Sleeping Bags and Slides
By Serenade of Light
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I wrote a story similar to this several years ago but with different characters. And after reading some of Neko-Salosa's shorts, I was inspired. So please read and enjoy. (A little R&R won't hurt either!)
Disclaimer: I don't own Rockman.
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Enzan was so entrenched in his work that he didn't hear the door open. So when the all-too-familiar voice said, "someone is here waaaay too late," Enzan jumped.
The dual-haired boy looked up and responded dryly, "And he has no concept of knocking either."
"Ha ha, Enzan. You know who I mean," Netto retorted.
"What are you doing here, Netto?" Enzan asked exasperated.
Netto smiled. "To have some fun. So let's go!"
"I rather not," Enzan said as he turned back to his computer with every intention to continue working, but he pushed the save button just in case.
"Too bad! It's nine! Way past overtime," Netto said, grabbing the back of Enzan's chair.
Enzan smirked. "I'm pretty sure it's past your bedtime too."
"Is not!" Netto pouted. "Now let's go!" The hyper brunette began to push the chair around the desk and toward the door.
"Netto!" Enzan yelled.
"Well, would you rather walk?" Netto asked.
"I don't want to move at all!" Enzan responded angrily.
"That's not an option!" Netto said happily.
"Don't you have homework?" Enzan asked, trying anything to get the younger boy to leave him alone.
"It's all done!" Netto answered proudly. "Do you think Rockman would let me come if it wasn't?"
Enzan muttered, "that's a first" under his breathe so Netto couldn't hear.
"What was that?" Netto asked.
Enzan sighed. "Nothing."
Netto shrugged. "Okay. Whatever. Let's just go."
"Why don't you ask your friends to go?" Enzan asked, again trying to turn Netto away.
Netto shook his head. "They said they're too old for this stuff."
"I'm older than you, so why would that make me young enough to do this?" Enzan asked.
" 'Cause you've never done it before!" Netto said smiling wildly. Then he pulled Enzan out of his chair. "Now, come on!" Enzan reluctantly followed, thankful he had saved his work.
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"So what are they doing?" Blues asked Rockman.
Rockman shrugged. "I dunno. Netto-kun said it was a surprise. But it has something to do with a sleeping bag."
Blues raised an eyebrow, though you couldn't see it. "A sleeping bag?" Rockman nodded. "Are they planning to sleep?"
Rockman chuckled. "I don't think so. He only has one sleeping bag. Besides, accordinbg to Netto, it's too early to go to bed. Netto-kun likes to sleep, but he also likes to stay up late."
"You know if he went to bed earlier he might wake up on time," Blues said.
Rockman crossed his arms. "You don't have to tell me that." Blues just gave that small smile of his.
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Enzan looked at the grinning Netto, then at the park and then back at Netto like he was crazy. "What the heck are we doing at a park!?" he asked in disbelief.
"We're going to play of course! What else do you do at a park?" Netto responded ecstatically.
"Hate to break it to you, but I have played at a park before. And your friends are right: they are too old for this and so am I." Enzan said.
"But have you done it with a sleeping bag?" Netto asked, not letting Enzan's rising anger dampen his spirits.
"Umm, Netto-kun?" Rockman asked before Enzan snapped at the hyper boy.
"Yeah, Rockman?" Netto responded as he turned his attention to his navi.
"Why did we come to this park?" he asked. "It's a lot farther than the other ones."
" 'Cause it has lots of big slides!" Netto beamed.
"Oh. Okay…" Rockman said slowly, not quite getting it.
But Enzan put two and two together. "There is NO WAY you're getting me to go down a slide in a sleeping bag! You are absolutely crazy!"
Netto laughed loudly as he took Enzan by the wrist and pulled him up the stairs to the biggest spiral slide. "I know! But it's still fun." At the top of the slide, Netto laid down the sleeping bag. "Okay, Enzan! Get in!"
"No way," Enzan said coolly.
"What? Do you need me to go down with you?" Netto taunted.
"NO!" Enzan shouted as he got into the bag. Blues smiled and Rockman held back a laugh—Netto was totally playing Enzan.
"Ready?" Netto asked.
"Of course," Enzan answered.
"Then go already!" Netto said as he pushed Enzan unexpectedly. Enzan had to hold back a small scream of surprise. "So? How was it?" Netto yelled happily from the top as Enzan reached the bottom.
"You're crazy!" Enzan yelled back.
"I don't need to be told how I am. I want to know if you liked the ride or not!" Netto retorted. When Enzan didn't answer, Netto just laughed. "Okay! Bring the sleeping bag back up so I can go!"
Enzan stood up and grabbed the now dirty bag. He wouldn't admit it, but it had been fun—once he had gotten over the surprise. His only complaint was that it was to short.
"Here you go," Enzan said as he handed Netto the bag once he had reached the top of the slide.
"Thanks." Netto took the bag, laid it out and then jumped on it to get it started. He laughed excitedly the whole way down. Enzan shook his head. Netto was such a kid.
As soon as the brunette crashed into the sand, he raced back up and handed the bag to Enzan. "Okay! Your turn."
"I think I'll pass," Enzan said, even though he wanted to. He still had his pride.
"You're just worried about looking dumb. It's 9:30! No one is gonna see us." Netto reassured.
"Come on, Enzan," Rockman coaxed.
"Well…?" Netto asked.
Enzan sighed. "Fine," the older boy said as he snatched the bag. Netto smiled like he had just successfully completed a particularly difficult Net Saver mission.
And so for the rest of the night, Enzan and Netto took turns going down the slide in the sleeping bag. There were even several times when Netto jumped on with Enzan, cheeringly loudly in his ear. The cheers were contagious: as the night progressed Enzan's straight face turned into a smile and soon that smile even turned into a small laugh. Even Enzan, serious Net Saver and vice president of IPC, couldn't deny the simple pleasures of going down a slide in a sleeping bag—even it he was too old. Netto's friends didn't know what they were missing.
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I use to do this all the time with my friends and I would recommend it to anyone--no matter their age. I especially recommend a sleeping bag with a slick outside covering to get some real speed. Anyway, tell me if you liked the story!