4*TOWN

☆ Abby

J

esse had just got home when he heard yelling.

"Why would you do that? Make him stop crying!"

"Jesse is gonna kill me, oh god!"

He hears T and Robaire cry out from a few rooms over and quickly takes off his bag and jacket to check it out. When he goes to open the door, he doesn't even get to touch the handle as Aaron T opens it from the inside.

"Hey Jesse! What's up?"

"What's going on? Where's Tae?"

T puts on a fake smile, laughing awkwardly.

"Uh, I don't know- He's not in here!"

Jesse looks past T's head, seeing Tae Young sitting on the floor, crying with Robaire kneeling next to him. Jesse gasps and pushes T out of the way, immediately going to Tae.

"Jesse, they... they..."

"They what? Robaire, T, what did you guys do to my baby?"

Jesse says angrily, pulling Tae into his arms. T rolls his eyes at Jesse calling Tae that- he's never understood why Jesse treated Tae so differently from the rest of them.

"We didn't even do anything to him."

"Yeah, he's being dramatic."

T and Robaire say, still being glared at. Jesse looks back down at Tae, who's crying has slowed down, but still tears flow down his face.

"Abby was... In here... And I went to get some more bandages for her in my room..."

Tae tells Jesse through sniffles. For context, when the boys met those five kids, Tae promised to name a dove after the girl who claimed to be his biggest fan. He was fostering the dove, her having a broken leg and an injured wing.

"And one of them... one of them came in here... and the window is open! And she could be anywhere!"

Tae Young starts crying harder into Jesse's chest. Jesse rubs his back, trying to calm him down.

"It's okay. Robaire, T, go find Abby."

"But-"

"Now."

T groans and leaves the room, going outside. Robaire starts to leave too, but looks back.

"And Robaire was calling me dramatic, and he said I- I act like a girl, and that I'm being a crybaby, and..."

Tae Young continues telling Jesse things that he said to him when the situation started, and Robaire winces.

"Tae, I'm sorry-"

"Get out. Go help T."

Jesse snaps, shutting Robaire up. He leaves, hanging his head.

☆

"Man, why'd you have to leave the window open?"

T groans.

"It was hot, okay? I thought the bird could use a little fresh air."

"Well obviously it-"

Robaire and T argue, looking around their yard for Abby. Inside, Tae is done crying and is just sitting on the floor with Jesse.

"You okay now?"

Tae nods.

"I want to help find her."

"Alright, I'll come with you."

Eventually, all four of them are looking for Abby. Just as T is about to complain, Robaire hears a rustle in a nearby bush. He heads toward it, gently moving the branches around to reveal the bird.

"Hey, little bird. I'm sorry for letting you out like that."

He whispers, carefully picking her up.

"Tae! I got her!"

Tae Young brightens, taking Abby from Robaire. He starts to inspect her injuries, adjusting the bandages. Robaire stands sort of awkwardly with his hands behind his back.

"Tae..."

He looks up.

"I'm sorry."

Tae gives him a 'hm', ignoring him. It's not so common that Tae is upset with Robaire, so he really doesn't know what to do.

"I just..."

Robaire sighs.

"I didn't know she would actually go outside, I only opened the window a crack."

Tae still doesn't say anything.

"And I, uh... I'm sorry for saying those things. I didn't mean it. I was just... I wanted to help. I should have left her alone, I'm sorry."

Robaire fiddles with his fingers, still waiting for Tae to respond.

"It's okay. I guess I was being a little dramatic... And maybe I am a crybaby..."

"No! Please, just forget I ever said that. I really don't think that it's true."

Tae ponders for a few moments, leaving Robaire in suspense.

"You still want to help?"

Robaire nods.

"Okay, come on. She needs a bath now."

Tae smiles, and Robaire does back. They look at each other for a while, before T yells at them.

"Come on, love birds!"

T laughs at his own joke. Tae giggles a little bit, but no one else laughs.

"Get it? Cause... the bird- never mind."

T and Jesse go inside, Tae and Robaire following with Abby.

Later, Robaire helps Tae give Abby a bath, and watches as he changes her bandages. He keeps apologizing, wanting to make sure that Tae doesn't believe those things that he said. Tae insists that he's okay.

Jesse, on the other hand, did not forgive so easily. He gave Robaire dishes and trash duty for the next week, which Robaire was told he had to do 'or else'.