Hey everyone, I'm back! Sort of. Technically I never left. I always visited the Inside Out fandom, checking out stories that were updated or recently published. I don't have enough time to review, but I have enough time to fave and read at least. And I posted this story to see if I still got it in me. It's been so long and StarNerve has been presumed 'dead' by the haters on DeviantArt mostly. Well suck it haters, this pairing will never die and you know it. Forgive me haters, but your accusations against our reasons for liking StarNerve are beyond pathetic. I mean come on, we like StarNerve because Joy and Fear are that typical boy x girl pairing? We like StarNerve because we're homophobes? Grow up, will you!? That's nowhere near the reasons why we love the pairing! In argument against the whole typical boy x girl pairing, guess what: that's mostly for Disgust x Fear! I'm not against the pairing, I'm ok with it like I'm ok with every other possible pairing, but what I'm saying is I see couples with THEIR personalities or Anger x Joy's personalities even more. A shy boy likes a daring and easily disgusted girl and a cold-hearted or short-tempered boy likes a happy-go lucky girl who thinks she can change his life. That's the typical boy x girl pairing.
And I like StarNerve because of how COMPATIBLE they were in the movie, the movie shorts, the deleted scenes and the game on Disney Infinity! The way they were portrayed made so much sense in context. Friends? Siblings? Lovers? Who bloody cares! If you think they're not made for each other and that you think they hate or don't see eye to eye then I must say: have you watched the movie well enough to say this?! Next to Sadness, Fear is the next closest character to interact with Joy – then Anger and Disgust. It's not that hard to figure out people! And yet you're making up this stupid accusation against the fans who love the pairing?
And in argument to your second accusation: because we're homophobes…!? Where the hell are you going with this? To all you StarNerve fans, do you like StarNerve because you hate how gay it sounds to ship Joyness or BrickNerve? I love and respect those pairings! They're my favorites too! I like certain media related to them, romantic or platonic, as long as they're well-written or well-drawn. Plus, many of us aren't homophobes, but we tend to see Joy and Sadness and Fear and Anger as siblings, did you ever think of that? Did you ever think of that before going straight to your so called point? No, you went straightaway to accusing us of hating LGBT rights. You think shipping StarNerve is an excuse to hate LGBT, then you're making no sense. That is the stupidest thing a fan like me has ever heard. And I am done with all this hate for all these pairings. Why can't you just leave the fans alone for crying out loud!? Like what you like? Don't be afraid to show it! Hate what you hate? Keep it to yourself and show it to those who agree. And if they're pairings that LITERALLY DO NOT MAKE SENSE or if they were portrayed HORRIBLY then speak up and don't be rude about it. I really don't know what to say about this whole StarNerve hatred anymore. It's driving me up a wall!
What do you guys think of my findings? As a fan or someone who at least respects the pairing, what do you have to say to what these haters think?
To this day, I'm still looking for valid reasons other than 'I just don't see it working – that's a fair enough reason' as to why they hate the pairing. I can appreciate it when you say 'because I don't ship emotions' or 'I only see the two as friends or siblings'. I accept and appreciate those kinds of reasons. Because it's mainstream? Keep in mind that it's not the most mainstream pairing out there, so that's not a good excuse either. And StarNerve is NOT that mainstream. You search it on Tumblr, Deviantart or Fanfiction and you only get at least a hundred results, while for other pairings you get nearly a thousand. Where's the validity in your point? Take it from a loyal fan who searches the entire internet for stuff related to these two.
Okay, my rant is over and I'm ready to present this story to you. It's another StarNerve story, for old times' sake. And I saw one from CoffeeFueledAuthor. As usual, brilliant job! I read other stories like Would You Rather, Life After Death, Karaoke Night, Brickoli Oneshots, and so on. These are good stories so far. And feel free to enjoy this one-shot. My apologies for the extremely lengthy author's note and slight vulgarity. After reading this, you can tell that I'm frustrated. Once again, enjoy!
Joy
It was a bright and wintery afternoon. Riley had just finished another hockey match, and not to our surprise, she won again! As always, I have never been happier for her. And that's saying something. We were all tired that day, and we needed a break. Riley headed straight to her room, kicked her shoes off and tossed herself into bed. At last, the delivery truck has moved in and we finally got our bed and everything. Now our room doesn't look as dull and grey as it used to be! Isn't it great? There were trophies, a bedside table, a closet, and stars dangling on the ceiling just above our bed. Things' couldn't be better. The moment she closed her eyes, all the Islands paused. The sky was still clear as day and we all needed a break.
