A/N: Isn't it funny how something as simple as a tool can inspire a Duncney one-shot? It has been too long since I wrote about these two. Enjoy! Feel free to leave a review or even a suggestion for another one-shot idea so this "story" can become a collection of one-shots. :)

"Mr. Hatchet, you can't possibly give me a C on this!" Courtney pleaded with her teacher while holding her more than sub-par woodwork project.

"You do C-level work," Hatchet pointed to the project. "You get a C."

Courtney was panicking, she couldn't have her creative elective mess up her perfect GPA. She wasn't one to beg, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

"Please, Mr. Hatchet, there must be some way I can re-do this project. I can stay after school and have it done by tomorrow!" This midterm project was worth 30% of her grade and if she got a C on this, there was no way she'd manage to finish with an A.

Hatchet slammed his tool chest shut and spun towards her. "There is no way in hell you're working in this workshop without supervision. And I'm not paid enough to watch over you brats overtime."

Courtney had to think fast, the final bell was going to ring any minute and Mr. Hatchet was always the first to leave. Before she could think of another solution, someone stepped in for her.

"I can stick around and make sure Princess here doesn't fuck anything up, Hatchet."

Courtney wanted to gag. Duncan was the school's very own criminal, or in her book—neanderthal. They normally would never have any classes together, as she is enrolled in all advanced or college courses. But Woodshop was the exception.

"Actually, Trent could hel-" Courtney tried to offer her friend as the alternative but before she could finish Hatchet had grabbed his keys and the final bell rang.

"Don't fuck anything up. Duncan make sure everything is locked up when you leave." Hatchet started making his way to the door, along with all the other students.

"But- But it's Duncan! We don't get along!" Courtney complained as Hatchet kept walking and Duncan laughed.

"That sounds like a problem. A problem that's not mine." Hatchet huffed wondering how many days left till graduation so he could get rid of these brats and left.

Trent shot Courtney a wave and mouthed that he'd call her as he left. Leaving only Courtney and Duncan. Alone. In the workshop.

Courtney threw her project in the trashcan—it breaking as it hit the bottom—and stomped over to a workbench. "I do not need your help."

She grabbed a random tool and before she could do anything Duncan let out a yelp and yanked the tool from out of her hand.

"Excuse me! What was that for?" Courtney complained.

Duncan rolled his eyes and laid the tool down. "Princess, this is a hand plane. There's a blade underneath it," He picked it up and showed how the blade was out. "Sorry I didn't let you cut your hand."

While she could admit to herself that was a close one, she wouldn't admit any naivety to Duncan. "I knew that. And stop calling me that!"

"Sure you did, and you don't tell me what to do." He smirked and leaned in. "Princess."

She huffed, blowing away the annoying hair on her forehead that would never stay put. Deciding that it was best to ignore him, she pulled out the assignment sheet explaining what she needed to do. It was like the diagrams were in a foreign language that she couldn't understand, which is hard to do considering she could speak three languages.

Duncan laughed at how she crinkled her eyebrows and nose in confusion. He hopped up on a stool propping himself against a wall as he watched from a distance; of course, he stayed close enough in case she tried to cut off her hand again.

He cocked his head to the side, "Why did you bother taking woodshop for your elective anyway?"

"Not that it's any of your business," She turned around with a hand on her hip. "But it was either this or pottery and—" She gestured to her smashed project in the trash can.

"Yeah, you made the right choice." Duncan chuckled. She's tiny but man she could be aggressive. Which of course Duncan has thought how such a trait would play out in a more intimate scenario.

Duncan took out his pocket knife and started carving into the table next to him. When he finished his signature skull, Courtney still hadn't made any progress. She kept picking up the assignment sheet and then slamming it back down on the table. Duncan almost pitied her. Almost.

"You know, if you need help all you have to do is ask." He put on a sweet smile and waited patiently for her to admit that she couldn't do this on her own.

"I don't need help!" She didn't even turn to face him to shoot him down. Fine, if she didn't want to admit defeat she could fail on her own. He wins either way. If she gets a poor grade, she'll retake it for a better grade and Duncan gets another semester to check her out.

This was hopeless for Courtney. She didn't even know what tools the assignment sheet was referring to. There was nothing worse than admitting she couldn't do something on her own. Wait, that's not true. Admitting she couldn't do something to Duncan was much worse.

"Ok, so maybe I need some help."

Duncan smirked and hopped up. That was enough for him.

"The assignment is pretty simple once you get your wood to be the quality it needs to be," Duncan explained. "And that starts with your hand plane. This saves time smoothing out the wood, but if you don't know how to use it right—like picking it up with the blade side—it will take more time. Which is the point of the assignment."

Courtney was stunned. She didn't realize he actually knew anything of worth. But Courtney did underestimate her peers a lot. Could you blame her? She was the only C.I.T. in her class!

"How do you know so much?" She asked simply.

"It's my third time taking woodshop."

"Why?" Courtney chuckled. "Did you really fail it twice?"

