Zoe sighed softly, snuggled in Psymon's arms. She listened to his soft
snoring, his heart beating, and somewhere outside, crickets singing in the
night. The league had come up to Alaska for a two-day event and Psymon had
not hesitated in the least to make a quick trip to the Vancouver area to
get his winnebago and pets. Zoe had gotten a chance to go by her home in
the States and pick up a few things, and got her cat. Marisol had never let
her have it on the tour bus with them, but then...Marisol's a bitch. Psymon
on the other hand had been all to happy to have another pet. Zoe has happy
to see Mackerel take so well to Psymon. She wondered if their happy little
household would be ready for one more surprise, and if after she told
Psymon her secret if he'd still care for her. She had thought he was all
she'd ever need, but how could she have been so wrong?
Psymon grumbled, slapping around on the nightstand for the alarm clock that was going off. He heard the cat yowl as he smacked it, then finally hit the clock. He rolled over and pulled the covers over his head, trying to become one with the bed. He felt Zoe moving around beside him. She poked him and he just groaned, moving further under the covers.
"Come on, Psy, get up. The league only serves breakfast for so long," Zoe said, prodding his little force field of blankets again.
"I don't want any brekkie," Psymon mumbled. "I wanna sleep."
"You can't sleep all day," Zoe answered.
"I'm not gonna sleep all day, just the morning part of it," Psymon replied, peeking out at her from under the covers. He saw Zoe's smile and smiled back. "Why don't you stay with me, and we can go get lunch later?"
"Mm, no, I'm gonna go over to Elise's bus and talk with her for a bit," Zoe answered, getting up. Psymon moved so he could watch her get dressed. She was really pretty in the mornings. Some people looked like hell, like some of those groupies he'd actually let stay the night, but not Zoe. She was definately a morning person. At least she wasn't perky like Kaori. A loud knock sounded on the winnebago's door. Speak of the devil, there was the little brat now.
"Psymon, Zoe," Kaori called from outside. "Are you coming to breakfast?"
"Do me a favor, Zoe," Psymon grumbled, diving back under the covers. "Make sure she chokes on a pancake."
"Try to be nice to her, Psy. She's just a kid," Zoe said walking to the front.
"She's an annoying kid," Psymon grumbled from under his covers. He heard the front door open and the two women talking. Soon something landed on the bed, straddling his legs. He sat up and saw Kaori. "Get the hell off me and get out of my room"
"Aw, Psymon, you are going to go hungry," Kaori said, tugging on his arm. Psymon pulled away, laying back down, and pulled the covers over his head. Suddenly the covers were yanked off him...too far. He sat up, pulling the covers back, but not quick enough that Kaori saw more than she needed to. The girl just blinked, her cheeks burning with her embarrassment. She muttered an apology in Japanese and ran off.
"Yeah, think about that next time you want to wake me up," Psymon yelled after her. He looked at Zoe. "You could've warned me she was going to do a flying tackle and try to get a free show."
"Sorry, hon," Zoe said, trying not to laugh.
"Oh, go get your damn breakfast," Psymon grumbled, hiding under his covers again. "It's too damn early for this crap."
Zoe walked over to Elise's bus, still chuckling a little bit about the morning's antics. Psymon had eventually calmed back down and went back to sleep with Mackerel curled up beside him. She knocked on the tour bus door and waited a bit. Elise opened the door and smiled at her.
"Come on in," the Canadian said, stepping back from the door. Zoe hopped on up and went back to Elise's bathroom. She shut the door just as the wave of nausea hit her in full force. She lurched over to the toilet and threw up. After awhile of this she rinsed out her mouth and washed her face off, then walked out of the bathroom. Elise just sighed, looking at her.
"You can't hide this from him forever," she said.
"I know, but I'm not sure how he'll take it," Zoe answered. She sat down at the tour bus' table.
"Maybe he'll take it we--" Elise stopped herself. "Oh, right...it's Psymon we're talking about. Well, if it's his, then he should be pretty happy."
"Of course it's his," Zoe snapped, sounding more unsure then she had meant to.
"You sure about that?" Elise asked.
Psymon finally got out of bed and pulled on some running pants, then went to the kitchen to put some food out for the cat. Afterwards, he put some food in the little dish attached to Sparky's perch. He'd been surprised the cat didn't bother the crow. He went back to the kitchen and gave the cat a quick pat on the head, then fished a mouse out of the small aquarium and dropped it in the larger one for the python. He secured the latches on both aquarium doors and looked at the cat.