"We did it, gang! It's only been half the day and things are going our way. And the best part is, we did not die! Woo!" Fear exclaimed.
"Well said, Fear!" I agreed.
"Yeah, that was a good match. I just can't believe we were sweating halfway through the game! Gross! But, at least she took a shower as soon as we got home. And speaking of which, I need my shower! Scratch that. I need a bubble bath!" Disgust complained while heading straight to the bathroom. I smiled and shook my head.
"Who cares if we broke a sweat? I think it was worth it! And besides, that kid should've known better than to get in our way to steal the puck from us. I'm glad our training paid off for once, otherwise I might need to activate the Friendly Argument section again," Anger cackled.
"I'm surprised we didn't cry after the other team scored a point. I was so close to bursting into tears that time. And when she nearly slipped, I thought it was over for us," Sadness mumbled.
"Who cares if we lost over an injury – think about us! What if Riley slipped and broke her back? Then it will really be over for us! I'm just glad Riley didn't get hurt today. I nearly got a heart attack when she almost slipped!" Fear yelled.
"Oh, our mistakes don't matter anymore guys! We won! What happens in the past stays in the past. That's score… I've-lost-count for us!" I exclaimed.
"Actually that was the twentieth time Riley won the game, Joy," Fear reminded.
"Right, score twenty for Team Happy!" I exulted.
"You said it, Joy!" Anger concurred.
"Yay… di-did I say that right?" Sadness stammered.
"Close enough," I giggled and opined while patting her back.
"That's good, I guess. If you need me I'm going to bed. Wake me up when Riley wakes up," Sadness said droopily and walked tiredly to her room.
"Sweet dreams!" I called. All of a sudden, an idea popped into my head like a light bulb. "Okay, so I don't know if you guys are interested but-"
"I'm interested!" Fear interjected. Anger gave him a bewildered look and I swear I could feel myself grinning. Then he blushed with embarrassment. "E-except if it involves death-defying stunts."
"Now that I'm in!" Anger said almost excitedly.
"No, it won't involve any of that," I shook my head. Typical Anger.
"Then I'm out. Wake me up when I care!" Anger scowled and hopped onto the sofa. Then he laid down on it with a newspaper on his face. Fear looked at me awkwardly. I could tell since we're the only ones awake.
"So… what's your proposal, Joy?" Fear asked sheepishly.
"Huh? O-oh, right! Well, I planned for all of us to go but nobody wants to come so I decided to cancel it instead," I announced rather quickly. I knew what the outcome was going to be if Fear and I went together: we'd be all awkward and Fear might be begging to go home. At least that's what I thought. While turning my back on him, out of the corner of my eye, I saw his shy smile disappear.
"B-but… I never said no," I heard him mutter.
I turned around. "I know but… I don't want this to be awkward for us ya' know? I don't want you to get scared or bored—"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, stop right there," Fear said, his voice rising. Out of nowhere we heard Anger grunt at the slight blare of Fear's voice. We froze for a moment and Fear's slight glare returned.
"Joy, come on, we've been working together for fourteen years and you're telling me that I'll be bored when I'm with you?" he hissed. I flinched with guilt. "Now, I don't know if you know this, and I don't know if I know this either, but I always lo…ve your ideas and I'm the first Emotion in this room to agree with you on almost anything really. And do you know why?"
"Can I say somethi—" I was cut off.
"No. Because I trust you, Joy! You know Riley more than I do and you know how to find the fun even during her darkest or most tedious moments. You're fun to be with Joy, and I…" his shoulders drooped and his gaze softened. "I want… I want to do this with you."
I smiled. "For fourteen years, you kept this from me?"
"Ah… maybe? But you know what I mean. I thought you were never oblivious to these things," Fear mumbled.
"Well… I'm not oblivious about everything. If anything, you're probably oblivious to some things as well," I countered. Does he know? I doubt it.
"Uh, thank you Joy, but you'd be happy to know that I'm aware of everything," Fear said confidently.
I seriously doubt it. "Alright then! Grab my hand and I'll take you to the recall tube."
"T-th-the what? Wait, you mean we're going… out there?" Fear stammered.
"Oh… right. Well I proposed to everyone that we can go skating in Hockey Island. You said so yourself that you'd be willing to go everywhere with me, right?" I reiterated.
