Eve more than one, an astro boy fanfic

Eve more than one

An Astro/Cora Christmas Fic

By Dan Rush

All rights respected, non-profit fan fiction only

December 24th

3pm

"Cora!" Emiko Mitchel called from the kitchen. "Answer your I PHONE please?"

Cora came running down the stairs and into a maze of pots. Pans and other items placed about the kitchen that made the room more like a war zone.

"I swear Cora. You really need to chose a better ring tone, that one is so annoying." Cora's mother said as she pulled her oven door open to check the stuffing pans she was preparing. Cora ignored her sniping as she tapped the pad to find the boy on the other end was upside down?

"Astro?" Cora said as she smirked. "What are you doing?"

"Just got home from school." The pointy locked robot boy replied with a toothy grin. "Best of all I have the whole house to myself this evening. Wanna come over for a pre-Christmas dinner on me?" Cora could hear a SEAL song in the background.

"Ok…what's the catch?" She asked.

"Catch? Oh come on, it's Christmas Eve, can't I do something nice for someone I like?" Astro rolled over and sat on his bed. "I don't have the plague."

Cora turned to her mother. "Mom? Astro wants me to come over his house for dinner."

Emiko took the I Phone. "Yes…take her please?"

"Mother!" Cora replied shocked.

"Dear, we have so much to do tonight for tomorrow and with you out for a while it will be so much easier. Go enjoy yourself."

"I know where all the presents are mother." Cora said as she took her I PHONE back. "Alright. I'll be there at six?"

"Fantastic!" Astro replied gleefully. "See you soon!" He clicked off his phone and ran into the living room where Oran, Doctor Tenma's loyal robot assistant, was cleaning the furniture. Astro whipped out a wad of Yen and flashed it in Oran's face. "Hey Oran? Go take the night off since it's Christmas…get a perk up or something cool ok?"

"Really Astro." Oran said as he crossed his arms. "You can't have company over without your father's express permission…"

"Dad's not here." Astro pushed. "And you're not going to tell him." Astro twittled his fingers in Oran's face. "I can do a real quick re-wiring job on you?"

Oran pointed at Astro's nose. "Fine…but you will suffer the wrath of Doctor Tenma's displeasure, not me. And don't try to twist the truth because I have all this bribery of yours on tape."

Astro pushed Oran towards the apartment door. "Yeah, yeah….fine fine….go go…" He closed and locked the door then turned to look over the apartment. "Let's see…One hundred and twenty minutes? Shouldn't be too hard."

6pm

Cora arrived at the door to the apartment and craned her head to the door to listen before she rang the bell. She could hear a tune from the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack and Astro singing to himself, which made her smile as she chose to knock on the door…

A muffled sound told her Astro had tripped over himself, which caused her to laugh for a moment before the door opened.

"Hi!" Astro waved happily as he took her hand. "Come on in! Can I take your coat?"

Cora looked around the penthouse in astonishment…the large living room was decked out in christmas lights, garland strands, stuffed animals, Christmas bulbs, candy canes, a huge fur tree bedecked in all the holiday fare! She stood for a moment after passing Astro her coat and looked back at him to see him hilariously decked out in a chef's hat, cooking apron, a pair of large cooking gloves and holding a nicely decorated present…

"Merry Christmas Cora!" Astro said happily.

"Oh! Oh my God….I didn't get you anything yet….uh….I'm sorry….I'm so sorry Astro…" Cora felt embarrassed till the robot boy gave her a tender kiss on the cheek.

"You being here makes my whole night…only you can't open this. It's not Christmas yet." He snickered.

"Oh come on!" Cora replied as she followed Astro into the kitchen. "You don't let the kitchen processor do all the cooking? You're so like my Mother."

Astro leaned against the kitchen sink. "A meal prepared by hand shows how much one cares about others…at least that's what most humans think.

"So where's your Dad?" Cora asked as Astro turned to work over a ball of bread dough.

"Out with Doctor Elifunt. They're spending Christmas at his daughter's house. I told them I'd be there tomorrow since I'm covering the city this evening. I really don't expect anything bad to happen with all the snow."

Cora looked out the kitchen window. "It's coming down hard. How will I get home?"

Astro pointed to his feet. "Need you ask? I told your Mom you'd be sleeping here too."

"Oh you did?" Cora said smirking. "Did I say that?"

