Fic - Time (Fandom: EarthBound)
Title: Time
Author:
slytherin_face
Rating: G
Word Count: 970
Summary: Jeff is up late one night and doesn't realize what day it is.
Characters: Jeff Andonuts and Paula Polestar
Author's Notes: Written for
runawayblue's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BLUE! I hope you like it! ^.^
Time meant nothing to Jeff Andonuts anymore. During his time at Snow Wood boarding school, his entire life operated on a precise, unchanging schedule with everything timed to perfection. He woke up at 7 am every morning, even on weekends, on Mondays he attended Science club meetings at precisely 5 pm, on Thursdays he met with Maxwell Labs in his office at exactly 7 pm, and on Sundays, he tutored Tony from 2 pm to 4 pm on the dot. Because every week was planned into sections, Jeff always knew what day it was and what time it was. His guesses were almost always correct, down to the minute. Now, however, Jeff felt lucky if he even guessed the correct month, let alone the correct date. Leaving boarding school to join Ness and Paula on their journey to save the world meant that he also left behind his schedule, his routine, and therefore, his sense of time.
When the clock struck midnight on the morning of May 20th, Jeff felt no different. It felt like just another day fighting evil. He was up late, taking advantage of the workspace available in the large room at the hotel in Fourside, working on fixing one of the many broken gadgets he had found on their journey. Ness and Paula had gone to bed early, as they usually did, leaving Jeff alone to work in peace and quiet. When he heard someone stir behind him, he reacted out of reflex and grabbed his Zip Gun, holding it steady toward the source of the noise. One could never be too careful these days.
"Whoa, Jeff, relax. It's just me," Paula said with a sleepy yawn.
"Sorry," Jeff mumbled in embarrassment. He felt ashamed for being so scared and reacting the way he had.
"Don't worry about it," Paula said with a smile. "What are you doing up this late?" She crossed the room until she was standing at Jeff's side, leaning over to check out his work.
"Just fixing this broken laser beam," Jeff answered. "I'm hoping to make a laser gun out of it when I'm all done."
"Jeff, you do realize it's past midnight, right?" Paula asked with concern.
"It is?" Jeff replied casually. "I hadn't noticed."
"You shouldn't be working right now," Paula continued, shaking her head.
"I'm used to working this late," Jeff answered with a shrug. "I find it easier to think when it's late at night. It's calm, quiet, and..."
"I mean it's past midnight, so it's technically a new day," Paula interrupted. "You shouldn't be working on today of all days."
"Uh... yeah, sure," Jeff said slowly, trying to think of what day she was referring to. Unable to think of what day it could possibly be, Jeff caved. "And exactly what day would that be?"
"Today is your birthday, right? May 20th?" Paula asked in confusion.
"Oh... oh yeah," Jeff replied slowly, blushing slightly. He hadn't expected Paula to remember when his birthday was and he felt slightly embarrassed that she remembered it before he did.
"I've got the day all planned out," Paula said cheerfully. "That is, if you don't mind. We can do whatever you want if you don't like what I've planned."
"No, that's fine," Jeff muttered quietly, turning back to his work in the hopes he could hide his quickly reddening cheeks. "You don't have to make a big deal of it, it's okay."
"Of course I do!" Paula said, nodding her head. "You only have a birthday once a year, after all, and we're certainly not going to spend your birthday battling enemies or traveling all day. Your day has to be special. I saw on the way into the city that the Runaway Five are playing at the Topolla Theater now. I was thinking Ness and I could take you to see them. They really do put on a great show and I know you'll like them. Then we'll get you a cake from the Fourside bakery and who knows, maybe we can stop by the cafe up the street - Jackie's, I think it is - and get you a nice birthday dinner. The mall is closed so we won't be able to stop and buy you a gift, but we'll figure something out."
Jeff's face continued to redden as Paula spoke and when she finished, he didn't know what do say. No one had ever made this big a deal about his birthday before. Except maybe Tony, but somehow it seemed to mean more coming from Paula than from his roommate.
"Thanks, Paula," Jeff said quietly, smiling as he turned back to face her again.
"You're welcome," Paula said sweetly, returning the smile. "I figure there's no way I can go out and buy you a gift but I can at least make sure your day is special."
A moment of silence passed as Jeff and Paula looked at each other, briefly exchanging coy smiles and turning away when they caught themselves staring. Finally, a snore from Ness' bed broke the silence in the room and Paula glanced up at the clock on the wall.
"It's twelve thirty-two," she commented. "I should probably get back to bed. Don't you stay up too late, Jeff." Without warning, Paula leaned over and kissed Jeff gently on the cheek. "Good night. Happy birthday."
Paula turned around quickly and scurried off to bed before Jeff could say anything and he sat frozen in place, feeling the spot where her lips had touched him as he felt his entire face warm up. Time may have seemed a foreign concept to Jeff on his journey to save the world, but he would never forget that at exactly twelve thirty-two in the morning on May 20th, he began to fall in love with Paula Polestar.
