#srmthg fic

[grungekitty-77]

SRMTHFG! Trick or Treat Fic exchange!

@creepyclue @sweetcircuits

I'm not overly proud of this, but I was shaking off a lot of rust in writing for these characters again and my October was a cesspool of personal problems and drama

Without further self deprecation, here's your spooky Spova. (Fair warning: It turned into fluff. I don't know how it happened, but I guess I defaulted to my old style.)

--

Nova sighed and rubbed her arms. The only thing she hated more than fall, was the winter that came after. Every year she glared at the changing leaves.

She really didn’t understand why it appealed to so many people. She wanted to curl up and hibernate instead of going shopping.

It was cold. It was windy. It was wet.

And Sprx was jumping out from behind the corner with a jack-o-lantern on his head.

“BOO!” he shouted.

Nova just sighed.

“Sprx. Get the pumpkin off your head!” Nova scolded.

Sprx struggled for a moment before his head popped out. Then struggled to rub the pumpkin guts off his face and spit out seeds. Nova almost laughed at him, but decided she was too cold for humor,

“Come on, Nova! It’s Halloween! Where’s your holiday spirit!?” Sprx asked, once he got himself sorted.

Nova rolled her eyes.

“It’s frozen.” She said, exaggerating her shivering.

Sprx pouted. Then a smirk crossed his face.

“I know the cure to that!” he said.

“Soup?” Nova asked hopefully.

It was something she didn’t hate about the colder seasons.

Sprx shook his head.

“You just need a good scare!” Sprx said, waving his hands for emphasis.

Nova rolled her eyes.

“What!? It’s the whole point of Halloween!” Sprx.

At least he started walking again so they could finish their chore.

“Good luck.” Nova said “I don’t scare easy.”

Sprx just smirked wider.

“Was that a challenge?” he asked.

Nova didn’t dignify him with a response.

“How about a bet?” he asked “If I manage to scare you before Halloween then you have to do all my patrols for November!”

“And when you don’t, you have to drop everything to make soup whenever I ask until March.” Nova responded.

Why not? It wasn’t like Sprx was going to pull it off.

“You’re on!”

--

Nova will admit that her heart skipped a beat or two when she saw a roach in her cereal, but she didn’t react. It only took a second of thought to realize the thing wasn’t moving. It was probably fake, and probably Sprx’s. No one else had noticed the thing yet. So, Nova had an opportunity.

Feeling mischievous herself, Nova carefully picked the thing up without anyone seeing. (It was in fact, rubber) Then she carefully snuck it into Gibson’s bowl and went back to her breakfast.

Sprx was eyeing her with suspicion, but she just waited. He was clearly wondering if she had found the fake roach.

Gibson’s scream was glorious. He shrieked like a wild monkey and flung his bowl into the air. It sailed over the table and landed on Sprx’s head, drenching him in milk.

Sprx pushed the bowl off his eyes and glared at Nova. She just laughed.

--

Sprx’s plan to prime her with a horror movie was smart, albeit transparent.

Too bad it backfired.

Nova hadn’t been the only one to see the movie. When Otto used the bathroom before her, he turned on the light and saw the life sized sticker Sprx had put on the mirror.

He ran out screaming and crying. Nova gave Sprx a smug look when Otto clung to her and begged for her to deal with the ghost. Sprx had to apologize and assure Otto that the ghost girl hadn’t escaped the movie.

Luckily for Sprx, Chiro found it hilarious. Otherwise Antauri would’ve launched into a lecture.

--

Nova didn’t have any time to react to the formless that appeared in the hallway. Chiro was already launching into an attack by the time she noticed it.

Scraps of cardboard went flying and Nova could hear Sprx sighing.

“Keep trying! This is pretty funny.” Nova said.

Chiro finished dismantling the false alarm. Sprx started to stutter out an apology, but Chiro cut him off.

“It’s good to keep me on my toes. Now we know I’m ready if a formless ever does sneak in to the robot.” Chiro said, flashing a cheeky grin and a peace sign.

Sprx sighed in relief.

“But you’re going to get yourself in trouble eventually.” Chiro added “Just admit it! Nova is unscarable!”

--

The closer it got to Halloween, the more desperate Sprx’s attempts got. He didn’t even care about the bet anymore. It was a pride issue at this point.

He resorted to climbing into the air ducts, waiting for a quiet moment, then dropping down like a spider onto the table.

Antauri let out one very undignified scream.

Sprx didn’t end up saying anything in his defense, and no one asked him to. They were all too busy staring at Antauri and wondering if the high pitched shriek they had heard really did come from the deep voiced monkey.

Antauri didn’t even acknowledge the event. No one wanted to ask him about it. He’d probably deny it anyways.

--

Nova had taken to making sly comments about how much soup she was going to enjoy this winter. Sprx gave her an angry glare every time, but Nova just smiled. He had dug his own grave in this.

“You know, this has actually been fun. Watching you make an idiot of yourself trying to scare me. Congrats on making me actually excited for Halloween!” Nova said.

“I still have one more day.” Sprx said.

“And there’s nothing you can do that I won’t be ready for!” Nova assured him.

“Whatever. I’ll think of something.” Sprx said, walking towards his transport tube.

“Where are you going?” Nova asked.

“Patrol.” Sprx said.

“Oh, I bet you wish you had a whole month without that, don’t you?” she teased.

It was hard to tell through the red fur, but Nova knew Sprx was blushing.

--

An hour later and Sprx opened his comms link.

“Hey, Otto. I said I was sorry about the whole bathroom mirror thing.” Sprx said nervously.

“Um…. I know?” Otto responded.

“Right…. So…. you didn’t do anything to my fist rocket in revenge, right?” Sprx grunted.

“No.....?”

Now everyone was paying closer attention.

“Sprx, what’s going on?” Chiro asked.

“Brainstrain? I know you know better than to mess with a pilot’s ship, but did you-“

“You are correct. I do know better.” Gibson snapped.

Gibson may not have been as passionate as Sprx, but he was still a pilot. He knew which lines to never cross.

“Right. That’s fine. I may be having some issues with my steering right now, but I’ll figure it out.” Sprx said, some words coming out in forced huffs.

Nova’s heart started to beat faster. Surely this was another prank, right? Sprx was just making it up.

“Sprx. Exactly what problem are you having?” Antauri asked.

To any stranger he sounded calm, but Nova had known him long enough to recognize his distinctive worry.

“A problem I’m trying to focus on fixing instead of explaining!” Sprx said, starting to sound a little panicked himself.

Alarms started to sound from his side. Nova abandoned the idea that it was a prank and started to twist her own tail in fear.

“Where are you!? We’re on our way.” Gibson said.

“I’m about to be in the bay.” Sprx said, sounding downright terrified.

Nova’s stopped breathing. Sprx was about as good with water as she was with cold. There was a horrible, sickening, splash, and then Sprx’s comm link cut.

--

A panicked twenty minutes is all it took before Sprx was back in the robot medbay, shivering but alive. He only sustained minor injuries from the crash. They were quick to treat. Gibson was more worried about hypothermia than anything else.

Sprx threw a fit when Otto insisted on checking the ship without him.

“Sprx, you are still recovering. You’re in no condition to climb around a fist rocket engine!” Gibson argued, pushing Sprx down.

“It’s my ship! No one touches it without me watching!” Sprx said.

He continued to fight against Gibson until Nova looped her arms around him and yanked.

“Sit down you moron!” Nova snapped.

“I’ll be gentle, Sprx. I promise.” Otto said.

Gibson was rolling his eyes.

“If Chiro and I supervised him, would that help?” he asked.

“I don’t want more people touching my ship!” Sprx snapped.

Nova squeezed, and Sprx seemed to settle under the hug.

“Look, I get that it’s scary for your ship to malfunction like that, but you know Otto isn’t going to hurt it. We need to know what went wrong, and you need to rest!” she said.

Sprx finally slackened.

“Fine.” He said. “but be careful. She’s been through enough!”

“Of course.” Gibson said, escorting Otto out of Medbay.

He turned back in the doorway and glared.

“I expect you not to vacate that bed! Nova, please ensure that he remains under that heat lamp.”

“Don’t have to ask me twice.” Nova said with a smile.

She liked the idea of being assigned to stay under a heater herself.

Gibson nodded and left.

Nova felt Sprx continue to shiver and pulled him close. He was still a little wet, so it wasn’t the most comfortable position. She didn’t say anything about it though. Sprx wasn’t in the mood to be teased.

She thought back to the terror she felt the moment he crashed. It wasn’t even a full hour ago, but it felt like a lifetime. She focused on every breath he took and resisted the urge to feel for a pulse.

“You scared me, you know.” She said.

“I what?” Sprx asked, craning his head around to look at her curiously.

“You scared me! I didn’t know if you were ok or not! I was worried I was going to lose you for a second there.” Nova said.

He tensed in her grip the second she said the word. She didn’t have to remind him of the significance.

“I’m sorry.” Sprx muttered.

Nova hugged him tighter.

“I’m just glad you’re ok.”

The stench of smug started to waft. Nova glanced suspiciously at Sprx.

“What?” she asked suspiciously.

Sprx broke into a large grin.

“I scared you.” He said.

Nova rolled her eyes.

“Yeah. I guess I love you or something. Do you want a parade?”

He shook his head.

“Not a parade.” Sprx said.

Nova didn’t know if she wanted to keep playing this game. He was either flirting or leading up to a joke at her expense.

“Then what do you want?”

“I scared you!” Sprx repeated.

“And…?”

“Halloween is tomorrow.” Sprx said.

Nova waited for more information.

“That means I scared you before Halloween!”

It clicked.

“What- NO! No! That doesn’t count!” Nova yelled.

“I can’t hear you over the sound of my victory!” Sprx said.

Nova was gearing up to punch him across the room when he sneezed. After a moment of clear misery, Nova decided on a different comeback.

“Was it worth it?” she asked.

Sprx sniffled.

“No. I’m just taking the wins I have.”

“That so?” Nova said “I love you.”

Sprx hummed in content.

“But this did not convince me to like Halloween at all.” Nova added, remembering the original reason for the bet.

Sprx laughed.

“I said I was taking the wins I had!”

Nova held him tight. Feeling his warmth and beating heart.

“So am I.”

--

I hope you liked it! Happy late Halloween!

#srmthfg #super robot monkey team hyperforce go #super robot monkey team hyper force go! #super robot monkey team hyper force go #super robot monkey team hyperforce go! #fic #srmthfg fic #srmthfg! fic #srmthg fic #srmthg! fic #srmthg #I'm still team Hyper Force is two words #They have different colors on the logo and they are said by two people in the robot sequence #fic exchange #trick or treat fic exchange #trick or treat

[sweetcircuits]

A Brave Blossom

What if Nova got pregnant while Mandarin was still the leader of the Monkey Team?

Holy Shuggazoom, Sparx had gotten her pregnant.

Aww, Sparx. Her thoughts turned toward her boyfriend. He’s gonna be a dad. He’ll probably be really excited and happy when I tell him. Surprised, too. At least as shocked as I am. She let out a little hoot of laughter.

But that warm, affectionate thought was doused almost immediately, like a bucket of ice-cold water had been dumped over her head.

 Mandarin is going to kill me.

It’s on Ao3 here! Updates are every Wednesday. 

Things you will find in this fic: Angst, fluff, hurt/comfort, pregnancy, established relationship Spova, Mandarin’s canon-typical assholery, Sparx being Best Boyfriend, Antauri being Best Wingman. The sweet sweet domestic Spova fluff serves to balance out the angst and stress Nova is dealing with XD ( @monkeyinaround helped me every single step of the way with this fic, thank you again for being the best beta reader ever 🥰)

#srmthfg #srmthg #super robot monkey team hyperforce go #i've had several versions of this fic written for like. 2-3 years and ditzy kicked me in the pants to write a postable version #so here #hope you guys enjoy it #let me know if you do 💙 #my fics

[tauriatalksmonkeys]

Alternate Evil Ages: A Bulletfic

so @sweetcircuits & i were talking about Evil Ages for unrelated reasons & my brain fed me this idea, so!

it started with me once again dwelling on my thoughts on Evil Ages (fun & cute but also, frustrating bc it's all earth/american-centric history when shuggazoom is a separate planet, & it would have been rly cool to see unique lore/eras. tho it being a 00's kids show i understand why that's not what we got)

and THEN i started thinking about like, the eras of the show we DID get to see--a glimpse of Scrapperton-era Shuggazoom, and then, of course, Cap's flashbacks to the Golden Age.

which THEN led me to, uh. this.

(also BIG thank you to @sweetcircuits who both encouraged me to write this & also was a big help with making sure it worked with the episode <3 ilu)

Instead of landing in the Prehistoric-era, Chiro & Nova land in Shuggazoom. Kind of. It's... different. Recognizably home, but altered enough they feel like strangers. There are buildings missing on the skyline. Some are shorter than they remember. Others are wearing different logos, painted alternate colors. Hovercars whiz down the street, but not the cars of their memory. These ones are shiny chrome with sharp angles and boxy fronts.

They wander the streets, looking for any clue as to what the heck is going on. And then they see people running. They share a glance before they take off running as well, towards the source of the disturbance, not away.

I like the idea of them reaching the place where the Robot is now parked, but it could just as easily be the site of the museum, a town plaza, a park---it doesn't really matter. What matters is what they see:

A man who looks awfully like the museum curator stands in the center, surrounded by giant, creepy puppets with abnormally wide grins. Across from him, a stranger hovers several feet off the ground. He's clad in black and white and orange, a cape billowing from his shoulders. His uniform is familiar; Chiro is wearing it's match right now. But it's not the uniform that really draws the eye.

It's the helmet.

"He's wearing our logo," Chiro says dumbly. He meets Nova's eyes, and sees his confusion echoed there.

Chiro doesn't get a chance to ask what it could mean.

