Midnight Rollerskating

Dawn Strike Cat’s Eye snuck around the parking lot, lurking around scattered cars and light poles. He took one more look around and let out a sigh of relief, a small smile crept onto his face as he sprinted towards a dark building. Amidst his running, a gust of wind flew past him, throwing him off and startling him.

“Crap!” He ran around the side of the building and slid down against the wall, peaking around the corner with nothing in sight.

“Weird…”

“It is a bit weird isn’t it?” A deeper voice came from his right, also on the side of the building as he was. Dawn jolted up with shock and fell backwards.

“Weird that there’s another gem here, trying to get into this Roller Rink that’s—“ The gem un-crumpled a piece of paper and raised an eyebrow, “Closed for the Summer.”

Dawn got up to his feet, his expression changed to one of curiosity. Still alert, he spoke to the gem in a manner that wouldn’t make him suspicious.

“I also agree, it is quite strange that there’s another gem here,” Dawn slinked around the gem and observed him.

“You’re a bit flamboyant for a Homeworld gem,” the gem’s eyes followed Dawn as he slowly walked around him, “and that star is reminding me of a well-known rebel group here on Earth.”

Dawn froze and stared at the gem. His smile slowly faded and he stood alert. It was quite obvious however, that the gem in front of him was not in cahoots with Homeworld. If he was he did a pretty damn good job at hiding his allegiance.

“So, mystery gem- what brought you here to my rink?” Dawn changed the subject completely, not wanting to give this gem any more information on his background and why he’s there.

“Well, pretty gem, I’ve been here for quite a long time,” The gem grinned and leaned against the wall.

Dawn’s eyes squinted and he let out a chuckle.

“Yeah okay, I’d totally believe that. Except for the fact that I’ve been—“

“Been rollerskating here for years and haven’t seen me once?” The gem interjected, lighting up a cigarette with a smirk.

“How did you know? Are you some sort of weird Sapphire?” Dawn got close to the gem and inspected his clothing and form. The gem blushed and gently pushed Dawn away from him.

“Ahem—“ the gem cleared his throat, straightened himself out, and patted his clothes. He took a puff of his cigarette and threw it on the floor.

“The name’s Tiger’s Eye,” He put his hand out for Dawn and the two shook hands.

“Well Tiger, that doesn’t explain how you know about my nightly rollerskating routine,” Tiger’s Eye grabbed Dawn’s arm and pulled him back to the front of the building. Dawn was taken by surprise, almost tripping over his own feet.

“Hey—!” Dawn frantically blurted, gripping Tiger’s hand whilst being swung around to the front of the building

“You see this window here?” The gem was oblivious to the whiplash he gave Dawn and brought him to a square shaped hole in the wall. Dawn straightened himself out and took a breath.

“Yeah… wait, yeah actually,” he walked towards the window and put his hand on the windowsill, very intrigued and slightly shocked.

“How have I never noticed this? There’s not even a window here!” He stuck his arm through the square shaped hole and tilted his head in confusion.

“It broke not too long ago, you were here when it happened,” Tiger’s Eye walked up to the window, standing next to Dawn. He turned and leaned back against it, now looking at the curious gem’s face.

“I was..? I don’t remember.”

Tiger’s Eye crossed his arms and looked down at the floor with a smirk.

“You had a walkman with you. You must have been blasting your music because that window situation was LOUD,” The big gem laughed to himself and looked back at Dawn.

“Not to scare you away but— I’ve actually been watching you through this window for awhile,” He turned back around and leaned in the window, resting his forearms on the windowsill. Dawn was taken aback by his statement. He wasn’t sure whether to feel flattered, frightened, or both.

“Yeah that’s TOTALLY not creepy in any way whatsoever,” he gave Tiger’s Eye a cheeky grin and leaned back against the window with his elbows inside.

“Well, I had to make sure you weren’t an enemy,” He gave a quick look up at Dawn with a sly expression.

“So you’re saying you saw ME, in THIS attire, rollerskating ALONE, listening to MUSIC, and deemed me as a threat long enough to watch me?” Dawn snickered and turned around, now leaning into the window right next to Tiger’s Eye. He looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Sounds like an excuse to see me.”

“I guess you could say that,” Tiger’s Eye smirked and his eyes met Dawn’s.

“I’m more-so intrigued with you— as a gem on Earth that is. You’re a lot more unique than any gem I’ve ever seen,” Tiger’s Eye looked into the rink from the window with a smile on his face.

“Unique?”

“Yeah you know, like an actual being with emotions and thoughts and hobbies— all that jazz. Everyone I’ve seen has been so wrapped up in this war and gem stuff but you, you just— exist. You do whatever you want whenever you want and I think that’s pretty rad,” Tiger’s Eye peaked over at Dawn and saw his face light up.