"I'm kidnapping you and you can't refuse me." Astro said as he got close and batted his eyes at her. "You can't resist this face…you can't resist the cuteness on Christmas Eve?"

Cora smiled. "Guess not…so what's for dinner?"

Astro finished shapping some bread rolls and slid them into the oven. "Cornish game hens… stuffing…candy yams…green bean casserole…mash potato…and a gravy sauce I've played with…" Astro turned to the fridge and pulled a bottle out…"Red wine."

Cora gasped. "I'm only 15, I can't drink that!"

Astro smiled back. "You're safe here. I'll never let you get hurt and it is Christmas Eve. A little wine isn't going to kill you."

"Astro violating the law?" Cora said with a wondering smirk. "Are there wires crossed with you or are you plotting something? Who else is here?"

"You're accusing me of trickery?" Astro said defensively. "It's just me and you…I thought that since you're turning 16 next month, I'd do something nice for you…that's all."

Cora stood giving Astro a doubting look for a moment before she reached out and pulled him close…"You are so giving…and so…."

She almost kissed him till Astro wiggled away. "Gotta…gotta keep an eye….on you….your…..the food!...you know…..hehehe….the food." He lightly pushed her out of the kitchen. "Go ahead….sit…I made some munchies on the living room table…."

As she sat on the couch, Cora happened to see a picture on a side table. The boy in it was obviously younger, a toddler, being held by a young woman with long black hair. She took hold of it for a moment as Astro walked in from the kitchen…

"This…isn't you." She said as she pointed to the picture. Astro smiled back and softly rubbed his chest…

"No…that's my…well she would have been…." He turned a little melancholy.

"Difficult subject?" Cora asked.

"She…could have been my mother." Astro said warmly. "I often dream about that picture… of course it's Dad's son, not me but I think what I might have been like as a toddler…tripping over stuff…bumping an elbow, a knee, my head…and having her pick me up…" Astro hugged himself and smiled. "She looks as if she has the warmest hug in the world."

Cora put the picture down. "What happened to her?"

"Cancer. She died a year after that picture…Doctor Tenma won't talk about her…difficult subject." Astro rubbed his head. "Do you like apple pie?"

"Yes!" Cora replied. "You're going to eat right?"

"Well yeah…." Astro said. "It would be so awkward if I sat sucking down a few cans of oil at the dinner table wouldn't it? I love food…especially cooking. I think after school I might go to a culinary college."

Astro looked around and saw Cora's present on a chair. He picked it up and handed it to her. "Go ahead and open it?"

"It's not Christmas yet." She joked back.

Astro smirked back. "Then I'll return it then."

Cora snatched the box and tore off the decorative paper. "So...did you talk to my folks before you got this?"

"Nope. And no it's not tools. I know you've been drooling all year long for a nice tool set but… I thought you needed something more…..appropriate for a cute girl."

Cora dropped the cover of the box and her eyes widened as she pulled out a gorgeous light sky blue dress with white trimming…"

"Oh?...oh…" She stood up and allowed the dress to fall to its full length. "It's…gorgeous! Where did you find this?"

Astro stood on tip toes with his hands behind his back. "Does the where matter? I mean you can't be a "gear head girl" all the time. I thought this would fit you just perfect."

Cora looked around the apartment. "Can I put it on now?"

"Your dress." He gestured. "Unless you prefer overalls and oil stained boots?"

Cora gave Astro a smack on the shoulder and walked to the bathroom. After a few minutes she came out adjusting the dress around her…"Well?"

Astro tilted his head. "I….was right. Overalls would look better."

Cora snatched Astro by an arm, pulled him to her and started trying to burn a nookie into his head..."Uh…kinda pointless here." Astro remarked with a giggle.

"What do you really think? Honestly?" Cora asked as she danced around, making the dress flow and twist with every turn.

Astro smiled warmly. "It is esthetically pleasing."

"Cut that out!" Cora snapped. "Stop pulling my leg with the long handed technical poison please?"

Astro was about to speak when he suddenly ran back into the kitchen! "That was close!" He shouted as he pulled the flat pan of bread buns out. "A little burned around the bottom edges but they should still be good."

Cora stood at the archway to the kitchen and rubbed her arms. "So what do you really think about the way I look?"

Astro leaned against the lower kitchen cabinets and coo'd softly. "You make everything around here dull compared to the sparkles you make."

Cora looked like she was about to cry. "You are so sweet….thank you…." She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a tender kiss on his cheek.