The stranger says--- "You won't get away with this, Puppeteer!"

And the curator-lookalike laughs. "I already have!" He raises a set of pipes to his lips, and begins to blow. The puppets fly forward, hands raised to hurt, and the stranger throws bolts of electricity. It's enough to startle both Nova and Chiro into the fray, joining the stranger.

They are, of course, overwhelmed, defeated, and they wake up in the dungeon with the others, no sign of the helmeted stranger. They don't think about it, for a bit; instead focused on stopping and defeating the Curator.

And then the episode ends. The Curator is gone, disappeared to who-knows-where, or when. The team returns to Shuggazoom, where the dolls sit on display; small and life-less once more. Among them is the stranger. Chiro picks him up, looks at him. He's never heard of any other heroes on Shuggazoom---but then, history was never his best subject. (That's what he has Antauri for, now.)

Speaking of. Antauri approaches. "What have you found?" he asks, and this prompts Chiro to explain the bubble that he and Nova were caught in.

Antauri, too, seems mystified.

On a whim, Chiro pulls at the helmet. It slips off. (Ignore that this doesn't make sense, please and thanks.) It doesn't make sense, but he's half expecting to see the Alchemist. He doesn't. The monkeys have gathered around, now, and upon the sight of the stranger's face, their heads tilt. The doll is simple, of course, but there's enough detail before them. Short, slightly spiky brown hair. Dark eyes. Chiro thinks he's meant to be handsome.

"He looks... familiar," Nova says, visibly unsettled. The other monkeys nod, slowly, just as unnerved. Just as perplexed.

"Who IS he?" Chiro asks.

Episode fade-out.

Four episodes later, they track down a mysterious signal... and find a helmeted stranger.

#srmthfg #srmthg #srmt #super robot monkey team hyper force go #super robot monkey team hyperforce go #my posts #my writing #alternate canon #episode rewrites #monkey fic #evil ages #what is tagging

[ladytauria]

hey liv sorry in advance i am nosy

🍓🐇🧃🪐🍬🦷🦋🦴🪲

dont be sorry! i enjoy nosy uwu

🍓 ⇢ how did you get into writing fanfiction?

hmm

i was 12. my favorite tv show at the time was this old disney cartoon, "super robot monkey team hyper force go" (abbreviated as SRMTHFG or SRMTHG. i prefer the first but plenty of people use the second.) it was canceled after its 4th season and, uh. the ending was SO bad. like, major major cliffhanger.

anyway, i was looking up... i don't even remember at the time. and i discovered deviantart, and i discovered this person's OCs. read a lot about them, including some fanfic, and then eventually discovered fanfiction.net

i didn't realize what it was at first; i thought it was just a writing in general site? and i was like oh! i can share the book i'm working on! (i have been trying to write a novel since i was 10). and then as i was looking into where i would post it, i realized what it actually was. (no, the title didn't give it away. idk why.)

so then i was like oh!!! this is really cool actually!!! and i wrote my first fanfic xD

that was in 2011? so i was 12, almost 13.

and i've been reading & writing fic ever since~

🐇 ⇢ do you prefer writing original characters, reader inserts, or a mix of both?

okay so this is a tough question

bc like

i love love love love love second person.

like.

*adore* it.

second person, present tense is my absolute fave, but past tense is good too. (i have written an entire sapphic little mermaid retelling [12k words i think] in second person. uh, it needs revisions but it's a full draft. i opened it it the other day and im still so proud of it uwu)

howEVER. outside of writing second person w/o ever explicitly naming the pov character i have not actually written a reader-insert? so for that reason alone i will have to say 'prefer writing oc's'

🧃 ⇢ share some personal lore you never posted about before

uhh

hm

i'm a chronic oversharer (mostly in the tags) so that's kind of tough!

ah! since my grandmother's memory issues started, i've been doing about half of the cooking (it's been a bit of a battle, as she keeps trying to do everything xD) and i've cooked a lot of new things this year!! i've gotten very good at cooking pork chops. which 🤔 now that i bring that up, i might make friday! or tonight, but they're still in the freezer, so...

🪐 ⇢ name three good things going on in your life right now

my grandmother's memory situation has improved a lot!! it's still not great, but like. strides ahead of where we were 7-8 months ago!

my anxiety has been much kinder to me this year <3 i've made some very lovely friends this year~

mmm, oH, my energy levels have been fantastic this year. i didn't realize just how bad they had gotten until i started these new meds, and now i'm just. <333 much better.

🍬 ⇢ post an unpopular opinion about a popular fandom character

hm

idk if i have any unpopular opinions...? i mean. i'm sure i must, but... nothing immediately comes to mind ^^;

🦷 ⇢ share some personal wisdom or a life hack you swear on

hmmm

recently been trying to get in the habit of summarizing what i want to do before i start writing. it makes the process much easier, if ik a bit about what i want to do before going in?

🦋 ⇢ share something that has been on your heart and mind lately

i am much better at being patient than i ever gave myself credit for in the past <3

🦴 ⇢ is there a piece of media that inspires your writing?

i can't think of one piece in particular, as the places i find inspiration are. all over the board?

🪲 ⇢ add 50 words to your current wip and share the paragraph here

picked a wip from my open tabs at random! funnily enough this is also the one i ended up doing for the emoji ask xD

it's also almost triple what this asked for but once i started writing i couldn't stop <3

He swallows, staring up at Tim. Jason has had plenty of practice reading people through a domino, but. He has no reference for the look Tim is giving him now. Only that it— That the feeling it gives him is… is new and strange. He has no name for it, the way his stomach feels fluttery and tight, his scalp and fingers tingling. His mouth opens—but all that escapes is a stuttery puff of air. That’s okay. He doesn’t know what he was going to say anyway. Tim hooks a gloved finger under his chin; tipping his face up. He leans in, slowly—so slow that Jason— There’s nothing keeping him there. He could run. Turn away. But he feels caught, feet anchored in place. Tim’s mouth touches his, and all thought leaves him. Jason has never been kissed before.

[ writers truth or dare ask game ]

#ask gaming #felinemotif #asks and answers #tauriawritesfanfic #the color of hope (canary yellow)

[srmthg]

ICYMI fanfiction.net went quiet for a while and scared everyone so bad that it did a big update to reassure everyone that no, actually, the site doesn’t quite have a foot in the grave yet, but still... I look at how many SRMTHG fics exist on FFN vs. AO3 and get pretty sad. Like, did y’all younger fans know that over on FFN, which was the main fanfiction site back when SRMT was airing, SRMTHG is in the top 50 cartoon series in terms of fics published? This fandom may be small but back in the day we wrote like NOBODY’S business.  If you’re reading this and have work on FFN, I encourage you to give it new life over on AO3, or at least keep it somewhere safe for yourself. Even if you cringe at the sight of your old writing, it meant something to someone when you wrote it and likely still has the potential to make someone smile. Yes. your OC fanfic about Gibson’s long-lost sister is important fandom history IMHO. AO3 has even been going as far as to import whole archives to preserve fanwork... but I remain a bit ehhhhh on the idea of “preserving” other’s writing without their express permission.  If you’re not sure, I encourage you to at least use tools such as save to PDF and Calibre’s fanfiction downloader to save your hard work for yourself - FFN seems safe for now, but you never really know. I’m hesistant about only having my fics on one website even when it’s incredibly healthy seeming. 

#fanfic preservation #srmthg #srmthfg

[nimble-stuff]

🥺💋🍦

🥺

Already answered!

💋 First kiss fics. Love em or hate em?

Strong dislike, romance isn't really my thing, and on top of that I think kissing is kind of gross tbfh. Mouths are disgusting!

🍦 What’s the sweetest fic you’ve created so far?

I don't think any of my fics are sweet, they are an endless conga line of trauma, angst, and existential horror. I think the closest thing I can think of is Sticky Notes, a very old SRMTHG fic I wrote when I was 17 and it's pretty pure! And also written before the weight of the world crushed me, haha.

#nimble speaks

[d4rk-x-w0lf-17]

i reread all those cringey fanfics from back in like 2007 and i'm lying on my bed crying after rewatching 'i, chiro' for the 90th time

#my art #literally every fic involving both antauri and chiro always has some cheesy family fluffy in it and I FALL FOR IT EVERY TIME #super robot monkey team hyperforce go #srmthfg #srmthg chiro #srmthfg antauri #chiro #antauri #wait.....has no one made a dad tag for antauri yet? #DADTAURI

[elyssebeeart]

Your Warmth

A writing commission for @visionsofwings (PDF on dA)

Series: Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go Pairing: FandomxCanon (MhairixGibson), CanonxCanon (SparxxNova) Word count: ~6.7k Rating: G Previous: Starlit Garden Next: What About Us

---------------------

“It’s picking up out there.” Nova looked through a window, the yellow cyborg monkey watching trees leaning as the wind blew increasingly more violent. Bits of white carried on the wind, sticking to the window as the temperature was dropping past freezing. She suppressed a shiver as she hugged herself tighter, “Ew, so cold.”

“We’d best hurry back to the Super Robot before it gets worse.” Chiro joined her to watch the gusts that were surely frosty, Flint the little red dragon nestled on his shoulder. “At least we made it to this inn before it started.”

“I didn’t think the mission would take so long, the storm just snuck up on us.” Gibson observed as he stood away from the others, looking pensive. “The weather patterns showed no hint of a tempest approaching until we reached here.”

Beside the chief scientist, Mhairi was looking wide eyed at the storm, mug in her talons as she drank a complimentary drink that was intended for the road back to the Super Robot. The Grypherian didn’t look excited at the prospect of racing to beat the brewing storm, “It looks wet out there... just a bit.” She took a quick sip and edged closer to the nearby fireplace.

Sparx joined Nova’s side, slyly putting an arm around her shoulders, earning a blush as he smirked, “Last save point, anyone?”

“Perhaps we should wait a while before venturing out.” Antauri suggested, the silver robotic monkey tilting his head as he observed. “We are unfamiliar with the planet’s weather after all. I’m sure the Super Robot will be fine on its own in snowy conditions.”

“Ooo! Ooo! Anyone want to build a snowman?!” Otto exclaimed, rushing toward the front door, only to be barricaded by a large horned, white-haired being.

“Absolutely not!” The furred creature bellowed, possibly glaring down at Otto but it was hard to tell thanks to the shaggy hair covering its eyes. It crossed it arms as it blocked the way out. “No one goes out in weather like this. You won’t be able to see your hand in front of your face within a few minutes, never mind you ending up an icicle! It’ll last at least a day if we’re lucky,” it finished with a snort, as if daring to be challenged.

“Uh...” Chiro and the others stared at the native being who towered over them all, the furry biped looking far from warm and huggable despite the thick fur.

“What my mate means is you’re free to stay here until the storm passes. It’s not like we’ll be having any more guests coming.” Another voice spoke, calling attention to a slightly smaller being of the same species though it had larger horns. The more friendly of the pair smiled, showing off sharp teeth as they gestured to the interior of the inn, “It’s on the house since you came to help our people out. Wouldn’t be right not to offer hospitality as thanks. Plus you don’t have anywhere else to go.”

The bigger of the mates let out a snort of agreement, nodding but refusing to move from in front of the door, physically blocking any further progress. “We have five rooms available you can use.”

“That’s generous of you, I suppose some of us will double up being there’s seven of us.” Antauri gave a polite bow to their hosts. “Thank you for your generosity.”

“Not to worry, the rooms are spacious. Plenty of room for two.” The shorter innkeeper assured, smiling wider and showing off a pair of tusks. “Right, Yet’ta dear?”

“Indeed, Bentley sweetie.” His mate smiled, seemingly relaxing as the two shared a private moment despite their guests that stood between them. “You’ll all be quite comfortable. We’re not highly rated for nothing, even if we’re the only inn for miles.”

Bentley let out a snort of laughter, trying to cover it up with a cough. “We’ll leave room arrangements to you but they’re right down that hall.” He pointed in the direction, maintaining a polite business like smile, though as hair swept out of his eyes for a moment one could swear they twinkled.

“Well, Nova and I get the first room.” Sparx piped up, his arm still around Nova who, despite their public and hardly shy relationship, blushed once more and bashfully smacked him, the unintended force sending him stumbling.

“That’s one room down, as for the other four I suppose-”Antauri turned toward the others but was cut off.

“Hey, Gibson! You and Mhairi should get your own room too!”

Gibson immediately sputtered at Otto’s unwarranted suggestion while Mhairi, who had been enjoying her drink to push away any thoughts of getting wet from an outside venture, inhaled on accident and entered a small coughing fit.

As Mhairi tried to recover from choking and the shock of the proposition, noticeably beginning to turn red, Gibson looked wide eyed at his green teammate, mouth hanging open, “Wha-wha?! Otto! Why would you say that? That is highly inappropriate for you to suggest!”

“Why not, Gibson? Afraid you’ll scare her off if she has to share the room with you all alone? All night?” Sparx barbed, grinning mischievously as he watched the two turn similar shades of red, Mhairi out of embarrassment and Gibson possibly out of embarrassment and anger.

“That’s not-”

“Hey, guys it’s no big deal. I can just bunk with Otto or Antauri,” Chiro held up his hands as Gibson glared at his cheeky comrade, Mhairi suddenly looking overly interested in her mug, while Nova glared at Sparx and elbowed him, earning a wince as she disapproved of his teasing. “That way Mhairi can have her own room as well as Gibson.”

“Aw, come on guys!” Otto exclaimed, waving his hands as he tried to plead his case. “Why not share a room? You’re dating and hang out together all the time! Spending the night should be fun! Like a sleepover! Ooo, we can all do a sleepover!”

“Not this time, Otto. Maybe once we’re back on the Robot.” Antauri quickly slipped in, redirecting Otto’s innocent proposal. “We should let each choose for themselves their room arrangements. No sense forcing it and causing ill feelings.”