"I suppose," Fear concurred hesitantly.
"Then come with me!" I let out my hand and he took it. I looked away and coughed up a smile, my cheeks burning. His hand felt warm on mine. I couldn't tell if it was my hand or his. Or both. I pulled him towards the recall tube, tapped the button with my foot and we were vacuumed out of HQ. Fear screamed in terror while I screamed with… joy! I leaned to my left and took Fear with me to a different route. He's right, I know Riley more than everyone. And with that, we fell into a deep blanket of snow.
"We're here!" I said happily while popping out of the snow. Fear jumped and hugged his shuddering body. I went to a booth and asked a mind worker for the equipment I reserved. Unfortunately, everyone else wasn't in the mood to come so I only asked for Fear's and my own. She nodded and asked me to wait. Meanwhile, I heard a couple of footsteps walk slowly towards me.
"I n-never knew h-ho-how c-c-c-c-cold it was h-he-here," he shuddered. Then he scanned at me from head to toe. "Wh-why aren't yo-you cold?"
"I move around a lot obviously! Plus I'm used to it since I've been here before" I answered nonchalantly.
"You've been here before?!"
"A dozen times a year as a matter of fact," I answered.
"A d-do-dozen!? W-wait a m-minute… I mo-move around too! W-why am I n-no-not used to this?" Fear shivered.
"Maybe you're just more sensitive than me. That or you never really had the courage to go places outside of Headquarters. Like I always said, you got to learn to live a little ya' know!" I took two pairs of skates from the mind worker along with two pairs of gloves, coats and beanies.
"T-thank you," he chattered.
We both put on our clothes and tied our skates. I wore a golden fur coat with fingerless gloves and a yellow beanie, while Fear wore an indigo insulated down coat with dark gloves and a purple knitted scarf. He declined the offer of wearing a beanie so I returned it in exchange of the scarf.
"Alright, let's get skating!" I exclaimed and launched myself on the glossy ice floor.
Fear
I watched her skate on ice just meters away from where I stood. She looked so graceful from here! I watched in admiration and held both hands together to give myself that small amount of body heat I had left. I wonder if she knows. I wonder if she'll accept what I have to say to her. I hope she realizes the one thing she didn't know about me. I'll be rejected for sure if I told her! Heck, I'll never be able to live with myself, or with Joy, the same way ever again! These three words… they were too difficult to admit, let alone think of. But if I were to say one thing, I wish she knew that:
I can't skate.
"C'mon, Fear, what're you waiting for?!" Joy called.
"In a minute! I just need to… know how to use these things," I called back, while mumbling those last six words. I felt my heart skipping endless beats as Joy came to me.
"What's the matter? Don't know how to tie your laces?" she teased.
I flushed and fiddled with my fingers like I always do. "Uh… hehe, yeah about that. T-there's something I need to tell you."
"Yeah?" For some reason it felt like Joy was expecting something from me – something I couldn't lay my finger on.
"You see I… I…"
"Out with it, Fear," Joy pleaded impatiently.
I took a deep breath and stressed. "IdontknowhowtoskateandIwaswonderingifyoucouldteachmeplease!"
"You lost me," she said. And she thinks I'm oblivious?!
"The truth is, I don't know how to skate. A-and I know this sounds crazy, but will you teach me?" I pleaded shyly.
"Oh," Joy commented, her shoulders drooping.
"W-what's wrong, Joy? Was it something I said?" I asked worriedly.
"Huh, oh no! It's no problem. If anything, I'd be happy to teach you, Fear!" Joy approved.
A small grin began to expand on my face, "You will? Really?"
"Sure! Anything for a friend in need," Joy clarified. Yeah, friends. She's oblivious.
Joy
I was expecting something else. The way he stuttered those words; it sounded like he was going to confess something important. I should've known it wasn't going to be what I thought it was. I mean, he can't skate! I should've known that coming from him.
"B-but what if I trip, o-or what if I break the ice? What if I scream so loud it causes those icy stalactites to fall!?" he shrieked and pointed at the icy cones dangling above the ceiling. I shook my head. They were meters away! It's not like we'll run into them anytime soon.
"Fear, they're meters away! We're not even underneath them. Tell you what, if I teach you how to skate, we can chill out in that small shed over there and have some hot chocolate! How about that?"
Fear blinked. "W-will there be marshmallows?"
"Lots and lots of marshmallows! And cuddling near a fireplace," I added. I can already imagine us cuddling near it, sharing a warm fuzzy blanket and everything.
