(A/N: I do not own Paw Patrol, enjoy!)
"So, did you ever think about a plan that included a double first date?" Everest asked curiously.
"Funny you should mention that" Marshall said as he flipped to a particular page.
Two for One - 75
Skye was sitting in the shade of a tree near the cliff at the lookout. None of the other pups were near her. "Ugh, I wish Chase would just ask me out already" Skye whined quietly to herself.
"I really wish he would too, it would do wonders for his stress" another voice whispered.
"EEK!" Skye shrieked in surprise, leaping high into the air. She landed on top of a pup. A very handsome one in fact, just not the one she really wanted to land on top of.
"You know, if you wanted to ride up high, you don't even have to ask Skye. My back is always available for my sister" Marshall teased with a smile.
"Oh, Marshall, it's you" Skye panted as she tried to calm down. "I guess you heard me, huh?"
Marshall nodded.
"Promise you won't tell him" Skye said seriously, giving Marshall a look that was half begging, half threatening.
"If you don't want me tell him, I won't" Marshall crossed his paw over his heart.
"Does he like me?" Skye asked softly.
"Skye…" Marshall laughed, "I have to keep promises I make to both of you."
"Ugh, fine" Skye huffed, "I guess I won't be telling you about Everest then."
"Low blow sis" Marshall whined with a smile. "But I have an idea.
"And what might that be?" Skye asked curiously.
"We do a double first date" Marshall proposed. "You bring Everest and I bring Chase to the same place, all of us confess and we have dinner." Marshall knew that Skye and Chase liked each other and that he liked Everest.
Skye thought for a moment, this could actually work in all of their favors. She knew Everest and Marshall both liked each other and she liked Chase. And Marshall wouldn't suggest something like this if it was going to break their hearts so she put two and two together that Chase probably liked her back which was good because she adored him. "Ok, got a place in mind?" Skye asked.
"Savory Steakhouse is doing a two for the price of one deal tonight on all steak cuts" Marshall said. "Chase and I have eaten there before, it is very good. And just fancy enough without being over the top."
"Good, because that is not a lot of time to get ready" Skye replied. "Are we telling them that this is a date?"
"I figured that we would just go and have it be a surprise when we run into each other" Marshall said nonchalantly.
"That is a terrible idea" Skye said, "but I think I know how we can keep it sort of secret. We tell them we are going out to dinner but not with whom. And then they just meet us there so we can go early and make sure everything is ready."
"Ok, sounds good" Marshall said. "Il go let Chase know and you can collect Everest and do your girly-get-ready things."
Skye let out a giggle, "ok, see you there at 6:30pm and we'll have them get there at 7pm."
"Ok, cya" Marshall said with a wave as he padded off the find his brother.
Skye waited until he was far enough away before calling Everest. "Hey Everest, meet me at Katie's, we need to get ready?"
"Ready for what?" Everest asked.
"We are going to Savory Steakhouse tonight, they have a two for one deal going" Skye said happily.
"How fancy are we doing?" Everest asked.
"Not very, but you'll want to be cleaned up" Skye said
"Are you saying I'm not clean right now?" Everest said testily.
"No," Skye said with a laugh, "I don't know what you've been up to today and I'm going so I wanted to invite you."
"Ok" Everest said happily, "I was worried you were setting me up on a date or something."
"Oh, well, I'll see you there!" Skye said quickly before hanging up. Whew, that was close Skye thought to herself as she ran to her helicopter to fly to Katie's.
"Chase!" Marshall yipped before he tripped over a tug of war rope. "Whoa!"
Chase glanced over, he and Rocky were managing to hold their own against Rubble and Zuma in tug of war. Marshall bounced into the taught rope which launched him into the tree above them.
"What was that?" Rubble asked, letting go of the rope in shock.
Chase and Rocky took advantage of the distraction and yanked as hard as they could. Zuma, now without an anchor, went sailing across the line. "We win!" Chase and Rocky said together, giving each other a high paw.
