Sorry for the delay, but here's hoping this chapter is worth the wait! Last time, Yakko took Nori's refusal to flirt with him as a challenge, and it's a greater one than he thought. We rejoin them on their first Saturday together, where we get some insights into how their relationships are progressing so far - and what Yakko is willing to do to get Nori to like him. As a side note, there's a voice actor Easter egg in here - can you find it?

Soundtrack: I kinda have a mental soundtrack going for this story, songs that I think would fit well. If you want an idea of what inspired Nori's feelings for Yakko here, check out "That Don't Impress Me Much" by Shania Twain. It's not the only Shania song that will factor into this tale - hey, Nori's a 90's country girl.

"All right, folks. One man down, bottom of the ninth. It's the Wild Warners vs. the Battling Babysitter, and batting for the Warners, it's Dot Warner, aka Dot the Destructor, aka Big Bad Banana-Falana –"

"YAKKO!"

"Anyhoo, it's Dot at the bat. Will she knock this one out of the park? She's staring down the pitcher, the Battling Babysitter herself, Nori Bennett. Boy, I'd sure love to slide into first base with that girl. Goodnight, everybody!"

From her spot on the pitcher's mound at the ball park, Nori shot Yakko a filthy look. In the week since she'd begun babysitting for the Warners, dealing with him was a constant verbal fencing match, in which he came at her with a flirtatious lunge and she had to parry it with a comeback of her own. Thankfully, she'd had plenty of practice sparring with her mother and Amber's clique, so comebacks and zingers came easily to her. It was Yakko's persistence that exasperated her, not to mention that flirting was all he did whenever they spoke. Had he actually taken the time to be friends and peppered some flirty comments in here and there, she might have found it funny – charming, even. But it happened so often, Yakko seemed more of a pest than a prince. And it didn't help that he kept showing off every chance he got – like now, playing John Madden when he should have been paying attention in left field. Ignore him, she told herself, returning her focus to Dot.

The Warner sister looked adorable (and knew it) in a pink baseball uniform and matching cap. However, her expression as she held her bat at the ready was deadly, her brows set in a glare and her teeth bared in a snarl. Nori gave Dot kudos – she was a girly-girl in a lot of ways, but she wasn't scared to get down and dirty playing ball with her brothers. Speaking of, Wakko was crouched behind Dot playing catcher, while Yakko was between third and left field, running commentary. Nori wound up and threw a fastball, which Dot blasted out to left field. Yakko took off like greased lightning after the ball, while Dot pelted around the bases. Wakko held his mitt in the air, yelling "Throw it, Yakko, throw it!" Yakko leaped into the air, snagged the ball, and hurled it to Wakko just as Dot hit her belly and slid toward home in a cloud of dirt. Wakko sprang above the dust, caught the ball, and brought it down just when the dust was clearing to tag his sister… who was grinning up at him, sprawled over home plate.

"Safe!" Nori cried, while Dot hopped up and brushed herself off. "Nice hit, Dot!"

Dot grinned. "What can I say? I've always been a smash," she said as Nori scooped her up in a hug.

Wakko pulled off his catcher's mask. "So, who won?"

"Well, considering it was supposed to be y'all vs. me, but you were my catcher and I called Dot safe, uhh… how about we call it a tie?"

"Works for me," Wakko said cheerfully.

"Ditto," said Dot from her perch in Nori's arms. "We make a pretty good team."

"Hear, hear," said Yakko, who'd just walked over from left field. He cracked a smile at Nori, who was still holding his sister. "Can I get a turn up there?"

"When the Dodgers move back to Brooklyn," Nori responded, earning a scowl from Yakko.

"Hey, Nori?" Dot prompted as Nori set her down. "Thanks for spending Saturday with us. None of our other babysitters ever did."

"Yeah, 'cause they all ran screaming for the hills after meeting us," Yakko said. "I think one of 'em is still hiding out at the top of Mount Whitney."

