Old Book, New Chapter. - ReddNook

Chapter twenty.

Tom opened door to his house. He flicked his ears when he heard door open upstairs. "Uncle Tom!" Timmy and Tommy cried, hugging him.

He hugged them back, little confused. "Whoa, is something wrong?" he asked, pulling back.

"Tomorrow is our birthday! You do remember that, do you?" Timmy asked, jumping up and down.

"Of course I do, I would never forget." Tom chuckled. "But calm down." he added as he placed his hand on Timmy's head.
"Where's uncle Redd?" Tommy asked, taking his brothers hand.

"Oh, he said he'll be here soon. He needed to just stop by his house." he told. "But are you two hungry?" he asked, as he went to the kitchen.

"Yes." Timmy said with nod. "Buuut, can we stay up longer than usually?" he asked.
"Hm... I'll think about it." the tanuki said.

"You always say that, and it's always no. That's not fair." Timmy whined. "We are turning thirteen!"
"I promise, I'll think about it. But do not raise your voice young man."

"Then give us real anwsers!" Timmy said, as he lashed his tail in frustration.
Tom sighed softly, pinching his nose. "You two are still kids, and sleep is important." he said, brushing his hair back.

"But it's special day." Tommy said quietly. The tanuki opened his mouth to say something, but the front door opened.

Soon Redd stepped in the kitchen, looking over to the three tanukis. "Did I, miss somethin'?" he asked.

"Uncle Redd!" Timmy chimed. "Can you tell uncle Tom that we can stay up longer?" he asked as he went over to the kitsune, Tommy following him.

"He won't let us, and it's our birthday tomorrow." he told, wrapping his hands around Redd's arm.

Redd blinked. He looked up to Tom. "Really Nooksie? It's their birthday tomorrow." he said taking the boys to hug.

"And how could you say no to these two? And did I mention it's their birthday tomorrow?" he added.

Tom sighed, as he leaned against the counter. "I said I'll think about it. And even if it's their birthday, they are kids. They are growing kids." he told.

"But, birthday! And they are turnin' thirteen! They are teens!" Redd said, giving slight squeeze to the boys.

Tom flicked his tail slightly, as he buried his face to his hands. He let out groan as he ran his hands down his face.

"Uncle Tom, please just this once." Tommy said, sparkles in his blue eyes.
"Yes, please! We promise not to ask anything for a month!" Timmy told. "No, make it two!" he added, Tommy nodding.

Tom sighed softly. "Only this one night, understand? And no staying up after midnight." he said crossing his arms against his chest.

"We promise! ...promise!" they said as they went to hug the tanuki. "Thank you!"

Tom hugged the little ones back. He sighed, tightening his grip from them. "Now, let's eat something." he said, letting the hug go.

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Tom stared at the wall. He let out soft sigh, as he turned to face the kitsune. "How long you're going to stare at me, saying nothing?" he asked.

"Dunno, maybe as long you were gonna stare that fine wall there." Redd snickered. "Sooo, whatcha thinkin'?"
"Nothing really, I just... I don't know."
"You don't know, eh? That's somethin' new."

Tom let out soft sigh. "Time goes fast, too fast." he told. The kitsune flicked his ears slightly. "This about the kids, is it?" he asked.

"Well, yes. It's hard to believe that they are already turning thirteen. I still can remember that day when I found them." he said flattening his ears back.

"U-huh, that's nice. But Nooksie, you do realise they are runnin' their own shop?" Redd asked, as he rested his head against Tom's chest.

"I, guess..." Tom sighed, placing his hand against the kitsune's back. "They grow so fast, and it's really hard to view them any different." he told, drawing slight circles against his back.

"M-mh..." He closed his eyes. "They are good kids, right..?" he mumbled as he wrapped his arms around the tanuki.

"Hm... Yes, but they do need some guidance sometimes." he sighed softly.
"M-mh..."

"I guess, I should trust more to their own judgement. They are smart, really smart. But... I'm scared if something bad happens." the tanuki continued.

He twitched his ears, soft snoring. He stopped drawing circles against the kitsune's back. He sighed, as he pulled blanket over the kitsune and himself. He stared at the ceiling for a while, before he fell asleep as well.