Disclaimer: That's insulting if you think I look like a guy.
Don't have much to say so I'll just get right to thanking my very first reviewers!
Rhana: All I've got to say to is: You better update your story or I won't post ch. 3 until! I updated, now it your turn.
Fluffystwin: Thanks for tellin' me. Confused much over that. And here ya go, fresh out of the oven.
LUCKSTAR14: So glad you like it! But the story will get more complex later on, the first two chaps. are slow. Don't worry; there'll be plenty of fluff from me once I get the hang of it.
Phoenix72389: Candy! I want some. I'll trade you this post for some!
Sorry if this ch. seems rushed. I'm not very good at fluffy moments yet, so bare with me until I do. This ch. is kinda slow, but the story'll speed up after this. And to LUCKSTAR14, I promise plenty of fluff as well as action. Well that's it. Read, enjoy, and review.
"You have all the wisdom in the world, now go fishing." – Unknown quote
Chapter two: Ooo Pretty lights. . .
Sam gaze skimmed over all the sights, letting the less than savory sounds fade to a gentle hum around her as she leaned, arms crossed, on the chilly metal banister.
A single set of hippo eyes glared at her from where they sat just above the water, the owner of the threatening pupils hidden beneath. The Goth cocked her head to one side, a small smile crossing gently on her pale features.
So far, the hippo had been the only animal - among the four-legged, winged, webbed, and finned at least. Plenty of humans here were crazy enough to be classified as animals - she had seen in the hour she and Danny had been trekking around the zoo. But, what did you expect at night? All the animals here had a bedtime.
Besides, the bright lights probably hurt their sensitive eyesight.
As of that moment, including the day before and lasting for a week, Amity Park Zoo was having their annual 'Zoo Lights'. Normally the event wasn't held until at least October where they could also hang up the Halloween lights without scorn, but the zoo had scheduled construction then and bumped up Zoo Lights instead.
Ah well, she didn't need plastic, blinking sheet shapes with eyes like Amity portrayed, despite their experiences with the real things. "Might as well add a joking texture to the spin, while we're at it." The Mayor had said.
Nah, she had the real thing.
Danny strolled back to where he had left her, a simple white cone piled high with pink cavity-makers, or better known as cotton candy, in each hand. Honestly, he had no idea why she was so attached to this particular candy, seeing as she ate so healthily. Then again, that could be the reason. Everyone needs a break now and again, right?
Smiling he passed her the pink fluff, a familiar shock passing through him when their hands touched briefly. 'Ya,' He thought. 'I'm whipped. And I'm only sixteen. This should be scary.' He ignored the thought and balanced himself next to her on the railing.
"What were you looking at?" He asked, eyebrow rose in mock question. Sam rolled her eyes, looking back to find that her friend had disappeared.
"A hippo. He's gone." She replied simply before stuffing a large amount the sweet cotton in her mouth and licking her fingers to make sure she missed none.
"Scared him off, huh?"
"Who? Me or you?"
"Well you, duh. I don't think he expected to see someone lurking in the dark." Danny spent a moment rubbing his shoulder before returning to his treat.
Sam stifled her giggles. Forbidden area; too girly. Instead she grabbed his hand and ran off without giving him a warning.
"We haven't seen Delilah yet." Was her explanation. Danny wasn't sure if she had seen his puzzled expression at her sudden desire to tear his arm from his socket, but he took the reason in stride and followed her.
They passed a few rather cozy looking couples that eyed them as they went by and bumped into more than their fair-share disgruntled adults. He could hear them grumbling as they sped away, down the paths, all aglow with different colored lights shaped into animal forms.
"Sam, she might not be out. Their suppose to be asleep."
"So? That never stopped us. She was out after her curfew before, or do I have to remind you?"
There was a small crowd already gathered around the dome when they came to it. Sam stopped and Danny more or less fell in to the bar, having slipped on a dropped ice-cream cone.
