Guess who's back?! Me! RiverWater46. Updates will be more frequent now and YAFG will be continuing soon, but I'll be drawing some art for that one's continuation... As for this fic, we're so close to the end! It's crazy! I haven't felt this way in so long. When the fic is done, I'll begin to reveal more about "on a night under the ruby moon" and release some bloopers for this fanfic in particular on my discord server: /xaB4MCvMHC. Minimum age is 16 and it's a little empty at the moment, but everyone that's joined so far are wonderful people to chat with! I really appreciate all the patience and reviews regarding this fic. I truly don't think I would've gotten so committed without my friends in and outside the Bluey community. This chapter is a little heavier, but certainly not as much as prior chapters... and I hope you enjoy the read! Again, thank you!
"Bluey," Bandit smiled solemnly. The night was calm and warm; Chilli was long asleep, a much needed nap since becoming a mother. It was the stark hour of 1 in the morning and the two rested on the grass near the roundabout. It wasn't Bandit and Chilli- it was Bandit sharing this serene moment with his sister in law, watching her hold the little blue heeler in her arms. The soft wind ruffled her flowing fluffy fur, sending it in waves of ripples as she rested peacefully, her light breaths moistening the fur on Brandy's chest. She was remarkably a lot like her father.
When Chilli went into labor, she had no time to think. She had Bluey in the hospital with Bandit, the nurses, and doctor in the room and had no desire to invite people over afterwards. She was drained and overwhelmed and hadn't mentioned the birth to anyone until the couple was dismissed to go home. "She came up with the name when we saw her for the first time. She was pure white with navy patches on her eyes, so it was bound for her to be a blue heeler like her old man... and it just clicked. We figured she would be so... Blue...y. It rhymed with Louie. And we loved it."
Brandy softly nodded and hugged the baby tighter. She suddenly squirmed a bit and opened her eyes, peering up at Brandy. Her red fur reflected well off her irises and Brandy couldn't help but be intrigued. Such a beautiful puppy the two had created. "...She looks just like you, Bandit."
"That must be why she's so good-looking," he joked around and let out a somber laugh. Brandy chuckled as well and looked down at her niece. She was so pretty and the rest of her fur besides the two navy patches on her face had begun to shine a vibrant blue.
"Well, she is beautiful," she smiled at her. What was even more shocking about the little heeler was that she also resembled Ralph loosely. Aunt Linda had a gray and blue coat and Ralph had taken mostly after her, having the exact same navy patches on his face. Bandit's mask was very dark, nearly black in contrast. Even though the puppy was clearly Bandit's doppelgänger, she had traits from Chilli's side of the family. When she turned her around to take a look at her spot composition, she was even more surprised to see that her back spots were just like Mort's. "I can see so many people in Bluey."
"What do you mean?" Bandit peered up at her, a curious look on his face.
"She reminds me of Ralph," she blushed. "I've told you the story before. He had two navy patches just like Bluey does. And check this out- her back spots come from my dad!"
Bandit nodded as Brandy excitedly showed him his baby's back. "Huh... I can see it."
"I know," she beamed, pulling Bluey back into her embrace. "She's a treasure, Bandit. Take good care of her."
"Of course I will," he gave her a playfully offended look. "She's my daughter. I love her more than anything!"
"Good, good," she nodded. "Careful though, I might just steal this cutie."
Bluey cooed calmly as her paw reached Brandy's face. She touched her cheek and pulled on it, causing Brandy to giggle. "Bluey, come on, not my face!"
The trio laughed in the distance before Brandy's mind crept into deeper matters. Perhaps it was the hour or the sake of carrying a slight twinge of resentment. "You know, it's nice to be talking like this. There's been a lot on my mind recently."
Suddenly, she caught notice of how bright and vivid the sky was. We will meet again on a night under the shining stars. She briefly thought about her mother and various others she had run into during the course of life. She peered over at Bandit, who caught the semblance. "Me too."
