The moon was full and the sky was a dark blue with the brightest stars shining off like diamonds. The wind wasn't fierce on the cool Summer night. It was just calm in the town of O-Town, just as usual. It was a perfect night. A perfect evening too. It was perfect for a wallaby and a cane toad to walk down into the neighborhood on the sidewalk.
This wasn't just a random neighborhood they were in, for it was the wallaby Rocko's neighborhood, Boogie Blvd, they were walking across on. Rocko himself looked quite different compared to how he looked back then. Gone was that 90's shirt he wore that looked like it belonged on a styrofoam cup in a bowling alley. He wore something he rarely puts on from time to time; a suit and a tie with black dress shoes.
A white buttoned up shirt and black vest over the shirt with a red silk tie to make him all the more look like someone special. Despite looking out of character and how it was almost tight since he hasn't worn it for so long, he did admit to himself that he really was special; specially lucky to be precise. For he wasn't with any toad, he was with her. The creator of The Fatheads herself.
Rachel Bighead.
She was in the finest dark purple dress that went down to her knees and matched in color with her hair that was still in the usual hairstyle. She had on her pearl necklace and the same lipstick on her lips. Both her and Rocko were unknowingly being in common with their clothing and personality; staying the same but wearing something eccentric.
They were walking with Rachel's arm being wrapped around Rocko's while the macropod was trying to act like everything was peachy. Yet he internally was screaming loudly like an echo in the cave; the cave being is inner mind. It wasn't because of fear or of worrying of messing things up as the date was drawing near its end; no, it was far from it.
It was being embarrassed with the fact that he, a fan, had just finished a date with his favorite creator. How could he stay cool? He was doing fine at the date over at a restaurant he booked for the two. They laughed and just talked back there, but now Rocko was just a bashful mess for a chilled guy. Rachel was only going to be here for at least a week so Rocko had to make the best memories ever for her since he never had got the chance to show her around and get to spend more time with her. To spend the most with Rachel and get to know more about her.
Of course he screwed it all up for himself and for her. It took him a total of six days for him to build up a boost in confidence; To confess something he never told to her, to his friends, not even to Spunky. From the moment he saw her in that desert in that Fatheads Ice Cream van, it stunned him.
Ralph was no longer himself. The frog he saw step out of the van and having that same voice from years ago was different. No longer male. A female from head to toe. Ralph changed during the time, but Rachel was glad for that change.
When Rocko first saw her, he didn't know what to do. Be supportive of course, but a new emotion flooded within him. One that hasn't come back in years. One that caused him more harm than good. He still couldn't believe that to this day, he had the biggest crush on Rachel Bighead. And now, he was dating her on the last days before she had to leave this town once again.
Rocko was upset with himself for waiting til almost the second to last day to tell her this. Having to confess to your crush before she was ready to leave soon and being successful at it at the same time was just a crazy dream. No way could something like this happen in real life. It was preposterous to think an idea like that would work.
For Rocko though, Rachel was more than happy to do one date before her departure. Rocko was either lucky or- no, honestly he was super lucky she accepted his crush just before she was ready to start leaving. This night was going to be the most special night, at least that was what Rocko was hoping it would go for. Though so far everything seemed all grand. He was going to take her to his home to rest and then tomorrow she would be off with her life and do her own thing.
He just hoped that everything wasn't going to crash down on him like most of the time. Not tonight at least. He wanted to save his suffering through his 'modern life' for tomorrow, so tonight he prayed to whoever was watching over him to give him the break he needed so he can have a shot at love again and so that his day wasn't going to be bad at all
"Hey Rocko." The voice of Rachel was well enough for the wallaby to forget all of the negative worried thoughts that were racking at his brain.
He looked over to his date and couldn't help but smile at her from the way she was grinning wide and having such an aura of beauty from the moonlight shining on her. He felt like a blush was going to appear on his face.
"I just want to say, this date was spectacular." Rachel said with that smile still showing on her lips.
"Well I am glad I could find a great reservation and-" He was still looking at her. "And-" Her smile. Her face. Everything about her. "And…" He felt happy. Yet, he felt guilt as well. His smile started to lower with Rachel noticing quickly as a heartbeat.
