Chapter 6 – Heart to Heart.
As Funshine parked the Cloud Car, Bedtime was brought out with Lotsa Heart and Champ. Thief weakly blinked noting how drowsy he was. He stretched when he got out and walked over to Champ.
	“Here man, I got yours.”
	“Thanks, sports fan! Hey, um, could we possibly chat in private?” Thief raised an eyebrow but looked over as Bedtime and Lotsa got their badges back, with Bedtime deciding to go take another nap. 
	“Yeah, hey Mend, you head back up I’m going to have a one on one with Champ.”
	“Ah, alright Thief. Don’t take too long, I’ll figure out who’ll be on the next mission.”
	“10-4. Alright Champ, lead the way.” Champ led Thief to a basketball court where they played 1 on 1 for a bit.
	“So, I know this may sound crazy but, on your next mission, could you rescue Bright Heart’s badge?” Thief stopped dribbling and looked at Champ.
	“You want me rescuing a specific badge? I mean, it’s technically dangerous given how many are still there. I could probably do a scan but I’d have to be careful.”
	“I’m not asking you to do it without reason, I’d join you on the mission, I’ll help save a badge as well. Bright Heart’s just my little buddy, and I kind of want to see him back to his full color…” Champ sounded as if there was more, but Thief could sense that Champ may not have recognized that yet. 
	“Alright, sure. Let’s go tell Mend and—” The speakers in Care-A-Lot went off.
	“Testing, Testing. All Bears and Cousins, we are putting up the protective barrier for the night. Due to the conditions of this afternoon we are going into a protective state.” Noble Heart’s voice echoed throughout as Champ gave a small sigh.
	“Seems we’re going to be on lockdown until morning. I can see why. Let’s head to the Watchtower, usually we have a meeting there when this stuff happens.” Thief nodded and followed Champ. Once everyone was gathered at the top, Noble Heart and True Heart were standing at the monitors, showing the barrier was up. 
	“Alright everyone, We’re going to be doing these watches as 4 hour switches, 2 people per watch.”
	“If we do this, we can make sure Void Heart’s attacks don’t break the barrier. There will be one of the saved on each watch.” Thief noted how planned it was, having one who would try and fight back would be helpful. Bedtime was set for the first shift, which he sighed about but stretched as Grumpy handed him a cup of coffee. Grumpy put his own mug down, showing he was with Bedtime for the first shift. 
	“Noble Heart, who do you have planned for the second shift?” Mend tilted their head, curious as to who was next.
	“Good question Mend. Goodluck, Swift Heart, I’d like you two on the second watch.”
	“You got it, dad. Me and Swift will easily take care of all this.”
	“Before we all leave, Mend I’d like to assist Thief on the next mission.” Champ piped up.
	“Oh, Alright. I was figuring Lotsa would be able to help.”
	“I’ll do my best!” Lotsa blew her trunk as the others chuckled at her pep. 
	“Mend, Thief, as for your housing options…”
	“I can take care of one of them, True.” Grams walked over with a smile. “I have an extra room they can rest in.” 
	“I can take the other, just like Grams I have an extra room.” Tenderheart spoke up. 
	“Sounds good to me, what about you Thief?”
	“Yeah, same here Mend. Which do you want to go with?”
	“I’ll go with Tenderheart, we were discussing some plans before the barrier was put up.”
	“Alright. Shall we head out Grams?” Thief offered his arm making Grams chuckle as she took his arm as they headed to her house. Grams could tell Thief had stuff on his mind, but she wanted to have him sit down at her place before she badgered him about it. As they got to Grams’ home she opened the door and they walked in.
	“Don’t worry about Hugs and Tugs tonight, Watchful agreed to keep an eye on them. Take a seat I’ll make us some tea.”
	“Sounds lovely, Grams. Your house is very nice. Hm? Oh, who’s this bear with you in this photo? You both looked young.”
	“Ah, that was Gramps, he’s passed on, but he was my beloved. And don’t frown now, Thief, the others have helped fill the hole his passing left. Yes, I do miss him at times, but I know he wouldn’t want me to just mourn forever. Besides, if I feel down this monotone status will get worse, correct?” Grams seemed to know what Thief’s reactions were going to be, with age comes wisdom Thief concluded.
	“Yeah, negative emotions speed up the Monotone status, positive emotions hamper it’s effectiveness and can even make it take longer to affect. Mmm, this tea is divine Grams.” Thief smiled, Grams smiled back before she put her cup down and adjusted her glasses.
	“Now, deary, I do have to say, you are running yourself ragged, are you not?” 
	“So, you could tell. After our last mission, as I got in the Cloud Car, my vision was blurring. The adrenaline was running low and exhaustion was creeping in. I…I’m afraid of what happens if I become exhausted. I’m been thinking of ideas to help but I’m no good at ideas! Mend Heart has been the ideas bear, they’ve got strategy, tactics. All I have is a reckless streak with luck that’s bound to dry up or fail me.” Grams walked over to Thief and sat next to him on the couch and pulled him into an embrace. 
