TS: Hooray!
#1: You're uncharacteristically happy. What's gone wrong?
TS: If you were any more cynical they'd have buried you in a hole.
#1: And what the hell's that supposed to mean?
TS: *smirkies* whatever you want it to.
#1:.. just... leave. Please?
TS: *smirks*
~
Triple Six grimaced as she stared down at the takeaway chips. Contrary to Numbuh Four's belief, they had gotten quite wet in the storm and now both taste and texture were reminiscent of cardboard.
Hurling the chips into the wastebasket, the Irish agent tiptoed out of her room down the stairs and past the doorways of Numbuhs Five and Two, skirting a wide berth around the door of Numbuh One.
Reaching the kitchens, she opened the fridge as her stomach gave a complaining gurgle. It took her a moment, staring blankly into the fridge, to realise that there was nothing edible there. There was a half eaten sausage and some mouldy cheese, and a few hamster treats. Her stomach clenched again and she resignedly reached for the hamster treats.
They weren't all that bad, she thought as she munched them reflectively, walking back towards her room. A bit on the stale side, but at least they tasted all right. She climbed the stairs that lead up to the Kids' rooms and stopped outside Numbuh One's door. Shoving the bag of hamster nibbles in one of the pockets of her tunic she placed an ear against the wood and listened intently. There was a noise from within. She knocked on the door.
"Go away." Came the voice of the British leader. Triple Six smiled wryly to herself and opened the door anyway.
A forlorn little bundle lay on the bed. The young Irish girl approached it cautiously, inwardly sighing with relief when it gave a shudder.
"Are you ok?" she asked. The silhouetted form jolted upright.
"T-triple Six... what are you doing...?" Numbuh One stuttered, seeing her face in the eerie glow of a desk lamp.
"I came in to check on you. You dain't look too good earlier." She chuckled. "Nah, you looked terrible earlier."
Numbuh One blinked and looked down.
"It's just... you know... it's not like me and Lizzie ever actually kissed or anything, but..."
"Shush up there, Numbuh One. If it aint tough enough being dumped at all, it's harsh to dump someone by post-it, even if you weren't fanatical for each other. But, say she hadn't left you the note. What would you have done? From what I've heard, you're naturally suspicious. It woulda bin so much more mentally taxing for you if your gal had gone missing and you hain't found that liddle note."
Numbuh One looked up at her, his eyes hidden behind his dark glasses, which he wore even in the sub-light of his room.
"I... I never looked at it that way..."
"I guess I'm just an optimist." Triple Six shrugged. "I wasn't always, though. Especially after the incident with Them."
Numbuh One was shocked at the hatred in her voice as she finished her sentence and knew instantly that the word "them" was to her more than just a third person pronoun.
His friend shook her head as though trying to clear it, sitting down on the side of the bed next to him.
"Thanks for your help, Triple Six." He said. She smirked at him.
"Who can grudge a bird to fly so high, if he flies on his own wings?" She asked. Numbuh One puzzled inwardly over the strange words, wondering why she would have said them.
"You've been so kind to me... you're really helped... who knows how long I might have been grieving otherwise... how can I ever repay you?" He asked, giving a proper smile for the first time that evening.
"You kidding? I don't want repaying; this is what friends are for! Though if you want to repay me y'can help me figure out why all the kids are disappearing. So there!" And Triple Six stuck her tongue out at the British operative, who mock – scowled back.
"Don't push your luck! You barely convinced me to give you a room! You're paying for it after tonight!" He snapped, before dissolving in a helpless fit of giggles at the sight of her crestfallen face. "H'hee, you should see your face! You look like Christmas's been cancelled!"
She laughed and pushed him playfully. He retaliated in the same way, sending her sprawling across the floor. Immediately he was out of the bed and by her side.
"I'm sorry! You aren't hurt, are you?" He asked, his voice heavy with concern.
"I'm fine, mate. Unnhh... you're bloody strong, though..."
Numbuh One nodded in silent agreement. This was true. He wasn't the largest of kids around, more one of the shorter ones but his strength was still unusual compared to his height.
He smiled slightly and gave her a hand up. She was about his height, maybe a bit shorter, and very much lighter than he, so he did not have to exert himself while helping her to her feet. He looked into piercing green eyes that were half shrouded by the hood.
Without realising what he was doing, he slid one hand behind her back and pulled her into a hug before planting his lips on hers and kissing her.
Triple Six stood frozen for a moment before breaking away from Numbuh One. She was shaking from head to toe and looked as though she might collapse any moment. She glanced swiftly at the British boy, shock and fear stamped on her face, before turning and running. The door slammed behind her.
Numbuh One watched her go as the enormity of what he had done hit him. Suddenly he was cold, breaking out in a freezing sweat with his teeth chattering uncontrollably. Shivering spasmodically, he staggered back over into his bed, pulling the covers up over his head.
Everything had happened so fast it was difficult to comprehend. One minute they were laughing and joking and then... he cursed himself silently. Why had he made the advance on her? She was never going to look at him as a friend again! What had possessed him? He had not ever looked at her in that way before, never even contemplating it! She was a friend, not someone he would dream of kissing! Why?
Thoughts of Lizzie came rushing back, adding to his confusion and he sank into an even deeper state of depression that he had been in when Triple Six knocked on his door.
Numbuh One cried himself to sleep that night.