"Uh…if you keep holding me like this, dinner will get cold." Astro said as he took Cora by her hands. "You can stay in the dress if you'd like?"

"Yes." She replied as Astro walked her to the dinner table and pulled her chair out. "After you."

"Astro?" Cora asked as Astro walked into the kitchen and started bringing back platters of food. "Have you?...have you found anyone special?"

"Special?" He replied as he fixed her plate. "What do you mean by special?"

"Some one you really like…beside me."

Astro smiled. "The toaster…don't tell my Dad ok? We're planning to elope."

Cora laughed. "Be serious!"

"I am…" Astro said as he walked over to the entertainment center and changed the music. He brought the lights down lower and stopped to light the candles on the dining table before he stood with the wine in his hands…"When were you going to tell me about Yoshi?"

Cora gasped…"How did you know? I was…"

Astro gave her a coyish smile and pointed to his ears…"I have better hearing than the CIA?"

"Is this why you went to all this trouble?" Cora asked. "You were going to ask me about Yoshi?"

Astro placed a cup of wine in front of Cora and patted her hand softly. "Oh come on…you know me better than that? You didn't want me to know because you've been worried I'll get upset, do something crazy, loose my mind, become unglued and jump into a trash compactor."

"A little overly dramatic aren't we?" Cora said smirking. "I didn't want you to feel rejected."

Astro rested his head on a hand and made circles on the table with a finger. "It was only going to happen eventually. Humans will always gravitate to other humans for the purpose of procreation in order to perpetuate the species."

"What?" Cora asked bewildered.

"Humans crave sex." Astro replied smiling.

Cora almost shotgunned her wine across the table…"Cough….cough! That's not the case!"

Astro giggled as he stood up and opened his blue buttoned shirt. "Do you like it?"

Cora gave a questioning look. "What is that?"

"A Ford motor symbol." Astro replied. "I thought that if we got lucky enough to make out tonight, you'd get the sensation you made out with a car."

Cora face palmed and shook her head. "Your sense of humor is strange." She laughed a little then looked at the food. "Let's eat before it gets cold."

Nothing more was said until Cora pushed her plate away…"That…was awesome…mmmm… you really can cook…"

Astro put his head down on his crossed arms and pushed the empty wine bottle around with a finger. "You had three glasses…I think you better stay tonight. So…is Yoshi nice to you?"

Cora swished her last glass of wine around and took a sip. "Yes…and you're not upset?"

"Not at you." Astro replied. "You're one of the most important people in my life. If you're happy then I'm filling my purpose as a robot. You should always be happy Cora."

"I was asking about you because I care about you." Cora replied. "I know you're a little unhappy because you can't age."

Astro looked at himself. "It would be kinda weird when you're 21 and you'd be kissing me in some park wouldn't it?

Cora got up and slowly moved behind Astro, wrapping her arms over his shoulders. "Believe me, when I found out living with Hamegg that you were a robot? I was so….."

"Pissed?" Astro replied with a raised finger.

"Eeeeeyeah…mostly because….because…..you were so hot." Cora stood up and shook her head. "The wine…"

Astro rose from his chair and wrapped his arms around Cora's waist…"Am I still hot?"

Cora looked at Astro's tender face and she started tearing…

"Oh no…don't cry." Astro begged as he swing her arms slowly. "Don't do that…you get me crying and we'll be surfing."

"It just….well it sucks you know?...You're just so perfect…" Cora felt Astro wipe her eyes.

"Come on Cora…it's Christmas! I know…." Astro ran for the CD player and threw another CD into it. He ran back quickly and wrapped Cora's arms around him. "Ok…let me lead…"

(Phil Colins "You be in my heart")

They danced lightly over the floor, which shocked Cora. Not because she was slightly drunk at the moment but she didn't expect Astro to be a good dancer…certainly not with his buffy red moon boots.

As if he read her mind, Astro kicked them off and continued on his bare feet. She was caught in his wonderful sweet gaze…his soft brown eyes burned into her, leaving her lightheaded and dazzled for a brief moment…

Cora realized they had left the floor when Astro had her cradled back softly in his arms and was rocking her gently through the air above the living room…

"Oops…hehehe…kinda over did it." He said to her. Astro was starting to drop when Cora pulled on his shirt and stopped him…

"No!...uh…..no…" She pulled him closer and their lips met. Cora thought of the sensation, backed herself off for a moment then returned…

Astro was feeling all kinds of wild things…he almost thought he could smell burning wire and plastic and backed away with a side glancing smirk…"What?! Oh man….I just kill joy'd the whole moment."

