Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They are property of Marc Brown and PBS.
A/N: I'm so sorry this took so long. I have been working on my finals. I'm still not finished with all I have to do. So, don't be surprised if chapters come slower now.
LEARNING TO BREATHE
by Lina Shay
Chapter Six: Falling for You
Ratburn took in a deep breath of the fresh air. It was the best thing in the world to jog on such a fine March Saturday morning. Yes, indeed. The warm sun peeking down at him, and the dewy breeze brushing against his face and through his hair. It was almost like Heaven on Earth that moment.
"Hey, Mr. Ratburn!" the voice of an angel shocked him. He spun so quickly in half-run that Ratburn caused himself to trip over his own feet. Ratburn's rear end smacked hard against the pavement, but even more injured was his pride.
"Oh, I am so sorry," Rubella assured him, leaning over the white picket fence around the Kirst yard. "Are you all right?"
"I believe I am well enough," Ratburn said, trying not to show his great embarrassment.
"Let me help you," Rubella offered, sprinted out of the yard and kneeling down beside him. She slipped her arms around to his chest. Feeling Rubella so close behind him, her breath puffing against the back of his neck, was quite stirring. It made goosebumps emerge all over him. For propriety's sake, Ratburn got to his feet as quickly as possible and removed himself from Rubella's embrace.
"Thank you for your assistance, Miss Kirst," Ratburn said formally. "It was much appreciated."
Rubella put a hand on her hip, saying, "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Rubella?"
"Forgive me if my perspiration got on you," Ratburn continued, ignoring her statement.
"No big deal," Rubella told him, shrugging it off. "Everyone sweats. I'm just glad that you weren't hurt. I didn't mean to surprise you by shouting like that."
"It's quite all right, I assure you," Ratburn said, putting his hands behind his back.
Rubella leaned back against the fence, while balancing one of her wooden sandles on the end of her toe. The breeze rippled through her purple, knit gauze skirt. How Ratburn loved the way Rubella always wore flowy dresses. They made her look so free-spirited, and he was sure she was. If only he could spend a mere hour with her, marveling at all the delicate wrinkles in her personality.
"What?" Rubella asked.
"Pardon?" Ratburn replied, confused at her question.
"You were looking at me funny," Rubella informed him. "You just had this funny, little smirk, and you were looking at me."
"My apologies," Ratburn said immediately, "my mind must have wandered on to other matters."
"Sorry to keep asking this, but," Rubella began, "any pain and misery yet?"
"I'm sorry, no," Ratburn muttered.
"Oh, dear," Rubella sighed discontentedly, running her fingers through her red curls. "Let me try once more."
Rubella reached for Ratburn's hand. For a reason he couldn't explain, Ratburn flinched and backed off. Rubella gave him a confused look.
"I am terribly sweaty," Ratburn insisted.
"All right," Rubella said skeptically.
"Will you be attending the talent show?" Ratburn asked before he lost his nerve.
"Of course," Rubella laughed. "Pruney is my only sister. I wouldn't miss her singing for the world."
"Indeed. Good day," Ratburn said quickly.
With that, Ratburn tried his best to look casual as he jogged down the street back toward his house. When he looked back at Rubella, she was watching him curiously. Then she waved just the tips of her fingers at him. Ratburn waved smally back and headed off.
A/N: Sorry this is so short. I couldn't think of anything else to add to it.
A/N: I'm so sorry this took so long. I have been working on my finals. I'm still not finished with all I have to do. So, don't be surprised if chapters come slower now.
LEARNING TO BREATHE
by Lina Shay
Chapter Six: Falling for You
Ratburn took in a deep breath of the fresh air. It was the best thing in the world to jog on such a fine March Saturday morning. Yes, indeed. The warm sun peeking down at him, and the dewy breeze brushing against his face and through his hair. It was almost like Heaven on Earth that moment.
"Hey, Mr. Ratburn!" the voice of an angel shocked him. He spun so quickly in half-run that Ratburn caused himself to trip over his own feet. Ratburn's rear end smacked hard against the pavement, but even more injured was his pride.
"Oh, I am so sorry," Rubella assured him, leaning over the white picket fence around the Kirst yard. "Are you all right?"
"I believe I am well enough," Ratburn said, trying not to show his great embarrassment.
"Let me help you," Rubella offered, sprinted out of the yard and kneeling down beside him. She slipped her arms around to his chest. Feeling Rubella so close behind him, her breath puffing against the back of his neck, was quite stirring. It made goosebumps emerge all over him. For propriety's sake, Ratburn got to his feet as quickly as possible and removed himself from Rubella's embrace.
"Thank you for your assistance, Miss Kirst," Ratburn said formally. "It was much appreciated."
Rubella put a hand on her hip, saying, "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Rubella?"
"Forgive me if my perspiration got on you," Ratburn continued, ignoring her statement.
"No big deal," Rubella told him, shrugging it off. "Everyone sweats. I'm just glad that you weren't hurt. I didn't mean to surprise you by shouting like that."
"It's quite all right, I assure you," Ratburn said, putting his hands behind his back.
Rubella leaned back against the fence, while balancing one of her wooden sandles on the end of her toe. The breeze rippled through her purple, knit gauze skirt. How Ratburn loved the way Rubella always wore flowy dresses. They made her look so free-spirited, and he was sure she was. If only he could spend a mere hour with her, marveling at all the delicate wrinkles in her personality.
"What?" Rubella asked.
"Pardon?" Ratburn replied, confused at her question.
"You were looking at me funny," Rubella informed him. "You just had this funny, little smirk, and you were looking at me."
"My apologies," Ratburn said immediately, "my mind must have wandered on to other matters."
"Sorry to keep asking this, but," Rubella began, "any pain and misery yet?"
"I'm sorry, no," Ratburn muttered.
"Oh, dear," Rubella sighed discontentedly, running her fingers through her red curls. "Let me try once more."
Rubella reached for Ratburn's hand. For a reason he couldn't explain, Ratburn flinched and backed off. Rubella gave him a confused look.
"I am terribly sweaty," Ratburn insisted.
"All right," Rubella said skeptically.
"Will you be attending the talent show?" Ratburn asked before he lost his nerve.
"Of course," Rubella laughed. "Pruney is my only sister. I wouldn't miss her singing for the world."
"Indeed. Good day," Ratburn said quickly.
With that, Ratburn tried his best to look casual as he jogged down the street back toward his house. When he looked back at Rubella, she was watching him curiously. Then she waved just the tips of her fingers at him. Ratburn waved smally back and headed off.
A/N: Sorry this is so short. I couldn't think of anything else to add to it.