The room started to light up slightly. He turned his gaze to his clock. 5 am it read. He let out an irritated sigh as he pushed off the covers and got out of bed. "So much for sleeping.." He grumbled to himself as he opened his bedroom door. To his surprise, he saw a big, fluffy creature with purple fur sitting outside his door. His little tail wagged and his ears perked up once the door had opened. "Bartleby?" "H'lo, Phoney Bone."

Phoney rubbed his eyes, trying to keep himself awake. "What're you doing up so early?" The Bone asked with a yawn. "I thought you'd be asleep in Smiley's room." "Smiley said I could rome around th' house while he sleeps if I wake up before him." Bartleby replied. "I know you wake up this early anyway, so I wanted to give you company." Phoncible petted his fuzzy head. "Guess I'm gonna hafta treat you to some early breakfast then, huh? What'd you like?" "Pancakes!" The rat creature answered with a toothy grin. Phoney petted him once more before heading down the stairs. "To the kitchen, then."

After they finished their breakfast, they both sat on the couch and talked for a bit. There was a moment of silence between the two. Bartleby watched the eldest Bone cousin closely he had noticed something this morning about him that he had seen a few times before. Phoney was tired. Dark circles were formed under his eyes and he had trouble stopping his eyelids from flickering shut almost constantly. Not to mention his balance was slightly off, Bartleby had noticed him stumbling a few times this morning.

"Bone?" Phoney turned to his friend, trying to keep his eyes as open as possible. "Yeah, Bartleby?" "Did you sleep at all?" Phoney almost immediately looked away and furrowed his brow at the question. Bartleby's ears lowered at this silent response before he squinted his eyes. The Bone took a drink of coffee before returning his gaze. "What?" "You haven't slept any, have you?" "Bah, wouldn't you like to know." He took another sip of his coffee. "I'll be fine. I've dealt with sleepless nights tons of times before, this ain't nothing new."

As soon as Phoney put his cup down, Bartleby grabbed the star clad Bone and made him lean onto him. "Wuh- Hey! Th' heck are you doing?!" "Sorry Bone, but I ain't gonna let you go until you get some rest." Phoney didn't struggle for very long, he didn't see the use in it. "First my cousins, now you huh?" Bartleby tilted his head to glance at the Bone. "Fone and Smiley do stuff like this when they find out I had a sleepless night." "You need your rest." Bartleby began to say as he nuzzled the top of Phoney's head. "They're tryin' to look after you." "I don't need to be looked after." A slightly stern tone was heard in his voice. "It's my job as the oldest to look after them, and it has been for the past 25 years.." Releasing tension as he exhaled, Phoncible felt himself sink into Bartleby's fur. It was so soft, warm, and comforting. He let his eyes close as he continued. "I don't deserve the same.." "But you do, Bone. You deserve to be taken care of too." Phoney gave a quiet, exhausted chuckle. "Yeah, right. Wish I could believe that.."

Everything was quiet after that. No comments from Phoney or anything. After a few minutes, Bartleby glanced at the Bone to see how he was doing. He was fast asleep. Fone Bone and Smiley were right, Phoney Bone does look rather peaceful when he sleeps. Bartleby took this opportunity to get some rest as well, so he laid his head down on the couch cushion and shut his bright red eyes.

A little while later, Fone woke up. Bartleby's ears perked and his eyes fluttered open as he felt blankets being put on him and Phoney. Fone greeted him with a kind smile and gave him a gentle pat on the head. "Thanks, Bartleby." He whispered, as to not wake up his cousin. Bartleby smiled back at the young Bone as he shut his eyes and drifted to sleep again.