Omg, summer! Another hectic year of college gone, which means its back to writing fanfiction! :D I'm a bit rusty right now, so bear with me until I get back into the swing of things. ^^
Anyways, this is a story based off an amazing drawing on deviantart by rain1940 (you've heard of her I bet) called May. I wanted to write a fic for her because she's such a great and talented artist. I followed her description very closely because I wanted to convey her specific ideas and vision into words. So, I dedicate this story to her. I hope you like it!
DISCLAIMER: Ideas belong to rain1940 and Toy Story belongs to Disney/Pixar.
Country Magic
This was where she belonged. Open fields stretched out beyond the horizon, clear sunlight radiated through the clean air gently, and a tepid, May breeze brushed against her plastic skin, electrifying her to her core. She never felt more alive and at peace than in the countryside, a place where she spent her first years awake. Jessie could not wait to revel in its natural graces once again.
She arrived the afternoon before with her owner, Bonnie, and several of the girl's other toys to visit her grandparents "out yonder" as Mr. Anderson teased along the way. The suburbs gave way to lush farms in an hour's time and Jessie couldn't help but notice while sitting restlessly in Bonnie's nylon backpack. Woody and Bullseye lit up as the realization hit them as well and they huddled with the cowgirl at the edge of the unzipped corner of the backpack. Buzz, Dolly, and Trixie couldn't help but watch them amusedly, failing to see exactly what got the cowfolk so wired.
Bonnie's grandparent's small, country house certainly made them wonder more. It must have stood for at least a hundred years with the white paint peeling off the sidings and the wooden structures rough from erosion. The thin windows had fogged up a bit and the yellow shutters clanged against them in the breeze. The inside fared no better, as a musty smell filled the air and the wooden floor creaked with every step. Some of the furniture had covers over them and others looked slightly moth eaten. Essentially, the house was a historical masterpiece, meant to keep alive the memories of the past. To a five year old, however, it appeared no less than a haunted house.
There must have been ghosts lurking about.
Although reassured by both of her parents that no ghosts would harm her, Bonnie still felt a pang of fear in her stomach. She gave Buzz the responsibility of protecting her and the other toys from the invisible specters while they slept. The space ranger watched his owner restlessly sleep inanimately from the nightstand, not daring to move lest she woke from a nightmare. The other toys did not rest well either for the same reasons, especially Jessie who glanced at Buzz every chance she could get to give him silent company in his vigil position throughout the night.
Much to their relief, the family woke up early to head out to the country fair in a nearby town. Left to their own devices, the toys decided to inspect the 'haunted house' on their own. Jessie, however, dragged Buzz to the first open window she could find that led to the backyard.
"C'mon Buzz! It's a beautiful day!" She exclaimed as she jumped the short distance to the ground.
"Yes, I agree, but I'm awfully tired, Jess." Buzz sighed, eyes half-lidded. "Can I take a nap first?"
"After a little fresh air! C'mon now!" The cowgirl encouraged, waving at him to come out.
The space ranger pursed his lips and his shoulders slumped, but the excitement lighting up her features brought a smile to his face in an instant. He would never be able to refuse her anything. He leapt off the windowsill, adding on an aerobic flip for show of course. They looked around as the May soothing breeze slid along their plastic once again.
The backyard was enclosed by a white, split rail fence, separating the property from a field of young, green wheat that swayed in elegant waves along with the currents of the breeze. An old oak tree stood in the middle of the backyard, its fresh leaves rustling a tune of spring. Yet, the green brilliance of the grass, healthily grown and sprinkled with white dandelions, drew the toys' attention.
Jessie bent down and brushed the green blades with her hand, proving just as thick and soft as she expected. It wasn't enough for her though. Wordlessly, she leaned on Buzz's shoulder and reached down to her boot, beginning to slip it off.
"What are you doing?" The space ranger questioned.
She delayed her answer. One after the other, tiny plastic feet appeared from within the boots, toes wiggling excitedly. Once they touched the grass, Jessie sighed and a relieved smile graced her lips. Despite the temperate air, the grass felt cool against her feet. She cherished the smooth texture of the silky blades, the springiness of the ground beneath her. Oh, it had been so long since she let her bare feet feel such freedom and delight!
"It used to be one of Emily's favorite things to do when she played with me." Not even that name could hamper her contentment. "Doesn't look like the boots could come off, right? I never took 'em off since I became Andy's toy 'cause I was afraid I would lose them. Now, I only do it for special occasions."