"There you go, Mack, you got your Mtv hooked up. All mice, all the time," Psymon said, then walked back to his room, reaching out to stroke the bird's feathers. He sat down on his bed and put on some socks and running shoes. He got up and picked up his crumpled pack of Pall Malls and lit one up. Digging through his closet, he finally found a shirt he was happy with and pulled it on. It was actually his new favorite shirt. When Zoe had seen the words "Why can't Mr. Fork and Mrs. Electric Outlet get along?" on it, she hadn't been able to resist buying it for him. He walked back through the winnebago, smoking, then outside. He locked the door and looked around. It felt like one of those kind of days again. He dropped the cigarette down and put it out with the toe of his shoe, then began stretching. He looked up, mid-stretch, at the sound of footsteps and saw Brodi there. He stood up and nodded a greeting.
"So, you ready for me to beat you on the trail again?" Brodi asked, zipping his hooded sweat shirt up.
"Beat me? Hah," Psymon laughed. "I think you've been smoking some of that incense."
"Never," Brodi said. "Come on before breakfast lets out and the rest of them start ambling around."
"Yeah, I don't feel like dealing with them right now," Psymon answered as the two men started jogging down the trail that led around to the bottom of the Alaska course. It had become almost a morning ritual now. Brodi would come over when Psymon decided to get up and the two would go jogging. Afterwards they'd sit around and talk if Psymon felt like it. It had done wonders for keeping his stress level down. Once at the bottom of the trail, they walked over to the ramps being set up for the winner's circle and sat down. A few moments of silence passed before Brodi finally spoke up.
"So what's this I hear about you having piercings below the belt?" he asked.
"Sweet mercy mayhem, how many people did Kaori tell about that?" Psymon groaned. Brodi just laughed.
Zoe walked back to the winnebago, but found it locked and she had forgotten her key. She sighed, figuring Psymon was out jogging with Brodi. Having nothing better to do she went up to the lodge to go hang out in the lounge. She walked in and saw Marisol and Seeiah in there watching tv. Turning to leave, she wasn't quick enough before Marisol spotted her.
"Man, I wondered what that smell was," the Latin woman called. Seeiah just shook her head and looked apologetic at Zoe. Zoe just glared at them both and walked out, ignoring Marisol's insults. "You'd better keep that maniac on a short leash, before he decides to bed some groupie."
Zoe sighed and walked to the arcade and saw the "league's answer to the Mod Squad", as Psymon put it. She sat down at a table and listened to them talking. Finally Eddie noticed her and came over.
"You feeling okay?" he asked. Zoe looked up at him.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just didn't sleep well," she answered.
"I wouldn't think you'd be able to sleep at from what I've heard about Psymon," Eddie replied, winking. Zoe laughed.
"You know you can't believe rumors," she said. "No, I've just not been feeling well."
"Oh, well, I hope you get better," Eddie said, then looked at Mac and Kaori. "Hey! It's my turn on Alien Invaders."
Zoe smiled as he walked back over to them. She hoped she got better, too, but this really wasn't something one got better from. She wish she could find the courage to tell Psymon before he found out, but she had to be sure of a few things first. The big problem nagging at her was how he would take the news. The other major thing was...was it his?
Psymon grumbled, slapping around on the nightstand for the alarm clock that was going off. He heard the cat yowl as he smacked it, then finally hit the clock. He rolled over and pulled the covers over his head, trying to become one with the bed. He felt Zoe moving around beside him. She poked him and he just groaned, moving further under the covers.
"Come on, Psy, get up. The league only serves breakfast for so long," Zoe said, prodding his little force field of blankets again.
"I don't want any brekkie," Psymon mumbled. "I wanna sleep."
"You can't sleep all day," Zoe answered.
"I'm not gonna sleep all day, just the morning part of it," Psymon replied, peeking out at her from under the covers. He saw Zoe's smile and smiled back. "Why don't you stay with me, and we can go get lunch later?"
"Mm, no, I'm gonna go over to Elise's bus and talk with her for a bit," Zoe answered, getting up. Psymon moved so he could watch her get dressed. She was really pretty in the mornings. Some people looked like hell, like some of those groupies he'd actually let stay the night, but not Zoe. She was definately a morning person. At least she wasn't perky like Kaori. A loud knock sounded on the winnebago's door. Speak of the devil, there was the little brat now.
"Psymon, Zoe," Kaori called from outside. "Are you coming to breakfast?"
"Do me a favor, Zoe," Psymon grumbled, diving back under the covers. "Make sure she chokes on a pancake."
"Try to be nice to her, Psy. She's just a kid," Zoe said walking to the front.
"She's an annoying kid," Psymon grumbled from under his covers. He heard the front door open and the two women talking. Soon something landed on the bed, straddling his legs. He sat up and saw Kaori. "Get the hell off me and get out of my room"
"Aw, Psymon, you are going to go hungry," Kaori said, tugging on his arm. Psymon pulled away, laying back down, and pulled the covers over his head. Suddenly the covers were yanked off him...too far. He sat up, pulling the covers back, but not quick enough that Kaori saw more than she needed to. The girl just blinked, her cheeks burning with her embarrassment. She muttered an apology in Japanese and ran off.