Nori smiled. "I spent this time with y'all because I wanted to. Did me good to get out of the house, and besides, y'all are great. I haven't had this much fun in a long time." It was true. In the last week, the Warners had seen to it that she never had a dull moment. Wakko had taken great pride in showing her all of his inventions, many of them the zaniest Rube-Goldberg-style machines, and he was teaching her all about which pranks worked best for which occasion – a useful skill Nori planned to use if her mother ever got too unbearable. Dot, upon learning Nori was a fan of old films, had insisted on guiding her new babysitter around the studio – playing tour guide, complete with the outfit. Nori got a kick out of Dot's penchant for slipping into roles and thought the little toon would have made a good actress, but Dot had waved that off. "It's more fun being a toon," she'd said, self-effacingly. "I do drama when I can ham it up for laughs; otherwise, I do strictly funny business. Besides, no glamor-puss has ever been as cute as me." The tour had wrapped with a romp through the costume department, which Nori had been trepidatious about at first:

"Won't that get you guys in trouble?"

"No way. The costume department is one place we're allowed to go because all we do is play dress-up. We don't trash anything – we've got too much respect for the movie archives to do that."

So in they'd gone, and what a time they'd had. Nori had been as astonished as Dorothy in Oz, seeing the thousands of costumes from over 70 years of WB movie history, including every single costume Orry-Kelly ever designed, from The Maltese Falcon to Auntie Mame. They'd spent hours playing dress-up and re-creating famous movie scenes until it was time for dinner.

Yakko? Nori wished she could say she was having fun with him. When they were just plain playing games or listening to music, he wasn't so bad, and Nori had to admit, he had quite a nice voice when he sang. The flirting and the innuendoes were getting on her nerves, and he didn't even seem fazed by the honeyed insults she threw in response. Nevertheless, she had to wonder what he'd be like if they just talked – no flirting, no nothing other than a good conversation. Yakko certainly had a gift of gab, so talking was no problem. Nori wished she could just talk to him. And that he would stop acting like he was all that and a bag of chips, especially when it came to his looks. Who did he think he was, Brad Pitt? If that's what he was trying to put on, Nori wasn't impressed.

Wakko smiled and hugged Nori's legs. "You're the first friend we've had in a long time."

Nori reached down to rub his head. "I don't know about y'all, but I'm starved." Right after she said this, Wakko's stomach growled like a tiger. "Well, you don't have to yell," she joked.

"Sorry," Wakko said, rubbing his belly. "My tummy's loud."

"We're all hungry," Dot confirmed.

"Starvin' like Lee Marvin," Yakko added.

"Okay, I get the picture," Nori laughed. "We'll go get some lunch. Is McDonald's all right with y'all?" When she got a set of cheers that could be heard clear to San Francisco, she managed to get them calmed down and led them back to the car.

"Shotgun!" Yakko called, diving into the front seat while Wakko and Dot tumbled into the back. He belted himself in and cast an admiring eye around the inside of Nori's Formula. "I've said it before and I'll say it again: this is one sweet ride."

Nori shot him a wry smile as she slid in behind the wheel. "Thanks. You still ain't driving."

"Buzzkill." Yakko kicked his feet up on the dashboard. "At least there's a bright side. I can enjoy the view instead."

"True. There's a lot to look at out the window."

"I'm talkin' about the view to my left." Yakko turned to grin at Nori. "Lot of beautiful curves in that road."

Nori gave him a dirty look. "Too bad the road's blocked," she countered. Yakko glared back and folded his arms, staring out the windshield. Satisfied that she'd won this round, Nori cranked the keys in the ignition and the engine turned over. She slipped her country mixtape into the cassette player and turned the volume up – thankfully, the Warners were not averse to country music. The first song was perfect, about how it was impossible to have too much fun. Sounds like my current company. I don't think Yakko, Wakko, and Dot have ever had too much fun in their lives, she thought, putting the car in gear and heading out into Burbank traffic.

The roads weren't bad for a Saturday – surprising, given how tourists usually invaded whenever the weekend rolled around. The sun shone bright and, despite fall settling in, the temperature was warm enough for Nori to roll the windows down. The ride to lunch was an enjoyable one, with the Warners singing along to Nori's mixtape: "Too Much Fun," "I'm Alright," and, as they pulled into the McDonald's parking lot, "Poor, Poor Pitiful Me."

"Okay, y'all, figure out what you want to eat," Nori said as the Warners bounced out of the car. "Don't order everything on the menu, Wakko."

"Oh, bummer," Wakko said, poking his lip out despite the sparkle in his eyes.

"Relax, little bro," Yakko said. "She just doesn't want you making a pig outta yourself."

"You'd know all about pigs, Yakko," Nori quipped.

"Hey!"

"Hey yourself. I call 'em as I see 'em." When Nori got no response, she turned around to see if he was pouting, but only saw two Warners. Yakko was nowhere in sight. "All right, guys, where's Yakko?"

