AN: So, I've been listening to the song Cry by Kelly Clarkson, and am obsessed over it. So, everyone should expect that song being somewhere eventually. Just a heads up. Also, I tried to make this chapter longer, but hey, even I get lazy :)
Kowalski thought it was strange, almost embarrassing, that the young boy had found love before himself. Perhaps too young. He was much older after all, and even he had trouble with girls- on the rare occasions. But, one look at how the two love birds would share a laugh, Kowalski knew that all his criticism of their love was false.
Well, she supposed it wasn't that bad. Good? No, wasn't that either.
The dress for Cupid had shown up five minutes after she had gotten her hair done. It was laid neatly on her bed, and she had remembered the air leaving her lungs when she saw it. It was such a simple dress, which was so perfect for her. It was relatively short, only a bit longer past her knees. It was strapless, with the material ruffled up until her waist, then the dress flowed out, hugging her curves that she hadn't known she had. The dress was a beautiful shade yellow. The colour of buttercups.
She kept taking her cellphone out of her purse and checking the time. She felt as awkward as anyone could. It's not like her dress had gotten tighter or shorter, has it? Okay, she doesn't always show her curves off, she usually hides under a security blanket of her casual looking skirts, shirts, dresses, and jeans. She stayed at the tables set up in the back of the ballroom, trying to pretend she wasn't there. Cupid had gotten himself out maybe forty five minutes after it began, Cupid had no idea where he had possibly gone. Prancer was, Cupid guessed, flirting with a young, strong, military man. Vixen, Blitzen, Rudolph, and Dancer were chatting and sometimes dancing.
Dasher was sitting next to Cupid, and she didn't mind that much. Somebody had always had to keep an eye on her, and she knew it. Every since she was born, someone had always had to be watching over her, in case a 'bad guy' kidnapped her to get to Vixen, because she was 'too weak' to protect herself.
She pulled out her phone again. Nine forty. She had better get going. She stood up.
"Goin' s'mewhere sweetie?" Dasher said with his western accent.
"Tired." She explained, making her voice sound groggy.
Dasher scoffed. "T'at's BS. U've been check'n yo phone e'er five min'tes!"
She sighed. Think of something! "I'm just bored, okay Dash! I just want to go home and write about those polar bears!"
The man grinned in understanding. Cupid had become the pet of the team. He knew that she never tried, but she always looked so adorable, even if she was self conscious. Her voice was so high-pitched, her dirty blonde hair was always in the right place, without her trying, and her blue sapphire eyes always shone. She was also so innocent, so pure. It was no wonder she was the one the team always wanted to protect.
"O'kay kiddie. Be s're to 'ive me a copy."
She grinned. She could always count on Dasher to let her do whatever she wanted. "Thank you Dasher!" Cupid leaned forward, kissing the older man on his forehead, careful to avoid his black hair. She quickly held her purple clutch close to her, it was the only thing to keep her from squeaking with joy. She could hardly wait. Finally, after months, she could finally see her love- damn. Another blush.
She gotten in the hallway with record time, and who is there but Donner. She had hardly noticed him. He was kind of handsome, from what Prancer had told her, but she didn't see it. Sure, he had the tanned skin, the muscles, and the raven black hair, but he wasn't that hot. Oh, and she just had to blush too.
Donner laughed. Cupid decided that his laugh was bent on humiliating her. "You blushing 'cause of me, Pid?" Cupid shook her head, speeding up her pace to walk past him.
"So where are ya going? Bored? Like me? We could go get something if ya want."
"You."
"What?"
"You." Cupid explained softly, she was at the door now, ready to walk outside. "It's not 'ya' it's 'you'."
Donner winked at her before she stepped into the night. "Oh yeah. I know it's you."
"Where ya going, Private?"
The young boy forced a smile. His teammates were enjoying another movie night, a slasher. Private never really enjoyed death, even in movies. The others liked to watch them, though. Skipper would brag about what he would do in situations the characters were in, Rico just liked violence, and Kowalski always had a comment on the science and logic of the movie.
"Just goin' for a walk, Skippah. Is that all right?"
Skipper grinned. He was still focused on the screen of their TV in the living room, some woman was driving in a car on a highway. He could tell, like anyone, that she was going to crash, or something dangerous was going to happen soon. He didn't really want to miss the action by arguing with Private over a simple walk at night. And he knew as well as anyone, that when Private had his mind set on doing something, he did it.
Still... his gut feelings... from the nightmare...
Every night, for the past few weeks, since he heard that Vixen's team was coming to NewYork, the same dream appeared again and again.
