[TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️: Mentions of death]

You might be thinking; "Keichi, what is with the concerning warning? You said this was a fluff book!?"

I gave you 8 chapters of fluff with a pinch of poor baby Impulse in deck out, the angst was bound to happen-

But seriously, read at your own risk if you're too uncomfortable with the topic about death.

And nO- I did not hurt the young hermits! I promise, I'm not that angsty! °^°

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--Wel's POV--

It's been a week since they opened the new daycare. A few of the young hermits were already  playing a variety of games together, and some started talking more with each other. I mean, Iskall and Jevin's friendship grew every single day they were both present in the daycare, and that's all thanks to Doom the chicken. 

A lot of the young hermits talked about making their own little boat for their pirate adventures, but because of Mumbo and Iskall's constant bickering, it was never done. So here's me and Beef assisting this time, Cub and Ren, with the construction of the boat. We'll… it was mostly me assisting the two. Beef on the other hand-

"Etho! What did we say about stealing?!" The bloody butcher chased the little ninja around Grumbot, attempting to retrieve whatever Etho stole. I wasn't paying attention much to the chase. 

My attention was towards the young hermits. My happiness boosted when the two said they wanted to hang out with me and help them build the boat." Alright, next we need to get sticks from the woodblocks. Do any one of you know how to use a crafting table?" I asked. 

Cub raises his hand, sending me a confused glance. "You teached me and False how to use the table thing?" 

"Then let's go make the sticks," Ren dropped off a few of the woodblocks on the crafting table, and Cub started crafting.

I watched them as they slowly but surely learnt how to make a stick. 

Beef knelt down next to me, huffing and puffing as he tried to catch his breath." Yeah, Etho's not returning my communicator anytime soon," he took a quick glance at the young ninja, "Joe insisted that he'll try convincing Etho to give back my communicator, so I let him. The kid is taking his big brother role seriously! " 

I hummed quietly, glancing at the other kids. "Joe's a great kid." 

"Hehe! Uncle Wels! Your butt is wiggling like Doom the chicken!* Ren giggled, pointing at my pocket. 

" Like Doom the chicken? " I glanced amusingly at the kid till I started digging through my pockets and reaching for my own communicator. " No Ren, " Beef retorted with a smirk on his face, "His butt was wiggling like a horse." 

And I pretended to hear nothing from the butcher! I rolled my eyes and continued to scroll down the recent chat messages. 

*<Keralis1>: Wanna buy a bookie?*

*<ZombieCleo>: Kids books?*

*<Keralis1>:... *

*<Keralis1>: maybe*

*<ZombieCleo hit the ground too hard>*

*<Stressmonster101>: 0-0*

*<Grian>: it happens*

*<ZombieCleo: I can't find my stuff  :( *

*<Zedaph>: Beef*

*<Zedaph>: I am in need of your redstone skills*

*<VinategBeef>: jeowvwhonos32*

*<Keralis1>: bebe Beef!?*

*<Welsknight>: I wish*

"What do you mean you wish?" Beef peeked near my shoulder, glaring at the screen full of messages, but I chose to quickly ignore his question. "Zedaph needs help with the machine again," Beef's skeptical look turned neutral and let out a small sigh. " I'm on it-" 

A small figure suddenly tugs Beef’s sleeve for his attention and mumbled, "Uncle Beef?" "Well Etho.I hope you're giving me back my communicator now?" He scolded playfully. 

"Uncle Beef," Etho mumbled, "Something is wrong with Joe." 

Our minds did not have the time to describe the fear that took over our playful mood. We turned our backs to where the two kids were last seen chatting. The young poet  stood there in a trance, staring intensely at Beef’s communicator. " Joe?" I called out, walking towards the kid. 

Joe snapped out from his trance, flinching away once he realized my hand resting on his shoulder. He panicked when his eyes landed back at the device he was currently holding , his chest started rising rapidly, along with his shaky breath. 

