smiling critters

chapter 8 - the beach

The next month was basically hell for Neil as he kept getting weaker and more numb. He just wanted to bury himself under the sand and suffocate. He was spending his time at a deserted part of the beach and just listening to the waves crash against the sand as the wind brushed against his fur. It was peaceful, but his peace and quiet was suddenly interrupted by a gentle paw on his shoulder. He turned around to see Bobby kneeling beside him.

"Hey nini, mind if i join you?"

He shook his head and she plopped down beside him.

"Hey, so I know you've been pretty dodgy about this lately, and maybe I'm just overthinking, but are you ok? You've been acting really weird for a while now," Bobby turned to look at her friend, who sleepily looked back at her and sighed.

"I don't know, I've been super weak lately, I can barely feel anything, at least physically, and I'm starting to forget sign. but i don't want you guys to worry though, so I never said anything. I don't know what's happening, I've known sign my whole life, forgetting it would be like losing a piece of myself. I don't want that to happen. I've just been trying to make it seem like everything was in perfect working order so you guys wouldn't have unnecessary stress, but I don't think I can keep it up much longer. if I stop showing up to sleepovers or meet-ups, I want you to tell everyone how much I love you all and that you've changed my life in so many ways," Neil smiled faintly, taking his friend by surprise.

"Since when could you talk?"

"since forever. I just never told any of you because I never wanted to be forced to talk. I dunno, it's weird, but most days, talking makes me wanna throw up, and I didn't want to make you guys feel like I was ignoring you if I introduced myself with my voice. but I do kinda regret making you guys learn sign just for me."

"don't say stuff like that, I was happy to learn sign to talk to you, you're such a fun and nurturing person. I love talking to you! so don't think for a second that being able to talk to you is an issue, because it's such a treat. and I promise, from the bottom of my heart, I won't let you forget sign, no matter what."

"Thanks Bobby pin, I don't know how you do that sometimes."

"do what?"

"know what to say. it's kinda scary if I'm being honest."

"because I can reeaad your miiind~"

"yea ok, sure," Neil yawned and rested his head on his arms. Bobby pulled him closer to her and let him rest his head on her shoulder.

They sat like that for a while as Bobby gently ran her claws through Neil's hair while he softly purred in her arms. She knew he liked stuff like that, at least from her, so she made sure to do it whenever they were alone together. They spent a good amount of time together until the rest of the group rejoined them and they spent the rest of the day doing stuff at the beach.

bobby POV:

When Bobby got home she laid in bed and pondered what Neil had told her. Should she tell Georgia what was happening to him, or should she stay quiet? She wasn't sure. When she got back from the beach, Neil had texted her asking her not to tell the others he could talk, both for the reason he mentioned before and because apparently he didn't like his voice all too much, and to also watch a show called hazbin hotel for him if he died. Reading that made bobby a little sad (other than the thing about hazbin hotel), call her an optimist, but she loved his voice, it was a little deep with a sweet undertone, it suited him so well. It fit his calm, caring nature. She wanted to tell him how pretty his voice was, but decided against it for some reason. She sat up and went over to her vanity before pulling out her journal. She grabbed a pencil and wrote about what she did today and what Neil told her, maybe that would help her reach a conclusion on what to do. Short answer, it didn't, so she decided to go to sleep, hoping that'd help. That night, she had a dream. She was in the library with the others waiting for Neil for lunch until she decided to go look for him with hollie. they didn't end up having to go far since he was just coming in while they were by the exit.

"Oh Neil, hi! Where were you?" she asked. He shrugged tiredly.

"The teacher held me up, sorry," he signed as she pulled him in for a hug. He hugged back before suddenly going limp, causing Bobby to panic.

"Uh, holls? I think he fell asleep," she smiled awkwardly, turning her head toward the rabbit.

"No shit, he didn't. He's fucking wi'chu," she shook her head and got closer to pick him up, validating her friend's claim.

"Huh, should we take him to the nurse?"

"Yea, probably."

Together, the girls walked to the nurse, with hollie running halfway there and having to stop to wait for bobby to catch up. Once they got there, they explained to the nurse that he randomly fell asleep and if she could keep him there for lunch, which she gladly agreed to. Hollie sent Dylan a quick text that they'd be staying in the nurse's office with Neil to make sure he was alright. Suddenly, Bobby was standing in front of an open grave with her friend's and their families. Mom and dad were there and not yelling at each other for once. There was also a small clowder of cats with them. Everyone was crying except Kai, who still looked sad, including Bobby, but she didn't know why until she read the name engraved on the tombstone. 'Here lies Neil chandler.' she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Neil was dead? How? She woke up in a cold sweat to see one of her dad's dragons licking her face.

"Hi starburst. Are you hungry, is that why you're licking me?" she asked as she sat up and invited the animal onto her lap, which she accepted. Starburst yarred at her.

"No? Then why did you want to wake me up?"

Starburst yarred again.

"You knew I was having a nightmare? Aww you're too sweet!" Bobby cooed as she gently petted the dragon. After a while, she managed to fall asleep again with starburst cradled in her arms. The first part of her dream was a real memory, neil was late to lunch and they were getting worried, so she went to look for him and when she found him he was out in seconds of hugging her, when he woke up in the nurse's office he told them he just didn't get a lot of sleep last night, but hollie didn't believe him and after a lot of pushing, got him to confess that he hadn't slept all weekend. They were both pretty upset to say the least and made him stay in the nurse and sleep.

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