“Even if it makes perfect sense.” Sparx muttered not too quietly, earning another glare from Gibson and a disapproving “Sparx!” from Nova.

“My protest was the fact someone else suggested it.” Gibson countered, folding his arms as he told a half lie, heart quickening at the prospect of sharing a room with his girlfriend. “I never said we wouldn’t share a room, it’s our business. Right, Mhairi?”

Mhairi, still red, opened her beak but then closed it, giving a quick nod as she tried to become one with the wall. The agreement from his paramour solidified Gibson’s confidence, his pride soaring despite the tempting intimate thought as he smirked at Sparx, “Besides, shouldn’t you be worried Nova will kick you out, Sparx? Noisy awake, noisy asleep; perfectly logical.”

“I think you’re getting our situations mixed up.” Sparx challenged back, sparks flying between him and Gibson as both refused to back down.

“Sparx, stop making a scene in the middle of the inn.” Nova hissed, glancing around as other guests were presently tucked in their rooms or milling about.

“So I guess it’s in agreement for who has the shared rooms. Guess Flint’s with me.” Chiro shrugged, trying to bring the discussion to a close as he felt embarrassed at the bickering though it was nothing new. Flint let out a small cough on his shoulder, a puff of coal dust escaping him.

“Of course!” Gibson declared with fierce look of determination as he couldn’t let Sparx win. “A room for Mhairi and I! We claim the one farthest from Sparx.”

“Why, afraid of what I’ll hear?” Sparx grinned mischievously before Nova had enough and elbowed him once more, grabbing his audio antennae and telling him to knock it off and stop making Mhairi feel uncomfortable.

“Okay, that’s settled!” Chiro announced, looking relieved. “Antauri and Otto can choose their rooms and I’ll take whatever’s left over.”

“Whoo! Let’s go check them out!” Otto exclaimed and dashed off in the direction of the rooms. The others followed, leaving their hosts looking bemused, though two of them remained behind.

“It’ll be fine!” Gibson turned toward Mhairi who was looking a little too intently at the fire, the flames making her even hotter as she tried to hide her flushed state. He smiled at her, hands on hips as he brimmed with confidence now that Sparx had been brought to heel, thanks to his levelheaded girlfriend. He ignored the flutter in his chest, focusing on keeping his emotions in check and not push boundaries on accident, “All the privacy we need and with room to spare! Room for two, right?”

“Y-you’re right.” Mhairi managed, looking at him and smiling though she looked shy. She drew closer to him, leaving her mug on a nearby table as she gave a wider though nervous smile. “It’ll be fine.”

* * *

“This is NOT fine!”

Gibson and Mhairi stood in their room which indeed was spacious given the default size seemed to be for the natives of the planet Maelaia. The accommodations were nice and cozy with little room for complaint except for one major detail staring at them in the middle of the room.

There was only one bed.

“Uh…” Mhairi was flushing as she look at the sizeable bed that indeed left plenty of room for two while also speaking volumes about the present status of their relationship. Gibson, being the one to insist the sharing of a room under the assumption there were two beds, could feel panic mounting in his chest. He immediately thought of Sparx’s expression and could practically hear his laughter in his head at the realization all the rooms must share the same layout. The simian troll was probably ready to rush down to their room and inquire about the accommodations, smug look and voice saying it all. His alarmed state only escalated when Mhairi looked at him in her own panic, her face beginning turning red again as they locked gazes.

“Perhaps there’s another room available, we can simply switch with another guest if possible. I mean why say there’s room for two and there’s only one bed when there is two of us? Surely there is a pullout bed somewhere. Maybe a trundle!” Gibson babbled, racing toward the bed and looking under it in hopes of finding a hidden mattress that would qualm his growing hysteria at the predicament.

Alas nothing was under the bed, not even a dust bunny.

While Gibson kneeled on the floor looking like he was considering in believing in divinity and prayer right there for an answer, there was an excited cheer from next door that sounded like Otto.

Instantly there was the faint sound of sequential squeaks followed by a cheery, “This bed is humungous! Oh! We should play Five Little Monkeys! We have five monkeys! Hey guys!” The squeaks stooped, followed by a thud as feet hit the ground and Otto apparently stuck his head out into the hall. “Anyone want to play?”

“Um, no thanks, Otto.” Mhairi managed as she called over her shoulder toward the door. She fiddled with her talons as she looked at the floor to the bed to Gibson and then the ceiling.

“I can’t go out there. Sparx will be right outside, I know it. He’ll rub it in my face and I won’t hear the end of it.” Gibson was mumbling, hand on his forehead. “Those innkeepers absolutely set us up, didn’t they? I’ll file a complaint—no the others will know. The floor is an option, I mean we have plenty of pillows. What kind of service is this anyways?”

“Uh, we could... I mean...” Mhairi attempted, the feathers on her cheeks puffing slightly as she grew warmer. She began to twiddle her talons, looking at him uncertainly, “You... you know. Share the bed. It’s not fair if someone sleeps on the floor. And we don’t want to be teased for backing out by sharing with one of the others.”

Gibson looked at her, mouth hanging open as he tried to process the unexpected proposal. “Y-you... I mean, that’s completely... that is... we... uh... you’d be fine with that?” He turned red as the words left his mouth.

“I mean I shared the bed with Echo and Flint plenty of times! And there is room to spare, there’s nothing to worry about. It’s not like we’re strangers or anything.” Mhairi hastily explained, twiddling her talons as she looked at the ground, turning redder as she fought to control her wild thoughts that her abundant romance novel collection spurred. “I’m okay with it if you are... it’s just a bed.”

“True.” Gibson relaxed a bit seeing Mhairi was in agreement. “It’s just a bed, we’re simply sharing it. It’s not as if we haven’t shared seats next to each other. We’re merely resting within close proximity!”

Both fell silent and shifted their gazed elsewhere, still red. It was hardly the intimate set up either was ready for despite being in a relationship for a while. Still the sudden jump to an intimate scenario Sparx was hoping to tease them about left them both a mess as neither were prepared nor had talked about it before.

It was just a bed. Being shared by two people. Why did it have to be a thing more than that, until they were ready? The teasing certainly did not help the innocent scenario nor did their actual romantic relationship, awkwardness mounting.

“I, uh, should get changed.” Mhairi stiffly pointed toward a nearby shelf, trying to move the situation along. “It looks like there’s a bunch of complimentary pajamas for various sized guests.”

“Ah, yes. Indeed. Good idea.” Gibson nodded, looking to the pile though his mind was elsewhere.

Mhairi made her way over and picked through the pile of clothes before finding one small enough for her. “I’ll be back in a bit.” She hurried off toward the open bathroom door and shut it behind her, allowing Gibson to let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

“Great Scott, what a mess.” He pressed a hand to his head as he looked back at the rather excessively comfortable-looking large bed. Indeed there was enough room without invading personal space but the thought of laying next to Mhairi as they slept made him blush again. “Get yourself together, Mr. Hal Gibson! It’s just for one night; she’s fine with it so you should be too. Either way Sparx is going to tease you, but if he knows you chickened out it’ll be ten times worse!”

Meanwhile on the other side of the bathroom door Mhairi was pressing her face into the pajamas, muffling a barely contained scream as she turned a brighter red. The fabric was soft and fluffy but it wasn’t enough to distract her as she was trying to control her emotions regarding the situation.

She lifted her face after a minute, taking a breath, “Pull yourself together. You’ve read plenty of romance novels that handle this very scenario. You’ve got this covered; you’re totally prepared. Besides, we’re just sharing the bed, lying next to each other. We’re not…”

Her brain stalled as she grew even warmer, feathers ruffled as she turned a near impossible shade of red. She pressed her face into the pajamas once more, letting out a mild screech as her romantic daydreaming tendencies were not helping the awkward situation. Eventually she pulled back, taking deep breaths as she tried to calm down. “It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s just for one night. Besides I’m the one who basically said it was no big deal!”

She turned to look into the bathroom mirror, taking in her flushed cheeks and puffed out fur. “Get it together, Mhairi. This is the real life, not one of your romantic stories… even if they’re all I have to go on…” She reached up one talon and patted her cheeks, trying to smack some sense into herself as well as pat down her ruffled fur. “If I take too long Gibson’s going to know something’s wrong.”

She exhaled once more, determination replacing her flustered expression. She glanced down at the pajamas in her arms and unfurled them to lay them out as she changed. Instantly she tensed as she looked at the cozy clothing, her cheeks growing warm once more. “This… isn’t going to help.”

After some minutes of silent contemplation of perhaps making an excuse of why she should sleep in her day clothes or dare stepping out to pick through the clothing pile for perhaps an alternative outfit, Mhairi surrendered and slipped out of her clothes and put on the nightwear. Following fussing with her hair for minutes, trying to buy more time to gain nerve, she stood in front the bathroom door. She took a few breaths as she braced herself before reaching for the handle and slowly opening it, color in her cheeks once more while looking down shyly.

“Gib-… what’s going on?” Mhairi’s embarrassment turned to confusion as she looked up only to see her boyfriend’s head was hidden from view behind a partly open front door, apparently looking out with his attention clearly elsewhere.

“Our hosts were a bit concerned to find Flint in the fireplace.” Gibson explained as he pulled his head back from the open door, closing it. “Seems he slipped out on Chiro and decided he wanted to sit in the flames for a moment. It’s perfectly alright, Chiro has it hand-”

Gibson’s words died as his gaze went to Mhairi, his jaw falling open as he stared. Instantly Mhairi felt self-conscious and blushed, talons behind her back to hide her fiddling. Her tail curled around her feet protectively as her gaze shifted, unable to meet his wide eyes. “O-oh. That’s good… Flint does love curling up in the hottest place he can find…”

Gibson was silent, his eyes glued on Mhairi with a gaping mouth before something in his brain clicked and the ability to speak slowly was realized, “Mhairi… you… wow. I…”

“Is it that bad?” Mhairi flushed as she fidgeted, swishing the comfortable silvery nightgown she wore, the fabric suspiciously looking similar to their host’s fur. “M-maybe I should change into something else. I-It’s really soft but a gown in this weather, even if inside, really isn’t practical, don’t you think? Yes, maybe I should see if something else would be a better choice-”

“You look beautiful.”

Mhairi’s beak snapped shut, cutting off her nervous rambling as her eyes left the floor to look at Gibson. Their gazes met and silence fell, Mhairi red while Gibson looked speechless, both regarding each other. Mhairi bit back a squeak and ran her talons through her hair. “R-really?"

“Of course!” Gibson exclaimed, his cheeks turning slightly red. “I mean, that is… you always look beautiful… just…” He let out a slow exhale, his eyes on her as his voice went lower, “you look absolutely stunning.”

Mhairi barely suppressed a squeak as she combed her hair with her talons faster, unsure how much warmer she could get as a tingling sensation settled over her. “It’s n-nothing really… I mean… th-thanks.” She stammered, managing to look him in the eyes despite feeling overwhelmingly self-conscious.

“Ah, yes, well… uh, I better go freshen myself up as well! Nothing like a quick grooming before bed!” Gibson announced, clearing his throat as he made a beeline for the bathroom, movement slightly stiff-legged. He disappeared into the room with a click from the door closing and both flustered parties let out a deep breath on either side.

Mhairi looked from the bathroom back to the bed, fiddling with her talons for a few minutes more. “You got this, Mhairi.” She strode over to the sizable bed and with a slight hop managed to land on the mattress.

Instantly soft blankets molded to her talons and the softness of the bed seemed to swallow her up. Surprised, Mhairi patted the covers before flexing her talons, feeling the blankets bunch underneath. A small sigh of relief escaped her at the plush material followed by a small trill that formed in her throat naturally.

“Ah, the bed’s really soft.” Mhairi announced with warm cheeks as she heard the bathroom door open and the purr ceased out if embarrassment. She quickly smoothed out the plush blankets, patting it down to hide the fact she had been kneading the fabric. The gravity of the situation pressed down once more and her heart fluttered as she looked at Gibson, any other words failing her as her brain sputtered to a halt.

“It looks like it.” Gibson replied, not moving from the doorway, clearly stalling.

Mhairi fought her bashfulness and gave the bed a gentle pat as she scooted over, warmth spreading throughout her body. Her heart quickened but she gave an encouraging though shy smile, “Maybe you should try it. Bet it’s nothing like you’ve felt before.”

“Oh I’m certain; I trust your esteemed judgment,” came the stiff reply, awkward and guarded though sincere as Gibson nodded, giving a strained smile.

Mhairi’s expression turned to mild confusion, “Do you… want to sleep on the bed?”

“I think I’ll wait a bit before I retire. Maybe read in the chair since we have a few books of choice to peruse. Or perhaps soak in the tub. It’s been a long day, plus it’ll give you some privacy.”

“Oh… uh, okay.” Her face fell, her grip on the bedding tightening before loosening, a hint of disappointment in her eyes. “I mean, thanks. I appreciate it. M-make sure you don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Of course. I’d just hate to keep you awake while my mind is abuzz. Have to first let my brain unwind after such a busy day!”

“I guess that’s true…” Mhairi seemed to resign, hit by a pang of disappointment and envy at the thought of Sparx and Nova sharing a room with little trouble—unlike them.

Awkwardness seemed to blanket the room, Mhairi on the bed with a mixed expression and Gibson still by the bathroom. Both pointedly ignored their increased heartbeats and the storm of feelings that matched the raging blizzard trapping them at the inn.

Gibson hesitated, curling and uncurling his hands before opening his mouth. However as he did so he stilled abruptly. His eyes shifted to the floor, pinpointing what had caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. His optics adjusted, zooming in like binoculars as he went on alert at the suspicious movement.

He stared with scrutiny while whatever caught his attention halted inching across the floor and seemingly stared back. It made the mistake of twitching, flipping a switch in Gibson’s mind.

