ENJOY!!!
Disclaimer: I don't own Storm Hawks. Verbum Sap. (Enough said)


"Good night everyone!"
"Sweet dreams!"
"Nitey-night!"
"Sleep tight!"
"Don't let the bedbugs bite. I'm serious about the bedbugs! One fatal bite and it can all be over!!!…"

Everyone retreated to their rooms as they wished each other a safe and good night.

Aerrow changed into his nightwear, and had only plopped himself down upon his bed when he decided he'd take a little visit to Piper's room.
It seemed as if his body had been possessed, for, although he was tired, his body lifted itself off his bed, and his feet unwillingly moved out the door.
Radarr screeched after him, but Aerrow mumbled, "I'm going to see Piper, buddy."
The little animal shook his head, and, picking up a pillow, scampered after his best friend.

Halfway there, an alarm blared throughout the Condor.
"AUUUGGGHHH!!!! TRANQUAN BEDBUGS!!! I'M NOT TAKING ANY CHANCES!!!", Stork screamed over the intercom. "THE CONDOR IS GOING UNDER QUARANTINE!!! NOTHING AND NO ONE SHALL BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE CONDOR UNTIL MORNING!!!!"

The sound of steel walls preparing to drop woke Aerrow from his fatigue. His head turned frantically, trying to find the nearest place to bunk for the night.

He sprinted to the nearest door and leapt in, dragging Radarr with him before the door had a chance to drop upon the poor animal's tail. The redhead breathed a sigh of relief, then looked around to see just where he ended up.

And to his luck, he ended up in Piper's room.

He recognized a cylinder of maps near the door, a box of frost crystals on a shelf, an autographed poster of Starling above his navigator's bed. But where was Piper?

Fallen asleep on her desk, a pair of tweezers in one hand and a yellowish-greenish crystal in her other hand. Her midnight blue hair cushioned her head, and she was dressed in her usual sleepwear, a pair of cotton shorts and a white strap top under a black silk robe with orange fuzz-trim.

A soft sigh escaped her parted lips, and he edged closer to her. Traitorous fingers reached out and traced her lips with feather-light touches. But, quick as a lighting bolt, he snatched his hand back.

What the hell was he doing?

Radarr looked at him questioningly, then nudged Piper's blue locks. She murmured a bit, then went back to sleeping.
Aerrow shook her gently. "Hey Piper, wake up."
She didn't budge.

"C'mon Piper."
Her hands loosened their grip, and the crystal and the pair of tweezers clattered upon her desk.

"You're not going to make me do this, are you?"
The only response was another soft sigh that sent shivers up his spine.

The Sky Knight gave an exasperated groan and, cupping one hand under her neck and the other around her waist, he gathered her in his arms, lifted her off the desk, and began to carry her to bed.
But these movements woke the crystal specialist, and when she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see herself in her leader's strong arms.
Her cheeks began to glow pink, and she smiled up at him. He looked down at her and smiled in response. But when she fully realized her situation, she moaned,

"Oh, great. I fell asleep again!"
The redhead looked at her. "What do you mean 'again'? How many times has this happened?"
"Falling asleep in the middle of my experiments? More than once", she confessed.

He laid her upon her bed. "A desk doesn't make a comfortable bed, you know."
"I know", she replied stubbornly, moving off her bed and striding to her work area. "But I have to find out what that crystal is."
Turning on her desk lamp and burner, she looked back at him, being sure to keep her reddening face away from his gaze. "Why are you in here, anyway?"

"Just wanted to give you a little visit", he admitted. "But now, it looks like I'm stuck here."
"Stuck here?"
"Stork must have freaked out about something, because he put the whole Condor on quarantine for bedbugs or something."

"He what?!"

She ran a hand through her midnight blue locks in frustration. "So now you're stuck here for the night; I don't even have a place for you to sleep!"
He glanced at her bed with a smirk. "Your bed looks pretty comfy."

"I don't think so", the navigator protested, embarrassment rushing to her cheeks. "This is my bed. You probably should have brought a sleeping bag or something."
"Hey, like I knew our paranoid pilot was gonna go crazy and shut us into our own rooms!"
"Well, you certainly aren't sleeping in my bed with me!!!"

Their debate was cut short by this statement, as well as a shadow that fell over the room. The light from the lamp and burner were fading, but they were too shocked to notice.

They could only stare at each other, mouths gaping open until Piper mumbled, "Um, yeah. P-pre-pretend you d-didn't hear that."
"I don't think that's possible", Aerrow replied, blushing and rubbing the back of his neck.

They stood silent until the crystal specialist finally noticed that her desk lamp and burner were off. Wanting to put a stop to the increasing awkwardness, she walked over to her desk and felt the crystal outlet.
"That's strange. I left these things on. Why aren't they working?"
Her captain walked over to her light switch and flipped it.