"I-I'm sorry did you say cuddling?" Did I just see his face turn red?
"Yeah, cuddling. After this, we're going to that shed and we're going to have one big cuddle party! The guys back home will never know what they're missing out on," I giggled.
"Well… alright then, I think I'm ready to learn."
"That's the spirit!" I grabbed his arm and pulled him into the rink. I yelped and felt him cling onto my arm, his feet refusing to touch the ice. I sighed. "Fear, you know you're wearing skates for a reason, right?"
"I-I know, but what if my weight breaks the ice?" he stammered. Seriously?
"Fear, you're the lightest Emotion there is! Look, I'm standing here right now and the ice isn't breaking on my weight. You'll be fine," I assured him.
"Yeah, but look at you! You're always light on your feet. You're practically hovering over the ice!" Fear assumed.
"Says the only Emotion who floats!"
"I can't do this! Take me away from here, Joy! We're too far away from the snow. Oh it'll take ages for us to get back! We're going to fall at some point, aren't we? I'm hyperventilating – I need a paper bag! SOMEONE GET ME A PAPER BAG! I NEED A PAPER BAG, JOY!" he panted. He was practically on my shoulders at the moment.
"Fear, FEAR! Look at me," I shouted and grabbed him off my shoulders. He continued to breathe, as if he was a fish out of water. "Breathe. We're not going to fall or anything! I won't let you fall, I promise. And I'm going to assure you that you're going to have a fun time here! Trust me. Just. Let me. Teach you."
Fear
I took deep breaths and released as Joy tried to calm me down. No one knew how to do that like her. The slight distance caused my face to burn. Wait, no! I don't want to burn up! That'll make the ice melt! I just got to go with it. Just go with it, Fear! Then I observed the distance between us. Oh no, my face is heating up again! It sickens me knowing I can't control this.
"A-alright," I squeaked.
"Perfect! You can start by touching the ice," Joy began.
I slowly lowered my foot and felt the blade touch the ice. So far so good. Slowly, I lowered my other foot and tried to balance myself. Within seconds, I began to slip frantically. I flailed my arms everywhere to try keeping my balance.
"Fear, relax!" Joy gripped my arms while I tried to control my legs. Within minutes, all is calm and I felt still.
"I'm relaxed," I said. "I'm relaxed," I repeated.
"We can start small by holding hands," Joy taught. "Or at interlocking arms together. Whichever one you choose."
I immediately locked my arms around hers. "Arms! Called it," I said quickly.
I caught sight of Joy's blush and she looked away the moment she caught my glance. "O…kay then! Now, follow my lead."
The moment she moved, I yelped. I eyed the movement of her legs – slow, gentle, just willing to go faster. I tried to keep up. She said something along the lines of 'One foot in front of the other' or 'Just keep gliding forward.' They all sounded simple, but you know what they say 'it's easier said than done.' There were times where we bumped each other. Joy caught me once before I could do a split on ice. Yikes! And pulling me up we would always chuckle and back away at how close our distances were. As long as we're not at a lip's distance then there's no need to panic. After all, the last thing I wanted was ruining our 'professional' relationship. After some time, I started to move to the rhythm of Joy's legs.
"I think I got this. So right, then left, and keep on gliding right?" I recalled.
"That's right! You're doing it, Fear," Joy motivated.
"Huh. I am, aren't I?" I agreed. Then Joy did something that I wasn't prepared to do.
"Now let's try going solo," said Joy. And with that, she removed her arm from mine and gave me a gentle shove.
"Joy, Joy, what're you- no, no, I'm not ready for this. I SAID I'M NOT READY!" I cried but it was too late. She let me go too early. She left too soon. I've gone from being in a relaxed state to a frantic, flailing disaster.
"Remember what I said!" Joy called.
"Okay… okay. I can do this," I said to myself and moved one leg with another. I moved my arms and looked like I was running. Glide, switch, glide, switch. That's how I do it I guess. I think I'm getting it! "It's working… It's working!" I exclaimed with surprise.
"Woohoo! Go, Fear!" Joy called from afar. I looked back and smiled. Then I looked before me and realized I was at the end of the rink. I yelped and tripped into the snow.
Joy
"Uh oh," I muttered and skated towards him. "Fear!"
Fear sat up on the chilly blanket and rubbed his nose, groaning. I crouched down and placed my hand on his face. "Does it hurt? A-are you alright?" I stammered worriedly.