“BUG!” Gibson shouted, letting out a primal monkey screech. He leapt high into the air, fur bristling, and landed on the high bed with an audible thump despite the professed softness. The insect seemed to react to the sudden sound by wriggling furiously and shooting out a long white substance in apparent panic and defense like a party streamer.

“What?! Where?” Mhairi instantly was vigilant, blue eyes wide as she scurried over to the edge of the bed and peered over. She took an interested look at the wriggling creature without a hint of fear, eyes shining with curiosity, “Oh! A silkworm? Huh, I guess that explains the silk threads in my nightgown and the bed. Our hosts must use them to create fabric. They’re harmless!”

“It’s. A. Bug.” Gibson breathed, heart thundering against his ribcage as if it were about to perform a prison break. He stood ridged on the bed, grimacing as his fur stood on end. “A disgusting, crawling organism that I do NOT appreciate being in the same vicinity as me. What sort of inn are they running, letting those things crawl about?!”

“Well, it’s gone now. I think you scared each other.” She informed, watching from the edge as the alien silkworm displayed incredible speed and shot under the door where there was a small crack. “It’s safe to get down.”

“I think I’ll stay here for a while.” Gibson stiffly informed, still looking spooked. “I mean, the bed is high-I mean comfortable. It feels like I’m on a warm cloud—that is if clouds were physical and not just vapor and water. Why should I get down now?”

Mhairi blinked at his rambling, noting the nervousness and paranoia he tried to cover with logic. She tried not to smile at his expense and simply nodded, “I’ll just… lay down over here. Though, I can check and see if it’s gone-”

“NO! I mean, no, it’s fine. No need to inconvenience yourself for my sake. You’re already comfortable. It’s not like if we open the door there’s going to be a parade of them marching off to go cocoon or forage,” He added the last part nervously.

“If you say so.” She resigned, slowly edging back toward the middle of the bed, trying not to stare though she snuck a glance. Catching a curious look out of the corner of her eye she adjusted her seat, sinking into the material a bit more. Conversation escaped her as she tried to grasp for something rather than the nervous energy between them,  “Well, at least the bed is heavenly.”

Gibson twitched at the change of subject, eyes still glued on the crack. “Huh? Oh, yes. It is.” He nodded, attention clearly elsewhere. After a few watchful moments, he slowly sat down, hands running over the covers.

The conversation lulled and the two remained on the bed in silence, Gibson mumbling to himself over the components of the mattress and blankets as a distraction and Mhairi quietly staring at the ceiling, fiddling with her claws.

She snuck glances at Gibson once in a while, nervousness buzzing through her veins. Her beak opened slightly a few times, searching for words but resigned to focusing on the ceiling’s wooden beams to seek out a pattern to distract herself with. Her tail flicked slightly and curled as a sense of longing settled in her chest, invoking warmth that spread and rose to her face.

Gibson let out a sigh to decompress as he lay down, searching for a new distraction as time stretched on. He fought the urge to drum his fingers, and eventually his mind went back to Mhairi’s hair; it looked so soft and beautiful.

The impulse to touch and run his hands through it grew and Gibson was lost in fantasy until he felt something lightly brush against his tail. He was jerked out of his thoughts, fur bristling as his head whipped toward the source. Paranoia overcame him over the thought that another unwelcomed insect was in the room with them. A barely muffled screech formed in his throat that he fought to keep contained led to a high-pitched bewildered, “Wha-“

“S-Sorry!” Mhairi blurted, jerking her wandering tail away from him and curling up tighter. Color flushed her cheeks as she glared at her tail as if about to scold it like a naughty pet.

“Oh… Oh! It’s alright! I was just startled out of my thoughts.” Gibson assured, looking at her though his eyes went to her let down hair before back to her bashful expression. Warmth crawled up his neck and he let out a cough, his gaze shifting back to the ceiling as if he could pin the growing want in his chest above him, “Got a lot on my mind.”

She gave a nod, still flushing. Both fell silent once again, the faint noises from the lobby barely penetrating the walls. Next door, Otto seemed to have tired himself out from playing as not a sound escaped from the other room. Thoughts of embrace teased the two as they were over an arm’s-length from one another, the pleasure of looking at the other’s face while they lay sleeping-

“Oh!” Mhairi squeaked, flinching and looking down in time to see Gibson’s tail stroke hers, caressing it gently. Her eyes widened as she watched the retreating tail, shifting to Gibson’s face with a look of confusion and curiosity.

“Sorry.” Gibson apologized, suddenly very self-conscious as his own tail betrayed his yearning.  The thought of being nearer to Mhairi resulted in his tail subconsciously seeking her out. With warm cheeks he swished it away, laying stiffly with resolve to mind his manners no matter the desire burning in his chest.

Both lay still, awkward and flushing, very aware of the distance between them.

When it was nearing an hour and sleep still evaded both of them, Gibson steeled himself. Anxiety was humming through his body as his heart continued to thud, urging him to sneak a glance at Mhairi once more, which he finally did after adamant deliberation. She was still pointedly watching the ceiling, but he noticed, despite the warmth he felt increasing once more, that she was wearing the bell collar he had gifted her to bed. His eyebrows rose slightly in surprise; he had been too preoccupied with her emergence from the bathroom in the flattering nightgown and hair down to note that detail.

“Oh, you’re wearing the collar.” The comment slipped out before he realized it and Mhairi stilled at the break in silence.

“Y-yeah… I never take it off. Uh, that is, if I take it off I don’t want to chance losing it. It’s really comfortable and it’s not too noisy. It doesn’t bother me to sleep with.” She babbled, her gaze darting away as she seemed to grow red again. Her voice came out soft, tinged with embarrassment and tenderness, “It’s an important gift from you.”

Gibson stared at her for a moment, taken aback as she fidgeted, touching the collar fondly. Plucking up his courage to speak his mind with sincere reassurance and praise, he hesitantly began, “I just... I wanted to say how pretty your hair looks. I’ve never seen it down before.”

“Oh?” She squeaked, blue eyes widening with surprise as she turned toward him. “Y-you think so? I-it’s nothing special.”

“It’s different and I like it. Though, to be accurate, it is special since it’s just another aspect of you.” He paused, feeling flushed and his voice came out low, “You… are amazing, Mhairi.”

“Wh-What?” She sputtered, staring at him. “What brought this on?”

Gibson swallowed his hesitation, unlocking his intertwined fingers and gesturing, “It’s the truth. I just wanted to take a moment to tell you that. Let you know you’re appreciated. And you really helped out earlier.”

“Well, of course; I’m part of the team. I do what I can to help.”

“Right, but I still wanted to voice my affirmation.”

“Oh… well, I… We wouldn’t have pulled through without your keen observation. But aside from the recent mission…” Mhairi turned to look at him, feathers slightly puffed with a red shade on her cheeks, “you’re pretty amazing too.”

“I guess the verdict is unanimous.” Gibson attempted to joke despite his heart fluttering and Mhairi gave a little nod and shy smile. Although the ice had been broken, the awkward situation still lingered over them, nerves beginning to rise again once the distraction of conversation was gone.

Gibson caught movement out of the corner of his eye again, slightly tensing only to see Mhairi’s tail slowly moving in his direction with growing flicks. As he regarded the nearing tail with amusement, Mhairi let out a gasp in realization and pulled it back once more. “It’s alright.” Gibson assured though she looked petrified as if ready to die from embarrassment. “There’s plenty of room.”

“I-I know. I…” Mhairi hesitated, debating silently before saying with a deeper blush, “I just don’t want to be in your space... Er, I mean, I do! I really want to be!”

Gibson blinked in surprise, earning a hasty explanation and an even redder Mhairi who blurted, “I really want to cuddle! It’s all I’ve been thinking about while lying here! I’ve been wanting to snuggle since we got into this situation, to be near you and embrace you. L-Like the lovers in my books! I really wanted to experience it for myself, with someone I completely care for and love and… Ancestors! You must think I’m a selfish, hopeless romantic.” 

Gibson regarded Mhairi, her face hidden in her talons, while he felt himself grow warm as well, at a loss for words. He was stunned for a few moments before smiling softly and shyly, “I wouldn’t mind.”

“Y-you wouldn’t?” Came the half-muffled response, Mhairi peeking partly through her talons.

“No, the warmth would be nice…” He shifted and moved slightly closer, his circuits buzzing as his heart pounded and soared, “Your warmth would be nice. Honestly, I’ve been thinking of being near you this whole time, but I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to initiate or not.”

“You have!?” She exclaimed, talons pulled away from her face as she looked at him in disbelief. Her eyes shone with hopefulness, but still shy and embarrassed.

Gibson offered a wider smile and reached out slowly. His hand brushed her hair gently, lightly caressing her face as he moved a few locks out of the way. “Absolutely consumed by it, like solving the unknown realms of quantum physics.”

Mhairi’s shade of red deepened and she let out a squeaky, “O-oh.” Her eyes flickered down and for a few moments she did nothing. Then slowly, she scooted closer, her tail flicking before swiping across Gibson’s legs and moving down, brushing against his tail with longing.

Gibson smiled and flicked his own tail, gently wrapping his around hers to keep it from slipping away, a light blush on his cheeks as he accepted the gesture. The reciprocated action startled Mhairi, her eyes widening but she did not pull away, instead letting her tail intertwine with his.

“Th-this…Is nice.” Mhairi confessed, looking as if she were about to combust at the intimacy she craved so deeply and was now being indulged with. She inhaled, taking in Gibson’s scent, feeling his body radiating heat since they were currently only a few inches apart. “It feels...”

“It feels right,” Gibson smiled, slowly extending a hand toward her, palm up in invitation. Mhairi hesitated briefly though she slowly reached out to gently grasped his hand, to which Gibson repositioned their hands upright to intertwine their fingers.

The two lay in silence, unsure of what to say as they simply soaked up the sensation of the other’s touch and gazing shyly at one another. Mhairi flexed her talons slightly, giving a tender squeeze that Gibson returned, sending a ripple of comfort through both of them.

After a while Gibson curled closer, letting out a sigh of contentment. “You were right before; this bed is quite comfortable. I could fall asleep at any moment. I wonder what they use to stuff the mattresses? Some type of plant fiber? Our hosts’ own fur perhaps? I can see why Otto wanted to play; this is another dimension of comfort.”

A giggle escaped Mhairi as blush crept across her face once more, “Think that’s how they really trap guests here? The beds alone will make you never want to leave, never mind a storm.”

“Maybe, it’s a diabolical scheme. This bed might swallow us up with its alluring comfort.” Gibson teased, smirking at his companion. “Do you suppose we’ve stumbled onto some villains hiding in plain sight?”

“Oh you know it!”

“Perhaps we should alert the others. Clearly it’s a very serious matter.”

“The dastardly acts of hospitality must be investigated!”

The two laughed lightly, the bed quivering slightly with their mirth. The detour was proving itself manageable thanks to the amount of comfort the inn offered as well as the company being kept.

Gibson smiled, inching closer to Mhairi as he felt emboldened, “I’m glad I’m here with you.”

“Me too.” Mhairi drew closer until her knees brushed against him. Soon the two were embracing, Gibson running his hand gently through her hair and fur, and Mhairi through his, “Definitely worth it.”

Gibson could only smile wider and hug Mhairi closer. The two lay still, limbs entangled and tails wrapped around each other. As they snuggled Mhairi let out a sigh, a light purr escaping her and Gibson blushed.

“I love you, Gibson.”

“And I love you.” Gibson gently kissed her forehead, feeling warmth throughout his body at her words, his own confession coming out easily. Mhairi curled closer before turning her head upward and giving him a tiny kiss.

“Sleep well.”

“Sweet dreams, Mhairi.”

Both continued to lay together, a mix of small kisses and purrs as the night went on. Finally the day caught up to them and the feeling of comfort and warmth carried the two off to sleep.

* * *

Gibson awoke the next morning with something warm pressed against his chest and a tickling sensation on his chin. Confused for a moment he drowsily pulled his head back to find Mhairi curled against him, her talon resting gently against his chest while her hair brushed against his chin. Instantly he remembered the night before and where they were.

As he looked at her sleeping face with a fresh blush spreading across his own, his breath catching, which in turn caused his chest to shudder. Mhairi’s brow scrunched together in slight vexation and curled closer to him, letting out a sleepy murmur, “Just five more minutes.”

Gibson suppressed a chuckle as he watched her. He dared to wrap his arms around her, pulling her closer and running his fingers through her hair once more. As the sunbeams from outside shown through the curtains on the window, Gibson’s thoughts drifted. What time was it anyways? He’d lost track as they had laid together for who knows how long until they had drifted off to sleep. He could faintly hear noises from outside, alerting him that it was late enough for other guests to be awake.

Suddenly there was an energetic knock on the door as he was just about to check his internal clock. Before he could answer, the door flew open—mortifyingly reminding Gibson he had forgotten to lock it the night before—and banged against the wall with a resounded smack.

“WAKEY, WAKEY! EGGS AND BAKEY!” Otto declared, throwing his arms out dramatically as he stood in the doorway, beaming.

“Otto! What are you doing!?” Gibson demanded, bolting upright and jostling Mhairi who let out a startled noise. He had half a mind to throw a blanket over the two of them as if something scandalous had been discovered.

“Sparx said you might need a ‘courtesy call’ since you guys overslept!” Otto smiled wider, looking at the two of them without a hint of embarrassment or shame. “Morning~”

“Of course he did.” Gibson dragged a hand tiredly over his face, certain he could hear Sparx’s snickers from around the corner.

“Mhmmm, what?” Mhairi sleepily wondered, rubbing her eyes as she sat up. She blinked sleepily at Otto and the open door. Instantly her eyes widened and a startled squeak escaped her as she turned a fresh shade of red and pulled the sheets to cover herself despite the nightgown she was still wearing.