It was quiet, save for the baby blue heeler's resounding cooing. In such a moment where things go from jolly to serious and reminiscent, Bluey had no sense nor did she care either. Brandy appreciated it- hearing her calmed down all the confessions she was about to make- and hopefully it would help out her father as well. "You'll be completely honest with me, right?"
"Of course," he nodded, continuing to watch Brandy be so gentle with the baby. He grew a bit curious, wondering what she would begin to allude to.
"How... is Chilli right now?"
"What do you mean?" Bandit lightly scratched his head in thought. Bluey's paws touched Brandy's face once more, lightly yanking some of her cheek's fur. She smiled at Brandy instinctively. She's fine, she's always been tough.
"You know... just having had Bluey and all that. I want to know... if she's got this all figured out," Brandy softly stated. "From the looks of it, Bluey approves, but I'm a bit worried still... Especially after you mentioned your work trip's coming up."
"Oh," Bandit nodded, understanding. "It's been a tough challenge for the both of us. Bluey's not colicky, which both of us are so grateful for, but when she cries, she wails. We've been doing really great working as a team, so I think we've got in the bag overall! But I can't say I'm not worried about her having Bluey all on her own so soon."
"I was thinking that too," Brandy admitted. "I was thinking... I don't want to come off as overbearing... but... Bluey is so sweet and Chilli could use the help around the house while you're gone... would it be possible for me to come by daily and help her out while you're gone?"
"You'd be willing to do that?" Bandit's eyes sparkled, his tail lightly wiggling beneath. "Chilli would be ecstatic to hear that! Oh Brandy, you're so sweet."
She sighed in relief, smiling amongst the glittering night, then looking back down at the restless baby, who continued to hold her fur with her little death grip. I want to be the best aunt I can be, Bluey. "I'm just doing what a normal sister would.. I still have a lot left to make up to her before it really becomes me being sweet, you know... I mean, I've been such a dodgy sister to her..."
"Shady how?" Bandit scratched his head. They both knew what she was referencing. Of course, the two were cordial now, but there was always the slight eerie tension of a problem that remained unworked through. Every time the red heeler would meet the gaze of her sister's husband, she was reminded of every single mistake she had ever made. Every ounce of regret piled onto her all at once like a tsunami, leaving her helpless and utterly done.
"The list is endless," Brandy shook her head solemnly. Bluey's face seemed to mimic hers. "I mean, since we were kids. And I hate to admit it, but as nice as we are to each others' face, you know damn well that things weren't ever the same between us after your wedding day."
"No use in bothering to keep up the facade, I see," Bandit sighed, his mood changing almost instantaneously. He knew exactly what she was referring to and she was right- after their little 'talk' at the restaurant the next day, things seemed to return to normalcy. It was only when they were alone where things usually got a bit strange, both feeling like actors surrounded by a black void for an audience.
Even moments where they kept to themselves, like directly after Chilli's miscarriage, their conversations felt artificial with no sense of rhythm or rhyme to what was being said. Brandy wanted to dip her toes into deeper topics, but knew that sooner or later, that night would be discussed in much further detail than it had been initially. She just didn't expect it to happen on the same day she met her niece for the first time.
"I thought our dynamic seemed a little too relaxed to be genuine this time around," Bandit relaxed out onto the lawn, his back out towards the grass. Brandy did the same, holding Bluey right against her chest as she turned to face Bandit. "Brandy, I know this may be hard to believe, but I'm past that. Half of the reason I was so disturbed... was because I was just as guilty as you were... and I don't hold any ill feelings towards you anymore."
"Ah, but you did at one point," Brandy's ears collapsed. She sighed. "I'm sorry, Bandit. I never got to properly address it to you, but I'm serious. I'm sorry about everything that's ever happened between us, even when we were kids."
"Brandy, where is all of this coming from?" Bandit looked over at her with a concerned expression on his face. He watched as tears began to form on her eyes, glittering amongst the stars. "I did, but it was because I was just as careless as you were... Please don't cry, Brandy."
