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Ryder ws humming and playing on his Pup pad, when Harold came in, looking sheepish. "You okay?"
Harold took a deep breath, face flushed, before saying, "Valentine's Day us coming up."
"Oh!" Ryder said. "That's right. Our first Valentine's Day! Do you have something in mind or should I plan something?"
Harold sighed. "Well, since you don't already have something planned I have no excuse to give him."
Now Ryder was concerned. "What's going on?"
Taking a deep breath to steal himself, Harold said, "Uncle Mayor is planning us a date in Foggy Bottom for Valentines Day and the only way he would be convinced out of it is if you had something planned already. Which I knew was a long shot since it's weeks away and we never talked about it…"
"Baby," Ryder ignored how flustered the name made Harold, mostly glad he stopped rambling. "What's Mayor Humdinger planning?"
"I don't know and that's what scares me," Harold answered honestly. "He just told me to ask you if you already had plans and, and these are his words, 'If you don’t have something planned don't you dare throw something together. I'll handle everything.' I think he's just jealous that we haven't had a date in Foggy Bottom yet."
"Because there's nothing to do," Ryder said before sighing. "Look. I'm glad that Mayor Humdinger finally accepted our relationship. That's more than I can say for half the pups. While I don't want him to go back to hating us, would it be too much to tell him no? No offense, but he doesn't know either of us well enough to plan a perfect date."
"You can try to talk with him," Harold said, "But unless you lie and say you already have plans I don't think he'll back down. Regardless if it's on Valentine's Day, he'll still plan the date for us."
Ryder sighed. "Look. I was thinking of going to the restaurant we had our first date at on Valentines Day. I haven't made the reservation yet because I wanted to ask you first."
"That sounds perfect," Harold said with relief.
"But concerning your Uncle," Ryder continued, "Tell him to plan it for a few days before Valentine's Day. I'll ask the pups to keep watch just in case your Uncle's bad luck strikes." Harold snorted. "So they'll be there if something goes wrong. I have a feeling they'll want to know what's going on anyway. And if it's before the day of, then the stress of what might happen won't weigh the date down."
Harold smiled at him with gratitude. "Thanks Ryder. Do you want to tell them now or later?"
Ryder smiled and pulled Harold over to the couch. "I'll let them know later. They're playing right now and it won't be for a while. You need to relax."
Harold smiled as they sat and cuddled up. How did he ever get so lucky?
Half an hour later, the pups ran into the Lookout. They all saw Harold enter, but tried to not think too hard on it. Now they were curious as to what was taking so long.
When they didn't see the boys on the main floor, they took the lift up and saw the two on the couch. Ryder was playing a game on his Pup pad and Harold was asleep, Ryder’s arm trapped in his hug.
Ryder looked up when the pups came in and smiled at them. "Hey pups."
"What's going on Ryder?" Chase whispered, motioning to Harold.
Ryder pushed a button on his Pup pad, activating the mission screen as he whispered to them. "I was gonna call you later, but now's a good time. Turns out Mayor Humdinger's planning a Valentine's Day Date for me and Harold."
"Is that a Bad thing?" Rubble asked.
"Not particularly, but I'm sure you all know why we'd be nervous. We're planning on letting him do this, but a few days before Valentine's as to not taint the day itself. We want you all to be on standby just in case something goes terribly wrong."
"What counts as, 'terribly wrong?'" Skye asked.
"Someone might get hurt," Ryder said, bluntly. "We doubt it'll be a good date experience, but we won't have you step in unless there's real danger. For this I'll need Spy Chase."
Chase's badge appeared on the screen. "I'll need you and your spy equipment to find out as much as you can about what might happen without alerting Mayor Humdinger, and keep an eye out during the date itself."
"Chase is on the case," Chase said, glad to have actual permission to look after the two during a date.
"And Skye," Ryder continued, her badge appearing on the screen. "I want you to keep a Bird's eye view of what's happening. Especially if we're doing something outside."
"This puppy's gotta fly. But what if Mayor Humdinger asks about my copter?" Skye asked.
"I know you all like to spy on us during our dates," Ryder said, causing everyone to look down sheepish. Except Rubble. He never participated in it. Marshall and Skye didn't anymore, but they still did at one point. "I'll just pretend that you're being concerned like normal."
"That's fair," Rocky admitted. It was about time karma kicked them like this. And if Mayor Humdinger finding out about them Spying on the two wasn't bad Karma for doing it, he didn't know what was.
Ryder chuckled and smiled down at the sleeping Harold. "You all go play. I'll be here for a while."
"I'll start figuring out what Mayor Humdinger's planning," Chase said, going into the elevator first, going down, and coming back up in his Spy gear and heading down the slide.
The day arrived, two days before Valentine's. Ryder drove on his ATV in a suit down to Foggy Bottom.