“Otto… could you please give us a moment?” Gibson asked as politely as he could manage, his annoyance and exasperation nearly at a record high.

“Oh yeah!” The green monkey nodded, turning around to grant them some privacy. “I’ll let the others know you’re coming!” He paused as he pivoted, tensing with realization, “Oh, I almost forgot! I have something really cool to show you!”

“Can it wai-” Gibson began as Otto grabbed at something behind his back.

“Check out this cool worm I found!” Otto beamed with childlike wonder, holding up an all too familiar form that instantly wiggled as if on cue.

Needless to say anyone else sleeping in was instantly woken by the sound of a high-pitched scream that resounded throughout the inn and shook the nearby mountain clear of its freshly fallen snow.

#writing commission #commission #fandom #OC #commissioned #ElysseBee Writing #ElysseB writing #SRMTHFG #Hal Gibson #Gibson #fandom writing #fanfic #fan fic #Mhairi #srmthg #visionofwings #Spanova #Sparx #Nova #Otto #Antauri #Chiro

[netbug009]

Fanfic Trope: Person A has seen some shit and has a nightmare about it. They wake up and are comforted by Person B.

10/10 WOULD WRITE AM A SAP FOR HURTCOMFORTSprx/Nova immediately comes to mind, with Sprx having flashbacks from the Fire of Hate in the form of nightmares. Although now that Sprx has been confirmed to remember all that crap... hmm... How about Raph/Mona since Raph saw his ENTIRE PLANET GET DESTROYED and Mona having to all but beat why Raph is upset out of him because HE IS SMOL ANGRY WHO ONLY TALKS ABOUT ANGRY FEELINGS could be fun.

#tmnt 2012 #srmthg #srmthfg #fic trope meme #Anonymous

[superrobotmonkeyteamramblingsgo]

Until my new fanfictions are done, I’m gonna reblog all my other SRMTHG fics to this blog. And their Spova fics, so warning in advance for those to don’t like the ship

[sweetcircuits]

hey so out of nowhere i started hyperfixating on this show and i haven’t even actually watched it yet (besides reading a few fics and listening to the theme song, it’s a bop)…and i won’t lie, it’s mainly because of chiro, i find him really cute

is the fandom still alive or have i missed the boat? cuz i was a baby during the show’s original run

Hi and welcome!! The SRMTHFG fandom is definitely still alive and kicking! We're not as active now as we have been in the past, but there's a TON OF REALLY REALLY FUCKING AWESOME ART/FICS/GIFS/META here!

A couple of blogs I would recommend if you want srmthfg content: @sweetcircuits - gifs, art @srmthfgifs - gifs @srmthg - big blog that reblogs all kind of content @projectaffectivity - art, meta @monkeysmobilize - art @nobodysaidmonkey - meta @tauriatalksmonkeys - fics, meta @yetanothersrmthfg - art @superrobotmonkeyteamramblingsgo - art, meta, fics @formlessmonkeys - art, meta, memes @incorrect-srmthfg-quotes - memes I also recommend looking through the srmthfg and srmthg tags! But if you haven't watched the show yet - there's two pretty big twists in the show and because the show is so old nobody tags for them, so be careful looking through blogs and tags if that's something you mind.

The theme song ABSOLUTELY SLAPS lbr, it's by the same artists that did the theme song for the OG Teen Titans series! AND YES CHIRO!!! Chiro is a beloved blorbo of this fandom, he's also my personal second favorite character (very close second, Otto is my favorite XD) Chiro's adorable and kickass and a huge nerd and he has a very good, pure heart and determination in spades. He deserves all the good things.

#srmthfg #srmthg #this fandom has been stubbornly sticking around for a long time even though the show's original airing is long over #thanks for sending this ask! #i love hearing about new fans getting into this show #🥰 #lmk if you want specific recs or just wanna chat abt the show #candy says stuff #answered asks #anonymous

[sweetcircuits]

Double Vision

Summary: In a universe where the monkeys are from a species where twins are the norm, the Alchemist began the Robot Monkey Project with nine monkeys, one single and four pairs of twins. Six of those monkeys survive to be built into the Robot Monkeys that would go on to protect Shuggazoom. Three of those monkeys do not.

Gibson collapsed to his knees in front of the keyboard, forearms pressed against the ridges of the console, fists pressed into his lenses almost hard enough to crack them. It couldn’t be true. Their siblings. Their own flesh and blood. Their twins, born from the same mother, from the same womb. They had died, and they had no memory of this.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Read it on Ao3 here! (I’m updating this story every Saturday until it’s finished.)

So I wrote an angst fic! It’s not my usual brand, but I had an idea that absolutely would not leave me alone. If you guys like angst, hurt/comfort, feels, did I mention angst? but angst with a happy ending, you might like this fic! Almost all the characters cried at some point in this story. I make no apologies. And I cried while writing this so you have to all suffer too. :3

(shoutout to @superrobotmonkeyteamramblingsgo​ for her amazing plot bunny! Thank you for the idea that wouldn’t leave me alone and for encouraging me while I was writing it! It’s this post, btw, she had an idea about what if the monkeys were twins? If maybe we could pair up all the monkeys, or if each of the monkeys had a dead twin? So I took the “dead twin” idea and ran with it, and this fic happened!)

(also shoutout to @monkeyinaround for making me actually post this to Ao3! I wrote this story like, last June, but I was worried about posting it so I didn’t... thank you for the encouragement and kick in the pants I needed to post it!)

#srmthfg #srmthg #super robot monkey team hyperforce go #i do love hurt/comfort and i write it a lot but i usually don't go really angsty #but i wrote this in a week in a hyperfocused fever and i'm very proud of how it turned out! #i know a few of you have already read the fic so far and that means a lot to me! thank you! #my fics #text

[sweetcircuits]

Once upon a time, in Shuggazoom City, lived a pair of siblings who loved each other very much. The boy had a magical destiny—he was to become the blade that would shatter the darkness that threatened to destroy the universe. And the girl would become the shield to guard him, to protect him from everything the universe could throw at them.

As Chiro went along his hero’s journey, Amber found herself getting wrapped up in the middle of all the Hyperforce’s troubles. Amber’s story became the story of two siblings, five cyborg monkeys, a robot girl, and a super robot —a team, a family bonded in love and light, that would stand tall against the forces of darkness.

(Or, it’s basically a show rewrite from the POV of Chiro’s sister!)

[link in reblog]

If you like OC’s, sibling shenanigans, monkey team shenanigans, Chiro getting the love and affection he deserves, and/or canon from a slightly different perspective, you’ll probably like this fic and this AU! It’s been in the works for about 5 years now, and I’m now getting around to editing and rewriting it to make it as amazing as possible. I’m planning on having this fic cover the entirety of the show, so Amber’s got a lot ahead of her!

#srmthfg #srmthg #super robot monkey team hyperforce go #srmthfg oc #my fics #art i made

[sweetcircuits]

Train of Thought

a little gibotto drabble. partially inspired by @hey-erika‘s sweet gibotto artwork!

* * * * * * * * * *

The lab door hissed open and Otto stuck his head around the edge of the doorframe. “Gibson, dinner’s done. Come on up as soon as you can, okay?”

Gibson waved a hand in acknowledgement, his focus still on the slides and sheets in front of him. “I’ll be up in a moment, Otto.”

Otto nodded, satisfied, and left, the door swishing closed behind him.

The rest of the team ate and cleaned up and Gibson was nowhere to be found. Nova shrugged and put Gibson’s plate in the fridge for him.

Otto happened to be looking at the cameras and caught sight of the blue Monkey reheating his dinner in the oven… four hours later. His brow creased and he bit his lip.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Here you go, Gibson!” the green Monkey said cheerfully. He plunked down Gibson’s dinner onto the lab table. “I brought this down for you so you can still eat while you work.”

Gibson was examining something very intently in the electron microscope but glanced up at the beaming face of the green Monkey. “Otto, you didn’t have to do that. I would have gotten my own meal.”

“I know I didn’t… like, have to, but I wanted to make sure you ate,” Otto said, swinging his leg. “You get so focused on what you’re doing that you don’t eat.”

Gibson tilted his head. “Well, I appreciate the gesture. Thank you, Otto.” He turned back to his work, twisting the magnifying lenses on the microscope, and Otto got the distinct feeling that their conversation was over.

A couple of hours later he stuck his head into the lab again to look for some more supplies for welding and instead found the blue Monkey asleep at his desk. His head was nestled in the crook of his arm, the screen of a datapad still glowing under his hand. Otto sighed. He wrapped a blanket around Gibson’s shoulders and looked at him for a moment, his hand resting softly on his back.  He smiled and began to organize the blue Monkey’s desk, putting all his papers into one pile and turning off the datapad. His fingers brushed against something cold and smooth and he leaned over the desk to see what it was.

It was Gibson’s dinner, untouched and so cold it might as well have been frozen.

Otto sighed and took the plate, leaving the blue Monkey to the nap he apparently sorely needed.

* * * * * * * * * *

Gibson didn’t notice the green Monkey enter the room until his tail brushed against his. He jolted up out of his concentrated study. “Otto! What are you doing?”

Otto huffed. “I brought you your dinner. And you’re gonna eat it this time.”

Gibson looked up at the green Monkey and blinked. “I will eat it when I have time. I’m in the middle of some very important power output analyses for the neutron generator—”

Otto didn’t let him finish, plunking himself down on the chair next to him. “I know it’s important. Everything you do all the time is important. I know. But you’ve gotta eat something.” He carefully forked up some of the casserole. “Open up.”

Gibson blushed a deep purple and flailed. “Otto, you don’t have to do that! I am perfectly capable—”

“No, you’re not, 'cause you forgot to eat dinner twice this week,” Otto interrupted firmly. “You gotta eat. You’re always on us about our diets and how we have to have balance and everything, and you keep forgetting to eat.” He got more casserole on the fork. “You can keep reading your data sheets if you want, that’s fine, just open your mouth.”

Gibson’s head was spinning almost as badly as when he got spun out in his Fist Rocket. It was rare that he didn’t know what to say, but this situation was new and he didn’t know how to process it. Through his haze he supposed he opened his mouth because Otto was suddenly feeding him and it was strangely intimate and that was a feeling he didn’t know how to quantify. He chewed and swallowed. “Otto, please, this is unnecessary…”

Otto put his hand on his hip. “Gibson. I know you hafta work while your train of thought’s goin’, and if you stop you’ll go off the track and not be able to get back on. I do that too. But if you’re working so much you forget to eat, then I’m gonna make sure you do both.” He tilted his head at the blue Monkey. “I worry about you sometimes.”

Hearing the words ‘I worry about you’ come out of the green Monkey’s mouth directed at him hit him like a punch right in the heart. Otto cared about him. Otto cared about him so much he took time to sit with him and make sure he ate. His heart fluttered in his chest. Stars above help him.

Gibson sighed, relented, and allowed himself to be fed while he scanned and organized the data sheets.

And he never skipped dinner again.

#srmthfg #srmthg #gibson #otto #gibotto #this situation definitely happens a lot more than gibson would like to admit lol #this is only my second time writing something significant for this ship #and i hope it's good i wrote and edited this in twenty minutes and it shows #i have a mixed relationship with gibotto but i think it's cute #otto's such a sweetheart and it makes me happy #my fics #drabbles

[elyssebeeart]

What About Us

A writing commission for @visionsofwings (PDF on dA)

Series: Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go Pairing: FandomxCanon (MhairixGibson) Word count: ~4.5k Rating: G Previous: Starlit Garden Next: Just the Two of Us

---------------------

“You’d think they’d take better care of these. They’re relics of our past, links to our history.”

“Well they are relics, Uncle Strix. We don’t usually find them in excellent condition.”

The white colored Grypherian with red markings let out a snort and grumbled as he continued to clean the artifacts that presently required his care, his purple eyes focused. “No excuse for some of their conditions. I think some of this wear is neglect from its previous owners long ago rather than age.”

“I imagine they weren’t thinking much of the future in having their descendants digging up their past.” Mhairi tried not to smile at her uncle’s fussing as she hovered over a strange spherical object set before her that was projecting a hologram of various dots that signified planets and galaxies. She tapped a talon to her chin, thoughtful before typing in an additional entry to the currently selected planet. “I guess I should be thankful the language hasn’t changed too much but it’s still a challenge to translate it from ancient Grypherian to modern Grypherian to Universal.”

“Our very own Mhairi Key.”

Mhairi let out a laugh as she typed more text, adding it to her built-in map cipher. “Stop teasing!”

“Me, tease? Really Mhairi, know me better than that. Besides, why not? You’re the pride of our family and have contributed much for our people.” Strix glanced at her as he paused his careful restoration of an artifact that came from the ancient Grypherian spacecraft they had discovered in the underground ruins. The rather serious Grypherian looked at his niece with pride. “Your mother would be proud, as your uncle, aunt and I are. It’s okay to indulge and name something after you.”

The younger yellow Grypherian flushed at the praise, the fur on her cheeks puffing slightly. “I’m just doing what I can so our race can learn from our past and travel the stars once again. I just hope my translation of the Map will make it easier for future Grypherians and other races to read. There is so much to translate, I don’t know if I’ll finish it within my life time.” She reached up and tapped a dot, expanding it into a full galaxy depicting more planets that were unknown. “It would be wonderful if other races besides ours can use it. Programming it is going to take a lot of time though.”

“You’ve done more than I ever could, Mhairi. You deserve all the credit. Just be sure to stay humble.” Strix wagged a claw out of caution though he smiled despite his serious tone. Mhairi opened her beak to say more when a new voice cut in.

“I’m here for Professor Mhairi.”

Mhairi and Strix turned around to see a Royal Guard standing in the entranceway, looking uptight with serious green eyes and a buffed breast. The newcomer’s presence caused them to raise their eyebrows.

