Beyond the Sunset
Anabel tapped her hand on the steering wheel of her Chevy to the music as she drove down the road. A long line of cars were piled up next to the signs denoting a car wash. "The boys must be doing really well!" She grinned, craning her neck to search out familiar faces. Not seeing them, she nearly drove by them standing on the other side of the road.
Pulling in, she looked with disgust at the man watching Justin polish his tires. Cutting the engine she slipped out of the cab, brushing her hands down her sundress. Steve stood shirtless next to the rest of the misfits, Anabel smiled and waved as she walked over. "How's it going guys?" She asked, slipping her arm around Steve's lower back and giving him a kiss.
"Terrible. Mind giving us a lift back to the gym?" Peter grumbled, making his way over to her truck and jumping in the back. She frowned after him and looked up at Steve, he nodded with a frown and called for Justin to wrap it up. Steve snuggled in close to her in the cab and noting the fear evident on Justin's face as the others climbed in the back Anabel motioned for him to jump in as well.
Thankfully the extremely illegal drive was just a few blocks and they didn't run into any squad cars. No one spoke as they all ambled back into the gym. Peter flicked the light on and Justin let out a scream, causing Anabel to jump and scream from the shock. Everyone froze and turned to see what Justin had been so afraid of. "Relax Justin," Peter grumbled, pointing to the cardboard version of the owner of Globogym. "It's just a cut out."
Peter made his way over to the cut out and triggered a voice recording. "At Globogym we're better than you, and we know it. Sign up now." He waved his hand over the glowing red eyes. "Do you smell that fitness? I do, rock it and shock it baby." With a sigh he grabbed and envelope that was dangling from White's fake hand. "You gotta burn it to earn it." The recording played again.
"What's in the envelope?" Dwight piped up while Anabel stood on her tiptoes to peek over the group.
"Free thirty day trial memberships to Globogym," Peter mumbled while they made their way to the lounge area.
"It's a joke Owen," Dwight corrected the ever positive man. "He sent it to us as an insult."
Gordon took the envelope from Peter and peered at it. "Maybe we could sell them for cash 'cuz the car wash actually cost us money." He dropped his bag while Steve set down the bucket of cleaning supplies. Anabel perched on the arm of the couch to allow Steve a seat. Resting her arm around his shoulders she nuzzled the side of his head and gave him a little kiss.
"Wait so we're further away from saving this place?" Justin squeaked.
"Looks like it." Anabel sighed.
Owen set the huge sign he was carrying on the opposite couch and perched on the back of it. "We're never gonna raise enough money," he grumbled. Dwight added that their situation outright sucked.
Peter, still standing, cracked open his beer and addressed the group. "Guys I know this is tough to take, but if an impromptu car wash doesn't raise us the fifty thousand dollars we need, to save this place then I guess it just isn't in the cards." While speaking he walked through the lounge and stopped to look back at them. "Trust me here. If there was any way, anyway in the world we could raise fifty thousand dollars in thirty days, short of robbing a bank, I'd do it."
The room paused, Dwight rubbed his chin before speaking up. "We could sell blood and semen." In response Steve took his hand away from his mouth to let out a disgusted sound. "What?" Dwight lost his smile, "Not mixed together."
Peter had an exhausted look on his face. "Guys," he walked back towards the table and started tossing beers around. "I love the enthusiasm, I love the energy here." Steve stood just in time to catch his beer with his fingertips. "But we're looking at this the wrong way. Let's celebrate the good times that was Joe's." Justin went to catch his but smacked it away, hurting his fingers in the process. Anabel tried to stifle her giggle but failed, Steve looking at her with a grin to hand her a beer.
"We gotta start looking at this Irish-wake style." Peter continued tossing a can at Owen, who didn't even notice as it flew past. Anabel was having a hard time controlling her laughter. Justin made it worse by opening his beer and having it explode in his face. Steve chuckled with her before taking a drink of his own. "Let me be the first to say goodbye to Average Joe's. We gave it a hell of a run, guys. Now let's try to have some fun." Peter turned to walk towards his office. "I'm gonna put on 'The Thong Song', and we'll tear this place apart."