Vixen would be screaming, Skipper wasn't sure what, but he was screaming something at him. A dark room, and their were cries of horror in every direction. Cries, from the gentle Private. There was a softer, girl scream too, but he ignored it. The only crying voice that mattered was Private. He took off, running down a randomly chosen corridor, which was darker then the room he was just in. He could hear footsteps following, or chasing, after him, and assumed it was Vixen or Kowalski and Rico. They didn't matter either, the only goal at the moment was to stop those horrifying cries of pain. He vowed that he would kill the person who was sending their little boy to this hell. He forgot how many minutes, or hours, that he had been running, but he eventually broke through into a light filled room. There, in the very middle of the space, was Private, kneeling without much emotion. Scared and relieved, Skipper didn't think and just dashed up to him and wrapped his strong arms around the boy's chest.
The words seemed forced from his mouth. Don't scare me like that. You know, right? I love you."
The words he heard answered didn't feel forced at all. "I hate you."
The nightmare had horrified him. Even more so that the dream had been emerging in the daytime. He had a unique understanding with his gut feelings. If he had night terrors, and if those terrors emerged during the daytime, it meant that it was going to happen. Sure, it was strange, but even Kowalski admitted that whatever science proved his gut wrong, it was always right.
He realized that he hadn't answered Private. He looked over his shoulder, and saw that the boy wasn't there anymore. "Did Private leave?"
Kowalski looked away from the screen to look at his leader. "Yes. Twenty minutes ago. I told him he could go, since you didn't answer."
Twenty minutes, Skipper wondered. How did he not notice? Oh, well. One walk wouldn't change his nightmare. He made a mental note to tell Private of his dream tomorrow, or when he got back.
Cupid walked slowly on the cement of the sidewalk. Her black heels made little clinking noises whenever she stepped, and every time she imagined that she was attracting a serial killer to very spot. She had always been naturally worried when quiet was broken. Lights from the city kept the night light in the dark. It eased her mind a bit, but all she really wanted was to feel safe in somebody's arms. That would be romantic, she decided.
Finally, tired and afraid of being alone in the park, she was about to call out her love's-another blush- name, when she heard her own.
"Cupid?"
She spun herself around so abruptly that she nearly tripped. Private had to reach forward and turn his font to the side to catch her, just barely. Her side twisted and her arms curled into her chest, perhaps to brace her fall. Instead, she fell into Private's soft arms and chest. Her popped up from the middle of his chest to stare up at him.
"Hey. Didn't see you through." She said with an embarrassed smile.
Private grinned. "Come here often?"
They both laughed. What a reunion, Cupid thought, spiting herself for being so clumsy. She pulled herself off of him, and took his hand. They both knew that they were going to the pond, but they had a bit of aways to go, which left plenty of times to talk.
"So how was the ball?"
"Boring. I was sitting with Dasher the whole time, and he has the emotion of a brick. I didn't want to dance, and I wasn't hungry. There was nothing to do." She leaned her head against his shoulders. "What have you been doing for two months?"
"Missing you. There was nothing to do but go on missions and wait 'til you got back."
Cupid grinned. It made her feel a little awkward when Private answered questions like that so truthfully, but at the same time she was flattered. "Well, I'm here now."
Private smiled. "Yup, you are. I don't think you're gonna leave for awhile, so I guess we get to hang out everyday."
They got to the lake, and sat down. They're hands were still locked, and Cupid's head stayed on Private's shoulders. Cupid mused for a minute. They probably looked so young, people probably judged them for being in love- blush- but what did they care anymore? She remembered Private telling her of how Skipper judged him for being so young and being rushed into a military unit, but he was the best sharpshooter in the state, maybe even the country. Age didn't matter to her that much, if she cared about Private, who was to judge. But, she had to admit, if she was fourteen or fifteen, she wouldn't be thinking that. She did have a limit on her age of falling in love.
"Oh, Private. I can't believe Vixen. Hating Skipper so much-"
"I know. It's weird, 'cause they're so much alike."
"Well, I guess that just means that they know exactly how to push each other's buttons."
Private chuckled. "I swear, we are the only people I know that still say 'gosh' and 'buttons'."
Cupid giggled along with him. It was nice, finally being away from Prancer and Vixen and the other boys. She was glad that she finally got to relax. Their giggling held for another minute or so, until they both stopped, Cupid had raised her head to laugh, and their foreheads had both kind of ended up leaning on each other's. Private stared at her. His golden hair was lighter than her dirty blonde, and his icy blue eyes were also lighter than her sapphire ones. Still, in his opinion, she was so... he couldn't think of the word. Beautiful sort of fit, but gorgeous seemed to big of a word. He'd think of it later.
He was staring at her so intently. Fine, he figured this would be a good time. He leaned his forehead upward, and reached his lips foreword. He caught Cupid's lips, in a deep, kiss.
They were stopped suddenly, when they heard shuffling of footsteps, and harsh, manly words saying, "Well, if it isn't the two little turtle doves..."