“Yes?” Mhairi inquired as she fought a wave of anxiety at the sight of a member of the Royal Guard who was not her aunt. Why would any other member be present if it weren’t a crisis?

“Is Wavery alright?” Strix inquired, worry coloring his otherwise dry tone as concern shone in his purple eyes. The same thought was clearly on his mind as he thought of his mate’s health. “Or is something else the matter, soldier?”

“The Captain is in fine health! Her Eternal Majesty Queen Sahara requests an audience with you.” The guard announced with vigor and a salute, her eyes wandering toward the holographic map before snapping back to meet Mhairi’s gaze in proper fashion. “I am to escort you to the palace posthaste.”

“Not another crisis regarding the universe, I hope.” Strix muttered, annoyed at having been worried for nothing yet concerned for his niece’s wellbeing given her last off world adventure. However he looked over at Mhairi, gauging her response at the summons.

“Really?” The question slipped out despite knowing it had to be the Queen who’d sent the guard. After all the fancy ceremonies for saving the universe alongside the Hyperforce, she thought all the pomp and circumstance would be the end point of her interactions with the revered monarch despite familial connections. She blinked and looked at her uncle who gave her a nod in support. “I better get going then.”

“Take care.” Strix called as she walked over to the guard who pivoted and began leading her to the palace. As Mhairi followed her guide she couldn’t help wonder, confusion washing over her as well as slight panic. Subconsciously she reached for the bell around her neck, trying to get a sense of reassurance and calm.

What could the Queen want?

* * *

“Okay, team. Let’s go over our mission report. That last mission was a bit of a doozy.” The black haired teen sat at the table with three of his companions with folded arms. “Everyone is okay though, right? Sparx, Otto, Nova?”

“You’re telling me, I’m still cleaning slush out of my circuits.” Sparx complained, the red cyborg monkey smacking the side of his head for emphasis as it discharged a glob of purple goop. “Maybe next time we should scout it out beforehand. You know, avoid some grim and nasty creatures if it can be helped.”

“Really, Sparx? Shying away from a challenge? You’re just upset I got a higher count than you.” Nova teased, the yellow cyborg monkey grinning at the other. “I’m fine, Chiro. Someone’s just being a big baby.”

“But it was so much fun!” The green cyborg monkey exclaimed, bouncing in his seat with glee. Otto, ever the fun-loving one, beamed at their human leader. “We should do it again!”

“No!” Came the chorus from the other three, causing Otto to look bashful as he playfully stuck out his tongue. Nearby a gray aquatic alien stood, clothed in purple and sporting a helmet as she held a small red dragon with closed eyes. Echo watched the scene with an always present impassive expression, her red eyes hooded. In her arms the small dragon known as Flint suddenly perked up, his head whipping toward the elevator inside the Super Robot and Echo turned her attention to it as well.

Within seconds the doors opened and Mhairi appeared, looking slightly distraught. The Grypherian seemed distracted given she didn’t acknowledge anyone inside the room. Instantly Flint let out a chirp and jumped down, rushing over to her, making various noises to get her attention. Mhairi blinked and smiled at his display for affection, picking him up and allowing him to lick her face as he purred. “Hi, Flint.”

“Mhairi!” Nova exclaimed, noticing the other yellow member of the team had arrived.

“Yo, if it isn’t my favorite feathered friend!” Sparx grinned as he and Nova hopped down from their seats at the table to greet Mhairi. “It’s been a week, you doing good?”

“Well-”

“Mhairi! Mhairi! You missed out on a cool mission! There was a bunch of squishing and splattering and ‘oos’! And ‘AAAHS’ though that was mostly Sparx!” Otto jumped up and down as he leapt down to join the others, Chiro right behind him. “I should have saved some in a jar…”

“I think she’s good, Otto.” Chiro gave the green monkey a pat as he smiled at Mhairi. “It’s good to have you back, Mhairi. You must be busy with your uncle and working on translating the Map. Can’t wait to see it and be able to read it for myself.”

“R-right. Thanks.” Mhairi gave a smile, nodding as she was surrounded by most of the Hyperforce. Her blue gaze shifted around, looking for the missing two members though her expression was pinched. This earned a head tilt from Echo, red eyes locked onto the Grypherian.

“What’s wrong?” She asked bluntly though her ‘voice’ carried a slight worried tone as it was projected from her helmet to translate her thoughts.

The question startled Mhairi who blinked, her blue eyes shifting to meet the red gaze. “Echo. It’s…” She took a breath, holding Flint close to her chest as Echo watched intently, concerned as the others look surprised at her now clear distress. “I-”

There was a whooshing mechanical noise that interrupted Mhairi and the others looked to see the doors slide open to reveal the rest of the team: Gibson and Antauri. The blue cyborg monkey and the silver robotic monkey looked up from their apparent conversation, seeing the group before them.

“Mhairi!” Gibson exclaimed, a smile forming. The blue monkey hurried on over with Antauri tailing him, “I wasn’t expecting you! I thought you said another few days.”

“Someone’s happy.” Sparx muttered, earning an elbowing from Nova who shushed him, a disapproving and concerned look on her face.

Mhairi didn’t say anything, instead looking at Gibson before her eyes moved to the floor then looked back at the others as she took a deep breath, “I have something to tell everyone.”

“Oh, is it a story?” Otto looked excited to which Antauri shook his head, sensing the unease.

“What is it? Are you alright?” Gibson inquired with a worried expression, confused as to why she was acting so distant.

“Queen Sahara requested an audience with me.” Mhairi blurted out, making Flint squeak in surprise as she squeezed him accidentally.

“And that’s… good or bad?” Chiro tentatively asked, confused as well as concerned. “I mean she seemed nice at the ceremony?”

“It’s…” Mhairi took a breath, “The Queen is still without a Councilor since the previous one betrayed her. Meaning there’s an opening within the Court.”

“That sounds like a dilemma.” Antauri voiced, folding his arms in thought as he watched. “Was she consulting you on the matter?”

Mhairi looked as if she would shrink into a yellow fur ball right there but didn’t. “Um, yeah. Actually… she said in light of my accomplishments she would like me to be the new Councilor.”

“Wow! Really? That’s great news!” Nova exclaimed bowling past Sparx to hug Mhairi, causing the red monkey to spin. “That means you can really help your people with that position! You’ve worked so hard for this!”

“Wow, that is great news.” Chiro beamed, “Congratulations!”

“It sounds like a big position but I know you can do it.” Echo chimed in, sounding encouraging with a small smile on her face.

Mhairi seemed to blush at the praise, her fur puffing as a slight red tint seeped into her cheeks, but her gaze shifted down to the floor once more. “Th-thanks. It is… except...” Flint let out a peep as her gaze move back to the others, her blue eyes serious, “It’s a great honor. I’m honored, but I would be required to be by the Queen’s side and be head of the Court.”

“Wait, then that means…” Gibson began, his face tense while the others seemed to sense his worry, glancing at one another.

“I can’t leave Kanoni.” Mhairi shifted her gaze to him, her voice low as her eyes darted away again, “I would no longer be able to assist you all on missions, or come to Shuggazoom for visits anymore.”

“So this is goodbye!?” Otto blurted, looking horribly distraught. “But you just got here! And I didn’t get you any goop! You can’t leave now!”

“N-no! Not yet… the Queen gave me a few days to make my decision so I thought I would stay here until I have to give my answer. To have one last off world venture.”

“A few days…?” Gibson repeated, his voice full of disbelief while he looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

Mhairi nodded mutely, not daring to look at him as the floor was apparently far more interesting and far less anxiety inducing as it lacked a pair of eyes and feelings. Nova glanced back and forth between the couple with an evaluating gaze before taking action.

“Oh! Speaking of ventures, our mission briefing! We should probably finish that.” Nova announced, looking at the rest of the group with a certain expression, nodding toward the doors, clearly trying to segue. “Antauri can share his insight with us regarding what we faced.”

 “Ah yes, excellent idea, Nova. We can use my quarters.” Antauri agreed, glancing at Chiro who seemed to catch their drift. The teenager nodded, unsure of how to ease away from the subject let alone excuse himself from the obviously needed private moment.

“Right! Since none of us got hurt we can catch you up later, Gibson. No need to come.” He informed, giving a small wave as he moved to follow Nova and Antauri.

“Why would—Oh… Oh!” Sparx exclaimed, holding up a finger out of realization, earning a facepalm from Nova. However Gibson didn’t seem to hear the others, still staring at Mhairi with a dazed expression while the Grypherian looked as uncomfortable as possible.

“Come on, Otto. You promised to bake those special cookies after, remember?” Echo coaxed the teary eyed green monkey who sniffled. However at the mention of cookies he brightened and dashed off, apparently forgetting his sorrow for the time being. Echo glanced over at Gibson and Mhairi before following, seemingly giving silent wishes to her best friend. Flint gave one look at Mhairi before letting out a peep and licking her talons. He then squirmed out of her grip to run off to join the others.

“I… I guess we need to talk.” Mhairi weakly stated, daring to look at Gibson as they stood alone in the room. The blue monkey was avoiding her gaze, pointedly looking at the floor as his hands curled and then loosened. 

“That would be an understatement.” He replied though his voice carried no sarcasm, only disbelief. He turned away for a moment, muttering under his breath and Mhairi took it as a chance to summon some courage as she swallowed.

“Gibson-”

“What about us?”

Mhairi blinked at the question as Gibson looked at her, his face tight. “What does this mean for us, Mhairi? If you accept this position then…” He gestured loosely to the two of them, his voice almost pointed though it sounded more desperate despite the logic behind it.

“I-I know. I know.” Her voice trembled as she tried not to cry. “I don’t know, I haven’t made up my mind yet. This is such a huge opportunity, beyond what I could even dream of. But at the same time it means we… we can’t be together.” The words barely made it out of her mouth without a hitch.

“Even if you can’t leave we can always still visit you.” Gibson proposed, instantly formulating a plan as his heart raced. “Sure you can’t come to Shuggazoom but it doesn’t mean we can’t go to Kanoni. It would just be a really long distance relationship.”

Mhairi shook her head as she grabbed her arms to comfort herself, suppressing a tremble. “It won’t work. What you and the rest of the team do is so important to the universe, to all of existence; I can’t ask you to come to Kanoni every spare minute you have. You all are welcome to visit anytime but that’d be selfish of me to expect that of you… I…” She turned away, trying to hide her forming tears. “I just want to do what’s best for my people, but I don’t want it to end like this. I don’t want us to end.”

Gibson was quiet, watching her back as her shoulders trembled slightly, signaling she was indeed crying. He reached out a hand toward her but stopped, his heart squeezing as she was obviously trying to steel herself. “Neither do I… Look, you still have a few days. Let’s make the best of them, whatever your decision. This is all so sudden I can’t ask you to make up your mind right now; it’s a lot to process, for the both of us.”

Mhairi shook her head and rubbed her eyes before turning to look at him, sniffling. “I’m sorry, Gibson. I just… I need time to think. I’m sorry.” He gave a curt nod, bracing himself and she bolted from the room, leaving him standing there alone, both of them feeling their hearts about to break.

The call of duty could be so cruel with its necessity.

* * * * *

“I don’t know what to do, Echo.” “And you’ve talked to Gibson already?”

“Kind of? It’s…” Mhairi let out a frustrated sigh as she placed her head in her talons, her best friend watching. “It’s been days and it’s not getting any easier! Just looking at him hurts, and it’s not fair to him that I can barely utter a hello without becoming a mess or running away. Especially if this is…” She didn’t finish as the words died in her throat at the thought of the impending goodbye.

“It sounds like you’ve already decided.” Echo tilted her head, her red eyes probing as she sat with Mhairi in her bedroom, resting on the Aquarian’s bed. Nearby Flint was swatting at a ball that had a treat inside, currently preoccupying the small dragon to retrieve the impending reward.

“I don’t know!” Mhairi explained, looking up with tears in her eyes. “I feel like I should take the position. I mean, the things I could do as Councilor! What it would mean for my people… The Queen herself requested me! Me! Someone who people wrote off as crazy and an obsessed dreamer!”

“But what would it mean for you and Gibson? Or the rest of your friends on the Hyperforce? Which are you willing to put aside? One has to be chosen over the other.”

“I don’t know! I don’t want to choose! Why is this so hard?”

“You know… I might not be the best with emotions, but I think it is a hard crossroads you’re at. Right now your head and your heart are at odds.”

“You’re one of the Aquarian leaders. How do you do it?” Mhairi sniffled, looking at her friend for some wisdom and reassurance. “Indeed, I am part of the Assembly. However, despite it being similar in its position of authority, our situations are different.” Echo responded calmly, smoothing out her bed’s comforter as she handed Mhairi a box of tissues. “I had no hesitance in accepting as it would not only honor my… my mother’s memory, but I could also remain an ally to the Hyperforce. I am permitted to leave my world and be here with you all while still being able to help rebuild what was lost in the war with the Dark Ones. The Assembly can take care of things on their own without needing me around all the time; we work as a unit. That is not the case for you.”

“What should I do? I only have until tomorrow morning to make my decision.” Mhairi dabbed her eyes as fresh tears formed. “It feels like there is so much to gain but at the same time lose what I have.”

“To gain is to lose, to lose is to gain.” Echo watched patiently, sympathetic as she patted Mhairi’s arm. “I never said it’s easy. But I think you know deep down which you feel more called to, which one hurts more to let go of. Each choice has its own responsibilities and opportunities; it’s just different. For me joining the Assembly was what I could do to best help my people.”

Mhairi let out another sniffle as her shoulders shook. She dabbed at her eyes once more, not looking at Echo as she seemed to be mulling over what had been said.

“Either way, we’ll still be friends and we can still see each other even if not as much. Things change, that’s life but it’s what you choose to do in the face of change that matters.” Echo’s eyes softened while Flint paused from his toy to look over at the two. “Sometimes you have to listen to your heart rather than your head. Other times you have to go with reason. It’s a matter of which one you can live with. It’s not the end of the world, we’ve already been there and stopped it.”

