Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: Linka and Wheeler have been getting closer and closer each day…and what makes it better than having their rooms right next to each other.
A/N: It gets so frustrating when I open this CP fic page everyday and there are no new stories to read or updates to catch up on….so I decided to try and stop the trend. Maybe others will follow with updates and more new stories.
"Hey, who wants to split a Toblerone?" , Linka asked happily on the floor of the common room as they all gathered around to watch the latest season of one of their favorite series.
"Gee, Linka, when did you start doting on chocolate?"
Wheeler asked, sliding off the couch to arrange himself by the Russian, all the while pleased to have a chance to be close to her.
He treasured these moments, when she let down her guard and acted friendly towards him. They had stayed together as planeteers for the past three years now and had all learnt about each other's flaws and shortcomings as well as their strengths.
But Wheeler had not been able to still crack the code to Linka. Growing up in New York in his not so pleasant past, he had been able to get any girl he wanted with his charming looks and catchy accent. Girls just practically fell at his feet. So when he had met Linka when they were recruited by Gaia and she responded differently to his moves, he had felt challenged and even more enthusiastic about winning her over. But he had failed miserably, Linka not expressing any more feelings for him than she would the other team mate and as reticent as ever.
He had learned that to win her over though, he had to be a whole new person; change from his somewhat coarse behavior. But he liked who he had become, albeit still not perfect. He admired his sense of altruism and sensitivity. Linka had told him he had had all those qualities within him all this while but his unfortunate situation while growing up had made him up into the supposed tough bad guy back in Brooklyn.
It had been close to six months since he noticed the change in Linka. Her touch lingered just a bit more when she had to hold his hand for whatever reason and she didn't shoot him down when he flirted with her. The other planeteers had also been a factor in Linka keeping up a friendly attitude with Wheeler over this period..a record for her, and Wheeler was most impressed with Gi who was known to meddle in affairs pertaining to their not so tangible romance.
Wheeler recalled the one and only time Linka had given him a real kiss, unlike any other they had shared; forget about the short thank you kisses, most of which had been insisted upon by Wheeler himself.
Wheeler had been abducted by Blight and her goons on one hectic mission they had embarked upon a couple of months ago. For close to a week, they could not trace Wheeler nor Blight's men and that had been the most miserable week for the planeteers but most especially Linka. Mati couldn't reach him either with his power. She had cried every single night and the rest had taken turns in comforting her and whispering to her about how Wheeler wouldn't want her to do that. She had even gone off food for a whole day.
Their breakthrough came though when they traced Wheeler's ring, hidden in a hole in a tree by accident. Linka had been able to use it so they had called Captain Planet who found him and brought him to them.
He was pale and his eyes were sunken in, but managed a look of strength even as he braced himself for Linka's expected hug as he was dropped on the shores of Hope Island. The kiss was unexpected though. She had ignored the presence of everyone, something very unusual, and engaged him in a heart-warming embrace as she lunged herself into his waiting arms, bitter sweet tears falling from her eyes and of course, Gi's.
After the two had separated, the rest had all gathered round to hug him and welcome him back. That evening, Linka hadn't left his side, even as he narrated his ordeal to them in the Crystal Chamber. And when it was time for bed, it was obvious to Wheeler that she was having an internal battle to stay with him. He would have loved the company and the reassuring warmth but he hadn't pressed her.
A few months down the line, the mood between him and Linka hadn't gone from good to bad, which was very impressive...
"Earth to Wheeler", Linka said as she noticed that cute smile on his face, the one which he showed when he was reminiscing.
"Have you heard anything I have said at all?" she inquired, a smile forming on her own lips.
"No, I bet he was in Linkaland", Gi said mischievously, earning a mock glare from the Wind Planeteer.
"Hmm, I wonder what happens in Linkaland, Yankee?"Linka mused as she ruffled his hair playfully.
The rest of the series was watched with occasional interruptions by the two with their playful banter and it almost got a bit uncomfortable for Mati and Kwame as it turned into obvious flirting at one point. The series finally ended and they each bade one another goodnight.
Wheeler lingered on intentionally, saying he wanted to stretch out on the couch for a while. He observed Linka in her sleepwear, a cute short and a tank top, when she emerged out of her room a few minutes later to pick something from the common room shelf. Her long hair had been let loose on her back and she looked simple but so sexy.
"Goodnight Yankee, you sure the couch is gonna be cool for you?" she asked affectionately in her best American voice as she passed him on her way to her room.
He reached up for her hand in a split second, raising himself to a sitting position and regarding her with a look that held a deeper meaning. Linka felt a blush begin to creep up her cheeks. In a raspy voice, he replied,
"If I could share with you that would be the coolest".
Linka felt her heart do a crazy dance in her chest. She quickly called her reticence into being however, and replied coolly with a smile.
"Oh you are such a big baby..you must be scared of a likely boogie man eh?"
Meanwhile, she clearly saw the look of seriousness in her Yankee's eyes.
"Alright, goodnight Yankee", she echoed but Wheeler still didn't let go off her hand.
With a sigh he said a moment later, "Not even a goodnight kiss?"
Linka could not deny that she really needed to feel his soft lips once again. They had not really shared a proper kiss after Wheeler's incidence and she really missed that but could never bring herself to initiate one.
Responding to his request, she slowly lowered herself unto the sofa and their lips met gently in a soft kiss. Wheeler moved his hand to gently cup her cheek as he moved closer to her. But when he made to deepen the kiss however, Linka broke away hurriedly, and with a whispered goodnight, picked herself up and left the common room without a second look back.
Oops, I needed to write more than a one-shot at some point though, right? Let's see how it goes with the reviews, and then I promise to update with a conclusion that promises even more fluff :D