Summary: The snake fell in love. And maybe so did the panther. White Pantera and Cosmic Cleopetra, an unlikely romance in 50 sentences.
Pairing(s): White Pantera/Cosmic Cleopatra
Disclaimer: El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera is copyrighted by Nick, Mexopolis and its creators Jorge R. Gutierrez and Sandra Equihua. Any referenced works are owned by their respective creators.
Walking
She was no stranger to fighting crime in less-than-ideal footwear, having always been a big lover of high-heels and pumps, but how on Earth Pantera managed to walk with those metallic devices of torture he called boots, she'd never know.
Waltz
Cleo was glad Pantera could not feel much with those magical boots of his, or else his feet would be aching from how much she'd stepped on them- oh, well, he was the one who offered to teach her how to waltz.
Wishes
When he was younger, Rodolfo wished to the stars to meet at least one of his heroic idols; now, he wishes a certain ex-idol and now dear friend- maybe more- would stay with him a little longer...
Wonder
Cosmic Cleopatra couldn't help but wonder- why was Pantera always wearing his luchador mask- even in his civilian disguise...?
Worry
The reckless devotion and passion Pantera had for his job as hero was admirable, and very much inspired her to become a better hero herself; however, the careless way he threw himself in battle, had her think that maybe, just maybe, she understood his ex-wife's anxiety.
Whimsy
Cleo was never one for commitments or long-term relationships- she wished she could blame it on being a superhero, but it was just not in her nature to stay too long with just one person- but she swore to all that was good and right, that she was 100% serious about that silly, wonderful man called Rodolfo Rivera.
Waste/Wasteland
The ruins barely resembled his beloved Miracle City; Pantera's gaze was distraught as he clenched his fists- he did nothing, could do nothing, and this was the price he paid... he didn't deserve to- a light touch on his shoulder stopped him, unwilling to let him drop into that particular abyss; he turned around, and her strained but hopeful smile made him pause- right, he wasn't alone.
Whiskey and Rum
Cosmic Cleopatra could really hold her alcohol- White Pantera found it the hard way.
War
The battle against evil was never-ending and no hero would ever admit the tolls and pains left by the violence- few were lucky enough to have a partner that understood; fewer had a partner that could fight alongside them- how lucky they were, to have found each other.
Weddings
Rodolfo always cried at weddings- they were just so beautiful!- and his second one was no exception.
Birthday
"No, Rodolfo, I did not get you a pony- why are you crying?"
Blessing
Cleo knew from their glares that Puma Loco and Manny did not approve of her relationship with Rodolfo- no matter, she would earn their blessings, this she swore!
Bias
In hindsight, it had been foolish of him to trust them- her- when the clues had been so obvious- but how could he not have been blinded by his childhood heroes?
Burning
He was bright like the Sun, the image of his smile burned itself into her retinas, into her memory, a blinding mix white and golden...
Breathing
...and his strenght, his fierceness to protect his city, his city, greater than a panther's- why, he wasn't even trying with the draconic beast, and it took her breath away...
Breaking
...but like Icarus she had flown too close the Sun, too bright, too strong, too far up in the sky, and still too in love with that angel he once called his wife- but she was already in too deep, and all she could hope was that she wouldn't die from the fall, break into something she could never put together again.
Belief
His unwavering belief in all that's good and just, even after everything he went through, even when he lived in the infamous cesspool known as Miracle City, intrigued her- how could one be so hopeful?
Balloon
"Pantera, could you please tell your son that my Ultra Cosmic Blimp is not a giant balloon for his pranks?"
Balcony
"Oh, Cleo, mi Cleo, let down your... snakes-?", an innocent question, met with a very expensive vase on his masked face, "Try again, Pantera."
Bane
He was quickly becoming the bane of her existence with his almost innocent charm and persistence.
Quiet
Asking two bombastic heroes like White Pantera and Cosmic Cleopatra to host an event at the library might not have been the smartest decision he made, Chakal decided.
Quirks
She was still getting used to her boyfriend's many eccentricities- who stuffed their suitcases with grapefruit, anyway?
Question
The polite smile on her face became much more strained when she saw the paper unravel itself to the ground- just how long was that list?!- and she was about to make an excuse to leave, when she saw the excited, boyish smile on his face- she relented, but oh boy, was she starting to regret her decision to answer his fan-questions.
