A Reason To Be Grouchy

"A Reason To Be Grouchy" is a mini-story that is part of the EMPATH: The Luckiest Smurf story series.

Story
It is the evening following the return of Empath and Smurfette from their honeymoon, when the couple had just started to settle down in their new house together. Empath and Smurfette were taking a quiet stroll near the edge of the forest when Empath noticed a Smurf sitting by himself, looking rather sour.

"Great Ancestors, it's Grouchy," Empath said. "This smurf senses that he is upset about something."

"Oh dear," Smurfette said. "I wonder what's wrong with him."

"This smurf hasn't seen him much all day," Empath said. "Maybe it would be best if you would allow this smurf to talk to him alone and see what's the problem."

Smurfette nodded, understanding what her husband wanted. "I'll wait for you at the house when you're done," she said before she departed.

Empath carefully approached Grouchy, who sat there still staring in the same direction. "Salutations, fellow Grouchy," Empath said. "May this smurf sit with you so that we could talk?"

"If you insist, Empath," Grouchy said, not looking away for even a second.

Empath sat himself next to Grouchy. "This smurf hasn't seen you much since this smurf and Smurfette returned from our honeymoon. Is there something bothering you that you wish to talk about?"

"I just hate that you're married to Smurfette now and there's nothing that I could smurf about it...not that I even could smurf anything about it," Grouchy said.

"This smurf didn't intend to make you upset by marrying Smurfette, Grouchy," Empath said. "It's just something that this smurf and Smurfette felt that we were ready for, and we did allow for any Smurf to speak up at the wedding to say why we shouldn't be married. This smurf senses that you were the only one who tried to speak your mind, but this smurf is curious to know why you didn't go through with it."

"Well...to smurf you the truth, I don't even know why," Grouchy said. "Maybe it's because deep down inside I really didn't want to hurt you and your one chance to be happy with Smurfette."

"This smurf appreciates the sentiment, Grouchy, though this smurf only wishes it didn't have to come with making yourself feel miserable now that your chance of happiness with Smurfette is gone," Empath said.

"You honestly think that I could ever smurf a chance of happiness with Smurfette?" Grouchy said. "The more I think about that possibility, the more I'm smurfing to realize that we're just two different Smurfs that really aren't meant for each other. I don't even think that she'd want to smurf a lifetime with me, and I wouldn't blame her for it."

"So the two of you have differences," Empath said. "You wouldn't know for sure if Smurfette would have turned you down if you were willing to give yourself a chance."

"Sometimes I feel Hefty is right, that you would be better off smurfing back to Psychelia if that means any of us could smurf a chance of being married to Smurfette," Grouchy said.

"If that would be enough to make you happy and to give you a chance of a future with Smurfette, this smurf would make that kind of sacrifice, Grouchy," Empath said. "But this smurf isn't sure how happy you would truly be if that were possible for this smurf to do for you."

"Yeah, I guess that we would both lose," Grouchy said.

"Whatever you feel about this smurf now, Grouchy, this smurf wants to let you know that this smurf will always consider you one of my closest friends," Empath said, putting his hand on Grouchy's shoulder.

"Oh, who am I kidding, thinking this is going to make me hate you?" Grouchy said, looking at Empath. "You're only one of the few Smurfs that I ever feel comfortable talking to. I don't need to smurf you down into the same pit that I'm in just because I'm so jealous of you marrying Smurfette."

"You're sure that you're going to be all right with this smurf being married to Smurfette?" Empath asked.

"It will smurf some time getting used to it, Empath," Grouchy said. "But I'm not going to smurf this into a problem with you. I just need some time for myself, that's all."

Empath nodded, understanding what Grouchy wanted. He got up and left Grouchy sitting by himself to ponder what he's going to do.

Smurfette greeted Empath at the door of their house. "So Grouchy's upset about you being married to me?" Smurfette asked. "I only wish there's something I can do to make him feel better."

"Grouchy says that he just needs time to get used to how things will be with us now, Smurfette," Empath said. "This smurf only hopes that in time he can find something in his life that will make him happy."

"In the meantime, though, let's focus on the things that will make us happy so that we can make the other Smurfs happy," Smurfette suggested.

"That sounds like very good advice, Smurfette," Empath said, as he took her hand and they started walking off with each other.