Winds of Change

by Dat Salvadorean Chic

Randall Boggs returns to Monstropolis with the goal to turn a new leaf, but after realizing that Monsters, Inc. is converted to a laugh factory, he seeks help and friendship from a young Loch Ness named Vanessie, who becomes his assistant, and soon helps her find her long lost mother Nessie, with life-or-death risks in the process...

14. Chapter 13

Winds of Change-A Monsters, Inc. fanfic

Chapter 13

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

Randall woke up suddenly to the knocking noise on his apartment door. He looked up, his eyes barely open and squinting, desperate to have sleep again. He laid on the scarlet couch with a blanket draped over him lazily. He realized that there was a slight heaviness on his back and when he turned his head back, he saw Chimmy lying on him in a ball. Her eyes were open as well, but they fell heavy in drowsiness.

"Too early, huh?" he asked the kitten.

Chimmy yawned in response. She rose, stretched and jumped off Randall as she looked for another comfortable place to sleep.

Randall literally rolled off the couch and moaned in pain. 'I'll get used to this soon... Very soon,' he thought to himself. He made an effort to stretch himself out until he heard knocks on the door again. He groaned. "Coming."

He stood up and twisted his torso, resulting in a delicious crack. He walked to the door and turned the knob. When he saw who his guest was, his eyes opened wide and his sleep was gone instantly.

"Randy!"

"Shhhh!" Randall hushed in a forced whisper. "Ned, quiet down!"

Ned was taken aback by Randall's hostile hushing. He backed up a bit. Randall noticed his brother carrying a small box in front of him. "Sorry. Jeez, I know that you like your place quiet, but—"

"Just come in, but keep your voice low." Randall interrupted and opened the door wider to let his brother in. "What's the box for?"

"It's a surprise." Ned said lowly. "Man, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you forgot that I'm coming every Saturday now." Ned whispered with a grin. "So what happened? Are you going deaf or...?

"Why would you think that I'm going deaf?"

"Well, why are we whispering?"

Randall sighed. He lifted his arm and, with a finger, pointed towards his bedroom door. He took in another deep breath and said, "Vanessie's in there."

He took note of how Ned's expression changed slowly. First he was confused. Then he was questioning. Then his eyes opened in surprise. Then realization. Then lastly, over exaggeration.

"Oh, no, Randy," Ned said with a wide, sly grin. "You introduce me to Miss Vanessie one week and the next... You get so ambitious?"

Ambitious? "Ned, shut up!" Randy whispered in annoyance. "Look, it's not like that at all. See, she lost her apartment a couple days ago. Because of her cat and pets aren't allowed in her complex. So I... I let her stay with me. Y'know, until she gets back on her feet. And I let her have my bed to be a good host. I just woke up on the couch."

Ned nodded as his eyes wandered over to the couch. "Ah, I get it. Good, good. For a second there, I thought you went to second base."

"No, no. I would never do that. Besides... Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't want to overwhelm her." Randall replied, suddenly disappearing in shyness.

Ned snorted.

"What? Great, now you make me feel like a perv."

"No, it's fine. It's just that I never expected you to mention such a thing." Ned laughed silently. "And to think that you used to think girls were gross, Randy, and now? Man. I'm so proud of you. ...But that's good that you're looking out for her. It's very nice of you."

"Thanks." Randall said. Then he walked over to the coffee maker. "You want some coffee?"

"Oh, yeah, sure." Ned beamed. "I didn't have time to brew myself a mug. I couldn't wait to see my little brother again. Even if it was only a week."

Randall smiled as he poured water to the coffee maker. He enjoyed having his brother again as well. It's nice that he came again. Then he wondered again to the box he was holding.

"And I wanted to see Vanessie again. She's such a nice character." Ned continued. "Also her cat."

The batcat heard herself mentioned and got up to curl up next to Ned's legs. Ned laughed.

"You flirt with everyone, don't you, kid?" Randall asked the cat as he looked at her and his brother.

The kitten mewed in response.

"Who do you prefer? Him or me?" Randall said with a smirk.

The cat looked up at Randall and then up at Ned. Then she licked her paw and cleaned her face. She walked over to Randall.

"She likes you now?" Ned laughed.

"Yeah," Randall said. "I'm catching up to you, Ned. Whatcha got?" he grinned.

Ned chuckled. "I'll still be the better-looking brother."

"Hmm, I don't know," Randall said. "I don't see you having a girl living in your apartment."

"But you're friends."

"Still," Randall replied, as if he won their little battle.

After the coffee was done brewing, Randall got a mug and poured it carefully. He added vanilla creamer in it and lifted it across the room. He wanted to give it to Vanessie first. Ned smiled as his brother walked into the bedroom. "Don't get crazy." he said.

Randall shook his head in amusement and closed the doors slowly behind him, barely making a sound. He saw before him the young loch ness lying peacefully on his bed, the thick blankets drawn over her waist. She was sleeping on her side, her red hair tousled and messy, but cute. Her hands laid on the pillow close to her face. She breathed in and out softly and steadily. She looked so comfortable. So warm. So peaceful. She stirred slightly until she sleepily decided to stretch her body. She pulled the covers over herself and purred at the warmth of it on her skin, forming a smile on her face. Her red hair shone brightly against the morning sunlight pouring through the window. He thought she was the most beautiful sight possible for a morning. For any time.

He slithered over to her quietly and shook her shoulder gently.

"Hmm?"

Randall bent down so he could whisper gently into her fin-ear, "Sorry for disturbing you, but I'm just letting you know that my brother Ned's here. When you wake up, there's a fresh, hot cup of coffee waiting for you."

"Thanks," Vanessie mumbled.

"It'll be right here," Randall said as he set the mug down on the nightstand next to the bed. "Put vanilla creamer; just the way you like it."

The loch ness giggled softly in her sleep. Randall was sure that she heard him. He smiled down at her and walked out the door, closing the door slowly and silently.

"So how's she doing?" Ned asked Randall.

"She's doing pretty fine. I mean, she had a nice sleep, as far as I can tell."

Then Ned smirked and chuckled as he played with his stirrer in his coffee. Randall didn't know what was funny.

"What?"

"She's thinking about you." Ned said. Randall stared at his brother, waiting for more. "She's very thankful for having you. She's overwhelmed with happiness."

Randall smiled. "You think so?"

"Think? I know so." Ned returned the expression encouragingly. "See? I keep seeing more clues."

"I sure hope what you're sayings true."

"So what about Nessie. I know that this issue would take a lot to flesh out considering it's a top secret thing, but I'm just—"

"We did find something." Randall cut in.

"You did?" Ned replied happily.

"We found a file of Nessie. All we found was just a single sentence. It's of a tape of Nessie's crime."

"And you don't have it yet."

"Not yet. But we hope we do soon. Van's getting anxious about finding anything about her mother... Then again, I am, too, for her."

"Well, at least you care."

"Yeah," Randall retrieved his coffee mug and sat himself down on the scarlet sofa. "But anything popping up soon will indeed boggle our minds."

