𝖠𝖣𝖠𝖯𝖳𝖠𝖡𝖫𝖤 𝖥𝖠𝖬𝖨𝖫𝖸
(𝖡𝗒 𝖭𝖾𝗎𝗋𝗈𝖥𝖺𝖻𝗎𝗅𝗈𝗎𝗌) Pt. 6
Plankton snores
softly, his antennae
twitching slightly with
each breath. Chip can't
help but watch him, the
snores reminding him
of the moments they
shared the night before.
Karen keeps her eyes
on the road, her mind
racing. She's proud of
how Plankton's trying
to be more open about
his condition, but she
knows how much effort
it takes for him to do so.
And she's equally proud
of Chip for his own
understanding and love.
Plankton slept as they
finally pulled up to the
hotel parking lot that
evening. Karen looked
back at them.
"Wake up, sweetie,"
she said gently, her
hand on Plankton's
shoulder. "We're
here."
Plankton's antennae
twitched slightly, but
his eye remained closed.
"Mmph," he murmured,
his hand moving to
cover his face. Karen
smiled. "Come on, Plankton,"
she urged. "Chip's eager to
see the hotel." She shakes
his shoulder gently.
He jolts awake, his
eye shooting open.
"What?" He asks,
his voice groggy.
Chip laughs. "The hotel,
Dad!" He says. "We're
here!" Plankton
blinks rapidly, trying
to clear his vision.
He's embarrassed
that he fell asleep in
the car, embarrassed
they had to wake him
up. He sits up too
quickly, his antennae
straightening out. "Oh,
right," he says, trying
to cover discomfort
with a forced smile
as Karen got the bags.
Entering the hotel, kids
were everywhere, even
though the fair's not
tonight. Parents were
chatting in the lobby
as contestants mingled.
Karen noticed Plankton's
discomfort immediately,
his grip tightening on
her hand. "Let's get to
our room," she says,
checking in.
The room is a typical
hotel suite, clean and
impersonal. Plankton
looks around, his antenna
twitching. Chip bolts to the
window, his eyes wide
at the view of the city
scape. "Wow, Dad, look
at the lights!"
Plankton's gaze
follows Chip, but
his mind is racing.
He's overwhelmed.
Karen sees the
look on his face.
"Why don't you sit
down, Plankton?"
He nods, his
body moving
mechanically to
a bed by the
wall. Karen
got his travel
bag of sensory
items and fidgets.
"Thank you, Karen,"
he murmurs, his
body rocking
slightly. She nods,
understanding as
she gets out his
rod blackout curtain
to set-up around
Plankton's bed.
Chip watches
curiously as
his mom
hangs it up.
"Why a curtain,
Mom?" he asks.
Karen then
explains, "It's
to block out
the extra light
and muffle the
sound. It'll help
Dad feel more
comfortable."
Plankton nods,
his body relaxing
slightly as the
curtains are drawn.
Chip nods,
his curiosity
piqued. He
reaches and
pulls out a
small, squishy
ball from his bag.
"This helps?" He
asks, holding it.
"Don't!" Plankton
snaps, his voice
sharp as a knife.
Chip's hand
freezes mid-air,
his eyes wide with
surprise and
hurt. "But you said-"
"Chip," Karen gently
interrupts, seeing the
hurt on her son's
face. "Those are Dad's
special things. They're
not toys for everyone."
Chip looks down, his
hands dropping.
"I'm sorry, Dad," he says
softly, his voice thick with
disappointment. "I didn't
know." Plankton's antennae
droop, guilt swamping him.
"It's okay," he mumbles,
his voice tight. "Just...
please, respect my space!"
The room is quiet
except for the distant
hum of the city outside.
Karen sets up his bag
on the bedside table,
her movements
calm and precise.
Plankton takes the
squishy ball, his
fingers digging into
the soft material.
He starts to bounce
it slightly, the
rhythmic motion
helping to ease
his nerves.
Karen gives him
a knowing look,
sitting next to him
on the bed. "Let's
tell Chip what
you're feeling?"
she suggests.
"It'll help him
underst--"
"I don't know
how!" Plankton
interrupts, his
frustration clear.
He throws the
ball onto the
carpet. "I don't
know how.."
Karen's expression
softens. "Plankton,
you just need to tell
him how you feel." She
takes his hand in hers.
"He loves you. He just
wants to help."
But Plankton's on the
verge of a meltdown.
Chip's eyes widen as
his father starts to
rock back and forth,
his hands flapping
slightly. He's never seen
his dad like this before,
and it scares him.
"Dad, what's happening?"
Chip asks, his voice
quivering. Karen steps
in, placing a hand on
Chip's shoulder.
"Remember, Chip; your
dad's stims are personal,"
Karen says gently. "They're
not for us to take or use
without his permission.
Just because we know
about them, doesn't mean
we should invade his space."
She looks at Plankton, her
eyes full of empathy. "It's
alright Plankton, you can
keep doing what you need
to do," she adds.
Chip nods. "I'm sorry,
Dad," he whispers. "I
didn't know."
Plankton keeps
rocking. "So much...
stuff. Too much...
stuff." He murmurs.
Chip nods. "It's
okay, Dad. You
can do your st-"
"Don't!" Plankton's
voice cracks, his
stims increasing.
"It's mine," he snaps.
"Just for me!" His
body rocks faster, his
hands flapping more
in agitation.
"It's okay, Chip," Karen
says softly, her voice
steady. "Let him have
his space."
Chip nods, his eyes
still on his father.
He can see the
tension in Plankton's
body, the way his
hands move.
He's never seen
his dad so lost in
his own world.
He sits down on
the bed. He wants to
help, but he doesn't
know how.
Karen wraps her
arms around Chip,
pulling him into a
hug. "It's okay,"
she whispers. "Dad's
just overwhelmed.
But those stims are
for him. They're his
way of trying to make
sense of the world."
Chip nods. "Can I
get a fidget sensory
toy from hi-"
"NO!" Plankton's
voice cracks like a
whip, his eye
snapping to Chip.
"It's not for you to
touch!" Chip's eyes
drift to Karen.
"It's okay, Chip,"
she soothes, her
voice a gentle
whisper. "These
are Dad's
personal tools
for managing his
moments." She
gestures to the
sensory bag
on the adjacent
nightstand. "We
respect that."
Chip nods slowly,
his gaze still
on his dad's
twitching antennae.
He feels a pang
of sadness, a
desire to fix what
he can't understand.
"I just want to
he--"
"NO!" Plankton
suddenly shouts,
his antennae
straightening. "You
don't know! You can't
know!" His voice
shakes with rage,
his body trembling.
"You can't just...
take my things and
use them like they're
yours!" His hands
slam the bed as
Karen quickly moved
between them, her
hands up.
"Plankton," she says
firmly, her voice
calm. "You're
upset. It's okay.
We're here for you."
But Plankton's
seething now, his
breaths quickening.