"Whatever," Sunshine said, unable to keep the smile off his face. "Promise."
"Sure, I promise."
"Great!" Sunshine swung around and crawled into Bluejay's bed.
"Hey, go to your own room!" He pulled the pillow out from under Sunshine's head, which hit the mattress with a springy thump.
"Bluejay."
"What?"
"We should enjoy the time we have together."
Bluejay lowered the pillow, which he had been preparing to use as a weapon. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Sunshine sat up. "What would you do if I was gone?"
Bluejay was mystified by this turn in the conversation. "I think I'll be gone before you will. I'm older than you. The caretaker's already looking for an excuse to get rid of me."
"He can't get rid of you, he needs you to do his job. Answer my question."
"I haven't thought about it. Why does it matter?" His confusion was quickly turning into suspicion and irrational anger. "Are you planning on leaving?"
Sunshine looked away. "It doesn't matter." He slipped off Bluejay's bed, subdued, and made for the door connecting their rooms.
Bluejay watched him go, looking for something to say that wouldn't sound angry. He found nothing.
Sunshine drew a breath, hesitated, then spoke, pausing at the threshold. "You promised," he said. "We'll explore the shore together, like we used to when we were younger."
"What's wrong?" asked Bluejay, trying to sound concerned instead of angry. It came out detached. "You don't usually talk like this."
"And you don't usually make promises. So make sure you keep this one." Sunshine smiled secretively back at him before walking into his own room, leaving the door open. Bluejay stared after him.
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"Sure, I promise."
"Great!" Sunshine swung around and crawled into Bluejay's bed.
"Hey, go to your own room!" He pulled the pillow out from under Sunshine's head, which hit the mattress with a springy thump.
"Bluejay."
"What?"
"We should enjoy the time we have together."
Bluejay lowered the pillow, which he had been preparing to use as a weapon. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Sunshine sat up. "What would you do if I was gone?"
Bluejay was mystified by this turn in the conversation. "I think I'll be gone before you will. I'm older than you. The caretaker's already looking for an excuse to get rid of me."
"He can't get rid of you, he needs you to do his job. Answer my question."
"I haven't thought about it. Why does it matter?" His confusion was quickly turning into suspicion and irrational anger. "Are you planning on leaving?"
Sunshine looked away. "It doesn't matter." He slipped off Bluejay's bed, subdued, and made for the door connecting their rooms.
Bluejay watched him go, looking for something to say that wouldn't sound angry. He found nothing.
Sunshine drew a breath, hesitated, then spoke, pausing at the threshold. "You promised," he said. "We'll explore the shore together, like we used to when we were younger."
"What's wrong?" asked Bluejay, trying to sound concerned instead of angry. It came out detached. "You don't usually talk like this."
"And you don't usually make promises. So make sure you keep this one." Sunshine smiled secretively back at him before walking into his own room, leaving the door open. Bluejay stared after him.
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