"Well, I hope you find the info you need." Ned said before taking another sip of his coffee."

Vanessie lost her sleep about half an hour after Randall came to the bedroom to give her coffee. Or, at least she dreamed he did. She fluttered her eyes, squinting at the bright morning light illuminating the room. She pushed the blankets aside and looked over to the nightstand. There was a cup of coffee there just waiting to be sipped. It wasn't a dream. She smiled as she stretched over to retrieve the handle of the mug and carefully brought it to her lips. She was thankful for the time she left it alone; it wasn't too hot or too cold. Just right. She savored the nutty-caramel flavor of the beverage and licked her lips. She heard the delicious voice of Randall behind the wall and his brother's. Its Saturday. It was a beautiful morning.

She slid off the bed and stood on all fours. She stretched her long, slender body in a catlike position, first stretching her arms on the floor and her hind in the air and then stretching her legs, purring in pleasure and comfort. She stood up again, grabbed her coffee and slowly opened the bedroom door to see Randall and his brother.

She peeked in and accidentally made the door creak slightly. Randall turned, sitting on the red sofa and smiled invitingly. Vanessie opened the door wider now that she's caught, but smiled back.

"Morning, Van," Randall said kindly. "How was your sleep?"

"Oh..." Vanessie smiled, remembering the warmth of those blankets. "Best sleep ever. Ten hours of it... Worth it."

"I'm glad you had a nice sleep." Randall winked.

"Hey, Vanessie," Ned greeted.

"Hey, I remember you." Vanessie laughed softly and leaned in to give Ned a hug. He took it happily.

"It's nice to see you again."

"Same here."

Vanessie took a seat next to Randall and continued sipping her coffee, her eyes still heavy and her body still warm, only becoming warmer as she took long gulps of her coffee, making her sigh in happiness.

"So sorry about your apartment, Vanessie," Ned said, then grinned. "But it's a great thing for you to know a guy like Randy."

Vanessie turned her head to Randall and smiled at him. He did the same. "Yeah, he's pretty great."

"I'm not much." Randall shrugged.

Vanessie giggled.

"Well, he's SO great," Ned grinned, stroking his box like a cat. "That I wanted to show pictures of him and me as kids..."

Randall's eyes widened, already beginning to blush. "No, Ned, you don't have to do that."

"Oh, but you two are already best friends! You already saw her pictures as a kid." Ned smiled. "I'm sure you want to know how Randy here was as a kid."

"Very much, yeah," Vanessie said delightfully. "You only showed me one photo, but I would like to see more."

"Oh... There's more." Ned said. "When Randy here... Wasn't Randy anymore, I don't know, he had bad thoughts when he saw his old photos. So he begged me to take all of them. But I'm sure he's comfortable now with them."

Randall sighed. Then he looked at Vanessie. She smiled thoughtfully at him. He couldn't say no to those brown eyes at all. Besides, from the one photo Ned showed of him the week before, she thought he was adorable. She wanted to see her react to him growing up.

"Here, Randy," Vanessie said as she went over to the bedroom and came back with her small box of personal belongings. "I have a lot—like, A LOT of photos of myself in here. Even ones I hate." she said with a laugh. "I'll let you and Ned look at them."

'She's so cute when she wants to make even.' Randall thought as he grinned at her. He chuckled. "You didn't have to do that... But since you're insisting, I guess it's alright."

Vanessie laughed and handed her box to Randall and took his from Ned. He took it with a smile and picked up a stack of printed photos held together by a rubber band. He freed the photos and the first one he saw before him was of a newborn Vanessie. He chuckled at how she looked: pale, wrinkly, wet and almost alien. Her hair was black, moist, and tousled. The next few were her mother carrying newborn Vanessie in her arms. Nessie had a tender look in her eyes as she looked down at her own child, her eyes lit in happiness and astonishment. Right then, Randall recognized that same look when Vanessie was with Alani. She was so much like her mother, but in her own fashion.

He looked through more and laughed softy at the toddler Vanessie. She had a chubby tummy and her skin was looking more lively. Her black hair and fur grew longer, and poofier as he saw more photos. He also noticed that she had glasses and braces in a few photos. He could see how Nessie had so much pride in her daughter: she was a very beautiful child. He looked up to see Vanessie being handed photos of him and Ned in their childhood. She was older now. More determined, mature, full of life and passionate. Not to mention beautiful. He smiled at her.

Vanessie felt Randall smile at her and she looked up at him curiously. He seemed to feel stunned and looked down at her photos again. She laughed softly to herself, feeling happy that she was with him. Her form of refuge. She couldn't wait to see how her refuge looked like as a kid.

The first photo she saw was of Randall crying in what seemed to be his first day of kindergarten, with brave little Ned pulling at his tail and Randall holding onto his mother's hands. She found another photo of Randall at the optometrist covering his left eye. Then she found a photo of him sitting down calmly with the rest of his classmates in first grade with glasses on. She guessed that his trip to the optometrist earned him a pair of glasses. From the photos that followed, he kept wearing glasses. Every photo she saw before her warmed her heart.

She found his photos in high school and loved how cute he looked. He was longer, taller, and surprisingly shyer. She noticed that he was President of the Pastry Club, as she saw the name of the club on a banner in a photo. He looked so bright and full of happiness as she saw photos of him beaming over a successful, and very delicious-looking, batch of cupcakes, cakes, pies and other pastries. She looked up to study a concentrated Randall looking over her photos, with a soft smile spreading his wide mouth. Judging from his past, she knew he probably gave up baking a long time ago. 'Probably that little baker's still in there somewhere.' she thought.

It was until she saw photos of him at college. First, there was of Randall waving goodbye, tearfully but smiling, to his mother. Then a selfie of himself alone in his dorm. Then a photo of he and a younger Mike Wazowski smiling, the caption he wrote saying, "BEST CHUMPS." Then they slowly bittered, because the last photo she saw of him smiling kindly was when he took a photo of himself with some sort of fraternity that he recently took an oath with, ROR. He beamed with a red sweatshirt and wearing his glasses in the dark. Then he saw a photo of him with an unsure smile in the ROR sweatshirt without glasses, the caption saying, "Gotta give up glasses for the cool kids. I'll get used to it." She frowned.

Vanessie looked through more photos of Randall, flipping through them thoughtfully and thought of them as a flipbook; similar, but each one after the other looking different in some way. She found some of him celebrating victory at some game and he looked smug. She noticed his gradual transformation of this little guy who wore glasses and baked cupcakes to a jerk and a jock. She noticed closely how he slowly looked like the other members. His shy but sweet green-apple eyes turned to competitive and snarling algae-green eyes.

Then she saw his yearbook after Ned handed it to her kindly and when she made it to his photo, next to it was signed, "Nice hearts, nerd. -Johnny Worthington". She frowned. She hardly saw any more photos after that.

She looked up and saw Randall smiling warmly at her photos. He was not looking at a picture of Vanessie barely learning to swim as a toddler, with her mother smiling down at her daughter as she held her close to her.