"I don't know," she sniffled, her throat feeling tight and painful. Memories upon memories of her own self berating Chilli seemed to return to her mind, but the worst offender was one that kept repeating continuously in the background. The way Bandit had jerked away from her when she tried doing something unforgivable, placing a finger on her lips. She was eternally grateful that nothing ever came out of it, but the sheer fact that she even had that in her in the first place was enough to bound her to repay her debts to Chilli forever. She wanted closure, but did she really deserve it? "...Bandit, did you ever tell Chilli about it? I know you didn't at the time... but have things changed?"
"I didn't," Bandit looked away. "I really should've, but Brandy, I could never go through with telling her something that would undoubtedly cause a wedge between the two of you. I know you love Chilli and just want to do right by her. I knew that even way back when we properly met... when we read your novels together in the bed at that hotel room."
Brandy weakly smiled, still feeling the incoming burn that the tears brought down with them. "I missed talking to you this way, like people."
"Me too, Brandy," Bandit watched as Bluey drifted off to a quiet slumber, likely to awaken again at least once before day returned. "The truth was, I loved you for a lot longer than I ever cared to admit to anyone, even myself.."
"Bandit, is there something on your mind?" A much younger Chilli asked. It was their very first date; the two were walking around the inner city, looking for a bite to eat after the movie they had seen. The two had had a grand time, but whenever the two weren't lost in mesmerizing conversation, Bandit's mind seemed to wander off towards Brandy. It wasn't right, but initially, he had agreed to a date with Chilli to ease his mind off from her older sister.
It wasn't like he hadn't been harboring some immoral feelings for her towards the end of his relationship with Brandy, but it was a mere fantasy. It was like Chilli was a retro version of Brandy who was just as peppy as before her miscarriage, where he would finally feel the meaning behind the phrase "it's us against the world" again. Sure, she was attractive, kind, and best of all, a rather chipper person to be around, but there was something about Brandy's passive nature that he had slightly missed.
Even so, Bandit had been so happy to find out that he had liked spending time with Chilli as well and began to genuinely move on from his ex. He enjoyed their dynamic; Bandit was the upbeat jokester while Chilli was a slightly snarky yet an ambivert, gentle lover girl at heart. With Brandy, he savoured what he could remember, where he was the protective, gentle force while she was also snarky, but also introspective and rather quiet most of the time. She was only loud when she was discussing her interests or when she would shower Bandit with affection. Oh, how he had missed those days.
He remembered the first kiss he had shared with Chilli, where all he could think about was how different she tasted compared to Brandy. It made him physically recoil at the thought, hating himself briefly for ruining what was supposed to be a magical moment within the blossoming of their new relationship.
"Bandit, are you okay? Ugh, I knew I ate too much garlic," Chilli sighed, pushing away the plate of spiced breadsticks she had been chowing down on. Bandit could hardly even taste the garlic; he could only focus on the intriguing texture and taste of her lips and how familiar yet unique it was. Even their mannerisms differed; both were desirous and engaging, but Chilli's was more... flamboyant, if that made any sense. "I'm sorry."
"Nah, don't worry about it, love," Bandit softly caressed her cheek, a suave smile on his face. "I'm just surprised... that I ever got lucky enough to kiss someone as beautiful as you."
Chilli's face went beet red like a schoolgirl's, making Bandit chortle lightly as he dropped his sexyman act. "Don't worry, babe."
Somehow, that only made Chilli blush even harder, feeling her exterior begin to burn. Her tail furiously wagged behind her as Bandit tried to push out the uncomfortable comparison that had entered his mind at a mere nanosecond after their lips interlocked.
Eventually, there came a time where he separated the two entirely. Chilli was her own person; so was Brandy.
Still though, there were times where the guilt would get the better of him. He knew Bruce had liked Chilli around the same time she ended up asking him out and he was nowhere near done with Brandy when he accepted. Of course, being the righteous dog he was, he eventually came clean to Chilli. Surprisingly, she understood, sympathizing with him. Apparently, it was mutual, she had been in a kind of situationship that hadn't ended well two mere weeks before they cemented their relationship. She moreso worried about Brandy than herself.
