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The showroom was settling down as the band had just finished practicing, well, except for an awful noise coming from Looney Bird's oil drum.
Billy Bob was tuning his guitar when his ears twitched at the awful noise. Billy Bob was use to it though. Looney Bird always made the weirdest of sounds.
—
Looney Bird squawked in frustration as he rubbed his head against the rim of his oil drum. Boy, did he wish Birthday Bird had come along with them today. She had stayed home because she wasn't feeling well. She always helped him with his pin feathers, being a bird and all. They were driving him nuts! It was that time of year where his feathers had molted the most. Now a lot of new ones were growing back at the same time, making everything more irritating.
Looney Bird peaked from over his oil drum in embarrassment at the horrible sound he made. The others didn't really seem to care. All of them were too busy talking amongst themselves about different show ideas. Rolfe being the loudest one of all with Earl yelling at him for being too much of a nuisance.
What Looney didn't see was Billy Bob watching him in the corner of his eyes.
Then another flash of itchiness caused Looney Bird to make another squawk as he dove back into his drum and scratched the worst pin feather sheath that was ready to come off. Looney bent his head and used his leg to scratch it like a dog. The brittle keratin finally came off and the red bird sighed. He got one but there were so many others he had to remove.
“Looney Bird?”
The bird in question wasn't paying attention, too lost in his own miserable state.
“Looney.” Billy Bob's big claws cranking against the steel barrel made Looney jump in surprise.
“Oh, uh! Hey Billy Bob!” Looney said cheerfully as he could.
“What's wrong Looney?” The big brown bear put his guitar down next to the barrel and looked at the bird in concern.
“I-It's ehh… Nothing! I'm ok!”
“Are you sure…?”
“Yeah! I'm f-fine.” Looney tried to say as he felt the itchiness come back, dammit.
Looney Bird went back into his oil drum but Billy Bob suddenly grabbed his cheek and ran a claw along a pin feather. Looney Bird squeaked, surprised.
Billy Bob quickly let go. “I'm sorry for grabbing you, it's just you look like a little baby porcupine. O-Or a Dragon! Puff the Magic Dragon Hehehehe!” Billy Bob went into a giggle fit.
The big bear would singsong “Puff the Magic Dragon! Lived by the sea—”
“Ok Billy Bob I get it.”
“Sorry. Anyway, what are those little white things sticking out of your fur– oops, I mean feathers.”
“Well, they're called pin feathers. It's newly grown feathers that come up kinda like your fur or Mitzi's hair!” Looney explained. “They're covered in keratin and get they can get really itchy and irritating.”
Billy Bob tilted his head. “But I've known you for a long time, Looney and I don't recall you having these before, maybe I never noticed.” The bear looked saddened.
Looney Bird found his head tilt and Billy Bob caring so much about him to be really cute. “It's ok. I usually had Birthday Bird help me get rid of them. As soon as one popped out and was ready to be removed she got rid of them! We always helped each other with pin feathers.”
“Uhm, like preening right?”
“Exactly.”
“Well, Birthday Bird isn't here right now, Loons.”
“Correct.”
Billy Bob looked around then looked back at Looney. “Hey! Why don't I help you?!”
The bird cocked his head. “Yea?”
“Yeah! With my claws!” Billy Bob giggled.
Looney Bird looked down, not completely sure. He's known Billy Bob for so long, it should be ok but thinking about Billy Bob preening him made his heart pound. Why is he feeling this way about his best friend?!
“O-Ok Billy Bob you can.”
Billy Bob pet Looney's head gently and used the pointy end of his claws to one of the pin feathers, he rubbed his claws together until the keratin around the newly formed feather came off. Looney leaned back slightly as Billy Bob removed more, then he leaned in when he removed some from his cheek.
“Wow Looney, this is really fun!” Billy Bob said and started humming as he removed more. Looney rolled his eyes but he didn't mind it all that much as long as they were getting removed he didn't care.
Billy Bob was lifting up some of Looney's head feathers and saw a really small pin feather, he innocently thought he should remove it like the others.
“OW!!” Looney yelped as Billy Bob dug his claw into one that wasn't ready. Billy Bob gently let go and whimpered “Loons?! W-What happened? You ok?”
Looney scowled, not actually mad at Billy Bob but more at the pain. “You touched one that wasn't ready yet. It really hurts. Luckily it's not bleeding.”
“I'm sorry Looney…”
“It's fine, Billy Bob. While you're at it, remove the one from my tail?” Looney Bird hopped out of his oil drum.
Billy Bob blinked, looking unsure. “You still want me to help after I hurt you?” He was worried about hurting him. Cute.
“Yeah! It feels good. You're really helping me.”
Billy Bob sat down and jolted a bit when Looney Bird just went right ahead and sat in his lap. “I-I U-Uh… Heh…” The bear stuttered.
He just moved on and looked at Looney's tail to find the pin one. Once he found it he began gently removing it. This one was massive because Looney Bird's tail feathers are massive but it was no match for Billy Bob's claws. It made a mess on the floor but he finally removed it all. “There! Looks beautiful Looney!”
He placed his paw on Looney Bird's back and rubbed it.
Looney Bird froze. His body was shaking, his face flushed red. He's had Billy Bob place his paw on his back before even wrapping his arm around his body but caressing it was too much.
“Billy Bob, please don't touch my back like that.”
Billy Bob immediately stopped and lifted his paw up. “What's the problem?”
“Well I… Uh… It just feels really weird when you touch my back like that.” Looney blushed.
“Is it ok if I ask why? I've touched your back plenty of times. Does it hurt?” Billy Bob let Looney Bird get off his lap.
Looney scoffed. “No, no it didn't hurt. Are you really sure you wanna know why?”
Billy Bob looked confused but desperately wanted to know why as Looney's best friend. “Yes!”
Looney Bird sighed “Well it's kinda inappropriate but my back is really sensitive, actually all Bird's backs are sensitive…” He took a deep breath. “...You see rubbing my back like that stimulates my brain and makes it think you wanna uh–” Looney Bird coughed. “Mate with me…” He quickly looked down.
Billy Bob's mouth closed tight and his face became really red in embarrassment and maybe something else.
It was an awkward silence between them until Billy Bob finally broke it.
“OH… Gee… I'm so sorry Looney Bird. I had no idea.” The bear laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck.
“It's ok Billy Bob, I forgive you. Like you said you didn't know.” Looney Bird got up and looked at his tail feathers. “Thanks for helping me out! I don't itch anymore!”
Billy Bob huffed looking more relaxed, his face was still really red. As he made sure to pat Looney Bird's head this time.
“That's good. You're welcome.”
. . .
“Do you think they know we heard all of that?” Beach Bear spoke up but quietly enough so the two in question wouldn't hear.
“What?” Dook said. He definitely wasn't listening.
Beach Bear is not even gonna bother with Rolfe…
Mitzi, who had the biggest ears of the whole band, was not listening… She was asleep, standing up. Beach Bear knew she wasn't having the best time at her waitress job—that and juggling high-school, cheerleading practice, and the band—but how the hell does she just sleep standing up?
His only hope was Fatz. “Fatz–”
“Uh-What Beach Bear? I didn't hear anything!” The gorilla looked away, whistling. “I- uh should probably take Mitzi home—”
Fatz’ pet spider, Antioch landed on Fatz’ shoulder and looked at Beach Bear and started making those weird noises he always makes.
The polar bear furrowed his brow. “Huh?!” Beach Bear leaned back.
Fatz spoke up. “Antioch said he heard it all.”
“Oh. WAIT, how the heck do you even understand him?!”