She couldn't help but curve her lips into a smile. Whatever happened in his young life in those college photos didn't matter anymore. If anything, he looked like that little guy with huge glasses, wide and kind eyes, sweet smile and cute disposition. And there was no way she would let him return to the nasty, hateful lizard he was. No. He would suffer again if he were like that again. And she never wanted to see that lizard suffer again. Never. She loved this Randall. The Randall who was willing to help her. The Randall who grew nervous around her at times. The Randall who would playfully tease her to make her feel better. She loved this Randall.

Then Randall's eyes shifted to hers wonderingly. Vanessie flinched and looked down at her photos again, acting as if nothing happened. But then she felt Randall's eyes on her. She proceeded herself to look more at the pictures she already saw, permitting Randall to keep looking at her. She didn't mind at all. Deep inside her, she enjoyed doing this. Letting him take a good look at her. Knowing that he wouldn't have dirty thoughts about her, but he would be admirable towards her. So she repeated the stacks of photos for Randall's enjoyment.

Randall couldn't help but stare at the lovely creature before him. Many times, he told himself how much he couldn't believe he could ever be so close to a girl, let alone someone who breathes. He was very thankful to have such a great friend like her and thought of how lucky he was to have her around so often. And the fact that she's living under his roof... He felt it was scary yet exciting. He knew it as he looked at the curves of her waist, her legs and her arms. She was so feminine-looking, even with her boyish-cut red hair, which he thought made her look more feminine than if she were to have longer hair like her mother. He already compared her with her younger self with long, dark hair. He liked her crazy fire red color on her. But she looked very soft as he looked her over. A kind of feminine softness that's so tempting to feel. So pleasurable to touch. So silky to run his fingers on.

Seeing how beautiful she was physically reminded him of how much that reflected on her personality. Her loving nature towards children. Her dedication for her mother. Her willingness to get through any obstacle to live. Her trust in him most of all, he found most endearing. Because everything else came after trust. Most of his life, he never thought that anyone could ever trust him so strong, and he valued that very much along with everything else. He knew she was very capable of loving someone so easily. Thinking about his gradual change, he realized that he could, too. he only wished that she could love him. So he could love her back.

He then felt eyes on him and shifted his eyes to his older brother. Ned was looking at him with a playful grin, with a hint of encouragement. He'd it been a sly smile, Randy would've gestured him to stop. But since his brother sent him a smile of emboldenment, he couldn't help but smile back. He was very confident of his love for Vanessie, just by knowing that his brother approves. Then he was sure that his mother would've approved of her, too.

"So you wore glasses, champ?" Vanessie asked with a giggle.

Randall chuckled. "Yeah, long time ago." he said. "They were pretty ugly."

"No, they weren't." Vanessie said protectively, scrunching her round snout. "They looked SO cute on you."

Randall blushed. "Heh, thanks." He saw Ned blink at him. "That's a first in a very long time."

"Did you wear glasses?" Vanessie asked Ned.

"Nah, my eyesight is very great, actually. I never needed glasses." Ned said, then smirked at Randall. "But little bro here gave them up so soon. Look at how much he's squinting all the time."

Randall flicked his tongue at his brother in a teasing fashion. "I don't even know where those glasses are, anyway."

"Aw, Randy," Vanessie giggled. "Don't worry, I relate. I used to wear glasses before they became a hassle."

"I saw." Randall said, gesturing to the photos he held in a hand. "You gave them up, too?"

"Yeah, but because they were too small on me." she said. "And... Y'know, I was a stubborn little kid."

Randall guessed so. The only photos he saw of her with glasses were when she was nine or ten-looking. He remembered how he gave up his. He remembered meeting Mike for the first time and how he advised him to take off his glasses to not "give away" his ability. He used them occasionally for a short time after that, until he gave them up completely when he joined ROR, a fraternity he joined early in his college career. Thinking about that fraternity now brought a shiver down his spine. He was sure that Vanessie saw that captioned photo of him without his glasses. Then he remembered how naive he was back then. How shy he was, yet so willing to do anything to get with the "cool kids". And it backfired at him with... With... That certain shape that earned him an exit from the cool kids. He used to think that if he was at the top of the fraternity, only to be kicked out, he wasn't worth it for everything else.

All his life, he lived to please. He only wanted to feel right. To feel where he wants to be.

He wanted to feel at home.

But he never did. He always blamed himself for all that's happened to him. After his innocence was shattered at a young age, everything went dark for him,many he was responsible for it. He always wanted to get out of that darkness, but chose the wrong paths that he got so far away from what he truly wanted. But all he wanted was approval. All he wanted was recognition. All he wanted was acceptance. And he thought that the way to get those things was to change himself.

But the change possessed him so much that he had a hunger for power. For fame, for glory. He realized he became blind from that. Completely blind. He was blind the moment he gave up his glasses for ROR. He knew it was now that he thought about it.

He looked at Vanessie solemnly. He then discerned that she was everything he ever hoped for. She was someone who completely accepted him. Someone who recognized him. Mostly someone who knew that somewhere deep inside him, there was the sweet, warm and kind lizard. And somehow, she knew exactly how to get him out. He was confident that she would bring that Randy in him back. She already did in the beginning, when he shattered her photo. When he realized that he still had sympathy deep inside him, something he never felt for anyone for a long time, except for her. Then when they developed a strong friendship. And then when they gave their trust to one another, not caring if the other would have different thoughts, as they never had. Everything that's led him up to now was because of her. It was all her. If he never partnered with her in the beginning, none of this would've happened. He wouldn't have found a friend. He wouldn't have poured his feelings out in the open without fear. He wouldn't have fallen in love. He never thought he could've felt love for another monster, a female. He thought it was out of the question. He assumed no one could love a reptile. Especially one with many arms, a wide mouth and sharp jagged teeth. If anything, he scared girls away. But he recalled the moment Vanessie kissed him. She could've hugged him. She could've laid a hand on his shoulder. But she kissed him. Most girls would find kissing a lizard to be disgusting; quite ironic for the Monster World. But she did it without hesitation. If anything, she could consider him to be quite handsome. Then he remembered the time she described his eyes.

And she opened his eyes. She made them beautiful again. She was his pair of glasses. Something he thought he didn't need, he now needed again.

Randall, Ned and Vanessie talked more to each other over coffee, laughing at each other's photos. Randall's favorite picture of Vanessie was of her as a baby, her face wrinkling terribly as Nessie tried to feed vegetables to her. Vanessie's favorite picture of Randall was of him with his brother having a funeral, from what Vanessie guessed, for a cake, the cardboard tombstone saying "RIP Double Chocolate Cake".

"Do you still bake, Randy?" Vanessie asked, lifting her mug to her lips.

Randall sighed as he said uneasily. "Ah, no... No I do not... Like the glasses, it's been a long time since I've... Done that."

"You left so much behind." Ned laughed. "You ought to retrace a few things."

Randall only smirked.