#1: You're uncharacteristically happy. What's gone wrong?
TS: If you were any more cynical they'd have buried you in a hole.
#1: And what the hell's that supposed to mean?
TS: *smirkies* whatever you want it to.
#1:.. just... leave. Please?
TS: *smirks*
~
Triple Six grimaced as she stared down at the takeaway chips. Contrary to Numbuh Four's belief, they had gotten quite wet in the storm and now both taste and texture were reminiscent of cardboard.
Hurling the chips into the wastebasket, the Irish agent tiptoed out of her room down the stairs and past the doorways of Numbuhs Five and Two, skirting a wide berth around the door of Numbuh One.
Reaching the kitchens, she opened the fridge as her stomach gave a complaining gurgle. It took her a moment, staring blankly into the fridge, to realise that there was nothing edible there. There was a half eaten sausage and some mouldy cheese, and a few hamster treats. Her stomach clenched again and she resignedly reached for the hamster treats.
They weren't all that bad, she thought as she munched them reflectively, walking back towards her room. A bit on the stale side, but at least they tasted all right. She climbed the stairs that lead up to the Kids' rooms and stopped outside Numbuh One's door. Shoving the bag of hamster nibbles in one of the pockets of her tunic she placed an ear against the wood and listened intently. There was a noise from within. She knocked on the door.
"Go away." Came the voice of the British leader. Triple Six smiled wryly to herself and opened the door anyway.
A forlorn little bundle lay on the bed. The young Irish girl approached it cautiously, inwardly sighing with relief when it gave a shudder.
"Are you ok?" she asked. The silhouetted form jolted upright.
"T-triple Six... what are you doing...?" Numbuh One stuttered, seeing her face in the eerie glow of a desk lamp.
"I came in to check on you. You dain't look too good earlier." She chuckled. "Nah, you looked terrible earlier."
Numbuh One blinked and looked down.
"It's just... you know... it's not like me and Lizzie ever actually kissed or anything, but..."
"Shush up there, Numbuh One. If it aint tough enough being dumped at all, it's harsh to dump someone by post-it, even if you weren't fanatical for each other. But, say she hadn't left you the note. What would you have done? From what I've heard, you're naturally suspicious. It woulda bin so much more mentally taxing for you if your gal had gone missing and you hain't found that liddle note."
Numbuh One looked up at her, his eyes hidden behind his dark glasses, which he wore even in the sub-light of his room.
"I... I never looked at it that way..."
"I guess I'm just an optimist." Triple Six shrugged. "I wasn't always, though. Especially after the incident with Them."
Numbuh One was shocked at the hatred in her voice as she finished her sentence and knew instantly that the word "them" was to her more than just a third person pronoun.
His friend shook her head as though trying to clear it, sitting down on the side of the bed next to him.
"Thanks for your help, Triple Six." He said. She smirked at him.
"Who can grudge a bird to fly so high, if he flies on his own wings?" She asked. Numbuh One puzzled inwardly over the strange words, wondering why she would have said them.
"You've been so kind to me... you're really helped... who knows how long I might have been grieving otherwise... how can I ever repay you?" He asked, giving a proper smile for the first time that evening.
"You kidding? I don't want repaying; this is what friends are for! Though if you want to repay me y'can help me figure out why all the kids are disappearing. So there!" And Triple Six stuck her tongue out at the British operative, who mock – scowled back.
"Don't push your luck! You barely convinced me to give you a room! You're paying for it after tonight!" He snapped, before dissolving in a helpless fit of giggles at the sight of her crestfallen face. "H'hee, you should see your face! You look like Christmas's been cancelled!"
She laughed and pushed him playfully. He retaliated in the same way, sending her sprawling across the floor. Immediately he was out of the bed and by her side.
"I'm sorry! You aren't hurt, are you?" He asked, his voice heavy with concern.
"I'm fine, mate. Unnhh... you're bloody strong, though..."
Numbuh One nodded in silent agreement. This was true. He wasn't the largest of kids around, more one of the shorter ones but his strength was still unusual compared to his height.
He smiled slightly and gave her a hand up. She was about his height, maybe a bit shorter, and very much lighter than he, so he did not have to exert himself while helping her to her feet. He looked into piercing green eyes that were half shrouded by the hood.
Without realising what he was doing, he slid one hand behind her back and pulled her into a hug before planting his lips on hers and kissing her.
Triple Six stood frozen for a moment before breaking away from Numbuh One. She was shaking from head to toe and looked as though she might collapse any moment. She glanced swiftly at the British boy, shock and fear stamped on her face, before turning and running. The door slammed behind her.
Numbuh One watched her go as the enormity of what he had done hit him. Suddenly he was cold, breaking out in a freezing sweat with his teeth chattering uncontrollably. Shivering spasmodically, he staggered back over into his bed, pulling the covers up over his head.
Everything had happened so fast it was difficult to comprehend. One minute they were laughing and joking and then... he cursed himself silently. Why had he made the advance on her? She was never going to look at him as a friend again! What had possessed him? He had not ever looked at her in that way before, never even contemplating it! She was a friend, not someone he would dream of kissing! Why?
Thoughts of Lizzie came rushing back, adding to his confusion and he sank into an even deeper state of depression that he had been in when Triple Six knocked on his door.
Numbuh One cried himself to sleep that night.