FSE

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Bernard sighed, taking a long drag on his cigarette. He held it for a moment, feeling his stress melt away as he savored the smoke. After he found himself satisfied he shifted his seat on the sink counter and exhaled, aiming the smoke at the nearby fan vent. He wafted the smoke with a hand rapidly toward the fan to keep the potent smell from lingering. He let out another sigh as he slackened his stance.

"Fuck, I need to make sure these smoke breaks are closer together." he ran his hand over his ears. " I needed that bad." He shuddered as he felt his relaxation deepen. As he went to take another long drag, the door suddenly swung open. Bernard shot to his feet, throwing the cig to the ground and quickly stamping it.

"Bernard!" A diminutive bear now stood in the doorway, his deep blue eyes glaring at the rabbit and his arms crossed.

The rabbit let out an awkward smile "Howdy Freddy J.W! What are you doing here?," he twisted his foot to further extinguish the butt, hoping Fred wouldn't notice.

Fred Jr. tromped up to the lanky rabbit, until he was only about a foot away. "I could ask you the same thing, this being the women's restroom and all."

The rabbit began to sweat. "O..oh..geeze, didn't realize. My bad boss." He gave a cheesy grin. The short bears glare remained fixed on the rabbit.

"Bernard, I can smell the smoke." He stated flatly.

"Uh...um..." The rabbit stuttered.

"Bern, you know the rules. This is a no smoking restaurant. If you want to smoke you have to take it to the loading dock out back like everyone else."

"Tch..." The rabbit scoffed. "Fred, it's January. I'm not going to stand out there freezing my cottontail off, it's ridiculous." His sky blue fur bristled at the thought.

"Having to field numerous complaints about the cigarette stench from parents and kids alike is ridiculous." The bear broke his glare to glance down. "And you didn't even take the rest of the costume off! You know how much that smoke clings to fabric." Bernard glanced down at the animatronic costume he was wearing. "The last thing we need is kids thinking Rad Rex smells 'yucky', he's supposed to be their idol!"

Bernard glanced over to the sunglasses wearing T-rex head sitting on the sink, then smirked back at Fred. "I don't know, seems like smoking would suit him. He seems like a cool dude." Bernard stated, tugging on the lapels of the costumes leather jacket.

Fred Jr. clasped his bridge and closed his eyes. "Bernie, look. This is the last time I can let you off lightly, next time it's a weeks suspension without pay."

The rabbit looked concerned "Aw c'mon Fred-"

"Don't_'c'mon'_ me Bern! The other employees know you are a childhood friend of mine, they'll start to think I'm giving you preferential treatment if I don't put my foot down!" The bear was tapping his foot impatiently.

"Okay, okay. No more smoking in the bathroom."

"No more smoking in the restaurant at all! Period Bernard!" The bear had his arms crossed again, a stern look across his face.

Bern kept a serious look on his face despite wanting to laugh. The dark brown bear was never tall and imposing like his father. He was actually rather short for a bear, and Bern was unusually tall which made the bear seem even more diminutive. He was also quite stout in a way that made him look about as severe as Santa Claus. To top it all off, Fred Jr. always wore a suit with a bow tie and a little under-sized top hat when not performing in one of the dino suits. Obviously he thought it made him look professional, but to Bern he looked like a little toy that got up from behind the prize counter and started walking around.

Bern pushed the snicker down and finally choked out. "Fine, fine Fred...cool your jets." The rabbit said, as he removed his foot from he smashed butt and scooped up before dumping it in a nearby bin.

The bear's face eased. "Good." He brushed his jacket with his hands. There was a steady moment of silence between the two before the bear spoke again. "Ahem...so with that settled-."

"Oh no." Bern groaned.

The bear continued, looking down " I feel the need to tell you, as your friend-."

"Fred don't" The rabbit put his hand over his face.

"Bern that stuff is going to kill you, you really should knock off the smoking all together." The rabbit turned and walked a few steps away from Fred, clearly annoyed. "I mean, you can do whatever you want with your life. I can't stop you, but I'm just concerned."

"Thanks mom, want me to clean my room too?" Bern rolled his emerald eyes and scoffed. Fred walked over to face him again.

"C'mon, your my best friend. I'm just looking out for you. I'd be kind of disappointed if you weren't able to continue to be a pain in my ass well into our old age." Bernie laughed before sitting back on the counter.

"Pft, please. If I'm not dead by seventy I'll take myself out. I've seen my grandpa, old age ain't pretty. He can't tell the difference between any of my family members anymore." The bear joined him, scooting up on the raised counter with some difficulty.

"Really, sure it isn't a rabbit thing? Keeping track of all those kids must be impossible." Bernie laughed again, giving Fred a playful punch in the arm.

"Oh go rub up against a tree Winnie the Pooh." The two chuckled lightly then fell silent. After a few moments Bernie sighed.

"Things have just been kinda rough at home lately. Mom's been on my case about focusing on getting a 'real career'." He said, grimacing sarcastically while using air quotes. "It's nice that your friend Fred got you a job at that pizza place, but it's time to grow up. Being a famous musician is not a realistic goal. If you spend all your free time working on that pipe dream, you'll never work anywhere other than that run down little place." Bernie mocked his mother.

Fred Jr. crossed his arms. "Hey, this place is not run down. I run a tight ship here. You try finding a cleaner family restaurant I dare you!" Fred said indignantly.

Bern smirked. "Yeah, we haven't had a single kid shit in the ball-pit in over two months." Fred couldn't help nut chortle. "Mom and Dad don't really appreciate my music. I don't think they ever will." He shrugged.

"Neither do I, but I wouldn't stop you." Fred joked, earning another punch in the arm.

"Seriously though, if I give up on my dream what's the point of doing anything else? Getting a crap office job, getting married and popping out six to twelve rabbits? Yeah there's a life worth living. Haunted by the dreams I could never reach." Bern paused. "Haunted by the dreams I can never reach', that's a good lyric. I need to write that down." He mused.

Fred Jr. looked at his friend. "Hey, better to keep trying and never making it, then to stop and always wonder what could have been." He patted Bernie on the back.

"Right? There's more to life than just living and eating and fucking and dying. Otherwise what separates us from our feral relatives? Might as well just not even be aware we exist." Fred Jr. hopped off the counter

"That's how I see it, although...not put quite as colorfully as you put it." He laughed. "Unlike the cigarettes, I can support your goal. I believe you can be a fantastic musician Bernie, just keep working at it. "

Bernard slid off the counter, placing a hand on Fred Jr's. shoulder. "Hey, thanks man."

Fred shrugged. "What are friends for? Now come on, you got kids to entertain." He waved a hand towards the dino head on the counter.

"Gods, nag, nag, nag that's all you do." Bern laughed, grabbing the head off the counter. "I'll uh...try to start cutting back on the cigs." Bern said more seriously. Fred Jr. simply smiled as the two began to walk to the bathroom exit. As Bernard put the mascot head on, Fred Jr. turned to him once more.

"Hey Bern, one more question."

"Shoot." Bernie said, muffled behind the costume fabric.

"Why were you smoking in the ladies room?"

Bernard put a hand on the door. " And smoke in a filthy men's room? No way. I'm a man, I know what goes on in there." Fred Jr. simply chuckled as the two entered the restaurant.