Suddenly, Nori heard loud and clear: "Yeah, I'd like 42 Big Macs, ten of 'em with no buns, 50 large fries, two dozen chicken McNuggets, uhhh… and a large Coke."

Dot pointed toward the drive-thru. "Thar he blows."

"He is not…" Nori ran to the drive-thru with Wakko and Dot on her heels, and sure enough, there was Yakko leaning up against the order board's intercom. A very confused voice came out: "What? Who is this?" Yakko grinned wickedly and bellowed into the mike, "It's Yakko Warner, moron!"

Jeez Louise! Nori ran into the drive-thru, grabbed Yakko's hand and yanked him off the intercom. "Are you crazy?" she asked, steering him into the lobby with his siblings.

"No, I'm Yakko. Actually, I'm zany, not crazy. Big difference." The toon beamed, proud as a peacock. "So, whatcha think? Was that a gas, or was that a gas?"

Nori shook her head. "No, but you're full of hot air."

"Aha! Let the record stand, sibs. She admits I'm hot."

"Yeah, a hot mess."

"But you still think I'm hot," Yakko purred, waggling his eyebrows.

This toon was impossible. Nori finally put on her evil-sweet smile, looked Yakko in the eye, and said "Like a frog on a hot plate," emphasizing the word frog. This time, his reaction was totally unexpected. Whereas he'd previously looked either unfazed or pouty when she came back at him, he now looked… was that hurt? Under any other circumstances, Nori might have felt sorry for him, regretted her words and apologized. Years of dealing with her mother, though – and Jodi was a master of the guilt trip – had jaded her. Don't apologize. He's just trying to play you. Nori led the Warners into the restaurant, but she couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that plucked at her heart.

Dang, this is one hard woman, Yakko thought as they walked up to the counter. It wasn't like he'd ever been dissed by a woman before – jeez, how many times had Heloise blown him off when he flirted with her? Difference was, Heloise was a grown woman. As big a crush as he'd had on her in the past, he knew it would never go anywhere. It was just fun to flirt with and tease her. Nori, on the other hand, was a teenager closer to his own age. She was someone he could actually go out on a date with and have a relationship with. However, his usual flirty repertoire wasn't working with her. That in itself was no biggie, and heck, he enjoyed being challenged by her. She was one quick wit, which was a royal treat for him, given that most teenage girls in LA were more nit than wit. What was getting under his skin was that no matter what he did, nothing seemed to impress her or make her laugh. He'd thought for sure screwing with the guy in the drive-thru would make her laugh; boy, did he miscalculate that one. She'd pretty much called him a frog, never mind it was on the heels of that pig crack. Being called a pig? Aw, he'd heard worse. A frog, though? That was a smack in the face. That was implying he was a slimy critter with a big mouth. Okay, he'd admit to having a big mouth. He'd even cop to being a critter. But slimy? You cut me deep, Nori.

Maybe he was overdoing it with the flirting. Maybe he needed to find another way to impress her, but what? Yakko's mind was still mulling possibilities when they got to the counter to order. He barely heard his sibs order their Happy Meals and jumped when Nori prompted him to go next. "Oh, my turn? Okay, uhhh… Big Mac meal and a large Coke. Please." Yakko looked around at Nori in pleasant surprise when she ordered the same thing. Good omen? He wasn't sure, but it was enough for him to wave her hand away when she pulled her wallet out. "This is on me," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out some cash.

Nori raised an eyebrow. "You trying to bribe me?"

Yakko collected his change from paying the tab and fixed sober eyes on her. "You don't believe I can be a nice guy?"

"You're asking me, Mr. I-Think-I'm-Hot?"

"You're one cold woman."

Nori grabbed their cups off the counter and handed them out. "Let's just get our drinks and find a table, then we can talk."

Well, at least she hadn't completely blown him off. "Sure." Yakko went to fill his cup at the soda fountain, watching with pride as Wakko and Dot took turns standing on each other's shoulders to fill theirs – and backflipping off, landing perfect dismounts and not spilling a drop.

From his right, Nori smiled at the kids. "You gotta love teamwork," she said.

