(its back to peteys pov btw)

I ended up staying overnight at Choco and Kenny's place. There was a guest room upstairs, which I slept in. I'm also fairly sure Kenny slept on the couch the whole night. When I woke up in the morning, the two were having a hushed conversation in the kitchen. I paused near the top of the stairs to listen.

"...stupid idea. You knew it would do that to you, didn't you?" Choco said, worrying like normal.

"Well, yeah," Kenny replied, "that's how my power works. It takes someone else's pain and gives it to me, if only for a few moments. And it takes like, all of my energy. I knew the consequences, dude."

"Then why didn't you refuse?" Choco asked, his voice softening.

Kenny paused. "I can't say no to you." I could tell he was smiling.

They both paused for a second.

"I can tend to your chores again today if you..."

"NO," Kenny practically shouted, "I mean, I'm fine, I can do them. My wolves probably miss me anyway."

Choco laughed. "Yeah, they didn't seem too happy to see me yesterday."

They both paused. One of them inhaled sharply.

"Choco," Kenny spoke, "why didn't your sixth sense warn you about the market fire?"

"I don't know," Choco replied honestly. "It hasn't been telling me anything useful recently. In fact, the last important thing I sensed was when Petey got hurt."

"That's really weird. Could something be blocking it?"

"No, because right now it's telling me that Petey is eavesdropping on us."

At this mention of my name, I jumped a little, shocked, and quietly walked down the first two steps. I looked over the railing to find both Choco and Kenny staring up at me. "Uh...good morning?" I said, shrugging.

"Good morning," Kenny said, crossing his arms and shifting his stance to be slightly wider.

I ran a hand through my hair. "Do you guys...uh...have a shower I can use?"

~~~

I took a shower. It was the nicest shower I can ever remember having. With wet hair and a hoodie borrowed from Choco, I walked back downstairs and into the living room, where Kenny was reading another book, this one entitled A Short Guide on Taming Animals. Upon noticing my presence (and Choco's hoodie), he gave me an odd look.

"Where's Choco?" I asked.

"Out," Kenny replied simply.

"Specifically, where is he, though?" I continued.

"I don't know. He was going to talk to Ashley and 'do some other things'. His words, not mine."

"Great," I said with a sigh.

"I mean, Balamb Isn't that big, you could go look for him."

I shoved my hands in the pockets of Choco's hoodie. There were a few loose coins inside, and a crumpled up piece of paper. "I'm leaving, in that case. See you later."

As I walked out of the house, I pulled the paper out of Choco's pocket. It was notebook paper, thin and ready to fall apart with nothing more than a touch too rough. I slowly and carefully uncrumpled it, while walking down the stairs of the porch.

I leaned against a tree to look at the contents of the paper. Most of it had been scribbled out very well, most likely in case anyone else ever found it. But at the bottom of the page, in scratchy, shaky handwriting, a few more words had been written.

i wish i was good with words

NOo and then there were a bunch of frustrated scribbles.

I wondered for a moment what, or who, could have gotten Choco this emotional. I wasn't sure if I should've confronted him about it or not.

Stuffing the note back in the hoodie pocket, I walked down Balamb's main path. There were carrot, potato, and wheat farms, as well as animal farms and hastily built houses. Outside one of the buildings, Choco was talking to someone. I decided to join in.

"...not...that can't...HOW?!" Choco exclaimed. Clearly I had come at a bad time.

"He kissed someone. Not my fault," the person Choco was talking to explained.

"Quarantine him, or something. I know we're all smarter than that but...it's not worth it, in case," Choco requested. The person he had been talking to gave him a sort of mocking salute and then ran off.

"Hi," I said. Choco turned to face me.

"What an idiot," Choco said. "You can't just go around kissing people in times like these, it's not wise..."

"Someone has the fever?" I assumed.

"Yeah," Choco said, sighing. "Hey, is that my hoodie you're wearing?"

"Oh, uh..." I paused and looked down at my outfit. "Yeah, it is, I hope you don't mind."

"No, it's okay, as long as you don't look in the pockets..."

"Oh, too late...?" I said, shrugging and squinting my eyes. Choco gave me a glare that could kill, and without hesitation, reached into one of the pockets and pulled out the note. He quickly scanned over it and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, cool, don't read the other ones, in my other hoodies."

"Why? Choco..."

"Just don't, okay? I know you mean well but...just leave it be."

I paused, staring at him for a moment. "Okay."

I shuffled my feet on the gravel path awkwardly. There were more of these notes? Why had they originated? Why had Choco kept them? Why did he keep one in each of his hoodies?

I looked up at him meekly. I hadn't asked him the question I had planned to in the first place. "One more thing," I said.

"Yeah?" Choco asked.

"Can I borrow a horse?"

~~~

YOO!!! How's y'alls' winter break going? Mine's going AWESOME! I got Undertale for Christmas and I'm completely hooked.

Bit of a filler chapter, sorry for that, but sometimes it has to be done.

Ciao!