Boober's POV:
I wanted Jessa to spend another night here in Fraggle Rock. More specifically, I wanted to fall asleep right next to her. But I was too afraid to ask. I walked with her to the Terrible Tunnel entrance, fear for her safety building up inside me the closer we got. I listened to Jessa talk while admiring her, holding her hand the whole time.
"Boober, I know you hate me going in the Terrible Tunnel, but it's not that scary."
"Speak for yourself," I said to her.
"It never occurred to me until now, but why were you guys in there when I first met you all?"
"It was Gobo and Red's idea. They were trying to see who could stay in there the longest without getting scared. I got dragged along as a witness with Wembley and Mokey. I… I didn't want to go in there."
Jessa squeezed my hand out of sympathy, making me blush as I continued.
"I wanted to stay home and wash my socks. But Red threatened to tickle me if I didn't go with them."
"Seriously?!"
"That's how I ended up going in the Terrible Tunnel with them. We all went too far from Fraggle Rock and then that scary plant appeared out of nowhere."
"Oh, I remember. I can still hear my sword piercing the base of the plant when I slashed it."
I leaned in closer and intertwined my fingers with hers.
"I never did thank you for saving Gobo, Jessa."
"You don't have to."
I looked at her before she spoke again.
"Those plants will eat anything and anyone that comes near them. They're better off dead. One of them tried to eat me when I first came to the Terrible Tunnel."
I gasped in horror.
"Jessa…" I began while holding her.
"But I killed it. I took my sword, morphed it into a pair of nun chucks, and choked it to death."
"How much danger have you faced?"
"A lot."
We finally reached the Terrible Tunnel, but I did not let go of Jessa. I didn't want to. No matter how much I told myself to withdraw, I only hugged her tighter. I couldn't help it.
"I guess I'll see you later," Jessa said, though she sounded like she had no interest in leaving.
We both stood there, Jessa surprisingly not telling me to get off or let go. Soon enough, she began to hug me back. This took me off guard, but I dare not say a word in case it ruined the moment. I wish Jessa would stay. I began to caress her back and she sighed happily. I began to forget where we were, the sounds of the other Fraggles playing in the Great Hall not as loud as I zoned out into our embrace. It felt so nice! I inhaled Jessa's scent and grinned, my baloobius glowing brightly. I was remarkably close to melting into Jessa when she suddenly fell on top of me.
"Ow! What the heck?!" She griped.
It took me a moment to register what happened while Jessa got up and turned around to whatever or whomever she was glaring at.
"Have you two seen our Frisbee?" some fraggle I have never seen before asked.
Before I could reply, Jessa threw the Frisbee back at them, almost hitting them in the stomach.
"Found it," she snarled. "Now take it to the other side of the rock!"
Sensing her anger, the fraggle apologized, and power walked away. Jessa then rubbed her head where the Frisbee hit her, prompting me to come closer and take her hand once again.
"I didn't hurt you, did I?" she asked me softly.
"Other than scaring me by falling over, no."
Jessa sighed, her body relaxing finally. She looked like she was about to slap that fraggle, though I wasn't too happy about having our sweet moment interrupted by a game of Frisbee either. Talk about a mood killer.
"Come on, you need an ice pack for your head," I said before she followed me back to my hole.
Jessa took a seat on my bed and waited patiently for me to prepare an ice pack. By this point, she appeared to be feeling guilty about getting mad over the frisbee thing. As soon as I was done, I placed it on her head.
"Thanks," she said blankly.
I didn't say anything for a while, not knowing what to do with myself. I then thought back to when Jessa had her nightmare and how she ended up falling asleep in here with me. I hoped Jessa didn't see me blushing like a dork over that memory. I kept daydreaming about it until I heard her shift. Since she wasn't speaking, I assumed that she felt as awkward about this as I did. Being here in my bedroom again, though this time for a different reason. Instead of a nightmare, it was a frisbee to the head. I then looked down to see Jessa's holster still intact around her waist, her sword resting inside of it. That giant fluorite and moonstone sword she always carried with her, though I can't blame Jessa for doing so considering where she lived. I then felt a longing for her to move out of that scary tunnel and here in Fraggle Rock with me. That way I wouldn't have to fall asleep at night knowing what kind of shenanigans she would face on her way back. And she would be safe and sound.
"I shouldn't have thrown that frisbee at him," Jessa said at last.
I didn't know how to reply at first, but I could tell she regretted doing so.
"I think he got the message though," was all I could say.
I'm not sure if this helped as Jessa just sighed indifferently. I scooted closer to her and readjusted her ice pack since it was about to fall off her head.