Anabel shrugged and let her bottom slide down onto the couch cushion Steve had left unattended. "Wait, wait. Peter, Peter," Gordon stuttered. "We could play dodgeball."
Peter stopped walking and turned back around with a sigh. "That's very nice, Gordon, but everyone's tired. Playing a game isn't gonna help."
"There's a tournament in Las Vegas." Gordon stood holding a magazine while the others looked at him in confusion. "I feel so dumb I didn't think about it before. I read about the Las Vegas International Dodgeball Open every single year in Obscure Sports Quarterly."
"Of course. That's a totally common thing." Peter half teased with an unamused shrug.
Gordon seemed oblivious to the sarcasm. "The best part is it's open to any team that wins a regional qualifying match."
From his seat on the couch Dwight spoke next. "How is dodgeball gonna get us the fifty thousand dollars?"
"They have a cash prize for the first place winner." Gordon answered with excitement.
"How much?" Anabel smiled around Steve, resting her hand on his shoulder and letting his arm snake around her waist.
"Fifty thousand dollars!" Gordon grinned, slamming the magazine down on the coffee table. In the excitement Owen stood and Anabel felt the air in the room ripple with change.
Peter walked back in with a shrug. "Guys, we're not gonna get fifty thousand dollars for playing dodgeball."
The group turned to him with mild shock. Anabel stood now frowning at the whole situation. "Why not?" Gordon asked with a slack face.
"First of all, none of us even know how to play dodgeball."
"I do." Justin piped up, causing the group to turn towards him. "We played it in PE last showed us this film about it and everything."
Dwight let a smile rise on his face. "Can you get your hands on that film?"
"Sure, I guess." Justin shrugged.
"Guys, can we please try to be serious here for one second?" Peter sighed, looking at Anabel with exhaustion. "Anabel back me up here!"
She, in turn shrugged and gave him an equally exhausted glance. "Who am I to tell them what they can't do? They can atleast try..."
Dwight stood to lean over the table at the magazine. "You said anything we could do to raise the money." Justin grinned while picking up the magazine. "This is that anything. This is it!" He looked to the rest of them and lifted his hand. "Come on, show of hands. Who wants to play dodgeball?" The group all raised their hands, Steve put his drink down and Anabel raised her hand with him.
"Come on." Justin pleaded Dwight, who stood looking skeptical before lifting his hand stubbornly. The group turned to look at Peter, still holding his hand by his side. "Come on, Pete." Justin shrugged.
Peter let out a sigh before rolling his eyes. "You guys had me at blood and semen. Come here." He walked forward for a round of high fives before nudging Anabel with his elbow. "Now is the fair maiden going to be joining us?"
Feeling multiple sets of eyes turning her way Anabel let a blush crawl up her neck. "You wanna play?" Justin probed, ever eager.
"Actually, with my asthma I don't think it's the best idea." She brushed off, feeling guilty until they nodded and smiled it away.
xx
Two days alter Anabel found herself standing in the middle of the Waldorf Recreational Centre trying not to laugh at a bunch of grown men in matching uniforms. "Sorry I'm late guys," Peter waltzed in, a joint between his lips. Anabel popped her eyebrows at him and he handed her the last half of it. She shrugged her shoulders and accepted.
"Bad morning boss?" Dwight eyeballed him, Peter replied about them following good nights and pushed the life out of the remainder of what Anabel handed back to him. She turned to Steve with a little more gusto and gave him a good luck kiss.
"Don't hurt yourself," she smiled, patting his chest and sauntering off towards the bleachers. Not wanting to risk a fall from the wooden bleachers, Anabel opted for a seat in the second row. Not very high, but not out in the open either. She ignored the anxiety felt from having someone sitting behind her and looked to her right to see where Gordon's wife was. In response to the man's greeting, his wife scowled at him and sent him the loser symbol.
