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It was a day like any other when Boober caught some weird fever, one he'd never heard of or read about in all his life.
It was when his good friend Wembley was visiting, helping him with the laundry.
It started when Wembley smiled at him, real wide with glowing eyes- and Boober's heart started beating real fast.
Then came the compliments, "Oh Boober, you're so good at laundry! It's really admirable how you can appreciate things even if other fraggles don't," and, "Y'know Boober, I really like your hat and scarf! Really brings out your bright red hair!" And, "Your cooking is so good, too! I didn't get a chance to tell you yesterday, but that giant rotisserie radish you made for our picnic was perfect!" If it were anyone else, Boober would have thought he was being sarcastic, but Wembley was too nice a guy to make fun of anyone. Boober started to feel... warm.
Then when he left- that was the real kicker. He hugged Boober right before going out the door. And not that he didn't like it- but it made his knees feel shaky. He needed to see someone about this- and fast.
He decided to see Gobo. Being Wembley's older brother, he probably knew what was going on. He went to their cave that evening to talk.
"Hey, Gobo," Boober said, walking in on Gobo while he was playing his guitar.
"Hey Boober," Gobo said, putting his guitar down. "What brings you here?"
Boober scratched his head. "Well, uhh... is Wembley home?"
"No, he's at work, the fire team still hasn't figured how to start a fire. He'll be home in thirty minutes if you wanna see him."
"No, actually I came to see you, Gobo. It's about Wembley. Has he been acting... strange, lately?"
Gobo smiled knowingly. "Not that I've noticed," he said. "Have you noticed something strange about him?"
"I think-" Boober started, "and I don't mean to accuse him, but I think he got me sick."
Gobo's smile faded suddenly. "Oh yeah? What do you think he got you sick with?"
"That's just it! I don't know!"
"Well, what are your symptoms?"
"My heart rate skyrocketed when he first came into my cave this morning, but he seemed fine. He was smiling."
Gobo smiled again. "Yeah, and what else?"
"He made me feel warm, like I was running a fever!"
Gobo smiled wider. "What was he doing when you started feeling your fever?"
Suddenly Boober felt like he was running a fever all over again. "He was uhh... saying... nice things to me."
Gobo decided not to ask exactly what Wembley said, lest he risk busting out laughing. "Okay, any more symptoms?"
"Yeah, just one more- he made me feel weak. I was trembling in his arms!"
"In his arms?"
"Yes! He hugged me!"
"And that made you weak?"
"Have you been listening to me?"
Gobo couldn't help it, he burst out laughing. "Boober- I don't think he got you sick!"
"What is so funny!?"
Gobo tried to stifle his laughter. "You're not sick, I swear! But you seem stressed... maybe you should see Red and Mokey? I'm sure they can explain the problem better than I could."
Boober let out a short sarcastic laugh. "Ha-ha! And what, pray tell, exactly is my problem?"
Gobo stiffened. "Well, I don't mean to jump to any conclusions, cus I only know as much about love as the next fraggle-"
Boober's jaw dropped. "You think I'm I'm love!? With Wembley!?"
"Oh, yikes. This is why I wanted you to go see Red and Mokey. See, they were able to explain it to Wembley-"
"When he was in love with Lou, I know!" Boober grunted.
"No, Boober, he's in love with you!" As soon as Gobo said it, he deeply regretted it.
Boober felt himself feel warm again, but then started to tear up. "Stop making fun of me!" He shouted. Suddenly he stormed out of the room, shivering and crying.
He couldn't believe this! Gobo, his trusted friend, and best friend's brother, had the nerve to make fun of him and play with his feelings- while he was sick, no less! While Wembley was at work, he had only one trusted fraggle left to turn to. Hopefully she wasn't too busy.
He rushed into Mokey and Red's cave, no longer crying- but still shivering. "Mokey!" He cried, running toward her as soon as he saw her, ignoring Red.
"Boober? What's wrong!? Have you been crying?" Mokey asked, recognizing Boober's shakiness and wobbly voice.
"Oh, Mokey! The most terrible thing just happened! I got sick- and, and, Gobo was making fun of me, and it's just been an awful day since Wembley left!" He cried, throwing his arms around Mokey.
Mokey looked from Boober to Red, with a worried expression. Red opened her mouth to say something, but quickly decided not to. Mokey looked back at Boober and hugged him gently. "Shh, shh... start from the beginning, Boober, and tell me again what happened, okay?"
Boober sniffed. "Well, first, Wembley was visiting me, and he got me sick. Not that I blame the little fella, he probably didn't know he was sick in the first place. So I went to see Gobo, to ask him what Wembley might be sick with, and- gosh, it sounds so silly when I say it out loud..."
Mokey shushed him again. "No, go on, Boober, tell me what happened..."
"And he told me that I wasn't sick. He told me to come see you, and I asked him what the problem might be. He said that- that I was in love with Wembley, and that he was in love with me!"
Red stuttered, but closed her mouth again when Mokey gave her a stern look. "Well, that's quite a lot that's happened, huh, Boober?" She said, letting go of him and handing him a handkerchief.
Boober blew his nose and dropped the handkerchief. "Y-you don't believe me, do you?" He sighed, looking at the ground.
Mokey ruffled his hair. "It's not that I don't believe you, Boober, just tell me- do you feel sick right now?"
Boober looked up at Mokey. "N-no, just sad..."
Mokey nodded. "Right- and did you feel sick around Gobo?"
"Not really... mostly just angry."
"So, you only felt sick around Wembley?"
