⠀ ( sat out on the balcony, enjoying a beverage. ruben is playing with a toy quietly underneath his kicked up pedes. ) ⠀

⠀ ( sorry about that!! ) ⠀

⠀ ( not when you’re twisted up like a pretzel! shoo. go bother your other father. ) ⠀

⠀ ( TWINSSSSS! except she doesn’t have a ruben trying to get in her face. ) ⠀

⠀ ( gently pushes ruben away from his face. he’s trying to do yoga, bird. ) ⠀

⠀ not at all. i’ve got all the time in the world right now. ⠀

⠀ well, you’ve got some time before that event starts. maybe you can whip up a decent amount of smaller pieces by then. ⠀ ( ruben is napping.. ) ⠀

⠀ ( smacks his twitchy headlight. someone is talking about him right now. moving forward. ) ⠀ sooooo would you rather stay somewhere close for those days? might be easier to transport your stuff that way. ⠀

⠀ how far off is this one? do we need a room? ⠀ ( pets evolving into scratches. ) ⠀

⠀ ( jealous much, mocha? reaches down & pets her big head. ) ⠀ aw, really? i try to take care of everyone. glad it pays off. ⠀

⠀ i’m interested. i think you’d do great with or without me there personally. ⠀

⠀ are you asking me to be a plus one? i’ll see what i can do, big guy. ⠀ ( ruben has since moved on to preening under his wing. ) ⠀

⠀ i’ll hold on to that offer then. ⠀ ( ruben is face deep in his chest feather fluff, sneezing & returning right back to preening. ) ⠀

⠀ would you ever actually consider hosting? ⠀ ( now ruben has a wet spot on his head, shaking, quickly settled within the predacon’s lap. contented beak clicks. ) ⠀

⠀ he might as well be. ⠀ ( a playful roll of brilliant optics. ) ⠀ yeah, actually. he’s never been here before. you’ve got it looking good. ⠀ ( the peacock is talking away, beak affectionately nibbling at void’s hand. ) ⠀

⠀ here recently, yes. i can’t even think about leaving the house without him wanting in. he gets his desire for socializing honestly. ⠀ ( ruben is COMING, stopped to nibble at void’s tail. now parked in front of him. chattering loudly. ) ⠀

⠀ no problem. if you need anything, give me a call. and if i don’t pick up give swindle a call and tell him to tell me to call you back. it’ll work out eventually. ah, i almost forgot. speaking of—⠀ ( the wrecker whistles shrilly through ⠀ 𖬺

⠀ i dunno. ruben was there so, that makes it hard to decipher. ⠀ ( smiles softly. ) ⠀

⠀ i get it, but you can’t be so hard on yourself. healthier ways of grieving and coping are out there, like your sculpting work. and companions. ⠀ ( gestures over mocha. ) ⠀ they know when something isn’t right. it messes with their heads too, ⠀ 𖬺

⠀ i’m sorry. not only are you mourning but you’re feeling guilt undoubtedly. i wish i had something more to say that you’d want to hear. i bet you’re tired of hearing that it’s not your fault. even if it’s true. ⠀

⠀ sorta.. yeah. what’s the correlation? ⠀

⠀ visions of what? the events all those years ago? not recharging regularly will make what you see worse than it already seems. you can’t let it shut you down. ⠀ ( sigh. ) ⠀ i know it’s easier said than done. ⠀

⠀ void. you have to accept both the good and the bad feelings. that’s how change works. ⠀ ( lips pulled into a concerned line. ) ⠀ you have to accept that emotions like this will happen to you. they happen to everyone. you’re not alone. ⠀

⠀ you’ll feel better when it’s over.. ⠀ ( don’t sound so ominous, jeep. but it’s true! ) ⠀ the aftermath. ⠀

⠀ sometimes it comes over you and you can’t do anything to stop it. suppressing it damages you. i hope you know that. it’s dangerous to let it build. ⠀

⠀ crying? that’s normal, void. there’s no shame in it. that’s one way of going through grief. ⠀

⠀ i’ll put you down for medical leave so you don’t run the risk of being taken off the payroll due to weeks of absence.. ⠀ ( hot shot refolds his arms & creates space between them, not wishing to intrude fully. ) ⠀ what leaking are you talking about? ⠀

⠀ ah. i see the similarities now. i’m sorry, void. i take it that it hasn’t gotten any easier. ⠀ ( now stood roughly at the predacon’s side. ) ⠀ is this how you’ve chosen to cope? through art? that’s common for lots of people. ⠀

⠀ okayyyy…. wanna talk about what you’re working on instead? sculpture making, huh? glad you’re, uh, still going at it. ⠀ ( plasters an awkward, yet convincing, beam on his face. traveling around.. ) ⠀

⠀ is it something we need to talk about? ⠀ ( what’s he DOING? craning his gaze.. ) ⠀

⠀ mocha stayed with me and you never came searching. you stopped showing up to work. i haven’t seen you since christmas i think. ⠀ ( folds his arms. ) ⠀ what’s going on? ⠀

⠀ hey. where’ve you been? here? ⠀

⠀ ( standing in the workshop’s entryway. ) ⠀

⠀ ( pressed REAALLLL close to him. ⠀ * 🤤💤 ) ⠀

⠀ ( hand plopped on swindle’s helm. slumbering away. ) ⠀

⠀ ( big kiss on his little face! plopped down onto his feeties. go play! ) ⠀ yeah, i’ll take one. i’m coming. ⠀ ( striding after swindle. ) ⠀

⠀ you did..? i’m sorry, swin. ruben says sorry. ⠀ ( holds the bird up, who’s brown eyes are round as ever. feathered head lowered with a soft, whistled whine. ) ⠀ say ‘ i didn’t mean it, swindleeee! ‘⠀ ( chirp. ) ⠀

⠀ i think he’ll be fine now, but all that time he probably spent looking for us sent him into a slight panic. he let us know he didn’t appreciate it. ⠀ ( like his temper tantrum neverrrrr happened. he’ll listen always, babby. kissing!! ) ⠀

⠀ ( oh now the bird is being clingyyyy & cuddly, rubbing his head all over the wrecker’s grill. ) ⠀ nah. i bet it scared him whenever he woke up and we weren’t in bed. usually we come back up afterwards, you know? ⠀

⠀ ( he’s done biting!! hot shot stretches & twists, each individual strut popping in sync before he’s grabbing ruben up & cradling him. optics opened. talk to him babby!! he’ll listen. muffled peacock chirps. ) ⠀ wow. we really pissed him off. ⠀

⠀ ( honk honk honk squawk HONK. rough translation: YOU GUYS LEFT HIM!! ) ⠀ mmhh? ⠀

⠀ ( ruben is pecking BOTH jeeps on their arms, vocalizing in way that almost mimics a growl. ) ⠀

⠀ ( flips up his headlights!! ⠀ * 🤑 ) ⠀ where you want me? ⠀

⠀ ( stretches out. what a man.. ) ⠀

⠀ ( SMONCH, pulling himself off of him. ) ⠀ don’t be long… ⠀

⠀ ( grabs at the back of his helm, leaning in close to his audial. ) ⠀ go. ⠀

⠀ you’ll have to put ruben up if you keep on. ⠀

⠀ you can’t be teasing me right now. ⠀ ( cheeks deflated. warm.. ) ⠀

⠀ ghhk— swin.. ⠀ ( puffs his cheeks. ) ⠀

⠀ ( none the wiser, even tilting his chin & providing more room. he’s under the impression that swindle is being sweet! ) ⠀