"Yeah, think about that next time you want to wake me up," Psymon yelled after her. He looked at Zoe. "You could've warned me she was going to do a flying tackle and try to get a free show."
"Sorry, hon," Zoe said, trying not to laugh.
"Oh, go get your damn breakfast," Psymon grumbled, hiding under his covers again. "It's too damn early for this crap."
Zoe walked over to Elise's bus, still chuckling a little bit about the morning's antics. Psymon had eventually calmed back down and went back to sleep with Mackerel curled up beside him. She knocked on the tour bus door and waited a bit. Elise opened the door and smiled at her.
"Come on in," the Canadian said, stepping back from the door. Zoe hopped on up and went back to Elise's bathroom. She shut the door just as the wave of nausea hit her in full force. She lurched over to the toilet and threw up. After awhile of this she rinsed out her mouth and washed her face off, then walked out of the bathroom. Elise just sighed, looking at her.
"You can't hide this from him forever," she said.
"I know, but I'm not sure how he'll take it," Zoe answered. She sat down at the tour bus' table.
"Maybe he'll take it we--" Elise stopped herself. "Oh, right...it's Psymon we're talking about. Well, if it's his, then he should be pretty happy."
"Of course it's his," Zoe snapped, sounding more unsure then she had meant to.
"You sure about that?" Elise asked.
Psymon finally got out of bed and pulled on some running pants, then went to the kitchen to put some food out for the cat. Afterwards, he put some food in the little dish attached to Sparky's perch. He'd been surprised the cat didn't bother the crow. He went back to the kitchen and gave the cat a quick pat on the head, then fished a mouse out of the small aquarium and dropped it in the larger one for the python. He secured the latches on both aquarium doors and looked at the cat.
"There you go, Mack, you got your Mtv hooked up. All mice, all the time," Psymon said, then walked back to his room, reaching out to stroke the bird's feathers. He sat down on his bed and put on some socks and running shoes. He got up and picked up his crumpled pack of Pall Malls and lit one up. Digging through his closet, he finally found a shirt he was happy with and pulled it on. It was actually his new favorite shirt. When Zoe had seen the words "Why can't Mr. Fork and Mrs. Electric Outlet get along?" on it, she hadn't been able to resist buying it for him. He walked back through the winnebago, smoking, then outside. He locked the door and looked around. It felt like one of those kind of days again. He dropped the cigarette down and put it out with the toe of his shoe, then began stretching. He looked up, mid-stretch, at the sound of footsteps and saw Brodi there. He stood up and nodded a greeting.
"So, you ready for me to beat you on the trail again?" Brodi asked, zipping his hooded sweat shirt up.
"Beat me? Hah," Psymon laughed. "I think you've been smoking some of that incense."
"Never," Brodi said. "Come on before breakfast lets out and the rest of them start ambling around."
"Yeah, I don't feel like dealing with them right now," Psymon answered as the two men started jogging down the trail that led around to the bottom of the Alaska course. It had become almost a morning ritual now. Brodi would come over when Psymon decided to get up and the two would go jogging. Afterwards they'd sit around and talk if Psymon felt like it. It had done wonders for keeping his stress level down. Once at the bottom of the trail, they walked over to the ramps being set up for the winner's circle and sat down. A few moments of silence passed before Brodi finally spoke up.
"So what's this I hear about you having piercings below the belt?" he asked.
"Sweet mercy mayhem, how many people did Kaori tell about that?" Psymon groaned. Brodi just laughed.
Zoe walked back to the winnebago, but found it locked and she had forgotten her key. She sighed, figuring Psymon was out jogging with Brodi. Having nothing better to do she went up to the lodge to go hang out in the lounge. She walked in and saw Marisol and Seeiah in there watching tv. Turning to leave, she wasn't quick enough before Marisol spotted her.
"Man, I wondered what that smell was," the Latin woman called. Seeiah just shook her head and looked apologetic at Zoe. Zoe just glared at them both and walked out, ignoring Marisol's insults. "You'd better keep that maniac on a short leash, before he decides to bed some groupie."
Zoe sighed and walked to the arcade and saw the "league's answer to the Mod Squad", as Psymon put it. She sat down at a table and listened to them talking. Finally Eddie noticed her and came over.
"You feeling okay?" he asked. Zoe looked up at him.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just didn't sleep well," she answered.
"I wouldn't think you'd be able to sleep at from what I've heard about Psymon," Eddie replied, winking. Zoe laughed.
"You know you can't believe rumors," she said. "No, I've just not been feeling well."
"Oh, well, I hope you get better," Eddie said, then looked at Mac and Kaori. "Hey! It's my turn on Alien Invaders."
Zoe smiled as he walked back over to them. She hoped she got better, too, but this really wasn't something one got better from. She wish she could find the courage to tell Psymon before he found out, but she had to be sure of a few things first. The big problem nagging at her was how he would take the news. The other major thing was...was it his?