A surprised frown made it to Anabel's face and she turned back to the court. A giggle nearly slipped past her changing lips at the sight of a group of Girl Scouts entering through the far doors. Her pirate let out an exhausted 'bollocks' and a chuckle slipped out of her. Clearing her throat as a handful of people gave her dirty looks Anabel readied herself as the game started.
When the first ball was thrown she noticed a blond woman walk in and take a seat in the front row. Anabel's attention was caught by another girlish scream. Her mouth hung open as the guys had their literally asses handed to them. Steve started yelling angrily and incoherently when he got pelted with balls. Giggling a bit, but underlined in worry she hoped he would calm down.
Peter was the last one on the court, finally hitting one of the Girl Scouts. But she pulled a fake injury on him and while he was apologizing and seeing if she was alright her teammates hit him out. With a frown Anabel hopped off the bench and walked briskly to join the Joes. Linking her fingers around Steve's arm she told them all with confidence that they did fantastic.
"Get over yourself Anabel," Peter grumbled. "The little trolls kicked our asses." Anabel's head fell along with her smile and she pressed herself closer to Steve's side. While waiting for the winners to be announced Steve, in a hushed but determined tone, had Peter apologizing to Anabel with shame in his face.
"We have a bit of a problem here." The announcer interrupted his speech when someone ran up to him and whispered in his ear. "Unfortunately for Troop two seventeen during the ADAA-required random drug screening, one of your player's urine tested positive for three separate types of anabolic steroids,and a low-grade beaver tranquilliser." Shock and confusion passed through the crowd and Anabel looked up at Steve with a huge grin. "I'm afraid, by rule, your team must be disqualified."
At that point the girls all started to yell and walk out, leaving a taller one standing alone and crying. "By the power vested in me, I declare the winner of this year's Dodgeball Regional Qualifying Tournament and Grammar Jamboree to be Average Joe's Gym." Sound erupted around her as the gang celebrated and congratulated each other.
Later, the group sat around a table at the Dirty Sanchez bar. Peter was on one side of Anabel, flirting with the blond woman she now knew was Catherine Vetch, the lawyer doing his audit. Leaving them to their banter, she focused her attention on listening to Steve's conversation with the rest of them. Behind her the door opened and she heard the voice of the owner of Globo Gym.
"Hey, White. I didn't think that Nazi camp got out until eight. Did you decide to skip arts and crafts?" Peter taunted as the group stopped talking and turned to see White Goodman and his entourage.
"Yes, I did," he replied in ignorance. "Oh hello Kate," White changed his tone to mock surprise. "I wasn't aware I was paying you to socialize."
Catherine rolled her eyes, "you're not. I'm off the clock."
"Isn't it convenient for you, and the clock?" White replied with finger quotations, again Kate rolled her eyes. "I dropped by to congratulate you on your victory by disqualification and introduce you to the team that will win the Las Vegas Dodgeball Open. My team." Anabel joined Kate in rolling her eyes as White pointed to each person with him in turn. "Allow me the pleasure of introducing you to, Blade. Laser. Blazer. I've believe you've met my fitness consigliere, Me'Shell."
"We met." Peter nodded. Anabel gaped at the largeness and hilarity of each man before White came to the last of them. Which happened to be an unfortunately grown woman.
"And I almost forgot our last player. Meet Fran Stalinofskivitchdavitovichski." At her introduction Justin spit out his mouthful of water all over the table. "In her home country of Romanovia, dodgeball is the national sport. Her nuclear power plant's team won the championship five years running, which makes her the deadliest woman on earth with a dodgeball. Ball me, Blazer." White lifted his hand to accept a dodgeball, only to hand it to Fran. "Show them, Fran."
Throwing the dodgeball with deadly force, Fran smashed a guy across the room into the record machine. With a cry of pain he fell to the floor and stopped moving. Anabel turned to Steve and they shared a terrified look while White blathered on something outlandish. "I think that guy might really be dead." Justin whispered to Dwight with terror.
