(It is almost 2 AM, and WG is at the computer)
WG: Lets see... should I write another Brie x Pugs one-shot, or look up fluff-pictures on DA?
Puggsy: (walks in, tiredly) WG? ...what the heck are you still doing up?
WG: I drank too much soda after 9 PM, and can't sleep. Thus the reason why I'm pondering about my usual solutions to the problem- either write another romantic/fluffy/intense/humorous one-shot centered around you and Brielle, or look up cute, tender-hearted images on DeviantArt.
Puggsy: Why don't you ever just count sheep or drink warm milk like normal people?
WG: *gives him the 'Are You Kidding?' look* Because... I'm NOT normal? I thought you had that figured out the day we met!
Puggsy: *sigh* Whatever... so what did you decide on?
WG: Well, I'm lacking inspiration for a one-shot between you and Brielle (surprise, surprise), and don't want to look online for fluffy images because some sort of smut always pops up and enrages me so badly that I end up breaking something.
Puggsy: ...alright... let me know when you've conquered your insomnia. *begins to walk off*
WG: Hmm... wait, I think I have a solution!
Puggsy: *praying* Please don't let it be...
WG: We could write a fluff-shot together!
Puggsy: ...dammit... WG, it's TWO IN THE MORNING!
WG: Imagination never sleeps.
Puggsy: I wish YOU would... and I take it I won't get to either, unless I agree?
WG: You know it.
Puggsy: ...
WG: ...
Puggsy: You'd better let me sleep in tomorrow.
WG: Only if I'm unconcious during that time.
Puggsy: Whatever. *yawn* lets just get this over with...
WG: Oh by the way, should we keep showing the Disclaimer and stuff?
Puggsy: *resting his face on his arms* I don't frickin' care...
WG: Good enough for me! On with the story!
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Setting: Whenever, we're too tired to care...
Four in the frickin' morning.
And he hadn't slept at all.
It wasn't because of the werewolves, or vampires, or authors, or villains, either.
No, their troubles had been over for a while.
So why couldn't he sleep?
Perhaps he was so used to being alert and spending so many nights keeping awake and dealing with monsters and maniacs that his body adapted to being restless. Maybe he had to remain prepared in case some new threat came along. Maybe his defenses were keeping him awake...
Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that he and Wherever Girl had to share a cabin at the lake for the weekend.
Yes, you read that right. The two of them were stuck with each other from Saturday Morning to Sunday Afternoon.
He wasn't certain, but he had a feeling everyone got so fed up with the two of them always arguing and picking on each other that they decided to force them to take a 'peaceful retreat' in order to make amends, especially after WG threw the short teen into the wall all because he ate her muffin (in his defense, she left it out in the open and he had no clue). Maybe everyone felt that their endless rivalry was going too far and wanted to have them take a short trip to unwind.
Or maybe they all liked to see him suffer. Yep, that one makes more sense.
Joe and Ken (the producers of the studio) had rented a cabin by the lake for them, about 30 miles out of town. The agreement was that the cartoon and author had to stay out there for the weekend, with no interference from anyone- that included no phone calls, no web-chats, no visits, and no setting up hidden web-cameras to upload the event on Youtube (they had to stress that last part with Fangpuss, threatening to have HIM stay with the authoress on a retreat if he disobeyed).
They had left that morning, the drive being quiet as WG only listened to music on her iPod while Puggsy concentrated on the road. That was the only good thing he found in the authoress- she was always quiet on long road trips.
Once they reached the cabin, it was a different story. First they would gripe about the situation they were stuck in, then spend several minutes arguing over whose fault it was, and walking off to do their own things before one of them throttled the other.
WG spent most of her time either raiding the fridge (stocked for the occasion) or taking a walk along the beach or in the small woods behind the cabin, while Puggsy either watched television or sat out on the deck to enjoy whatever peace and quiet he could get.
As the day went on, he found it strange being in a location void of werewolves, authors, or anyone else who wanted to hassle him; even stranger when WG pretty much avoided him- normally, it was always him trying to avoid her and her shenanigans. Maybe since it was just the two of them, no one around to amuse with her nonstop pranks on him, she had no reason to pick on him (not that she had in the first place, he believed- as far as he could remember, the moment WG showed up she just went crazy with whatever torment she could inflict upon him).
Maybe that's what was keeping him awake. He was worried that, sooner or later, WG would crack and set up some elaborate prank... chances are, he would wake up with his bed in the middle of the lake- again.
Whatever the reasons were, there was no use fighting it- he just couldn't sleep.
'Maybe stepping outside will help,' he thought, sitting up in bed and walking out of the room.
Entering the living room, he noticed the TV was on, WG asleep on the couch it seemed, a varietty of junk food littered on the coffee table. Puggsy didn't have to think hard about why she decided to sleep on the couch rather than her bed- for one thing, and he wasn't sure whether it was a set-up of Edwin's or not, but the cabin only supplied them with one room for sleeping, via one bed, and there was no way either of them would be caught dead sharing it.
He stepped out onto the deck, facing the lake. It was a warm, clear night, the moon and stars shining brightly, a soft wind blowing across the beach as the water quietly lapped at the bank. He drew in a deep breath, taking in the fresh air. Maybe coming here wasn't a bad idea after all...
"Got a case of insomnia, or something?"
...spoke too soon.
Puggsy sighed. He had been hoping WG was asleep. "Yeah. ...What are you doing up? I thought you were sleeping," he muttered.
