. Surly stopped rubbing his pained nose and raised an eye brow, causing his nose to twitch and him to wince. "he left to talk to Precious and when he came back you were gone." Lana rambled as she walked off.
*later that day*
Lana was leaving to take Precious out for a walk and Livia was going with them. they had some stuff to do and ask if they wanted to come but they declined. the moment they were gone, Surly had Buddy lead him to the floor.
"Surly?" Buddy ask. Surly didn't answer listening for the front door to shut, which wasn't that hard to hear even in the room they occupied. only once he heard it shut did he tackle Buddy, in such a way the ended up rolling under the bed. before Buddy could speak his back was pressed against the wall and his lips covered in a passionate, and slightly heated, kiss by Surlys. reluctantly, Buddy pulled back. "Surly?!" Buddy exclaimed. "wuh-wah-what?" Buddy ask and Surly smirked.
"never realized how seeing you was a very big part of me, untill I couldn't see you. now that I can again, i've seen the light and will take advantage." Surly smirked. he kissed Buddy again and grunted lowly in approval when Buddy wrapped his arms around his neck. after a few minutes Buddy, against his instincts and mind, slowly wrapped his legs around Surlys waste. Surly pressed his mouth against Buddy's harder in response. after a moment Buddy pushed Surly back and shook his head. Surly chuckled and rolled his eyes before leaning in again.