	“It’s ok to be upset, Thief. You already know your shortcomings, but your belly badge didn’t just give you thieving abilities right? Have you summoned anything from it?”
	“Summoned from it…I haven’t tried. Let’s see…Focus…” Thief’s badge began to glow before a small bracelet popped out and landed on the table. The two stared at it before Thief picked it up and examined it, messing with it. As he silently messed with it, Grams could tell he was figuring out how it fully worked.
	“This, it’s the key. It gives someone the ability to do what I do, steal. However, it seems there’s a cooldown on it. Hmm…Ugh, the room was turning a bit. I should probably turn in for the night.”
	“That sounds like a good idea, honey. I’ll wake you up for breakfast.” Grams kissed Thief’s forehead as if he was one of her grandkids and Thief blushed a bit, since he hasn’t had a forehead kiss since he was 8, and he was 26. He headed to the spare room. The room’s bed was nicely made and there wasn’t a speck of dust, must have been cleaned very recently. He put the bracelet on the nightstand and laid down, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep, to rest before the next mission.

Meanwhile, at Tenderheart’s house, Mend Heart could hear Wonderheart whining about having to wear diapers for bed. Tenderheart has explained to Mend earlier about Wonderheart’s bedwetting issues, Mend Heart didn’t mind, Wonderheart was still young herself so they had no reason to see her any different. 
	“Wonderheart, you never do this when it’s just us. Mend Heart already knows as I explained to them about it.”
	“But Uncle, it’s embarrassing for someone else to see me wearing them!” Mend silently glanced over toward the hallway, where Wonderheart was wearing her thick nighttime diaper. Mend’s heart began to beat, despite them trying to slow it down. Secretly, Mend liked wearing diapers. Thief knew but kept it a locked secret between them. Mend decided to walk over and talk to Wonderheart. 
	“Hey kiddo, it’s alright that you still need them. You’ll be grown up and out of them in no time. Besides, everyone eventually stops using them, well unless they have a medical need.” Tenderheart noticed Mend’s lip quiver a bit when they mentioned using them. 
	“You really mean it Mend Heart?” Wonderheart still was nervous Mend would tease her.
	“Of course, you don’t see your uncle or me needing to wear them at night do you?”
	“No, I don’t…”
	“I’ll let you in on a secret, back when I was a kid I had to wear them until I was eight.” Tenderheart noticed the lip quiver again, and inwardly smirked, Mend’s lie was noticeable to his trained eye, but it seemed to work on Wonderheart. He watched as Wonderheart and Mend hugged and Wonderheart headed to bed without putting up her usual fuss. After Tenderheart and Mend watched some TV he turned the TV off.
	“Hey Mend, that story about you wearing until you were eight, that was a lie wasn’t it?” Mend’s ears twitched a bit. 
	“What do you mean, Tender?”
	“Your lip quivers when you lie. It’s slight but noticeable to a trained eye such as mine.” Mend silently cursed themselves, they wanted to keep their lies under wraps. “So, I noticed something I wanted to ask.”
	“What would that be, Tenderheart?”
	“I may be reaching but when you said everyone stops using them, you were lying. Yes you were truthful about the medical needs, but I am going to guess you like to wear them?” The shock in Mend’s eyes that turned to worry wasn’t lost on Tenderheart.
	“W-What do you even mean, me liking to wear diapers? As an adult? That’s a bit ridiculous.”
	“Your eyes betray you. I’m guessing it’s something you do in private, since you weren’t wearing one today. If I’m wrong you can object but if I’m right I’d rather you just say so.” Mend heart started to think, if they revealed they did like wearing what would the overall judgement be of them. 
	“…I do, I like to wear them in private. I was hurt badly in the past, a pain that never leaves my heart. They were the one thing to help me escape the memories and pain. Eventually I met Thief Heart and despite my sneaking to wear, he found out. He didn’t immediately judge me and listened to my story. He accepted me and promised to keep it secret. His friendship helped with the pain, but I…” Tenderheart hugged Mend.
	“There, there, buddy. While it’s not something I’m into, and I am guessing Thief isn’t either, you are still brave to at least confide in me. You’re still Mend Heart, the tactical genius between you and Thief. As long as you just wear privately and it’s only for relaxation and nothing else, I won’t betray you.”
	“Nothing else…Oh yeah, no, I am NOT interested in children that way! If I was to have a partner it’d be a fully grown consenting adult.” Tenderheart laughed with Mend as Tenderheart showed Mend their room since it was getting late.
	“Alright Mend, sleep tight. Wonderheart may come to wake you up in the morning, since I am making breakfast. Grams and Grumpy taught me so I could care for Wonderheart.”
	“Alright, and thank you, Tenderheart, for not immediately seeing me as some kind of creeper or monster.”
	“You’re welcome, Mend. Just keep being your true self and you’ll see the other’s will accept anything about you.” Mend smiled and laid down, realizing they had one other person they had confided in about their secret like. While Mend didn’t like not having any on them for the night, they had more to worry about with the next mission. They closed their eyes, falling into a peaceful sleep.