"I almost was, until I heard the screen door open." WG replied, stepping up beside him, leaning against the railing while looking out at the lake. "For a minute, I thought someone was breaking in. That triggered my senses and I got up to run to your room, until I noticed you were out here. And now here I am."
He arched an eyebrow. "You were going to run to my room? Why?"
"What, you think I'm dumb enough to not alert someone in case of an intruder? ...Plus, I left my bag in the room, and it has my machete in it."
Puggsy rolled his eyes. "Right. I should've known."
"So what's keeping you up? Have a nightmare about the werewolves or something?"
"Very funny. I just haven't been able to sleep a wink all night- and you making smart remarks ain't helping."
WG shrugged. "Sorry. I can relate though- I have trouble sleeping too, almost every night. Sometimes I just wake up every couple hours, worried I might oversleep; I hear a sound or see a shadow that creeps me out; I feel depressed about something, and can't sleep until I've cried my eyes dry; or I drink too much soda after seven."
Puggsy arched an eyebrow. "What was that last part?"
"Drinking soda after seven? It's not that uncommon, too much sugar is bound to keep anyone-"
"No, before that, that part about you being depressed and crying... what's that all about?"
WG was quiet a moment. "I doubt you want to hear about it."
"Try me."
"You remember how I have issues with my sister?"
"Yeah,"
"Then you don't want to hear about it, considering you've heard the story before. ...But, sometimes it's other things. Where my life is going, what I'm going to do, what I'm supposed to do, how much reality sucks... Sometimes, for no reason, I think of sad things to make myself cry."
Puggsy gave her a surprised look. "Why the jumping ignorpotomases would you do that?"
She shrugged once more. "Sometimes I feel like crying... it just helps me relax sometimes- blow off some stress. It feels worse to just hold it in, anyway, makes you ache inside- not just in muscle, but in mind." she sighed. "Sometimes, I feel overwhelmed with emotions that I just have to let loose... either attack something, torment you, or cry."
Puggsy sneered a bit. "So tormenting me is just some form of therapy of yours, is it?"
"Kind of. Seeing you, or anyone, put in a wacky situation gives me a laugh... but lately, I've been feeling like I'm on a guilt-trip. Don't get me wrong, I probably won't stop harassing you- old habits die hard... but... lately all I've been wanting to do is cry."
"Why?"
WG shrugged again. "I don't know. I can't decide on a reason. ...Just because I want to, I guess."
They stood in silence after that, though Puggsy kept looking at her. Truly, the girl was an enigma.
"We're off subject, aren't we?" WG spoke up. "What's keeping you awake?"
Puggsy shook his head. "Well, I don't want to cry, for one thing." he joked, and she rolled her eyes. He sat down in a chair, leaning back and looking up at the stars. "But... I don't know. I guess I keep thinking something's about to happen, like the weird-wolves are going to jump out at any moment and ambush me, or you're going to pull some practical joke on me, or some villain's going to attack. ...Maybe I'm just not used to the peace and quiet,"
WG nodded, sitting down next to him. "Yeah. Kind of different to get away for a short while and relax,"
They sat there in silence once again, staring up at the stars. A few crickets chirped, being the only sound outside of their thoughts. Puggsy had almost forgotten WG was a crazy authoress, until she said something.
"I don't have any plans to harass you, either."
"Huh?" he replied.
"I decided I'm going to leave you alone for a while,"
He only stared at her. Either this girl is messing with me, or I slipped off into a dream, he thought. "Yeah? How's come?"
"Like I said, it's putting a lot of guilt on my shoulders. Besides, when it comes to harassment, you're already spoken for when it comes to Fangface and the rest of the werewolves- I might as well leave it to the professionals and go after some different targets... maybe start a drabble series where we all pull pranks on the villains, they actually deserve it."
He gave a short chuckle. "Yeah, I bet they'd enjoy that a little more," he paused for a moment, a thought coming to mind. "WG... you've been picking on me for a long time... when did you suddenly start feeling guilty?"
WG was quiet for a moment, as if searching for the answer herself. "I just took a long, hard look at my life, remembering how I was always picked on... and started picking on you just because it was fun. Since my life is starting to suck, I figured I might as well start over- starting by being a better friend to you."
"Since when were we friends?"
"Okay, now that hurt,"
He shrugged. "Ah, I'm kidding. ...You shouldn't feel guilty, though. I'm used to it."
"Still. Sorry."
He gave a nod. "S'alright."
Silence came between them for a third time that early morning, and by now the dawn was starting to peek over the horizon. Puggsy stared at it a while, until finally his eyelids began to grow heavy, and before long he drifted off.
WG looked over, seeing her friend had fallen asleep. Standing up and stretching a bit, she slid her arms around the crook of his legs and around his abdomen, hoisting him up. In reality, such a small girl like her couldn't lift a well-built teen like him... but luckily, in the tooniverse, she had superior strength, making him feel as light as she would if he were the one carrying her.
She lied him down in bed, draping the covers over him and- because she can never resist- tussled his hair a bit. "Sweet dreams, Pugs." she whispered, then walked out onto the deck, lying back in the chair and watching the sun rise until she fell asleep herself.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
WG: Well, there's a sign that insomnia can be a bitch, right Pugs? ...Pugs?
Puggsy: *zzzzzzzzzzzz...*
WG: *shakes head* Goodnight, bud. (pats him on head, then walks out)
Well, review guys... no flames though. (head-meets-pillow) *zzzzzzzzzz...*