Chapter Text
Part 1: Fall
Monday, September 18
Everything in life has an order to it. There was a certain way one had to do things. A routine if you will. You don’t go around putting your socks on over your shoes. He liked that about life. No matter how bad things would get, there was always an order he could follow to get back on track.
“Are you going to tell me what you did with Mr. Sprinkles, Plushy?”
Plushy blinked up at him from his crib, large ears much too big for his head. The baby bunny smiled
“Spwing!”
Spring Sanders sighed. “Yes, that’s me. Listen little man, we both know if I take you to Daycare without Mr. Sprinkles you’re going to end up throwing a fit. You know Mr. Sprinkles? The cat? Yay big?”
The baby laughed.
The large golden bunny huffed and took a sweeping glance around the room. He had already checked under the crib, in the toy box, and had rummaged around the closet. The fluffy pink cat stuffy had failed to surface. He shot a quick look at the analog clock sitting on the small table next to the crib.
“Shit. We’re gonna be late at this rate.” He leaned down to pick his brother up out of the crib.
“You’re just gonna have to deal without Sprinkles, bud. Mr. Moon is gonna be so pissed...”
He snatched up the diaper bag and hooked it over one shoulder, holding Plushy against his opposite hip. He quickly made his way out of the small baby room and into the mobile home's living room. The kitchen and living room were attached, only separated by a small counter that his half completed homework lay spread out on. He swiped it up one handed, careful to keep the diaper bag from slipping off his shoulder, and shoved it all into his open backpack. After a few annoyed huffs and sharp tugs he was able to yank the zipper closed and fling his backpack over his shoulder with the diaper bag.
“Alright! Ready to go, little man?”
Plushy squealed his assent.
The air outside was starting to get nippy, even through his clothes and fur. He tucked Plushy closer, balancing him on his arm to tug his brother’s hood over his head. He looked a little funny with his little yellow head sticking out of the puffy blue folds of the hood. The birds were still singing happily, but soon the chill of winter would drive them farther south. He would need to dig out the rest of their thicker clothes soon.
Sun and Moon Daycare was situated in one of the quieter parts of town. Many people complained about it, wanting it to be closer to their jobs and homes. Spring personally liked having it in such a quiet spot even if it was a longer walk.
He quietly entered the building, instantly noting the sound of excited children. By the sounds of it they had arrived just in time for Mr. Moon's famous game of hide and seek. Plushy started whining in his arms, little arms pushing at him. He tugged the bunny closer.
He placed his backpack and the diaper bag down next to the reception desk and quickly scribbled his name on the sign in sheet. It was incredibly messy but with his right arm full of squirming baby it would have to do. He did a quick sweep of the room, instantly finding the man he was searching for and making his way over. Mr. Sun seemed to become even brighter when he noticed them.
“Friend Plushy! It’s so good to see you! Are you ready to have some fun?”
Plushy gave his favored response: a high pitched squeal.
“I am so sorry we’re so late,” Spring gasped, putting Plushy down when he reached the bright man. “We seem to have misplaced Mr. Sprinkles.”
Mr. Sun wagged his finger. “Oh no no no. No grumpy faces allowed here!” He crouched down, bringing himself level with the baby rabbit, tilting his head, his large smile still firmly in place. “You know what I think? I think when you get home, Mr. Sprinkles will be right back where you left him, ready to tell you all about his adventures.”
Plushy nodded his head vigorously, face scrunching up into a severe serious expression. Spring smiled, reaching down to ruffle the fur on top of his brother's head until the expression melted off his face.
“Thank you so much for watching him.”
“Not a problem, not a problem.” Mr. Sun glanced back over to Plushy. “Why don’t you go show Mr. Moon who the best hider is?” He stage whispered.
“I am!” Plushy squealed, hopping up and down in place a few times before taking off toward the room’s jungle gym as fast as his small legs would take him.
Mr. Sun rose from his crouch, watching the small bunny run off, his smile dropping into something smaller. “You know,” He started once the little boy was lost from sight, burrowing his way up one of the slides. “You don’t have to come here straight after school. Take a break, have some time for yourself. Moon and I wouldn't mind watching him a moment longer.”
