Welcome to the first drabble! These snippets are set in a real-world AU. Unfortunately they won't be coming in order, but I'd like them to be all together as opposed to separate one-shots, since they're set in the same universe. Not going to lie, I've been inspired by Feesh from Tumblr and some heroes cuties fluff found here on FF. Don't hesitate to let me know if you think I'm bumming their ideas, because that is most definitely not my intention, but I do want this AU to parallel events in the movie. I did borrow Cat Qbert from Feesh, I hope she doesn't mind. I just think it's purrfection. XD
I think I should mention that in this segment they are already dating. Getting to this point is a rocky road for them, and I probably shouldn't have posted this one first, but that's how it's going to be (for now at least).
Sorry for the long AN! Review if you want. :)
Felix never knew you could really use steak for this sort of thing.
He watched Calhoun sink into his sofa with a heavy sigh, the steak pressed gingerly against her left eye. She let her free arm come to rest on the back of the couch and placed a foot on the coffee table in front of them. Poised awkwardly at the other end of the sofa, Felix rubbed his arm nervously.
"Is there somethin' I can do?" his voice was barely audible.
"Nothing ya can do, short stuff." Calhoun winced, the jarring pain in her ribs spiking as she tried to get comfortable.
"I still think we aught to take you to the hospital Tammy," the handyman wrung his hat in his hands.
She smiled at him from beneath the cold hunk of meat on her face. She knew he was worried about her, and upset there was nothing he could have done to stop the occurrence. No one messed with her handyman.
The two of them were at a sportspub, Tamora wanting nothing more than a beer and to eat some chicken-wings with her boyfriend. Felix had been hesitant at first, just because he wasn't a particular fan of bars, but when Tamora assured him they'd get a booth on the family side he acquiesced. They'd placed their orders and were having a nice evening. That's when the ex-Marine became irritated at their MIA server and just wanted another beer. Offering to grab one for Felix too, she'd gone to the bar to get what she wanted.
She hadn't been waiting there for more than a minute before the slime balls moved in. Two hairy, bar-fly types full of sleazy pick-up lines, and Tamora Jean Calhoun would have none of it. The barman was taking far too long with her order, and the idiots had drank one-too-many-enough to not be put off by her angry glare. Usually her military scowl shut them up quick.
Felix had been waiting patiently in the booth for his girlfriend's return. The noise level of the place was pretty high what with the big game on, but it wasn't hard for him to put the angry shout to a name. He looked up to see his Tammy, face nearly purple with anger, shouting obscenities at the burly man whose hand currently cupped her posterior.
"What do you think you are doing!" It wasn't a question. Felix's face was absolutely scarlet with rage. His short legs had crossed the pub in a matter of seconds, his fist connecting squarely with the much larger mans bicep.
"The hell is your problem squirt?" the drunk slurred, shoving Felix so hard he stumbled back into the tall table behind him.
"You putting your HANDS on MY lady!" Felix swung again, but the difference in height was so excruciating the slime ball easily deflected. He swatted Felix's punch like a fly.
Tamora couldn't help but smile at her boyfriend's chivalry, not to mention the fact he'd called her 'his lady'. But Fix-it was fighting a losing battle. She knew he was strong, but she was positive he'd never been in a fight in his life that wasn't between himself and a broken appliance.
That was when the burly fist hit her boyfriend's jaw.
The patrons of the Irish Pub had never seen a brawl quite like this one. In fact, many of them had never seen a brawl at all.
Least of all one involving two muscle-head men and a very slim blonde woman. They regarded in stunned silence as she promptly slammed one's head into a tall table laden with curly fries. The other, though shocked by her at first, went unfazed by her first punch that loosed a tooth. She wailed into him screaming like a banshee, while her short companion fluttered helplessly to the side, torn between fear and joy.
The blonde executed some kind of horrible elbow-breaking maneuver on the assailant, but couldn't avoid as he slammed the butt of his beer bottle into her eye. He landed a punch to her ribs that sent her staggering backwards. Her little boyfriend lurched forward into the fray….
WHAM! Felix brought a stool down with frightening accuracy on the back of the thugs head.
"I just cant believe that lowlife would do something like that," Felix huffed, folding his arms petulantly. He gazed up at his girlfriend, his face coloring angrily. She had one heck of a shiner under the cold cut pressed against her face. Not to mention her bruised ribs.
"It's not the first time something like that's happened to me," Calhoun shrugged-and winced. Seeing the look in his eyes she added, "but no one has ever stepped in for me before." She smiled and he smiled back, puffing up a bit. Her eyes fell on the huge bruise darkening along his jawline and her venom momentarily returned.