"And that was Marshall" Chase laughed, pointing up at the Dalmatian in the tree.
"I'm good!" Marshall called down, "now I just need to get down…" at that very moment, the branch cracked. "Uh oh…AH!" Marshall yelped as the branch fell to the ground with a crash. "I'm good!"
"Oh Marshall" Chase said with a smile as he helped him up.
"Hey, I got plans for us tonight" Marshall whispered in Chase's ear, "we'll need to get cleaned up here in a bit."
"Oh?" Chase's said inquisitively, "where are we going?"
"Two for one steaks at Savory Steakhouse" Marshall said with a smile.
"Yum! I can't wait" Chase's said, licking his lips, "what time?"
"Meet there right at 7pm" Marshall said before he scampered off.
"Mmm" Chase savored the thought before he went back to playing tug of war.
That evening, Marshall and Skye met at 6:30pm as planned.
"Everything ready?" Skye asked as she pranced up. She was wearing a pink bow in the tuft of fur on her head, her fur was perfectly brushed to a silky shine and she smelled wonderful.
"Ready" Marshall replied as they walked inside. Marshall was wearing a red bow tie and was freshly cleaned as well.
The head waiter showed Marshall and Skye the tables that had been prepared. In the center of the dining room was a brick fireplace with openings on opposite sides. Their tables were in front of the openings and set for two. One had pink roses as the centerpiece while the other had a centerpiece made of midnight blue roses with black petals.
"Did you pick both of these out?" Skye asked.
"Yup" Marshall nodded, "I know how much you like pink roses and how much Everest likes blue flowers."
"You did good" Skye said, rubbing her head gently on Marshall. The two of them walked back out to the entrance to wait for Everest and Chase.
Preciously at 7pm, Chase and Everest arrived at opposite ends of the parking lot. Marshall and Skye were sitting next to each other in the doorway as they walked up. Chase was wearing a black tie with dark blue highlights. Everest had a simple silver pendant around her neck.
Marshall and Skye sighed happily, they were both smitten by their respective crushes. "Shall we collect them?" Marshall asked softly. Skye nodded as they stood up and walked down the walkway to meet them.
"Did Skye help you come up with this plan" Everest asked.
"She did" Marshall replied, "but Chase asked her out right after so we never did it obviously."
"Interesting" Everest said, "she should know better."
"Know what better?" Marshall asked in surprise, "we thought it was a great plan."
"Oh it is a great plan," Everest assured him, "but there is one detail in execution of your plan that you messed up…"
—
Neither Chase or Everest saw Marshall and Skye walking towards them because they couldn't see the entrance through the bushes. They were left with looking at each other…and seeing each other in a new light. Everest was entranced by how handsome Chase looked. Chase was similarly struck by Everest's simple but beautiful look.
Everest was slightly confused, she has expected that Skye had set her up on a date with Marshall since that was who she had told Skye she liked. And Everest remembered that Skye liked Chase, so running into him here alone didn't really make any sense. Or did it? Maybe through some twist they were meant to be here together, maybe there was something there that Skye saw or knew that Everest didn't. Was it worth the shot?
Chase was having a similar train of thought. He thought he knew Marshall was paws over tail for Everest like he was for Skye but had something changed? Were they both just mixed up and Marshall had figured out that Chase and Everest would be better together? Did he dare find out?
Still unable to see Skye and Marshall walking up to them, Chase and Everest met at then end of the walkway leading to the entrance. "Hi Everest" Chase said hesitantly.
"Hi Chase" Everest said with equal hesitation.
"So, uh, here we are" Chase fumbled to carry the conversation.
"Shall we snag some food and see what happens?" Everest ventured.
"After you" Chase said with a gentlepup bow.
Marshall and Skye's jaws dropped as they separated to either side as Chase and Everest walked inside, still looking at each other and not noticing the Dalmatian or the Cockapoo. Marshall and Skye turned towards each other as the doors shut.
