Chapter 11
Jumping off the last rung of the ladder, Sportacus landed on the balls of his feet. He quickly scaled a nearby wall, scanning for a familiar head of vibrant pink hair. After a few minutes search he finally spotted her through her bedroom window, busily writing in her journal.
Does everybody have one of those? Sportacus wondered as he easily dashed to the windowsill, politely knocking on the framework. Stephanie glanced up in surprise, blushing slightly as she caught a glimpse of Sportacus through the glass. She gestured to indicate that she'd be right out, so Sportacus turned and began pacing by the front door, waiting and thinking. After only a few moments, Stephanie appeared, running up to give her best friend a hug.
"Sportacus! What are you doing here?" she asked as Sportacus returned the embrace, giggling briefly as he twirled her around in the air. Setting her down gently, he glanced around before leaning forward conspiratorially.
"I need some help, Stephanie, and I don't know who else to ask! Will you come talk with me?" For the first time in Stephanie's memory, Sportacus looked uneasy. She swallowed nervously, wondering what had happened that could bother him so.
"Of course I will! You know I'm your friend, Sportacus. I'll always be there for you, just like you're always there for all of us." Stephanie smiled reassuringly. "Where would you like to talk? Maybe the wall by the apple tree?"
Sportacus nodded, still looking preoccupied. The two of them strode away, passing the sports field in mutual silence. Reaching the wall, Sportacus stopped and helped Stephanie take a seat. Stephanie watched her friend as he paced agitatedly.
"Sportacus, why don't you tell me what's bothering you? Did Robbie do something?"
"Yes…no…I'm not sure." Sportacus stopped for a moment, staring down at his feet. "Stephanie, I just don't know what to do. How do people know when they're in love?"
"I…what?" Stephanie asked as her heart sank.
"How do people usually feel when they love someone? How are they supposed to act?" Sportacus distractedly reached on hand up to adjust his goggles. "Do you know, Stephanie?"
Stephanie frowned in thought, determined to help her friend no matter what her feelings said. "Well…I don't know that much, really. Just what I've read in storybooks and from watching Uncle and Bessie."
"That's something, though." Sportacus stated, finally flipping up to take a seat beside her. "What do they do?"
"Uncle really likes Ms. Busybody, so he's always doing nice things for her. Things he thinks she would like…like fixing her fence, trimming her trees and stuff. They're really close together and hold hands a lot. Sometimes he brings her flowers or special food, like candy or stuff like that. I also heard Bessie say she gives him a kiss when she's really happy," Stephanie mused. "That's what my storybooks tend to say too. At the end of the story there's always a kiss."
"But do they say how you're supposed to know when you love someone?" Sportacus asked, a note of desperation creeping into his voice.
"My books say usually it's just like a warm, fuzzy feeling in your chest. Like when the hero looks at the princess, his heart feels funny and tight just from seeing her. Most of the time he gets butterflies in his stomach too," Stephanie laughed, not noticing the serious look Sportacus was giving her as he listened.
"So…you know that you love someone when you look at them and your chest feels funny?" he mused. "I…think I understand. Thank you Stephanie!" He jumped to his feet, smiling back at his diminutive friend.
"Sportacus, wait!" Stephanie cried, jumping down from the wall to stand beside him. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to find out what my heart knows, Stephanie. Thank you for your help!" He gave one last cryptic smile and flipped away. Stephanie watched her friend go, torn between disappointment and a wish for his happiness. She only hoped she'd said the right things.
It was almost five before Sportacus returned. Robbie braced himself as a familiar blue cap appeared from the ladder portal. Show time. Easy now. Be bold, but don't scare him off. He opened his mouth and froze as Sportacus climbed fully over the edge and turned, a spray of soft red roses gracing his arms. What…? he thought as Sportacus smiled warmly and began walking towards the bed. Am I hallucinating?
"Robbie, how are you doing?" he asked, sitting down beside him.
"F-fine…" Robbie murmured, still gaping at Sportacus in shock. "What are those for? Did you win another Town Hero award or something?" he asked, his tone gaining a touch of sarcasm.
"No, I got these for you. Do you like them?" Sportacus stretched one hand out, displaying the bouquet like an offering, a strange expression on his face.
Robbie blushed, finding himself speechless once more. One hand fluttered agitatedly to his mouth before he reached out and took the offered flowers. "Oh…um…yes. Very much. Could…you put them in a vase for me?"
"No problem!" Sportacus grinned happily, vaulting over to a storage panel near the larder-board. Robbie took a moment to enjoy the view and wonder what had gotten into the crazy sports elf.
Sportacus soon returned, setting the filled glass vase on a flat-topped trunk by the bedside with a flourish. "So Robbie, what do you want for dinner?"
