The Turf War Twisted

Bdubs is a Good Friend

Scar sighed deeply before collapsing into his office chair, the chair spinning slightly from him sitting down. He stared down at the wooden desk blankly, blinking slowly. There were noticeable bags under his eyes, like a platform for his dull expression. Jellie jumped up onto the chair after him, purring loudly and taking a seat on his lap. Scar's bored expression was almost immediately turned into a soft smile. He looked down at Jellie and scratched lightly under her chin. She was pleased by the attention and love he was giving her, but even she could tell he was off.

After finishing giving Jellie some attention, he scooped her up and set her on the ground gently. He opened one of the desk drawers and pulled out an old pocket watch. He almost smiled when he saw it, almost. That pocket watch was given to him by Bdubs back in Season 4 and he cherished it for a long time. Eventually, stuff got more advanced and he had no need for a pocket watch, but he was happy to see it was still fully functional.

The engravings on the side of the pocket watch were one of Scar's favourite parts about it. The engravings read: It's time for you to get a watch. Oh wait, you have one now ;) which was a pretty cheesy thing for Bdubs to put on a pocket watch, but Scar loved it. The quiet ticking of the clock hands were what Scar has mostly gotten the pocket watch out for. Rhythm and pattern comforted Scar, knowing that the ticks of the watch were consistent and always on time, it made Scar feel a bit more sane.

He closed the watch and slipped it into his pocket before putting his arms on the desk and using them as a pillow for his head. Scar had no intention of falling asleep, but he was exhausted from his busy day. Between dealing with the Resistance, brainstorming improvements for the Shopping District, and managing his own shops, he was tired of it all. As much as he loved being a Hermit and loved being the mayor, it was a full-time job that drained most of his energy and ultimately left him exhausted day after day.

As Scar laid his head on his arms, he looked out the window of his office, looking over the Shopping District. It was the evening, so the sky was decently dark, and the lights of the shops illuminated the Shopping District. He could see The Spitz, Treasure Island, Shade-E-E's, and a couple more shops through the window of his office. Everything was pretty peaceful in the Shopping District in the evenings. By then, things had settled down and people were mostly doing work at their bases.

Silence filled the room and Scar's eyelids felt heavier and heavier by the second. Eventually, his eyes closed all the way and his breathing slowed. He was out quickly, still sitting in his office chair with his purple-sleeved arms as a pillow for his head. Thoughts seemed to float haphazardly around his head, good thoughts and bad thoughts; thoughts about his mayorship seemed to stick the most. Scar couldn't shake the feeling that he was a disappointment to the Hermits. He couldn't please the people well enough, so they resisted. He couldn't stop the Resistance from going so far. He couldn't be a good mayor.

THUMP! The door to Scar's office was thrown open quite aggressively, making it hit the wall and slightly shake the framed pictures on the wall. Bdubs looked at the pictures shaking with wide eyes. He didn't mean to open the door so hard, but it was too late for him to take it back anyways. Bdubs opened his mouth to speak, but then saw Scar sleeping at his desk and stopped himself. He tilted his head and approached Scar.

"Scar?" Bdubs shook the mayor a bit more energetically than anticipated, but even that didn't wake him up. "Hey? Mr. Goodtimes?" Scar's last name wasn't actually 'Goodtimes' but it was a joke between him and Bdubs that it was. Bdubs loved to bring up that wherever Scar went, good times would follow, so the joke of him being 'Mr. Goodtimes' just stuck.

Bdubs gave up on shaking Scar, lifting his hand confidently and slapping Scar clear across the face. It wasn't Bdubs's first idea for how to wake him up, but it was the most effective. In reaction to the impact of the slap, Scar jerked his head up quickly with a gasp, still in a bit of a sleepy daze. He faced Bdubs, who had put his hand in his pocket to make it seem like he hadn't just slapped Scar.

Scar's eyes seemed to light up at the sight of Bdubs and he sat up straight in his chair. "Oh! Um, Bdubs. What are you doing here so late?" His voice was a little flustered and embarrassed since Bdubs had just walked in on Scar falling asleep at his office desk, but he tried his best to compose himself. "I thought you left ages ago."

Bdubs promptly took a seat at the chair on the opposite side of the desk from Scar, giving Scar a little smile. "I actually did leave earlier, but I went to your base and you weren't there, so I assumed you were still here. So then I came here and here you are!"

With his eyes still slightly squinted from just waking up, Scar gave Bdubs a soft smile. "Well, uh, did you need me for something?" he asked, fiddling with the rings he was wearing.

"Not exactly," Bdubs replied. "I was worried about you because you've been doing this where you spend a lot of time in the Shopping District and Town Hall." Bdubs' voice was a bit uneven and uncertain, like he was nervous to talk to Scar. "You should really give yourself a break from all your mayor things."

Scar's gaze shifted downward and he sighed quietly. "I know, Bdubs. I really do, but I have to keep working. I'm willing to spend a few extra hours here if that means I can be a better mayor. I have to be a better mayor."

Scar's words cut through Bdubs' heart like a knife. Bdubs didn't realise that Scar took his role as mayor so seriously, especially not serious enough to overwork himself. "You- You're already doing great." Bdubs said quickly, biting his lip hesitantly. "Please, just take a break. We can chill at Larry or whatever you wanna do. Give yourself some time off, even just tonight."

"Fine, fine. I will, on one condition."

"Which is?"

"You have to help me with paperwork tomorrow since I won't be doing any tonight." Scar raised his eyebrows at Bdubs.

"Deal," Bdubs stated confidently, giving the mayor a firm nod.

(word count: 1126 words)