Chase wasn't able to get a clear picture as to what would be happening. It seemed like Mayor Humdinger wanted to throw a little bit of every kind of cliché date into one. Ryder’s only comfort was Skye's copter flying overhead, and the sight of Harold in a suit of his own.
Ryder parked the ATV and took off his helmet. "Considering you insisted I wear a tux this is gonna be formal?"
"Kitties?" Mayor Humdinger said and Ryder was pulled to sit back down, the Skye kitty by his head with a Comb, Rocky Kitty with hair spray, and the rest on his lap to prevent him from standing. Harold buried his face into his hands, face burning red. "Let's get your helmet hair under control."
Coughing under the fumes of the spray, Ryder couldn't even counter as he struggled to breathe.
"You're gonna suffocate him!" Harold exclaimed soon before the Kitties declared Ryder done. His hair was now flat against his head, fighting to go back up to its normal position.
"Looking your best is very important on any date," Mayor Humdinger proclaimed. "He should be thanking me."
"Considering he's still coughing, I don't think he can."
"Still," Mayor Humdinger said, pushing the hair back down as Ryder recovered. "Looking your best is important. It would have been better if he brought a more suitable transport."
Ryder glared at him, voice scratchy from the hairspray and subsequent coughing fit. "I think we're past the point of Harold caring about if I rented a Limo. My ATV works just fine."
"Up bup bup!" Mayor Humdinger said. "No time for that. Time for the first activity."
"Which is?" Harold asked.
"Candlelit Dinner!"
While still concerned, they weren't sure what could go wrong with that, so they followed the Mayor into the Lair. Chase's drone silently followed them, but only the teen boys noticed it, both feeling a small comfort from it.
"Are they all watching?" Harold asked as quietly as he could.
"They practically turned this into a Mission Paw," Ryder said, earning a chuckle from the blond.
"Your table awaits," Mayor Humdinger said, bowing with a flourish towards a round table with two chairs, a red table cloth, and a large plate of Spaghetti in the middle. Two candelabras were on either side of the table, making a nice window to look at your partner through.
Ryder whilsted, impressed at the set up as Cat Chase stood to the side, bored with a towel hanging off his ball launcher. Ryder and Harold let go of each other's hands to sit in a chair, but Mayor Humdinger forced them back together.
"Uncle Mayor," Harold groaned.
"We need our hands to eat, Mayor Humdinger," Ryder reminded, wondering why the Mayor went from hoping the two broke up to 'I will keep these two together no matter what.'
"That's what your other hand's for. Right Kitties?"
They seemed to agree as Cat Zuma launched a sticky substance that stuck that hands together.
Ryder sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, and Harold hid his face the best he could with one hand.
"What are you waiting for?" Mayor Humdinger asked. "Go on! Your meatballs will get cold."
Looking at the table, Ryder knew the only way they would be able to each sit in their chairs with their hands stuck would either be to move them to one side, or have their hands on the inside of the Candelabras. And seeing how there was a similar colored substance sticking the Candelabras to the tablecloth and he had a feeling Mayor Humdinger wouldn't like them moving the chairs, that left one option. However, it risked burning.
"Okay." Ryder told Harold. "We need to have our hands in the middle in order to be able to reach each other comfortably, but the Candelabras are stuck to the table. So we're gonna need to go over."
"I'll get on a chair?" Harold volunteered and Ryder nodded.
"Might be better if we both do unless we want to risk our clothes catching fire."
"Love the collaboration!" Mayor Humdinger called, oblivious that both were tense as they positioned themselves as comfortably as possible at the table.
"Wait," Harold said, noticing his right hand was holding Ryder’s left hand. "Oh no."
Ryder smacked his lips. "Indeed."
"We're gonna need to eat with our non-dominant hands."
"Oops," Mayor Humdinger said from the sidelines.
Ryder sighed. "This might get messy." He took a closer look at the Spaghetti. "Is it just me, or are these noodles longer than normal?"
"Isn't it romantic?"
The two glared at him. "Uncle Mayor. Me and Ryder talked about this. We aren't ready to kiss yet."
"Who said anything about kissing?" Mayor Humdinger asked, confused.
"Have you not seen Lady and the Tramp?" Ryder asked. "Two people, long pasta, not paying attention as they slurp it up and next thing they know their lips meet."
Mayor Humdinger adopted a look of horror on his face before clearing his throat. "Well, then, let's get onto the next activity then."
"You told me not to eat before coming," Ryder counterd, but the Kitties already took the plate away, gorging themselves on the Spaghetti.
Ryder and Harold sighed in sync. "I'm so sorry Ryder."
"It's not your fault."
"Time for bowling!" Mayor Humdinger called, running from the Lair, messy Kitties following.
They two looked in disbelief at the escaping Mayor before looking down at their hands and saying in sync. "Oh no."
