*Chapter 3: Yakko and Rem*
Towards the end of the week, the studio brass finally held their abrupt and early evaluations for the year. While a few were satisfied that they were able to get this over with instead of waiting till the fall, it did little to quell the atmosphere that was full of anxiety and confusion about what was to be going forward from this point. Rem wisely heeded Slappy's words of advice, and kept her head down no matter how she felt about Buddy. She had to wonder however, if her peers were onto him in the same way Slappy and Roman were. If they were, they sure were doing a heck of a job not showing it. Since they would have to also participate in the evaluations, Rem wasn't sure if they could keep that facade up, bearing in mind that she wasn't quite an official employee.
She figured that if she could hide out in the Water Tower all day, she had nothing to worry about. If that didn't work out too well, the teen was certain that Slappy wouldn't mind taking her into her home.
After sleeping in that morning, Rem found herself alone in the Tower. Instead of feeling alarmed or concerned, the teen felt slightly giddy at having the Tower to herself which was a rare occurrence. But after only fifteen minutes following her morning routine, Rem felt boredom creeping up on her. She wasn't in the mood to read The Divine Comedy, there wasn't anything good to watch on TV, not even C.O.P.S. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore, and decided to go out and get some fresh air before she literally drove herself nuts.
...Either that, or set off Wakko's fireworks for shits and giggles.
Rem carefully peered out of the Water Tower every which way. Not much people around except for the massively long lines near the Administration Building filled with anxious, perplexed, and confused studio employees. Nobody was even going to take note of her should the teen remain discreet. Bearing that in mind, Rem carefully climbed sown the Tower ladder.
"And I thought you'd never come outta there."
Rem barely had her feet on the ground and nearly jumped when she heard that familiar voice. She didn't have to turn to see who it was either.
Yakko was leaning casually against one of the Water Tower legs, looking as if he were waiting for and expecting Rem to show up. This was a rather familiar, but instead of feeling annoyed or angry, she felt a little concerned.
"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Rem asked.
"Oh sure." Yakko replied with a grin. "But, eeehhhhhh, I'd like to be somewhere different instead."
Rem made a face because she knew exactly what he was getting at without him having to say it. And she should've felt annoyed and angry that he was putting something important off just so he could play hooky, but for some reason...she didn't. She didn't feel that way at all.
...Oh, fuck it.
"Okay." she said aloud.
A bigger grin graced Yakko's features. Of course he was expecting her to refuse and throw a fit like last time. He extended an arm out for her which she took while mentally rolling her eyes.
...Smartass.
XXXXXX
"Why of course we'd still like to have you under contract, Miss Robbie." Buddy glowered to the blonde actress. "You did such a wonderful performance in your last movie with us, there's no reason why we shouldn't forge ahead with the next, DC entry. I always say if at first you don't succeed...Hee-hee-hee-hee, hee-hee-hee!"
"...Sure." Miss Robbie replied, uncertain what to make of the toon boy, or even if she wanted to be in his presence. "Well, you all know how to reach me."
"Of course, of course! Good day to you!"
As the actress got up to leave, she was suddenly greeted by two of the Warner siblings that were coming into the office.
"HEEEELLLLLOOOOOO, NURSE!" Wakko cried, jumping into Miss Robbie's arms. "How 'bout a kiss?"
"Boys, go fig." Dot dismissively ranted.
"Wakko Warner!" Mr. Plotz cried. "You cut that out, this instant!"
Wakko looked very bemused by the studio chief's outburst, leading him to shrug, while Buddy seemed to find it amusing.
"Hee, hee, heee! Alright, let's get down to business shall we, Warners?" the toon boy heartily chuckled. Then he noticed that the eldest amongst them was absent. "Why, where's Yakko?"
Dot suddenly whirled into a business lady's attire and leapt atop Plotz' desk.
"Mr. Warner is away at the moment, so I'll be handling our business affairs today." Dot declared in a commanding, yet eloquent tone.
Everyone else in the room seemed to Miss Buddy's left eye twitch in rage for the briefest of seconds before going right back to his friendly demeanor.
"Sounds fair." Buddy replied, not betraying any hint of anger.
XXXXXX
Yakko and Rem were presently located in one of Burbank's most scenic parks and seated in the warm grass near a pond. They both picked up stray pebbles near the bank and tried their hand at tossing them so they would skip along the surface before going under. While the elder Warner was having mild success, Rem not so much, but she wasn't minding it.
"So other than being 'bored', what was your motivation for 'going to the moon'?" Yakko asked a little sarcastically.
"Are you still on that?" Rem replied with a rant in her tone. "Funny how you don't seem to mind when you guys do it for your friggin' skits."
"It only works when someone else is on the receiving end. Not to mention safer and less destructive."
Rem rolled her eyes as she picked up another pebble.
"Oh, please! Like I was gonna get hurt from that." she said dismissively.
She tossed the flat pebble across the pond which actually managed to skip along the surface...
KRSH! BZZT!