"Yeah, I mean, it looks like you were very great." Vanessie beamed. "Did you enter competitions? You're cakes looked great in the photos. Of course, after Double Chocolate Cake's mishap."

"Actually, I did."

Vanessie's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah. I never got first place, but the highest award I got was third place." Randall said proudly. "But it was fun."

"You underestimate yourself, Randy." Ned said, then turned to Vanessie. "Randy used to be the best in high school. When we had cake walks or pot lucks, all the teenagers would make a mob for his pastries. Seriously, he was popular for that."

"Yeah," Randall grinned at the memories of people flooding for his cupcakes. "In class, I would be the one in the back hardly raising my hand even though I knew the answer to a question. But in student events and special occasions, people went straight to my pastry table."

"And he won EVERY baking competition in high school. Every one." Ned continued. "What he said about getting third place as the highest he ever got were NATIONAL competitions he competed in. In high school, he was very much expected to win them. But he was such a great sport back then. He even tutored a few monsters how to bake from scratch."

"Oh, how interesting." Vanessie said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Yes, but I'm still a bit rusty." Randall said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm sure you'll remember, Randy." Ned said.

After talking a bit more to each other and drinking more cups of coffee, Ned looked at the clock and sighed.

"Man, time passed by so fast." Ned said as he got up from his seat. "Sorry, guys, I gotta go."

"So soon?" Randall asked with a frown. "It's barely noon now."

"Yeah, sorry. I got some errands. But I took the time to come over and visit you, Randy, and you, Vanessie." The brother said kindly.

"What about the pictures?" Vanessie asked, already gathering up the stacks of photos.

"Oh, keep them. I have my own anyway. I just thought Randy ought to have them again." Ned said, winking at his purple brother.

"Alright." Randall said with a smile. "Let me lead you to the door."

Randall slithered off the couch and led his brother out the door. As they left the apartment, they walked to Ned' car.

"So what errands are you doing, exactly?" Randall asked.

"Oh, I probably didn't tell you," Ned said, rubbing his neck and smirking. "I'm hanging out with my girlfriend's son."

"Yeah, you never told me about that." Randall chuckled.

"Yeah, she's a reptile like us. Quite our species, but she's got one frond. Getting pretty close to her boy, Rex." he said happily.

"That's nice." Randall said.

"Yeah, I'm thinking about marrying her, but I'm so nervous about that."

"Probably the only thing you're nervous about."

"I guess," Ned laughed. "But you and Vanessie... I'm sure that'll happen."

Randall smiled, his eyes glittering in happiness. Then they made it to Ned's car in front of the apartment complex.

"Good luck with her." Ned said, then chuckled. "But you don't need luck anyway. She likes you. A lot."

"Thanks." Randall said. "You, too."

They hugged before they separated and Ned drove off.

As Randall walked back to the apartment, he thought about Ned and the possibility that he could be a father soon. Ned would be a great father, he thought. He was patient, kind, fun-loving and attentive. Then he thought how he would be as a father. He pictured himself with Vanessie, playing with their child who would look like either him or her. Then he wished that he wouldn't have a girl with his looks. He would have to deal with her insecurity. He laughed at the thought. But if it would ever happen, he would love her anyway. Then he pictured Vanessie holding their imagined child, cooing to him or her, tickling their chubby tummies, caressing their soft, new skin. The thought was so realistic for a girl like Vanessie. She would be a great mother. Like she was to the human kids. But when she has her own child, a being of her own flesh and blood, she would love it to no end, with a connection like no other. No doubt about it. And he would love it endlessly, too. Knowing that Vanessie, the girl he loves, carried it and endured caring for it.

But then he felt he was being too confident for that. Even if there were many hints Vanessie was giving out, it didn't mean that she could have a liking to him, too. He just had to hope. In the very least, hope. And he had so much of it.

When he came back to the apartment, he caught Vanessie looking at her own old photos. She was smiling fondly at them, laughing softly. She looked up and saw him coming to her.

"Hey," she said with a smile.

"Hey," Randall replied. He loomed over her shoulder. "Those... Were VERY cute pictures."

Vanessie giggled. "Thank you."

"Especially the ones with braces."

"No!"

"Yes,"

"No," Vanessie grinned, shaking her head. "Those braces were the ugliest things."

"No, they were cute." Randall smirked.

She still laughed anyway. Then he saw her reach over to Randall's stack of his photos and lifted one of him in college, wearing large glasses. She smirked as she showed it to Randall, giggling.

Randall looked at it and thought at first, he would feel disgusted by the picture. But instead, he stared at it, almost reveling the past and how he used to look like. He liked the glitter in his green eyes that spelt optimism, sweetness and courteousness. He liked the way he played with his fingers nervously, a habit he had for a long time. He liked fixing his glasses when they fell crooked and how his mother would giggle at him when he did so.

"You looked cute with them." Vanessie said with a smile. "You really did."

Randall felt his mouth form a smile. He took the picture into his hands and stared more into the photo. "I guess I did, huh?"

Vanessie looked up at him and into his eyes. He looked down at her. She positioned herself to sit on her knees and saw him eye-to-eye. She didn't smile, but she didn't frown either.

"Is that why you squint so much?" she asked.

"Why what?"

"Your eyes. You gave up your glasses. Is your vision why you squint so much?"

Randall nodded. "Yeah. It's kind of hard to see this way."

"Then why not wear them again?"

"What?"

"Wear them again."

Randall paused, then broke to a chuckle. "Why?"

"Because," Vanessie said, looking at the photo Randall held. "I know it might sound weird, but... I don't know, it could be a way... to become more like Randy again."

He looked down at his photo. He wanted to be Randy again. So badly. And would it hurt much to wear glasses again? It could help with his impaired vision a lot. Plus, Vanessie already proved that she thought they looked cute on him.

"Here," Vanessie said as she reached into her small box and pulled out a small pair of glasses. "These were my old glasses. My left eye probably worsened by now, and my head probably grew larger since I was seven." she laughed. "But I'll try them on for you."

She put on the glasses, trying to squeeze them to her head, but managed to do the task and blinked repeatedly.

"Yeah, my left eye is very bad." Vanessie mumbled, then giggled. "It's been a long time. That eye did worsen."

Randall thought so. He noticed that she began to squint so much through the lens and the glasses themselves were too small. Without hesitation, he took the glasses and slid them off Vanessie's face, not wanting her to have the pain and confusion from the old glasses.

"I probably need new ones," Vanessie said.

Randall didn't reply. He just looked down at the glasses and after a short while, folded them up and handed them to Vanessie. He then went to the box of his old belongings and shuffled the things inside it. Cake recipes, photos, newspaper clippings from university, until his fingers touched a familiar piece of plastic. He pulled it out of the box carefully. It was his pair of glasses.

Vanessie stared at his hands and widened her eyes. "I thought you said you forgot where they were..."

Randall breathed in deeply, looking at an interested Vanessie. "I did. I was hoping that Ned found them and put them in here. Good thing he did..."

"Good thing?" Vanessie said in a hopeful manner.