Nothing.

The strategist gave him a look of exasperation and fear.
"Don't tell me", she moaned.
He repeatedly flipped the switch. Still no reaction.

"We're out of power."

"Great, just great", she sighed. "We have no light save the natural light from outside, which isn't enough, we're locked in here until morning, and worst of all, you have nowhere to sleep."
"It could be worse", he replied, trying to be optimistic and trying not to disrupt her fraying temper any further. "C'mon. I'll just sleep on the floor; hopefully not too cold. Maybe you could lend a blanket?"

She groaned and threw herself upon her bed. Looking at the redhead with tired eyes, a big yawn stretched her mouth wide open as she mumbled, "Okay."
She got up to fulfill his request, but he gently pushed her back on the cotton sheets and said, "Y'know what, you just go to sleep, and I'll-"
He had broken off because he had just realized their position. With one knee on the bed, he was bent over his crystal specialist, bright red hair brushing his face and hanging from his head, his hands at her shoulders while breathtaking, wide-open, orange orbs stared at him.
Pink tinted her cheeks, midnight blue strands fanned around her head, and her lips slightly gaped open. He gulped noisily and bit down on his lip. With a jerk of his head, he was brought back to reality.

"Sorry", he apologized quickly, almost leaping off of her. "L-like I said, I'll just get the blanket. Where do you keep them?"
She remained silent, a stunned look in her eyes, then shook her head and pointed to a little drawer that was connected to her dresser. He blindly felt his way around until his co-pilot scampered over to the largest of Piper's windows and pulled a string, drawing back the curtains.
Moonlight flooded the room, and he easily found the drawer. He opened it and pulled out a red blanket and a blue blanket.

As he set up his bed, frustrated thoughts swam in his head like sky sharks.

Why am I acting this way around her? We've been friends for a long time.

Why does she look more beautiful than usual?...Aerrow, stop that!

What the hell is happening to me?

The strategist had thoughts swimming in her head as well, but these were confused and flustered.

Why did he look at me like that? Just staring at me?…

For a moment there, I thought he was lying on top of me…EP!

I think I like him. Does he like me?


The rest of her thoughts were disturbed by something, or rather, someone that jumped onto her bed.
"I was right." Aerrow chuckled, body slamming himself on the bed. "Your bed is comfy. Real comfy."

"Please get off", Piper began, but stopped when leaf green eyes looked into her carnelian orbs. A chocolate-colored hand pressed to her mouth shyly, because she was now looking down at him. The smile upon his face, filled with playful energy and fun, now softened, and his thick eyebrows drooped slightly. His bright red hair was messy, and she felt the urge to bury her fingers in it.

"Please?", she feebly begged, feeling her face heating up.
His familiar smirk returned and he responded, "How about…no? I like your bed."

"I hardly think my bed is big enough for two people."
"Then we're going to have to make it big enough."
Now she was certain he would mistake her blush for a fever.

"What about your bed on the floor?", she countered, pointing to the red and blue blankets.
"Oh, Radarr can sleep there", he answered, and when the little animal glared at him, he continued, "Just kidding. The floor feels too cold, and I personally like a warm bed with my best friend on my pillow."
"Are you implying that I sleep on the floor?"
"No. We both sleep in your bed. It's big enough, right?"

When she stared at him, he dropped his voice and asked, "Why are you so scared of me sleeping next to you?"
She scampered off the bed and turned away. The one question she dreaded to answer was addressed to her.

"Oh, I get it."
The strategist closed her eyes and awaited her humiliation.
"I like you, but you don't like me back, and you feel uncomfortable sleeping next to me."

Her carnelian orbs snapped open in shock.
"You…what?"
"I like you, but you don't like me back."
Her eyelids lowered in shame. Deep inside she knew that statement was false.
"I'll just sleep on the floor", he mumbled. "C'mon Radarr."

"No." Piper turned around to face Aerrow. "You're sleeping in my bed."
"Hey, I understand. You're mad that the power's off and whatnot." He patted his best friend's head. "Like I said, I'll just sleep on the floor."
She shook her head and stopped him. "You're not sleeping on the floor." She leaned forward and laid a chaste kiss upon his lips. "I really like you. Don't think any different."

Surprise played upon his face for a moment, then he slowly smiled and grabbed her shoulders.
"Thank you", he whispered. He pulled her to him, his hands on her back, and he kissed her.
But his best friend gave a little screech from his place on the floor, and the two reluctantly broke apart to look down at him. He beckoned to the bed with a sly smile, and both Aerrow and Piper blushed madly.