"Rocko? Are you ok?" She and her date stopped as they were inches away from being at the front yard of Rocko's home.
The wallaby felt happy, but ashamed of himself. He had a week to tell her but did it on the sixth day. He was so lucky to have her be so understanding, yet he felt like he could have done it sooner. Like on the third or second day. It all sounded like a broken record, but it still bothered him and still was tearing him apart on the inside. They knew each other well enough, and the bonding they experienced together as she was staying to visit was all positive and they had tons of non forgetting moments.
"The date was amazing Rachel, but I...I feel like I ruined this moment." Rocko had the courage to say it, but it just made him feel worse. He didn't want to lie to her, but he didn't want to end up depressed because of his mistakes.
"Ruined? You mean when you missed pouring the wine in the glass?" It was a pretty funny moment that happened hours ago. It was humorous enough for Rocko to let out at least a soft smirk.
"I'm just glad I didn't get us kicked out, hehe. But umm, no it's not that. It's just…" He had Rachel let go of his arm as he started to clasp his hands together. "I just feel like I asked you out way too late."
"Way too late?" Rachel raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. Because I wanted to ask you out way sooner, but I just was afraid that despite all this time we spent together, I just felt like I...I wasn't going to have you say yes to us going out. You know?" Rocko was trying to make sense of it all for her while he himself was trying not to sound weird or sound like some crazy fan.
Rachel knew all too well what he meant though. "Well, life can be crazy, modern or not. I learned to accept that whatever happens in life I am ready for." She smiled to herself. "As for you asking me out way too late though." She moved her hands over to let Rocko let go of his as she started to hold them both tightly. Rocko felt his blushing starting to return on his cheeks. "I'm still glad that you asked me out regardless."
Rocko's face started to burn up in red. His cheeks no longer suffered from shyness as now his face started to feel the hot blush. She was just being nice right? Any normal woman would just be upset that they were asked out before the last day or last two days. They would be groaning. Complaining. Feeling like they are forced to do this or something. Honestly that was something Rocko thought would happen with Rachel.
But Rocko remembered the many things that were important when it came to Rachel; She wasn't rude. She wasn't snobby. She wasn't like the other women Rocko had encountered in his life. She was special. A special lady. A special frog that Rocko still couldn't believe he was on a date with. His face heated up more from thinking about it.
"B-But, you're leaving tomorrow and I-I only took you out on one date." Rocko was having guilt start to come back and overshadow him. He could have had more dates with her. Start to grow more into this relationship and not have it feel like this is a day one relationship that might just be stopped as soon as she goes.
Rachel still held onto Rocko's hands. "I know. Honestly though, I am glad this night happened."
Rocko had to know the answer as soon as she said that. "But why? Like I said, it was only one date and...it might just be that."
"Rocko…" She letted one of her hands go and moved it to be by her side. "You know that this is my first date since I became what I am right?" He nodded as he remembered she told him that while waiting for their dinner to arrive. "Well I never thought I would be dateable. I mean, who would want to date someone like m-"
"Me." The wallaby stepped forward with courage having to push back the remorse feeling. "I would date you." Quickly, Rocko realized that in his shot of trying to prevent Rachel from saying something untrue about herself, he made himself look like a fool. "I-I mean if we weren't on a date. Which we are now. But I mean that-"
"I know Rocko." Her smile made him feel mellow and his eyes went from panic to calmness in seconds. "Still, I never knew someone was going to love me for me. The real me. Not looking at me as the Fatheads creator or just wanting me for looks. Someone to love the inner me." Her free hand reached over back to Rocko. It seemed that it was reaching over back to his hand, but a turn in direction made it go up.
Rocko never looked down, but felt a warm touch to the right side of his face. It was her hand. Her thumb gently caresses his cheek and the rest of her fingers laid on his temple.
"Rocko. I don't care if I have to wait another year or two until our next date. You're generally a good guy that shows you love me for being myself. Never had any guy confessed their love to me at all. Until you did. I thought I wasn't worth it in a guy's eyes, but you changed my mind." She inched closer. "You changed my world." Rocko could see she took another step and was inching closer to their bodies touching. "You have done more good to me than anyone in my life. My father accepted me because of you. My fans have accepted me because of you. I fully accepted myself after I made that Fatheads revival, all because of you Rocko."