"Nah, it's okay. It's just pain," he hissed in pain and moaned. "And brain freeze."
"I'm sorry," I apologized. "I shouldn't have released you sooner. I mean, Riley's not going to nap all night you know."
"I know, I know," he groaned. "But I have to admit, that was pretty fun. I thought I was gonna die in there!"
"Yeah I know—wait, did you say you thought it was fun?" I grinned.
"I'll admit I felt the adrenaline after being released, but it was a good kind of adrenaline," he chortled. I squealed and tackled him down with a hug. Poor Fear yelped and did not see that coming. After realizing how long we hugged, we immediately let go of each other and giggled sheepishly.
"Wanna skate again?" I asked.
"You go on ahead. I think I'll just stay here for now," Fear said. I pouted and sat next to him.
"You know what? I think I'll chill here with you," I changed my mind. Fear smirked and looked at the memories passing through the tubes above us. A small gust of wind passed by and I shivered from head to toe.
"Cold?" Fear began.
I shrugged. "Yeah. I should've known better than to wear a short, sleeveless dress on a cold island like this."
"And you say I'm sensitive," Fear joked.
"I did say that didn't I." Another gust of wind came and I clenched my hands, my left sitting dangerously close to Fear's. Fear looked down at my hand.
"You should've worn full on gloves like mine," he recommended.
"Alright, alright, I get it," I laughed.
There was brief silence.
"I-if you want I could… you know, hold your hand. I saw in one of Riley's science books… something about transmitting body heat and whatnot," Fear stated. I blushed at those first few words.
"S-sure. Someone's been doing their homework. I try to stay out of the console whenever Riley does her homework. Apparently I make her procrastinate," I giggled.
"I'm sure Riley needs you when she does her homework. She needs the motivation," Fear encouraged. To my surprise, he placed his hand over mine. I flinched slightly and my cheeks grew hot. The way his fingers interlaced my own made me burn even hotter. I felt like a star!
"You know, I'm glad you decided to come along," I sighed happily and leaned on his shoulder. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Fear blinking hastily. His eyes wandered everywhere except on me.
"Y-you are?"
"Yeah. And not only that, you're like the second happiest Emotion out of all of us! It's really sweet of you to agree with me all the time. Everyone looked at me like they had no other choice because they knew I know Riley more than them, but you agreed with me because… you trust me. I can't thank you enough," I confessed. I just wished he could be braver, brave enough to risk his life for us. If he could risk everything for Riley's sake at least, then I would be happy.
Fear
I had no words to respond to hers. I unknowingly pulled off a smile and looked away. I interlaced my fingers with hers to give her warmth, and maybe protect her from possible frostbite. She leaned on my shoulder, her glittery, ocean blue strands tickling against my neck. My face burned and just like that, I felt warm compared to my condition roughly half an hour ago.
"You make me happy," I finally said. "After everything you did for Riley, I trust you. With your encouragement and my guardianship, we make a great couple—I mean pair – I MEAN TEAM! Yeah, that's it." I feel like the biggest idiot in the face of Riley's mind, unlike most days.
"Thanks, I feel warm now," Joy hummed. Brief silence ensued. We admired the sight of some mind workers skating on the ice while we rested on the snow. Small snowmen watched from the other side of the rink and some of the carrots were bitten off. We both laughed at a frowning snowman whose nose was no longer on its face.
"S-say, um, Joy?" I began.
"Yes?"
"I… I need some advice," I hesitated.
"Well lay it on me! Advice is one of my specialties." Ah, Joy, you're always too confident.
"Um… you see… it's just that." I took a deep breath and started over. I wanted to bring up a certain question, but if I thought of something… more tactical. "What if someone had a crush on you, Joy? Would you figure out who likes you right away?"
"Are you kidding? I've seen a dozen boys swoon over Riley! There's no way I'm oblivious. I tend to keep it all hidden for Riley until one of those boys brings it up," Joy explained. Deep down, I was sceptical.
"So, do you think someone has a crush on you?"
Joy looked to the snow and shook her head. "Nah… I don't think so. Though I wish someone did."
I sulked inside and remained silent. "Oh… I'm sorry I asked."
"What?
"Nothing, nothing," I spoke hastily.
Joy
I was a little confused. I didn't hurt him did I? And if I did, what did I say to hurt his feelings?
"What about you? If you were brave enough, what would you say or do to a girl you love?"