“I’m sorry—“

“No no—! It’s just- I don’t know what to say—,” Dawn’s face grew red and he tried to cover it with his hand.

“You don’t have to say anything, it’s just what I’ve seen from you, from this window that is—,” he patted the windowsill and smiled.

“You know for a creep you’re a pretty nice guy,”

“Yeah? I guess it is kind of creepy,” Tiger’s Eye’s face grew red and he looked away in embarrassment.

“Well I guess you’re MY creep. WELL— LITERALLY! Like you literally watched me and me only, sooo technically you are ‘my creep’ haha…” Dawn turned his head away and giggled at himself. Tiger’s Eye looked back at Dawn.

“Oh? Who said you were the only one I’ve seen around? Maybe I’m a universal creep,” Tiger’s Eye chuckled.

“Well, if it makes you feel better, I’m not completely creeped out by it,” Dawn looked down at the floor.

“I think it’s nice having someone watch over me like that— like a guardian angel or something. Human words.”

“Well from now on I’ll try not to be creepy. I’ll be a ‘guardian angel’… whatever that means,” Tiger’s Eye laughed and looked back into the Roller Rink. He exhaled and smiled, leaning his head into his hand and looking in.

“Rollerskating looked kind of fun.”

Dawn shot up with excitement.

“Well, why don’t you observe from inside? You’ll be learning from the best!” Dawn looked up at Tiger’s Eye and flashed him a smile.

Tiger’s Eye raised his eyebrow and smiled back. Dawn walked forward and turned around, running back to the window and diving in, landing into a summersault and rolling into a small jump of joy. He turned and looked at Tiger’s Eye through the hole and shot his arms in the air.

“Ta-da!” Dawn gave him the widest smile he’s ever seen, radiating with happiness.

Tiger’s Eye started to put one leg through the hole when Dawn stopped him.

“Hey! I want to see your epic landing too! I bet it can’t top mine,” Dawn stood at the far end of the carpeted area, watching Tiger’s Eye with a mischievous expression. Tiger’s Eye shook his head, taking his foot back out of the hole and backing up.

“You may be a pretty gem, but I’m pretty myself!” Tiger’s Eye yelled out to Dawn.

“Pretty—?”

Before Dawn could even process, Tiger’s Eye leaped through the hole, landing on his palms and boosting himself towards Dawn.

“Wait—!”

Tiger’s Eye tackled Dawn into a few summersaults, rolling into the middle of the rink, right underneath the disco ball. Tiger’s Eye was now hovering over Dawn, both of his hands were on either side of his head. Dawn’s face grew extremely red.

“Pretty damn good at sticking the landing,” Tiger’s Eye snickered and stood up, lending his hand out for Dawn.

“Yeah that was definitely a step up from my landing…” Dawn grabbed his hand and was lifted back up to his feet with ease. He nervously scratched the back of his head.

“Sorry if it was a bit much, you challenge a Tiger’s Eye, you get the Tiger,” Tiger’s Eye walked back to the hole and leaned against the wall, lighting up another cigarette.

Dawn, still a bit flustered and nervous to form a proper sentence, took a couple of steps towards Tiger’s Eye. His gemstone glowed and two roller skates hovered out from within.

“Whoa! I didn’t know those were your gem weapon—“ Tiger’s Eye was in awe.

“Yeah— they’ve gone through a lot of forms, but I’ve always been a roller-skater. Even back on Homeworld…” Dawn put his skates on and spun around as Tiger’s Eye watched.

“I hope that doesn’t take away from my uniqueness, me still doing the same ol’ song and dance I was made to do,” Dawn gave Tiger’s Eye a sad smile.

“No not at all. Your relationship with your weapon and abilities have nothing to do with your uniqueness. Homeworld was just capitalizing on your technique, enjoying what you could do before and doing it now doesn’t make you any less unique,” Tiger’s Eye stood straight up and put his hand on Dawn’s shoulder.

“I’m glad you’re no longer a stranger,” Dawn smiled at Tiger’s Eye.

“And I’m glad to be able to see the legend himself close-up,” Tiger’s Eye took his hand off of Dawn to take a puff from his cigarette and leaned back against the wall.

“Say, wanna see me do this cool trick I perfected last week?”

“Last week?! You’ve had those skates for who knows how long!”

“Well I wasn’t sent out on missions to be doing cute little tricks and spins now was I?” Dawn bursted with laughter and started to skate towards the rink.

“You probably can’t even fit roller skates on those big ol’ feet mr wolf!”

“Wolf? That is so different from a Tiger!”

“It’s not WAY off.”

“Well pretty gem, we’ll find out soon. You better teach ‘mr wolf’ the ropes!”

“Deal!”

The moon shined through the window, engulfing the two gems in the light. They were at their happiest, and even though the circumstances were quite strange and revealing, I think this is the start of a beautiful relationship. Where could these two go next?