Yakko shifted over so she could take her turn. "We were drawn together, but the teamwork thing? I've always told 'em we were stronger together than apart. It's just been us for a long time. We knew we could count on each other when no one else gave us the time of day." He glanced at Nori and blushed when he realized how vulnerable he'd been. Yikes, didn't mean to get so deep. Yakko cleared his throat and when one of the folks behind the counter called out their order, beat feet to pick up the tray. Thinking quickly, he twined his tail around his drink and grabbed the tray, following Nori and his sibs to the indoor playplace. They would pick a table in there, he thought with a smile. Wak and Dot know none of us can resist a ball pit.

No surprise, then, when Wakko and Dot begged to play. "After y'all eat," Nori said while they dug into their Happy Meal Halloween pails. "And Wakko? Small bites, buddy."

"Aw, man," Wakko play-groaned, taking his cheeseburger in hand. "I can't eat it all in one bite?"

"Not unless you want Yakko to Heimlich you like last time," Dot commented, unboxing her nuggets. "Or me to do it."

Wakko gulped and Yakko couldn't help chuckling. Considering Dot's version of the Heimlich was booting someone in the butt until the food was hawked across the room, he couldn't blame his little brother for being scared. "Okay, small bites," Wakko conceded, biting into his burger.

"Don't worry, Wak. Come Halloween, you can dump a whole bucket of candy in your mouth," Yakko said, plucking one of the nearby Halloween buckets.

Wakko's face lit up. "That's why Halloween is my favorite holiday."

"I thought Thanksgiving was your favorite holiday 'cause you get to inhale the turkey," said Yakko.

"And I thought Christmas was your favorite holiday because you get candy and presents," added Dot.

Nori, who'd been watching this exchange with an amused grin, chimed in: "Sounds like any holiday where you can eat is your favorite, right, Wakko?"

Wakko beamed. "You know me so well." He darn near purred when Nori tousled his fur, ball cap and all.

Yakko forgot all about talking to her – miracle of miracles – as he observed her interacting with his siblings. Most people thought the three of them were pests at best and demons at worst, and treated them accordingly. Scratchy and Heloise had grown to love them over the years, but now and then, they'd still get a little irritated. Par for the course, really; kids were supposed to annoy their parent-figures. He knew darn well Nori thought of him as an utter pain in the tush, but he didn't think he could've stood it if she hated his sibs.

Praise the man upstairs, the opposite seemed to be true. Nori looked like she honestly loved Wakko and Dot and wasn't afraid to hug on them, which was a huge blessing. When you were locked up like criminals for six decades, physical affection was a rare commodity, especially if you had two younger siblings who lapped up hugs like milk. Wakko especially was a huge cuddlebug and he'd seized every opportunity possible for some hugs and kisses from his babysitter.

Hugs and kisses Yakko would've given his ink for, albeit in a more romantic way. Not only was this lovely girl intelligent and just as quick on the draw with her tongue as he was, she was kind and loving to his sweet sibs.

So what would it take to have some of that kindness and lovin' thrown his way? He spent their lunchtime eating and thinking until the kids were done and Nori sent them off to play. Dot immediately went up one of the slides, while Wakko did a cannonball into the ball pit. Multicolored balls exploded into the air, and Wakko resurfaced, doing a backstroke.

Shaking her head fondly at the kids' antics, Nori shot a gaze Yakko's way. "You're not gonna go play?"

"Maybe in a minute. I got a lot on my mind right now."

"Yeah, you've been awful quiet." Nori folded her arms. "What are you up to?"

"No good. That's what you think, ain't it?"

"Have you given me a reason not to think that?"

Yakko was taken aback by the question. Did she really think he was that much of a heel? He thought about asking her as much, but decided he'd rather not know the answer. He watched her polish off the rest of her Big Mac, secretly pleased. He liked that she had a good appetite. "You must've been hungry," he said.

"I was," Nori replied, her eyes narrowing. "You got a problem with me eating this?"

Again, Yakko was surprised. "No way. Why would you think that?"

"Most guys I've met think girls ought to be stick-thin and eating salads. No thanks; I hear that enough at home."

Now he was really floored. Really? I'm not that shallow. On the other hand, he'd be lying through his teeth if he said he'd not noticed her figure. Her waist was slender and her limbs toned, but she also had beautiful curves. Put simply, she wasn't a bone, and he was glad of it. "Hey, I'm a lot of things, but I ain't like that." Now it was his turn to narrow his eyes. "And what did you mean, you hear that enough at home? Someone pickin' on you?"

Nori's cheeks flushed red. "Nothing. Forget it," she said, looking away.