...Until it crashed into a light fixture in the man-made water body.
"Oh crap." Rem mumbled turning slightly pale.
"You were saying?" Yakko jovially said, kindly handing a paddle ball to her.
Rem pouted a little. Of course he was sort of right in one instant since she seemed to take more damage than her peers.
"Well, after getting a barb through the shoulder, knocked into a coma, among other things, I suppose I'm a candidate for a bubble suit."
"Now that wouldn't be a bad idea there, Roth." Yakko remarked with a grin and arching his brows back and forth.
Suddenly, their ears twitched to the faint sound of thunder slightly rumbling along with the pattering of rain as the sky began to darken. A warm grin stretched upon the teen's face.
"...Yay!" she sang, letting the celestial water fall on her.
"You know, this could also count for getting the common cold." Yakko teased, making Rem aghast.
"You're not seriously gonna drag me indoors over a little rain shower?"
"Relax, we're not goin' anywhere."
The elder Warner pulled out a large magnet which instantly yanked the teen to his side as he headed for the cover of a large pine tree.
Rem cast a dirty look at him but also had the expression of self-loathing to which Yakko shrugged off.
"What? I can't help it if you insist on packing your hockey stick with ya all the time." Yakko quirked.
Rem was sorely tempted to tell him off, but just resorted to sticking her tongue out at him instead.
...I'll kick his ass later.
(Now Playing: Llovera by Mia Maestro)
They sat near the trunk of the tree and watched the rain fall softly as more clouds gathered in the distance.
"You know, I'm curious." Rem began softly. "What were the old days like? In the late twenties, early thirties?"
"Well that's a new one." Yakko commented. "Let's see...not much to remember except for the soup lines, sound movies occasionally going out of sync, and the ten cent candy bars."
"Pfft, now they're like what a dollar seventy-nine?"
"Give or take."
"The logos back then were freakin' weird tho. Especially ours."
"Gotta start somewhere."
"I suppose."
"Now then, with all that outta the way, let's talk about what you really wanted to ask."
Rem blinked confusingly at first, then made a glum face.
"...was I that obvious?" she asked lowly.
"You've been wearing that 'somethin's eatin' ya' look for a few days, Rem." Yakko told her. "I've also noticed that you've been especially making an effort to hide it."
Rem sat in silence, almost feeling a bit shocked.
...Christ, he knows me so well.
"...Well, I'll definitely never accuse you of not being observant again." she said aloud.
"If it's Buddy, you got nothin' to worry about. We'd never leave you out." Yakko told her assuringly.
"...It's not about being left out...it's just...something about him rubs me the wrong way."
"Probably his constant happy-go-lucky personality. If it makes you feel any better, it rubbed T.P. the wrong way too."
...sure, that makes me feel a whole lot better.
Then, the rainfall became a little harder, but the clouds parted just enough to allow some sunlight to pierce through the sky. Yakko blinked in surprise.
"Huh, there's something you don't see every day." he observed, shading his eyes from the sun.
"I have." Rem sang, glowing with excitement. "It's called a sun shower. Used to see these back home."
There was something charming about the teen getting all into a twitter over the weather. Or at least Yakko thought so. They continued to watch until the sun was covered up by large clouds again. Rem didn't notice how physically close they both had gotten over the course of time.
"You know, Rem." Yakko began again. "This isn't zany, this ain't the show girl follies, and you sure not a Michelle Pfeiffer, but I wouldn't mind doing this more often."
Rem felt her face heat up and stared at the grassy floor beneath her because she was sure it was going beet red too.
"...Seriously?" she asked slowly and cautiously.
"Sure." Yakko replied so affirmatively, that it nearly made Rem gulp and grip the blades of grass.
...I...I'm still not sure if I want to go down this road again.
"...what about Wakko and Dot?" Rem whispered.
...Because I'd feel like a total jackass if I took you away from them.
"I don't know about you, but...eeeeeehhhhhh, I'm getting Deja vu." Yakko quipped.
"...About what?" Rem responded with a blank look.
"About us having this conversation before."
Rem remained silent at this, keeping her contemplating expression.
"And we wouldn't be here if I wasn't sure." Yakko continued.
That sent the teen's heart rate nearly into overload. She could also feel her tear ducts just barely filling up and cursing him for that.
...but...do I really want this?
She didn't need to ask herself that, because in the end she already damn well knew the answer.
"...sure. I wouldn't mind doing this more often either." Rem finally said rather meekly.
If this was another time and place, the elder Warner would be leaping about in a celebratory manner.
"...but if I could just ask one favor?" Rem murmured.
"Which is?" Yakko replied a bit playfully and curiously.
Slowly, Rem rested her head on his shoulder.
"...if we can still take this one day at a time?"
"I can do that. We've got all the time in the world." Yakko softly told her, resting his own noggin gently on hers.
The rain continued to patter onto the ground, neither letting up or getting heavier and the clouds kept rumbling with thunder...as one of their hands became tightly entwined with the other.
(End Music)