Rumble, Cloud Chaser & Flitter
Written by an Anon

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I wonder what'll happen when he [Rumble] gets a little older and he doesn't want Flitter getting so mushy with him anymore.

It'd probably break her heart...

>Flitter's always been sentimental and very open about showing affection for her "honorary little brother."
>It's the most natural thing in the world to give him a hug or a kiss on the head when she's happy for him, no matter who's watching
>Rumble gets teased for this a lot.

>One day it gets particularly bad
>Rumble comes home in very poor spirits - Diamond Tiara and other schoolyard bullies have left him in a sullen, angry mood.
>Flitter sees him, and goes to wrap him in a hug, saying she hasn't had a Rumble-huggle all day
>Her smile turns to shock when he pulls himself out of her arms and storms into his room, slamming the door behind him.

>She knocks on his door
>"Rumble?"
>"Rumble, honey, what's wrong?"
>"Rumble, please...!"
>Five minutes and no answer
>She sits on the couch in a daze until Cloudchaser gets home.
>Rumble has never done this before! When he was younger, he'd seek her out for a hug when something was wrong - what's happened to get him to do this??
>She's confused, and hurt, and moreover, scared.
>When her sister comes through the door, she practically rushes her, everything about Rumble coming out in a deluge of smashed-together words until Cloudchaser can calm her down.

>She's on the verge of tears, gesticulating wildly as CC looks on
>"RumblecamehomeandIKNOWsomething'swrongandItriedtogivehimahugbuthejustYANKEDmeawaylikeIwas--"
>"Whoa, whoa, WHOA!"
>She's cut off by CC holding up her hands before she claps them on her shoulders, looking her square in the eye.
>"Flitter, take a BREATH, will you? Just BREATHE!"
>Flitter forces a few breaths down, and tries again, slightly more understandable this time.
>Her sister listens, nodding.
>"He's in his room?"
>"Y-yeah! I tried to talk to him, but--- CC, he won't ANSWER me--! He wouldn't-- wouldn't even LOOK at me...!"
>She holds back a sob while CC sighs.
>"Sit down for a while. Lemme try."
>While Flitter perches on the couch, she knocks on Rumble's door.
>"Hey, Rumble. I'm comin' in, all right?"

>He's laying on his bed, reading one of Thunderlane's old comic books while he sulks.
>"Did Flitter tell you to come in here?"
>Out of the corner of her eye, CC spots Flitter leaning over the couch, worriedly trying to look in.
>She shuts the door.
>"No."
>He looks up at her for a second, but says nothing.
>"Looks like you had a crappy day, huh?"
>"...yeah."
>"...You wanna talk about it?"
>"...no."
>"...all right. You don't have to right now."
>She leans over, trying to see the cover of the comic in his hands. "What're you reading?"
>"...Daring Do."
>"Awesome. Toss me one, will you?"
>He pulls another issue out of the box Thunderlane gave him, and for a while they sit in silence, reading.

>after a few minutes he appears to be calming down a bit
>They start talking about the comics - stories and characters and whatever else comes to mind as a result.
>She sneaks in her next question, in the middle of talking about one of the artists for the comic
>"...So what's wrong?"
>He answers it before he even realizes the topic has changed.
>"Diamond Tiara was making fun of me because she saw Flitter hugging me before school started today."
>He turns red in the cheeks while CC cringes a little.
>"She had the whole class in on it!"
>His hands start to shake as he remembers the final jab she hit him with before he left.

>"What's wrong 'Rumblybumbly?' Gonna go cry to Flitter?"

>CC pinches the bridge of her nose, murmuring to herself.

>"Why do they have to be like that? Goddamn it..."

>Now that the dam's broken, Rumble finds himself just letting it out.
>Meanwhile, CC sits down next to him - not trying to hug him, not saying anything - just listening and letting him vent.
>"...and if it weren't for Flitter doing her best to embarrass me all the time with all that mushy stuff, I wouldn't have to DEAL with any of that!"
>CC raises an eyebrow at this.
>"What, because Flitter gives you hugs?"
>"In front of EVERYONE!"
>She's quiet for a moment before she sighs and turns to him.
>"You honestly think she's trying to embarrass you on purpose?"
>Rumble tries to answer... but can't. A minute ago he was all but ranting and raving, and now he's got nothing.
>After second-guessing himself for a minute, he shuts his mouth while CC puts a hand on his shoulder.
>"She only does all that mushy stuff because she loves you - you know that, right? She doesn't wake up in the morning and think 'I'm gonna embarrass my little brother as much as I can today.' Who does that?"
>"..."
>"Might be embarrassing, but really, would it make you happier if she NEVER hugged you again? Ever?"
>"But Diamond--"
>"About her -- next time you see her with her dad, see if he ever hugs her the way Flitter hugs you."
>He blinks at this. "...Huh?"
>"Kids like her don't get a lot of affection. Ever heard of the Dog in the Manger? You're getting something she can't get with money. And she figures if she can't have it, nobody should."

>"...So you're saying Diamond Tiara's been doing all this because... she's jealous?"
>"Bingo."
>She leans in closer
>"Sounds to me like this kid wants someone to do that for her, and doesn't like seeing someone else get it."
>"So what am I supposed to do, then?"
>"Well, first off, don't blame Flitter for being Flitter."
>she gently ruffles his hair with a gentle smile.
>"Like it or not, you're a cute little bugger - but you're not gonna be little forever, so let her enjoy this while she can, huh?"
>"I don't wanna be cute, though... I wanna be tough, like Thunderlane!"
>"You wanna know something?"
>She beckons him closer and quietly whispers in his ear.
>"*I* think you're tough enough not to care what others think, ESPECIALLY not Diamond Tiara. Next time she tries giving you trouble, don't even look her way - don't give her a second of your time, because she doesn't deserve it!"
>"And if she still tries giving you a hard time - just remember she probably feels smaller than she's trying to make YOU feel."
>She sits up.
>"All right - I'm done lecturing you. I'm gonna throw something together for dinner. You wanna stay in here a little longer?"
>"...No."

>Flitter's been waiting for what feels like forever - the tension is almost too much.
>Her mind is abuzz with horrible possibilities - that Rumble might hate her forever, that she'll never get to tell her "honorary-baby-brother" she loves him, that the hug she gave him this morning would be the last she'll ever get to give him...
>She turns as the door clicks and her sister steps through, with Rumble just behind her
>Cautiously, gingerly, she stands up, watching him carefully as he walks up to her.
>His face turns a little red and he scratches the back of his neck, looking at the floor.
>A long moment passes before he speaks, breaking a dense silence
>"...Sorry about... earlier."
>He looks up to her, and holds out his arms.
>She wipes away a tear, and throws her arms around him.