Chapter 25: Elevator Tensions

"Come on, don't drag your feet now." Marlene grunted as she pushed Kowalski across the ice flow. "You said that you wanted to do this. You can't back out now."

"Surely I can! Maybe we can think of a different, better option?" He grimaced, digging his heels into the ground.

Marlene rolled her eyes. "Well, mister options guy, what's your better option?"

"I don't know!"

"Because you know this is the right thing to do."

"What if I wrote him a letter?"

Marlene stopped pushing him. "Can Skipper even read?"

"Does that really matter?" He smiled sheepishly.

"Kowalski."

Kowalski looked at her and deeply sighed. "Alright, fine. Let's get this over with." He kicked open the fish dish and started climbing down.

"Atta boy! You can do this!" She followed him down.

Kowalski reached the bottom and looked around with a sigh. Skipper was nowhere to be seen, but Private and Rico were playing go fish at the table. He waddled over to them and cleared his throat. "Marlene and I are going to break my news to Skipper over snowcones tonight..."

Private looked up and smiled at him. "Oh, good luck!"

"Mmm." Rico glanced at Kowalski with a slight frown as he set down a match of cards. "Still no like it..." he muttered.

"I know you don't trust him...But he really does make me happy, Rico."

Rico glanced at him again and sighed. "He be'er."

"Skipper's down in the archives," Private then piped up.

Kowalski nodded and pushed the wall for the elevator panel to flip out. "Alright, thanks." As soon as the elevator popped up, he stepped on with a nod to Marlene. "I'll be right back."

Once the door shut, he slumped back against the wall with a sigh, rubbing his flipper across his face. This was the right thing to do, he knew it...But it didn't stop his stomach from twisting with anxious nausea. It would be better to confront this tonight than in a year or so...Or being caught red flippered in the middle of a date. That would go terribly.

The door opened to Skipper standing by a filing cabinet, looking through a file. He glanced up as Kowalski stepped out.

"Sir." Kowalski snapped a quick salute to which Skipper raised a nonexistent brow.

"At ease." He closed the file and tucked it under his flipper. "Did you need something?"

Kowalski lowered his flipper and cleared his throat. "Well, Marlene was wondering if we could accompany her for snowcones."

"Oh, sure." He nodded, turning back to the filing cabinet. "I'll be up in just a few minutes. I'll meet you topside."

"Aye, sir." He stepped back onto the elevator with a glance over his shoulder back at Skipper with a small frown. That particular drawer was the one with personnel files. However, the elevator closed before Kowalski could see anything more of what Skipper was doing.

"Maybe he was finally adding that official demerit to my file." He sighed, leaning his head back against the wall. "...Hopefully that's all he was doing." He then grimaced as he considered the other leading possibilities.

The elevator door then opened again, the same level as before, and Skipper stepped in with a glance at him. "Did you forget to press the button?"

"... No, I just hadn't pressed it yet." He glanced back at him and pressed for the main level.

The elevator started to ascend before the lights flickered and it stopped between levels. The elevator is completely dark except for the blinking red emergency lighting along the top of the walls.

"Did you forget to do the monthly maintenance?" He glanced at him.

"No, sir." Kowalski shook his head as he opened the fuse panel and glanced around. "Must have been one of the others that flipped. These are fine."

"So we're stuck here til the others notice."

"Unless you're in the mood to climb the cables up, but in case it comes online before we reach the main floor, I wouldn't recommend that option…"

"Because…?"

"We'd likely be crushed by the ceiling." Kowalski rolled his eyes. "But I'm sure the others will notice soon and find the issue." He leaned back against the elevator wall and watched Skipper do the same. "So...Anything interesting in the files?"

Skipper raised a nonexistent brow. "Nothing of your concern."

"Right...Right…" He nodded, looking away for a moment. He glanced back at Skipper as he thought. He could tell him now. Granted, they were without a mediator, but it wasn't like they had anything else to do right now. "Skipper...Can I talk with you about something while we're alone?"

"Uh, sure." He glanced at him.

Kowalski stood up straight and cleared his throat. "I...I haven't been all that honest with you lately...And I'd like to...Be honest with you."

Skipper raised a brow again. "Continue."

The taller penguin tapped his flipper tips together nervously. "Well...You know how you told me to stop seeing Francis?"

"Yes."

"Well...I didn't. We're dating." He smiles nervously at him. "I was with him when I snuck out of duties on Halloween."

Skipper narrowed his eyes at him. "Anything else?"

"I've...Snuck out a few different nights to see him." He rubbed the back of his neck. "But Skipper, I really like him. And I think he likes me back, too."

"Kowalski." He rolled his eyes. "You do remember that Francis is Dr. Blowhole, right? He's a charming liar. He's a heartless, evil mastermind. He doesn't like anyone."

