A/N: Chapter 6 of Blazin' Trails is here! Nothing much to say, other than WAFFiness awaits. Oh, and it's inspired by another 100 Ways to Say I Love You prompt, but as I said, the only shipping in this story is friendship. Well, other than my Droop-a-Long/OC pair.
Disclaimer: *holds up hands in surrender in front of lawyers* I don't own these people, I swear!
Story 6: I'll Keep Ya Warm
Inspired by: "You're warm."
Ricochet groaned as he looked out the window. Already, the skies were becoming cloudy, and he could see the first few wisps of snow start to fly in through the howling winds. Many of the residents of Hoop 'n Holler were scrambling to get inside their homes before the storm got worse.
"So, they weren't kiddin' about a snowstorm comin' in," he said. Ricochet turned to see Droop-a-Long pouring coffee into two metal mugs. "Well, looks like we're gonna have to bear it, Droop. The snowstorm's supposed to get worse."
Droop-a-Long let out a groan. "Shucks, I don't think we have a lot of firewood to keep ourselves warm," he said, turning to the measly logs of wood that sat near the fireplace.
"I thought you had gotten enough wood!"
"Well, you said that it wouldn't snow, Mr. Ricochet. You even bet your lucky rabbit's foot on it," Droop-a-Long pointed out.
"Oh, for the love of-" Ricochet rubbed his face with his paw in frustration. "...well, it looks like we're gonna have to make do with what we have."
"Sorry, Mr. Ricochet. I didn't mean for this to happen," Droop-a-Long said sadly.
"Shucks, Droop-a-Long, you're not entirely to blame. I shoulda listened to the warnin's that were goin' around," Ricochet replied.
"But what if the wood burns up, or the fire goes out, Mr. Ricochet?" Droop-a-Long answered. "You've told me that you're none too fond of cold weather."
"Let's hope that it doesn't get to that, Droop," Ricochet answered. "Now, come on. We'd better sit around the fire while we still can. It's gonna get right nippy soon enough."
"You take the chair closest to the fire, Mr. Ricochet. I'll take the other one," Droop-a-Long said, bringing over a cup to Ricochet.
Ricochet picked up his spoon and stared in shock as the coffee stuck to it like toffee. "Thanks, Droop. That's mighty considerate of ya," he said. Can't say much about the coffee, though...
A few hours later, both Ricochet and Droop-a-Long had dozed off by the fireplace, sleeping in opposite chairs. But Ricochet had a feeling that something was wrong when he awoke to a dreadful chill. He pried open his eyes and saw that the whole office was dark. To his growing panic, the fire had gone out in the fireplace.
Oh, great, he thought. I should've had a back-up plan or somethin'. We'll freeze to death in here!
He heard a loud snore come from Droop-a-Long, and he almost chuckled. "Droop-a-Long can sleep through jus' about anythin'," he said. The wind that howled outside brought a draft through the cracks in the wall, and he shivered. "B-But I sure can't..."
There was a loud snort, and Droop-a-Long mumbled, "What were ya sayin', Mr. Ricochet?"
"N-Nothin', Droop-a-Long," Ricochet said, trying to control his shivers. "I didn't mean to wake ya. You head on back to sleep."
"Shucks, the fire's gone out," Droop-a-Long said. "No wonder I felt a little cold."
"S-S-So did I," Ricochet replied. "G-Great, it's gettin' so cold in here that I-I'm chatterin'. It's too dangerous to go out and search for firewood."
"Well, then, I'll keep ya warm, Mr. Ricochet. After all, a deputy's gotta help the sheriff." Droop-a-Long's feet slapped the ground as he got out of the chair. "And I don't want ya to freeze."
Ricochet tensed. Having grown up in a house with many older siblings, he knew that 'keeping people warm' meant sleeping in a giant pile. He hated it, what with how he would always have a dislodged shoulder or a foot in his face. But with Droop-a-Long's large size and clumsiness, the coyote could end up accidentally crushing him.
"Wait just a moment, Droop-a-Long," he started, backing into the chair.