It's fine... She left him, not the other way around... Besides, Bandit has been a close friend of mine who has always been there for me in the same moments where Brandy would just run away.. Chilli would oftentimes try to rationalize it. I'm not doing it out of spite... I genuinely have fallen in love with Bandit. I even liked him when Brandy was with him and didn't do anything! Though, that's the bare minimum... Nevertheless... is it wrong that we're together?
She'd sigh and wonder if it was an ideal relationship, but every time she got to see his hypnotic smile, she would find herself forgetting all about the 'problems' that could ensue from such a relationship. He was the closest thing to perfect she had ever known.
Regardless of whether it was moral or not, the two were in love. Nothing would change that fact, the two were sure about it.
"Though... I often wondered what I did wrong, you know? When my feelings for Chilli grew serious, I was worried I'd commit the same mistake again," Bandit's paws rested above his chest, barely making out constellations through the city lights. They seemed to hide behind the rays of artificial lights, much like the finishing blow to Brandy and Bandit's past relationship.
Suddenly, the brightness of Brandy's eyes disappeared. The mood instantly changed and Bandit braced for what she would say, if she even said anything. He watched Brandy's paw lightly grip the fur from Bluey's side, instantly letting go and instead making its way to her head, where she uncomfortably spun her fur around her finger as a means to distract herself from the obvious elephant in the room. "Well, I see you didn't do the same to Chilli. I guess it's only right to finally give you the answer."
Bandit began to recall everything that had ever occurred, but couldn't for the life of him figure out what it was... until he, too, began to remember the child he lost with Brandy. "Well, I see you didn't do the same to Chilli."
He knew then and felt a burrowing pit in his stomach; how awful it must've been to hear him be so gentle yet rational with Chilli when they'd lost Louie. Even so, he didn't interrupt her.
"I wanted our child, Bandit," she meekly rubbed Bluey as if she was what they had lost so many years ago. "I knew we weren't ready. And trust me, I know you meant no harm, but that hurt me so profoundly. I don't hold it against you because we were young and dumb and I never told you about it. So... I'm sorry Bandit for leaving you clueless like that... I didn't want to come off as sensitive."
"I'm sorry I ever told you that, Brandy," Bandit inhaled sharply. "I was scared, too... Not like that's an excuse, but I should've noticed the drastic change after I told you that."
"It's okay, Bandit," she smiled at him, finally feeling an old wound seal away for good. She knew Bandit would never reopen it- he was way too sweet. "I wanted closure, and you gave it to me."
"Does this mean we're friends again?" Bandit asked curiously, feeling a huge weight lifted off his back. He inhaled the soft breeze deeply, admiring Brandy's comforting scent.
"Of course," she smiled. "I'll always be here for you and your family from now on."
Both of them smiled warmly at one another before they entered the house and fell asleep. Bandit was next to his wife, pulling her in a hug while Brandy slept in the spare bedroom right next to Bluey's crib, who she'd tend to in case she woke up. Bruce had luckily been very understanding of the entire situation- and while he was slightly bummed that he couldn't sleep with Brandy that night, the thought of her finally finding long term happiness in her life filled him with joy and anticipation.
The two couldn't wait for what would come next.
Sounds of light chopping could be heard from inside the old Cattle home out in the rural country. A sweet smell trickled up Brandy's snout, catching her attention and making her stomach lightly grumble- it was a smell that she hadn't experienced since childhood. Curiously, she got up off her bed- it was quite small for her adult frame, being from when she was fun sized, and walked out into the kitchen, extending her sore muscles. Bluey had worked her arms real well, after all.
"Oh Brandy, I'm happy to see you've woken up," her mother turned around to meet her with a gentle smile on her face. Her tail wagged behind her as she was long gone with chopping and now stirring the veggies in the broth. Time was wonky- Brandy had only blinked lightly before the scent became even more mesmerizing. "Come, come, I've made some stew for the two of us."
The older heeler grabbed a bowl and ladle, placing a generous amount inside. She quickly handed it off to her daughter, cautioning her about the temperature before serving herself. The two sat down in their chairs, placing their bowls opposite one another. "Mum! I haven't seen you in so long..."
