Chapter Text
The sun was glittering, and the sky was clear! All perfect indications of an absolutely wonderful morning in Charlie’s opinion. She had gotten up to find Vaggie still sleeping, and she knew the last couple of days had been a lot, so she gently swept a piece of hair out of Vaggie’s eye and softly shut the door behind her.
She tiptoed down the stairs, just in case anyone was still asleep, and made her way to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for her wonderful residents.
She could say she was shocked, but that would be a lie, to see Pentious up so early. The snake was often up at the crack of dawn, eager to seize the day. Or, he usually was eager; now he just seemed upset? He stood there, a cup of coffee clenched tightly in his hand, slumped over the kitchen counter, with his eyebrows knit together.
Sir Pentious was in pain, to put it simply. His ribs ached, and he could barely get a breath in without a jagged pain flaring up and down his chest.
He had slept in his bindings again! He was still paranoid that someone would come in the middle of the night and discover his shameful secret.
And he couldn’t have that! Oh no, he had just gotten the members of the hotel to trust him again, and for them to discover he was faking his identity as a man? Preposterous idea, thank you very much. He wouldn’t not be doing that.
He was so caught up in his pain that he didn’t notice Charlie sneaking right up behind him; he did, however, startle as she tapped him on the shoulder.
He wasn’t exactly proud of the loud yelp that escaped him at the sudden contact.
“Hey, are you alright?” Charlie asked, hesitating as she scanned him for any obvious signs of distress.
“O-oh, perfectly fine, Charlotte! Why do you ask?” He said, putting on his bravado and big toothy grin.
“You just seem unhappy, is all,” she said, a frown tugging at her face. Oh, she looked so sad. Shit, do something!
“Why, the great Sir Pentious is always happy! I’m just… ” Think, think, think!” ”…S-sad we haven’t done any redemption activities in a while!” He lied, a fake smile adorning his scaly face.
Charlie’s face lit up almost instantly. Really! If that’s it, then let’s do one after breakfast!” She squealed in that usual tone when she had solved a problem.
“I’m so excited already. We’re going to have so much fun!” And just like that, she’d forgotten about breakfast and scurried out of the room to go prepare streamers or something; who knew what she was getting?
Sir Pentious sighed; he hoped it wouldn’t be something terrible.
He shifted his weight to his other elbow, staring down into his coffee, but all he could see was his reflection staring back.
He poured out his mug after that.
Pentious headed for the stairs, slowly clambering up them one by one. His chest ached in pain at every point, but he persevered, with only minimal discomfort showing on his face. He went into his room and woke his Egg Bois. Surely they could help him get through the day?
“Oooh, Eggies!” He hummed
Slowly each of their little eyes opened up as they rolled over to stare at the source of the noise.
“Good morning, Boss!”
“Boss!”
“I had a dream I was the god of time!”
A cacophony of voices rang out, each individually greeting their master.
“Good morning, my minions! Now, I have a very special task for you today.” He said, lowering his voice at the last part, “I have slept in my special garment once again, and my ribs are hurting. Could you help me rest?” The Eggs knew, of course they knew; they slept in the same nest as him, for goodness' sake. But he still tiptoed around the terminology so their little broken brains couldn’t spill his secret on accident. For instance, his binder, which he aptly called his “special garment,” which none of his eggs are to wear, as the pressure would surely crack them.
“Alright, boss!”
“We’ve got you, boss!”
“Slay, girlboss, yas queen!”
They all chirped in response; one egg ran out of the room while the others started fluffing up the pillows in their nest. Another pulled out a box of painkillers he had for exactly this reason. He quickly gulped them down with a glass of water on his nightstand. The other egg rushed back into the room with a cup of piping hot tea. Something that they knew helped him relax.
Now all he needed was to rest as much as possible in preparation for the interactions he’d need to have later. Easy. Simple. He could do this!
He slowly settled into his nest, nursing the hot cup of tea, his eggs slowly lying around him. He would be lying if he said this wasn’t where he felt happiest. Surrounded by his eggs, in the safety of a nest.
He didn’t even realise he was dozing off until a loud banging on his door startled him awake
“Penny? Charlie wants us for an activity. Get down here, eggs for brains!”
Dangnabbit!