Gordon stuttered in confusion across from her. "Wait a minute. How can you be entered in the Las Vegas Open? You didn't win a regional qualifying match."
Always rude, White replied in a high-pitched mocking tone. "Oh, my God. We never even won a regional qualifying match." Anabel gaped at him in disgust as he changed his tone to serious. "Yeah. Now I remember. The dodgeball chancellor's an extremely personal friend of mine. I helped him shed some unwanted poundage before beach season. So close your rule book on that one, Poindextor."
"White, we didn't come here to rumble. We came here to celebrate as a team. Now if you don't mind There's plenty of bar here for you and the Globo-nauts." Peter tried to calm the situation as Anabel felt her anger bubble. White continued to taunt, not knowing when to stop.
"What team?" He grinned, walking around the table to oogle them. "Your best player thinks he's a pirate." Steve let out a war cry and slammed his hands on the table. Anabel let out her own offence as Steve stood to fight White. Before she could stand to throw her own punches Peter got between the pirate and the bully while White mocked being afraid.
"First of all, he is way more of a pirate than you will ever be." Peter pointed out while Steve sat down with a mad scowl. Anabel met his frown and rubbed her hand along his forearm. "Secondly, we don't know who our best player is yet." Peter waved his hand over the group. "We've only had one game. It could be any one of us at this point."
"Go ahead, make your jokes, Mr Jokey... Joke-maker." White retorted. "But let me hit you with some knowledge. You should quit now and save yourself the embarrassment of losing with these losers in Las Vegas, La Fleur."
"Alliteration aside, I think I'll take my chances in the tournament." Peter responded with slight exhaustion.
"Yeah, you will take your chances." White stuttered out, beginning the short lived back and forth. Anabel tuned it out and continued to rub Steves arm to calm him down. When they were finished bickering White gave his, thankfully, final words. "Me and my squad's gonna split, but we'll see you at the tournament. And, La Fleur, best bring your bib cos it's gonna get messy." With a swift kick, he knocked a waitress holding a huge tray of food. The whole thing fell between Steve and Owen, successfully getting everyone at the table covered.
Peter tried to check on the waitress but she took off with agitation. White and his goons walked out laughing while Peter checked on his friends. "OK, guys, let's just get ourselves cleaned up and head on home, alright?" Anabel shook a piece of lettuce off her arm and huffed her way out the door.
xx
Anabel stood in the kitchen the next day, just finishing up supper for her and Steve. A soft knock came from the front door and she poked her head around the corner in confusion. Calling for the person to enter, Steven lumbered in with his hand covering his eye. Letting out a yelp Anabel rushed over to him, "what happened?" She cooed, pulling his hand away to gasp at the swollen eye underneath.
"Our new dodgeball coach hit me widda wrench." Steve grunted in pain, wrapping his other arm around her shoulders. "Is it bad?" Anabel gave his arm a swat and reached for her purse.
"We're going to the hospital!" As she dragged him out of the house he cried about supper. "I can reheat the chicken Steve, you're eye looks crazy!"
At the emergency Anabel left Steve to be bandaged up while she grabbed him some coffee. The doctor's wanted to wait for the test results to make sure he wouldn't have anything other than a black eye. On her way back she stopped in at the gift shop in search of a very specific item. Finding it with glee she made her way back to the hospital room.
"He'll need to keep his eye covered for a few days while it heals, to prevent any straining on his retina." The doctor filled her in while Steve sipped his beverage. Anabel nodded, her hand resting on his shoulder with worry. "But he got off lucky and shouldn't have any lasting damage." Letting out a rush of air she bent forward and place a kiss on the top of his head.
"Thank you Doctor Williams," Anabel smiled. Before he turned to leave, he gave a second thought and beckoned Anabel to join him in the hallway. With slight confusion she followed, "is something else wrong?" She asked innocently while he closed the door to Steve's room.
