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Pump checked his wrist for the fifth time that night. Of course, he didn't actually have a watch, so each time he ended up looking at a clock mounted on the wall. Each loud tick tick tick just reminded Pump of how late it was getting. He sighed, his giddish excitement from before having diminished. Yet Pump still clung onto the hope that, even hours later, his friend would show up.
"Listen kid, it's getting late. I'm going to have to close up soon" a man said from behind the counter. Pump turned to him with a desperate expression.
"Come on Kevin, just a few more minutes" he stared at him with pleading eyes.
"Sorry, but I've already let you hang out in here way past closing time. I don't want to get fired."
Pump looked down with a disappointed look. When he heard Kevin sigh from behind the counter his hopes rose that the candy man would give in and let him stay. So needless to say, he was surprised with two suckers were held in front of his face.
"Here. Have these on the house" Pump looked up at him. "It's compensation. You still have to leave."
As Pump wandered the dark and foreboding streets, he couldn't help but feel massive amounts of disappointment. After sitting in a driving car all day he was looking forward to getting out and doing things with his best friend. But Skid didn't show up. There was a doubt in Pump's mind that it was because Skid didn't want to hang out with him, but he pushed that away as he worried what to do next. He'd probably have to call his dad to come pick him up, but he knew he wouldn't be happy about that. Everyone in his family was exhausted, as they put it, and would rather be sleeping than driving. Pump didn't really want to disturb them.
The plan was that Pump and Skid would hang out for a little while, then walk to Skid's house where his mom would take Pump home. But of course, Skid wasn't here. Pump debated trying to call Skid again, but even if he did pick up there wasn't much they could do. Half of the places in town were already closed by the time Pump was dropped off, he doubted anything interesting was still open. Skid would just walk all the way there just to walk back to his house. He didn't want to make Skid do that. But he didn't feel very comfortable walking all the way to Skid's house alone, especially if Skid's mom wouldn't take him home because they didn't hang out. So there Pump stood, his hand wavering over his dad's number on his phone.
Until something slammed into him, causing his phone to drop to the ground.
Pump rubbed his head, or rather the fake pumpkin one, and stumbled back. Considering the fact that it was late at night and Pump was by himself, he might've been scared at the sudden force. But then the figure looked up at him, and Pump's shock melted away.
"Pump?" Skid stammered out in a shaky voice.
Pump barely had time to respond before Skid basically fell onto him. The next thing Pump knew he was in a tight hug.
Pump blinked. He thought Skid hadn't decided to come, but here he was. He hadn't expected him to show up like this though.
"Skid, wha-?" Pump had a million questions on his mind. What took Skid so long, why he was going the wrong way, why he barrelled into a hug like that... But then something stopped him in his tracks. He felt something wet on his shoulder, and heard loud sobs from his friend.
Skid was crying.
Pump's eyes widened. He just stood there as his mind tried to process all that was happening. Skid was late... And crying? What could've- how-?
"Are you ok?" Pump asked, his voice laced with concern. Skid didn't answer, but Pump could've sworn he felt him shake his head slightly. "Skid, what happened?!"
Skid continued to cry, but it sounded like he was trying to speak. However, everything he said came out muffled and rushed. The only part Pump could catch was "I don't feel good". He knew from experiences with himself that he wouldn't get anything out of him for a while, at least until he stopped sobbing.
While Pump could've tried to get Skid to calm down by telling him to stop and speak clearly like his dad always did to him, Pump was suddenly reminded of something. The way his aunt had been comforted years ago. His mom had rested a hand on her shoulder, and told her something like "you don't have to tell me now, you can do it when you're ready." While Pump genuinely couldn't remember the context, he did remember that it worked. A lot better than the alternative, anyway.
Skid was still mumbling incomprehensible words into Pump's shoulder. Pump wanted to try to calm him down, at least a little bit.
"Sh, Skid it's ok" Pump said gently. "You don't have to talk right now, you can do it when you feel better."
It seemed to help, at least a little bit. Skid muttered a meek "ok" before calming down a little. His frantic tears eventually melded away to sniffles, though he still held him in a death grip hug. Pump wrapped his arms around Skid, returning the hug in a gentler way. He wasn't sure what Skid was so panicked about, but that could be discussed later. Right now, Skid really just needed a hug.
The two stood in silence for a bit. But it wasn't an eerie silence, even if the dark, unlighted streets would suggest it to be. Skid would still sniffle, but his crying seemed to have mostly died down. Pump still had a lot of questions, but those didn't matter st the moment. What mattered was helping Skid. Pump had never seen his friend in such a state, and the thought of something being bad enough to make Skid like that was terrifying. He didn't like seeing his friend so sad and scared.
After a while, Skid said something. It was still quite tearful and very quiet so Pump had to listen closely, but he got the gist of it.
"Pump, I don't wanna be alone right now. Can we go together?"
"Go where?" Pump asked. Skid was being very unspecific, but then it sounded like he was having trouble getting any words out. That, or Skid said something and Pump didn't catch it. "We can't go to the candy store anymore, I got kicked out. Or anywhere else, I think it's all closed."
"I don't wanna go to the candy store." Skid said, sounding like he was once again on the verge of tears. "I wanna go home."
"Ok." Pump answered simply. He had nothing else to say. All his desire to hang out around town had been forgotten. Though, that did sort out his trouble of finding a way home.
There was another moment where neither of them moved or spoke. Until Pump asked a question to clarify.
"Do you wanna call your mom and get a ride instead of walk?" Pump asked. Skid nodded, finally letting go. When he stepped back it was obvious, even from under a mask, how tear filled his eyes were. Skid pulled out his phone to dial a number.
That's when Pump remembered something. He had already gotten treats from the candy store earlier. That might help cheer Skid up! Candy and sweets always did.
"Oh yeah I almost forgot" he said, pulling some candy out of his pocket. "I got these for you!" He passed Skid a chocolate bar and one of the suckers. He would've had more candy to share, but some of the other stuff he wanted, like a gummy crocodile, was apparently "too expensive to give away". Last time Pump had one of those he distinctly remembered ripping it's head off first. He did have one more thing however, but it wouldn't be hard to split.
"I even got one of those gummy brain things, but Kevin only gave me one" Pump held up a small packet containing a candy meant to look like a fake brain, it even had a jelly center. The candy store didn't have many of them, or at least Skid and Pump barely got them. It was one of those weird candies. "Still pretty spooky though huh?"
Apparently not, because Skid took one look at it and threw up.