A/N – Hello! Sorry for the wait before an update appeared! I've been writing other things. In fact, I've been working on a Taz story! Three chapters are up on Deviantart, but I'm wary about posting them on here. Let me know if you wanna read, anyway.
ON THAT NOTE – I had an idea for a TUp story but it makes NO sense. I was doing a OTP quiz, and I chose TUp – and one of the questions was 'imagine your OTP and their closest friends were in a fairytale? What would the roles be?" – immediately, I had an idea and I wanted to write it so badly, for the lols XD But I'm debating.
Anyway, enjoy!
It was said that Lieutenant Taz had no weaknesses. She was invincible, hard-hearted. Nothing could possibly beat her. However, that wasn't particularly true. Lieutenant Taz was certainly strong and tough, but like everyone else, she had her weaknesses, her indulgences. She just refused to let anyone know what they were.
One Commander Up, however, discovered one of her indulgences when she was aged eighteen. It followed a particularly bad argument, in which Up was refusing to let Taz join him on a mission, because this particular mission was too high maintenance and dangerous for any rookie Rangers to be assigned to. Taz had argued, and yelled and even threw a punch at Up to try and get him to reconsider, but he stood firm and told her in a cold voice that she had to learn to obey orders.
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Heaving a heavy sigh, Up paused outside of Taz's room, running his fingers through his rapidly greying chestnut brown hair. He ran through what he wanted to say to her in his mind, but realistically, he knew that as soon as she opened the door (if she opens the door) his mind would betray him and he'd just stumble around trying to remember what he wanted to say. Steeling his resolve, he reached out and knocked on her door.
"Fuck off!" Taz immediately snarled, and Up grimaced slightly.
"It's me." He told her warily.
"I know. Fuck off." Taz repeated, her voice bitter and annoyed.
"Taz, I know you're upset about this." Up continued warily, resting an arm against the metal door. "But shutting me out and ignoring me isn't going t'change things. I just want to talk. I won't take up too much of your time."
The metal door opened suddenly, and as Up had been leaning on it, he stumbled forward, managing to catch himself before he fell on the angry Mexican girl in front of him. Her long curly hair was down for once, and slightly messy, like she'd been asleep and had been tossing and turning. She wore the clothes she had been wearing earlier however, a simple tank top, camo pants and her boots. Pulling himself out of his thoughts, he narrowly dodged a sharp punch to the face, and quickly grabbed onto Taz's wrists, staring her down as he did so. She struggled, glaring at him with something similar to hatred on her face, and inwardly, he winced at the sight of that expression directed towards him.
"We need t'talk," He told her firmly, not releasing her wrists. "And I'd prefer it if we could do it without getting into a fight."
Taz set her jaw but ripped her hands out of his and turned away, walking into her room and throwing herself onto her bed. Warily, Up followed her inside and slid the door shut behind him before he sat down on the bed next to her.
"Taz, I understand why yer upset-" He began, but Taz interrupted him, sitting up to shoot him another venomous glare.
"I just don't understand why jou don't TRUST me to not get myself killed on dis estúpido mission! I know dat if jou just gave me a chance, I could do dis."
"Taz, y'know I trust you," Up countered tiredly, shaking his head. "This mission is just too big for rookies. None of th'others are goin'."
"De others are all idiotas." Taz replied shortly, leaning back against her headboard and scowling slightly. "Half of dem shouldn't have graduated, dey can't even hold a zapper straight!"
Up flinched slightly. He knew she had a point, because half of the graduates were increasingly incompetent and shouldn't have graduated, but the orders to keep all the rookie rangers at the base was an order that came from higher than his rank. The admiral had ordered it, and Up had no choice but to really follow orders. He shook his head slowly and then glanced at a bowl which lay on the bed beside Taz. It was filled, Up noticed in slight surprise, with strawberries. Taz saw him looking and flushed, pulling the bowl closer to her.
"What?" She asked defensively, and Up tried to hide his amusement.
"Cravin' strawberries?" He asked with a small grin. "Didn't think you were the type to indulge on this fruit. I mean I heard a rumor goin; around that you only ate raw falcon eggs and protein shakes."
"At least I don't eat eagles for breakfast." Taz shot back, and Up laughed loudly.
"Or sleep on a bed of fire," He agreed, grinning slightly. He had no idea where those rumours had come from. "But seriously."
"I just like strawberries." Taz muttered, crossing her legs and glaring at him. "Dey are my comfort food."
"I thought most girls liked chocolate," Up commented mildly, and Taz rolled her eyes.
"Yes, Up, because I'm really like most girls." She commented dryly, and Up smiled at her, shaking his head.
"Y'make a good point." He noted, and then paused, scooting over so he was sat beside her, his back against the headboard. "Taz. Y'know I'd let you come If I could. But the orders come higher from me. Otherwise, you'd be the first person I'd have on m'team."
"Really?" Taz asked warily, glancing at him for a moment, lightly chewing on his bottom lip.
"Really," he promised, giving her a small smile. "You're one tough sonofabitch, y'know that."
Taz's lips twitched slightly, and she nodded, looking down at the bed. She pursed her lips slightly, and then muttered something, causing Up to look at her questioningly.
"What was that?"
"I said, jou better come back in one piece." Taz repeated with a huff, looking up to give him a half-hearted glare. Up paused slightly and then nodded absently before reached over and stole a strawberry from her bowl, and pulled out the leaves before winking at her and putting half of the fruit into his mouth.
"Hey!" Taz yelled, looking indignant. "Dat's mine!"
"Come and get it." Up said challengingly, his voice somewhat muffled. Taz narrowed her eyes and dived onto him, causing him to laugh as the rolled off the bed and onto the floor with an audible 'thump'. Taz had Up's hands pinned to the ground on either side of him and was straddling him, a small grin on her face.
"Pinned jou." She said cheerfully, and reached down and bit into the other end of the strawberry. Up smile and released his hold of the strawberry, and Taz chewed it for a few moments before swallowing it and smiling triumphantly.
"Okay, I get it." Up said sarcastically, though he was grinning. "Don't steal Taz's strawberries."
"Damn right," Taz agreed, and released her grip on his wrists. Up sat up slightly, and wrapped his arms around her in a hug, and she returned the gesture, lightly pressing her head against the crook of his neck.
"I promise, y'can come on t'next mission." Up said quietly, idly running his fingers through her hair. "Just hang tight for now. And keep training. We'll prove to 'em that you're no ordinary rookie."
Taz didn't reply, she simply smiled and closed her eyes, knowing that what he said was true. Besides. She was quite small. No-one was going to notice her sneaking onto the Starship, anyway.
