"What's that smell?" Sydney asked as walked into Gage's apartment, crinkling her nose at the charcoal-like odour.
"Well, uhm, how does takeout sound?" Gage replied, as he pulled the oven mitts off of his hands.
"Takeout? It's Christmas Gage," she answered him, doing her very best to sound hurt, but failing miserable. She knew he couldn't cook at all and was always amused by his culinary exploits when she came over. Yet somehow she had thought that this might be different. It was December 23rd, the day they always had dinner together and exchanged gifts. Every year they alternated who cooked, and the last time it had been his turn everything turned out fine, but it would appear that this time it hadn't. After walking into the kitchen and seeing the minor tornado his attempts at cooking had caused she resigned, "Takeout sounds fine."
After enjoying a nice pizza they sat down to exchange their gifts. Sydney went first, handing over a medium-small rectangular object wrapped in bright red paper with silver ribbon and a large bow. Gage quickly tore off the paper, laughing as he saw what it was, a book, "Cooking For Dummies".
"I thought you could use it, especially after tonight," Sydney explained.
"No doubt," he admitted, glancing through the first couple of pages. After a moment he pulled out his gift for her. It was in a small gift box, tied with red ribbon.
As she opened it up her face drained of it's colour. Nestled in the box was a sprig of mistletoe. She turned up to him, obviously offended, "Gage?"
"Well see, that's not your gift," he whispered, leaning closer to her. "This is." He leaned in closer and moved to kiss her, but instead of letting him she turned away. He then watched in dismay as she quickly left, the door slamming shut behind her.
~/~
Gage watched Sydney as she sat down in the corner of CD's Bar and Grill. It was Ranger Company B's annual New Year's Eve Party, and they hadn't spoken a word to each other all night, every time he approached her she turned tail and ran away, and he knew that if he tried again now she might even just up and leave the party. So he contented himself with watching and waiting for the countdown which would start in about four minutes.
~/~
"5...4...3...2...1...Happy New Year!" everyone shouted at once. As per tradition they then proceeded to go around kissing everyone in their vicinity. Gage made his way through the crowd, kissing Alex and Marta on the cheek, and giving Walker and Trivette hugs, but never taking his eyes off of Sydney who was doing the same things.
Sneaking up behind her he wrapped an arm around her slender waist and turned her around. He then proceeded to place his lips firmly upon hers, holding her tightly and not permitting her to let go. The kissed lasted longer than he had anticipated but he wasn't complaining and after a short moment she got over her shock and stopped resisting, although she still didn't reciprocate the motion. Finally he let go and whispered, "See, that wasn't so bad now was it?"
Her face was flush when she replied, "I guess not." Then after another moment of staring at each other she mischeviously continued, "But that still wasn't a real kiss."
"Oh?" he smiled hopefully.
"That was a Happy New Year kiss, and I didn't kiss you back, so that still wasn't a real kiss," she explained.
"So when do I get a real kiss?"
~/~
"Hey you guys seen Gage?" Trivette asked Walker and Alex as they began to clean up some of the dishes, "He's my ride home tonight."
"No," Alex said after a moment's thought, "I haven't seen him since about midnight."
"Ah man," Trivette muttered as he wandered off in search of the younger ranger.
As he passed beside the bar on his way to check the bathroom a light sound from in behind the bar caught his attention. Turning he saw the cause of it. Tucked underneath the bar were two very distracted rangers contentedly making out like a pair of seventeen-year-olds. Finally noticing the figure standing by the bar they broke apart and looked up, their faces riddled with guilt and the embarrassment of being caught in the act.
"Did you see..." Gage began, only to be cut off by Trivette.
"See what? I didn't see anything," he shrugged his shoulders. Then after Gage and Sydney exchanged a look and sigh of relief he continued, his expression very much over-exaggerated, "Oh, that. I didn't see that."
Smiling Gage stood up, bringing Sydney along with him, "Well then, I guess it's time to call it a night."
