Gutsy was growing worried about Brainy.

Well, he had already been worried given how much the other smurf had changed but now it was incredibly evident that something was wrong. In the last three weeks he had only saw Brainy twice and he didn't look okay. He barely reacted to Hefty, picked at his food for a few moments and when Gutsy looked away for a moment he was gone. Gutsy really hoped Brainy had stocked up food because he wasn't at meals. He was sure that he hadn't missed him because the last couple of days he had waited by the door to the food hall and the bespeckled smurf had been a no show. Something was going on and Gutsy wanted to get to the bottom of it.

On the way to Brainy's mushroom he picked up some smurfberry muffins, fresh bread and a thermos of hot chocolate. If he had been ill and hadn't eaten for a while then surely he would appreciate something to eat. It was drizzling, likely to turn to rain, and only a few smurfs were out. Handy was one of them, fixing a roof. Gardner was picking some tomatoes and Papa was checking in on people. Gutsy, although he hadn't expressed it, was furious at Papa: he like everysmurf else had heard that Brainy was no longer his apprentice and unlike everysmurf else he believed Brainy about Gargamel. The real reason he was so furious though was since then Brainy was completely isolating himself. He hoped somesmurf reaching out would help.

He knocked on the door.
"Yes?" Brainy's voice called. Gutsy grew even more concerned. Brainy sounded completely emotionless. He hoped it was just because there wasn't much reason to emote to a knock.
"Morning Brainy! Can ya open the door?" be called, trying to sound more upbeat than he felt. There was silence, then a slight shuffling sound. Then the door was opened and he tried to smile despite how he was instantly more concerned than he already was.

Brainy looked awful. He was pale with hugely prominent shadows under his eyes. His glasses were askew and there seemed to be a permanent slump to his shoulders. Gutsy noticed the spark that he had once had in his eyes had dimmed completely. He couldn't say for sure but Brainy looked like he had lost weight: he was incredibly glad that he had brought food with him.
"Do you need something, Gutsy?" Brainy asked. There was still no emotion in his voice and he didn't quite make eye contact: Gutsy got the distinct feeling the other smurf wasn't thrilled to have company.
"Are you okay, laddie? I haven't seen you in a while?"
"I haven't wanted company," Brainy muttered. Emotion had crept into his voice on that, resentment. Very justified.
"Well...I brought you a muffin," Gutsy said. "I want to talk to you, can I come in?" Brainy hesitated, expression somewhat emotionless still but there was a flicker of apprehension.
"Fine," he agreed. He stepped aside to let Gutsy in. "Do you want some tea...?"
"I brought us some hot chocolate," Gutsy said, placing the bag of food down.

Something was definitely going on, even an idiot such as Hefty would be able to tell. For one Brainy's mushroom was messy, bed unmade and desk cluttered. There, more importantly, wasn't a book in sight. What was Brainy doing if he was hiding away from everysmurf without a book?

He poured Brainy a hot chocolate, offering it to him. Looking even more apprehensive he took it, murmuring a quiet thanks. After a few sips he seemed to gain a tiny amount of colour.
"You wanted to talk?" he asked, flatly.
"I wanted to see if you're okay," Gutsy admitted. "I never see you anymore, laddie and you look exhausted."
"I'm fine," Brainy said. Even less eye contact than before was made. "And as for not seeing me...I'm better alone, Gutsy. The village have made it perfectly clear that I don't belong and I am not wanted around. Why contest it?"

The hot chocolate went sour in Gutsy's mouth and it was hard to swallow. He truly believed that, Gutsy could tell. His lifeless tone and dead expression said clear as day that he had been convinced that far too effectively for too long. Telling him the village wanted him around certainly wouldn't work. Brainy would probably just think Gutsy was trying to comfort him.
"Look, I can't speak for anysmurf else but I want you around," Gutsy said. Surely that would help a little? It was the truth. Brainy looked truly confused on that.
"Why?" he asked. That simple question sent a jolt of pain ricocheting through Gutsy's chest. That was the effect that the village had. Brainy was questioning someone even caring enough about him to want him around.

"Brainy...I care about you," he said. He clearly didn't believe him. "And you can't keep isolating yourself. It isn't good for you."
"Please stop pretending to give a smurf," Brainy muttered, wrapping his arms around himself, seeming to shrink on himself. "And I am fine."
"Are you?" Gutsy challenged. "When did you last eat a whole meal?" Silence. In hindsight of that comment, he maybe should have approached it more gently.

"I really am fine," he whispered. No, he really wasn't. The painful thing was Gutsy didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to cheer him up. Telling Papa was out of the question, everything between them was a mess. Brainy and Clumsy weren't friends anymore. Did he have any friends? Gutsy, unfortunately, didn't think so.

"Was there anything else you wanted?" Brainy asked, still not emoting.
"Brainy...You need to come to meals. You're going to make yourself ill," Gutsy said. Really he thought Brainy might have.
"And?"
"And?! Brainy!" Gutsy exclaimed, irritated. More at himself than Brainy and everysmurf who had ever hurt him. Brainy gave him another blank look: he took a very calming breath in and out.

"Just...try to come to more meals?" he almost begged. "And you need some sun. You're far too pale."
"Outside means interacting," he muttered. "Including H-..."
"Hefty?" Gutsy finished. Brainy swallowed noticeably. "Thought so. What if you come for a walk with me? I won't let him throw you out the village...We never should have let that happen in the first place."
"I've gotten used to it Gutsy," Brainy said. "It doesn't matter anymore."
"You being used to it is exactly why it matters," Gutsy said, putting a gentle hand on the other's shoulder. Brainy looked lost. "One walk? The rain is stopping."
"One walk," Brainy agreed.