She'd obviously made it clear no one was to lay a hand on him. Doubtful she'd ever get him into a sportspub again though. She sighed, the pain in her head hadn't subsided since they'd returned to his apartment. It was so much cozier than hers, and she'd known he'd try to coddle her. it had been quite the battle convincing him she was in no need of a hospital. There was nothing to be done for bruised ribs.
The second he'd unlocked the door Felix had bolted for the icebox, searching for an icepack or bag of frozen vegetables. He'd tripped over his own cat in the process, tongue running a mile a minute with exclamations of worry. Tamora had settled into his couch, suggesting the steak.
Felix swallowed hard, trying to fight down his anger and sense of uncertainty. He had so many conflicting feelings about Tammy getting in a fight. He knew now that she was ex-military, but no clue she was capable of such…violence. He-ever the pacifist-hadn't hesitated to smash a chair against a guys skull, and that bothered him even more. But absolutely no one was going to hit a woman in his presence. Least of all his girlfriend.
"C'mon Fix-it I'm fine! Wipe off the glum face," she nudged him playfully before pulling him close.
His hands fluttered as he tried to resist, clearly worried he would hurt her.
"I'm not that fragile Flix-it!"
He swallowed again. Oh, but she was.
Felix settled against her side, tucking his head against her shoulder. Six foot was darn tall for a woman! Especially next to his measly five-five. "We must have looked ridiculous…." he sighed, thumb tracing absently against her thigh. Calhoun shrugged. She didn't give a rats-ass what anyone thought of them, as long as he was okay with it.
"I wish this hadn't happened to you Tammy…"
"I've dealt with worse." She wanted him to know it wasn't a big deal. The only thing she cared about was him. And that damn bruise on his jaw. He stared up at her, eyes wide and shinny. He looked heartsick.
"Look Shortstack," she sighed heavily, turning in her seat to face him directly. She'd known she'd have to spill it sooner or later, no matter how respectful the handyman was about her past.
"I've been in plenty of fights in my time okay? Much worse than this. You don't get the rank of Sergeant in a man's profession by being a pussy-willow." His gaze said he wasn't about to let it drop, so she went on before he could interrupt. "I had to hold my own growing up. Once you learn how bad the bite is, you don't go near the dog again do you?"
He took her hand, rubbing his much larger fingers over her dainty knuckles. How could such lovely hands form fists like that?
She tried to smile as gently as one could while nursing a horribly black eye. His orange tabby leapt to the arm of the couch and sniffed at the raw steak. She gave up and tossed it on the coffee table. Felix's gasp could've sucked the air from her lungs.
He didn't know. He had no idea she'd never known her real parents, never bothered to know. Didn't know she'd grown up jumping from foster home to foster home, until she made it so much trouble for people they stuck her in some special program and shipped her off to military school. In the end, she'd liked it. It was good for her, just what she needed in her life. The structure, the guidance, the yelling. The hard work. She'd set goals for herself, wanted to become more than a lonely, angry kid. She'd excelled, pissed a lot of her peers off, and found a purpose in her life. Til she fucked that up too.
He reached up slowly, hand cupping her cheek, staring at her swollen skin. There was so much pity staring back at her. She detested pity.
"I'm not afraid to stand up for myself Felix."
"Oh,oh I know that Tammy, I..well I don't mean you cant I just…wish ya didn't have to." His cheeks colored with chagrin.
Tamora smiled. How did she deserve such a sweet, genuine person? She grabbed his collar and tugged him to her, kissing him. She was so gentle, her lips merely ghosting his own. After the sweetest short moment she pulled back. Even with a black eye she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
He tucked his head into his favorite spot, the crook of her neck. She still smelled of curly fries and beer, but underneath that was her wonderful scent-some perfume or cream or natural loveliness he couldn't name. He felt her fingertips grazing through his short hair. It was almost done absently, like one would pet a cat, but not without great affection. He sighed contentedly against her skin.
Maybe he would never know everything. Maybe this glorious woman that fate had sent into his life would always remain a mystery. He found that was alright with him. He didn't need to know more than she was willing to give.
The past was passed, as his father had always said.
All he needed was the now. Her voice, her attention. Her shy smiles and barking laughter and military lingo. He wanted to be with her. There for her, whatever she decided to do with him. He would do anything she asked. It was selfish, he decided, quite greedy of him to desire her affection this way. Felix was a straight-and-narrow sort of fellow. He'd never abused a substance or a person in his 32 years of existence. But…he'd become severely addicted.
He knew he'd never last without his Tammy Jean.
