Chapter Text
“Okay, Dark,” Chosen said, kneeling and holding Dark’s hand firmly, “we need to look both ways here and only walk when there are no cars coming, okay?”
Dark looked at the road and frowned as cars drove slowly past.
”Traffic jam,” he said.
”That’s right,” Chosen said, standing up. “So we’ll wait and stay on the sidewalk.”
“Wanna fly,” Dark said with a pout.
”It‘s not that far,” Purple said. “We can walk and then cross the street when we get to the school.”
Dark tipped his head, then nodded.
The cars stopped as a light changed.
”Okay!” Purple said. “Let’s go!”
”I’m glad they don’t mind if I stay for the first day,” Chosen sighed as they walked. “I wouldn’t feel right just leaving when he’s getting used to it.”
”Oh, yeah, they don’t mind at all,” Purple said.
”And I’m glad it’s just a couple hours,” Chosen continued.
”So was my dad,” Purple chuckled. “He didn’t like me being out of his sight for even a minute. He got used to it though, and didn’t feel as nervous when he saw I was having fun.”
They stopped at another crosswalk.
”One, two, three…” Dark counted as cars drove past. “Four, five…”
He looked up at Chosen with a smile.
”No more cars coming?” Chosen asked.
Dark looked both ways and then shook his head.
”Alright, let’s go!” Chosen said, still looking all around as they walked towards the school. “Here we are!”
The school was a large brick building with a fence around it and a playground with swings, see-saws and a merry-go-found.
Dark started pulling Chosen towards the playground.
”We’ve gotta go meet the teachers first,” Chosen said, bending down to pick Dark up. “Then we can play after that, okay?”
”Olive!” Dark said, pointing.
”Oh, is she here already?” Purple asked. “Yeah, there’s Silver and Chartreuse! Chosen, I’ll go find the teacher and tell them we’re out here.”
”Thanks,” Chosen said, then headed over to the playground, letting go of Dark’s hand when they got to the swings.
”Onyx!” Silver waved a hand. “Good to see you!”
”You too,” Chosen said, smiling as Dark sat in a swing next to Olive.
”So, you excited about your first day?” Chartreuse asked as she gave Olive a push, causing her to kick her legs and giggle.
”Uh-huh!” Dark said.
Chosen gave Dark a little push and he laughed.
”It’s a little…weird,” Chosen said. “He liked getting school supplies though.”
”Aww,” Silver said. “That’s a cute little backpack you’ve got, Ruby.”
”Rainbow!” Dark chimed.
”I see!” Silver laughed. “It’s pretty!”
”Olive wanted to buy out the whole arts and crafts section,” Chartreuse chuckled. “We’ll have to go shopping again sometime.”
”Hey, Onyx!” Purple called, walking over to the playground with a black Stick figure. “Thanks for waiting!”
Chosen glanced at Denim, seeing she was a very dark blue now that she was closer.
”Hello!” the dark blue Stick said with a smile. “My name’s Denim. You’re Chosen, right? And is this Dark?”
”Yep,” Chosen said, lifting Dark from the swing and holding his hand as they walked over to Denim. “Say hi, Ruby!”
Dark stared up at Denim for a moment, then let go of Chosen’s hand and hid behind him.
”It’s okay, Ruby,” Chosen said, patting his back. “This is your new teacher!”
Dark shook his head and clung tightly to Chosen.
”It’s alright, most kids are shy at first,” Denim said. “He doesn’t have to stay the first day if he doesn’t want to. Sometimes they just play out here and get used to things.”
Chosen took Dark’s hand and knelt.
”Do you just want to play outside and go inside the school tomorrow?”
Dark nodded, hugging Chosen tightly.
”Okay.”
Chosen picked Dark up and took him back to the swing.
”That’s sweet, though!” Chartreuse said. “Olive and Ruby are in the same class.”
Silver carried Olive over to Denim.
”Wanna say hi to your teacher?” he asked.
”Hi, Olive!” Denim said. “That’s an adorable little gray bow you have!”
Olive stared at Denim for a minute before smiling.
”It was for her first birthday,” Chartreuse said. “She has a lot of them but this one is her favorite.”
“Aww, that’s so cute,” Denim said.
Dark glanced over.
”It won’t be so scary,” Chosen said. “Olive will be there too. Maybe you can sit together. What do you think?”
Dark glanced over his shoulder at Chosen and nodded.
”Want to try and say hello again?”
Dark frowned and shook his head.
”Stay with Cho,” he mumbled.
”Okay, I won’t go anywhere,” Chosen said. “You did a good job today though. I’m glad you saw Olive!”
Dark kicked to a stop and jumped off the swing, walking over to Chosen and hugging him again.