Quarrel
More often than not, they argued about the different ways they went about fighting crime- both too stubborn to give up their ways and views.
Quitting
"Yeah, my undercover missions are dangerous, so what? You don't see me complaining about your reckless, self-sacrificing fighting style."
Jump
"...using the Bronze Boots of Truth is cheating, I'll have you know! And I certainly don't remember lending you them!"
Jester
To many other heroes out there, he was but a clown trying to court a queen- Cleo would simply smile at the gossip... and maybe send out one of her scaly babies, or two, to the idiots who thought they could badmouth her man.
Jousting
...okay, so maybe they could get a little competitive over this 'who can get more criminals into jail within a month' bet they made; well, at least no one could complain over a job well-done, right?
Jewel
Love is a jewel that one must take care of and polish- and this time, he'd make sure not to break this one.
Just
Cleo was surprised by his strong sense of justice- and wondered if maybe he wouldn't be making more progress in cleaning the streets if he were a judge...
Smirk
Pantera had always loved the confident, almost smug grin Cleo sported when fighting evil- there were no words to describe how attractive it was.
Sorrow
Rodolfo would never say it out loud, least he upset his son, but he truly was heartbroken when he discovered the League of Alliance Society's true colors.
Stupidity
For a great hero that put many evil-doers away, Cleo mused with some amusement as she noticed how easily he fell for his father and son's poorly made excuses, he really could be quite guilleble.
Serenade
Rodolfo could be quite old-fashioned when he wanted, but Cleo didn't mind- after all, what woman wouldn't like to be serenated by their lover and a mariachi band?
Sarcasm
It turns out, Pantera did not really get sarcasm at all- that's okay, Cleo thinks, she'll teach him how take a joke.
Sordid
Cosmic Cleopatra's methods were not something he could agree with- they were underhanded, much too like a villain might think in his opinion; when questioned, she shrugged and simply told him she got much better results this way.
Soliquoly
Pantera really did love his heroic speeches, huh?
Sojourn
In the beginning, she'd never stay for long, and that always made him fear for the worst- that one day, he'd ruin everything and she'd never come back...
Share
...what he didn't know is that she shared a similar fear, and for that, she'd maintain her distance.
Solitary
Ever since she left the League, Cleo felt as if she lost all her lifetime comrades and friends... but maybe things wouldn't be so bad, as long as she had her new friend by her side...
Nowhere
"So, we're lost in the middle of nowhere- this is great, just great!- this never would've happened if we took my blimp like I said, you know?"
Neutral
"...to be honest, Rodolfo, I have no strong opinions about stripes or polka dots- can't we just paint everything white and call it a day?"
Nuance
Rodolfo wasn't one for subtleties, so one had to forgive him for missing the many, many signs that Cleo was in love with him...
Near
...but it was simply abismal how long it took him to understand just why he enjoyed having her close.
Natural
"So, what sorta products do you use- and don't tell it's natural, no hair can be this shiny!"
Horizon
How or why it came to be, she doesn't remember, but Cleo does love their little tradition of sitting on a rooftop after a long day of fighting evil and just watching the sunset, fingers linked, and total silence.
Valiant
She was among one of the bravest heroines out there, and yet, this man a couple years her junior made her feel like a nervous, love-struck young woman all over again.
Virtuous
He was such a goody-goody two-shoes, of course he'd never done this before, Cleo fought back a smirk as she watched Pantera cough from the cigar- he'd barely let the thing touch his lips!- and decided to stop teasing him- she'd call one of her old colleagues to help her with this undercover mission.
Victory
White Pantera, like most heroes, wasn't above celebrating his own victories- only now, he had a partner to share his little dances with, even if she called them silly.
Defeat
She knew his ex-wife still had a strong hold on his heart, but heroes never gave up, even when fighting a seemingly hopeless battle.
Author's note: Well, this certainly was a challenge, but here it is, a White Pantera/Cosmic Cleopatra piece/50 sentence challenge as suggested by Ghostwriter434. I hope I did your ship at least some justice...? Well, I tried- sorry it took so long!
Anyway, hope you readers enjoyed it.