Some Fluffy Among Us Logic One-shots

Ties That Bond-Part 2: Healing Broken Hearts

NOTICE: SrQueso is present here, too.

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The thick layer of grey clouds above cast a dull shadow across the town, and with the shadow came rainfall. Veteran headed down the sidewalk, his yellow and white striped umbrella shielding him from the shower pattering against the concrete and forming puddles in the asphalt of the main road. According to the forecast he'd checked before he left his own home, the sun would be in hiding for the rest of the day, and the rain would only get heavier as the late afternoon turned to evening.

He knew the route to Player's house by heart; he'd traversed the path many a time, ever since the two of them had first met, and for some reason, it always seemed that the way there was shorter than the way back home. Maybe because of the extra spring in his step that came with knowing he was about to go see his best friend? Perhaps so.

But today, Veteran's gait was stagnant and slow, without a bounce to be seen. He wasn't sure what awaited him there today, and he feared it might not be good.

However, in spite of his slow speed, he wasn't about to turn around...Not when he was already passing the familiar purple mailbox and making his way to Player's front door.

He knocked briskly, and only a few moments later someone answered the door; Veteran immediately recognized the violet-clad figure standing there as his best friend's mother, and she responded to his presence before he could to hers.

"Oh, Veteran," she huffed, a small smile forming across her face. "Honestly I'm glad you decided to come when you did. I think Player's...having a rough time with some things right now."

"Hey, Mrs. P. And yeah, I'm aware of the issue."

"Do you know what happened?" she inquired as she gestured for the yellow crewmate to come inside. "Alan and I were downstairs watching a movie when we started to hear him yelling, but we couldn't make out any words. And by the time we'd gotten up and tried see what was wrong, he'd stopped."

Ho boy... Veteran said to himself, closing his umbrella and hanging it on the coatrack by the door. "Has he come out of his room at all since then?"

"Well, yes. A minute or so later he came out into the kitchen to grab some water...He looked really upset. Is something happening between him and people in your online group?"

"Uh...I guess you could say that," the yellow crewmate replied flatly; the LAST thing he wanted was to spill too many intricate details to Player's parents and get him into unnecessary trouble with them. "...Wait, isn't Dum here, too?"

"She texted me about twenty minutes ago saying she'd left to go on a walk," Alan stated, entering the foyer. "...Why she'd want to go out in this kinda weather, I don't have any idea, but she's honestly done stranger things before."

"Heh. Well now I'm kinda curious," Veteran snickered. "Ah...But that's not what I'm here for. Mr. P., is Player back up in his room? I, uh...wanted to talk to him about what happened before."

"He is...And we really appreciate your concern for the situation, Veteran. If anyone can sort out a situation like this, it's probably you."

"Thanks, Mr. P...And I'll do what I can."

With that, the crowned crewmate headed up the flight of stairs and stepped towards Player's bedroom door. He rose his fist in preparation to knock, but then hesitated for a moment.

...Is he gonna be mad at me, too?

He wondered. After all, he himself had contributed to his best friend's loss streak on more than one occasion. And given what Player had said to him earlier, he figured he wasn't in a good spot, despite Player having shown him some mercy.