#ethan cloud

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A leaf in the wind ch. 1

A young hooded crow beat and bruised fell to the ground. Looking down at the water in the gutter beside him he spat out some blood. He looked over to the ones who who did this to him

"What, you gonna do just lie there Ethan?" 

Ethan, the hooded crow grinned and got back up "Nah, I'm gonna get up and beat yo punk bitch ass next!" Ethan said as he wiped his beak clean. Popping his knuckles as he looked the other bird over. Angry and ready to let that all out and this guy was just the right punching bag.

"New places to go

I've got to leave

It's time for a show

Here I am, rock you like a hurricane

Here I am, rock you like a hurricane"

Ethan belted out, along to the song playing as he made his way into his new apartment. Putting his load of boxes down and standing in the middle of the living room taking in the fact this was his new home now. Ethan was 22 now and finally making the big step into his adulthood. Moving out from his uncles’ home, after delaying that at least one year more but he was ready now. The place wasn’t much but it had what he needed at least. A single bed room with a connected half bathroom. A small kitchen that was big enough to put a table into. And the rest was the living room area.  It was a bit bitter sweet, to think he wouldn’t be waking up to the sounds of his uncle’s playfully bantering well making breakfast. Wouldn’t be the one to wake up his cousin, Damien because he was out cold from another all nighter. His time of self reflection ended when he felt a box hit him in the back, he looked back to see Damien behind him. 

“Ethan!” He called out “You can’t just space out like that we're trying to get the last of your stuff inside.” the young magpie said, seeming a bit annoyed.

Ethan just turned around and took the box from him as he smiled. “Sorry got side tracked there.”  Walking over to the wall of boxes he placed the new on on the top of the stack. Damien joined him and looked over the boxes labels. 

“Man you have a lot of junk. CDs, movies, one epsiode recorded vhs tapes, music sheets, headphones.” He started reading out loud then stopped “Why do you have a whole box for just headphones?”

Ethan just shrugged. “I just packed up anything that was mine or Uncle Clover and Jason said I could have. Like the VHS tapes, guess they were from when Clover was younger but they are all  random episodes of Mr.Rogers, or Bob Ross” 

Damian was quite a moment as he looked over the boxes more. "Jeez it’s really starting to set in that your not gonna be at home anymore.” Damian said then coughed trying to cover up he said anything at all. “Just..kind of weird to think about. I mean cause you can barely take care of yourself I don't know how your going to make it past a week”

“I’m not that bad, I finally know how to make my ramen noodles the best way.” Ethan retorted like that somehow made sense to prove how much of an adult he was now.

“You still have trouble reading analog, I mean clocks with hands.”

“They are hard! Why can’t all clocks be digital now?”  

“If you can’t read them why do you own one" Damian pointed out as he pulled a wall clock out from the box he had been carrying earlier.  

Ethan just stared at it a moment trying to think about it, then gently rubbed at his chin as he scrunched up his brow in thought “uh so that's what they mean by time catches up to you.”

Damian just stared at Ethan in silence, he had no idea how to respond to that.

“Hey, are two already fighting? Ethan you may be moving out but I will still ground you.” Jason, a hooded crow like Ethan called out from the doorway holding a stack of boxes in hand. He was followed by a king fisher shortly after. Who was only carrying one box himself. 

“Not really a fight dad, more concerned Ethan’s going to die within a week.” Damain said putting the clock away.

“Well that I can understand then. I think it’s more likely to be three days though.” 

“Jason. That's not nice.” The king fisher stated as he walked over to Ethan and Damian. “Ethan worked really hard to earn enough money to finally move out, have some faith in our boy. Though this place isn't the best maybe we should wait another year for a better place to open." 

"Don't even Clover you already got an extra year. It's time to kick him from the nest and fall on his own." Jason said as he set the boxes he had down. 

"Don't you mean fly and leave?" Damien asked.

"Nope adulthood seems all awesome but it is the nosebleed section of your favorite bands concert but you're sitting next to a giant fan. And your next in three years kiddo." Jason said smiling smugly as he did.

"Wow dad thanks I feel the love." 

"Oh don't mind him Damien he's just acting tough but losing Ethan is killing him and it'll kill him again when it's you maybe worse since there won't be anymore kids after you."

“I’m not the one who broke down in the van though.” Jason was quickly fired back with.

Ethan just smiled when watching Clover turn back around to gesture something to Jason. Little things like this is what he was going to miss. Damian bricking with him, his uncle Jason not putting up with it and his uncle Clover trying to be the peacemaker between them all. Not that anything was really ever said with malice, just normal family banter. Taking shots at each other that only they could do. Ethan frowned once everything was settled they would be leavening and this place would be quiet.

Ethan was pulled out his thoughts when he felt his uncle Clover suddenly hug him. Ethan smiled and hugged him back. It was a needed comfort. With his family it didn’t take long for Jason and Damian to join in as well. 

“Man I can’t believe how old you are already.” Jason said being the first to pull away and ruffled up Ethans hair. “Feels like just yesterday you were brought to live with Clov and I. Now you're moving out and jeez I better stop before I turn into a sobbing mess like Clov was.”