With that, the cowgirl tossed her boots against the house and her scarlet hat followed in a flourish. Free from all constrictions, Jessie turned her face to the sky and breathed in deep, outstretching her arms as if to envelope the scene around her in an embrace. Eventually turning to Buzz, she caught him staring at her entranced, his tired demeanor replaced with wonderment and awe. She grinned teasingly.
"C'mon! Let's go for a run!"
Grabbing the space toy's hand, she raced to the fence. It took Buzz a moment to recompose himself after the surprise start, but soon enough caught up. They raced to see who could lead the other and the game soon turned to tag. They made sure to explore every bit of the vast backyard during their play to leave nothing unknown. Their song of mirthful laughter chased away every shadow, any doubt. For those moments, that serene world only contained two blissful souls.
She didn't know how long they played, but Jessie soon began to feel that familiar sensation of fatigue. Pausing her frolicking, hands on her knees to ease her heavy breathing, she realized the effects of the sleepless night was finally catching up to her. A nap sounded good.
Buzz continued running for at least a minute before realizing the cowgirl had stopped joining him. He jogged to her as she straightened up again.
"What's wrong? Are you ok?" He asked with a hint of concern.
"Oh yeah, I'm great!" Jessie punctuated her statement with a smile. "Just a little tired, is all. Think I'm ready for a nap. You look like you could use one too, Mr. Ghostbuster."
"Heh, yes I'm feeling a bit weary as well." Buzz grinned as he scanned the backyard. "Could we nap outside, though? It's so nice. I don't think Bonnie's coming back for a while, anyway."
Jessie's smile widened.
"Absolutely!" She cheered as she grabbed his hand. "How 'bout under the tree? There's some mighty fine shade there."
As they escaped the afternoon sunlight, the atmosphere cooled slightly much to their relief. It calmed their heated plastic and made the air perfectly comfortable. Even the grass beneath Jessie's feet seemed softer than before.
Reaching the base of the oak tree, the cowgirl sat down in between two roots and leaned back against the trunk, tucking her left foot underneath her right knee. Buzz stood in front of her a bit awkwardly, wondering how he would fit next to her in that position. Jessie just grinned, though, and patted her leg. Eyebrow raised and slightly amused, the space ranger wordlessly lied down on his back. As he rested his head on the cowgirl's leg, Buzz reached up and grabbed her bent knee and hidden foot. She squirmed slightly.
"Hey, that tickles."
Smirking mischievously, the ranger flexed his fingers again that produced another squirm from the cowgirl. She quickly grabbed his hand and held it away from her foot.
"Quit foolin.'" Jessie laughed lightly. "Go to sleep."
Pausing to make sure he wouldn't tickle her anymore after she let him put his hand back on her foot, Jessie leaned against the tree trunk again and closed her eyes. For several moments, all she focused on was the quiet rustle of the leaves above her and the chirps of birds in the distance. Just as she felt herself dozing off, Buzz shifted against her leg. She ignored the movement and tried to fall back asleep again, but the ranger moved again. And again. The disturbances chased away all dregs of sleep to the point where she finally opened her eyes.
Azure eyes met her, wide open and filled with wonder and attentiveness. The emotions in Buzz's eyes had spread to his persona as he tenderly stared at her, a smile gracing his lips. Jessie raised a brow.
"What's the matter, Buzz?" She questioned with a tilt of her head. "There's no way you can't be tired. You were up all night."
"I am. It's just…" The ranger hesitated, glancing away as if embarrassed.
"Just…"Jessie encouraged him to continue.
"It's just, you look just as beautiful upside down." He confessed, his cheeks seemingly blushing. "Especially out here, against the tree, in the grass. You're gorgeous among nature. Now I know why you like the country so much…I'm starting to like it too."
Suddenly, Jessie's toy heart felt too small to contain all the raw love elating from within. Her smile was fit to bursting as she closed her eyes to control her emotions before she became a blubbering mess of happiness. She relayed the compliment in her head, recognizing the adoration and sincerity in Buzz's voice as he spoke it. The country's magic truly did bring out the best in everyone.
Lifting up her hands, Jessie cradled Buzz's head gently as she opened her eyes again. He adorned an even wider smile, then, affection emitting ever brighter from his azure irises. She brushed the blush of his cheeks with her fingertips and traced the corners of his mouth. Leaning down, Jessie pressed her lips against his and, although it felt awkward with him upside down, the passion that passed between them never faltered.
When she finally broke the kiss, Jessie found the space ranger's eyes closed with a blissful smile on his lips. Chuckling lightly, the cowgirl pecked Buzz's forehead and stroked his relaxed face a little bit longer before resting against the tree trunk again. She closed her own eyes just as another spring breeze blanketed them in warmth.
This was where they belonged.