"No, no," the doctor shook his head. "The nurse will come to discharge you in thirty minutes." He took and deep breath and looked back through the window at Steve, who was now flipping through the channels on the television.
"Then what is it?" Anabel frowned, not liking where this conversation was going.
"Have you ever considered to have your brother institutionalized?" The doctor spoke low and looked into her eyes with seriousness. Shock passed her face and then it turned to blatant anger. Her rounded eyes narrowed and her cheeks puffed up like she imagined her mothers would. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Steve's back go straight at her reddening complexion.
"First of all," Anabel huffed, her mind going blank and her finger raising to point at the doctor. As her mouth opened to sputter something incoherent the door swung open and Steve pulled her back into the room. "Steve! What-?" He cut her off with a quick kiss before closing the door and glaring at the doctor through the window.
"Yer looked like yeh were fixin' ta rip Doc's head clear off." He chuckled, leading her to sit on the bed. Anabel's face was still blooming red and her chest pumping in huffs of air. Steve gave her a playful look and handed her her puffer. With a sigh Anabel accepted and tried to calm herself. "Yeh can't let yerself be bugged by people like that." He whispered, pushing a stray strand of hair out of her face.
"I know, I guess I'm a little testy being in a hospital." Anabel rubbed her eyes in attempt to extinguish the hospital themed memories crawling through her mind. Twitching at unexpected fingers on her arm she looked at Steve with a shaky smile.
"I know love, sorry yeh had ta take ol' Steve 'ere." His low grumble had Anabel calming slightly. With a tiny gasp she rummaged around in her purse while Steve chuckled.
"It's alright babe, look I got you something." In her palm sat a black leather eyepatch with two leather strings meant to tie behind one's head. Her face lit up with a grin as Steve let out a pirates celebratory cheer. "Turn around I'll help you put it on." Still grinning Steve turned in his seat. Anabel instructed him to hold the eyepatch in its place while she tied the strings. Checking to see that it stayed properly when he turned back, Anabel leaned forward to place a kiss over it. Letting her lips linger Steve let out a chuckle before she leaned back to look at him. They smiled at each other and let their lips meet lightly.
xx
Over the next few days Steve would show up with an increasing amount of bruises and welts. During supper one night he humorously explained how Gordon had been hit by two cars. When Anabel expressed her worries he shrugged them off. "We be much improving lass," Steve grumbled around a mouthful of potato. "We'll be winning in Las Vegas in no time!" Letting out a heavy sigh Anabel's mind wandered and she started to change the subject.
"Given any thought on moving in?" Anabel whispered bashfully, pushing a slice of carrot around her plate. Chuckling lightly, Steve reached out to take her hand.
"I be here most a the time anyway," he grumbled with a lopsided grin. Anabel let out a giggle and reached over the table to give him a quick peck.
In the following week Steve was back and forth between training for the Las Vegas tournament and packing his small apartment. He would retell the days events to Anabel over tea before they tackled his hodgepodge personal items. The day before they were taking their flight to Las Vegas Steve finally packed the back of Anabel's truck and bid farewell to his home of four years.
At the venue, Anabel was prevented from joining the others in the changing rooms. "Sorry Miss," the much taller security staffer held his hand up. "Only players and coaches are permitted in the locker rooms." Nodding politely she wished Steve good luck and went to find her own seat in the crowd. Rolling her eyes at the dodgeball dancers Anabel perked up when the opposing team came out onto the court.
Eagerly waiting for Average Joes to run out her face fell in shock when they came out of the fog in full kink attire. The crowd fell silent and a few people yelled obscenities. Seeing them in leather had Anabel giggling after she recovered from the slight shock. Once they started playing it didn't take long for Gordon to be hit out. Then Anabel winced as Peter was sent to the sidelines.
