Max's POV
I don't understand it... why couldn't I kill him? I've never hesitated before... why now?
"Hey, love... what's going on?" Starling's voice brought me out of my thoughts. I straightened up, standing to my full height to address her.
"Nothing, Starling... I'm fine..." I said softly, trying to avoid worrying her too much.
"Had any luck tracking the Dark Ace?" She walked up beside me, staring at the maps I had sprawled out on the meeting table.
"Not yet... the bastard's cunning... used the storm last night to leave the area without us noticing..." I frowned a bit, trying to find a probable target for their next attack. As Aerrow walked onto the bridge, with Piper in tow closely behind, I quickly rolled up the maps and put them back on the shelf. I knew Piper hated it when the maps were folded instead of rolled, but I didn't know how well she'd like someone else using them, and I wasn't willing to deal with the yelling that would likely ensue.
"Hey, Max, Starling... what were you guys doing before we walked in?" Piper raised an eyebrow as I straightened the maps on the shelf, trying to make them look undisturbed.
"Oh, Max was just-"
"Trying to tidy up the bridge... you should have seen it a few minutes ago... total disaster..." I said, somewhat nervously, as Piper grew even more suspicious. She's not easy to fool... this may not work like I want it to...
"O...kay... then why were you just-"
"No reason! Just... putting everything back the way it was..." I laughed nervously, trying to tell her to let it go. She didn't get the message.
"But the maps go on that shelf over there..." She pointed to a shelf labeled "maps". I mentally slapped myself. Damn... I am so busted...
"Oh... I, uh... I guess I missed that..." I scratched the back of my neck, waiting for her to put 2 and 2 together.
"Wait a second... were you... using my maps?" She said dangerously. I stepped back, ready to sprint for the safety of the hallway if things turned sour. I may be tough, but I'm not stupid...
"Yes?" I said hesitantly as I cringed, waiting for her to pounce. It never came.
"Oh, okay... I just wanted to be sure... I didn't remember leaving them out, so-"
"Wait a minute... you don't care that I used your maps without asking, but you do care that they're not in the right place!?" I said, flabbergasted. Why the hell isn't she mad!? She hates it when Finn touches her stuff without asking...
"It's not that bad, Max... I know you'll take care of them... you're more responsible than a certain blond sharpshooter whose name I don't care to say..." She furled in eyebrows in anger. I stepped clear as she looked the maps over for folds. After a minute or 2, she rolled them back up and walked them over to their rightful place on the appropriately-labeled shelf. I've got to start paying more attention to those labels... they're going to get me killed someday...
"Max, you just tried to lie to her..." Starling said after a moment of silence.
"No, I didn't..." I retorted defiantly. As Piper turned back to the meeting table, I stuck my long black tongue out at her, silently blowing a raspberry at her from across the bridge. She huffed indignantly, and crossed her arms in feigned offense. Aerrow and Piper turned to see what was going on, and we turned away from each other, pretending to do something else.
When they turned back to the table, we both began exchanging funny faces, pulling on our eyelids and cheeks as we tried to make each other laugh. It worked a little too well. We both suddenly broke out laughing, and everyone on the bridge, even Stork, who seemed oblivious to all of this until now, was staring at us like we'd lost our minds. Stork zipped over, poking his head up under my arm, and did the same to Starling, looking us over with suspicious glances.
"Yep, it's Hazzarian Laughing Fever... any minute now, there'll be gray matter all over my precious bridge..." His eye twitched nervously.
"No, it's not that..." Starling said as we both settled down.
"It must be-" Stork began again, but I cut him off.
"Time for your nap, Stork... you're starting to hear things..." I smiled nonchalantly, only to realize I just made it worse. Damn...never tell a nervous Merb he's hearing things...
"What!? No! I like my ears! They make me beautiful! I won't let you take them away!" He folded them against the sides of his head, holding his hands over them protectively. I rolled my eyes and walked over, knocking on his head softly. He slowly opened his ears and eyes to see what was going on.
"Hey, genius... if you're freaking out over here, then who's...?" I stood back up, looking at the out-of-control helm. We both dove for the controls, clawing at each other to get a hand on it. I won, of course, and promptly held him at bay with one foot on his face. He continued trying to get at the controls, and that's when it hit me; a surge of pain that ran up through my leg. I screamed in agony as I thrashed around, knocking Stork back into the wall. I nursed my bleeding leg, and stared at the Merb angrily.
"You bit me, you little-" Starling held me back as I tried to advance toward him.
"Alright, boys, that's enough..." She put both hands on my chest, looking down at the blood slowly trickling down to my foot.
"You've had your fun... now, kiss and make up so we can treat your leg..." She said worriedly. I stared down at her with widened eyes. When I realized she was only using an expression, I regained my composure. Sighing softly, I muttered "sorry" to him, and he did the same.
"I'm sorry... I didn't quite hear you..." She said, which pushed me a little too far.
"Well, when you gain hearing as acute as ours, then you can complain..." I said slyly. She scoffed and put her hands on her hips, pretending to be offended. Or so I thought. I'm starting to it when she's like this... SLAP! I felt her soft hand slam into my cheek, which brought me back to reality. Or, maybe not...
"I can't believe you just said that! Of all the inconsiderate, disrespectful-"
"Starling, I was kidding. It was a joke!" I tried to calm her down, and it seemed to work.
"I wish you wouldn't joke like that..." She looked up at me with puppy dog eyes. I couldn't help but smile.
"I'm sorry, love... I'll try not to..." I said softly. She nodded and I kissed her cheek
"So, can I have my ship back now?" Stork said eagerly. I rolled my eyes and smiled.
"Sure... take your stupid ship..." I said teasingly. He shoved my shoulder playfully, and I chuckled a bit. I leaned over and put pressure on my leg wound.
"Starling, would you get me a-" She held a bandage in her outstretched hand. I smiled a bit. She pulled the cover off and wrapped the adhesive gauze pad around my leg, putting light pressure on it to ensure it would seal. After doing so, she smiled and kissed my cheek. I stood back up straight, and she looped her arm with mine, smiling softly as she eyed my muscles, which flexed under my uniform slightly as I moved my arm. I didn't have a lot of muscle, but I didn't need to. She loved me anyway. I couldn't believe it when she chose me over everyone else available... I was sure she'd pick-
"So, can we get back to finding the Dark Ace now?" Aerrow finally said, holding his tongue until the opportune time. I nodded softly, as did Starling beside me. I suppose we do have more important things to do...
To Be Continued... Again...