"Un-le Wel-s" the young poet couldn't mutter a single word without choking up. "Hey hey! Joe it's okay! H-Just breathe for me please," I rubbed his back with my trembling hands, as an attempt to slow down his shaky breath. 

As Joe's choked sobs kept my attention, I remembered young Etho standing in the distance, nervous but naive of the situation. Ren and Cub were also there, but I couldn't tell if they were aware of what's going on or not. I also remembered Beef's voice as he yelled at my communicator. Probably calling Cleo or  any other hermit for help. 

 "Hey, it's alright Joe. Auntie Cleo is coming," I whispered softly in his ear. 

Joe's body flinched again.. I could still feel his chest rising hastily, but he finally stopped panicking. He continued to keep his mouth shut, attempting to hide a sob or a hiccup that so desperately tried escaping his throat. He just rested his head on my shoulder… After what felt like an eternity, my mind snapped when I heard the fireworks and footsteps echoing behind the AI. There emerged a female zombie. 

"Wels! Beef!? What the heck is going on here?!" Cleo called out. 

Joe's head turned back from my shoulder, watching the female sprinting towards the two of us. Joe finally accepted the fact that he's on the verge of tears, he cried out from my arms and tackled Cleo." WhA- Joe?..." Cleo stumbled back from the impact, feeling the weight of a small child's head sobbing in her arms. 

"A-Untie-Cleo!" the young poet whined, bringing himself closer to the female hermit. Cleo's panicked face was washed away by the sudden guilt in her heart. She sank down on the lime wool floor and properly wrapped her arms around the kid's shivering body. "Heyy- it's alright, Joe. Auntie Cleo is already here," she whispered nervously. 

"R-Really?" He whimpered. 

"Really.." she carefully placed the poor kid on her lap and gently rocked him, like putting a baby to sleep. Joe continued to cry through his fists as he desperately latched on the female hermit, never letting go of her touch..

"Uncle Beef? Uncle Wels?" Ren called out from the crowd of kids, witnessing the bittersweet moment between young Joe and Cleo. Beef looked at them calmly, and said, "Everything is alright kids, Joe just needs Auntie Cleo for a while."

 Beef turned his head back at one particular kid at the very side, observing the scene quietly. "TFC, can you lead your friends to the other side of the room, quietly please?" 

The young Tinfoilchef agreed without a fuss, and carefully pushed the young hermits from this side of the room. Some whines and complaints  were heard from the curious children. 

" But I want to help Joe!" The young admin cried out. 

" Hmm! " Etho also agreed with Xisuma. 

"Later Xisuma, Etho," I chuckled. 

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--Cleo's POV--

After minutes of comforting him, he finally calmed down a bit. He nearly passed out on my shoulder, tired and sore from his breakdown. 

"Head feels hurt.." Joe whined half heartedly. 

"I'm not surprised. After all, you were crying like a baby," A slight smile formed slowly on my face. 

"M' s-orry" He hiccuped. 

I hummed quietly. 

20 minutes passed and everyone in the daycare finally calmed down. The young hermits nearly forgot about everything when young Ren and Cub showed off their finished boat. Wels stood between the two like a proud father-

Me and Joe rested near the walls, along with Beef sitting quietly on the lime green wool. All felt silent till Joe mumbled, 

"I was thinking that you died?" 

Me and Beef’s eyes widened from the response. "W-hat do you mean I died?" I asked in shock. 

Young Joe then scavenged through his small pocket till he revealed the trigger to this whole incident. His hands trembled as he started to lose his grip of the communicator. "I-..." He choked. 

 "I-I'm sorry Uncle Beef," he teared up again, "I was g-oing to return it from Etho- but I read it without permission and- And-and!" Joe gripped his shirt and started bawling on the teel cloth. "You died!-I'm sorry-" he squeaked.

"No Joe, it's alright! Really!" I cried out, bringing the poor kid back in my arms again. "Everyone cries when they think a loved one dies, that's a really normal reaction.." 