"…do you have anything that isn't disgustingly healthy and vegetarian?"
Sportacus shook his head. "No, but I can fly us to a place that does. Does Italian sound alright?"
For a minute Robbie stared at Sportacus as if he had grown a second head. Flowers, and now dinner? And not insisting on some wholesome rubbish? Who is this and where did they put Sportakook? "That…sounds fine. Great, actually."
"Alright!" Sportacus smiled, dashing over to the pilot's seat and speeding them on their way.
In no time at all Sportacus returned with steaming boxes of food. Robbie sighed in pleasure at the sight of chicken alfredo and tiramisu. Sportacus took a quick bite of penne rosa and bruschetta before turning towards Robbie with a questioning look.
"So, what is the favor you wanted?"
Robbie smirked with a mouth full of noodles, pulling a thin case out from behind him. "Mmph. Here, put this in the DVD player. You have to watch a movie with me. That's the deal."
Sportacus nodded, accepting the box and puzzling over the TV equipment before Robbie lost his patience. After rearranging their food, Sportacus carried the slender man over to the controls and let him fix things himself. He settled them back gently on the mattress as the opening credits played.
"Priscilla, Queen of the Desert? What's this about?"
Robbie shushed him gently. "Just watch and find out." He waited, grinning as he watched Sportacus's reaction to the opening scene.
"Wait…that was a guy? Is that like a different kind of sport, like dancing competitions?"
"You could say that." Robbie grinned at his companion's expression of wonder. "Now just watch. And stop fidgeting." He chided, frowning and laying a hand on Sportacus's kicking leg, stilling it. "Do we have to tie you down for you to sit still?"
"Sorry Robbie. I'll try." He shifted awkwardly a few times before moving closer to Robbie, shyly drawing his pale hand into his own. Robbie blushed with the contact but said nothing, content. Robbie glanced at the elf's countenance from time to time, smiling inwardly at the sheer childlike joy and innocence that seemed to fill his every expression. As annoying and horribly aggravating as Sportafreak can be, he also seems to have the capacity to be charming. Sometimes.
Sportacus finally settled down, only twitching now and again. He appeared to be enjoying the movie as much as Robbie was, even if he didn't seem to grasp everything. He caught more of the jokes than Robbie would have guessed, and the two found themselves laughing together more often than not. Robbie felt positively upbeat by the time the film finished. Despite his naïveté, Sportacus had seemed more than receptive.
"I still don't understand some of the parts, like why all those men got so angry in that one town…but that was good!" Sportacus beamed. "And I didn't even know that kind of sport existed. What was it called?"
"Drag shows," Robbie chuckled, amused at Sport's enthusiasm.
"You did something sort of like that once…only you didn't dance and sing that time." Sportacus pondered aloud. "Do you ever do…drag shows?" he asked, clearing away the food boxes.
Robbie flushed, looking away. "No, I don't do shows. Too much moving for my taste, and I'm not putting myself on display. Especially in a small town like this."
"Why not? It looks like fun…"
"Just…because."
Sportacus turned and, noticing Robbie's dark expression, for once wisely decided to drop the subject. He put a hand to the wall panel and dimmed the lights before returning to the bed, sitting and facing Robbie with a nervous expression on his face. Robbie's eyes widened and his was his turn to shift in discomfort.
"…what's that look for?" he asked, unnerved. What's gotten into him now? Sportacus hesitated, regarding Robbie with a strangely serious gaze before leaning forward and brushing his lips with his own. Robbie stiffened in surprise at the unexpected kiss, his eyes wide with shock. Sportacus finally broke the contact, frowning worriedly.
"What…why'd you do that?" he whispered huskily, staring into innocent blue orbs.
"…that's what you're supposed to do at the end of a date with someone you like, isn't it? Did I get it wrong?" Sportacus fidgeted, anxious once more.
"N-no…not wrong. Just…unexpected." Robbie watched him for a moment, considering, before leaning forward, giving him a kiss in return. It was Sportacus's turn to be shocked, his lips parting slightly, and Robbie took advantage of the situation, deepening the kiss and slipping his tongue into the other's mouth. There was a moment of confusion as Sportacus started in surprise before responding to the kiss, returning it. Then his eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed onto the bed.
Robbie frowned down at Sportacus's suddenly inert form. Curse it all, I forgot about the tiramisu. Now what do I do?Hopefully he'll snap out of it by himself. I'm certainly not going to be able to help him. Grumbling, Robbie laid down on the bed himself. He only hoped he wouldn't fall off the cot in his sleep.
At least I got my answer. But what kind of idiotic superhero has a weakness to sugar?