A/N: St. Patrick's Day is one of the strangest holidays to write a one-shot for. So I'm not really sure why I attempted it. :D Well, that doesn't matter now – here it is! Hope you like it.
St. Patrick's Day Pinches
It was St. Patrick's Day, both at Condor Studios and most of the rest of the world. The difference was, however, that Condor Studios showed it in an extremely obvious manner.
The cafeteria alone was covered with green paper and plastic shamrocks, not to mention the leprechaun hats that everyone from each show was forced to wear as studio policy. Some wore their hats with pride, juvenile as they were. Some didn't wear them at all, knowing that the humiliation of being seen in public with such a hat was far worse than being glared at by those who were too cowardly to forgo the hats. After all, Mr. Condor hardly ever actually checked on these kinds of things.
"Hi, Chad!" Sonny was happy again. Too happy. What was her problem, anyways? And why was she coming to him? Chad looked around the cafeteria. It was strangely deserted. That was odd...but then again, everyone was probably just trying to get away from all the green in there.
"Sonny," Chad replied, turning his head (unadorned by any ridiculous headwear, thank you very much) to face her as she tapped his shoulder. She, of course, was wearing her hat. Not to mention that she was entirely bedecked in various shades of green from head to toe. "Whoa."
"I know, right?" Sonny grinned with delight. "Isn't it awesome? I'm so glad they gave us these hats, too!" Chad's hand immediately went to his hatless head in slight embarrassment. "Wait a second. You're not wearing your hat!" Sonny gasped. "In fact..." she did a quick once-over of his outfit, "you're not wearing any green at all!" Without waiting for a response, Sonny pinched Chad on his forearm, which was resting on the table.
"Ow!" he protested in pain. "What was that for?"
"It's St. Patrick's Day, Chad! You can't tell me you didn't know. Everyone wears green on St. Patty's Day or they get pinched!" Sonny reminded him.
"But why?" Chad persisted, requiring a valid reason.
"Well - well, I don't rightly know," Sonny admitted. "But it's a tradition." She pinched him again. Just as she was pulling her hand back, however, Chad grabbed it.
"If you're going to be pinching me, Sonny, you better have a good reason for it." Sonny struggled to get her hand free, but Chad held it fast. "Sonny? A reason, if you please."
"I - don't - have one!" Sonny squirmed before giving up. Chad was stronger than she had thought.
"Well, I know." Sonny's eyes widened.
"You do?"
"Of course I do. I'm Chad Dylan Cooper, how could I not know something?" Chad smirked at her.
"Then why did you ask me?" Sonny asked, tugging on her hand ever so slightly. Chad squeezed it tighter.
"Because I was testing you. You failed, by the way. F minus." Chad grinned, launching into an explanation. "The tradition of pinching people who didn't wear green on St. Patrick's Day began in the early 1700s, in Boston. People thought that wearing green made them invisible to leprechauns, who pinched anyone they could see. So people would pinch those who were not wearing green to warn and remind them of the leprechauns."
"Really?" Sonny was impressed.
"Of course. Would I lie to you, Sonny?" Chad put a finger to her lips as she opened them to respond with an emphatic yes. "Shhh. I don't need to hear it. I already know the answer."
"Oh, of course. Because you know the answer to everything, don't you, Chad?" Sonny rolled her eyes.
"Well, I don't mean to brag..." Chad grinned. "Maybe I do. But anyways, I knew why you were pinching me when you didn't even know. That deserves a pinch for stupidity." Chad pinched Sonny quickly before she had processed what he was saying.
"Chad!" Sonny yanked her right hand out of his grasp so she could pinch him back.
"Sonny!" Chad mimicked before being pinched once more. "Hey! You can't pinch me!"
"Well, now I know why I'm doing it, don't I? Watch out for the leprechauns, Chad!" Sonny shrieked as Chad pinched her. The two began pinching each other all over the arms until they were both out of breath.
"Stop, stop," Sonny gasped, clutching her stomach. "Can't - breathe - "
"My arms! They're going to be all bruised!" Chad rolled up his sleeves to inspect his arms.
"Well, so will mine!" Sonny shot back, copying his motions. "That was so stupid!"
"But you've gotta admit, it was kinda fun," Chad smiled.
"Well...I suppose. But it would have been more fun if my arms didn't ache afterwards," Sonny agreed.
"But you learned something new," Chad added, pointing to himself as if to say he deserved all the credit.
"Yes. I learned not to pinch Chad Dylan Cooper if I don't know what I'm getting myself into." Sonny's signature grin appeared.
"Agreed. I'm going to wear short sleeves as long as these bruises remain, too, to remind me to wear green next year when everyone stares at the bruises."
"Same here. To remind me never to get into a pinching fight with you again."
"Good."
"Good."
"Good."
"Good."
"So we're good?"
"Not yet. One more pinch, Chad. Just one." Needless to say, "just one" became another full-blown pinching fight.
***
Everyone was surprised the next day when they saw Chad and Sonny sporting identical bruises all over their arms. The two "injured" teen stars, however, simply smiled at each other knowingly before going on about their business as usual. Neither of them could wait for the next St. Patrick's Day.
A/N: The reason that Chad gives Sonny is not mine. It's from WikiAnswers. :P Review?