Mhairi exhaled through her shaky breaths, smiling at Echo through her tears. “Thanks, Echo. I… I think I can figure this out. I just need a little more time.”

“I know you can.” Echo smiled faintly and embraced her friend while Flint, successfully retrieving the treat, hopped on the bed with them and began to purr.  Mhairi returned the hug, some anxiety remaining but feeling a bit calmer overall.

She had to make her choice.

* * *

Gibson stood in his lab fiddling with various vials as he tried to occupy himself. However perhaps handling unstable substances was not the best idea presently given his distracted state. He let out a sigh and put the glass instruments back on their racks as his hands shook slightly, his mind wandering and his heart aching.

Mhairi had been noticeably absent in the morning. At first Gibson had thought it was because she was still avoiding him and was keeping to her quarters. However as late morning rolled around, Chiro had decided to wonder out loud where Mhairi was and Echo had informed them all that she had left earlier to return to Kanoni and give her answer. Gibson had almost dropped his cup of tea at the news—Sparx on the other hand had spat out his coffee while Otto yelped “what” as Chiro and Nova looked stunned while Antauri, ever tranquil, simply nodded—but Echo had smoothly added Mhairi would be back later regardless.

Now it was close to dusk and Mhairi still hadn’t returned. Gibson at present was a nervous wreck as he felt a pang of longing and anxiety. The blue monkey shook his head, “No, no, Mr. Hal Gibson. Pull yourself together! I can’t be selfish and keep her to myself as much as I want to because I love her.” He stared at the beaker before him, gazing at the liquid inside. “I have to respect her decision; it’s her life and her choice. I can’t hold her back because of personal feelings. Coming between her and her people…” 

He let out a sigh as he stood by one of the lab’s tables, closing his eyes in an attempt to quiet his thoughts. Things never were easy with the Hyperforce, and this should have been expected territory when he entered a relationship with an alien. Even Chiro had to deal with some long distance woes with Jinmay, but the boy took it with stride. This however… was this really going to be the end? He had to let her go, for the sake of her people. It wasn’t fair for her, and she as well as her people needed what was best.

The sound of the lab doors whooshing open caught his attention and he bit back a grunt. It had been a constant in and out of the other team members as they seemingly just wanted to “drop by,” when in fact they were clearly checking on him. It was as frustrating as it was endearing, his mood worsening as his anxiety increased.

“Look, I know you’re all concerned but I-” He started to turn around, but suddenly stopped at the surprising sight of Mhairi in the doorway, looking nervous. Gibson nearly choked on his words as he stared at the Grypherian, still trying to compute that she was really there. “M-Mhairi.”

Mhairi looked up at him shyly, her face red. “H-hi. Is this a good time to t-talk?”

Gibson gulped and nodded numbly, gesturing for her to come in as his heart thundered in his chest. Mhairi slowly entered, twiddling her talons as her gaze went back to the floor as she approached. The two stood opposite of each other for what seemed like long moments of silence, Mhairi looking like she was working up courage to speak while Gibson was afraid to hear the words come out of her mouth.

“I-”

“It’s alright, Mhairi.”

“H-huh?”

“I know how much this decision was weighing on you, but I didn’t do anything these past few days to help. I thought space was needed and then I realized it was selfish of me to put it all on you to choose.” Gibson spoke to the bewildered looking Mhairi who blinked at him. “Just know I support your decision and that I don’t regret the time we had together.”

 “Gibson.” Mhairi breathed but he pressed on, afraid of losing his steam.

“It wasn’t fair to put the choice about us all on your shoulders. To put your people after us when all you’ve ever done has been for your kind-”

“Gibson.”

“But I don’t regret our time together, really. Well maybe the time we wasted fighting and being at odds, but that doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is I understand and you don’t have to say anything. I know things will be different, but if this is going to be goodbye I-” “Gibson! I turned it down!” Mhairi blurted, suddenly covering his mouth with one of her talons, cutting him off. He startled at her touch as well as her words, making a surprised noise as he blinked, trying to process. Instantly Mhairi flushed again and pulled away, leaving Gibson floundering.

“Wh-wha? Why?”

“After I talked with Echo I realized being the Councilor isn’t the only way to help my people. And honestly the position isn’t for me. Have you met me? I probably would want to throttle the Court every single day if not minute since I would be with them on a daily basis when not assisting the Queen. I’m not that much of a people person.” Mhairi hastily explained, waving her talons as she was still red. However she took a breath and said in a stronger voice, looking at Gibson, “And I decided that working on the Map, traveling across the stars to gain more knowledge for the Grypherians, and encouraging space travel again is what’s going to help my people best.”

“B-but as Councilor you’d have more say to enforce those ideas-”

“As Councilor I’d be cooped up in a building getting involved with politics and having my ideas pushed back for a vote or ‘consideration.’ Even though the Queen’s say is law, she now listens to both the Councilor and the Court.” Mhairi explained, her expression serious as Gibson gawked. “Last time she let a Councilor have too much sway he kinda tried to put her in an eternal coma. Plus I’m not someone who just sits back and talks; I like being hands on and out in the field. But most importantly… I love you too much to not have you in my life.”

At that last statement she looked at him with a pinched expression, clear emotion shimmering in her eyes. Gibson in turn stood with his mouth hanging open, not believing his audio receptors.

Seeing him motionless prompted Mhairi to continue before he could say anything, gushing, “I’m so sorry for putting you through so much the past few days! But I realized my place in the universe. And ultimately, that place has been and will always be with you. I don’t want to say goodbye to us, Gibson. Not after all that we've been through together…”

Suddenly Gibson’s arms were around Mhairi and he was pulling her close, a sigh of relief escaping him while she let out a squeak of surprise. “I must be a truly selfish primate. No matter how much I told myself it was the best thing, I didn’t want to let you go. But I was prepared to and…” Mhairi’s eyes softened as Gibson pulled away slightly, looking at her face. “I’m not ready to give up on us. I want to see how far we can go together. And even if our paths diverted, I would still always love you.”

“Gibson…” Mhairi murmured, tears welling up as she threw her arms around him to further the embrace. “I’m so sorry I even considered saying goodbye. I know I must have broken your heart with this whole thing and I-“

“Shhh.” Gibson suddenly shushed and his mouth was against hers, stopping her apology. “Mhairi, shh.” Instantly the Grypherian relaxed, almost melting into him as she cupped his face in her talons, pulling him closer. The two sank into the kiss they had been starved for, the intimacy momentarily sating the need both had been denied the past few days.

“So, does this answer your question?” Mhairi smiled, eyelids low as the two finally separated after a minute to take a breath.

“Question?”

“’What about us?’”

“Yes, I would say so.” Gibson grinned as Mhairi’s eyelashes fluttered, her blush growing. The two then embraced once more, hearts racing as relief continued to spill out after days of worry.

“I love you, Gibson.”

“I love you, Mhairi. Forever and always.”

Mhairi let out a giggle, kissing his cheek. “Really? Beyond forever? That seems highly illogical for you, Mr. Hal Gibson.”

“Being with you makes me feel illogical. And it’s not a bad thing.”

As they stood there alone in the lab, away from prying eyes and responsibilities of the world, Gibson had a thought. Perhaps… there was something he should ask her in the near future. A rather important question for the two of them.

But for now, this was enough.

#writing commission #commission #fandom #OC #commissioned #ElysseBee Writing #ElysseB writing #srmthfg #Hal Gibson #Gibson #fandom writin #fanfic #fan fic #Mhairi #SRMTHG #visionsofwings

[elyssebeeart]

Starlit Garden

A writing commission for @spottedwings-psychicdreams​ (PDF on dA)

Series: Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go Pairing: FandomxCanon (MhairixGibson) Word count: ~4k Rating: G Previous: Save the Last Dance For Me

“Alright, that’s two carbonated fruit infused beverages filled to near maximum capacity. Both managed to survive that onslaught.” Gibson smiled in triumph, holding the pair of drinks he’d managed to snag. It was suppose to be a simple recovery mission but instead the robotic blue simian had found himself swamped by people wishing to meet him and quiz him about the team’s exploits. The Grypherian gala had turned into a full-blown social event.

Momentarily detained by enthusiastic fans Gibson was forced to stop and humor the folks, some whom he was certain were political figures; he swore someone tried to swipe his bowtie just to have something belonging one of the legendary Hyperforce.

Finally after a few minutes, exactly 8 minutes 30.3 seconds, he politely excused himself and made way back to where he came. However the intended recipient of the other glass was nowhere to be seen, the spot where he’d left her now vacant.

“Mhairi?” He blinked, realizing he was talking to thin air, and looked around, trying to spot his companion for the evening. He heard a string of angry mutters and a few foreign curses as he saw one Grypherian hopping on one foot, grumbling about something. He caught bits of the utterance thanks to his enhanced audio receivers:

“-crazy! Good for nothing dirt scratcher-”

Instantly he frowned and turned away, shifting his gaze over the crowd to spot his teammate. It was a sea of almost all Grypherians, ones with various shades of fur and feather color, shapes and sizes. There was no familiar yellow fur with black spots however indicating Mhairi was no longer here. He made his way towards the edge of the large room, noting the balcony that open doors led to.

Instantly he frowned and turned away, shifting his gaze over the crowd to spot his teammate. It was a sea of almost all Grypherians, ones with various shades of fur and feather color, shapes and sizes. There was no familiar yellow fur with black spots however indicating Mhairi was no longer here. He made his way towards the edge of the large room, noting the balcony that open doors led to.

As he stepped out onto the open night air, grasping the glasses still, he spotted her leaning against the rail, looking out into the scenery. She was dressed in an elegant green dress and had white heels on and it made Gibson flush as she stood there. However her face looked stormy, half way between calm and sad.

“You okay?”

Mhairi glanced at him seemingly surprised he was there but just let out a sigh, closing her blue eyes. “Yeah. Some people just get under my skin. Sorry I disappeared.”

“It is fine, no worries. It is perfectly rational.”

“It’s just, I thought things were changing and then I run into someone like that jerk. Then it’s like I’m back to square one.”

Gibson was quiet, not willing to pry and simply lend a sympathetic ear. Silence sometimes was the best comfort one could offer and just let another talk.

“I’m just standing there minding my own business when this eggbrain walks up to me, all smiles and pleasantries. He begins by praising my work with you guys, the great heroes of the universe, and then proceeds to talk about my reputation. Goes on and says I’ve come a long way from having a stormy temper that made others ‘disinterested’ in working with me; how I’ve become respectable.”

It was true Mhairi did have a bit of a temper as well as a sharp tongue, but like all people it was a flaw and she was working on hers. Gibson admired how far she’d come from her cutting tone and abrasiveness towards him when they’d first met. He was snapped out of his momentary playback of the memories as Mhairi continued.

“I managed to keep calm and just nod. Though I swear if I had teeth I’d be grinding them.” She gripped the railing harder with her talons, her brow furrowing. “But just as I’m about to excuse myself the featherclod goes and says in this total sugarcoated voice: At least you have something to show for your research and work now. Can’t say the same for that crazy uncle of yours. He’s not respectable in the slightest with his featherbrained claims and fabricated findings.”

“And you lost it.” Gibson surmised, noting the hopping Grypherian he saw. It didn’t take a genius to guess she’d stomped full force on his foot, making use of her heels.

Mhairi shrugged as she looked at him. “I swear I would have done a sonic scream and ranted if I opened my mouth. Can’t really make much of a scene at a fancy gala, it’ll reflect badly on the museum.”

“Very logical.”

“I’m just sick of people talking badly about Uncle Strix. I wouldn’t be where I am right now if it wasn’t for him and his passion. Even when others looked down on him he continued his search for knowledge and the truth. He’d tell me not to mind them, that some people are just naturally birdbrains with little room for anything but a few thoughts. He said we’d eventually prove our work and we did… but everyone thinks that I, his niece, somehow escaped the full-blown crazy gene and got success by cutting ties.”

“Well, you are both respectable members of the scientific and historical community in my book.”

Mhairi gave a little nod, a small smile tweaking her mouth but it disappeared, “Did you know there is a rumor that I ran off with the Hyperforce just to get away? That the only reason I have success is because I was under the wing of the legendary heroes? That my uncle was dragging me down with his crazy talk?”

“Now that is crazy.” Gibson frowned back, “Your achievements are your own, not because of the team. Maybe we helped give you an opportunity to further expand your horizons and research but it was you who found and deciphered the map, uncovered ancient Grypherian artifacts that lead to the truth and even helped start mending the centuries old feud with the Aquarians. Your uncle lit the way to your passion and helped guide you, train you. He is as creditable for his accomplishments as you.”

“I know… I just wish others knew the truth so they’d shut their beaks. And not just know but accepted it, like how they accepted the lies we’ve been telling in our history lessons but this time it’s the truth.”

“We know the truth, and one day others will too given enough time. You’re a strong person who is persistent and I’m sure eventually someone’s going to have to lend you their high ranking ear to acknowledge not just your accomplishments but your uncle’s as well.”

“Hm, hopefully.” She murmured, a light blush coloring her cheeks as the night air gently brushed her fur. A talon reached up and pushed her hair back out of her face. “Thanks.”

“Here.” He offered one of the drinks he was still holding. “You look like you could use it about now.”

“Thank you. That jerk better be thankful he just got away with an aching foot. If I’d had this earlier he’d be drenched and in pain.” She reached out and took the glass, seeming to consider going back and doing just that but resigned as thanks to her companion she felt much more at ease.

“I don’t know, he looked hopping mad when I saw him.” Gibson cracked, smirking as he took a sip of the bubbly drink. Mhairi however slightly choked as she took a drink right as she heard the pun.

