Author's Notes: Just a little something semi- inspired by a Pink song (ahem, see lyrics below).
Edit: Just a quick little note. According to Wikipedia:
Epigraph—a quotation that is placed at the start of a work or section that expresses in some succinct way an aspect or theme of what is to follow.
In other words, an epigraph is a literary device used by myself here and by many other writers. The lyrics I have in the beginning are just here to illuminate the theme and I give all credit to whoever wrote them. I don't want any trouble.
Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or the song "Hiccup" (performed by Pink). I did, however, make up the Wu mentioned, not that it does anything anyway.
Why every time I try to tell you how I feel
It's a like a hiccup-cup come and it won't come-come
Soon as I think I'm bout to share my lovin'
That's when the hiccup's comin'
Hiccups
When he first met her, it didn't occur to him that he'd want to be anything more than friends. But spend enough time with a person and you're feelings are bound to change. This is exactly what happened to him. And so, deciding that being straightforward about it would be best, he told her how he felt. Or at least, he tried to tell her. And tried to tell her. And tried to tell her.
He would try when they had some off-time, while hanging out on the temple grounds.
The four Xiaolin warriors sat on the temple steps. They were happy to have a break, even if they were a tiny bit bored. Raimundo was listening to his m3p player, Omi was practicing his form (does this kid ever rest?), Kimiko was fiddling with her PDA, and Clay was just sitting there; or so it appeared. He was really mustering up some courage. He turned to Kimiko.
"Hey," he said, getting her attention. "Kimiko I…well you see, I hic think…think hic…well, I think I hic…lov hic hic hic."
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yes, you sound most strange, making that noise," said Omi, who stopped practicing long enough to comment on it. Rai, seeing as how he was using earphones, didn't hear (or say) a thing.
"Sorry hic about hic that. Never hic mind."
He would try when they were doing chores.
The only thing that was left to do that day was to scrub the main hall, a task that none of them ever enjoyed, mostly because the hall was so big and "big" meant "lots of work". Raimundo had strapped the brushes to his feet and was zipping around like an ice skater. Omi was berating him about his method of cleaning. And the other two were just working.
"At least one of us is sorta having fun," said Kimiko, pointing to Rai, who was now bickering with Omi over the "proper" way of scrubbing a hall.
Seeing that the others were distracted, Clay gave it another shot. "Can I tell you something?"
"Sure."
"Well, what I hic want to hic say hic is hic I hic hic hic."
Knowing it was hopeless at this point, Clay lowered his head, now really intent on scrubbing and desperately hoping she couldn't see the red creeping up on his face.
He would try when they were looking for Shen Gon Wu.
"Here we are kids. The Cat's Eye should be…somewhere around here," said Dojo, letting them get off his back. He reverted to his smaller form.
"Wow that really helps. This is only a huge field we're in Dojo," said Rai.
"Hey, I just let you guys ride on me. You're the ones who're supposed to find the thing."
They split up, searching through bushes and the tops of trees. Although he knew he should be looking for the Cat's Eye (which he was, really), Clay inched, ever so slowly, closer and closer to where Kimiko was looking.
"Found it yet?" he asked.
"Nope. Makes me wish Dashi hadn't scattered the Wu all over the world, you know?"
He sighed. "Look, Kimiko, I'm sorry I keep buggin' you with this but I hic just want to hic tell you hic…"
"Don't be sorry, just tell me."
"I hic really hic hic I hic really hic lovhic hic hic hic."
He bowed his head, not bothering to finish, looking for the Shen Gon Wu.
He even tried when they were training, but it was no use. Sometimes it was so bad, that he could barely speak at all. He would start just by being near her.
Oh, if only he could tell her. But those darn hiccups wouldn't let him!
"I have noticed that lately you have had problems with these "hic-pups"," said Omi to Clay. It was another day of rest for them. They were sitting in the shade of an old tree.
"It's 'hiccups' Omi, not 'hic-pups'," said Raimundo.
"'Hiccups'? But that makes no sense whatsoever." Rai sighed.
"Nevertheless, I got this from the kitchens." Omi held up a jar of sugar to Clay's face. "You just have to eat a tablespoon of it and these 'hic-pups' are cured."
"'Hiccups'," said Rai.
"Um, thanks Omi, but you actually have to be sufferin' from 'em before you go eatin' the sugar. And I'm fine right now."
"Oh. Then you could just carry this around, for when it does happen."
"Oh yeah Omi," said Kimiko sarcastically," That's real practical."
"I do what I can." The others collectively rolled their eyes.
And so, one night, he found himself wandering around the temple. It was late, he was tired, but he couldn't sleep. And before he knew it, he ended up in the kitchen. And she was there, flipping through a fashion magazine and eating an apple. He guessed she couldn't sleep either.
She looked up to see him. "Hey. There's more over there," said Kimiko, pointing to a bowl of fruit on the counter.
"No, I'm not here for a snack. I hic was just hic walkin' hic…dang hic it hic hic hic."
"Sit down," she said, motioning for him to do so. "Have you had this problem before? Where the hiccups randomly start and won't stop?"
"No hic. Why?"
"Just curious. I've heard the best cure for hiccups is to scare or surprise them out of a person. We should try it on you."
"That's hic great hic but hic how are hic you supposed to hic surprise me if hic you just hic told me that hic?"
"I can still surprise you. I just have to do something you won't be expecting." Having said that, she placed her hands on his shoulders, leaned in close, and kissed him. Needless to say, he was indeed surprised. But then he too leaned into the kiss. They stayed like that for a few minutes, until she broke it off.
"I figured out what you were trying to say by the second or third time you tried tell me," she said, resting her head on his chest. "I'm kinda flattered you would get all choked up like that."
He chuckled, but said nothing else. Instead, he just smiled, happy as can be
And he never did have a problem with the hiccups again.
The End.
Author's Notes: Yeah, just fluff really. And sorry if I messed up Clay's accent; I think the problem is that I think in proper English and that's what ends up on the computer screen when I type. Anyway, RR, please.