"I know, love," she slurped on her spoon, holding in a light chuckle. "The look on your face is priceless!"
"Mum! I'm not mucking around," Brandy lightly shot back. "I've missed you!"
"I've missed you too," Clarice replied. "I see you've been quite well off lately, love!"
"Really?" Brandy pondered lightly. She had found stability, rekindled her friendship with Bandit, formed a true connection with Chilli, and she was dating Bruce, the best, most patient boyfriend of all time. "Oh, now that I think about it... you're right... Not to sound conceited or anything."
"Well it didn't sound that way until now," Clarice held a paw up to her snout and giggled. "But honey, I'm so proud of you. I knew you'd take my advice sooner or later, but I was prepared to be waiting a while longer."
"Am I that stubborn?" Brandy lightly twirled her fur, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"I'm just pulling your tail a bit," she shook her head with a light look of sympathy on her graceful features. "You're so beautiful when you're happy."
Brandy blushed lightly, taking in a big gulp. "Mum... What's the real reason you came by?"
"I just wanted to see you!" Clarice huffed lightly. "Can't a mother simply want to see her daughter?"
"You usually don't come by unless there's something I need to do," she raised an eyebrow.
"I can't lecture you past my death, honey. I mean, I can, but I trust you. All I do when I give you one is try to steer you in the right direction- you know, to not commit the same mistakes I did when I was in your position," Clarice explained. "I actually came by because I wanted to show you something."
A long moment of silence ensued before Clarice continued to speak. She pulled out a photo from a handbag that had been resting snugly on the chair. It showed a moment of togetherness in Brandy's early childhood. She and Chilli were playing a role playing story involving two dolls they had gotten. Brandy remembered this instance quite well- Brandy's doll had been the kind and supportive aunt that had been comforting her soft, struggling niece played by Chilli. It was frankly... quite random.
"I remember playing that game," Brandy commented. "But I'm a little lost..."
"Well honey... I know how much you want to raise a child," she smiled at her lovingly. "And I reckon you're a lot closer to being motherly than you think! You've been working on yourself and everyone around you has seen the fruits of your own efforts. But before I tell you... I know you've been struggling with your fertility, honey. I'm sorry that I did this to you."
"Mum, it's not your fault," Brandy reached out towards her mum, but her hand phased right through her. She shook her head, firmly grabbing her paw and placing it closer to her body. She doesn't want my sympathy..
"Not to worry, Brandy," Clarice faintly smiled. "I didn't mean to sour the mood; I just wanted to show you a little thing about your future."
"Oh?" Brandy cocked her head to the side with a now curious expression.
"I know it'll be tough to have your own children considering your circumstances... But like I said earlier, you've grown a lot and I'm so proud of you. If you can't have your own kids, I want you to find motherly love elsewhere."
Suddenly, Brandy pulled out another memory from the same place where she had taken the first picture from. It was a picture of her as a very very young child though the atmosphere around her in the photo seemed a bit off... and dare she say nostalgic?! The older woman in the picture was not Clarice, but in fact... Linda. Linda had been the one who took Brandy to London so long ago and why she always had so many random moments of deja vu whilst living her day to day life there. Not to mention even her supposed first time going to London, where she recollected some memories about it.
However, the picture only left some things answered and not others. What was the picture supposed to represent?
"Before Linda would have... well, you know who, she would separate herself from me a bit," Clarice explained. "I knew it was painful for her and I never meant to make her feel lesser than when you first entered the world, love. But you... you brought us together, love. She'd babysit you more times than I could count and she even brought you over to London, though I don't know if you can remember that far. The business trip was all about auditioning for diaper commercials overseas and Linda, well... that woman had connections and she thought you were just the right amount of cute and cool for it."
Clarice belly- laughed, recalling the idea that Linda had shot out when the two were together so many years ago. Brandy had been long dormant in her crib and Linda had been over again to help care for her.
"Mum, no offense, but I've never been more confused in my life before," Brandy chuckled awkwardly with her.