Boober started to fidget with his tail, and thought. He was sure Mokey was trying to suggest the same thing as Gobo, which almost angered him again, if Mokey wasn't so gentle about breaking the news to him. He also figured if Gobo and Mokey thought he was in love with Wembley... maybe... Well, it made sense, right? He always thought the little guy was kind of cute, and besides Mokey, he was the nicest fraggle he knew. He was always helping with the laundry, complimenting his cooking, and always giving the sweetest hugs. Boober started to feel warm again, just thinking about it.
Mokey hummed. "Boober? Are you okay?"
Boober's throat went dry. On second thought, maybe he was sick. Maybe... both possibities were true. Only one way to find out... he needed a third opinion. He wanted to save it as a last resort, but she was the wisest being any of the fraggles knew.
He gulped. "Can- can you and Red take me to see the Trash Heap, please?"
Mokey smiled, glad to see that Boober seemed to be taking the news well. "Sure Boober, c'mon you two!" Mokey started for the exit of the cave, and Red let out a breath she was holding in.
Boober led the way to the exit of the cave system, but he could still hear Red and Mokey behind him. They were giving each other compliments, and talking oh-so-sweetly to one another. Every fraggle in the rock knew Red and Mokey were in love, but Boober slowly began to notice that the way they spoke to each other was hardly any different from the way he and Wembley spoke to each other. He started to feel warm again, and held on tightly to his own tail.
When they reached the hole leading to the Gorg's garden, Boober let Mokey and Red lead the way out, though he followed close behind. He noticed then, that they had been holding tails. Huh. He and Wembley did that all the time, he wondered if it was a couple's thing to do.
Before Boober knew it, they were through the Gorg's garden and standing right in front of Marjorie the Trash Heap and her rats, Filo and Gunge.
Filo spoke first. "You are in the presence of-"
Gunge spoke next. "The aw-ll-knowing-"
The rats spoke together, "Trash Heap! Nyehh!"
Marjorie then spoke, "What seems to be the trouble, young fraggles?"
Boober stepped forward. "I- I think my friend Wembley got me sick, but I'm not sure what disease we have, and now I'm worried. I asked his brother Gobo what he thinks we have, and he said we weren't sick- just in love! I felt like he was making fun of me."
"Ah yes," the Trash Heap sighed, "first love can often make young fraggles feel like they are sick, I've learned."
"But... I'm not even sure if I am in love! What if I really am sick? I don't know what I'm sick with! And Wembley is sick, too!"
Marjorie smiled. "I saw your friend just yesterday, he didn't seem sick at all."
"Wembley was here?" Boober asked. "What did he need help with?"
"I cannot tell you, because he plans to tell you himself."
Boober's tail wagged involuntarily. Whether he got him sick or not, no matter what Wembley wanted to tell him, Boober was always excited to see him. "Really? When?"
"Tonight. Speaking of, the sun is setting. You had better go see him now," the Trash Heap said with a wink.
"Yikes! She's right! We're gonna be late for supper!" Red remarked, looking at the sky.
"Thank you for your wisdom, Trash Heap!" Mokey said.
"Yes, thank you, Madam Heap!" Boober repeated, waving goodbye.
The three fraggles wasted no time rushing through the Gorg's garden to get back to the rock, this time, with Boober leading the whole way back. When they got back, Boober thanked Red and Mokey for their help, and rushed back to Wembley and Gobo's room. Wembley had to be back home by now, he just knew it! His tail wagged again when his ears picked up Wembley's voice, and drooped when he registered his angry tone.
"I can't believe this, Gobo! You knew I was gonna tell him tonight!" Wembley pouted.
"I said I was sorry, Wembley! And what would you have wanted me to say, anyway? The guy was a mess!" Gobo retorted.
"Oh yeah? Well... well... I'm too mad to talk to you right now!" Wembley shouted before storming out of their cave- and bumping into Boober.
"W-Wembley!"
"Boober! I uhh... I'm sorry! I didn't see you there!"
"I-it's okay! I didn't see you either! Heh..."
They stood together in silence for a moment, feeling too stupid to say anything. Then Wembley smiled at him again, and Boober felt all of his symptoms return in full force.
"Say, what uhh, brings you to my room, anyway, Boober?" Wembley asked.
"Oh," Boober said, taken by surprise. "I just missed you, is all!" He said, suddenly stepping forward to give Wembley a hug. His boldness surprised even himself, but that didn't stop him from noticing how he felt Wembley trembling, and how his heartbeat matched his own.
"Gee, Boober," Wembley said, hugging him back. "You make me feel a little warm, heh..."
Boober pulled back so quickly that Wembley nearly stumbled over, but he caught him. "Say... you're not running a fever, are you?" He asked urgently.
"No, but uhh... that's just what I wanted to talk to you about. Gobo told me about your visit, and... I feel all the things you do, too, but- I only feel them around you."
"Huh..." Boober said simply. "And I... only feel these symptoms around you, too."
Wembley smiled once more, and Boober was reminded of the shining sun. "So that means..."
"We're sharing one weird virus, oh yeah!" Boober knew it wasn't true, but still, he couldn't help saying it.
Wembley laughed. "No, Boober! Gobo was right! I told him all about it!" He grabbed Boober's hand and placed it near his heart. "I love you!"
Boober felt like crying again, though he didn't know why. He wasn't sad, not at all! Nonetheless, he whispered back, "I love you, too."
From inside Gobo and Wembley's room, Gobo had picked up his guitar again, and played a romantic tune. "See, Wembley? It all turned out okay, didn't it?" He whispered to himself.