Chapter 15
Carmelita lay restless in her room, unable to sleep for a very specific reason. She was still fuming over the gall of a certain raccoon, Sly Cooper. Stupid raccoon! Blasted Ringtail...taking pictures of me like that! she growled to herself. Just who does he think he is, anyway? She told herself, feeling distinctly exasperated.
Sly, meanwhile, lay in his own bed, torn between feeling a bit ashamed of being caught with those revealing pictures of his lady love, and with pleasure at seeing her reaction to them! "Woo...am I ever going to catch it hot from Carmelita," he told himself, but then shrugged. "I'm sure she is, even right now, calculating a suitable revenge for my embarrassing her like that." He then grinned to himself. "Eh, that's okay though...it was worth it to see the expression on her face! Oh, man..." He grinned cleverly…remembering her expression with exquisite detail!
Carmelita exhaled heavily, then decided to give up all pretenses of sleep, and now sat up in bed. She first tried thinking of things to be angry at Cooper about. But, at least after her somewhat homicidial tendacies had begun to abate, she thought to herself aloud. "Hmm, I wonder...could he…" she mused, then blushed, shaking her head angrily. "No, he's just a pervert!"
She reconsidered that outburst a moment later. Hmm, although...he must really think I'm attractive to have taken so many pictures of me, she told herself. She then smiled, feeling rather flattered all the sudden. Carmelita chuckled softly to herself, murmuring, "I can't believe he actually showed me those pictures he took of my behind…and, well, and…" she blushed again, "my chest."
That touched a nerve briefly, and she gritted her teeth a moment, before the storm in her eyes cleared and, and she smiled. "Oh, he'll have to pay for that, of course," she related aloud, grinning craftily. "Ha! I've already got that plan for that nearly ready to go."
Then her expression softened a bit. "You know...not many guys would of taken responsibility for a stunt like he pulled. In fact, most of them would of hidden it from me completely," she observed clinically. She then stopped talking, thinking to herself, as she reached up a hand to gently twirl a strand of her dark hair around her finger. "Hmm, honesty...I sort of like that in a man," she mused, that is, before she caught herself getting slightly dreamy eyed, and frowned at that reaction. "Snap yourself out of it, girl! He's Sly Cooper, for goodness sake! That wretch deserves nothing more than to go to jail!" she told herself irately. She nodded smartly, then held her head high…but only for a moment, as she promptly deflated. "Oh, right...just who am I kidding here?" she protested softly to herself. "I like him, face it. I know I shouldn't like him. Oh yes, do I know! In fact, I probably should hate him! Especially after those photos," she told herself softly, but then she grinned anew, twirling her hair again. "But...I don't, not really. He really is very charming…and ooh, is he ever one handsome fella!" she confessed, then blinked, giggling softly to herself guiltily. "Would you listen to me now! I sound like some silly school girl with a crush..." She softly fanned her now warm face, and contemplated her feelings…for the one and only Sly Cooper.
Sly was beat, but finally he was beginning to drowse, as the events of a very long day finally wore him down. He yawned, saying, "God, I wish I could just fall asleep!" He grinned then, thinking, as he had been ever since his new 'houseguest' had arrived, of Carmelita in her room, so very close by. He put his hands over his eyes, then closed them, images of his lady love in his mind before he finally managed to fall fast asleep.
Meanwhile, a determined Carmelita giggled softly to herself as she got out of her bed. "Aw, this will be so perfect!" she told herself, very much pleased with her plan. She pulled a plastic pail she had found out from under the sink in the bathroom. "Well, since Cooper seems so hot for me...I guess what he really needs is a good cooling down!" she deduced, grinning evilly. She moved to the bathroom on her crutches silently. "Perfect..." she grinned quietly, heading into the bathroom to proceed filling her bucket three-quarters full with the coldest, iciest water she could manage. She then turned and, with sure slow movements, made her way down the hall to Sly's door, where she smiled, finding it open. She opened the door silently, and moved slowly over beside where he lay asleep in his bed. She leaned over and whispered into his twitching ear in the sexiest voice she can manage. "Sly? Sly, honey? It's me, Carmelita..." she whispered.
Sly, sound asleep, smiled, his eyes closed. "Carmelita? Oh, hey, have I told you that I love you today?" he murmured.