Duncan's face went deadpan. This was so typical of her. She's so far up on her pedestal she can't imagine anyone being better than her. And let's get the record straight, Duncan was the best at many things—graffiti, pranks, and woodshop to name a few.

"No, Ms. I can't even make a birdhouse. I'm the peer tutor for this course. Have been since sophomore year." He shoved her out of the way as he gathered her tools for her.

Courtney chewed the inside of her cheek. She supposed it was rude of her to assume he was a failure. But his whole image was based on not caring! Can you really blame her for thinking what he wants everyone to believe? While Courtney is reluctant to admit when she is wrong, she is more than capable of acknowledging when she misspoke.

"Oh… I'm sorry."

"Yeah, whatever."

"No, it's not whatever. It was rude of me to assume that." She placed a hand on his shoulder.

"No kidding." Duncan turned to her. Damn, he hadn't noticed how pretty her eyes are. And her apologetic smile almost made him blush. He shook his head to snap out of his daze. "Anyway, it's already 4 so we should really get started."

"Yeah, you said I need to improve the wood? How do I do that?" Courtney asked as she stepped up to the arranged worktable.

"Uh-huh, ok so grab the hand plane. On the right side this time." Duncan instructed as Courtney gripped the hand plane and placed it on the slab of wood. "Yeah, like that. Ok so the wood has a lot of ridges that some people sand down, but we're going to position the blade correctly and with the right amount of pressure, smooth it out."

Courtney bit her lip as she got ready to slide the plane across the wood.

"No!" Duncan stopped her. "You can't use as much pressure as you would hammering something," He stopped to chuckle at the innuendo, to which Courtney rolled her eyes. "Ok, ok. Let me help. You need to align your arm with the plane."

He took her arm and lined it up with the plane. Courtney sucked in a breath at his proximity, which didn't help because she only inhaled his cologne even more. The cologne that she had already noticed she liked. Duncan gulped as he took a step closer to her, aligning himself behind her as he guided her shoulder and forearm.

"Yeah, like that," Duncan affirmed. "Now, spread your feet out to make it easier to apply the right amount of pressure."

He took his foot and nudged hers to come out further as he placed his other hand on her hip and guided the hand plane across the wood. They mimicked the motion several times until Duncan stopped her and stepped back to inspect the wood.

Courtney could barely breathe. She was sure she was blushing. Yes, Duncan infuriated her every day he shouted comments at her. But even she could admit he was attractive, and it was no secret he was attracted to her. And having him stop holding her made her realize how much she had actually liked him holding her.

Duncan took longer than he needed to check the smoothness of the wood, he needed to take a breath after being that close to Courtney. He could smell the traces of rose-scented shampoo, and he hated that he liked it. He glanced up at her and noticed she seemed to be just as unsettled as he was. He wiped his hands on his pants and turned towards her.

"It feels good to me." He stuck his hands in his pockets as he tried to calm his heart down.

Her eyes lit up as she rushed over to glide her hand over the wood. It was smooth! "It's perfect! I'm SO getting an A on this project."

"Woah, Princess. This is just the first step of the assignment. We still need to do the rest."

"Oh, yeah." She turned to him and bit her lip again—which Duncan notices every time. "Thank you again for staying to help."

Duncan was taken aback, Courtney had never thanked him. She rarely ever said something in a decent tone to him. He shrugged. "Yeah, don't mention it."

The two found a comfortable pace and managed to finish the project before 7. Courtney stepped back and looked at her birdhouse. Her birdhouse that was smooth!

"It's perfect!" She exclaimed.

Duncan leaned against the table behind them staring at her fawn over her work (really mostly his work, but he'll let her take credit). He couldn't take his eyes off of her, "Yeah, it is." He wasn't talking about the project.

Courtney finished signing the bottom of it and placed it on the shelf. She walked back over to him and was actually impressed at how helpful he was.

"Thank you, Duncan," She raised up on her toes to hug him.

He hugged her with one arm, pulling her in closer and smelling the rose again. Damnit, he was going to do something stupid. She began to pull away and he knew it was now or never. He pulled her into him again and she let out a gasp.

"I want to kiss you," Oh my god, could he sound any lamer? "You can tell me to stop if you want." Yes, the answer was yes. He could sound lamer.

Courtney was speechless. She waited for her refusal to come out of her mouth and it looked like he was too. Why wasn't she refusing? This was Duncan! The neanderthal! She was Courtney! The princess! Oh my gosh, now she's using his nicknames. They weren't supposed to get along. But he did help her finish her project that she was definitely going to get an A on now.

So in Duncan's hesitation, Courtney rolled her eyes deciding to take control of the situation because she was a leader after all! She grabbed both sides of his face and pulled him into her lips. And WOW. He had nice lips, and—wow, that's a tongue stud.

She slowly pulled away and stared up at his dazed face. Oh my god. She just kissed Duncan. She sucked in her lips and stepped back.

"I have to go!" Courtney declared and rushed out of the shop leaving a smirking Duncan who knew that wouldn't be the last time he'd get close to his princess.