"Yeah," Randall smiled. "I... I've wanted to..."

Vanessie took the glasses from his hands quietly and politely, with Randall flinching in contact with her slender fingers. Then he felt himself blushing when Vanessie leaned in a little and positioned the glasses to his face. She carefully slid them on, Randall shutting his eyes closed so she wouldn't see his eyes making a shy look. Her fingers brushed more on the sides of his face, the front, and the swell of where his fronds start between his eyes, making him close his eyes tighter with every brush he felt. Then Vanessie leaned back and looked at him.

"Randy, you can open your eyes now." Randall hear her voice say.

Randall blinked a few times before he opened his eyes. First, his sight blurred from the tight pressure he made on his eyelids. Then his vision cleared and all of a sudden he saw Vanessie sharply and clearly. He jumped in surprise, making Vanessie jump as well.

"Oh, wow!" Randall gasped.

"Wow is right." Vanessie giggled. "Just look at your eyes."

Randall opened his eyes wide. Everything seemed clearer, more comfortable. He always hated how it felt to squint so much for so many years and now he was able to let that go and see better. It made him feel calmer.

"Wow... I forgot how it felt to wear these..." he mumbled.

Vanessie giggled again. He already knew that Randall had cute, huge, buggy eyes with glasses in his old photos, but seeing him as an adult with those glasses again warmed her heart to a high degree. She thought he was the most adorable thing she ever saw in her life.

"You think I look silly," Randall blushed, almost trying to look away.

"No! No!" Vanessie laughed happily. "No, not at all! In fact, I think you look very cute!"

"Cute?" Randall asked. Never before was he called that by anyone besides his family members, but hearing it again made him relieved. He should've expected that to come from Vanessie, but he was trying to get used to things. To remembering how things were before and taking them back again. But she thought he was cute? And would she think that him baking again would be cute, too? He's confident that he'd be to her. But he would do it for himself. He wanted to get back to old things to become better in an easier way. He smiled shyly. "Thanks."

"Hey," she said. "I thought you should know that."

Randall felt himself blush again when he saw that his glasses slipped forward. He pushed them back with a finger, still smiling bashfully.

Vanessie shuffled into Randall's box and pulled out the many cake recipes that were inside. She grinned and nodded at the pieces of paper and looked at Randall.

"What do you say," she said, smirking slyly. "If we try to regain your memory of baking pastries, hmm?"

Randall looked down at her hands, seeing the little pages of recipes, the writing on them almost faded out but still visible. He folded his fingers together in an unsure fashion. "I don't know," he said, then laughed nervously. "It's been... Quite a long while, don't you think?"

"Well, yeah, it has," Vanessie nodded. "But... It doesn't hurt to try, right?"

"I guess," he replied, looking down at his fingers. "But I'm a bit rusty."

"I can help you, Randy. I mean, I used to bake a little, too." she said with a grin. "Of course, not from scratch, but like at work, I'll be your baking assistant."

Randall thought it over silently. He did remember how fun it was to bake so much. He could give it a shot. "It's tempting..." he said, then his eyes bulged open. "The baking part! Not the... Assistant part..."

Vanessie laughed. "I know what you mean. But it doesn't hurt, right?"

Randall was beginning to feel more relieved. He nodded, smiling. "Right."

"And it'll be fun!" Vanessie said in a sweet voice Randall just devoured in his mind. "What do you think?"

"I think," Randall said, politely taking his written recipes from Vanessie's hands. "We ought to bake one of these bad boys."

"Mmmm!" Vanessie giggled. "Man, judging from how you used to win competitions with these, I'm sure we'll make some dynamite sweets, eh?"

"Definitely." Randall said. Then he frowned. "But we need the supplies and ingredients." Then he thought to himself, staring into space, before he took action and raced to the door. "I'll go try to get some."

"Well, wait!" Vanessie said with a laugh, trying to catch him before he left. "Hold on there! You need help? Want me to come?"

Randall stood silent and looked down at his recipes. There were so many kinds of cakes and pastries there, but he had one and one only in mind. He took it quickly and hid it behind his back. He shoved the rest into Vanessie's hands, apologized quickly and ended the conversation with, "No, but don't worry: it's a surprise." and closed the door behind him.

Vanessie laughed softly at Randall's sudden need to go out for supplies. But weird or not, she loved seeing Randall this way. She loved seeing him ecstatic about something that was meaningful to him in the past. And she was truly happy for him. She put the recipes in the box and cleaned up the living room before she decided to wash up while Randy was out getting what they need.

After a little less than half an hour, Randall frantically returned home with many grocery bags filled with ingredients and supplies, his glasses constantly trying to slip off. He was feeling gracious for having four arms, leaving one arm to lift his glasses back up with ease, even with his increasing speed back home.

He came back to find the apartment cleaned up and set the bags on the table close to the kitchen. He looked around wonderingly then, hearing the sound of running water after the cracking sound of plastic from the bags receded. Then he heard humming. Vanessie was taking a shower.

He walked over to the bedroom and saw the bathroom door opened slightly. from the looks of it, she was having a nice hot shower, judging from the steam-filled mirror he could see inside. He limited himself to stay where he was; he never wanted to think of himself as a pervert and mentally glued his feet to where they stood. But he heard the luscious and sensuous sound of hot water running and the voice coming from the siren.

"Sometimes it's worse to have lost

Than to have never had at all

Cause it's a curse to feel love

And to feel it all dissolve

Where you once were there is a space

That runs as deep as hell

But every morning when I wake

I tell myself

Don't be fooled by your emptiness

There's so much more room for happiness, ye-eah

Don't be fooled by your emptiness

There's so much more room for happiness..."

Randall listened to the honey-sweet voice with a grin on his face. He imagined how it would be then. If they did get together, he would listen to her in the mornings singing in the shower while he'd lazily stay in bed, only to be lulled deeper to sleep. It was such a nice thought.

He walked away from the bedroom door and reviewed his purchases silently, still hearing the sweet sound of Vanessie's voice from afar. It was so luscious, so syrupy. And so sensual for some reason. The way he knew that Vanessie needed water to live, but now she's under a shower of hot water, and wondered if that would trigger a sensual sense in her. Then he pictured Vanessie in the shower, covered in warm white mist, her red hair damp and sticking to her scalp, but her bangs fell over her eyes, her eyes closed as she sang. He imagined her running her hands through her hair in that slow and sexy way as she applied shampoo or conditioner, then rinsing herself as she rubbed the suds off her body. Her catlike, feminine and slender body. Then he imagined her swaying her hips slowly side to side to the rhythm of her singing. Then he imagined him with her.

He shook his head frantically when he realized his scandalous thinking. "No, no, no, Randall." he said to himself. "No way. Don't do that. Vanessie's not like that... Yet."

Just then, he heard the sound of the water recede. He jumped in surprise, his glasses falling crooked. He adjusted them. He tried to occupy himself by preparing the supplies. But he was too distracted by the sounds of Vanessie's wet feet stepping on the tile floor and her soft breathing from afar. He could tell that the bathroom was too warm for her with the heavy mist from the hot water. Then he heard her brushing her teeth with her own toothbrush that she supplied herself.