Dwight side checked Steve and Anabel let out a gasp as the pirate hit the floor while getting hit with a ball. Her heart leapt in worry when Dwight got smashed in the face, leaving only Kate as Justin was tagged out as well. With a boisterous cheer from Anabel Kate tagged one out on the other team. Louder was her next cry as she caught a ball.
Peter came back into the game and caught a ball as he returned to the court. By this time Anabel was standing in front of her chair cheering with excitement. With only one opponent left it was an easy win for the Joes. Giggling with pride Anabel nearly ran down to join them as they left the court. Just meeting Steve in time to see a group of goths walk up wearing the Average Joe uniforms, Anabel had to stifle a round of laughter.
"You must be Daddy."
xx
The next day was a blur of wins for the Joes and cups of coffee all in a row for Anabel. Boredom set in at having to sit in the same chair for hours on end while the teams battled against each other to make it to the finals the next day. While she stood to cheer for the wing Gordon made single handedly it dawned on her that the Average Joes were going to have to head to head with Globo Gym themselves.
On their way to the bar in celebration, Patches O'Houlihan voiced his opinion on Anabel's worries. "Tomorrow we're gonna pecker-slap those Globo Gym bastards." The group cheered as they walked through the hotel's casino.
"You really think we can beat Globo Gym Pete?" Justin asked Peter, walking in front of Anabel and Steve.
Peter grinned down at his friend, "as long as we got Patches, we got a shot." With perfect but horrific timing, a hanging billboard crashed down from the ceiling to crush the aforementioned coach. Screams passed through the room and Anabel hid her face in Steve's shoulder.
xx
"Well, it's probably the way he would have wanted to go." Owen sighed, setting his drink down on the table in front of them. He, Steve, Justin, Gordon, Dwight and Anabel sat around a table in the bar much later mulling over their loss.
"What?" Dwight gaped at him in shock. Anabel matched his offence and looked back to where Kate and Peter were at the bar talking.
"Guys," Gordon whined in utter despair. "What are we gonna do without Patches?"
"We're gonna get our taints handed to us thats what." Dwight sassed back, taking another drink of his beer.
Justin leaned towards Gordon with a stunned look. "What's a taint?"
"I dunno. Sounds bad." He responded, shaking his head.
Owen lifted his hands in a plea, "Come on, guys. We got Peter." Anabel nodded as Steve silently downed the rest of his third beer. Her brows furrowed at him while Dwight leaned onto the table.
"And they got guys named Laser and Blazer and Taser, and all kinds of asers." Dwight shot out, causing Anabel to giggle a bit.
"Gar," Steve burped out while slamming his glass down on the table. "Steve's gotta go drain the sea monster." Rolling her eyes, Anabel moved her legs so Steve could walk around her. Soon after he left Kate and Peter came over with more drinks.
"Here you go guys. Justin, your virgin daiquiri." Kate said while handing Justin his drink.
"Thanks, Ms Veatch." Justin replied, pulling the straw into his mouth. Anabel accepted her drink as Kate made sure Gordon didn't want anything. Peter sat down beside Owen while he voiced his concern.
"Dwight says we'll get killed out there, Peter."
Peter sighed and tried to wave him off, "let's not talk about tomorrow."
"Well what are we gonna do Pete?" Just piped up with worry.
Peter was quickly becoming restless with the conversation and responsibility everyone was putting on him. "I don't know justin. It's a bit complicated." With a worried expression, Anabel looked on as the boys started heckling Peter with almost doe eyes.
"What do you guys want from me? I don't have a plan for you. We're gonna play Globo Gym tomorrow and we're probably gonna lose." Peter let out with exhaustion, everyone stopped speaking and their faces fell in sadness. "It's the truth. The sooner you guys get that through your head, the easier this will all be." Peter stood scowling and walked out cursing.
"He didn't mean that." Gordon mumbled. Anabel locked eyes with Kate as Justin asked if he was being serious.
"He's very stressed out right now." Anabel cooed, trying to sooth the others.
"I've never seen him like that." Dwight gaped, they all turned to watch Peter walk towards the back exit by the washrooms.
