The New Toppat (Curtisson)

34: Kiss Burt

"I... I need to... I need to go..." Sven murmured, shouldering his way through the Toppat crowd.

"Sven..?" Came Burt's voice.

It only made Sven feel worse.

He broke into a run back into the grounded airship, crying as he ran.

He doesn't love me. He doesn't love me. He doesn't love me. He doesn't love me. He doesn't love me...

He ran into his office, slamming the door and locking it.

He burst into tears, uncontrollably sobbing.

This was worse than the other times.

Burt thought of him only as his boss, nothing else.

You idiot. Why would you ever believe that Burt liked you? You are a Swedish idiot. Everyone believes in you, but they have no reason to, his head growled at him, so loud it sounded like an actual person was muttering into his ear.

Idiot. Idiot. Idiot. Idiot. Idiot. Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot idiot idiot idiot idiot idiot-

It was so much to take.

Too much.

Sven gasped with sobs, coughing and anxiety eating away at his insides.

He grasped the sides of his head, gripping his blonde hair like he was falling and it was his only saviour.

Someone chirped.

Some bird chirped.

Sven slowly looked up to see Melody, staring right at him with questioning black eyes.

"Kiss?" She sounded like she was questioning this time.

"No, Melody..." Sven mumbled. "Never..."

"Kiss? Burt? Kiss Burt?" Melody bobbed her head.

"No, Melody!" Sven snapped. "It'll never happen! He likes me only as a friend! It's impossible!"

"Cutie?" Melody asked.

"Y-Yes, Burt is cute," Sven admitted with a bit of a stammer. "But we're just. Friends!"

"Kiss!"

"No- Why am I talking to a bird?" Sven sighed, looking down.

Idiot...

"No!" Sven slammed his now-closed fist into the door, then winced and rubbed his hand.

I'm weak...

You're weak...

"Cutie!" Melody sang.

"Yes, Burt is cute! But just because he's cute doesn't mean I'll kiss him!"

Melody hopped forward and pecked his hand.

"Ow!"

"Cutie!" Melody repeated.

"Wait... Me..?"

Melody bobbed her head.

"I'm not cute..." Sven shook his head.

Why am I listening to a bird? They don't have an opinion!

Idiot...

"Burt! Cutie!"

Sven stared at her, puzzled.

Then, he understood.

"I'm... Cute... To Burt..?"

Melody bounced her head.

And birds don't have an opinion. You're not cute to Burt. He doesn't love you, his head snarled.

"Kiss!"

"Why would you even think I was cute to Burt?" Sven demanded.

"Cutie! Burt! Kiss!" Melody squealed.

"Shut your trap, Melody..." Sven muttered. "You don't know anything..."

Melody pecked his hand again, pulling his skin.

Sven yelped and jerked his hand back, staring at the small red spot on his hand.

"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!" he shouted.

"Cutie!"

Am I seriously having an argument with a bird?

"For the last time, Melody, I'm not cute to-"

"Cutie! Kiss! Burt! Cutie!"