”C’mere,” Chosen said, lifting him up. “It’s okay. Should we go to lunch with Purple after this?”
”Mm-hm,” Dark said, hiding his face in Chosen’s shoulder.
”Are you going?” Silver asked.
”I think so,” Chosen said. “Might be a bit much for him today.”
”Wuby!” Olive called. “C’mere!”
Dark looked down.
”You want to go with Olive?” Chosen asked. “If you do, I’ll go too.”
Olive beamed up at Dark.
”We can just go to the front door and say bye for now,” Chosen said.
Dark nodded.
”Alright, here we go,” Chosen said, patting Dark’s back. “You did a good job for your first day, and you’ll be able to come back and play here again. That sound fun?”
Dark hid his face in Chosen’s shoulder.
”You okay?” Chosen asked.
”He’s okay, just a little nervous, I think,” Purple said. “He’ll be alright.”
They walked to the front of the school together.
”Wuby?” Olive asked, frowning as she looked up at Dark.
”He’s not going to school today,” Chartreuse said. “They’re going to come back tomorrow though!”
Olive waved up at Dark.
”Want to say bye-bye?” Chosen asked.
”Buh-bye,” Dark mumbled.
”See you later!” Silver said with a wave. “We’ll try again tomorrow.”
”Bye,” Chosen said, waving as the family followed Denim into the school.
”Hungy,” Dark mumbled.
”What do you want for lunch, Dark?” Chosen asked as they headed towards the nearby diner.
”Samch,” Dark said. “Soup.”
”Okay, we’ll get you soup and sandwich,” Chosen said. “What kind?”
”‘Mato,” Dark mumbled. “Cheese.”
”Yum!” Purple said. “Good choice.”
”You remember going here before, Dark?” Chosen asked, and Dark raised his head as the bell dinged when they walked into the diner.
“Uh-huh,” Dark said.
”Do you need a booster seat?” a sky blue Stick asked.
”I think he’s okay, but thank you,” Chosen said, and the waitress nodded before leading them to a booth.
”Anything to drink?”
”Just water for me, please,” Purple said. “Thanks.”
”Alright, and you?”
”Water and apple juice, please,” Chosen said.
”Sounds great!” The blue Stick said, laying down menus. “I’ll be right back with those.”
”Thank you,” Chosen said as she left, then scooted a bit closer to Dark. “Here, let’s look together. Here’s the grilled cheese, but there are other things, too, like burgers, salad, fries, chicken noodle soup…”
”Burger?” Dark asked, tipping his head curiously. “What dat?”
”It’s like a sandwich but has lots of different things on it, like a beef patty, lettuce, tomato, onion and ketchup. And whatever else you want. Here’s a picture.”
Chosen pointed at a burger and Dark stared at it for a moment, then shook his head.
“Grill cheese,” he said. “Noodle soup.”
”Grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup?” Chosen repeated, and got a nod. “Okay.”
”A burger sounds good, actually,” Purple said, putting his menu aside. “I think I’ll get fries too.”
”Mm…I’ll get a BLT and see if Dark wants to try it,” Chosen said, putting his menu aside just as the waitress brought their drinks.
”Ready to order?” she asked with a smile, readying a notepad.
They gave their orders and the waitress took the menus, leaving some crayons and a coloring page before bustling to another table.
“Do you think he’s too attached to me?” Chosen asked as Dark began scribbling on the coloring page with a green crayon. “I’m kinda glad he didn’t go today, but I know it’ll be good for him.”
“I think he’s normal for a toddler,” Purple said, taking a sip of water. “Some kids are clingy, some aren’t. But this is just a new thing and he’ll take a little time to get used to it. You haven’t done anything wrong.”
”Okay,” Chosen sighed. “Can’t believe he’s actually going to school now. It’s so weird.”
”Yeah, it’s a lot to process,” Purple said.
”Pway again,” Dark said, looking up. “Me n Olive.”
”You want to go to the playground again tomorrow?” Chosen asked.
”Yeah!” Dark said.
”You liked it?” Chosen asked, smiling. “Ready to go again tomorrow?”
”Mmhm!” Dark responded.
”See?” Purple said. “He was nervous but if he wants to go again, he’s already getting better. Good job, Dark! You’re being brave!”
Dark smiled, then went back to his coloring page.
”Yeah, you are,” Chosen said, feeling a swirl of anxiety in his chest. “I hope it’ll be okay…”
”You’ll be alright,” Purple said. “It’s hard the first day.”
”Guess I’m just gonna have to get used to it too,” Chosen sighed. “But…well…if he has fun I’ll feel better. I guess we’ll see how he feels about it tomorrow.”
Dark held up his coloring page, beaming as he showed off a drawing of himself and Olive on the teeter-totter.