“I wasn’t as bad as Damian” Clover said then looked guilty after letting that slip.

Ethan looked over to Damian after hearing that Damian was quick to pull away from the hug and looked at the floor. Mumbling about how he told Clover not to say anything about that.

“I’ll miss you too, all of you but you don’t have to worry I’m still around if you need me. I’ll be fine on my own. I'm not gonna lock myself in the bathroom or anything like that.” 

The other three didn't seem too convinced, but they all just gave him a smile and nodded. Jason then looked down at his wrist to check the time. Clover peaking over to see as well as he frowned and sighed. 

“Well everything is unloaded now we got to get the van back and head back home before it gets late.” Clover added 

“Guy’s it fine, it's not like I'm going away I’ll call you and visit and you guys are always allowed to visit me when you want to.” Ethan tried reassuring all three of them. The uncertain looks not fully fading away but they all smiled at least. 

"Yeah well look before we jet off, we have a gift for you Ethan." Jason said as he looked back to his husband. 

Clover happily held out a warped object to Ethan holding on to Damian the moment Ethan took it from him. Ethan excitedly ripped the colorful paper away and smiled down at his gift. A framed image of his mother. 

"A photo of mom?" Ethan asked looking over the picture.

"Damine found the original and was able to fix it up." Clover said proudly hugging Damien tighter. 

"You don't really have any pictures of her so I thought it. Are you seriously about to cry?"

Ethan just nodded in response as he was tearing up looking at his cousin. 

Boxes unloaded, Ethan walked his Uncles and cousin out. Goodbyes being trading back and forth the whole way out. Ethan kept waving goodbye from the sidewalk. Till the van was long out of sight. Home sickness hitting again but worse he looked up his building finding the window of his apartment. He knew he had stuff to start unpacking and start on this new life, slowly getting that he's on his own. He felt his phone start to buzz and fished it out from his jacket pocket. Seeing a text from his work friend Max, asking about meeting up with him and some of the others from work. That sounded better than being alone in that quiet apartment. 

Being a father was something Ethan never took lightly every since he found out he was going to become one. His daughter Ari had become his world and he adored her the moment she hatched. He would do anything for his little girl, even spend two weeks with little sleep to make sure she was happy.

“You sure youll be fine?” Diana asked again as she was standing in the doorway holding Ari’s hand in her fingers.

“Di it’s not the first time I’ve been left alone with Ari, everything will be fine.”

“You took her to Waddle for a week.”

“And everything was fine, so don’t sweat I have things under control.”

Diana sighed and smiled as she gave him a quick peck on the cheek before finally leaving for her flight. 

At least five minutes after Diana’s cab drove off was all it took for her to get a phone call.

“Diana I don’t have everything under control! Buster the bus isn’t working!” Ethan said as soon as she answered.

“What! What do you mean! She loves buster Stilts!” 

“I know what! Do I do !”

“How should I know?!”

“You normally always do!!”

“Okay hold on let me figure this out.”

Ethan paced around the apartment holding Ari in his arms after making sure to cover the plush bus toy with a tissue. Honoring the fallen friend. 

He nearly jumped when his phone rang at last.

“Okay so I have good news and bad news.” Diana started off with

“Good news please Di.”

“So we can replace, Buster.”

“Ay thank goddess.” 

“Except, it’s gonna be two weeks before it arrives.”

“Que!? Really?”

“I know I know that was the best option though and I couldn’t get them into any sooner. Two weeks took the whole car ride to work out. Stupid Dan and his dumb cheery voice.”

Ethan couldn’t help but smile as he listened to Diana grumble, he looked down to Ari in his other arm and smiled at her. 

“Know what I got this Di, Papa will make sure his little girl makes it through the two weeks.”

“Are you sure? I can work things out and stay home.”

“Di don’t worry I got this, super dad is on the job.”

“Alright...just keep me in the loop alright?”

“Promise if I can’t I’ll tell you A-S-I-P”

“A, Ethan”

“A what?”

Diana just laughed on her end and told him bye.

Ethan smiled at Ari and put his phone away. “Mama’s just over worried we got this you will be just fine your a tough lil girl Mija.” He gave her a small kiss on the top of her head and just smiled when she cooed in response. 

However it did not go well.

Day 1 started the trend.

Ari only slept a few hours before waking up crying, Ethan was quick to check on her. Normally they would give her buster the bus and turn it on to play ‘The Wheels on the Bus’ for some reason she just loved it and it would calm her enough to fall back asleep. That wasn’t an option though. 

 Ethan tried a few things to try and get her to rest. Getting her a bottle did nothing. Rocking her didn’t put her to sleep. Rubbing her back had no result. Her crying just kept going. He really hated hearing her cry. It always broke his heart a little. Ethan didn’t want to but he knew one thing that might work. 

“Alright Mija you win.” He laid her down in her crib and bent down a bit so he could softly sing to her. 

“The Wheels on the bus go round and round.” Soon as she heard the tune she slowly stopped and smiled up at him. “Yes you got papa wrapped around your finger, and I thought I was bad when it came to Mama.” 

Day 3 

Ethan had just finished dressing Ari in her pjs yawning slightly. And rubbed at his eye as she just played with her feet.