Kate let out a sigh and stood solemnly. "OK, guys. Let's get out of here and get some rest for tomorrow, right?" Shuffling in her seat, Anabel crained her neck to see if she could find Steve.
"You guys go ahead, I'm going to wait for Steve and we can go back together." Kate smiled down at her and they waved goodbye. After sitting there alone for almost an hour, Anabel finally sent a waiter in to check for him.
"Sorry Miss," he frowned at her when he came back out. "There's no one in there." Anabel's face fell and she just nodded. Taking a deep breath, the tiny ginger pushed open the exit door and started to walk down the block to their hotel. Cars drove by quickly, strangers sent her looks she saw from the corner of her eyes. Fear gripped her arms around her chest as she hurried down the sidewalk alone in the dark.
Anabel didn't let out her breath until she locked the hotel room door behind her. Her face flushed with the chill and her own panic. "Steve?" She called out before turning the lights on, "are you here?" Her words trailed off into sadness as she looked around the empty room. Worry inched its way into her mind. Pulling a heavier cardigan over her shoulders, Anabel yanked open the door again to go find him.
"Steve!" She gasped in surprise. Her pirate stood there covered in some kind of pink goop, a frown on his face and his bandana in his hand. "I was just about to go out looking for you, you just took off!" Tears swam in her eyes as she moved back to let him enter. Steve's mouth stayed closed as she fretted over him, instructing him with worry to undress in the bathroom.
Anabel waited on the small couch in the main room while Steve showered quickly and came out in pyjamas she had handed him through the slightly open door. It wasn't until they lay in bed together, cuddling and sharing small kisses, that Steve started telling her what had happened. Anabel frowned at first, not liking the fact he had stopped using his buccaneer accent.
"I know that being a pirate is my way of coping." Steve whispered, brushing stray hair from her cheeks. "It keeps a semblance of normalcy and helps me forget my past. But its embarrassing and I need to get a grip on reality." Steve's words hit her core as he looked down at her with high expectations. Anabel lingered on Peter's outburst earlier and felt like mimicking his relinquishment of such responsibility.
Choosing instead to sigh deeply, she took his hand and kissed his fingers. "Basically, I love you no matter what and I just want you to do what makes you happy." Anabel whispered with love, "if you think its time to put the pirate away then its your decision."
Steve nodded slowly and gave her a little smile. "Will you help me cut my hair?"
A pout made it's way to Anabel's face, "that might make me cry…" When hurt crossed his face she pitched forward to give him a kiss with a little giggle. Looking at the time, she noticed the closest Walmart would be closed and promised to go in the morning and get everything they would need. For the time being she was going to enjoy his hair as much as she could.
xx
"It sounds like the games over already," Anabel whispered, her arm linked tightly around Steve's. Steve walked beside her a new man, a nervous look on his face as they entered the arena and tried to push through the crowd.
"Hey," Steve called out, "Peter." He waved a little and let his hand fall back to brush his hair slightly. Peter turned with a surprised reaction and looked at the two of them. "I just wanted to tell you, that I thought about what you said." Steve spoke with little confidence, he turned to look at Anabel with love and felt his ego push forward a little. "I guess you're right. I'm not really a pirate."
Peter looked at them with a fleeting moment of disappointment before smiling a little. "I don't know, Steve." Anabel's heart beat a little faster and a grin snuck its way onto her face at his tone. "If you're not a pirate, who the hell am I gonna split all that buried treasure with?" Peter swept his arm around and pointed to the opening treasure chest filled with money.
"Gar…" Steve gasped with his accent, Anabel let out a little giggle. He looked at the chest with excitement and Anabel felt her heart swell with his grin. "Peter…" Steve grumbled at his friend.
Peter responded in his regular voice, "Gar, Steve." Lifting his arms Steve came towards him for a reuniting hug. Anabel cheered as Steve let out a loud "Yeeharr!" and they all welcomed him back with hurrahs and friendly embraces.