Then the bathroom door creaked. She opened it. She peeked her head in from the bedroom door, her hair towel-dried and poofy, but still damp.

"Randy," she said. "I'm almost done. I'm just going to apply some lotion and I'll come out."

"Yeah, sure," Randall said, smiling shyly at her.

She closed the bedroom door then.

Already, Randall was held begging himself for mercy to evade certain thoughts. He pictured her rubbing lotion on her legs, waist and torso. Her smiling as she was doing it. He slapped himself. He realized how loud the smack was when Vanessie poked her head outside the bedroom door again, a confused look on her face making him blush.

"You okay?" she asked, her brows furrowed.

"Yeah," Randall said, rubbing his face. "Yeah, it was just a spasm."

"You sure?" Vanessie laughed softly. "Sounded pretty hard."

"Yeah, I'm sure. Very sure." Randall said, trying to manage smiling.

Vanessie rolled her eyes, laughing softly again. "Okay. Be careful."

Randall nodded, then went about his business after she went back inside the bedroom.

Vanessie stood in the bedroom, her hand still lingering on the doorknob after seeing Randall so nervous. She didn't know why. He wasn't like this the night before. She figured that this was probably more of Randy coming back, as she remembered how shy he looked when he was younger. But she also thought about it; it's the first time she ever took a shower in his home. He could have thought about her.

She entered the bathroom and looked at herself. The mirror was still misty. She wiped the fog off with her hand and evaluated herself.

Then she felt worried. She remembered when she was a child, her mother told her that when she grows up, she would look so beautiful. Her father told her she'd look like her mother. She did. She stared at her huge, brown eyes, her thin black brows, her long lashes. She had a round but pleasing headshape, with soft cheeks. Her hair was vibrantly red. She ran her hand through it. It was a little damp but very soft. Her hands were very dainty and elegant-looking. Then she eyes her chest and waist, slender and long. She laid a hand on her small tummy.

She looked just like her mother. It made her tense. She wished that she had at least one distinct feature from her father besides his dark brown eyes. Not that she thought she was drop dead sexy. She never wanted to think that. She never wanted to think that she could be an object for sexual enjoyment and she didn't. If anything, she wanted to be known for her inner beauty like how people remembered her mother now for her personality. But she recalled how many times young monsters flirted with her when she worked at the café. While they thought that she'd be flattered by their words of "affection", she was sick of it. Because her looks made her feel like others viewed her lowly. They thought that she could give in for a good time. But she knew better. Still, she hated how her looks attracted a number of guys rather than her person.

But she had to give credit to Randall. Had she live in another guy's apartment, which she would never do but she didn't know enough guys anyway, they probably would flirt endlessly with her, wanting her to "pay for the rent". Randall lent her his place for no price; a very generous act, and never pressured her in any way. Yet, she couldn't blame him for being so nervous around her. She wished she wasn't so pretty. So he wouldn't feel so uncomfortable around her. Then she wished she lived with someone else. She didn't want to be a burden to Randall. But she had no other choice. She shed one tear before she pulled herself together and returned to the bedroom to put lotion on herself.

From the drawer she used to store her lotions, she chose the scent with the less pleasing smell she had, coconut. At least to her, she didn't find the scent flattering. She hoped Randall wouldn't find it so, too. She applied it to her body three times than her usual single coat so she wouldn't get dehydrated again so soon. Then she looked through her drawer and found an oversized black cardigan sweater she would use for cold weather nights as night clothes to sleep in. She pulled it, slipped her arms through the sleeves and buttoned up the cardigan. For Randall's sake, she didn't bother to fix her hair. She let it settle to be poofy and uneven.

She looked in the mirror again and thought her work was good. She went from beautiful to okay. Especially the cardigan not flattering her waist.

Then she's at the foot of the bed for a while. Thinking about Randall.

She loved him. She knew she did. But she didn't want to take advantage of him. She didn't want that idea to cross his mind about her. If anything, she did this for him. She didn't want to intimidate him with her presence. It was probably the first time she resented having her mother's looks. Feeling guilty for looking good. Even though she loved him, she didn't want to have trouble. Anything could happen as his roommate, especially being a female roommate. She knew he had temptations, and she did, too.

She moved to open the door a little to see Randall and peered out. He was organizing where the supplies would be and to place the ingredients into a certain order. Then she focused on his body. His four forelimbs and back limbs. All very agile and strong. His hands, too. She wondered how they felt on her body; caressing at her every feminine curve. His long body was fun to look at. He was never straight; he was always curved his body and it always moved majestically. How he would scurry in quick motion. She would stare at him all day if she could. And those scales. She tried imagining how they felt on her fingertips. How soft, masculine, and reptile-like he could feel. She looked up his body and her eyes wandered to his fronds. She always thought they looked so cute, the three of them. She wondered how they would feel. What they're for. Then she saw him turn. He she saw him facing sideways, and the light for the window shone on his green eyes. His eyes were his best feature. Especially now since he's wearing glasses. How extremely big and green they were. Indeed, they were jewels. The most precious of anything she'd ever seen.

She had many temptations. She's living with a very handsome lizard. And he was living with her; a pretty little porpoise girl. She could tell that things weren't going to be the same. Not from this time around.

She took a deep breath and turned the knob on the door.

Randall looked up at the sound of the bedroom doorknob turning and saw Vanessie step out, smiling. But something was different. She looked different.

Her short red hair was tousled and mussed-up. She also wore a big cardigan sweater, and her curves weren't defined in the clothing. His glasses were sliding down before he pushed them up again, still puzzled.

She walked over to him with a nervous tread and stood before him. "Hi," she said, her hands behind her back.

"Hey," Randall said. He pointed to the sweater Vanessie wore.. "You cold?"

"Yeah, a bit." she said, letting out an airy laugh. "I know it's almost the end of winter, but... You know. It's kind of cold in here."

Randall did feel a little too chilly in the apartment. Perhaps the air conditioning was too much for now. "Huh, I'll go turn off the AC."

He walked over to turn off the AC and saw, in the corner of his eye, Vanessie looking at the ingredients set on the table. She looked up and their eyes caught. She smiled.

"So what are we making?" she asked.

"THAT is a surprise," Randall grinned.

"Oh, come on."

"Nope," the lizard smirked. "I'm sorry, but a certain little Loch Ness has to wait for the surprise."

"Please?" Vanessie asked. "I'm bound to know in the process."

Randall looked at her. Even though her cardigan was too big on her and her hair was messy like heck, he still thought her face was the most beautiful he's ever seen. He marveled at her euphoric smile, her hopeful eyes and her cute, stubby snout-nose when she giggles. He smiled at her.

"Fine," Randall said, then said sarcastically. "But don't be too grossed out."

