Chapter Text
It wasn’t unusual for Monty to be loitering outside the daycare doors during the night, waiting for a certain attendant to open them. Sun hadn’t been expecting him so early, but he would make it work. He always did.
Monty smiled, and shadowed Sun around the playplace, through a carefully organized maze of tiny tables and chairs. Monty learned to mind himself and his tail. Sun was very particular about his place of business. Monty could understand that. The same pride that he took in his golf course, Sun had for the daycare. Monty’s own attraction wasn’t so childproof. He couldn’t imagine Sun having to fish a child out of a creek.
Finally Monty brought up what he’d been itching to mention since sunrise.
“So, get this.” Monty crossed his arms, trying to act casual, leaned up against a tube slide while Sun stacked barrels. “There’s this party I’m goin’ to tomorrow night, and I want you to be there.”
“A party, hmm? And just what are we celebrating?”
“Not every party needs a reason behind it.”
“That might just be the most brilliant thing you’ve ever said.” Sun paid him attention now, his rays swiveling with mischief. “But you know I don’t partake in external events.”
“Partake…” Monty mumbled, rolling his eyes. “I ain’t askin’ you to partake in nothin’ you don’t want to. You don’t hafta go. I’m just sayin… I’d like you to be there. That’s all.”
“My attendance depends. Is it an important party?”
“All right, flatface. If you gotta know, it’s my birthday party.”
Sun dropped the barrel he’d been holding. The rest of the stack collapsed.
“Sorry, YOUR WHAT? TOMORROW?”
Monty shrugged. Sun was nonchalant about nothing. “Technically speakin’. That’s what everybody’s been yapping about. I told ‘em I didn’t want nothing fancy, but something tells me they ain’t gonna listen to a word I said. Like usual.”
“Why didn’t you say anything to me? I would have loved to know! Now I have less than a day to find you a present! Oh, no, no, no!” Sun clutched his face plate desperately, thoughts racing a mile a minute.
Monty reached out, hand falling just short of Sun’s shoulder. He thought better of touching him, without really knowing why.
“Hey, relax, Sunny. You don’t hafta get me anything.”
“OF COURSE I DO! IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY!” And the first one Sun got to spend with him.
If there was one thing Sun knew about, it was birthdays. The epicenter of the pizzaplex, the drive for celebration, and making every kid feel special on their big day. Such a significant event seemed obvious to share with a friend. Sun really thought about why Monty didn’t mention it to him. Maybe because he knew this was how Sun was going to react.
Sun took a breath, his fans kicking on in an attempt to maintain some semblance of composure. He was easily overstimulated, and had a habit of shouting when the line was crossed.
Monty was hit with an idea—a brilliant one.
“Fine,” said Monty. “I’ll bite. Ya know what I really want tomorrow? For you to come to my party.”
Sun froze. He got the feeling that his and Monty’s idea of tomorrow’s event were vastly different.
“...Where is this going to happen, anyway?”
Monty brightened. “That’s the spirit. The West Arcade.”
“THE WEST ARCADE? Of course it’s in the West Arcade! Where else would it be?” Sun groaned sullenly.
Monty barked out a laugh, the kind that never failed to grab Sun’s undivided attention.
“Now, you ain’t scared of the Old West, are you?”
“No! It’s just… an awful long way from the Daycare.”
Monty sighed, shaking his head fondly.
“Look, why don’t you take the day to think it over? You know I’m just playin’, you don’t really hafta go if you don’t wanna. I know it’s a lot at once. If the walk over there’s enough to get your wires in a twist, sticking around for the whole night is probably too much to ask.”
Sun knew it wasn’t Monty’s intention to hurt his feelings. Monty’s hand pat his head gently, ray retracting seamlessly against his touch, doing little to assure Sun that he wasn’t overreacting.
He’d spent plenty of nights with Monty, enough to know his friend would do nothing to purposefully put him in uncomfortable situations if he didn’t know the outcome would be something Sun would like.
Their trip to gator golf, for example: Monty had pushed and pushed and been a real nuisance until Sun dared to let Monty lead him out of his comfort zone. It was something new, and exciting. Sun had felt daring and brave, even if Monty had practically been holding his hand all the while. Golf was fun, seeing a new and excitable side of Monty was endearing. It was all worth it in the end, and Sun was more than happy he’d trusted Monty enough to go through with it.
But a party in the West Arcade didn’t sound like a quiet morning of golf and exploration. It sounded loud, and scary, and impossible. A monumental leap, in comparison to the tiny steps Sun had been taking to try and be more open and adventurous. Somebody worth hanging around…
Somebody Monty wouldn’t get bored of.
“Just think about it,” Monty reiterated. He chuckled, “It’ll be no fun without you, though.”