Author:
slytherin_face
Rating: G
Word Count: 970
Summary: Jeff is up late one night and doesn't realize what day it is.
Characters: Jeff Andonuts and Paula Polestar
Author's Notes: Written for
runawayblue's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BLUE! I hope you like it! ^.^
Time meant nothing to Jeff Andonuts anymore. During his time at Snow Wood boarding school, his entire life operated on a precise, unchanging schedule with everything timed to perfection. He woke up at 7 am every morning, even on weekends, on Mondays he attended Science club meetings at precisely 5 pm, on Thursdays he met with Maxwell Labs in his office at exactly 7 pm, and on Sundays, he tutored Tony from 2 pm to 4 pm on the dot. Because every week was planned into sections, Jeff always knew what day it was and what time it was. His guesses were almost always correct, down to the minute. Now, however, Jeff felt lucky if he even guessed the correct month, let alone the correct date. Leaving boarding school to join Ness and Paula on their journey to save the world meant that he also left behind his schedule, his routine, and therefore, his sense of time.
When the clock struck midnight on the morning of May 20th, Jeff felt no different. It felt like just another day fighting evil. He was up late, taking advantage of the workspace available in the large room at the hotel in Fourside, working on fixing one of the many broken gadgets he had found on their journey. Ness and Paula had gone to bed early, as they usually did, leaving Jeff alone to work in peace and quiet. When he heard someone stir behind him, he reacted out of reflex and grabbed his Zip Gun, holding it steady toward the source of the noise. One could never be too careful these days.
"Whoa, Jeff, relax. It's just me," Paula said with a sleepy yawn.
"Sorry," Jeff mumbled in embarrassment. He felt ashamed for being so scared and reacting the way he had.
"Don't worry about it," Paula said with a smile. "What are you doing up this late?" She crossed the room until she was standing at Jeff's side, leaning over to check out his work.
"Just fixing this broken laser beam," Jeff answered. "I'm hoping to make a laser gun out of it when I'm all done."
"Jeff, you do realize it's past midnight, right?" Paula asked with concern.
"It is?" Jeff replied casually. "I hadn't noticed."
"You shouldn't be working right now," Paula continued, shaking her head.
"I'm used to working this late," Jeff answered with a shrug. "I find it easier to think when it's late at night. It's calm, quiet, and..."
"I mean it's past midnight, so it's technically a new day," Paula interrupted. "You shouldn't be working on today of all days."
"Uh... yeah, sure," Jeff said slowly, trying to think of what day she was referring to. Unable to think of what day it could possibly be, Jeff caved. "And exactly what day would that be?"
"Today is your birthday, right? May 20th?" Paula asked in confusion.
"Oh... oh yeah," Jeff replied slowly, blushing slightly. He hadn't expected Paula to remember when his birthday was and he felt slightly embarrassed that she remembered it before he did.
"I've got the day all planned out," Paula said cheerfully. "That is, if you don't mind. We can do whatever you want if you don't like what I've planned."
"No, that's fine," Jeff muttered quietly, turning back to his work in the hopes he could hide his quickly reddening cheeks. "You don't have to make a big deal of it, it's okay."
"Of course I do!" Paula said, nodding her head. "You only have a birthday once a year, after all, and we're certainly not going to spend your birthday battling enemies or traveling all day. Your day has to be special. I saw on the way into the city that the Runaway Five are playing at the Topolla Theater now. I was thinking Ness and I could take you to see them. They really do put on a great show and I know you'll like them. Then we'll get you a cake from the Fourside bakery and who knows, maybe we can stop by the cafe up the street - Jackie's, I think it is - and get you a nice birthday dinner. The mall is closed so we won't be able to stop and buy you a gift, but we'll figure something out."
Jeff's face continued to redden as Paula spoke and when she finished, he didn't know what do say. No one had ever made this big a deal about his birthday before. Except maybe Tony, but somehow it seemed to mean more coming from Paula than from his roommate.
"Thanks, Paula," Jeff said quietly, smiling as he turned back to face her again.
"You're welcome," Paula said sweetly, returning the smile. "I figure there's no way I can go out and buy you a gift but I can at least make sure your day is special."
A moment of silence passed as Jeff and Paula looked at each other, briefly exchanging coy smiles and turning away when they caught themselves staring. Finally, a snore from Ness' bed broke the silence in the room and Paula glanced up at the clock on the wall.
"It's twelve thirty-two," she commented. "I should probably get back to bed. Don't you stay up too late, Jeff." Without warning, Paula leaned over and kissed Jeff gently on the cheek. "Good night. Happy birthday."
Paula turned around quickly and scurried off to bed before Jeff could say anything and he sat frozen in place, feeling the spot where her lips had touched him as he felt his entire face warm up. Time may have seemed a foreign concept to Jeff on his journey to save the world, but he would never forget that at exactly twelve thirty-two in the morning on May 20th, he began to fall in love with Paula Polestar.