The Key To A Comedian's Heart (Barnaby x Reader)

Moving To Home

An average sized blue bus pulls up to a bus stop seemingly in the middle of nowhere. The only person leaving the bus to this stop is you, carrying a large backpack. As you step off the bus, you are greeted by a yellow 3 feet tall, man? thing, with large dark blue hair styled into a pompadour and making direct eye contact with you, almost staring into your soul. As you put both feet on the sidewalk, he (it?) speaks to you.
"Greetings, neighbor, my name is Wally. It is nice to meet you." Wally said, still making very direct eye contact. Before you could greet him, the bus just speeds away. You chose to live here in the first place but the speed in which the bus left worries you. "It's not coming back, isn't it..." You think to yourself, staring towards the road. You then turn back to Wally, who is just standing there, silently, hands behind his back and smiling.
"Oh, sorry, nice to meet you Wally, my name is Y/n." You said darting your eyes to look literally anywhere but his eyes. He is starting to freak you out a bit.
"No worries, neighbor, follow me, Home is this way." Wally starts walking left from the bus stop, and you quickly follow.

Despite how small he is, Wally consistently stays ahead of you.
"So, I am guessing this is a really tight-knit community?" You ask, trying to break up the silence.
"Yes, I guess you could say that." Wally responds, surprisingly not making eye contact with you, "Everyone knows each other and is friendly with each other. It is almost like we are one big family." Wally finishes with a friendly tone, and you can guess he is smiling too. You immediately wanted to leave. "That is a weird ass thing to say..." There was a moment of silence between the two of you.
"Y/n, do you like apples?" Wally asked.
"What? Why do you ask?" You ask back in confusion.
"I am just trying to get to know you better, that is all." Wally answered.
"Oh. I guess I like apples, though I wouldn't call them my favorite fruit." You answered.
"Then what is your favorite fruit, neighbor?" Wally asked
"I would say strawberries. They are so sweet when they are perfectly ripe." You answer
"That's good to know, neighbor." Wally responded.

You both walk in silence until you both reach Home. Home is a small neighborhood, essentially a cul-de-sac with five houses, a post office, and a bodega surrounding one simple red house, all of which border the nearby forest. It seemed really cozy. Each house lived in and nice. Actually, they really all seem lived in, like currently have people living in them, so, which one will you live in?
"I will give you a tour, neighbor." Wally said. "Follow me." Wally said. He then started walking again, and you followed.

On the tour, you met each member of this delightful community. Frank outside watching for butterflies, Sally in the theater writing a script of some kind, Julie playing hopscotch outside her house, Howdy working in his bodega, and Poppy in her barn baking with the help of Eddie who was there to drop off a delivery. You and Wally stop by his simple red house in the center of Home.
"And that is Home, though we didn't see Barnaby anywhere, I wonder where he is." Wally said.
"That's nice and all, but I couldn't help but notice that everyone had their own house, and there doesn't seem to be any empty homes." You start, "So, my question is, where will I live?" You ask.
"Oh, that is quite the pickle, neighbor." Wally responded, pondering the situation."I know, we can ask around and see if anyone is willing to have you as a roommate." Wally said, smiling.

You and Wally go around Home, asking if you could move in with each person and everyone denied the request. You and Wally return to the red house once again.
"I'm sorry, Y/n, you can always stay at my place, I don't mind having you as a roommate." Wally said, smiling and making direct eye contact. You look anywhere else to avoid his stare, and while darting your eyes elsewhere, you notice a blue house with a large orange "splat" on its right side and a multi color chimney. It is quite gaudy but also nice and comforting.
"Hey, I don't think we checked that house. Maybe whoever lives there might let me live with them." You said, pointing at the house.
"Hmm, yes, we haven't, but that is Barnaby's house, and I don't even know if he is home." Wally responded, trying his hardest to stare into your soul.
"Oh yeah, well, it wouldn't hurt to check. If he isn't there, I could just stay with you, simple." You said in response.
"You do make a good point, Y/n. Alright, let's check." Wally said, finally agreeing with you. Both you and Wally walk over to Barnaby's house.

