Work Text:
Sunspot was sitting on a lawn chair, absorbed in the latest issue of Earthie news. It was nothing shocking, but it was interesting nonetheless. Over the course of the past few days, a local father started a cover band out of his garage, a group of friends saved a baby duck, and a young boy found a shark tooth on the beach, all of which had gone what the Earthies, for some reason, liked to refer to as 'viral.'
"Sunspot! There you are, boy." Sunspot looked up from his paper. Standing over him was his best friend (and basically brother), Jet Propulsion, whose face suddenly became awash with worry before snatching the newspaper from Sunspot's hands, making him cross his arms and chatter angrily.
"Sunspot, what were you thinking? You could've gotten a paper cut!" cried Jet, gesturing animatedly.
A paper cut from a newspaper? Sunspot made a confused noise.
"It could happen!"
"Um, Jet, what are you doing?" Both aliens froze, turning their heads to see Sydney, eyebrow raised at the scene before her. Sean stood beside her with an identical expression, soccer ball in hand. There was a moment of silence as the young Bortronian looked at Sean, then back at Sydney, searching for an explanation that wouldn't make him sound ridiculous.
"Uh, nothing!" Jet grinned unnaturally wide as he tossed the newspaper out of sight and put an arm around Sunspot, who gained an annoyed expression. "Just bonding with my alien pet! Right, buddy?" A dissatisfied chatter was the answer.
"Anyway," started Sean, trying to end whatever this was, "Do you... do you wanna keep playing soccer with us?"
Jet pulled away from Sunspot, considering for a second. "Not really. How about... chess?"
"I thought chess was a two-player game," said Sydney.
"Not the way we're playing it!"
----------
"Checkmate. See how fun this is?"
No one was having fun. The three kids and Sunspot were split into two teams, Jet and Sunspot on one side and Sean and Sydney on the other, and the former two's skills combined meant they were winning so many matches even they were getting tired of it. There had been thirty-two matches in only twenty minutes, and they had won every single time.
"Jet, don't you want to go back to soccer?" asked Sydney flatly.
"Yeah, I don't like saying this, but this game is kind of boring," added Sean.
"But- uh..."
Sydney fixed her eyes on her friend. "What is it?"
"Um..." Suddenly, Jet's face lit up, and he gasped. "I've got it!"
"Got what?" asked Sean.
Jet didn't answer, instead dashing off to his garage at the speed of light. When he came back into the kitchen, he had made what looked to be a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards, and was also carrying a large amount of bubble wrap. "Here, Sunspot, these are for you! Better secure than apologetic, as the Earthies say!" He smiled, handing the protective gear to his pet, who immediately handed it back, making a soft chitter that meant polite refusal.
Sean and Sydney shared a concerned look, wondering if they should say something. But Jet was already putting the gear on Sunspot, literally wrapping his pet up in bubble wrap as he protested. "You can still breathe in there, right? Good. Now, time for some good, old-fashioned Earthie fun!"
----------
"Quick, Sydney, pass the ball to Sunspot!"
Sunspot could barely move with all that bubble wrap Jet had layered on him! When the bouncy ball (not even a soccer ball), well, bounced off him, that kid had the nerve to praise him, like he had put in any effort. Sunspot knew his best friend meant well, but he was going too far, and every time he or the Earth kids tried to tell him that, he just dismissed them. Like now.
"Jet, are you sure Sunspot can move?" asked Sean, eyeing the alien pet worriedly.
"He's fine," assured Jet.
Sunspot was definitely not fine, for several reasons. First, the whole bubble wrap thing. Second, Jet's general behavior towards him since the whole shrinking incident. And third, knowing his best friend still blamed himself in some way for said incident. He had to cheer him up somehow...
Sunspot chattered and waved his arms until Jet stopped kicking the ball and walked up to him curiously. "What is it, buddy? You don't wanna play anymore?" A chatter in agreement. "You want to go inside and relax?" Another chatter. "Okay! I'll help you get all that stuff off."
As soon as Sunspot was gone, Jet turned and saw Sydney staring at him. "Jet," she said, her brow furrowed in concern, "Are you okay?"
Jet's eyes were as wide as pie plates for a split second, then he blinked and turned his head away. "Yeah."
"Please, Jet, don't do the same thing you did when-" Jet stared at her, horrified, and a realization dawned on her. "You're worried about Sunspot, aren't you? Because of what happened."
"Yes," answered Jet quietly, the now-golden sunlight reflected in his somber eyes.
"He's okay," said Sean, "We saved him together."
"But- but I got him into trouble once, so now I have to stop him from ever getting into trouble again, because- because that's the least I can do!" cried Jet, getting a little teary-eyed. "I can't just let him get hurt, not even... not even from a paper cut."
Sydney put a hand on Jet's shoulder. "Jet, listen to me. Like Sean said, you didn't have to save Sunspot alone, right? We helped you."
"Right."
"You don't have to worry alone, either."
"You can help me worry?" asked Jet, squinting in confusion.
Sydney chuckled. "No, Jet, we can help you stop worrying."
"Oh. How?"
In strangely perfect timing, Celery drove up in the Propulsions' van. "Did I hear, 'help Jet stop worrying?' How would you kids like a nice, relaxing trip to the Moon?"
"We'd love it!" yelled Jet happily. "Sunspot, car trip!" As soon as Sunspot jumped into the van, he winked at Celery, who winked back before starting the takeoff song.
"Five, four, three, two, one!
Doors are shut, engines on
Everybody in their place
Let's go into outer space!"