Trivette grinned and laughed, "Yeah, a very good night."
"Well, uhm, how does takeout sound?" Gage replied, as he pulled the oven mitts off of his hands.
"Takeout? It's Christmas Gage," she answered him, doing her very best to sound hurt, but failing miserable. She knew he couldn't cook at all and was always amused by his culinary exploits when she came over. Yet somehow she had thought that this might be different. It was December 23rd, the day they always had dinner together and exchanged gifts. Every year they alternated who cooked, and the last time it had been his turn everything turned out fine, but it would appear that this time it hadn't. After walking into the kitchen and seeing the minor tornado his attempts at cooking had caused she resigned, "Takeout sounds fine."
After enjoying a nice pizza they sat down to exchange their gifts. Sydney went first, handing over a medium-small rectangular object wrapped in bright red paper with silver ribbon and a large bow. Gage quickly tore off the paper, laughing as he saw what it was, a book, "Cooking For Dummies".
"I thought you could use it, especially after tonight," Sydney explained.
"No doubt," he admitted, glancing through the first couple of pages. After a moment he pulled out his gift for her. It was in a small gift box, tied with red ribbon.
As she opened it up her face drained of it's colour. Nestled in the box was a sprig of mistletoe. She turned up to him, obviously offended, "Gage?"
"Well see, that's not your gift," he whispered, leaning closer to her. "This is." He leaned in closer and moved to kiss her, but instead of letting him she turned away. He then watched in dismay as she quickly left, the door slamming shut behind her.
~/~
Gage watched Sydney as she sat down in the corner of CD's Bar and Grill. It was Ranger Company B's annual New Year's Eve Party, and they hadn't spoken a word to each other all night, every time he approached her she turned tail and ran away, and he knew that if he tried again now she might even just up and leave the party. So he contented himself with watching and waiting for the countdown which would start in about four minutes.
~/~
"5...4...3...2...1...Happy New Year!" everyone shouted at once. As per tradition they then proceeded to go around kissing everyone in their vicinity. Gage made his way through the crowd, kissing Alex and Marta on the cheek, and giving Walker and Trivette hugs, but never taking his eyes off of Sydney who was doing the same things.
Sneaking up behind her he wrapped an arm around her slender waist and turned her around. He then proceeded to place his lips firmly upon hers, holding her tightly and not permitting her to let go. The kissed lasted longer than he had anticipated but he wasn't complaining and after a short moment she got over her shock and stopped resisting, although she still didn't reciprocate the motion. Finally he let go and whispered, "See, that wasn't so bad now was it?"
Her face was flush when she replied, "I guess not." Then after another moment of staring at each other she mischeviously continued, "But that still wasn't a real kiss."
"Oh?" he smiled hopefully.
"That was a Happy New Year kiss, and I didn't kiss you back, so that still wasn't a real kiss," she explained.
"So when do I get a real kiss?"
~/~
"Hey you guys seen Gage?" Trivette asked Walker and Alex as they began to clean up some of the dishes, "He's my ride home tonight."
"No," Alex said after a moment's thought, "I haven't seen him since about midnight."
"Ah man," Trivette muttered as he wandered off in search of the younger ranger.
As he passed beside the bar on his way to check the bathroom a light sound from in behind the bar caught his attention. Turning he saw the cause of it. Tucked underneath the bar were two very distracted rangers contentedly making out like a pair of seventeen-year-olds. Finally noticing the figure standing by the bar they broke apart and looked up, their faces riddled with guilt and the embarrassment of being caught in the act.
"Did you see..." Gage began, only to be cut off by Trivette.
"See what? I didn't see anything," he shrugged his shoulders. Then after Gage and Sydney exchanged a look and sigh of relief he continued, his expression very much over-exaggerated, "Oh, that. I didn't see that."
Smiling Gage stood up, bringing Sydney along with him, "Well then, I guess it's time to call it a night."
Trivette grinned and laughed, "Yeah, a very good night."