Carmelita blinked, then stood up, stunned by his words. Then, for a moment, her hard vengeful expression melted away, replaced by a far softer, more pleasant one. He really loves me, doesn't he? She asked herself, her heart pounding now, her eyes soft. She pondered what to do a moment, then hardened her heart and decided to continue on with her plan. She leaned back over to whisper, "No, you haven't, Sly," She informed him. Now, why had she said that precisely? She couldn't help asking herself mentally.
Sly, still sound asleep, smiled. "Oh, I haven't? Well, I love you, sweetheart," he murmured affectionately to her.
That response nearly caused her to drop her bucket, which would have been disasterous. Caremelita, despite her need for payback, still couldn't help but smile tenderly down at the sleeping raccoon. So, she deduced, her heart warming even more, he really does love me! Interesting, she added, filing that away for future reference. But, she still had her revenge to carry out! "Aw, you're so sweet," she whispered in his ear, then added, "I've got something for you..." Now, a part of her mind begged her to stop with her scheme. This man loves you, girl! It reasoned, quite accurately. I know, I know, she told that voice...but still, he's got this coming…so shut up!
Sly smiled wider, his eyes closed, his expression sincere as he talked in his sleep. "Really? You're a real sweetheart. What do you have for me, my lovely girl?" he asked softly.
Carmelita hestitated a long moment, but finally decided she couldn't deny herself her revenge. And, that being said, promptly dumped the bucket of icy water all over him. "A cold shower, Ringtail! That's what!" she crowed in triumph, dropping the bucket to loudly clatter on the wooden floor.
Sly, needless to say, was instantly awake, his skin tingling from the icy deluge. "GAH!" he bellowed, sputtering. "Wha-What's going on?" he demanded, then he spotted Carmelita standing beside his bed, grinning a smile of smug satisfaction. He quickly put two and two together, and laughed aloud softly. He wiped the excess water from his brows and hair. "I see. That was for those pictures, I take it?" he deduced, indicating his soaking body and bed.
Carmelita couldn't help but feel a bit robbed of her revenge, for he was taking it so well. "Yes! You better believe it, Ringtail!" She assured him, folding her arms defiantly across her chest. "That wasn't very nice of you to take those of pictures of me, Cooper," she told him, turning away from him, her expression injured…well, a bit at least.
Sly continued to sputter briefly, shivering from the cold, but even with all that, he still managed to chuckle. "No...no, I suppose it wasn't at that," he admitted. He then grinned and looked up at her. "What can I say, my fiery one...guilty as charged. I accept your punishment," he told her, still impressed with her plan. He then quirked an eyebrow at her. "So…we even then?" he asked.
Carmelita tried to rekindle her anger at him, but somehow just couldn't manage it! Maybe it was because he looked so pathetic with all his fur matted down. "Yes, we're even," she acquiesced, then she giggled at the sight of him. "You look like a soaked rat, Cooper! You should see yourself!"
Sly grinned, giving her a pained look a moment, then gave up and laughed with her. "Raccoon, Carmelita...a soaked raccoon," he corrected her gently, grinning at her. "One very cold, very soaked raccoon, if you must know..." He shivered again, then laughed anew.
Carmelita couldn't remain mad at him any longer, her payback had made her point, and well…had also proved rather cathartic for herself. She looked down at him trying to wipe the water out of his arm hair, and couldn't help herself, giggling once again. "Uh-uh...I'm sticking with rat, Cooper," she teased him, softly giggling.
Come morning, Carmelita awoke, somewhat pleased, but still rather grumpy from not getting enough sleep. Oh, that, as well as the fact that her arms constantly complained about her crutches…and, finally, the fact that she's starving. "Grrr..." she muttered, then added some rather unladylike expressions in Spanish. "Cooper had better have coffee...good, hot, black coffee...or I won't be responsible for my actions," she groused as she dressed herself. She crutched her way into the kitchen, spotting Bentley and Murray, who were preparing their breakfasts. However, she was quick to notice that there is no sign of that rogue, Sly Cooper, anywhere.
Murray was his usual happy self. "Hello there, Sunshine! Good morning, Inspector!" he greeted her. He thought about it a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, it's still morning."
Carmelita tried to be sociable with these two...for she wasn't really mad at them. "Good morning. Look, I need coffee..lots of coffee, in fact," she demanded, her tone barely civil. She then looked around as she took her seat at the side of the table. She took her seat opposite of Murray and Bentley, and still felt irked that there was still no sign of Cooper. "Where's that wretch, your boss…Cooper? Don't tell me he's still sleeping?" she demanded.
Bentley smiled a bit shyly over at Carmelita, as Murray got to his feet to fetch her a big mug of coffee. "As a matter of fact, yes…he is," Bentley informed her, eyeing her irritable expression. "Something the matter, Inspector?"