Something like that, Yakko couldn't just forget it. It was his first major glimpse into Nori's home life, and already he didn't like what he heard. He hadn't heard her talk very much about her mother, and she hadn't brought up her father so far. Not much to go on, and Yakko had the feeling that if he pried any further, he'd be taking a Coke shower. For once, he figured holding his tongue would be the wiser option and redirected the conversation to her lunch. "Anyway, I don't care if you eat fast food. I think you look…" Gorgeous. Sexy. Hot as Georgia asphalt. He cleared his throat. "You look great."

Nori's eyebrows arched. "You really mean that?"

"You bet I do. I'm not kidding when I say 'all those curves and me with no brakes.'" Open mouth, insert foot, Yakko thought when Nori's frown returned and she went back to her food with a disgusted sigh. Just when he was getting a glimpse of her soft side, there went his mouth again. Quit flirting, fool! his conscience chastised, but the smart-aleck in him retorted if it ain't broke, don't fix it. She's gotta like it deep down.

Suuuure. Denial ain't just a river in Egypt, ya know. When he'd finished mentally flogging himself, Yakko tried again with "Nori," but got no further when he heard her drink bubble and suck in the straw. "Here, let me," he said, swooping the cup out of her grasp and hurrying to the soda fountain before she could object. The least he could do was be nice and refill her Coke for her. Here's hoping this makes her smile, if nothing else.

As Yakko re-entered the playplace, full drink in hand, his eyes snapped onto Nori comforting a crying Dot. Something had to have gone down, because it took a lot to make his sister cry. "What happened?" he asked, sliding the cup onto the table.

Nori looked up from rocking Dot. "A kid twice her size happened. He pushed her down one of the slides."

"That's not even the worst part!" Dot sobbed, her eyes awash in tears. "He… he… he called me an ugly freak!" She wailed again and buried her face in Nori's shoulder.

Yakko's ink began to simmer when he heard this. He'd suspected, because the one thing that made Dot cry was being called ugly. His little sister prided herself on her cuteness, and rightly so – they were all pretty darn cute, if he said so himself. To hear that some twerp had not only called Dot ugly, but put his hands on her, infuriated him. Nobody, and Yakko meant nobody, messed with his sibs and got away with it. "Where is this jerk?"

Dot wiped her eyes and pointed to a boy around ten, who was creeping up on Wakko in the ball pit. "That's him."

Yakko nearly yelled for his brother to watch out, but Wakko (Yakko swore the kid had eyes in the back of his head) evaded the twit's grip and leapt onto the net surrounding the pit, climbing across it like a monkey until he was out. Great job, Wak.

"What's wrong, Dot?" Wakko asked, rushing over to help soothe his sister. "Are you hurt?"

"Someone pushed her down a slide and called her ugly," Nori said, nodding at the kid in question. "The kid you just monkeyed away from, actually."

A frown puckered Wakko's face. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, big brother?"

"If it involves my quick wit and something from your gag bag, I'm definitely thinking what you're thinking." Yakko flashed his sister an evil grin. "Dot, you up for a little revenge?"

Dot snuffled and wiped away her tears to reveal a devious smile. "Always. Whatcha got in mind?"

"Let's play this by ear."

"Yakko," Nori warned as Wakko and Dot hopped down from their seats. "Don't do something you'll regret."

"No worries, babe," Yakko said, cracking his knuckles. "I'm not gonna regret this at all." He hightailed it into the ball pit and tapped the jerk on the shoulder. "Hey, you. Turn around."

The kid turned and fixed beady eyes on Yakko. "Oh, another ugly freak, huh?"

"Freak, loud and proud. Ugly, never. Let's test it out, shall we?" Yakko pulled a foot-by-foot mirror out of his pocket and held it up to himself first. "What's cookin', good-lookin'?" he purred at his reflection, which grinned, winked, and did a finger gun back at him. "Okay, now let's see if you're fairest in the land," he said, turning the mirror to face the kid. The mirror cracked loudly, startling the boy. Yakko whistled. "Ouch. Tough break, dude. Y'know, I'm thinking you were jealous of how cute my little sister is, and jealousy ain't a good look on anyone. Makes you green in the face, and any frog'll tell you it's not easy being green." How frickin' ironic was this when Nori had implied that he himself was a frog? "We can fix this lickety-split. You need some cuteness lessons, and who better to teach you than my sister Dot?"

