A/N: Cunning salmon and attention trout. Title: Two Pieces Of Drama by Everlast
Chapter 3 – Two Pieces Of Drama
~Skipper's POV~
The expression that Marlene had been throwing meat at me was metaphorical. The fact that Kowalski attacked me with play cards was, apparently, literal. Kowalski had put aside the Ear-Dropper and jumped towards me. I hit the dirt but he reached for the cards and kept sending them in my direction. Considering that there were two decks of cards on the table I knew it would end with some unpleasant cuts on my body. "Stop it, soldier. You're passing on a frontal attack on your commanding officer."
"I don't care!" he increased the frequency. I could simply duck and wait but I had to calm him down. I took the line of least resistance: "Key..."
~Kowalski's POV~
It can't be. Skipper haven't called me like that since he became the commander. I thought he had forgotten about it. I know he said it just to stop me but still...the memories of our army training are flashing in front of me. The moment I saw him, our first mission, my life choice to join him. But for him I wouldn't be here now, I wouldn't be in the army at all. He drags me through life...I do feel homesick quite often but I don't regret being always by his side.
I was caught dumbfounded, holding Six of Hearts in my left flipper and gaping at Skipper. Gaining my full attention, he cleaned his throat: "Whatever they are implying I would never make my way to hurt you on purpose."
Some scratches. It wasn't my purpose to hurt him either...I imagined him in her arms. Is it jealousy? I should bandage him up. No Kowalski! You're still mad. But it's so hard to be angry at him...
"So, you and Doris do-" I needed to know for sure.
"No, I'm not interested in her."
"But you were-" Placing the remaining cards I was still holding in my flippers back on the table, I tried to finish the question but Skipper knew what I wanted to ask.
"Yes, I was in the aquarium." His voice sounded guilty and I thought that he didn't lie but I wanted to learn one more thing.
"Why?" It was a simple question but I saw that it caused Skipper a lot of trouble. He didn't have or didn't want to give the answer. Suddenly, he smirked: "It's pointless to go deeper into the matter. Besides, you aren't interested in her either."
"What?!" I was mixed up. It always turned up like this, Skipper moving from the defence into attack position. That cunning salmon.
"Everyone knows you're an attention trout, no need to add drama to that. The whole team is already concerned about you, maybe except for Rico. But he doesn't worry about anything. The point is that you don't have to pretend to be broken-hearted."
One side of me felt the urge to scream at him that I wasn't pretending and that he took the blame for it. But, as usual, the rationality won and I just nodded to show understanding.
"Good. Now come. It's dinner time." Skipper approached me and took the last card from my flipper and lightly patted my shoulder. I followed him up to the artificial isle.
~During Kowalski's rage in the H.Q, Rico, Marlene and Private were gathered on the artificial ice floe; Private's POV~
Marlene was diving in the pool to see something through the windows of our base. After a minute she jumped back to the island. "You should really clean your windows from time to time, guys."
"We clean them. K'walski's invention. You see through them in the base but not outside...one side windows, I guess." I smiled at her but she just frowned back at me, mumbling: "Kowalski this, Kowalski that!"
I thought it would be the right moment to show my support and that I understood how she felt. "I'm sorry, Marlene. 'bout Skippah and Doris..." But the girl still played her role, pretending that it didn't bother her: "Huh? Why are you sorry?"
'The poor girl', it crossed my mind, while holding myself back from hugging her. "I'm an expert in love, Marlene. I watch soap operas."
She hissed again just like she previously had done towards our boss. "If you're such an expert then you could help me drag Skipper away from the bottlenose."
"Sounds like a mission!" I got enthusiastic. I was not the only one since Rico gave a shout of joy. We came up with a very simple plan. My task was to bring Kowalski and Doris together. In the mean time Marlene and Rico would take care of Skipper, so he would fall for the otter. I was sure the plan would work. They were the dream couples. I just had to make Kowalski go to the aquarium.
Uhm...he was there yesterday. Maybe I can say he dropped something there and...I just could simply bring it back to him...no. What can he do? He's good at helping, inventing and fixing. I know!
~Kowalski's POV~
We were up right in time to prevent Rico from eating our fish. After the dinner I really didn't know what I should do with myself. I recalled that I had to test my new invention outside but neither was the Ear-Dropper on its place, nor was anyone in sight. Where did Skipper and Rico go?