"But why are you not dead? Dead means people are forever gone.. "

 I stayed silent for a while, thinking for a proper answer to his question.. Beef noticed my struggle to speak and stepped up for me. "It's different in this world. Your aunties and uncles come back after dying, and you know-" Beef attempted to explain the mechanics of this world, but Joe still was puzzled and sad of this whole thing. 

Beef heaved out a sigh and turned awkwardly at the opposite direction 

 He mumbled, "When you grow up Joe, you'll understand." 

The young poet kept quiet, resting his head once again on my shoulder. He whimpers, "W-hat if you go away forever? Auntie Cleo? What if you, Auntie Stress, and the other uncles never come back? What if I won't see you a-again-" 

None of us had an explanation for that.

I mean, no hermit thought of that possibility. Now that I think about, no one thought of the possibility that the kid hermits can permanently die! Will they-... Can these young hermits still respawn, or will they glitch out of existence, and never return?... I didn't want to find out.  

"Joe," 

"Hmm?" 

I wrapped my arm around Joe's neck and pulled him to another hug. It caught the young hermit off guard. "Even if I go away forever, it doesn't mean I still won't care about you," I lifted one arm from the hug and gently brushed his brown locks. "Let's say if Jevin has to go somewhere, but he can't bring Doom the chicken. Does it mean that he doesn't love him?" 

Joe shook his head. "No, Jevin really loves Doom the chicken. But that's not being dead, that's visiting a place without Doom the chicken." 

"But even so, no matter how far away you are, you are still forever loved. You can think about the happy memories you have with them, so that they are forever alive inside your heart." 

" But.. Auntie Cleo-"

" upUPUP!!" I raised one finger in front of young Joe's face before he could continue his question. "I shared enough wisdom for one day Joe. You are way too young to learn this kind of stuff, so we will talk about it another time. Alright?" 

Joe pouted slightly, but a small giggle finally escaped his lips. "Okay Auntie Cleo." 

Beef sent me a considerate smile before jumping up from his seat and exited the daycare. The two of us were quiet once more, but I knew that everything is alright now. The moment I heard that giggle, it felt like my heart finally remembered how to function again, it's now beating at a steady pace.. 

"Do you want to play with your friends now? They're really worried about you?" I asked. 

He looked up at me and slowly shook his head.  "I want to stay with you," he wrapped his hands closer to my arm, "Don't go." 

I chuckled lightly at the young poet. "I'm not going anywhere." 

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--Beef’s POV--

It was now the end of the day, and Cleo and Wels already closed the daycare for the night. 

The moonlight bathed the whole hacienda with a faint white glow, and I watched the two kids hanging around the fountain. Xb and Etho were quite active kids, which is why seeing them sit still in one place, just kicking their legs and talking to one another, took me by surprise. They were both oddly calm, especially Etho. 

But then again, Joe's breakdown at the daycare did seem to worry the little ninja a bit. Oh! Speaking of Joe… 

I leaned near the doorway, so I could keep an eye on the two young hermits. I took out my communicator and started typing out the question that my curious head took interest of. 

*<Keralis1: Whut happennnn??? 

*<Zedaph>: Cleo, is Joe alright?*

*<ZombieCleo>: He's fine*

*<ZombieCleo>: The kid is already sleeping soundly. *

*<VintageBeef>: CLEO!! *

*<VintageBeef>: THE KID CAN READ?!*

*<ZombieCleo>: The kid knows what death means too*

*<Stressmonster101>: Joe knows too much 0-0*

*<VintageBeef: Where did he even learn that!?*

*<ZombieCleo>: Can young hermits still respawn? *

*<Stressmonster101>: Wait, can they?*

*<VintageBeef>:.......... *

*<Zedaph>:... *

*<Stressmonster101>: Oh dear*

*<VintageBeef:>:  iluvuuouuguysd*

*<VintageBeef>: hrs ago jbgxs*

*<Keralis1>: Bebe Beef confirmed ?*

*<Welsknight>: :0*

"Etho!!"

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