On cue, Dot burst out of the pile of balls, glitter raining around her. "Ms. Warner if you're nasty," she teased, giving her antagonist a wicked grin. He gulped and tried to escape, but she stretched out an arm and grabbed him by the back of his shirt. "What's your hurry, sweetie? I'm not gonna bite you."

"Yeah, right!" the kid said, his eyes wide. "Lemme go! I don't wanna be pushed around by a girl!"

"Why not? You thought it was okay to push me," Dot said sweetly, though fury snapped in her eyes. "You need someone to teach you how to be a gentleman, 'cause there's nothing cuter than a boy who treats a girl like a princess – except me, of course." She fluttered her eyelashes at him. "Wouldn't you want to treat me like a princess?"

The boy made a grossed-out face. "No way!"

"Aw, come on!" Dot amped up the cuteness with some puppy-dog eyes. "Pretty please?"

"Stop it! You're too sweet!"

Dot clasped her hands together. "So you do think I'm sweet! You're a doll!" She leapt onto the boy and pressed her lips to his with a loud mwah! "See! I knew you could be a gentleman!"

The boy let out a disgusted yell and spat a couple of times. "Eww! I got kissed by a girl!" he bellowed, scrambling out of the ball pit and running to find his mother.

"Give it a couple-a years, you'll be begging for girls to kiss you!" Yakko hollered after him, laughing. He then turned to his sister, beaming like a proud father. "Beautiful work, sis. Feel any better?"

"Much." Dot fluffed her skirt and smiled at her brother. "I still got it."

"You're the cutest of the cute, never forget it," Yakko said, giving Dot a kiss on the cheek. He then turned his smile to his brother. "Nice shot on the mirror, Deadeye."

Wakko grinned and held up a blowgun. "I've been practicing on my picture of Weed Memlo."

Yakko grabbed Wakko into a gentle headlock and noogied him. "That's my boy!" He clapped both his sibs on the shoulders. "C'mon, guys. Nori's waiting for us."

The girl in question ran to hug both Wakko and Dot when the returned to the table. "That was awesome! Dot, the way you were sweet-talking that boy, you'd make any Southern lady proud."

"Aw shoot, it was nothin'," Dot demurred in a dead-on Southern accent. "I'm just drawn that way."

"And you!" Nori picked up Wakko and rubbed noses with him. "Nice shootin', Tex."

Still holding his blowgun, Wakko blew on the end of it before snuggling back into Nori's hug.

Yakko cleared his throat and looked hopefully at Nori. Dot wasn't the only one who was good at the puppy-dog eyes. Nori regarded him for a moment before finally – finally! – giving him a smile. "That was great, Yakko. It was awful cool of you to stand up for your sister like that."

"Thanks." Yakko grinned and held out his arms. "Can I get some of that sugar… Sugar?"

Nori's smile changed to her wicked one. Already, he was beginning to tell the difference between her smiles. "You want sugar? Morph into a Kit Kat and give me a break."

Yup, I need ice for that burn. Heckuva comeback, though. Yakko said nothing while they cleaned up their table and left, and the whole ride home, he kept thinking: Will nothing I do get this girl to like me?

Hours later, Yakko was still pondering the same question, this time in his room in the water tower. He'd begged off a game of Uno with Nori and his sibs, claiming he had homework to catch up on. That was total bull, of course – he'd already finished his assignments because he'd not wanted to miss a second of a whole day with Nori. In reality, he'd wanted some alone time to wonder what in the world was wrong with him. Why didn't this girl like him? Was he ugly? No way, José. Stupid? Again, nope. He'd dropped a few hints about his current studies in Miss Flamiel's class, so she knew he wasn't lacking in brains. A creep? Lord, I hope not. He might've had a big mouth, but he wasn't a creep. He was just a flirt…

And there was the problem. Nori wasn't falling for any of the flirting. Again, he thought back to earlier in the day. Frog. The insinuation still stung. He'd give anything to erase that idea of him from her mind. Did he really have to cut out the flirting? Was it really turning her off? Jeez, if he didn't flirt, how else was he supposed to impress her?

"Dinner bell!"

Yakko looked up to see his sister trotting into the room. "Hey, sis," he said, rolling over onto his stomach.

Dot hopped onto his bed. "Dinner's almost ready. We're having Mexican tonight. Nori's already made the stuff for tacos, and I'm gonna mix up a bowl of guac."

"Did you tell Nori to keep Wakko away from refried beans?"