Cora shook her head and pulled him back to her. "No you didn't….shut up?"

Slowly they drifted down till they landed on the couch still kissing and holding each other…till Astro suddenly jumped up with a revelation. "Oh man! Oh man, oh man, oh man this is so messed up! We shouldn't be doing this…how could I let this happen….it's so wrong…"

"What?" Cora asked as she followed Astro around the room. "What's gotten into you?"

"Us!" Astro gasped with his hands out. "You…me! Kissing, hugging…..? How could I get so stupid?!"

Cora jumped in front of the babbling bot. "Will you stop freaking out and tell me what's wrong?"

Astro sighed. "Yoshi! Oh man…I made you cheat on him….oh…."

"Is that all?" Cora replied. "Oh my God, I'm not married Astro…sheesh, calm down."

"But it wasn't right." Astro replied. "He's your boyfriend…you should be faithful to your boyfriend…now I feel terrible."

Cora smiled and took Astro's hand. "Ok…I'll tell him I made out with a Buick, no the toaster. We just enjoyed a little pecking around." Cora tapped Astro's forehead. "The world didn't explode."

Astro sighed deeply. "Are you sure it's not wrong?"

"Like you said." Cora replied giving Astro a sly look. "Who can resist the cuteness?"

"And…we don't have to tell him this happened?" Astro asked as he played with his fingers.

"No." Cora said. "Do you have any movies?"

" What do you want Mary? Do you want the moon? Tell you what…how about I throw a rope, lasso it and pull it down to you, would you like that?"

Astro slowly laid his head down onto Cora's lap and looked up at her. "What do you want Cora? Want the moon? Lasso? That's dumb, how about I fly up there and push it onto your front lawn? Just overlook the big crater and the giant flood from the extreme high tides."

"Silly." Cora replied as she rubbed a finger over Astro's face. "Why don't you ask your Dad to make you a girl friend?"

"Because…" Astro replied smirking. "If my Dad made her, then technically she'd be my sister, it would be called incest and that would be really weird." Astro rolled around onto his stomach and lay kicking his feet up and down. "Now about Yoshi? Is he being nice to you? Because if he's not? I'll be a little upset."

"You're not spying on us are you?" Cora warned.

"Who said anything about spying?" Astro replied. "It's no fault that you two just happen to cross my paths every so often."

Cora stood up crossing her arms. "You are spying on us! You little sap!"

"I'm expressing my concern for the happiness of my favorite human." Astro replied chuckling. "I bet he's not even a good kisser…certainly doesn't hold it long enough."

Cora snatched a decorative pillow and whacked Astro off the head. "Who asked your opinion! I can't believe you're spying on me! You know what we call that? STALKING!"

Astro sat up and reached into a pocket. "Look…to show you I'm not secretly jealous? I have 3 tickets to the SEAL concert next month at the MetroPlex. You and Yoshi come with me and I'll get you back stage to meet SEAL in person."

"You're serious?" Cora asked as she looked at the tickets. "Oh my God, I have so killed to have tickets to SEAL for like years!"

"Hope you hid the bodies?" Astro said chuckling. "I know SEAL. Long story, would bore you to death. He's super cool."

"You are so sweet!" Cora yelped as she grabbed Astro up.

"So….you'll forget I also tapped your phone?" He asked with a toothy grin.

10:00 pm

Cora leaned against the wide expanse of the living room window and looked down at the city below as the snow outside continued to build up. "Isn't this beautiful?" she said as she took a sip of hot coco.

"It's just a collection of ice crystals building up because of a cold front over us." Astro said as he pointed to the sky. He chuckled when Cora gave him an annoyed face. "Just pulling your leg. You know robots, we don't have a good concept of beauty, we over analyze everything."

Astro grabbed Cora's hand and pulled. "Come on….wanna go skating?"

"We're going in this weather?" Cora asked. "where too?"

"Not far." Astro replied. He took her to the roof top of the apartment building and gestured past the roof entrance. "See…I thought of everything."

Cora saw an awning built over a small square ice rink with lights at each corner shining in an "x" across the smooth icy surface.

"See? I thought of everything before you got here." Astro said as he ran across the roof, slid on the ice with his still bare feet and flopped into the snow after tripping on the rink edge! "The skates are on that chair!"

