Bad Days and Good Nights

Disclaimer: I do not own Animal Crossing, the "New Horizons" game, or any of its characters. Using fictional couples to help you vent and cope and just help yourself feel better after a long day is exactly what I need.

Sidenote: This is a few years into the future as to when I usually write out ReddNook fics.

Bad Days and Good Nights

Tom knew something was up before Redd said anything.

It had dawned on him the second Redd had slipped through the apartment door leading up from the Cranny, the kitsune's shoulders hunched and head hung low. His ears had been flat, pressed close to his head. Paws had quickly left their place in Redd's jacket pockets to circle around the twins, and arms had hugged the two teens a little bit tighter than usual.

The way Redd's muzzle hung over their shoulders, his eyes shut tight as his claws kneaded the backs of Timmy and Tommy's shirts...

The kitsune had hesitated before talking, something he almost never did. With all the stories he had from the past and the day's customers, Redd was one that was hard to shut up once he got going.

He had a strained smile when he had pulled away from the twins, his voice shaky only on the first note before snapping right back to the bravado he usually carried.

And since then, everything had seemed off.

Tom watched as Redd shrugged off his button-up shirt, adjusting his reading glasses as he watched the kitsune undress.

A shaky paw scratched at the top of Redd's head, quick to fall back to his side. The shirt crumpled to the floor, and with a simple tug of the zipper, the cargo shorts followed. His tail curled shyly as Redd sat down at the edge of the bed, staring down at his lap.

Tom closed his book, keeping his attention to his husband as he laid the book on the nightstand next to him. "Redd, honey, did something happen today?"

Redd startled, ears flicking. "Huh? Oh, no... it's really nothing, Nookie. Nothing to worry about."

"You seem to be bothered by it, hm?" Pity and concern dotted Tom's face as he plucked the glasses from his face and set the article on the book. He rolled on his side, the front of his body facing Redd. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

Eyes met his as Redd cast a quick glance over his shoulder. "Nah, no... it's fine. It really is."

Tom wiggled further under the covers as he kept his eyes to Redd. He pressed his round head to the pillow, his paws pulling the pillows to a sleeping position.

Redd stayed silent, and the tip of his tail lifted to curl in a half-circle before falling back to the bedsheets. After a few minutes of silence, the kitsune slipped his legs under the covers and pulled the covers up to his neck, all without turning to look at Tom.

No, something was up.

Brown paws pulled at the lamp on his nightstand before ducking under the covers and circling around Redd's waist. The tanuki pulled his husband close, spooning the kitsune and nuzzling his forehead against the back of Redd's head.

A soft sigh with the barest traces of a sob came from the other side of Redd.

Tom's free paw went for Redd's left paw, catching the other's and linking their claws. At that, the kitsune melted to Tom.

"Redd," Tom began, running his thumb over Redd's. "Is everything okay?"

Silence settled between them, but after a few beats of stray cricket noises and moonlight owl hooting, Redd rolled to face his husband.

Both pulled back from each other, and Tom let go of Redd's paw as the kitsune slowly turned over.

"It... really wasn't much, Tom." Redd kept his eyes to the dark blue bedsheets, his paws keeping the covers close to his neck. "...There was just this customer at my shop today, you know? No big deal."

"You can usually handle any kind of customer, yes yes. Did they say something that hurt you?"

White fangs bit his bottom lip as the kitsune ran a paw over the top of his head. "They... were an old customer, one that I... scammed in the past."

Concern knotted in Tom's chest as he raised a paw to Redd's cheek, ducking under the arm that fell back under the covers. "Oh, Redd..." Tom sighed, thumbing the kitsune's cheek fur.

"It really wasn't anything. Creature came in, saw who it was behind the counter, and just about lost it when they saw me." Redd's gaze kept to the bed. "Tried to tell the person that I wasn't doing that kind of stuff anymore, that I had changed, but they... they didn't believe me to say the least."

This time Redd snuggled up close to Tom, playing with the raises of fabric in the tanuki's nightgown. "I don't usually get my feelings hurt. Not that type of guy at all. But this morning was terrible, like I couldn't get anything to go my way. Woke up from nightmares about you leaving me. Coffee spilled on my shirt, twice! Then I couldn't have any of the breakfast because I was running late to open my shop, and once I ran to the other side of the island, that's when I realized I forgot my keys and had to run all the way back..."

Tom pressed a small kiss to the kitsune's head.

"There was more, and by the time the afternoon rolled around, I wasn't holding on too well." Redd's arm left the front of Tom's nightgown and reached around the tanuki's round waist. "Like I said, nothing big to worry about, just nonsense."

"Well, it hurt you, didn't it?" Tom sighed as he tucked his head over Redd's, the kitsune burying his head to his husband's upper chest. "That makes it my problem too, yes yes."

Laughs echoed into Tom's chest, and a moment later, Redd pulled back. The corners of his mouth curled up, and a ghost of a smile touched his muzzle. "You're doing a lot to make the last little sliver of the day better..."

Tom returned the smile, warmth growing in his chest. "Would it make you feel better if you were the little spoon tonight, hm?"

A soft snort left Redd, but the kitsune nodded. "It... would actually."

They shuffled into position, the bed creaking as Redd snuggled under Tom's arm and the tanuki hugged the kitsune close to his chest. Once they were settled, Tom leaned over and pecked a quick kiss to Redd's cheek.

It took a moment before Redd spoke up again.

"I know I can't change people's view of me, especially since I hurt a lot of people, but sometimes it feels like I'm running towards being someone better but people think I'm running in place," Redd murmured. He wrapped his arms around Tom's. "It wouldn't seem like much... but the cuddles help."

"Of course." Tom nuzzled his head against the pillow, closing his eyes as his paw found Redd's. As the tanuki gave a comforting squeeze, he continued on. "I'm sorry you had a bad day, but I'm sure tomorrow will be brighter, yes yes."

"Always the optimist, aren't you, honey?"

Tom rolled his eyes under his eyelids, shrugging off the tease in Redd's words. "Goodnight, Redd. I love you."

"...Love you too, Nook, more than you'll ever know..."

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Song Inspo: This isn't a ship song, but "The Man" by Taylor Swift really got me on this idea.

Admittedly, I just wanted some fluffy ReddNook cuddles. At the time of writing this (different day from publishing day), the day dragged on, and a part of me felt like I had been running in place. Writing this out gave me a bit of stress relief and some much-needed floof. I'm publishing it now since I'm in an anxious state where I can't seem to write anything, though it will take me some extra time to push through it.

I hope you all enjoyed, and thank you for reading! :D

XD