Back, Exit

Bad Thoughts give Me Bad Dreams

   It's been a few days since Kirby had some sleep. He even left his glasses at home at one point. The first time Xandra noticed this was when it was about her shift to leave.

   "Is it like him to stay up?" said Xandra with concern, watching him walk out of his office.

   Stanley sighed. "He's... not feeling good... mentally." he answered her. "I know there's no cure for it... but I hope he gets better."

   Xandra reaches for his hand and grabs it. "Me too..." she tells him with a smile.

   "Well, I have known him longer than you. I'll go check on him, if you quit this--". He lifts up the hand that Xandra was holding. "--attempt at being mushy."

   She nervously giggles and lets go of him. "That's fair." she mutters, placing her hand down. Even though she kinda hurt by that.

   After a walk to the store, “I feel like I’ve gained a few over the weekend.” said Delgado.

   “Hmm… yeah, I don’t see it. Do you mind if I check?” said Kirby.

   “What do you mea-- AH!” they said in surprise as Kirby quickly squeezed the sides of him. “KIRBY! WE’RE IN PUBLIC!” they shout as their face starts to turn red.

   “But you’re blushing~” Kirby teased.

   “With embarrassment!” Delgado snapped.

   “Aw, c’mon~ besides you’re not that fat.”

   “Not what I was expecting, but thanks I guess…” they mutter.

   “Well, to be honest~” says Kirby as he paces in front of them with his hands behind his back. He then places his hand on his friend’s cheek and gives them a smug grin. “I haven’t  checked here, yet.”.

   Delgado screams internally while they start to blush even more.

   “Yeah, it is kind of soft here… like goat’s fur.” Kirby said, rubbing on the side of their face.

   Their internal screams now became more quietly vocal. Kirby lets go of them and said, “Dude, you get flustered too easily. Calm down.”.

   “Well, don’t do that!”

   Kirby giggled as he and Delgado walk into the café.

   This was the first time Xandra saw Delgado and Kirby outside of work with casual clothing. Delgado wore a gray jacket over a white t-shirt under it, but the same blue jeans and brown  hiking boots; and Kirby wore a gray long sleeved shirt and the same gray pants and camo-green sneakers. At first, she didn’t recognize him. He waved her over to the booth that he was  sitting in along with Kirby, who sat across from him.

   Kirby had lazily drawn scribbles with a reddish orange crayon from one of the kid’s menus.

   Xandra had forgotten why she chose to go here, but at least she’s with friends.

   Delgado glances over to her.

   She does the same to him.

   He nods and then looks at Kirby.

   She was confused. Why did he nod?

   “KJ, when was the last time you slept?” Delgado asked.

   Kirby stopped drawing out of boredom for a moment. “Is there anything you want to talk about, Kirby?” asked Xandra.

   Kirby shook his head, no.

   Delgado then looks at Xandra. Without looking, she felt it-- the glance that she might have said something that she wasn’t allowed to. Well… she thought…

   “Can—um… you get up for a sec?” Delgado asked.

   “Oh, yeah sure.” she said as gets up from the booth and moves over. He tugged on her arm, gesturing that he needed to talk to her in private.

   They headed next to the ordering station nearby the bathrooms.

   “This may be a bit sudden, but…” he muttered, trying to keep his voice low. “his parents died in a car crash. He’s got a bit of… what you call survivor's guilt…”

   “Oh…, um… I didn’t know… should I... go and apologize…?”

   Delgado looked over and said, “We shouldn’t disturb him, now. Look.”.

   She looked over to the booth where they sat to see Kirby with his head down and fast asleep.

   They both quietly go back.

   Xandra ruffles Kirby’s head and she sits down with Delgado.

   He places his arm around her.

   She leans against him.