Light from outside shone brilliantly though the clearing eye, accentuating the rich, wooden color of the mahogany floorboards. The marble tops of the counter were filed with dishes, pots and pans being left to "Soak" in the kitchen sink. The garbage was empty.
The Giant had ventured out early in the morning like he usually did, and now Sharp and I stood in the middle of the living room floor, waiting for Cheesy. After the shitty talk Sharp claimed to have given him last night, I talked to him to cool him down, inviting him to start training with us the next day.
"I really hope he comes" I mentioned to Sharp, rubbing my palms together. After Sharp's brash "motivational speech" last night, Cheesey made sure to avoid me and him, sticking closer to Mother and staying out of our ways for the morning. Maybe he hadn't agreed with what was said and decided that we were wasting his time, giving up on himself like he usually did. But he couldn't. He simply mustn't. He would seriously miss out on the adventure of his life if he did.
"Oh don't fuss Burrs. He'll be here" Sharp said. I slowly turned my gaze to look at him. His eyes were gleaming from the light that shone out of the clearing eye, and he looked straight forward, with his hands clasped behind his back. He looked so..certain.
I was skeptical. Did he know something I didn't know?
"What the hell are you talking about? You're the one that discouraged him by giving your 'tough love' talk. Now he doesn't wanna go outside at all. He can't even stand to look at us!" I reminded him. As I said that Sharp turned his head around slowly to me and looked me dead in the eye, with a smirk on his face.
"Oh Burrow, ye of little faith." he mocked. He turned to me, tearing his stoic gaze away from the clearing glass.
"I saiiiiid trust. Me." He emphasized.
"And..I ask...why? You know how easily he takes things to heart. He may not ever come outside again because of what you-"
"Shhhhh!!!!" he took his fingers and placed them over my mouth, gesturing for me to be quiet. I sighed and rolled my eyes.
"Cheese will be here, just now. You wait" he reassured again. My eyebrows narrowed and I looked at him, wondering why he was so assured and calm. He continued looking towards the clear eye, resuming his arm fold.
Minutes passed. I walked up and down, looking at the floor. Minutes turned into half an hour. Half and hour turned into an hour. I was biting my nails now. Cheesy still wasn't here.
What was I thinking?? I should have just gone outside on my own and forgotten about Cheesy. Now that we mentioned we would train Cheesy, Mother had expectations of us. What if now that we mentioned training with him, she wouldn't allow us to go out because he didn't want to? I was already anxious to get out of this dump and the fact that we know to stay back to train this loser was a setback in itself. I sighed, slumping to the ground and down my head. Sharp laid beside me, sharpening and cleaning his claws casually on the floor.
"He's never coming" I insisted, getting up and turning around. Cheesy always insisted on us sticking together, three of us. I thought staying together as brothers would've been his priority as he always made it to be, and maybe he had finally given up on that hope this time and accepted death.
I turned around walking back towards our holdings, leaving Sharp who was still on the floor scratching his nail, looking down and dejected.
Of course, he wouldn't come. And now, Mother would hold us back even more.
"This is all my fault" I grumbled to myself. Had I not brought up this idea to Sharp, all of us would still be in the clear to go out. I shook my head in disbelief, forcing my gaze forward to see where I was going. Then, I stopped in my tracks.
Tilting my head to the side, a wide smile spread across my face.
It was Cheesy, standing there timidly in front of us.
"Cheessssyyyyy !!!!You caaammmee!" I bawled out, pointing to him in disbelief.
Huh. Would you look at that, the buck actually came. I walked towards him while he stood there stiffly, trying to conceal his happiness about coming. The puffs from his rounded cheeks were standing upright in his face, so I knew that he was glad that he came.
Sharp turned his head around and stopped sharpening his nails. Rising up slowly, he turned around and saw his Cheesy, shyly standing beside Burrow with his head down. He looked up cautiously at Sharp, his gaze going back to the ground. Sharp smiled and ran towards Cheesy, going up to him and embracing him in a very long hug. Cheesy blinked back tears in his eyes, his hands glued to his side. Sharp dressed back, putting his paws on Cheese's shoulders, peering at his brothers tear drenched eyes. He fixed his mouth and sighed.
"Cheese, I'm glad to see ya." He said. He looked around awkwardly for a minute and continued.
"I know I can be an..ass sometimes. What I said was um.." he cleared his throat, searching for the right words.
"Mean. It was mean nonsense. But I only mean the best for ya Cheese "he smiled. Cheesey glimpsed at him hesitantly and smiled back. Sharp took his arm and wiped the tears from his eyes. Cheesy peered at him and nodded his head, accepting his apology. Sharp rubbed his shoulders gently and smiled, patting his back from behind.
"You ready to start Cheesy?" I asked, Cheesy turning his head to me and nodding in agreement.
"I'm ready Brothers!" he said enthusiastically. Sharp and I exchanged looks and nodded. We headed closer to the kitchen counter to begin his first task.