Author's Note: My first story for Midnight Cinderella (Cybird), written as a gift fic for princess-sharly (Sid fan extraordinaire) on tumblr. It starts a little down, but is mostly fun and sassy.

Holding Out for a Hero

"This seat taken?"

"No," Sharly snapped irritably, wondering what else was going to go wrong today. She deliberately didn't look up, pretending to focus on the scenery outside—grey pavement, grey buildings, grey rain. Tomorrow. Tomorrow will be the day that I say, 'Yes, can't you see my invisible pal Sid? He's a big guy, don't know how you could miss him.'

"Pretty miserable out there, huh? So... you heading home from work?"

Great. A creep. Just what I need. The guy's questions could be innocent, but she'd bet all five dollars and sixty-two cents in her purse that they weren't. She eyed the dim reflection in the bus window, but couldn't see much except general size—medium—and an impression of a coat that was a bit too heavy for the weather, raining or not.

"...You shouldn't ignore a guy who's just trying to be polite. I was going to offer to buy you a coffee, if we happened to get off at the same stop."

Uh-huh. And you'd get off at my stop no matter what, right? Sharly went on ignoring her unwanted companion, but tightened her grip on her purse and bag. She'd push him right off the damn seat if he tried anything.

The guy shifted a bit so that he was partially pressed up against her. It could just be on account of the now crowded bus, but she didn't think so. Not when a quick glance confirmed that his eyes were aimed at her chest. Ugh. Time to go.

"Excuse me." She got up, and her seat-buddy made a show of letting her by that happened to include a lot of not-so-accidental touching. That did it. "Touch me again, and I'll hurt you." She made sure everyone around them heard her, and glared pointedly.

"Easy, lady—jeez. Look around you, it's packed."

The bus stopped, and Sharly quickly made her way to the exit. It would take longer to get home, but so be it. Sadly, her lack of faith in mankind was immediately proven to be justified.

"Oh, hey, this is my stop too! Tell you what, why don't you let me buy you that coffee after all—a peace offering, since I seem to have offended you somehow?"

She turned to tell the guy exactly what she thought of his offer, but another passenger stepped between them, apparently also on his way to the exit. She watched in surprise, and then appreciation, as the newcomer accidentally stepped on the creeper's foot, and then somehow ended up putting his elbow in the guy's stomach. The best part was yet to come, though.

The moment the doors opened, tall-dark-and-definitely-handsome winked at Sharly, and manoeuvred her would-be stalker right off the bus and into the rain. He completed the guy's annihilation with a hearty pat between the shoulder blades that looked more innocent than it probably was, to judge by the recipient's yelp and stagger.

"Heard you say it was your stop, buddy, and didn't want ya to miss it! The bus is pretty crowded, yeah?" When the man started to protest—loudly—his new 'friend' feigned deafness, and remained planted solidly in the doorway, grinning. "Don't forget ta get yourself that coffee!" Sharly's knight in designer denim called helpfully, as the doors closed on the man's frustrated yells.

There was scattered applause from those nearest the door, especially the women. Sharly eyed her possible rescuer cautiously, since she hardly wanted to go from the frying pan into the fire. Her inclination might be to trust him, but you just never knew, and a pretty—or even dashingly handsome—face could definitely hide a less than pretty heart.

"Thanks," she said politely. Hmm, that was probably too cold, and she did appreciate the sheer take-no-crap audacity of this guy. "I mean... I was about to tell that guy where to stuff it anyway, but thanks to you, I get to stay on the bus."

"Sure, s'all good." The man's eyes crinkled a little at the corners, as though he knew exactly what she was thinking. "And no, I'm not just more trouble waitin' ta happen."

Sharly looked up into dark blue eyes that glinted wickedly over a smile that was at least half smirk. Not trouble? Ha! She told her suddenly pounding heart to chill, and narrowed her eyes.

"Good to know. Excuse me." With more reluctance than she chose to show, Sharly turned to make her way toward the front of the bus. Probably better to hang out near the driver for the rest of the way home, just in case.

"Hey—princess!"

Princess? She knew she was better dressed and groomed than most of the other commuters, but seriously? Grimacing, she looked back.

"You want me to call you Sir Lancelot or something?"

Mister Blue Eyes grinned, the smirk even more pronounced above his—dammit!—perfect jaw. He pointed to Sharly's head, and she automatically reached up, almost whacking somebody with her purse.

Oh for crying out loud, don't tell me—! Yup, she'd forgotten to take off the tiara she'd been wearing at the stupid office party for her newly-engaged colleague. Well, that's just great. With as much dignity as she could muster, she reached up and took off the glitzy plastic ornament.

"...Thanks. It's just been a crappy day, you know?"

"Yeah, I figured. The tiara kinda suited ya, though." He laughed when she rolled her eyes. "Look, it's good to be careful, I get it. But just to let ya know, I'll be on this bus for the next while 'cause of work. I'm tellin' ya so ya don't think I'm pullin' some kinda stunt tomorrow, 'kay? Though if ya do happen ta show up tomorrow, and ya want ta avoid the creep, then just save me a spot."

"..." Reluctance to count on a stranger—and the instinct that said this guy might not be trouble, but could be trouble—fought a short skirmish with growing attraction in Sharly's head. Well, mostly her head. "I might do that," she heard herself say. Which sounded cool, except that she could feel a smile forming—oh crap, did she look like she was flirting?

"Got it." His eyes held more than a hint of mischief. "Well, just in case ya happen ta be there, the name's Sid. Nice ta meet ya, Princess."

He said something else after that, but Sharly missed it. Sid? For real? How weird is that? Now he just needed to be secretly wealthy under the lazy accent and slightly edgy black leather coat and jeans ensemble, and he'd literally be her dream prince. She could feel her smile get a little goofy, and did her best to tone it down. Stop it! One wild coincidence does not a dream make!

Sharly cleared her throat. "Right. Well." Be cool! "This is my stop... Sid. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow."

"Mm-hm. See ya round."

She hopped off the bus, almost missing her footing in her effort not to crane her head around to look back in through the door as it closed behind her. Who was she kidding? She'd be there tomorrow.

[END]