Carmelita nodded shortly at Murray as he placed a cup of coffee before her. Her first sip of coffee soothed her…but not that much, so she grumbled. "You wouldn't understand, buster...and besides, I was having trouble sleeping last night," she replied, a bit evasively. She eyed the two warily, watching as they partook of a breakfast of cold cereal. "So, what's for breakfast in this place, anyway?" she grumped, taking yet another sip of coffee. "Any chance of my getting some bacon and eggs?"
Murray, upon hearing her request, headed over to the refrigerator, and looked within. "Um...sorry, Inspector, but no can do on the eggs, or the bacon for that matter," he apologized. He turned back to her, and added, "we've got lots of cereal though...will that do?"
Carmelita had by now consumed nearly half of her large mug of coffee already, so she shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose it will have to...as there doesn't seem to be much else available now, does there?" She smiled thankfully over at Murray as he thoughtfully filled a bowl with a healthy, vitamin-chocked cereal, added milk, and placed it before her along with a spoon. She was thankful that she didn't have to get up to get it herself, and decided to say so. "Thanks," she said briefly, before she began to eat her cereal, munching thoughtfully. It bugged her that Cooper was still not there, and so she couldn't help herself and looked over to Bentley inquiringly between bites. "So...is Cooper going to sleep all day then?" she mumbled.
Bentley shrugged at her question. "I can't say as I know...he pretty much does what he wants to, most of the time," Bentley informed her, finishing his cereal. The barest hint of a smile showed on his lips. "Well, for one thing...I know he didn't get very much sleep last night. What with all the commotion and all going on..." he said just a bit mysteriously.
Carmelita nearly choked on her last swallow of her cereal. She threw a suspicious, irritated look at Bentley, who cringed in reply. "What are you talking about, bub? What commotion?" she demanded, hoping against hope that her and Cooper's tiff hadn't become common knowledge.
Bentley gave her a look, a look that left her blushing prettily. "C'mon, Carmelita...you know my room's adjacent to Sly's," he suggested, casting her a curious look. "And, well, I do have ears, you know..."
Carmelita put her spoon down with a clatter, her cheeks still flushed. "Look. Not that it's any of your business, buster. But, that stupid raccoon had it coming!" she growled, thumping her fist down on the table, hard enough to make the tableware rattle. She blushed again, growling in her own sense of embarrassment. "That voyeur, your boss, took some photographs of me. Ones he should be ashamed of himself for ever taking! And, I was not about to let that go unpunished…so there!" she finished, crossing her arms defiantly before herself, glowering at the both of them.
Bentley was most unsettled by her outburst, and wasn't thinking too clearly, so…he just reacted impulsively. "Oh, you mean those pictures!" he stated, then blushed, sighing. "You, of course, mean the ones he took of your…er, um, ahem!---behind, and..." He couldn't finish, and blushed furiously, stammering "...that other one of...er, um, eh, that is, oh dear..."
Carmelita blushed at his description too, still embarrassed, but quickly cut him off before he could finish his provocative description. "Yes, that one, thank you so much!" she cried, glowering even more. As she did so, she did an almost comical double-take at Bentley, then gasped in realization. Her lips curled back in a wordless snarl. That wretch Cooper! she nearly howled mentally. He actually showed those very private pictures of me to his goons? That's it…I am absolutely going to kill that raccoon! Still breathing heavy with her ire, she turned hotly on poor Bentley. "So…he showed those pictures to you? Hmph! I shouldn't be surprised…that pervert!" She grumbled, swearing fluently in Spanish.
Bentley blinked owlishly, his brow furrowed as he tried to understand what has set the mercurial Carmelita off…when he gasped himself, coming to an understanding of what she was thinking. "No! No, Carmelita...he didn't! He did no such thing! Honest, he didn't!" Bentley cried, defending his friend. He held up his hand as if swearing an oath.
Carmelita was still fuming, muttering sulphurous oaths under her breath in Spanish. She then eyed the protesting turtle suspiciously. "Is that right? So, how is it that you know about them then? Hmm?" she growled, her teeth grinding together.
Bentley blushed, then looked away a moment, before trying to explain. "Okay, look," he began, then sighed, realizing he was about to give away some information he'd otherwise prefer not to. "I invented this device, all right. I call it a binocucom, okay? It's part binocular, part communicator, understand?"
Carmelita nodded, seething but listening...she was still seriously irked.