"What the heck just happened?" Marshall whined.
"They just decided to go on a date with each other instead of with us!" Skye yipped furiously. "Why would you suggest this if you knew Chase liked Everest?!" Skye almost screamed at Marshall.
"He doesn't as far as I know" Marshall whined defensively, "he told me that he loved you as much as I loved Everest!"
"Well I don't know what is going on with Everest either" Skye whined, "just two days ago she was practically glowing when were talking about how we wanted you boys to hurry up and ask us on a date and she was definitely wanting you."
"So our best friends, who to the best of our knowledge were in love with us, decided to go on a date with each other instead" Marshall summarized as a tear formed on his eye.
"That about sums it up" Skye cried, with tears rolling down her cheeks.
Marshall couldn't bear to see Skye cry so he put his paws around her in a hug. After she stopped crying, Marshall spoke again. "Come on, let's get some food and not let that second table go to waste." Skye nodded and followed him inside.
Marshall and Skye tried their hardest to eavesdrop and spy on Chase and Everest throughout dinner through the fireplace. What little they did hear made them feel even sicker inside. Chase and Everest appeared to having a wonderful time together and really connecting. And then they just disappeared.
Marshall and Skye panicked and ran outside looking for them, having arranged payment ahead of time. The two skidded to a stop when they saw Chase and Everest sitting in a grassy patch of moonlight.
"I had a lot of fun tonight" Everest admitted shyly.
"Me too" Chase said. The two stared at each other for a moment. Then Chase leaned down and gave Everest a tender lick on the cheek. Everest giggled slightly before turning Chase's muzzle to hers and giving him a kiss.
Marshall and Skye looked at each other in abject shock. Dashing to the nearest bush, the two of them broke down sobbing.
"You ok Marshall?" Everest asked gently.
Marshall was silent for a moment. "Was I really that close to losing you forever?" he asked so softly that Everest could barely hear him.
"To Chase in particular or someone else entirely?" Everest asked to clarify.
"Both" Marshall whimpered.
"No, and I'll tell you why" Everest replied, gently placing her paw over Marshall's paw. "First, what you and Skye messed up was your placement when Chase and I got there. If we had seen you first, it would have gone exactly as you planned it to go; the better spot to wait at would have been at the end the walkway. Or your idea would have worked fine if you just brought us there and we all met at the door.
But let's just say that it had gone this way, I don't think you would have lost me. Chase is a good pup but he isn't the one for me, and not just because he is the pup for Skye. Chase isn't the one for me because his spirit is centered on duty and justice."
"Don't I have the same spirit?" Marshall whined.
"Yes and no" Everest replied, "your spirit is more centered on love and sacrifice. It is a subtle but important difference. It can look the same from the outside because both of you pour everything into doing your jobs well, but for different reasons. Chase does something because it is the right thing to do by the law, you do it because it is right to take care of them. In a similar way, Chase is more investigative while you are adventurous. Think of it as Chase goes on a journey to find something while you on the journey for the sake of the journey. In this reality, Chase and I would probably date for a bit, figure it out that we don't mesh together as future mates and move on."
"Ok, so what about losing you in general to someone else" Marshall softly asked part two of his question.
"I wouldn't say that you were ever in danger of losing me quickly or easily" Everest said with a shrug. "That would require there to be someone better than you."
"Take your pick of pups" Marshall said with a wave of his paw, head drooping down sadly.
"Oh stop it, silly goose" Everest said, giving Marshall an affectionate lick on the cheek. "You don't see how wonderful you are but everyone else does. No one else can match your caring, self-sacrificing, and straight up loving nature. On top of that you are funny, adventurous and just a joy to be around. That is the reason I get possessive over you, because I know how amazing you are and how lucky I am to have you." Everest gently guided Marshall's muzzle to her own and gave him a long, loving kiss.
(A/N: so not all of Marshall's plans work as intended. Got an idea for a plan? Let me know!)