#my bittybones

The pattering of tiny hands on my face roused me from a deep, dreamless slumber. I groaned, hating the feeling of waking up before the alarm had even gone off. I hadn’t even opened my eyes yet, and I was already swearing oaths under my breath to make Red sleep on the floor if he was interrupting me with a heat cycle again.

(hey!)

I don’t know what I expected to see in the subdued, colored tones of my nightlight, but it certainly wasn’t three panicked bittybones, one of whom appeared to be bleeding out of darkened eye sockets. Poor Buttons’ bright blue eyelights had faded away to nothing, and rivulets of blood overflowed his sockets and ran down his chubby little cheeks. Brassy rubbed his back, murmuring words of comfort while Red ran around frantically with no apparent purpose.

I think the sight of blood freaks him out.

(blood does not freak me out. i was just trying to be loud so you’d wake up. duh.)

I scooted carefully out of the bed, pawing at the nightstand, looking for my phone. “Are you ok, Buttons? Can you see at all?”

The small, frightened skeleton clung to Brassy. “No,” he responded in a tremulous voice, trying to be brave and hold back his tears. “It hurts,” he added with a pitiful whimper.

I pressed the speed dial to call Gigi without even bothering to check the time. Buttons needed help now. This couldn’t wait. I lifted the phone to my ear only to find the side of my face wet and sticky. Gross! I must’ve drooled in my sleep.

(you did. a lot. like a drool factory.)

Anyway, I swiped the drool factory detritus off of my cheek as the phone rang. Gigi answered on the third ring with a groggy hello, and I explained the situation as quickly as I could. Buttons had started to cry; his teeny wails were heartbreaking. Once Red had calmed down enough from his fear of blood (nuh uh!), he moved closer to help Brassy comfort their little brother.

(i just wanted him to stop crying because it was annoying is all)

Gigi promised to come by as soon as she could, and I gave her directions while dabbing Buttons’ tiny face with a cold wet cloth. Every time I wiped away the blood, more seeped out to replace it. The sheer amount of it worried me. I began to pace, turning on every light inside and outside the house as anxious energy jolted me to unnecessary action.

What if Buttons fainted? What if he went blind? Had I messed up? Had I done something wrong, failed my new bittybones in some way that would cause him permanent damage? I couldn’t breathe. How long had poor Buttons been bleeding while I slept on, unaware of his plight? How could I be such an irresponsible owner? Tears blurred my vision as I struggled to suck air into my fluttering lungs.

I must’ve been dissociating (you were) because it took several long minutes for Red’s obnoxious shouting to sink in- just one word, repeated over and over as he tried to get my attention.

“Momma! Momma! MOMMA!” Red stood tall, as tall as he could anyway, and glared at me with his tiny hands on his tiny hips. “Buttons is having a panic attack! Maybe you should try singing to him to help alleviate it.” It was a surprisingly good idea.

(surprising? i have good ideas all the time. you just don’t listen!)

I sifted through my extensive list of memorized songs, trying to find something that might placate a child. Focusing pulled me back to a stable mental state. I decided to go with an upbeat song called “Wake Me Up” by Avicii. I sang the song, humming the parts that didn’t require vocals, and my three sweet boys quietly settled onto the bed to listen. Buttons couldn’t see me, but the sound of my voice seemed to captivate him.

(two panic attacks, one stone. you’re welcome)

(Says the guy who freaks out whenever he sees blood.)

(jealous?)

(Of you? Hardly.)

After a few encores, I heard the doorbell ring. Gigi, finally! She stood on the front steps with her Kara bittybones perched on top of her head. I let her in and led her to the bedroom. The concerned Kara bitty launched himself from his owner’s cranium with a happy “Koo!” as soon as he saw Buttons. I guess Kara bittys really enjoy healing others because it drains their excess magic.

Buttons craned his neck, trying to track the source of the noise without the benefit of eyesight. Kara landed on the bed, laying a gentle hand on Buttons’ shoulder so as not to startle him. My two big boys stepped back to let the Kara bitty get to work. Brilliant cobalt magic surrounded Buttons, and the crimson lines streaking his face slowly vanished as his eyelights reappeared, bright, blue, and button-shaped.

“I think you should bring him by the shop for regular healings, at least until you get a Kara bitty of your own,” Gigi commented while we watched Buttons’ miraculous magical recovery. I nodded. as a drowsy but healthy Buttons leaned back against his bigger brothers and went straight back to sleep, snoring softly. A bitty-sized purr sounded from Brassy as he curled up around Buttons protectively.

Red nestled into the blankets on Buttons’ other side. When he thought I wasn’t looking, his small hand snuck out and rubbed Buttons’ teeny skull. Adorable!

(nuh uh!)

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Kara bitty by bitty-fluff