Vanessie's smile vanished in a flash into an expression of confusion. Randall loved tricking her; just to see how she'd react. He went back to the table where Vanessie stood and out of a plastic bag, he fished out a small folded paper; the one recipe he saved out of all he had. He handed it to her.

"Say it out loud." he said.

Vanessie took the paper from his hands, her face still puzzled, and unfolded it carefully. When she saw the recipe, it was what Randall had expected; she was elated. She gasped happily and jumped.

"Oh, my goodness!" she exclaimed. "We're making red velvet cupcakes?"

"Oh, yes," Randall said, smirking.

"Ah! How did you know I loved red velvet cupcakes?"

Randall shuffled Vanessie's red hair, her squeaking in surprise and giggling softly. "Just a guess."

"Right," she said with a chuckle. "I should've known that."

"So you really did dye your hair and fur red because of red velvet?"

"Why else?" Vanessie said, giggling again.

Randall smiled. "Well, let's get to it. I think I remember doing this. And we want to make these perfect."

For the next hour, Randall and Vanessie helped each other out to make red velvet cupcakes together from scratch. Vanessie was already having fun when they had to mix the ingredients into cake batter, and the electric mixer was set to high without the two aware, leaving them a few drops of red batter on themselves. Vanessie laughed hysterically as she saw Randall wipe away the red drops from the lens of his glasses. He laughed at her; some drops fell on her hair, but were barely noticeable to see. Randall took a cupcake tray and helped Vanessie pour the batter into the little cupcake molds. When they finished, they took the excess batter into their fingers and licked them clean, savoring the liquid-cake taste. Randall placed the tray in the already set preheated oven and closed the door. Vanessie stood looking at the oven, obviously excited to taste what they've done.

"I thought there would never be a day to say this... But Van, you have to be PATIENT." Randall chuckled.

"Aww," Vanessie said in a playful whiney voice. "But I can't wait!"

"Wait with me. We'll both suffer." Randall said.

Vanessie came over to sit across from Randall on the table and stretched her arms before her, close to touching his resting elbows. With a small brush of her fingers, Randall noticed how cold Vanessie felt. He held her hands in his and massaged them gently.

"Wow," he said as he massaged her small, feminine hands. "You really are cold."

Vanessie looked down to her hands being held and massaged by Randall's, liking the feeling of warmth and comfort in them as they relieved and warmed up her muscles.

"Quite ironic since I'm the warm-blooded one." Vanessie smiled.

"Yeah, well, we all have our cold and warm moments." Randall said.

Just then, Vanessie imagined how it would feel to have Randall massage her shoulders. Then her back, her feet. Then she felt a shiver, causing her to imagine herself in Randall's arms, wanting his warmth radiate to her body. She snatched her hands away from his grasp as quick as she forced the thoughts away. She hid them under the table, held together tightly between her legs. She blushed.

Randall blushed in response. He believed his impulse made his guest uncomfortable. He cursed himself in his mind. He adjusted his glasses, as if that action would get rid of the awkwardness. It didn't.

"Sorry," Randall said.

"It's fine," Vanessie said. She looked up at Randall and saw how guilty he looked. She wanted to change the subject for his sake, she said, "I noticed you went to college with Mike. I found a photo of the two of you as roommates."

Randall looked up, his eyes wide. He never thought about his memories with Mike when they were young. Like almost everything else, they were buried deep in his mind, only to dig them up again now.

"We were... Best chums." he said. "Back then, as I think of it now."

"What happened?"

"I joined a fraternity. The... Cool kids." Randall murmured.

"Already, it sounds not too good."

"Now, it does. But... Now I wished I joined his fraternity." Randall said regretfully. "Back then, that team of his... Oozma Kappa, I believe, were just underdogs... And I didn't want to be an underdog anymore. And... I guess after I joined ROR, I... WE... Distanced."

"But aren't you friends again now?"

Randall recalled the moments he consulted Mike. He thought they were only acquaintances for the time being. But friends again? He wasn't so sure.

"I don't know." Randall said. "I mean, just because you talk to someone a lot, that doesn't mean they're your friend."

"True, true." Vanessie nodded in agreement. "Still, like you said: you two were best chums back then... Why not be that again?"

The lizard thought about it. Could he rekindle a friendship that faded so long ago? Could everything be set aside and looked forward now? But when he looked into Vanessie's eyes, he was reassured that it could happen. If such a miracle as her could come into his life and change him for the better, than anything could be possible.

"Do you think we could be chums again?" Randall asked in a hopeful voice.

"I'm sure of it." the loch ness nodded in agreement. "Especially since you're becoming your old-old self again."

Randall smiled. Probably the Monday coming, he could work something out with Mike. Deep down, he wanted to rekindle his friendship with the one-eyed monster and regretted being so rude to him. But he forced the thought away and instead brought confidence to his heart that things could be alright.

"I think I can do it." he said, smiling.

"Awesome," Vanessie smiled back. "Very awesome." Then she looked towards the oven and saw the timer. Twenty minutes left. "Wow," she sighed. "Twenty more minutes and we finally get to eat something today."

"Yeah, coffee doesn't fill in for the day." Randall chuckled. "It'll be nice to finally have something to eat."

"Definitely." she beamed. "So... What should we do in the remaining time?"

"Hmm..." Randall thought. "So you don't mind me with the glasses?"

"Of course I do." Vanessie said happily. "I like the nerdy look and it means seeing your green eyes more."

"My gorgeous green eyes?" Randall smirked.

"Yes," she giggled.

"Are they that lovely to look at?"

Vanessie giggled more. "I envy them. I mean, like I said, my eyes are average brown. And you definitely have to show off your eyes."

"Oh?" Randall said, adjusting his glasses happily.

"Why, yes. They look cute and funny that way, all big and everything." she beamed. "And it makes you see better, no?"

"Well, yeah," Randall said, then glad that having glasses may have its advantages. He felt confident that maybe things could go right with this new look "Yeah, I'll try wearing them often."

"Awesome." Vanessie said. "Show off those eyes."

Minutes passed and the two chatted some more with some silences in between. Soon enough, the oven's alarm went off with high-pitched tone. Vanessie turned her head excitedly and her eyes dilated. Randall noticed this and chuckled, "Down, kitty. They have to cool down, remember?"

Vanessie slumped before she got up from her chair and said with a cocked brow, "Well, the sooner we get these cupcakes out, the sooner we eat 'em."

Randall chuckled as he got off his chair and followed Vanessie to the beeping oven. Vanessie looked through the little window of it and widened her eyes.

"How they look?" Randall asked with a smile.

Vanessie licked her lips and blinked. "They look so darn good, Randy. Let's get them out."

"And we shall," Randall said as he reached the counter to retrieve his oven mitts. After putting a hand on the handle of the oven door, he looked up to Vanessie and grinned. "You ready?"

"Definitely. Go at it." Vanessie giggled.

Randall opened the oven and with slight hesitation, reached forward to grab the tray with swelled up red cupcakes and lifted it carefully. Once he got them out, he kicked the oven door shut and walked over to the table to set them down. He removed his mitts and joined Vanessie, who was already staring at the lusciously red cupcakes before her.