The wallaby's brain was heating up every time she moved closer, inch by inch. He felt like steam was going to come out of his ears and melt like a puddle in her hands. He didn't know what would happen next and part of him was saying he shouldn't know for he might just explode in a shyfull mess.
"W-Well I just...I…" Again, he felt shy as ever as he stared into Rachel's eyes. He never saw her this close, so his words were just fumbling into a quiet chatter as he smiled goofy like. A spark of valor somehow got him to speak up. "Well I love you for you and only for you. I'm glad I was helpful to you during those times."
Rachel now had her turn to blush on her greens cheeks. Both felt quiet. Both had hard thumping fast heartbeats. They felt like the world was slowing down and time itself was being nonexistent at this very moment between them.
"Thank you Rocko, for everything." Rachel's words were what were going to send Rocko flying to the moon like a rocket. The keyword was 'were', for her next action spoke louder than any word. A small kiss on the cheek that lasted for a second. That second long smooch on the wallaby's cheek left a lipstick print, Rachel having more of a rosy blush on her face, and Rocko's eyes widening in response all in the matter of seconds after what had occurred.
Speechless. That was the one word to describe how the two felt together. Frozen. Another word to describe why their bodies weren't moving. All they did was let the moonlight shine on them and let their faces go red as a cherry while Rocko's brain felt like it was on fire over what had happened.
A kiss on the cheek to any other guy would think it was cute and sweet. To Rocko, he was feeling like his whole body would turn red from his toes to the tip of his ears. If he had gotten a kiss on the lips, he would explode into confetti or into hearts or whatever would happen to the wallaby.
"A-anytime." It was all he could say. He sounded almost out of breath from that moment alone. Thankfully, Rachel chuckled to break the silence with Rocko half laughing as well.
"So…" Rachel was flustered at that point. She never thought she would get this far with Rocko. With anyone really. Yet here was Rocko who put on his nicest outfit, took her to an awesome restaurant, and acted like such a bashful gentleman right in front of her. All to impress her. She knew he really loved her as just her and nothing more, but still couldn't believe she was right about this.
"Umm. Do you want to...uhh, rest at my place?" Rocko quickly tried to backpedal on the innuendo he unintentionally said. "To sleep til you have to leave tomorrow I mean! I-I got a spare bedroom for you to share or couch if you prefer or something-"
'Gosh. Why must he just act this adorable and so innocent?' That was all that the smiling toad could think of in her head.
"Thanks Rocko. I'd love to." With her saying that, Rocko was lucky once more. He knew it was a bright idea to clean up his house this morning. No women would want to sleep on a messy sofa or bed.
"Of course." As Rachel letted go and Rocko was ready to walk down to his house in literal couple of steps til he reached his yard, his date stopped him. She held onto his arm and made him stay as she pulled out her purse that she had by her side. Rocko was so affected by her stunning dress and great personality that he forgot she even had it with her.
She pulled out a small notebook with a pen in the spirals. She took the pen out and began writing something on it. Rachel looked up at Rocko. "You do have a new phone right?"
He nodded. "Oh yes. Expensive, but works like a charm." As if she already knew about him wanting to ask her why she asked, she ripped off the piece of paper and handed it to him. He took it and looked at it.
"It's my phone number. If you ever feel bored and if I have the time, we can just chat and talk. Even facecam too." A phone number. Rocko getting a girl's phone number for the first time was something he never expected this date night to end on.
"I'll be sure to give you a call tomorrow then h-heh." Rocko put the precious phone number paper in his dress vest pocket and again the two lightly giggled to themselves. "So, ready to hit the hay?"
Rachel nodded. "Of course. Lead the way." Rachel wrapped her arm around back into Rocko's as he got to be side by side with her, they started their short walk as if nothing happened.
Yet something big happened. The date was a hit. Rocko got Rachel's phone number, and it was all in one day. As they made it too the door and Rocko opened it wide for Rachel to walk in and take a look at the new and clean living room, Rocko took a pause for a moment. The kiss on the cheek, the phone number, Rachel saying that he could call her anytime. His cooked brain started to function over those minor details.
Rocko quietly said the answer to himself about how those tiny moments were connected in that order. "Are we...boyfriend and girlfriend now?"