Work Text:
"A LITTLE LOVE"
A very short "Harsh Realm" story
Written by Alison M. DOBELL
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Pinocchio was frustrated. Impatient and irritable. His mood had been getting steadily worse, more sullen and darker every day as if he hovered on the brink of depression. He glowered at Hobbes. "This is getting us nowhere, Hobbes."
Hobbes stopped pressing through the underbrush. Behind them Florence wondered why they were stopping. Hobbes looked at Pinocchio. "What's not getting us anywhere?"
"This. The way we're going after Santiago. The way we allow ourselves to get sidetracked."
"You got a better idea?"
His friend sneered. "Yeah. Let's storm his stronghold and empty every last round into Santiago. Let's end it for once and for all."
Hobbes laughed. Pinocchio frowned at him. Annoyed.
"What? You think that's funny?"
"For a moment I thought you were serious."
"I *am* serious."
He tried to wipe the smile off his face but did not quite succeed. His humour doing nothing to lighten up Pinocchio's mood. "That's the sort of thing Han Solo would do." Said Hobbes.
"So?"
He bit back a chuckle. "Han had Chewie to back him up."
Pinocchio gave Hobbes a sour look. "Yeah. Han had the Wookie. Me? I got you."
Hobbes chuckled. "Babe."
"What?"
The chuckle became a grin. "I got you - babe. Sonny and Cher."
"What does that have to do with taking out Santiago, Hobbes?"
"It was just something you said. Struck me as funny. Besides, everybody loves Sonny and Cher."
A frown twisted Pinocchio's face. "Yeah, well I ain't everybody."
He was not about to admit that at one time he had every Sonny & Cher album. Right now he could hear Sonny Bono singing the words to *Laugh at Me*. Somehow it seemed appropriate. Hobbes watched him for a moment, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Don't fight it, Pinocchio."
Pinocchio scowled hearing those damn words go round and round inside his head.....*laugh at me and I'll cry for you and I'll do all of the things that the man upstairs says to do...I'll do 'em for you....* "Don't know what you're talking about, Hobbes." He grumbled.
Hobbes smiled knowingly, seeing a crack in his armour. "Which one do you want to be?"
His friend gave him a blank look. Hobbes looked at Florence who had now joined them. "Florence is *definitely* Princess Leia."
"Yeah, well that makes you the Wookie."
"I wanted to be Luke."
That made Pinocchio choke with amusement. "You? A Jedi knight?" He snorted. "Give me a break, Hobbes!"
"Okay Han, old buddy," He said in his best Skywalker impression. "But I have to tell you the Force is strong in my family...."
Pinocchio was chuckling, his bad mood consigned to distant memory in the relentless face of Hobbes' good humour and light hearted banter. He smiled benignly at him. Something he did not do too often. It made Hobbes feel good to see that dark cloud lift letting the sun shine through. He looked much better in sunlight. All he had to do was try to keep him there. Save him from the Dark Side of the Force. Save him from himself.
"How about we stop and have something to eat?" Said Hobbes.
"Okay, but if you try to stick me with anything that tastes of bantha dung you are dead meat, Hobbes."
Hobbes laughed. "Like you would know the difference."
Florence grinned at them and shook her head. She had never heard of "Star Wars", had no idea what any of the silly references meant, but Pinocchio had been getting grumpier and more sullen for weeks now. It amazed her how easily Hobbes had brought him out of it. She slid her pack off her back smiling indulgently as the men continued to swap banter while she started on the serious job of choosing the best place to set the fire. Yeah. It was amazing what a little love could do....
********* T H E E N D **********