Animorphs snippet

[onemuseleft]

Animorphs snippet. Pointless, untitled. Marco & Tobias, mention of Marco/Jake Rachel/Tobias.



"Have I ever mentioned that I really hate your new apartment?" Tobias tossed the remote toward the couch, grinning as it caught Marco in the chest.

"Yes, you have, actually." Marco rubbed his chest and gave Tobias a dirty look. "About thirty times in the five minutes since my cable went out, as a matter of fact."

Tobias yawned behind his hand and scrunched down in the huge recliner he always claimed as his own when they ended up at Marco's. One day he'd get around to asking where Marco had bought it – or just steal it and carry it back to his place. Actually, it might be fun to see how long it took Marco to notice. "I want to know why it had to go out ten minutes before the game started."

"Because my cable connection hates you," Marco said in all seriousness, his voice completely earnest. "It keeps me up at night, sometimes, talking about its plans to thwart you the next time you come over."

"There is something seriously wrong with you."

Marco flashed a quick grin before he went back to staring at the ceiling, apparently content to ignore the static on the screen. The couch was long enough that Marco could spread out comfortably, though Tobias knew for a fact that Jake's feet hung off the end.

Tobias propped his chin in one hand and eyed the television screen mournfully. "Well, since the game is over before it even began, want to tell me what's on your mind?"

"Nothing is on my mind, Tobias."

"Uh-huh. You asked me over to watch the game, Marco."

"So?" Marco frowned at him. "You always watch the game here."

"Yeah. Because I show up and take control of your television." It was an electronic work of art, too, and had probably set Marco back more than a few bucks. But the biggest reason Tobias ended up here was because of Rachel.

"Because you and Rachel can't watch a game together, you mean."

"Having separate interests is healthy in any relationship," Tobias said calmly.

"Having separate interests is one thing. You two have never rooted for the same team in your entire lives. It's almost like you two try to get worked up over it."

"That's ridiculous."

"World Series 2004, Tobias. I thought we were going to have to call the cops."

"It's not my fault she's a sore loser." Tobias, leaned back in the recliner and hid a smile. "Hell, you'd think she'd be happy for the underdog."

Marco propped himself up and gave him a disgusted look. "Rachel's not exactly an underdog kind of person."

"Convenient how we're still not talking about what's on your mind," Tobias pointed out. "The deep, weighty mental burden that's had you acting like a lovesick puppy for the last week or so."

"I do not!" Marco sounded so indignant that Tobias knew he must have hit close to home.

Tobias snorted. "Right. Marco, spit it out or I'll call in the heavy guns."

"How did you ask Rachel to marry you?"

That was not the response Tobias had been expected. It was pretty much the last thing he'd been prepared for. 'I think I'm a transvestite' or 'Maybe we should have given Visser One the benefit of the doubt' or 'I killed Cassie and hid her body in the basement' would have been less surprising. Actually, that last one wouldn't have surprised him much at all.

He blinked for a minute and looked at Marco who was making a determined study of the ceiling. "Dude. Don't tell me you're seriously going to-"

"I was just curious," Marco said flatly.

"Right." Tobias sat forward. "Marco, I thought you told me Jake wasn't interested in getting married."

"That was six years and a war ago, Tobias. Things have changed a little."

That was an understatement, if Tobias had ever heard one. "Don't take this the wrong way or anything, but you never really struck me as, well, the marrying type."

"Thanks," Marco said sourly.

"Tell me if I'm wrong," Tobias replied.

"See if I ever let you sit in the comfy chair again." Marco groused. He pointed the remote at the TV and shut it off. The absence of static made the room heavily silent. "Listen, forget I asked."

"You really mean to ask Jake to marry you?"

"No, I thought I'd propose to Ax. I mean he's pretty hot in human for- OW!" He glared fiercely at the empty soda can that had just bounced off his forehead. "Jesus, Tobias. Are you dealing with some kind of subliminal anger here or something?"

"No hitting on my uncle!" Tobias waved a finger in Marco's general direction. "Bad Marco. Baaaad."

"Oh, relax. Ax's virtue is safe with me." Marco paused. "Although, seriously, I wonder how a human and an Andalite – Stop throwing things at me!"

Tobias smirked. "Listen, Marco, three bits of advice. One: If you do ask Jake to marry you, you'd better make sure you tell Rachel first, or she'll kill you. Two: When you do propose, I'd recommend you not mention this lingering obsession with Ax's bod. And three: flowers and candlelight probably won't do it."

"Flowers and candlelight, huh?" Marco flung one arm over the back of the couch. "Went to traditional route with Rachel, huh?"

"More or less. Wine, flowers, candles, gourmet food and a private table on a Mediterranean beach at sunset while violinists played amongst the dunes."

"Amongst?" Marco echoed.

"Amongst," Tobias confirmed.

"Well, that's pretty traditional. Although I like the extra touch of flying a chef and roving violinists to play at your whim. Rachel must have appreciated that bit."

"She did seem to get a kick out of watching their feet get wet when the tide came in."