“Alright past two nights you got away with being cute tonight though I have a plan.” He said boasting a bit as he picked her up and sat on the couch with her. He turned on the tv and selected a show he recorded. It was from some station with shows made for infants, Diana told him about it over the phone. 

“This one has my lil Ari’s song on it so this will help you rest then it’s off to bed.” Ethan said trying to sound stren in his claim.  

It was a decent attempt but he ended up playing that same episode a couple of times throughout the night. 

Day 5 

“Oh and then Sam run in from the bathroom to the kitchen”

Slam

Ethan had been doing his best not to doze off at the table during his lunch break but the need for sleep won in the end. The shock from the hit woke him up as he glanced up to his friends.

“I mean I was bored of Pendel’s story too but I just tuned him out.” Peter stated simply, only for the seagull to look a bit hurt. 

“Oh no no sorry Pen’s just tried. Ari’s been having a rough week thats all.”

“What's wrong with Ari?” Pendel asked right away.

“She has this toy, that plays wheels on the bus and it helps her sleep but the sound box got messed up. We have another on the way but it’ll be awhile, so i’ve been staying up doing what I can to help her sleep. Singing it to her, watching shows that have it. But it’s not enough for her Buster  could just keep getting to play it, she has to wake me up though.” Ethan sighed a bit 

“Just play it on your phone.” Peter said “You can set up a playlist and just have it loop.”

Ethan looked at the seahawk in awe. That idea was perfect. It worked out really well too. Too well because Ethan was humming the song the following day. 

Day 7 

“I swear it’s stuck in my head if I don’t think it’s all I hear bro!” Ethan said as he looked to Sam, who was in the middle of weight lifting. 

“So if you keep thinking though you won’t hear it right.”

“Hm good point.”

“So why’d you come to the gym in your normal clothes?”

“Oh I have a meeting at Waddle at 12.”

“Ethan it is 12”

“Mierda! Why are clocks with hands so hard to read!” 

Only issue with Peter’s idea Ari wanted to always hear the song and it was keeping Ethan awake the song getting more and more ingrained in his head.

Day 10

 Sleep. Sleep was all Ethan needed and it felt so good to close his eyes resting them for a moment to see nothing but darkness. 

The wheels on the bus

Oh no he thought opening his eyes a bit, he looked down into his lap. Ari was poking at his cell phone, wanting to play the song. 

“Not now Mija '' Ethan said softly as he yawned and looked around. Forgetting he stopped by Sam and Pendels place. The two of them were just starting. 

“Yes?”

“You fell asleep i the middle of talking” Sam said

“Ethan you don’t look too good are you sure you’re getting enough sleep.” Pendel added in

“Yeah yeah I’m fine, forgot to charge my phone so I had to go with old methods for Ari.” Ethan said fondly as he smiled at his daughter.  

The couple didn’t want to argue with that. 

“So when do you get the new buster?” Pendel said as he smiled at Ari who reached out for the seagull to hold. 

“Four more days luckily.” Ethan answered handing Ari over. “Then I can sleep again. Papa Ethan got this.” He slurred a bit before passing out again.

“Don’t worry Penny I’ll go with him.” The eagle added when seeing Pendal’s frown.

 Day 14 

Luckily Sam was there he was able to keep Ethan standing up as they waited in line. Seemed to be a busy day at the store. Sam holding Ari in on arm and using his free one to budge Ethan awake when he would start to doze off. Ethan finally got to the front of the line and let them know he was there for an order placed a few weeks ago. The clerk was happy to go and get it for him. 

Someone in the store though dropped a jar nearby and the sound was enough to make Ari whine. 

“Oh Ari it’s okay” Sam said trying to calm her 

“Ari it’s okay it’s okay.” Ethan added then eyed the clerk as she returned. Quick to grab the toy from her with a small thank you and a sorry to follow up. As he turned and right away gave the new buster bus toy to Ari who stopped crying the moment she saw it. Ethan smiled and turned the toy on for her.

"Wheels on the bus go round and round round and round" he sung a bit as Ari reached for the toy and smiling brightly. "That's my girl." Ethan said turning back to the clerk "sorry about that she's really been wanting the toy." 

The clerk didn't mind and finished up the transaction. 

"Jeez some parents and their spoiled brats"

The dog next to them muttered out in annoyance. Sam got annoyed and was about to speak up in defense but was stopped by Ethan. Giving him a look he never really seen from the hooded crow before. Ethan eyed the dog  next and smiled slightly. 

“What did you call my precious little girl? A spoiled brat?” The dog didn’t answer, just rolled his eyes in response, making Ethan chuckle. “My baby can be as spoiled as she wants' ' Ethan emphasised as he poke at the dog's chest. “So pull your nose out of my businesses and, sam cover Ari’s ears.” Ethan waited a moment then continued “Vete a la chingada.” Ethan turned Sam around and headed out the doors. 

Same looked over to Ethan as they left “You okay bro?”

“No i’m tired as hell.” Ethan said and gently took Ari from Sam turning on the song for her and smiling as she cuddled the plush bus. 

“You normally don’t like getting mad.”