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Javier and Sean stare at one another, shocked at the sight of the other. “Are you holding a stuffed bear??” Sean incredulously asks.
Javier is swift to point out, “You’re holding one, too!” Sean, half offended, points at the stuffed animal in his hand as he informs Javier, “ChiChi is a chicken!” Both of them go quiet for a moment. Even Sean is strangely silent out of embarrassment. Unexpectedly, Javier chuckles, seemingly realizing how ridiculous the situation is. “C’mon, Brother,” he says, gesturing for Sean to follow and hoping to put the redhead at ease.
Sean doesn’t quite know why he follows Javier, but he does. Part of him is convinced that everyone is going to jump out and begin laughing at him.
Javier sits down on the bedroll in his tent, then pats the left of him as a sign for Sean to sit. Sean does, jokingly asking, “We havin’ a sleepover now, are we?” Javier, still a little on edge, shushes Sean.
“My madre gave this to me,” Javier tells Sean, no longer hiding the stuffed bear. “It was ‘cause I kept getting hurt.” Sean notices how much more nervous Javier is beginning to act, but doesn’t comment on it. Javier turns to Sean and asks, “How’d you get your’s?”
Sean tries to pretend he’s feeling perfectly fine as he answers, “Found this lil’ guy in a store. Pathetic, right? I’m 19 and here I am buyin’ stuffed chickens! Go figure.” Despite his self-deprecating words, Sean doesn’t visibly appear to mind all that much. Javier looks down. Sean notes how Javier is acting slightly differently.
Sean, attempting to lift the mood once again, inquires, “What’s your pal’s name?” Javier looks at Sean, clearly surprised. Then, he clears his throat, proceeding to answer, “Osita.”
Sean sets his chicken next to Osita in a careless manner. “There! Now they’re family,” Sean announces, seemingly satisfied with himself. Javier shushes him again, then looks down at the two plushies. Sean, feeling much more talkative than Javier continues on, “We’ll trade them back and forth each night.”
“Like…divorced parents?-”
“Like divorced parents!”
Suddenly, Hosea appears like a ghost in the night. Annoyed, he says, “Will you two go to bed?” Javier mumbles, “Sorry.” Hosea squints at them, then sighs. “‘Least you both are making friends,” he comments before walking off. The moment he's gone, Javier leans over, frantically whispering to Sean, “Did you hear that?!”
“‘Course I heard it! We’re lucky as Hell!”
“Do you think he knows?”
“Who cares? He didn’t say nothin’ ‘bout it.”
“I guess not…”
Suddenly, Sean slings his arm around Javier’s shoulder, getting a little too comfy. “I say that we have a sleepover,” he decides, finally quieting down. Javier stares at him, a bit shocked for a moment before brushing the feeling off. “We’re putting pillows between us,” Javier tells him, completely serious.
Sean lays down, challenging Javier, “I can stay awake longer than you!”
“You’re already closing your eyes!”
“Doesn’t count ‘cause I ain’t sleepin’.”
“Hey! Get your own bedroll, burro!”
“Your Spanish can’t insult me ‘cause I don’t speak it!”
✧°˖ . ݁˖︵‿❀‿︵˖ . ݁˖°✧
When they wake up the next day, Sean is splayed out across his entire bedroll and Javier is gripping the plushies like they’re his life.
Javier groans with slight exhaustion and sits up on his knees. “How long did we stay up?” he asks, hating how bright out it’s become. Sean, ironically, shushes Javier this time. “I’m tryna sleep,” he informs Javier. Javier responds by smacking a pillow down on his face.
Javier promptly hides the stuffed animals before getting up for the day. Sean follows behind him, squinting his eyes due to the sun. Dutch is standing at his tent and reading a book as spots them. He glances at the then, as though he’s doubting what he’s seeing, looks up at them again. “You two are finally up,” Dutch speaks, turning all his attention to them.
“Sorry, Dutch. We must’ve slept in,” Javier explains, trying to straighten himself up the best he can. Fortunately, Dutch chuckles and assures him, “It’s quite alright, Son. Just didn’t expect you and Sean to be sharing a tent.”
Suddenly, Sean grumbles, rubbing his fists over his eyes. “Go get ready,” Dutch orders them before turning back to his book. As they walk away, Dutch can’t help but wonder what they happened to get up to last night.