Bentley gulped at her expression, but gamely continued. "My invention allows us to communicate with Sly, you know, and lets us see what he sees, in a way. Do you understand?" Bentley explained, not able to meet her withering gaze for too long.
Carmelita nodded again, surprised that she was still listening. She could see that Bentley was very uncomfortable, but she didn't care…so she waved him on, urging him to get on with it already!
"Okay, my binocucom has this function, one that allows him to store digital photos. That can be very useful for doing reconaissance, if you catch my meaning," he continued his explanation, though now he grimaced in discomfort. "Now, the photos he takes are automatically sent to my laptop. You know, for me to review and make plans with. So, I'm sure you'll understand that I get every picture he takes downloaded to my PC." He then looked meaningfully over at Carmelita. "And, I do mean every photo he takes." Bentley shook his head, not bothering to hide his irritation at Sly's misuse of his inventions. "He's forever taking pictures of you, Carmelita! Now, I tell him not to, to save the memory for recon photos. But, I'm wasting my breath…for does he ever listen to me...oh, no!"
Carmelita nodded in understanding, and was much relieved, though still felt more than a little miffed. "Okay, I understand that," she observed to the clearly uncomfortable turtle seated across from her. "So that's how you knew about..." she began, only to stammer. "...those photos of which I speak, then?" She sighed heavily, understanding finally, and clammed up, thinking. So, Cooper likes to take pictures of me, does he? Interesting, she told herself again. "Say, um, what sort of pictures are we talking about here...more like those ones?" she inquired, hating, but knowing, that she was blushing again.
Bentley shook his head emphatically. "No! No way! Those were one of a kinds. I had a few words with him on that subject, I did! Though, to be fair, most of the time, they're pretty boring stuff, really..." Bentley told her. He then realized just what he had just said, and grimaced. "Um, not that I find you boring, Inspector, you understand...I just mean that they are just mostly shots of you at work, or of you chasing after Sly, that sort of thing..."
Carmelita was pleasantly surprised to hear this from Bentley. So, Cooper has a photo collection of me then? Very interesting. "So...these pictures…does Sl---er, Cooper, have any favorites then?" she asked, blushing again, thinking to herself, I can't believe I just asked him that! "Er, not that it matters, really...um, how's about we say that I'm just curious is all?" she added in a much softer tone.
Bentley, still uncomfortable, blissfully missed her apparent interest in Cooper. "Favorites?" he replied, frowning. He shrugged. "Well, I suppose, other than those two rather risque ones, of course, there's the one he has under his pillow..."
Carmelita's curiosity was far from sated. "Yeah, okay...I saw that one. Anything else?" she urged him.
Bentley sat back, thinking, tapping his chin with a finger. "Well…let's see, then...oh, there's that one more, hmm, oh yeah! Now, I remember. That's the one he has on his nigthstand!"
Carmelita frowned upon hearing that, not remembering that one in her investigation of his room. "Hmm, really? And, what pray tell, does that picture show, hmm?" She found that she wanted to know, but was nearly afraid to ask, fearing just what the answer might prove to be!
Bentley waved a hand dismissively, assuring her it was no big deal. "Pff, no worries on that one, Inspector Fox. It's just a picture he took of you when you were asleep is all," he explained, smiling. He then thought a bit more, then smiled again. "You know, I have to admit that I have to agree with Sly when he says that you look like an angel when your sleeping." He chuckled, remembering her angelic features in the photo, and mused on, without his usual mental restraint. "You should hear how he goes on about you...you'd be embarrassed, really. How you look so peaceful, so breaktakingly beautiful---his words, not mine!" Bentley told her, assuring her the last lines were all Sly's. "The way your hair---you weren't wearing your usual braid that day, I recall---hmm, how did he put that again?" Bentley stopped, thinking hard, then remembered. "Oh yeah! How your hair was like a fan of lustrous black silk. Hmm, or something like that. It was all romantic gibberish to me, but..." he grumped, then---again!---realized that might upset Carmelita and quickly backpedaled. "Er, all true, of course, Ms. Fox...heh, heh...oh, boy…" He closed his eyes, slumping.
Carmelita couldn't believe Sly had taken pictures of her asleep…and she reacted. "Okay, that's it! Raccoon Boy and I are going to have words!" she exploded, getting to her feet, her cereal unfinished, and excused herself---her righteous indignation fueling her speed up the stairs. She moved into Sly´s room, glaring down at his sleeping form, about to unload all her wrath on him…when she spotted the picture in question.