"Already taken care of. She taught Wakko how to make Mexican rice instead." Dot gazed at him expectantly. "Are you coming? We're having fried ice cream for dessert. Well, it's not really fried, it's vanilla ice cream rolled in Corn Flakes, but you get the idea."

Yakko snorted. "Yeah, and knowing Nori, she'll throw it in my face. What's the point of coming?"

A knowing, sly smile slid over Dot's face. "You're mad she's not falling for your old charm, aren't you?"

Yakko smacked his pillow. "I don't get it, Dot. I've tried everything. I've flirted, I've been funny, I've tried showing her how smart I am…"

"Tell me you didn't do the Countries of the World song."

"I ain't even had a chance to mention the United States and Canada, let alone Mexico and Panama! I've been pouring on the charm all week, and she's just…"

"Not impressed?"

Yakko pulled himself upright and met her eyes. His sister was way too perceptive sometimes, but he still had to try and save face. "What's not impressive? I'm way hotter than most guys. Check out these guns." He flexed his arms, trying to make his muscles bulge, but his arms curved under instead. Yakko scowled, hiding his arms behind his back.

Dot snickered. "I think your guns backfired."

"I gotta build up my ammo," Yakko muttered, rubbing one of his biceps.

Still chuckling, Dot said, "Yakko, have you ever thought about not being all over Nori like a rash? Call me crazy, but I don't think she's the kind of girl who'd let a guy crawl all over her."

"Don't you mean walk all over her?"

With a perfectly straight face, Dot said, "No." She nudged closer to him and put an arm around his shoulders. "Look, big bro, if you want Nori to like you, how about you just be friends with her? You know, treat her like one of the guys?"

Yakko gave her a look. "Dot, a girl that gorgeous is not just one of the guys."

"Why not? A girl can be beautiful and still kick butt, you know."

Yakko smiled. Dot had a good point – his sweet, pretty little sister had been known to unleash the wrath of Satan on people. "As you always remind me," he teased. "And I like that Nori's a smart-aleck. We could be two peas in a pod if she'd quit lookin' at me like…"

"Let me guess. You want her to look at you like a prince, not a frog."

Yakko looked insulted. It didn't sting any less coming from his sister's mouth. "Ya don't have to put it like that."

Dot elbowed him and croaked, "Ribbit," and Yakko stuck his tongue out at her in response. "Come on, Yakko! Just be buddies with Nori and find a way to show her you can keep your paws off her and do something other than flirt. Now that'll impress her."

"You think?"

"I don't think, I know."

"This coming from a girl who keeps leaving her pawprints all over Mel Gibson, Brad Pitt, and just about any hot guy with a pulse."

"Hey, I'll keep my paws clean if you'll keep yours clean," Dot retorted with a smirk.

"Heh. Betcha can't."

"How much?"

"A week's allowance and loser does the winner's chores for a month."

"You're on!" Dot shook hands with Yakko. "Go on, Frog Prince. Show her what you're made of."

"Me bleeding ink ain't gonna impress her." Ignoring Dot's comeback of wanna bet, Yakko made his way to the kitchen, where Wakko was stirring a pot of rice. Nori wasn't there, but Wakko directed him to the living room, where she was taking a breather before dinner. He made his way there and found Nori on the couch, watching TV. I Love Lucy was her show of choice – she had great taste in comedy. Yakko stood quietly for a moment, watching the episode. It was a classic, the one where Lucy and Ethel dressed up as Martians and scared the pants off half of New York. When Lucy spoke to the gullible folks on the Empire State Building and used her Martian voice, Yakko let out a bark of laughter. Nori jumped at the noise and whipped around, glaring at Yakko. "For crying out loud, Yakko, don't sneak up on me like that!" she snapped, hand to her heart.

Yakko held up his hands. "Easy. I wasn't trying to scare you."

That did nothing to ease her glare. "The heck you say. I ought to wear garlic around you."

"Why? Because I bite?" Yakko flashed his teeth in a grin.

"No, because you're a pain in the neck," Nori returned. She threw out a hand when he approached. "If you're gonna sit here, stud, keep your hands to yourself."

Yakko put his hands behind his back. "I'll sit on 'em, provided you can keep your hands off me. Impossible, I know."

"Easier done than said." Nori eyed him warily as he hopped onto the couch, maintaining a decent distance. Neither spoke for a few minutes, the only sounds coming from the TV and the kitchen as Wakko and Dot prepared the rice and guacamole for their supper. After a while, Yakko cleared his throat. "So, uh… you're a Lucy fan?"

