[discontinued] Golden Days (Sleepy Bois Inc+ fic)

Duckling [Chapter Six]

{Philza's POV}

It hadn't taken long for Philza to drive back to his house with the kid in the passenger's seat, and they hadn't spoken much to eachother the whole ride over. It was confusing to Philza, that he just had this instinct to protect this random kid. He excused it as one of those "anoyone would have done the same" type of deals. But it did worry him that he was taking the kid back to his house instead of back to wherever he came from. Surely it wouldn't be considered kidnapping if he didn't have any parents to be taken from? Philza just shrugged that thought away, deciding to deal with it when they cross that bridge. The kid in the passenger seat didn't seem to mind the fact that a random stranger just jumped out, saved him from some coyote, and told him he could give him a place to stay in the middle of the woods. Even Philza would admit that it was the most sus thing anyone could do. 

The the car slowed to a stop as they managed to get back to the house, and Philza glanced over at the kid. He still didn't know his name, but he supposed that he was trusted by him. Philza thought for a few moments, trying to figure out why this kid just trusted him. Was it because he was desperate for a place to rest or a good meal? Maybe he trusted Philza because he saved him? 

Before Philza could answer that question for himself, the kid turned to Philza with his sharp wild berry gaze. It seemed to sparkle with a determination and with a slight sense of danger. His hands were clenched in slight fists on his torn pants and he was leaning onto the car door, bags under his eyes. He seemed to analyze Philza before speaking.

"Is this it?" he asked quietly, with less hostility than before. Even his voice betrayed his weariness Philza offered him a smile and a nod, opening his door and stepping outside into the crispy air. He took a moment to stare up at the sky of green overhead, noticing how the shadows had gotten darker on the trees. He still didn't hear the song of the birds.

As the other side of the door slammed shut, he glanced over to see the kid had stepped out as well. He waited for Philza to walk around and lead him inside, unlocking the door and holding it open for him. The kid stepped forward and walked inside of the warmed house, with the TV lightly playing from the other room. The hallway was painted was at least fifty shades of brown, from coco to tawny to tortilla. The hard floors were a lighter shade than the walls, which held a pattern of logs. While Philza walked inside like normal, the kid hung back to take in his surroundings. 

Philza walked in further after the kid and he began to shut the front door behind him, however he hesitated as he saw the kid quickly turn around. His eyes seemed to flash with alarm and defensiveness, his shoulders tensing up. Philza gave him a soft and welcoming look, waiting until the kid relaxed before Philza shut the door the rest of the way. 

"We should get you cleaned up," Philza noted to the kid as he walked past him to lead him to the kitchen. He would have rags there and dish soap to clean this kid off- kind of like they did in those Dawn dish soap commercials with the baby ducks. Philza smiled to himself.

It feels like I found a pair of ducklings, he chuckled lightly, walking past the living room, hearing the Tella Tubby theme song playing. The other "duckling" is probably asleep. He didn't acknowledge whatever was playing on the TV and instead he turned away into the kitchen. There was still pieces of vases scattered on the counter from when Wilbur broke the cookie jar and the plant pot, but Philza knew he would just clean it up later. He already saved the cookies and he had to set it far back on the counter so Wilbur wouldn't be able to get into them. The last thing he needed was a kid passed out from eating too many cookies.

"Who else is here?" asked the kid behind Philza suddenly, his voice sounding as if he was suspicious and a little scared. He was glancing behind himself towards the living room and he was shuffling his feet nervously. Philza could almost bet that this kid had run away from somewhere and wasn't suppose to be there by the way he was acting, but he wasn't one to go snitching on a lost kid. At least... a kid who didn't seem to want to be found by whoever was looking for him. It still impressed him that although he seemed so tired, the kid was able to stay alert and ready to run.