There was nothing risque at all about it, it only showed her fast asleep, her face peaceful, her hair nicely arranged about her as she slumbered. My goodness! I had no idea I looked so cute when I sleep, she observed mentally in surprise, then frowned, shaking her head at her self-flattery. Okay, be that as it may, that doesn't change the fact that this had to stop...and stop now! She moved over to his bedside, then leaned over to whistle shrilly into his ear. "Yo! Cooper! Wake up, you troublesome raccoon!"
Sly roused from a sound sleep abruptly…to say the least! His eyes snapped open wide and panicked. "Huh? Wha--! What is it? Is the house on fire?" he demanded, his gaze bleary.
Now, maybe if Carmelita had been in a better mood, she would of laughed at his reaction. But not now… "No. But, you might wish it was, Cooper!" she growled, glaring at him.
Sly blinked, trying to gain his composure, then looked up to see Carmelita scowling at him. He sat up, put his feet firmly on the ground, rested his hands on his knees, then looked boldly up into her furious, yet gorgeous brown eyes. "Oh? Is that so? Okay, Carmelita...just what have I gone and done this time anyway?" he inquired, heaving a weary sigh.
Carmelita said nothing at first, and simply pointed to the picture of her asleep on his nightstand. "That, Cooper! That's what you've done wrong, Ringtail. I'm not going to even dignify that with a remark!" she fumed, her eyes flashing, her breathing a bit more rapid.
Sly frowned in confusion, then picked up the picture, smiling fondly at it before he looked up to Carmelita again. "What…this? I happen to think it's a very lovely picture of you, dear lady. You were so tired that day. I was beginning to worry about you, you know," he explained, still not at his best. He then frowned, remembering. "Then, at long last, you finally put your sweet head down and fell fast asleep. Now, after I made sure you were okay, I looked in. That was when I saw you there…so peaceful, so beautiful, that I just had to have a picture." He turned the photo around and showed her…as if to justify his actions to her somehow. "Now, really…can you blame me? This is the picture of an angel..." he asked her, smiling an odd, affectionate smile. He sighed, his expression full of fondness for her.
Carmelita found herself thinking, he's doing it again...doing something so sweet that I can't stay mad at him. Grr…stupid raccoon! She whirled on him, angrily...or, then again, maybe that's wasn't it at all. "Of course I can blame you, Cooper! How would you feel if you found I was taking pictures like that of you? Hmm?" She found herself breathing hard, her blood pressure on the rise.
Sly knew he should just say nothing, but he just couldn't help himself, grinning. "Well, I guess I'd be flattered, really," he returned, giving her his most charming smile, before adding, "Why, Carmelita, I didn't know you cared! You should of told me...we could of gotten together...you know, to exchange photos."
Carmelita blinked, stunned! She frowned, looking at him as if he's lost his mind. "What? Exchange photos? Are you insane? Bah, Cooper! You're impossible!" she thundered, eyeing him furiously. And, yet… her heart pounded in her chest like mad, her body tingling from something far different than her usual anger. She blinked, and found herself staring at him. He looked so handsome then…just sitting there, looking up at her. Her anger as usual, brought her back to her senses once more. "Ooh! You...you...you raccoon!" she stammered, nearly beside herself with frustration. She stamped her good foot at him, she was so exasperated! Her emotions---both desire and anger---made a jumble of her thought process, and she struggled mightily to bring it back to order.
Sly smiled a genuine fond smile at her as he watched her seethe. "Has anyone ever told you just how lovely you are when you're angry, dear lady? For you are, Carmelita...so very very beautiful indeed.. An angel, mi querera," he told her in a soft, rich voice full of feeling.
Carmelita trembled as she felt a delicious thrill whisk up her spine at his charming smile as well as his sweet words, feeling the hot rush of blood to her cheeks and ears. A part of her simply stood there, eagerly wanting to hear him say more lovely things to her...while the other more cynical part of her wanted to reach out and brain him with her crutch! Carmelita blinked again, her emotions whirling, and she finally managed to stammer something unintelligible. Rather than try again, she held her head high, huffed in exasperation, and whirled about to crutch herself out of the room…so proud, so beautiful.
Sly watched her leave, his love for her very strong that particular moment. He whispered then---so she can't hear him---his true feelings for her. "What a woman!" he said with a mix of fierce pride, deep affection, and not a little longing. He then laughed softly at his own reaction…knowing he was smitten with her, even if her own feelings on the matter still remained very much a mystery…