I caught his blush and he gave me a look, a look I couldn't define. For some reason it looked like a 'Seriously?' look. Then he shook his head with content and looked to the clouds from above – clouds that were sent from cloud town to bring snow.
"You know, if I was brave enough, I'd give my life for her. I'd protect her, hold her, and make her laugh – even if I don't know how. And I'd say those three words I've always been afraid to say, no matter how cliché they are. They may be cliché to others, but I find those words enchanting to hear."
"Yeah, I always wanted to say those words before," I agreed. We both took deep breaths.
"I love you," we both breathed out. Our eyes widened instantly and we gazed at each other, hand in hand, eye to eye. His face was crimson and I could assume my burning cheeks were as well. From the looks of it, it sounded like we just confessed to each other! We wanted to deny ourselves, convincing that the confession wasn't for us, but all we did was laugh. I wanted to tell him this, but now seemed like the most unexpected time yet. Things became awkward now that silence kicked in. I rose to my feet, a little disappointed that Fear wasn't holding my hand anymore. He looked up at me, confused.
"Come! Let's skate some more before Riley wakes up," I suggested. Fear smiled and nodded.
"I think I like the sound of that."
We both skated gently on ice, hand in hand this time. Fear was getting more and more comfortable with this. Occasionally he would slip onto me and I would catch him, giggling. And he would pull of that same cute, goofy smile he always made when he gets embarrassed. And here we were, chilling on ice.
That was when a beautiful mess began.
"Watch me now!" I released Fear's grip from mine and he stood frozen on the ice, trying not to move. I started skating backwards, forward, sideways, everywhere around Fear! I pulled off lots of tricks. Freestyle mostly. Fear couldn't stop smiling. All of a sudden, I was distracted in the moment. Time slowed down for me, and all I could see was his smile. I was dazed by this and couldn't get him out of his mind! I was lost in my own mind, and his eyes. Then his face grew with worry.
"Joy…?" he said blurrily.
"Joy…! Snap out of it! JOY, LOOK OUT!" he cried.
I snapped back to normal and time went just as fast. Looking back I yelped and slammed lightly against an icy wave. I was on the ground and moaned in pain. I felt clinking icicles above me, shaking. And I felt a click, like they have been released. I looked up and my eyes froze in horror. Sharp icicles were about to fall on me just feet away! I placed my hands over my head and cried, ignoring the gasps of terror coming from the mindworkers.
And I was pushed.
I felt a presence above me. It wasn't sharp, and I didn't feel any pain. I tilted my head slightly and saw Fear breathing over my back. His arms were wrapped securely around my waist and we both breathed heavily. The mind workers glanced at us worriedly and told each other to give us some room. I should've known better than to show off like that. Of all the crazy stunts I did. Fear… he saved my life!
Fear
I breathed heavily and glared down at Joy. What on earth was she thinking!? What was she trying to prove? All of a sudden she was skating so gracefully as always, then she became lost in some trance! Seeing this, my instincts came out and I shredded the ice just to save her. I didn't care if I was good or bad at skating anymore. All I thought about was saving her life. I was experiencing a mixture of emotions. I was mostly afraid for Joy. I could've lost her! I didn't want to imagine life without her. Not again! Another part of me was angry, angry that she wasn't paying attention to what went on while she skated. I immediately got off of her and shook her almost violently.
"What the heck, Joy!? Do you have any idea what you could've done out there? You could've been killed! You could've been stabbed by dozens of icicles! You could've been erased from Riley's life forever! YOU COULD'VE RUINED ME BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO LOSE YOU, JOY! Don't you DARE scare me like that again, please! I LOVE YOU FOR CRYING OUT LOUD SO DON'T DO THIS TO ME," I cried. I know I'm exaggerating but that's just who I am. She looked at me with those blue orbs now filled with guilt and trepidation. I lowered my head and gazed at her lap, my hands still firm on her shoulders.
"I don't want to lose you, Joy. Not again. I can't imagine life without you. I can't- huh?" I felt her warm hands cup my face to bring it up to hers. And without warning, she pressed her lips against mine. I was beyond shocked and felt like passing out. My grip loosened on her and some mind workers skated away awkwardly, some in awe. But I didn't care. I moved my hands to her waist and gently kissed back. And just like that, the cold no longer bothered us anymore.
We both pulled away. We were both in pure ecstasy and all my anger and concern washed away.
"Wow… what was that for?" I stammered sheepishly.
