Chapter Nine: INCOMING!

Moments later, a cold, bone chilling ball of snow hit Blu in the face. Jewel has hit her target. "AH! Cold cold cold cold, COLD!" Blu shouted as he tried to shake the snow off. What he didn't realize was that Jewel was closing in on him. Blu got the snow off of his face, and saw Jewel, closing in. Perfect. He thought. It had taken him a few minutes to dig an underground snow tunnel to hide at the start of their game. He dove for it, and clogged the entrance. He gave himself a peek hole for air and to see when Jewel came. He started getting comfortable.

"AHA!" Jewel screamed as she jumped over Blu's bunker. Not a feather lay there. "What?" She looked around, but there was just no sight of him. Jewel was hit in the back by a snowball, and she fell forward and face planted. When she looked up after getting some snow off of her face, Blu was towering above her.

"Surrender?" Blu asked.

"Yep." she said, as she lunged into Blu. "HEY, JOE! Come get Blu for me!"

"What!? You can't do that!"

"I surrendered, I wasn't tagged out."

"You dirty girl." Blu said.

"Wanna repeat yourself?" Jewel asked, giving him a serious tone.

"YOU DIRTY GIRL!" Blu shouted. It wasn't long though because a pile of snow was dumped on top of his face.

"That's what I thought." Jewel said as she got off of Blu.

Joe had his beak dropped. "I won? I actually WON!" He shouted.

"Have you ever won something?" Jewel asked, piling more snow on top of Blu.

"Nope. I had two older siblings and they always cheated." Joe said, looking to the ground.

"Well, Blu and I don't cheat. You, my friend, can celebrate this victory as much as you like." She said, with a smile.

Blu finally got enough snow off for some air. "*GASP*" Blu said as his lungs replenished his oxygen. Once he had enough, he spoke, "Easy for you to say, Jewel."

"Say what?"

"That 'we' don't cheat."

"Does someone want more snow on their face?"

"Not if you can't catch me." Blu said as he took off.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Jewel said, grabbing some snow. She quickly formed a snowball, and hit Blu square in the face, again (she still couldn't fly). Blu lost control, and crashed into Jewel, landing on top of her. The snow that was still on Blu's face fell onto her face.

"Um," Blu started to say. He started to wipe off Jewel's face.

"T-T-That, w-was c-c-c-cold." She said, shivering.

"Let me help you." Blu said, bringing her into his warmth. "Better?"

"Mmmm, yeeeeesssss." she said as she felt Blu's warmth melt away the snow. Joe was still dancing, so Jewel thought a little romance couldn't hurt.

"Blu, come closer."

"Huh?"

"Come closer." Jewel whispered again.

"Uh, how?" Blu asked. He was cuddling her in his wings and didn't understand how they could really get any closer. But once again, he was wrong.

"Your head, silly. Bring it closer to mine." She said, giggling.

"O-Okay." Blu said nervously. He moved his head closer to Jewels. "Okay, is that fine?"

"Closer." Jewel said.

"How about now?" Blu said. He was a little confused where this was going.

"Still not close enough." Jewel said, rolling her eyes.

"Jewel, what do you want?" Blu said, not really moving any closer. Then he felt a kiss, a warm, loving kiss. Once they separated, Blu spoke, "Well, you know you could have just asked, my gem of the world."

Jewel blushed at his comment. "I know. I just wanted it to be an apology. Consider yourself forgiven."

"Yeah, sorry I called you 'dirty'." Blu said.

"And I got a kiss to prove it." Jewel said as she nuzzled closer.

"Hey you two, the sun is setting." Joe said. "Well, you two have fun tonight. I'm going to go home." He said. He flew away, waving goodbye to the two lovebirds.

"Wanna watch the sunset, Blu?" Jewel asked.

"Uh, yeah, sure. But let me get something first." He said. He gently picked Jewel up, and flew back to Linda's bookstore. He set Jewel down by the door and went upstairs.

Jewel had a moment to think herself. Am I ready? Should I ask him? Is he ready? Oh, maybe later tonight. She thought. She was brought back into reality as she heard Blu coming back. "Hey, where did you go?" Jewel asked.

"Oh, just grabbing us some scarfs."

"Some what?"

"A scarf. You know, to keep your neck warm in the cold."

"Okay," Jewel said, uncertain if she needed one. There was one around Blu's neck, and it looked kind of ridiculous.

Blu picked her up, and flew back outside. Jewel started to feel the temperature drop, fast. Blu set her down on the roof, and saw her shivering. "Want the scarf?"

"Yes please." she said. Blu wrapped it around her neck, and she felt a lot warmer. Wow. This is very surprising. I didn't expect it to work this well. She thought. Blu's wings then went around her. Should I bring it up now?

"What a gorgeous sunset." Blu said. Jewel looked to it. It was pretty. The cold air made the surroundings glow under the orange and pink sky.

"Yeah." Jewel said. I guess now is a good time as any. "Hey, Blu?"

"Yeah?"

"I've got a question for you."

"Hmm?" Blu said, having a lot of concentration on the sunset.

"Have you ever thought about getting married, having a family, and dying old with someone?"

"Yeah, I guess it started when I met you. Why?"

"So, what about before I came into your life?" Jewel asked.

"I never really thought I find someone. I was domesticated, flightless, and very nerdy."

"Hey, I like your nerdy side." she said, with a giggle.

"Really?"

"Yeah, that's what makes you, you." Jewel said as she snuggled closer.

"O-Okay. Whatever you say." Blu said, unsure.

"Back to my question."

"Alright."

"I don't want to be your girlfriend anymore."

WHAT!? She's breaking up with me!? Blu started to panic. What have I done wrong?

"Don't panic!" Jewel said suddenly, seeing Blu was about to.

"What have I done wrong? Why are you leaving me?" Blu asked.

"I'm not. Blu, I want to marry you." Jewel said, turning his head towards her. "Look into my eyes. I love you with all my heart, and until my dying breath and forever after, I will be chained to you, no matter what happens."

Blu was still panicking a little. He was calming down a little, but still panicking. Could I even protect her? What if something bad happens, I couldn't live with myself. If we have kids, how could I father them when I never had one of my own, let alone experience on survival skills. "Jewel, I, uh." Blu couldn't finish his sentence.

"So, do you love me enough to marry me or not?" Jewel asked.