The Grypherian’s coughs subsided into laughter, tears in her eyes as she wiped them away. “That one was pretty good.”

“My humor is superb, nearly equal to my high intellect. Got to keep modest though and not be a genius at all things.”

Mhairi smiled knowingly, thinking back on Gibson’s past attempts at humor. It was precious to see him attempt to make a joke in order to cheer her up, even if it was corny. She paused for a moment, placing the glass on the railing as she glanced out towards the scenery once more. “Want to do something more fun than this stuffy old gala?”

“Like what?”

“You have to catch me first and find out.” She grinned and suddenly took off down the stairs connecting to the balcony. Despite wearing heels the Grypherian moved rather speedily, the clacks of the shoes hitting pavement that turned into dirt becoming faint as she gained distance.

“Ah! Mhairi!” Gibson called, caught off guard. He hastily placed his glass on the railing as well and hurried after the disappearing figure.

“Hurry up, slowpoke!” She answered back, not slowing down in the slightest.

The two ran through giant hedges that served as walls, seemingly entering a maze. Gibson could hear Mhairi laughing and caught glimpses of her as she paused to make sure he wasn’t too far behind. Thankfully the bell on her neck gently jingled and it was enough to tip the simian off as to where she’d gone.

After a few minutes of chasing the maze seemed to end, opening up. The Grypherian was waiting patiently for her companion to catch up. She stood there beaming in the moonlight, hands behind her back as Gibson exited the maze.

“Ta da~” Mhairi sang, gesturing to the scenery around them. From where the walls of hedge ended it opened up to a wide area that was full of trees and flowers. In the middle was a fountain whose centerpiece was a Grypherian holding a telescope in one talon and pointing with the other to the sky above. “What do you think?”

“Beautiful.” Gibson breathed, staring at Mhairi as she stood beneath the fresh moonlight, a gentle night breeze ruffling her hair and dress. He snapped his mouth shut and cleared his throat, shifting his gaze to the rest of the scenery as he came forward. “Amazing, what is this place? I’ve never seen such botanical life forms.”

“This is the Museum Garden. I use to come here as a cub. Funny enough this place has been here for ages yet hardly anyone comes here. It’s like a secret garden now.”

“Well it’s certainly not abandoned, the life here looks well taken care of.” He observed, drawing near to some of the flowers. “This looks like some kind of wildflower variety but they are managed so they grow naturally without crowding the other specie.”

“There’s an old caretaker here that lives on the grounds. She’s really nice though she appears rather grouchy and abrasive, namely if she thinks you’re going to ruin the plants. Just don’t try making flower crowns with freshly bloomed buds.”

“Sounds like someone not to be trifled with.”

Mhairi let out a laugh. “You have no idea. Though I got to know her well enough she actually tolerates me calling her Miss Fyre. I haven’t been back here in years though, but it looks like she’s keeping the place going.”

“How’d you know about this place?”

“When I was a cub I used to run and hide here. This place was like my sanctuary.”

“Hide? From what?”

“Different things.” She shrugged but her face showed the memory was fresh. “Mostly when I got into fights over people talking bad about my uncle, people calling me names, me getting into trouble… just being upset for whatever reason like cubs do.”

“I’m sorry.” Was all he could offer, knowing it was the past but that those were still sore spots for her. “People can be rather cold-hearted and lack proper cerebral activity even though they have adequate cranial capacity.” 

“Thanks.” Mhairi smirked, appreciating his unique way of trying to cheer her up. “Come on, I’ll show you around. It’s actually quite large.”

“Lead the way.” Gibson gestured, joining her side as the two began their tour through the seemingly secret garden.

“This place is beautiful during the day but at night it’s magical.” Mhairi informed, pointing at a few identical plants spread about the place. “See those? They are lunaris flowers, they bloom during the nighttime under the moon’s glow. During a full moon they will release luminous spores that float upwards so it looks like they’re releasing light. And see those? They’re stellarium! At night they twinkle from the sunlight they’ve absorbed during the day, watch!”

“An archeologist and a biologist! Who knew?” Gibson praised, smiling at Mhairi as the two stopped before the stellarium as they pulsed from bright to faint, seemingly twinkling.

“These flowers have appeared throughout our history, including as carvings on ancient artifacts; our current ruler, Queen Sahara, has them on her emblem as well as a sun to represent the light will never disappear, day or night. But I admit I learned more about them just by hanging out here in the garden and watching.”

“Fascinating!”

“Plus I sort of got impromptu lessons from Miss Fyre if I hung around long enough. She’d rope me into helping her out and teach me, telling me moping would do me no good and if I loved digging so much I should put that trait to good use.”

“Seems like sound advice.”

She nodded before hopping up onto the nearby low brick wall that kept the dirt off the path and began walking on top. She balanced with a cat’s grace as she went along, Gibson following along with a watchful eye.

“Be careful.”

“Please, I’m an expert at balancing! I use to do this all the time as a cub.”

“Well, doing that in heels may not be the safest idea.”

“Is that a challenge?” She grinned as she moved along, her arms spread to help create a counterbalance. “I’ll take you up on it. Come up here, we can take turns wearing them.”

“No thanks. I’d rather stick with what I know and stay on the ground. Enjoy though.”

“Hm, that’s what I like about you. Ever the grounded one with logic and reasoning, calculating all the facts to make sure the odds are favorable.”

“Huh, really? I thought you liked something else about me.”

“Like what?”

“My sexy accent.” Gibson grinned, an eyebrow raised as he glanced at her. “At least, that’s what I heard.”

“Wha-” She exclaimed, flushing red as she whirled around to face him. As she did so her heel caught on the bricks and snapped. One minute she was on top and the next she was falling.

Instantly Gibson was right next to her, arms ready and she fell into them. The monkey held her tight, saving her from impacting the ground though the fall would have been rather short but mildly painful.

“Whoa.” She breathed, catching her breath from the momentary scare. As she composed herself she looked at Gibson and flushed again, her yellow fur turning scarlet.

“Well I was planning to sweep you off your feet this evening, I just didn’t expect it to be this way.”

“What did you mean by that?” Mhairi demanded, her face in her talons as she tried to calm down, feeling the warmth beneath her feathers. She was too flustered to try to jump out of his arms; and honestly she didn’t mind except how she ended up there.

“Sweep you off your feet? I was considering-“

“No, not that! The other thing!” She insisted, turning even redder in Gibson’s arms.

“Like I said, that’s what I heard.”

“From whom!?”

“Straight from the horse’s mouth. Well, the Grypherian’s mouth.”

“You heard that?” She just about shrieked burying her face into her talons, feeling a new wave of embarrassment wash over her. The fact he’d heard her outburst confession regarding her feelings for him some time ago made her want to dig a hole and join the flowers. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“It was before the big mission. We all had a lot on our mind and I had to figure out my feelings while trying to save the universe.”

“Is that why you gave me the bell?” She tentatively touched her collar that had the item fastened to it.

“Partly yes, I admit. I wanted to give you something to remember me by and show my appreciation for all you’d done. I honestly wasn’t sure if you still felt the same way and with you leaving, I didn’t want to hinder your plans of returning home.”

“You mean you would have just kept quiet if we never saw each other again?” She nearly whispered, her blue eyes wide as she looked up at him.

The blue monkey was quiet for a moment. “Yes. Knowing I might never see you again and being so far away was hard enough. If you knew how I felt I deduced it would hinder your progress and mental well-being.”

“You idiot.” Mhairi mumbled, releasing the bell and gently touching Gibson’s face. “You’re a brilliant idiot.” 

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He smiled, placing a hand on top of her talon. “Even a genius has to have moments of being an ignoramus to keep himself humble.”

“Oh yes, your humbleness is another thing.” She grinned back, “Though as much as I’m enjoying this, you can put me down. I think I’ve been swept up long enough.”

“Fair enough.” He gently let her down, the Grypherian standing uneven due to the state of her footwear. She reached out and held onto his shoulder to keep her balance.

“Ugh these shoes.” Mhairi fussed, grabbing the shoe with the broken heel and taking it off. She then began removing the other shoe to have equal footing. “Being pretty is overrated; whoever designed these clearly didn’t wear them for more than thirty seconds.” 

“Well I doubt they thought they would be wore on a brick wall or run in like there was some marathon. Besides you seemed to be doing fine until your spill.”

“Either way, poor research and design choice. This was the true field test.”

“Well, shoes or no shoes, you still look pretty to me.” Gibson admitted before he realized what he’d said. Instantly he slapped a hand over his mouth, the blue monkey starting to feel his internal temperature starting to rise. He looked wide-eyed at Mhairi who appeared shocked as well but instantly let out a laugh, turning red herself once more.

“Stars, what a pair we are.” She gasped out between breaths as she laughed, hysteria taking over. “Can hardly compliment one another without getting bashful. How long did it take for us knuckleheads to get together? So much for being observ-” She stopped for a minute seemingly having a thought. “Actually…”

“What is it?”

“Come on, this way.” She gestured, talking Gibson’s hand and gently pulling him along. “There’s something I’ve got to show you. I can’t believe I almost forgot.”

“Another surprise?”

“You bet, but this time no peeking. Close your eyes!”

Gibson complied, wondering what Mhairi had in store for him. He felt her lead him along, guiding him as they took a few twists and turns in the garden. After a few minutes he felt her stop.

“Okay, you can look.”

“Wow, what is this place?” He admired, opening his eyes and seeing a tall cylinder shaped building with a round top before him. Some plants had begun winding their way around it, various blooms popping up as they seemed to try to integrate it. The building looked worn and slightly in disrepair but for the most part sturdy.

“It’s an old observatory! I can’t believe I almost forgot it was even here. Both this and the fountain are supposed to be the landmarks of the garden. However it’s mostly been neglected since more modern ones have been made, namely the one housed at the museum.”

“That is a shame, this one has some charm to it.”

“I think so too. Unfortunately the telescope has long been removed, but the observatory window still functions. You just need a telescope in hand and you can still stargaze, much like my ancestors who lacked the jumbo sized ones we have today. Come on, I’ll show you what’s inside; it’s way more charming.”

“It’s unlocked?” “It should be. If not I’ve got the perfect lock pick.” She held up her shoe with the broken heel, mischief in her eyes.

“You wouldn’t.” Gibson gasped, not certain whether or not she was joking.

“Maybe.” She smiled back and headed over to the door of the observatory. It was a large ornate door with carvings of stars and planets on it. “Though honestly if I break the lock I’ll just tell Miss Fyre and replace it. Most of the time it’s open for anyone to explore, so no worries about breaking and entering.”

She tested the door and it gave way easily, swinging open with a creak. Letting out a shout of triumph Mhairi looked at the monkey. “Come on!”

She grabbed his hand once more and pulled him inside, pushing the door wide open. Inside was a large round room that was fairly empty. Some dust had settled on the floor and shelves but inside it looked fairly intact.

“Incredible.” Gibson breathed, looking around the old building, gazing up at the fading mural on the ceiling that was a map of stars. “Grypherian craftsmanship really is impressive.”

“It gets better.” Mhairi walked over to one of the walls and grabbed a lever. Grunting she pressed it down and instantly there was the sound of gears turning. The ceiling let out a groan and the dome shutters parted slowly, revealing the night sky above. She pulled another lever and the dome began to rotate, swinging toward where the moon was shining. “Still functional.”

“This really is breathtaking.” Gibson stared at the view above as Mhairi came over to join him, both now standing in the moonlight. “Thank you for showing me.”

“Of course.”

As quiet settled over the observatory and the pair inside the sound of music from the gala could be heard faintly in the distance. The melody was soft and slow, indicating it was a traditional pairing dance and not just ambience.

“You know… we never did get a dance in. And I do recall you promising to save at least one dance for me.” He turned toward the Grypherian, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

“Just one?”

“Well, I guess I don’t have to worry about you saving just the last dance, given we are the only ones here. Plus we did do all that practicing, it would be a shame to not dance at all let alone do just one dance.”

“I suppose you are right.”

“Would you give me this dance, my fair lady?” Gibson bowed, extending his hand like a true gentleman of dance after adjusting his bowtie.

“Dancing in the moonlight? How romantic.” Mhairi teased before tossing her shoes aside and taking his hand gently. She smiled at him, “It would be my honor.”

Gibson beamed and gently pulled Mhairi into a hold. Both of them looked at each other for a few moments before taking a step, Gibson leading the way as the music’s tempo carried in the air. The two of them moved back and forth in the observatory, the moon and stars their only audience to their private dance.

“You are a quick learner.” She praised, thinking of how badly he danced only a few days ago as she held onto his hand and shoulder. “Impressive.”

“Well, I am good at studying.”

“Can’t argue with that. Though we probably should practice some more.”

“Oh, I’ve got a few surprises for you myself.”

“Like what?”

Suddenly Gibson’s hold on her back shifted and his grip on her extended talon tightened. He took a step and was guiding her backwards before he abruptly leaned forward, casing her to arch backwards as he leaned towards the floor, entering a dip.

“So what do you think?” He asked, looking down at Mhairi’s surprised face as she was swept into the unexpected dip. “Did I sweep you off of your feet?”

Mhairi took a moment as she looked up at his face, still posed in the dip. However after a minute as fresh red colored her cheeks she smiled with a purr, “Rawr.” She suddenly leaned upward, kissing Gibson, catching him off guard. She smiled, looking back at the monkey’s astonished face. “Surprise.”

“Indeed.” Gibson murmured, looking dumbly back at her. However a grin appeared and he leaned down, returning the kiss. Together the two stood in each other’s embrace as the music continued, though forgotten, as the stars glowed above seemingly winking knowingly to one another.

It was a good night.

#writing commission #commission #fandom #OC #commissioned #ElysseBee Writing #ElysseB writing #spottedwings-psychicdreams #srmthfg #Hal Gibson #Gibson #fandom writing #fanfic #fan fic #Mhairi #SRMTHG