Nori's expression softened slightly. "Yeah. I've been a fan since I was little."

Yakko smiled. "You got good taste. We toons respect the heck outta her, 'cause it's not every day you see a human doing most of the stuff we can do."

"Yeah, she was pretty toony, wasn't she?" Now Nori's body language relaxed, and her eyes went from narrow to curious. "Do you have a favorite episode?"

"Kinda hard to pick just one. This one's great, though. I can't tell you how many times my sibs and I have thought about doing that."

"What, dressing up like aliens?"

"That, and scaring the crap out of all LA."

"You think you could scare an entire city into screaming 'the Martians are coming'?"

"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups. That applies to LA, New York, and the US government." A smile flirted with her lips, and Yakko felt a glimmer of hope. "You almost smiled there."

"You're actually kinda funny when you're not being a jerk."

"Define jerk, milady. There are several layers of jerk, you know."

"You mean like an onion?"

Yakko frowned. "You sayin' I stink?"

"You said it, not me."

"Hey, I bathe every day, unlike my little brother."

"I'm not talking about your body, Yakko."

"Shame, 'cause I wish you would," Yakko said, unable to resist. When she rolled her eyes and made to leave, panic struck his heart. Okay, that settled it. He had to bite his tongue, and fast. He threw out his hands to stop her. "Whoa, whoa, wait a minute! Don't go!" He rubbed a hand over his face, mentally kicking himself. "Look, I'm sorry. I don't want to scare you off, and I sure as heck don't want you thinking I'm disgusting. I've just got a big mouth, and I kinda put it in gear before my brain sometimes. 'Specially around a beautiful girl like you."

Nori's frown melted, but she still stood back from him. "I appreciate you saying that, but I still don't trust you."

"Aw, come on! I'll keep my hands to myself! I can be a prince of a guy, I promise!"

"With all due respect, Yakko, I don't believe you could if your life depended on it."

Somewhere amongst his smarting pride, Yakko got an idea. That sounds familiar. Aw, what the heck? I'm in a gambling mood. "You wanna bet on that?"

Nori folded her arms. "You've gotta be kidding."

"Not this time. I'm serious as a heart attack." In true toon fashion, Yakko's heart leapt against the walls of his chest, showing a clear outline, but he shoved it down. "I'm gonna prove to you I can be a gentleman."

"How much do you want to bet?"

"I ain't betting money, honey."

Nori rolled her eyes. "What's the prize, then? I'm almost afraid to ask."

Yakko poised a finger on his chin, pondering his prize of choice. Finally, he snapped his fingers, smiled, and said, "I know what I want. But since I'm proving I'm a gentleman, ladies first."

Nori thought for a good minute before she spoke again. "If I win, I'll make it easy on you. Twenty bucks – and you have to publicly say your charm doesn't sparkle."

Yakko scowled. "You're kinda mean, you know that?"

"It's part of my charm."

"Yeah, your personality's sure sparkling."

Nori's hand shifted to her hip. "And if you win?"

That sly smile slithered over Yakko's face once more. "If I win… you know that old tradition of getting a kiss on New Year's Eve?"

"Oh, no."

"Oh, yeah. If I win, I get to kiss you on New Year's Eve, right when the clock strikes midnight. I wanna kick off the new millennium in style."

Nori shook her head. "You're crazy."

"Like a fox." Yakko growled playfully, which only made her roll her eyes again. "So… do we have a bet?" When she didn't answer, he said, "Okay, you need convincing." With that, he stripped the glove from his right hand and extended the hand to Nori. "Glove's off."

Nori stared at his bare hand. "You really are serious."

"Darn skippy. I don't take these off for just anyone."

Her mouth quirked. "You say that to every girl you meet, don't you?"

Yakko's mouth fell open in shock. Darned if she hadn't caught him in an innuendo trap. "Goodnight, everybody," he said in awe. "We have a bet or what?"

Nori cast one more glance at his hand before shaking it and locking her eyes onto his. "You're on. This'll be the easiest twenty bucks I'll ever make."

"You shouldn't count your chicks before they're hatched."

"No worries." Nori grinned and motioned for him to follow her to the kitchen. "I get the feeling you're the one who usually counts chicks, if you get my drift."

Memo to me: burn little black book – not that anyone in it ever got near me, but I dreamed. "Yeah… yeah, I do," Yakko said, following her lead.