"That was to thank you, shut you up and congratulate you," she said with a smile.
"Congratulate me?"
She smiled and tackled me with a hug. "Yes! Fear, you did it! You learned how to skate!"
I was confused. "I think you had me mistaken for my adrenaline rush."
"No, I'm serious. You really had it in you, Fear! I'm so proud of you," she exclaimed. I too started to grin.
"I… I guess I did. And all it took was you nearly killing yourself," I said almost seriously.
"That was an accident! And in return, I guess I unknowingly made you commit a little accident of your own."
"Yeah, I-I guess," I scratched my head and smirked.
"You know, maybe I was a little oblivious to you," Joy confessed.
"Maybe?" I asked skeptically.
"Ok I was! It's not like you're any different."
"I like to dream it every now and again. I'm just glad I'm not angry at you anymore. I can't stay mad at you for one minute, can I?" Shoot, what did I just say?
"Nah, that's Anger's job. Speaking of Anger… I wonder how he and the others are doing up there?"
"Whatever it is, it can't be as good as what we're doing." I rose to my feet and finally balanced myself on the ice. I held my hand out and waited. "You wanna go for some hot chocolate?"
Joy smiled sweetly and took my hand. "With marshmallows?"
I nodded. "With marshmallows." Just like she promised me. Time it was her turn to lock her arms around mine. We looked at each other, smiled, and guided ourselves to the small shed nearby.
Joy and Fear spent the rest of their afternoon in the cozy wooden shed. Fear mustered up his courage to ignite a fire, while Joy prepared the comestibles. As she roasted some marshmallows, Fear managed to dig up a blanket from a small wardrobe and wrapped it around Joy's shoulders, startling the Star. The two stared at each other endearingly as Fear sat himself down next to her. Without warning, Joy pulled Fear's arm and pulled him close, then extended the blanket from her left shoulder to his. Fear blushed at the sudden gesture and how close they now were. Joy reciprocated this and handed him a now roasted marshmallow. The two gazed at the crisping flames for moments. Fear felt the urge to wrap his arm around Joy, and in return the Star leaned against his shoulder. It felt surprisingly peaceful and every second was cherished. After all, Riley won't wake up until half an hour from now. What could happen?
Meanwhile back in Headquarters, Disgust and Sadness woke up early only to find Anger still sleeping (and snoring). The two Emotions grinned deviously and Disgust left and returned with their makeup kit. Moments later, they left and peeked from the door to see his reaction. Anger finally woke up that afternoon. He started to feel a little different. Wiping his face slightly, he noticed his hand was slightly covered with powder. His eyes shrunk and looked desperately for a mirror. After finding one, he looked at it and gasped horridly. His face was painted white with powder and blush. He wore a dark eyeliner with pink lipstick and fake eyelashes. He was infuriated. Then he realized who did it after looking at the mirror. On the mirror there was a kiss mark and lipstick letters that spelled:
Lookin' good, Brickhead.
Love,
Disgust and Sadness
Anger's body shook violently and turned his gaze to their rooms, where he caught Disgust and Sadness peeking.
"YOU TWO! GET DOWN HERE! DO YOU PREPPY BRATS THINK YOU CAN MESS WITH MY FACE AND GET AWAY WITH IT!?"
"Sorry, not sorry, Anger! But look on the bright side, at least I have one less reason to barf from looking at your face. You're welcome!" Disgust mocked.
"Was that supposed to be an insult or a compliment?" Sadness muttered.
"Eh, both," Disgust shrugged.
Anger glared even more and the heat on his body was enough to wash away the makeup. The heat was filled with rage, embarrassment and flattery. He should be chasing them. Instead, he swatted his hand before them and headed for the bathroom. "Those kids… playing pranks on me in my sleep! I'll get back at them one day… They'll see."
Little did they know, he held a small, tiny smirk. Well played, he thought.
That's it for my one-shot. I have a feeling I'll be a target to haters who want to fight back just to make a better point or to win. Go ahead, do your worst. If you say something like 'because StarNerve sucks and *insert favorite pairing* is better' or '**** StarNerve! *insert favorite pairing* FTW' then score points for your lack of maturity. But keep in mind that there are still a lot of StarNerve fans out there willing to either bite back or give you a laugh attack… or the good ol' silent treatment. That's how we roll after all.
As for the Emotional School Year AU, fear not. A chapter is currently in progress and will be uploaded soon. Ciao!