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Red picks himself up out of the dirt he was forcibly made to faceplant into and looks around for the culprit. There, standing behind him, is a guilty looking Chuck.
“Chuck? What- why- what're you-...?”
Chuck opens his mouth and looks everywhere but at Red
“Uh, well, you see, there was- I thought I heard- and it- um.”
He finally sets his gaze on Red, who looks thoroughly unimpressed.
“You know what? It was probably nothing, sorry, bye!”
Red sighs and rolls his eyes at the yellow figure dashing back up the hill towards the eggs. He should hurry up collecting these twigs and get back to help the silly bird.
Chuck, meanwhile, hypes himself up, performing various martial arts moves in a defensive circle around the nest. No evil piggies are gonna get anywhere near these eggs, not while Chuck has anything to say about it!
Suddenly, thunder crashes loudly and a bright flash fills Chuck's vision for the second time that evening. He shrieks and hides, trembling, under his pink comforter.
Red finally gets back to the nest with a beakful of new twigs to reinforce it with. He gives a quizzical look at the suspiciously Chuck-shaped blanket shaking like a leaf on the other side of the eggs. He clears his throat.
“Uh, Chuck? Buddy?”
Chuck jumps at the voice and lifts the blanket out of his eyes.
“What? Oh! Red!”
He quickly yanks the blanket off of himself and begins weaving it into the nest, cradling the eggs.
“I was just, um, getting this blanket for the eggs, see? Bet this will keep them cozy and warm, huh?”
Red stares at him a moment, Chuck putting on a facade and not very convincingly, either. Not to Red. Chuck could never hide anything from the crimson bird, he always managed to see right through his yellow friend. It would be annoying if Red weren't his best friend and always knew just what Chuck needed. Right now though, he's sweating bullets under Red's scrutinizing gaze.
Finally, Red speaks again.
“Chuck,” he begins. “Are you… scared?”
Chuck laughs much too loudly and too forcefully to be genuine.
“Me? Scared? Red, please, it's me we're talking about. Chuck! I'm not scared of anything!”
As if on cue, another loud crash and flash of light plays out around them. Chuck shrieks once more and dashes to hide behind Red, trembling so hard the red bird nearly feels his beak shake off. Red gazes sympathetically at the canary clinging to him for dear life.
“Oh, Chuck. Why didn't you tell me? I would've been here for you, you know that.”
Chuck doesn't say anything, just shakes his head and grips onto Red tighter, burying his face in the red feathers. Red sighs and strokes his back gently.
“It's ok, Chuck, the storm hasn't even started yet.”
The sky mocks his words as thunder crashes again and the clouds light up. Only.. the clouds don't light up. Red squints at the overcast sky. That's… odd. And then he hears it, faintly from the shrubbery serving as a backdrop for their precious eggs. Laughter. And… snorting? Red's eyebrows lower in understanding. He focuses on Chuck again.
“Listen, Chuck, I'm gonna have to leave you for just a second, ok? You're gonna have to let go.”
Chuck shakes his head again, still not looking at Red and his grip remaining steadfast. Red sighs and begins to push his friend off himself. Chuck whines in fearful protest.
“It's just for a second, I promise. I'll be right back for you, but for now, can you be brave and keep watch over the eggs just a little longer for me?”
Chuck's eyes are glossy and his bottom beak quivers, but he nods anyway.
“Y-yeah. Yeah, ‘course I can, I'm Chuck. Bravest bird in the flock.”
Red smiles softly.
“Of course. Silly question. I'll be back.”
He turns and makes his way into the bushes, Chuck swallowing hard as he watches Red go, curious despite himself. Red disappears as he emerges on the other side. Before him is exactly what he thought he would find. A couple of rotten pigs with some contraptions, no doubt a plan to steal their eggs. The two pigs set off the invention, the result an imitation of thunder and lighting. They fall to the ground in a fit of giggles all over again, even the general pig with them not yet noticing Red. He scowls and growls, only then getting the pigs’ attention. They yelp in fear and begin scrambling in the opposite direction, but it's no use. They're no match for an angry Red defending his family.
After sending the pigs squealing, Red pushes back through the bushes. Chuck is upside-down and mostly buried beside the nest, most likely a result of the last crash of “thunder”. Red makes his way over to the canary and gently nudges him with his beak.
“Hey, Chuck. It's Red, I'm back. You can come out now.”
Just as Chuck emerges from his hidey-hole, the heavy-laden clouds begin to release their load. The two look up at the ever-darkening sky, then to each other. They nod in silent agreement and together move the nest and eggs off the hill to a more secluded and dry area.
Red gets a fire going, and he and Chuck sit around it for a few moments in silence.
“I'm sorry.”
Red nearly jumps at Chuck's sudden apology.
“..what for?”
Chuck kicks a rock at his feet.
“For not telling you sooner. That I was scared. I could have put the eggs in danger.”
Red hums.
“That's true. So, why didn't you tell me? You know you can tell me anything.”
Chuck sighs.
“I-I know. I know that. I just.. we're always relying on you. You have enough on your plate, I didn't want to be another burden for you to have to take on. I wanted to help you.”
Red simply gawks at him. To fill the silence, Chuck continues.
“Besides. I'm Chuck! I'm supposed to be the bravest, toughest bird in the flock! How could I ever be when I'm scared of something as silly as thunder?”
A pause.
“What would the others think of me?”
Red finally finds his voice again.
“Chuck,” he says, solemnly. “You are not a burden. You never have been, and you never will be. We look out for each other, all of us. Not just me, not just you. We're a flock. You can't be a burden when I am choosing to care for you.”
Chuck swallows thickly as Red continues.
“You are brave. You're the bravest bird I know. But that doesn't mean you can't be afraid of things. You don't have to be strong all the time. That's what we're for. That's what I'm for. The others would say the same. We all have our fears, we won't think any differently of you for having your own. We're here for you. I'm here for you. I always will be. Don't doubt that.”
Chuck sniffles, desperately trying to hold back the flood. Red lets out an amused huff of air before snuggling into the yellow bird's side.
“Alright, alright, c'mere you.”
Chuck nuzzles into the red feathers once more, sobs escaping him. Whether from emotion, or stress from the earlier anxieties he had felt, Red wasn't sure, but he didn't mind either way.
Finally, Chuck calms down and pulls away, but only slightly. They sit, still snuggled into each other's side.
“Thank you, Red.”
Red smiles and gives a light kiss to his friend's head.