Once you and Wally are in front of Barnaby's house, you notice some details you weren't able to see before, such as the painted paw prints on the left of the door, the red and blue polka dot patterned door, and the yellow front step with a blue bone painted on it. It still is kind of gaudy, but it also felt comforting, like something straight from a child's mind. Wally then knocks on the spotted door. He waits for a minute before knocking again, more aggressively. Another minute passes, and Wally knocks on the door one last time, more aggressive than last time and softly yelling. "Answer the door, Barnaby!!!" Wally then waits a bit, and the door opens. Coming out of the door to get us was a blue spotted dog wearing a red hat and multi-colored vest. He was also over double Wally's height. It isn't that hard to be taller than Wally, but his height was still staggering to you. He seemed to be around eight feet tall.
"Geez, Wally, why are you knocking so loudly? I was having such a nice nap, too." Barnaby said. His voice was deep, but not too deep nor gravely. It was nice and soothing, you could listen to him read the phonebook.
"You were sleeping this whole time?!?" Wally exclaimed.
"Yes. As my best friend, you should have known that I take my daily nap at one fifteen pm, sharp." Barnaby explained, "You should know better, bud." Barnaby playfully ruffles Wally's hair, which strangely stayed in its shape while being ruffled. "How much hair spray does this guy use?" You think to yourself. As he is ruffling Wally's hair, Barnaby notices and sees you.
"Hey, Wally who is this guy?" Barnaby said, standing up straight and no longer messing with Wally's hair. He is looking directly at you. Your face feels kind of warm when he looks at you. "Why the fuck is my face so warm." You think to yourself. "I cannot be attracted to this dog, right?"
"Oh yes, this is Y/n and they moved in today," Wally said.
"Well, nice to meet you, Y/n." Barnaby said, extending his paw out for a handshake.
"Nice to meet you too, Barnaby." You extend your hand out too and shake his. Barnaby's paw basically engulfs your hand, almost crushing it. "His paw is so huge..." You think to yourself.
"It is great that you two are getting acquainted but that isn't all," Wally interjected. You and Barnaby stop shaking hands. "As I told you, Y/n just moved in and all the homes here are currently occupied and Y/n needs to live somewhere," Wally explains. "What I am asking you Barnaby is if you will let Y/n be your roommate." Wally asks.
"Let me guess, everyone else said no?" Barnaby snickered to himself.
"I mean, yes. But you weren't the last option, we just didn't know where you were." Wally explains again.
"Alright, whatever buddy." Barnaby rolled his eyes and messed with Wally's hair again. They both laughed. "Anyways," Barnaby stopped messing with Wally's hair and stood up straight, "they can stay with me, I don't know if they will enjoy being my roommate but at least they will have a roof over their head heh." Barnaby said as he went back inside.
"Well, glad you have a place to stay, Y/n. You should go inside. See you later." Wally said. He then walked back to his home and waved goodbye. You waved back, you may get weird vibes from him but it is only polite. You then enter Barnaby's home, well, it is also your home now too.

You enter the house, it is not too big nor too small, just a nice comfy size. It is painted colorfully yet not eye-bleeding, it is also well decorated with nice looking furniture around the room you are in along with some knick-knacks scattered across the room. There is also a staircase meaning it is at least two floors. The one word to describe the house as you know is "cozy". Barnaby is standing near the door. You close the door.
"Okay bud, could you give yourself the tour of the house? I kinda want to continue my nap, okay? Cool." Barnaby didn't really give you an option and quickly went up the stairs. You put down your bag and lay down on the red sofa. You are finally here, you have been planning your move for a while, but to think you are finally out in the world, by yourself, with people you barely know. It is all so exciting and kind of scary. At least you have a roommate to help you out. Speaking of that roommate there is something about him that just catches your attention. It isn't even the fact that he is an eight feet tall blue dog, okay it may be his height but there are several other things too. It's his soothing voice, his sense of humor, his laugh, even the size of his paws. The way your face gets warm whenever he looks in your direction. Oh god, you have a crush on your roommate. Your face gets red and you shove your face in a pillow.