"They're so beautiful." she said, licking her lips as her pupils dilated. "I just... Can't wait to devour them."

"Let them cool down first, okay?" Randall said, smiling at her, enjoying her eagerness.

"Fine," Vanessie said playfully. "Meanwhile, I'll make myself a tea. More coffee and I think I'll oversleep again."

Randall chuckled as he saw Vanessie walk over to the kitchen counter to make herself tea with hot water and the packets of tea she supplied herself from her apartment.

He settled next to her to make himself a cup of coffee, since he didn't mind how much he had; he wanted to be awake enough to take a peek at Vanessie sleeping in his bed. He remembered how sweet she looked that morning. He wished he would sleep with her. He wouldn't fool around with her. He just wanted to feel her in his arms and feel her warm and soft body close and snug to his. How he fantasized about having that moment someday with her. Only with her.

He felt butterflies after seeing her smiling at him as she passed by with her tea, stirring the tea packet with a stick. He poured himself some vanilla creamer into his coffee and stirred it with a stick. He joined Vanessie at the dining table where their cupcakes rested.

He looked at her sip from her mug, forming a smile on his face. When he noticed that she didn't face him, he knew that she could sense his smile. He could see that she was still shy with him. He chuckled. She finally looked at him. Randall cocked his head, still smiling.

Vanessie laughed through her mug, as if hiding herself. Then she looked up again and giggled. "What?" she asked.

"You're not looking at me." Randall said.

"Yeah... So?"

Randall chuckled again.

"What!"

"Nothing, it's just..." Randall said, smirking, then blushed a little. "You're... Cute."

"How am I cute?" Vanessie asked, tugging at her sleeve higher after she noticed it slipping down.

"I don't know." Randall said. "You just are."

Vanessie shrugged while drinking more of her tea, trying to cover her disappointment that her efforts in looking plain were not working as she hoped. She could tell by the way he was still looking at her. Still, deep down she was flattered, but she didn't want to make anything serious happen.

A few minutes later, Randall got up to check on the cupcakes, adjusting his glasses back in place. He carefully touched one of the cupcakes and they felt soft and cooled-down. He smiled. "Vane, I got good news for you."

Vanessie looked up and her eyes dilated eagerly. "Are they?"

"Yes, they're good." Randall said happily.

Randall took the tray, now safe to be handled by bare hands, and laid it on the table where Vanessie stayed. He slipped a cupcake out of one mold and handed it to Vanessie. She looked at him with a confused look, and took the cupcake without protest.

"I want you to have the honors of tasting our batch." Randall smiled. "Go ahead."

Vanessie smiled back and looked down at her small cake. It was vibrantly red; deliciously red and soft looking. It looked perfect. She brought the cupcake to her lips, opened her mouth and daintily took a bite of the little cake. Randall stared at her, waiting for a reaction. Vanessie let the taste linger in her mouth as she chewed, and she closed her eyes in pleasure.

"Mmmmm!" she said, one hand letting go of the cupcake to form a fist. "This is the best cupcake I've ever eaten!"

Randall shrugged, still modestly smiling. "Well, I don't know about... The best, but..."

"No, really, Randy! These are amazing! They're perfect!"

"Ah? Well, I guess I'm not that rusty after all." Randall said as he took a cupcake from one mold and took a bite out of it. His eyes opened wide. "HOLY CRAP."

"WHAT?!" Vanessie jumped as she was startled by Randall's outburst.

"THEY'RE FREAKING DELICIOUS." Randall blurted out with a huge grin.

"Randy! Don't scare me like that!" Vanessie laughed, then began to crack up. Her laugh made Randall laugh out loud with her. "Seriously, you didn't know they'd be this good?"

"Honestly, no," Randall laughed, trying to compose himself. "No, I didn't. Like I said, I thought I was rusty at this, but WOW. I didn't know I was THAT good."

"Nah, Randy, you knew it all along. The Randy in you knew it all along." Vanessie giggled.

"Yeah," Randall said breathily. "I guess the Randy in me did."

After the two ate cupcakes and drank their hot drinks, Vanessie began to yawn.

"You tired already?" Randall asked, halfway through his fourth cupcake.

"Yeah," she mewed. "I dunno... After I eat, I get all sleepy. Especially after dinner..." she looked down at the cupcakes. "Or... 'dinner'."

"Aww," Randall said. "Well, I'd you need to rest, I won't stop you."

"Cool," she said as she rose from her chair, then before she could leave Randall alone, she turned around and said, "Hey, Randy?"

Randall looked up at her, his eyes curious and large. Vanessie adored them. "Yes?"

"Thank you for today. It was very fun." she smiled.

"Hey, it's no problem." he said with a half-smile. "You help me a lot, so... I just thought I'd return a favor."

Vanessie laughed softly, then looked at him. He had a sweet smile on his face, along with his dorky glasses that, to her, made him look adorable beyond belief that enhanced his emerald eyes. And Randall looked back at her, loving how sweetly her cheeks looked when she smiled and how her brown eyes glistened when she was happy. That was all he wanted. For her to be happy. With him.

"Well... Goodnight." Vanessie said softly.

"Goodnight, Van." Randall said back quietly.

After Vanessie left to the bedroom, everything became so quiet. The only sounds he heard was the sound of the cars passing by outside in the evening and his sipping coffee. He looked over his shoulder to see the light from his closed bedroom door after a few minutes and saw it shut off. He knew that Vanessie would fall asleep soon.

He picked up the mugs and placed them in the sink to be washed later. He took the last remaining cupcakes and placed them in a plastic container to be eaten some other time. He wiped the table clean and turned off the lights.

Then he looked at the bedroom door again and hesitated whether to go in or not. He sighed and walked over to the door. He took the knob and turned it. Without making a creaky sound, he opened the door and peeked inside. He could see Vanessie sleeping, with the moonlight from outside illuminating her beautifully. He snuck into the room and tried to make light steps. As soon as he was next to a sleeping Vanessie, he looked down at her and sighed deeply but quietly.

She looked as beautiful as she was in the morning, or any time. Her red hair was messy already on the pillow she rested her head on and her feminine hands laid close to her face. As Randall leaned his head down close to hers, he could hear her purring quietly as she breathed in her sleep. She stirred, and he pulled himself back. He saw her adjust herself from where she lay, and heard her mew softly at the comfort she sought. 'Damn, she's adorable.' he thought. He wished he could press his face next to hers to hear her purring. He wished he could lie with her. But he knew he couldn't.

He was about to leave her then before he stopped and looked back at her sleeping body. He came back to her side and slowly and carefully leaned his face to her cheek. He lightly brushed his lips on her spotted cheek, then kissed her cheek softly. Before he could do anything else. He forced himself to leave. He stepped out of the bedroom without a sound and closed the door behind him.

Vanessie felt the kiss and brought her hand to where he kissed her cheek. She blushed, her eyes still closed, but she felt worry. A single tear streamed down her face again before she drifted off to sleep once more.