"You should lay down for a bit," I told her.
Jessa stared at me for a minute before lying down on her back and I lay down next to her. She rested her eyes while I watched her, admiring how pretty she looked. Another silence fell between us, but I was okay with it. Although I hated keeping Jessa from returning to her residence, I was also relieved that she didn't go into the Terrible Tunnel. Having her here calmed me. I was about to doze off myself when I heard Jessa kick off her boots and place her feet on my bed.
"Why are you taking your boots off?" I asked her.
"You don't strike me as the type of person who enjoys having dirt on their sheets, so I'm doing you a favor."
I blushed at this level of consideration and thanked her, to which she hummed tiredly in response. Jessa then sat up and removed her holster and set it elsewhere, and I undid her ponytail for her. She seemed surprised by this but let me do it anyway. Just like how Jessa untied my tail, I untied her hair ribbon and set it down on my nightstand. Jessa's long black hair fell out of form down her back and hung there. It wasn't frizzy at all like mine, but rather sleek and smooth with a shine to it. The type of hair that wouldn't need hair tonic or any other product at all. What grew out of Jessa's head was all natural. I then tried to recall if I saw any other fraggles with hair like hers, only to come up short.
"Whatcha thinking about?" Jessa asked me when I remained silent for too long.
"Laundry," I lied.
Jessa didn't say anything, instead laid back down. Yet she didn't mind when I laid down next to her and held her hand. It was so smooth compared to my dishpan hands. Years of doing mine and everyone else's laundry have resulted in dry skin on my hands, but it beats germs crawling about. I then looked at Jessa's outfit. Those dark rugged clothes she always wore along with those black combat boots. And her black socks… Other than that pink halter top and long skirt with the gold waistband, I wondered if Jessa wore any other colors. Black seemed to be her color of choice.
"It's a good thing you wear shoes, Jessa," I said to her while caressing the back of her hand with my thumb.
"Why's that?"
"Because it gives me more of a reason to keep washing socks."
"You seem to favor socks over everything else."
"What can I say?" I began while snuggling her. "They're not as heavy to lift when they're wet and they sure make nice décor in my hole."
I watched Jessa stare up at the many half-dry socks on my clothes lines and she chuckled.
"Though that's not to say I don't enjoy washing anything else. Anything that's dirty, I clean it."
Jessa rolled over and returned my snuggle, making me grin.
"Neat freak," she teased.
"Hey!" I couldn't help but blurt out, and Jessa simply giggled.
The ice pack was under her head where the sore spot was.
"Just so you know Jessa, being a neat freak has served me a lot of good purposes over the years."
"So it seems, Boober," she replied before burying her face in my neck.
From the tone of her voice, I could have sworn that Jessa was flirting with me. I blushed hard at this, instinctually tightening my hold on her.
"And I suppose you don't do the same at your house?" I teased her back or tried to.
This was completely out of character for me. Admittedly, Sidebottom was much better at flirting than I was.
"Some, but not much," Jessa answered me a minute later. "I much prefer doing other things."
"Like what?"
I rubbed her back before she began describing her hobbies, archery being one of them. The memory of Jessa using her crossbow to shoot that apple out of the tree came to mind. How accurate her aim was, and how concentrated she looked before shooting that arrow into the fruit.
"When did you get into archery?" I asked her.
"Since I was old enough to walk. Mom taught me how to use a bow and arrow."
My heart fluttered when I felt her breath on my neck while she spoke. If this is what happiness feels like, then where in the world was Jessa all these years?! I listened to her talk as she slowly got sleepy. My tail wagged at the sound of her sleepy voice, making a thumping noise against my bed. I knew for a fact Jessa heard it, but she looked as if she didn't care. Too tired to open her eyes and look. I asked her another question regarding herself before I realized Jessa had drifted off to sleep. Upon seeing this, I scooted away so she could breathe, but I cupped her face and smiled. Her jawline pressed against my palm while my thumb slid back and forth across her cheek. I guess in a way, I got my wish. I thanked whatever deity above that she stayed here and leaned in closer to kiss her nose.
"Goodnight Jessa," I whispered before turning out the lights.
I rolled over to give Jessa some space while she slept, but I still watched her. My eyelids got heavier the more I watched her chest rise and fall with each breath. Soon enough, I would be out like a light. Before I succumbed to my slumber, I held Jessa's hand. Even as I closed my eyes finally, I still held onto it. I wanted Jessa to be the last thing I remembered while awake.
End of Boober's POV