"Don't worry, Mr. Ricochet. I'm not gonna do anythin' crazy. You can jus' sleep next to me in the chair and wrap yourself up in a blanket," Droop-a-Long answered.
Ricochet sighed, relieved to hear that. "Well, when ya put it that way, I guess it doesn't sound too bad," he said. He picked up his pillow and got down from his chair. "But if you try to hold me in your sleep, you'll be sleepin' on the floor, Droop."
"Got it, Mr. Ricochet," Droop-a-Long said.
Ricochet waited for Droop-a-Long to get settled in his large rocking chair before he joined him, setting up his pillow so he'd be propped up. Droop-a-Long draped the covers over himself and Ricochet, and then he yawned.
"Good night, Mr. Ricochet," he said.
"Goodnight, Droop," Ricochet replied. No sooner had he settled into the covers than Droop-a-Long started snoring again.
Ricochet had to admit that Droop-a-Long was extremely warm, to the point where he was pretty much a living heater. How was the coyote so warm, especially in this weather? Sighing, he moved a little closer to his deputy in an attempt to get some more warmth. He was starting to close his eyes when Droop-a-Long suddenly shifted his arm and draped it around Ricochet, pressing him close to his side. Ricochet sighed, but he didn't bother tossing him on the floor like he said he would earlier. His eyes drooped closed again, and he fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, Droop-a-Long awoke to both freezing cold and fluffy warmth. He looked out the window, and saw some snow laying on the ground. "Shucks, it's been a while since I've seen desert snow," he remarked. "Hey, Mr. Ricochet, you oughta-"
He stopped right there when he turned to see Ricochet. Rather than sitting propped up on the pillow like he had planned to, Ricochet was curled up next to Droop-a-Long, his short arms wrapped around the coyote's waist and snoring. His cowboy hat had fallen off and rested on Droop-a-Long's lap, and he smiled contentedly in his sleep, his whiskers twitching occasionally.
Droop-a-Long had to stifle a chuckle at this. Ricochet looked so adorable that he was half-tempted to pet him behind the ears, although he thought twice about that. The sheriff was sensitive about people touching his head, and if he discovered his deputy petting him, Droop-a-Long was going to deal with far more than a foul-tempered Ricochet.
"Mr. Ricochet? Time to wake up," he said, gently nudging the sheriff.
Ricochet's response was to grumble and bury himself deeper in Droop-a-Long's fur. "Is it important, Droop?" he groaned.
"I wanted ya to see the snow," Droop-a-Long answered.
"That's not important, Droop-a-Long. 'sides, I hate snow."
Ricochet's flimsy excuse made Droop-a-Long snicker. "I reckon you're right comfortable, Mr. Ricochet," he teased.
One eye cracked open and glared up at him. "I ain't that comfortable, Droop-a-Long," Ricochet snarled.
"Says the person who's all snug as a bug next to-OW!" Droop-a-Long rubbed the spot on his upper arm where Ricochet had punched him. "Sorry, Mr. Ricochet. I was jus' havin' fun with ya."
"If you tell anybody about this, I'm gonna deny it," Ricochet said, moving away from Droop-a-Long and scooping up his cowboy hat.
"Oh, I won't tell," Droop-a-Long promised.
"Good." Ricochet grumbled as he got out of the chair. "I can't believe I did that, in my sleep no less..."
The opportunity was too good to pass up. Biting back another snicker, Droop-a-Long said, "You know, you should try bein' cute a little more often, Mr. Ricochet."
Ricochet's bristled expression was priceless. "...I shoulda tossed you on the floor."
Droop-a-Long couldn't help but burst into laughter.
The End
Mischievous Droop-a-Long is fun Droop-a-Long. And bristled Ricochet is best Ricochet...for a while, at least.
I think I wrote this short for the sole excuse of having a sleeping Ricochet. It was more adorable in my head than what came out on paper. Then again, sleeping rabbits are adorable. And seeing as how Ricochet's a rabbit- *bricked*
Next short will be another silly one, though one that's a little less fluffy and a lot more funny. Constructive criticism is welcome~
God bless, iheartgod175