"Ah yes, sorry Brandy," Clarice wiped a laughter tear from her eye. "You know that Linda and I always had our fair share of problems and initially, it worsened significantly when I announced that Mort and I were having you. I really thought I would lose my sister because of you, Brandy."
Is this... a parallel to our problems? Did Chilli ever... worry that I would react or something after Bluey was born? Is that why... I couldn't see her until a couple days after they'd returned? "I wonder... if this is how Chilli felt when I asked her about it at the concert... how carefully she phrased her official announcement at the hangout..."
"But now, you're reconnecting! And in a much better manner than did my sister and I!" Clarice interjected. "The way we reconnected was when she came over months after you had been born. I have no idea what flipped the switch in her mind- but she randomly called me one day and asked me if she could come by the house. I agreed, finally wanting to put an end to the tension- I wanted to feel like family again. And... you wouldn't believe me when I told you she took a good look at you and beamed, forgetting all about the grudge she apparently had held against me for so long. Then, we sat down in the kitchen and discussed some stuff; your father had been long asleep by that point. We had the whole house to ourselves. We drank two bottles of brandy on our own and when I tell you there was a bit of arguing, some tears shed, some happy hugs between us, I mean it. It was revolutionary, Brandy; as if you were the symbol of togetherness. That was... until Chilli was born."
"Oh," the red heeler's ears drooped. Wait- did my mum name me after her favorite drink?! Am I just now catching on that she'd drink it all the time when I was little- No, this isn't the time to think about that. "What... happened?"
"I appreciated her help a bunch with you," Clarice softly rubbed Brandy's cheek. "But when Chilli was born, I already knew how to handle a lot of things on my own and if I didn't, then Mort was always there for me. Of course, we loved having her over... but there came times where we simply wanted to be alone and well... she didn't take it the right way. So I want my daughters to be different from how your aunt and I were. Bluey's special, I'd reckon a lot like younger you minus the rage. There's a saying I heard when I was younger... that when you stop chasing a dream so forcefully, it will naturally come to you. When Linda accepted her place as your and Chilli's aunt, our relationship improved again- it soiled afterwards, but that, that was because of something entirely unrelated. So if you embrace Bluey as your niece but don't grow dependent on her, I'm sure you'll finally find what you've been longing for so long."
"You don't think I'll mess it up?"
"Well, have you messed anything up recently?"
"...No."
"Good on you," she smiled. "I believe in you."
"Thank you mum," Brandy calmly sighed in relief, processing all that she had learned in a brief time period of 5 minutes in the real world. I'll be the best aunt I can be for her.
With that, Clarice had taken the last sip of her stew before the world around her began to melt together in a strange, otherworldly matter. Clarice waved goodbye to her with the usual sparkle in her eye before she melted along with the background, leaving Brandy alone in a white, yet comforting void.
She awoke to the sounds of light fussing next door, noting that Bluey had just awoken and wasn't in a great mood. "Bluey..."
She groggily got up, still processing what she had just seen, going to the kitchen to take some pumped milk out of the fridge, catching a quick glimpse of the sky through the window. The stars were still glimmering like no tomorrow, but the blackness surrounding the sky seemed to lighten up, revealing dark purple hues that blended nicely in with the leaving night. She heard a bird chirp in the distance. She quickly returned to Bluey's room and carefully held her in her arms while feeding her the milk in her bottle. Her tail wagged as Bluey's innocent gaze met her own, her tiny blue paws resting on her chest. She was so warm and precious.
Regardless of what happens between Chilli and I, I'd give up my life for you, honey. Even though Brandy knew feeling so much love was good, she feared the fact that she was already starting to love Bluey intensely within the same day she had met her.
I'm not your mum, so I probably shouldn't be getting too attached. She looked bashfully away from the baby heeler, but one of her small paws landed on her cheek, and the two met again. "Bluey, is it okay that I feel both scared and relieved at once?"
She continued to sip at her milk without a care in the world, but her comforting gaze quelled down all the intense emotions she had been feeling. Her heart rate calmed down, her tail only wiggled lightly on the bed, and she cleared out her mind temporarily.
-End-