Cora sat down to lace up a pair of ice skates as Astro used his arm jets to push him around the small rink. "I bet I could do like a hundred revolution Lutz but I'd probably drill through the roof."

"I'm surprised I can still skate at all." Cora said as she glided around slowly and did a few turns and short spins…"This was a neat idea…"

Astro watched Cora for a minute as she gracefully moved about…"You look so much better on skates than as a grease monkey. Are you really going to take up auto and robot repair? I don't think it fits you at all."

"That's kinda sexist." Cora replied. "I enjoy being a gear head. A girl can't be meek and prissy every day of the week.. Besides wanting to enjoy cooking, what else would you like to do?"

Astro played with his lips and smiled…"I'd like to marry you some day. Actually? I'm thinking about geology come college. I'd like to be a volcanologist."

Astro stepped back into the rink and took hold of Cora's hand as he played one of the Charlie Brown Christmas songs from his body. "You could have so much fun doing that." Cora remarked. "Fart gags would be hilarious."

Astro slid in front and pulled Cora gently with him as he skated backwards…"You're still worrying about me…I can read biorhythms. I don't want you stunting your future just because of me."

Cora stopped short. "You don't know what it's like though…" She started to sob. "To fall in love with a boy who's so sweet and he can't grow up with you?"

"Don't…" Astro said as he wiped Cora's face. "Oh please…don't start crying again. I think Yoshi's a great pick for you! Honest!" Astro gently guided Cora to the edge of the rink and sat down with her. "I want you to be happy Cora, if you become the happiest woman in the world then it proves my purpose for being here…nothing can pass that joy."

"But I love you!" Cora replied.

"Hey….I'm not going anywhere. You can always come and see me…and I bet I'll make a great "Speak and Spell" toy for your kids." Astro smiled as he suddenly played something…

"The cow goes…."WHAT THE HELL IS CHAPOLTE ANYWAYS?!"

Cora laughed. "Louis Black?! Oh my God he's a riot!"

"The dog says…."WHAT'S A SNUFFLEUPITCUS? LOOKS LIKE A WALKING CARPET ABORTION!"

Cora was between laughing and sobbing but at least she was laughing. "See? Everything's perfect again." Astro said as he stood up and took her hand. "We better get back inside…it's like midnight and you're starting to shiver."

12:04AM

Christmas Day

Astro stood in the kitchen putting the dishes away not noticing Cora as she stood toweling her hair off till he turned and had his hand gently touching her brest…

"Giggles"…"Like what you see?" She said as she smiled at him.

"Uh?...did it ever occur to you that my Dad has a camera system in here? And tell me you're not going to bed like that?"

Cora softly tweaked Astro's nose. "Why not?"

"Well for one thing…I'm slick." Astro said brushing his hands down his body. "So much for your hopes. And…you'll catch a cold."

Cora smiled almost evilly as she softly kissed Astro's lips. "I was hoping to find out how it feels to make love to a Buick?"

"I'm more of a Prius…stay right here?" Astro walked away and came back with two long pairs of footie jams in his hands. "The pink and red one is yours."

"Oh…..how cute! I haven't worn footies since I was like 4. You don't need to wear them though."

Astro stood burying his head between his shoulders and looking coyish…"I have this little age fettish problem?"

Cora slipped into her footies…"I'm not going to act like your mother."

"Wasn't asking." Astro replied as he turned off the kitchen light and pulled Cora along to his bedroom. After an hour of talking, giggling, flying pillows and flopping sheets, Cora lay playing with Astro's hair as he snuggled against her…

"Did you enjoy yourself?" He asked tenderly as he brushed a hand across her chin.

"Yes…" Cora replied as she kissed him tenderly. "You are the most wonderful Christmas Gift I'll ever have."

"Gee…" Astro said smiling. "I'm better than the toaster! Take that Proctor Sylex!"

"Astro?" Cora asked.

"Huh?" Astro replied.

"Shut up and Merry Christmas?" Cora said as she slowly raised his head and met his lips in a passionate tongue sharing kiss.

"I think egg nog tastes better." Astro joked as he reached out and turned his bedroom light off.

"Astro?" Cora asked softly. "I thought you said you were slick?"

"Just seeing if you were paying attention." Astro replied in the dark. Outside…Metro City sat bathed in a wonderful blue and white hue of a White Christmas morning.

The end