A/N: Just a short little one-shot with slight Little Mac x Samus implications... Hehe :D Whatever, I think they're cute. So bleh. Anyway, enjoy! ^.^

The light of day had long since faded since Mac had realized that there was no use in trying to sleep. As he lie in his bed, gazing up at the ceiling, his foot shaking impatiently, he decided that he was restless. So he sprung out of bed, storming through the hallway towards his destination.

It didn't take long for him to work up a sweat in the training room, hammering mercilessly on the red punching bag that sat near the middle of the room. He didn't even care to notice the grunting noises emanating from the back of his throat, which grew louder with every hit that the poor bag took.

That was why, awoken from her sleep, Samus decided to confront him in hopes of getting a good night's rest.

She approached the boxer with crossed arms, his back turned to her as he continued to beat the punching bag senseless. Samus cleared her throat loudly, and Mac grabbed the bag to stabilize it, looking over his shoulder.

She walked over to him, raising an eyebrow. "Care to keep it down, shortstack?"

He wiped the sheen of moisture from his forehead with his arm, out of breath. "Huh?"

"It's 3 AM, and you sound like a bodybuilder trying to lift three dumbbells at once," she explained, yawning into her hand. "Give it a rest, Mac..."

"You're no Doc Louis," he replied, grinning cheekily as he sat down on the cold, metal bench.

"Everyone needs to sleep. I doubt that I'm the only one you woke up..."

He struggled to pull the gloves from his hands. "Then why are you the only one filing a noise complaint?"

"Because I'm the only one with enough nerve to tell you to pipe down." Samus turned on her heel, only to be stopped in her tracks when he spoke, again.

"You always have that ponytail?" he asked, noticing her hair pulled back neatly, as it always was. "I didn't realize girls did their hair before they went to sleep, too..."

She smirked, turning to face him. "I'm a bounty hunter, Mac; I need to be ready to go at all times."

"Even in your PJ's?"

She rested her hands on her hips. "Especially in my PJ's." The young woman sat beside him, stretching her back out. "What are you doing awake, anyway?"

"Couldn't sleep," he murmured, setting his gloves down. "Figured I could get some practice in..."

"You sure are dedicated..." She slouched slightly, rubbing her eyes. "You'd probably be better off if you slept, though..."

"And let those other guys get the best of me in a fight?" he asked playfully. "I don't think so..."

"Who are you going up against, tomorrow?"

He scratched his head, still learning the names of the other fighters. "Uh... Mario, Olimar, and, uh... the..." Mac furrowed his brow. "The angel kid."

"Pit?" she questioned, chuckling.

"Yeah, him..." he laughed.

"Oh, you'll be just fine up against those three, trust me."

The boxer raised an eyebrow. "What, are you trash-talking, now?"

She snorted, nudging him on the arm. "You're a great fighter, Mac."

The corners of his lips turned up. "...Did I really just get a compliment from Samus Aran?" He looked over at her. "Maybe I really did fall asleep..."

"Am I not allowed to be nice, now?"

"Well, you're usually less admiring of others..."

"Who says I admire you?" she asked, crossing her arms with a smirk. "It's not like you'd ever beat me in a fight..."

"Is that a challenge? ...Because I'm all in."

"Maybe after your brawl, tomorrow," she responded, waving her hand dismissively. "You're gonna need some time to prepare..."

"Fine. But you have to wear your Zero-Suit."

Samus laughed. "What? The Varia Suit isn't tight enough for your taste?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Sam," he answered, grinning. "I just think we should try more of an unarmed fight."

"Only if you keep those gloves off, shortstack."

"Fine by me. You think I can't fight without them?"

"That's assuming you can put up a decent fight WITH them..."

"You said it yourself," he pointed out, crossing his arms smugly. In the girliest voice he could manage, he continued. "You're such a great fighter, Mac! I don't think anyone could ever best you, you big hunk!"

"Oh, I am SO going to make you eat your words..."

"We'll see about that, Bounty Hunter." He stretched his arms above his head, yawning. "In the meantime, I'll just have to sleep on it."

"Just worry about your fight tomorrow morning, for now," she advised him, rolling her eyes. "You'll need all the practice you can get."

"How about a kiss for luck?" he asked, the smirk on his face doubling in size when she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Who do you think I am, Peach?" she asked, laughing. "I don't give kisses for luck, daydreamer."

"Doesn't hurt to ask," he muttered in reply, smiling at her.

"But you're going to be hurting tomorrow..."

Finally dropping the arrogant act, he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. He lowered his gaze. "Yeah, well... go easy, alright? Doc doesn't want me getting too roughed up outside the ring..."

She was silent as he looked over at her. "In all honesty, you're an amazing fighter, Sam..." He laughed, nodding curtly. "...And I would be honored to be beaten to a pulp by someone as great as you."

The woman gave him a rare, soft sort of smile. She shifted in her seat slightly, gazing down at her lap.

"...Thanks." She thought to herself for a moment. "...You're a great guy, Mac."

With that, she leaned over, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

He beamed down at the ground as she stood up, taking a step back. "...Good luck, shortstack."

Without another word, she strolled over to the door, silently making her exit.

The young man rubbed his cheek, smiling to himself as the door closed behind her. He felt a warmth flow throughout his veins, and he lied down on the bench, gazing up at the white ceiling, his foot tapping subconsciously.

It seemed that it would be a sleepless night, without question.