"...I have to say I disagree with that sir. Just because he's evil doesn't mean he can't care about anyone. And I'm pretty sure he cares about me, at least a little bit." He looked down at him.

"You're just playing into his scheme. You're going to get us all killed because of your flights of fancy, Kowalski."

"I know, I was...But we already discussed that. He's not doing that anymore."

"And you believe him?!" Skipper took a step closer to him. "How big of an idiot can you be?! You can't trust a word he says, Kowalski! He'll say whatever he needs to get what he wants. You know this."

"He doesn't lie about everything." Kowalski crossed his flippers, looking away.

Skipper groaned and ran his flippers down his face. For a moment he's silent. "Either you break up with him, or I want your resignation."

"Oh come on!" Kowalski dropped his flippers and took a step towards Skipper. "Why can't you just be my brother and be happy for me for once in your life?! Why must you always turn everything into military nonsense!?"

"Kowalski, you're dating my archenemy. That makes you a traitor."

"All we do is talk about science, inventing, and the paranormal! In what way does that make me a traitor?" Kowalski growled.

"If we cornered him on a mission, would you be able to put an end to him if I ordered it?" Skipper crossed his flippers.

Kowalski squinted at him and turned away. "That doesn't make me a traitor. Private wouldn't do that either and he doesn't care about him."

Skipper shook his head. "This isn't about what Private would do. This is about how it's changing you. You and I both know this won't work out for you in the end. Dolphins don't do that whole long term relationship thing."

"So?! Can't I just be happy and enjoy this while it lasts then?! I mean, you dated Kitka! And she tried to eat Fred for flounder's sake! At least my boyfriend won't eat anyone!"

"No, he just wants to drown the world."

"He can change!" Kowalski leaned on the wall, turning his back to Skipper.

"This ain't a harlequin romance, Kowalski. People don't change for the better; they just get worse."

"Oh trust me, I've realized that." He glared at Skipper. "But some change. Armadillo Kid changed!"

"Are you really comparing Dr. Blowhole to that batty armadillo?"

Kowalski turned around and put his flippers on his hips. "You know what I meant."

Skipper rolled his eyes. "I'm done arguing about this, Kowalski. I know the more I push, the more you're going to push back. You're just hormonal and trying to live with your head in the clouds. You keep following this path, and we won't be there for you when it eventually blows up in your face."

"I am not just hormonal!"

"It's breeding season. Your feelings for Blowhole won't last. Once February hits and you aren't nesting on an egg, your feelings will completely dissolve just like that. You know I'm right."

Kowalski side-eyed him and shook his head. "I know I like him more than just because of hormones. He and I have a lot in common. He understands me."

"Which makes it easy for him to trick and use you."

"He's not using me anymore, Skipper. He likes me and I like him."

Skipper shook his head as the elevator lights turned back on and it began moving upwards once more. "...Then I expect your formal resignation."

"No worries, Skipper, you'll get my formal resignation." Kowalski sighed, looking at the door. "I just hoped that perhaps maybe, maybe for once, you could just be my brother and trust me." When the elevator opened, he then slid off, passed Marlene and Private.

"Hard to trust someone who's been lying to me, disobeying orders, and putting the team at risk of being compromised by our enemy!" Skipper shouted after him. He then noticed the others looking at him. "What?"

Marlene looked at him and then up as the HQ hatched slammed shut. "I'm guessing he told you and it did not go well…"

Skipper narrowed his eyes at her. "You knew?"

Private cleared his throat, looking away. "We...all kind of knew, sir."

"Well ain't that just fantastic!" He growled, waddling over to his coffee machine. "My lieutenant turned traitor and got the rest of my team keeping secrets from me. What's next? Mutiny?!"

"Skipper...I think you're overreacting just a smidge." Marlene sighed, walking over to him. "Kowalski's not planning mutiny and he's not trying to betray you. He just wants to be happy."

Skipper looked at her, sipping his coffee. "And he's allowed to be happy, just not with Blowhole. He could even date the Blue Hen if he really wanted to date a villain for all I care, but dating my archenemy? Not under my roof."

"...Can't you at least give them a chance to make it work? Maybe you could give them some rules! Find a compromise!" She smiled slightly at him. "You don't want to really lose Kowalski, do you? You know, if he left here, he might begin working for Blowhole. Do you really want someone who knows all your secrets working with the enemy?"

Skipper silently pondered this for a moment. "No…"

"So maybe a compromise is in order, eh? Eh?" Marlene nudged him with her elbow with a large smile. "I'm sure there is a way to make everyone happy. Or at least something tolerable for everyone!"

"Uggggh. Fiiiiiine. I'll think about it," he groaned, rubbing his flippers over his face.