"Nice, think you can avoid the klutzy act for one night?" Sam laughed, lavender eyes dancing with mirth. She tucked a hand under his elbow and helped him get to his feet.
"Thanks." Danny said again. He stood behind her and encircled her slender waist with his arms, resting his chin on her shoulder so he could see in to the cage, but he wasn't really paying attention.
Lilac almost immediately overwhelmed his senses and the feel of her silky raven hair caressing his cheek was helping none. His grip around her waist tightened as he nuzzled passed the hoodie top and rained feathery light kisses along the column of exposed neck, sharing the shudder that ran up and down her back bone. She leaned into him more with her hands laying over top his.
Danny smiled. He loved that he could do that to her. Make her sigh his name and make her need to clutch on to him as though he so she didn't go crashing into the ground.
Minutes passed before they noticed the 'awws' and 'how cutes' the crowd was emitting. Sam's gasp brought Danny's head snapping up, tensed to fight. But he didn't need to be, her smile told him that. He followed her eyes to where they were fixed, a smile bursting into bloom on his face.
Samson Junior was out on the prowl and was looking curious at the noises the humans were making, his head angled to the side.
Sam was elated at the sight. Happiness filled her when she thought of how the purple-back gorillas were slowly coming back from extinction.
His mother and father were still sleeping peacefully near the tree, though Delilah was groping for her child and would soon be waking.
The couples's eyes stayed intent on the small gorilla as he rolled and played by himself, seemingly glad for the attention he was receiving from the people. Sam sighed contently and leaned further into her boyfriends' embrace, which was more than willing to take on her slight weight.
She pecked him lightly on his cheek and tilted her head back to rest it on Danny's shoulder.
Finally she could identify that nagging, nameless emotion she had been feeling. It was peace, something that had eluded almost all of Amity Park until five months previous.
Samson was throwing fallen leaves in the air and leaping about the enclosure, oblivious to his mother approaching from behind when Sam noticed something out of the corner of her eye.
She chuckled, earning a confused look from Danny. Sam merely nodded her head in the direction she was looking and he soon joined in her quiet mirth. A little girl was laughing and munching happily on a hot dog.
"Tucker still won't come in here, you know. He was pretty scared."
"Well, he deserves a few glares for ordering that hot dog. You don't even know how many pigs were slaughtered to make that thing." Their whispered conversation referred to a visit to the zoo not long after she and Danny had become a couple.
Lunchtime was rolling around. The trio knew this not because of a clock, but because Tucker was whining incessantly for meat.
"Fine Tucker! We'll go to the food court to get your meat." Sam said disgust evident in her tense demeanor.
"Oh yeah!" Tucker yelled and raced off down the ramp. Sam rolled her eyes after her African-American friend.
Danny had been watching from the sidelines as his girlfriend became more irritated with their mutual best friend. He had accepted the roll of mediator between the two since they fought quite a bit. Smiling, he laced his fingers with her.
Same returned his gentle smile, feeling comforted by his presence. They took a leisurely pace to the food court.
By the time they reached the crowded food court Tucker was already ordering his food, bouncing on his heels like a six year old.
They found a table and sat down, opting to wait for the lunch rush to quiet down before they satisfied their appetites and watched Tucker as he received his hot dog and headed over to the condiments table.
Sam's nose scrunched as he piled ketchup, mustard, relish and everything else before him before walking over to their table, the tube of meat held before him like it was glass.
He set his food down and plopped into a chair across from them.
Tucker looked at them, smiled and said: "Cheers." Before taking a huge bite.
Sam made gagging noises while his eyes were closed. Danny nudged her, smiling.
Nearly half the food court was starring at Tucker, their faces contorted in contempt. All their shirts read 'Vegetarian and Proud'. The two barely held back their laughter, but Tucker noticed and looked up.
His eyes widened when he saw them, all glaring at him. "Uh. . ." He grabbed a napkin and whipped away the relish and mustard and smiled nervously. "I'm just gonna go." He vanished quicker than Danny Phantom could.