Spring felt his shoulder relax, he didn't even know when he had become so tense. “Thank you,” he mumbled. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good, good.” Mr. Sun slapped him on the shoulder, big, bright smile back in place. “Now hurry up friend Spring! Lateness doesn't make for greatness!”
“Yeah, yeah,” Spring chuckled. He backed away, grabbing his backpack and waving in the general direction of the jungle gym. “Bye Plushy, have a good day!”
He rushed out the door, receiving no response other than the sound of a child's laughter as Mr. Sun’s husband undoubtedly found someone.
-- -- -- -- -- --
Alfred shuffled his deck of playing cards, pulling out one card at a time to lay them neatly on the cafeteria table. He listened to the rhythmic thunk thunk thunk of his friend's pencil hitting the wood of the table. The blue rabbit had been at it for five minutes, more than enough time for Al to prepare the deck. He sighed softly, side eyeing the bunny for a long moment, before starting to rearrange the deck into a game of solitaire.
“What’s up?”
The sound of the pencil hitting the table stopped, only to start up again a moment later, the sound slightly more frantic than a moment before.
“First test of the year coming up,” Blue grumbled, flopping his chin into his waiting hand, one of his too large ears falling into his face at the movement. “There is no way I’m passing history this quarter. Why do I need to care about what some old dude’s did hundreds of years ago, anyway?”
The small bear felt himself frown and he turned back to his cards, grabbing one to flip it over. “I might be able to change your grade; if you give me a couple of days.”
“No,” the bunny sighed. “I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
Alfred blinked slowly. “Well,” he hummed, taking a sip from his milk carton. “Chia is acing History.”
“She is?” The bunny sat up straighter. “Awesome! Maybe she will study with me!”
Alfred nodded. “I’m sure.” He slid his plate towards the bunny.
Blue leaned over the table, scooped up one of the cheese sticks from the plate and tilted his head to look at the cards upside down. His pencil had fallen from his hand at some point and Alfred traced its rolling movement until it stopped.
“I think you should move that black nine,” the bunny mused.
Alfred stared at his friend for a long moment, listening to the seconds tick by from his wrist watch. There were days he wished he could squeeze all of his friends into a metal box and never let them out. Somewhere they would be safe from all of the bad things the world had to offer.
“That’s a six,” he finally grunted, moving the card none-the-less.
-- -- -- -- --
The sounds of an imaginary crowd cheering rushing through his ears. His heart beat rapidly, blood pounding through his body so fast he could almost feel it. His hands shook and he dug his claws into the dirt to keep them steady. He took a deep breath, feeling it rattle in his chest before slowly letting it out. Focus, he had to focus. It could all come down to him, to this last push.
“Bonnie!”
The purple bunny jerked, almost toppling over from his ready position.
“You’re doin’ it again, kid,” Mr. Fitzgerald sighed, dragging a hand through his thinning blond hair.
Bonnie groaned, rolling his shoulders. He could feel a knot resting somewhere between his shoulder blades. “Yeah coach, I know.”
Fitzgerald put his hands on his hips. He always wore the same pair of old tan jeans that rode too low on his hips. The man didn’t seem to believe in belts, at least Bonnie had never seen him use one, and the added weight caused them to slide down more.
“You need to get out of your head, kid. Got too much goin’ on up there.” Coach said, digging out a strip of nicotine chewing gum and popping it into his mouth.
“I know, I know,” Bonnie sighed again, finally giving into the urge to try and dig his thumb into the irritating knot of muscle. “I just…I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“Nothin’s wrong with ya, kid. Just gotta learn to relax, that’s all. I’ve seen ya out on that track and you’re damn good. Trust your body, trust your gut, and believe in yourself. Stop lettin’ your head get in your way.”
That’s easy for you to say. Bonnie thought with a huff.
Mr. Fitzgerald snapped his gum between his teeth. “Get out there and try it again. And hurry it up, I’m not gettin’ any younger out here.”
Bonnie smirked. “I should think not, sir.”
“You just earned yourself extra laps after school, Thompson. Ya piece of shit.”
Bonnie laughed and went back to his position. He took a deep breath, letting his muscles relax. There was no need to get worked up, he did this all the time. It was just running. He stared ahead at the track, let out his breath slowly, pushing away the worry creeping up in his gut, and he ran.