The redhead smoothed the bedsheets and gestured for the orange-eyed girl to go first. She slipped into bed first, then waited for him to pick up Radarr and his pillow.
He slid next to her and pulled the blanket over them. Turning so that he faced her, he laid an arm over her body and whispered, "Good night, Piper."
"Sweet dreams, Aerrow."


"Wakey wakey."

The redhead and the blue-hair rubbed their eyes open to see who was greeting them good morning.

A familiar face with sapphire blue eyes and blonde hair blocked the sunlight.

"Good morning, Finn", Aerrow mumbled.
"Something happened, right?", the sharpshooter asked with a sneaky tone, an equally sneaky smile adorning his face.
Both Storm Hawks blushed, and Finn hooted, "I knew it! So, c'mon, what happened? There was a make-out session, right?"

"Like we'd tell you", the navigator retorted, throwing a pillow in his face.
"Oh, that's cold", the blonde chuckled. He glanced at his leader.

"Okay. If it'll get you to stop bugging us, we just kissed. Nothing else." The commanding officer took a look at the door. "And just how did you get in here?"
"Quarantine's over. We got power back early in the morning, just before Stork opened up the Condor."

"And did anyone find out how we lost power?", the crystal specialist asked.
Stork suddenly appeared at the door. "Um, yeah. I did. This was found in the bathroom." He held up a jar. "The stuff in this jar short-curcuited the power outlet in there, and it must have been strong enough to cause the power outage."

The label on the jar read 'Hair Gel'.
The redhead, the blue-hair, and the Merb glared at their blonde friend.

"FINN!!! You caused all of this trouble?!"

Said wingman stiffened. Blue orbs flickered nervously before he ran away, screaming all the while.

The green pilot groaned and shook his head, then he turned back to the pair with a look of surprise.
"Why aren't you two bestowing upon him the doom he--?"
But he was stopped short when the sight of Piper and Aerrow kissing met him.

"Ack! It's lovesickness!!! This place is going under quarantine!!! I feared something like this was going to happen!!!" The Merb sprinted out the door.
Green and orange eyes shot open in alarm.
"Stork!!! Relax!!!", the two of them screamed, leaping out of bed. But they were tangled in the bedsheets, which resulted in the orange-eyed girl falling flat upon her face.

"LOVESICKNESS!!!!!!" could be heard echoing throughout the Condor.

The redhead gasped and peeled her off the ground.
"Piper! Are you okay?!"
"My face hurts."
"Let me take care of that."
Gently grasping her chin and her hair, Aerrow kissed every part of her face. Her nose, eyelids, her cheeks were all treated with healing kisses.

A shocked and blushing crystal specialist stared back at him when he finished. Then her slightly gaping mouth turned into a kind, grateful smile.
"Aw, thanks", she whispered. Leaning towards him, she prepared to return the favor when a familiar figure appeared out of the corner of her eye.

"Take one picture, and it'll be your head, Finn", she threatened, her carnelian orbs flickering with fun.

"Oh, c'mon. It was my hair gel that caused the blackout which caused you guys to be stuck in the same room which caused you guys to confess your feelings for each other!" The blonde took another deep breath before saying, "So shouldn't you guys be thanking me?"

The Sky Knight and his right-hand lady glanced at each other, then smiled. Both picked up their pillows and advanced on their sharpshooter.
"Aw, c'mon. I know where this is going. You guys are supposed to thank me!"
"This is our way of thanking you", his leader replied, before the two Storm Hawks attacked him with their pillows. Feathers flew and his cries of 'C'mon, guys!!! This isn't right!!!" were muffled by the pillow blows.

Eventually, they helped him up.
"Hey, don't worry", the redhead chuckled. "We'll go to Tropica. How's that for a thank-you gift?"

"Really? Alright!!!" Finn ran out the door with his hands over his head.
The blue-haired girl looked back at him. "Tropica?"
"After last night, we could use a little light".
She placed an arm around his shoulders. "Okay. To Tropica it is."

"Yeah!", the blonde exclaimed, taking a quick pass-by next to them. "A chance to show off your new girlfriend!"

Aerrow and Piper looked at each other. He laid a kiss on her cheek before picking up his pillow and signaling to her to do the same. They sneaked after Finn.

"KEEP THOSE THINGS AWAY FROM MY HAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


YES!!! Finally!!!
14th kiss done!!!!

I just want to plop myself down in my chair, sleep, and not wake up 'til spring!!!
(Or, more honestly, I want to crawl under a rock and die.)

THIS KISS SUCKED!
And you know it, Ms. Minako.

But right now, I am too damn tired to care. Read the next Thank-You page to find out why.

Love,
Lady Azar.
(sleeping her a# off)