Zuma groaned into his paws watching the two fail to bowl, both very uncomfortable with the close proximity as they attempted to use their non-dominant hands to bowl in uncomfortable suits, hands stuck together. "This is a disaster."
"Why," Marshall groaned, covering his eyes. "Why doesn't Mayor Humdinger let them opt out of an activity." He looked at the footage from the drone right on time to see the two loose balance and Ryder fell right on top of Harold, the air being knocked out of him. The EMT in Marshall screamed. "Can I please go? This is getting dangerous!"
"As much as I agree with you," Rocky said with gritted teeth, "Ryder specifically told us not to get involved unless he calls us or something extremely dangerous happens that would call for a rescue."
"You okay?" Ryder asked Harold, helping him up as Harold took deep, shaky breaths.
"I'll be fine," he squeaked.
"You both look like a mess!" Mayor Humdinger said before the Kitties fixed their appearances, spraying more hairspray into Ryder’s hair, renewing his coughing. "Who's up for one more round?"
"No," both boys said with impressive deadpan.
"Then let's move onto the movie!" Mayor Humdinger said with more cheer than he had any right to have.
The pups looked at each other, apprehensive. What movie?
Both Ryder and Harold glared at the moving pictures of the hastily built movie theater screen. The popcorn was gone since neither ate dinner, but now they were forced to sit and watch in silence. They couldn't even bond over complaining about the cheesy romance that was in French of all things because every time either of them opened their mouths for a reason other than popcorn, Mayor Humdinger would immediately shush them.
Ryder looked at the drone hiding behind the corner of the screen and envied his pups. At least they didn't have to watch it.
Harold looked at Ryder and his face softened before giving the hand that was stuck to his a squeeze, earning a small smile from Ryder as the movie came to an end.
"Finally," Ryder said with a groan as quietly as he could.
"Let's get to the next thing!" Mayor Humdinger said, startling both of them out of their skin as he suddenly popped up from the row in front of them. They could have sworn he was watching from behind based on the shushes. "A nice romantic walk in the beautiful nature of Foggy Bottom."
"At least it's something that won't be awkward holding hands for," Harold mumbled, earning a small laugh from Ryder.
"Hear hear."
Sky wanted to slam her head against the monitor at the awkward tension in front of her as she watched the two walk through the foggy forest, animal critter sounds keeping them on edge and Mayor Humdinger spying on them from the tree tops.
"How is any of this romantic?" Rubble asked through the communication.
"It's not." Chase responded. Even though the question was probably rhetorical. "There’s nothing romantic about walking through a foggy cold forest in suits after dark where you can't even stargaze."
"How do you know so much about romance?" Skye asked, confused.
"You all forget that whenever any of us want to check on Ryder when he's alone with Harold, it's me and my drone doing the work. You learn a thing or two."
"I want to know if Mayor Humdinger even knows what romance is," Marshall said, clearly hating this whole thing.
"Was that a wolf?!"
Skye heard the wolf noises and saw as the couple froze in place.
Looking at the Mayor, she saw him playing a recording of wolf sounds from a radio. "What is Mayor Humdinger thinking!?"
"Maybe he wants to get their hearts racing?"
Skye had no time to take Rubble's suggestion into consideration as she heard more wolf sounds that definitely weren't coming from the recording.
"The Wolf recording caught the attention of real wolves!" Skye exclaimed before calling Ryder.
"What's up Skye?" Ryder asked.
"Why did you bring your Pup Pad on a date!?" Mayor Humdinger exclaimed from the tree tops.
"Mayor Humdinger's playing wolf sounds. And it's attracting real wolves!"
The two teens looked at each other with wide eyes and Harold glared at his Uncle who looked like a deer in headlights. "Real wolves!"
Ryder was in mission mode real fast. "Chase. Use your drone to find the wolves so we know how close they are. We'll want to lead them back to their den."
"Chase is on the case."
"Marshall, get down here. I'll need you to use your animal talking skills to let the wolves know they don't need to worry about another wolf on their territory."
"I'm fired up."
"Do you really have such little faith in me you had your pups on standby?" Mayor Humdinger exclaimed, offended.
Ryder ignored him. "Skye, get Mayor Humdinger and his Kitties out of here with your harness."
"What about you?"
"We'll be okay. And with our hands stuck you won't be able to lift us both."
"Understood. This Puppy's gotta fly."
Twenty minutes later, the wolves were back in their den, and Rocky unstuck the two so they could finally separate.
"So?" Mayor Humdinger said. "Did you two have a good time disregarding the wolf scenario."
"No," Harold said with a glare, Ruder to busy shaking his hand to get rid of the kinks that formed during the 4 hours of hand holding.
"B- but why not?!" Mayor Humdinger exclaimed. "I combined everything that makes something a good date."
"Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to," Ryder said, now attempting to get his hair to no longer be plastered to his head.
"Actually, I do want to know the answer, so enlighten me."
Ryder shook his head, turning to Harold. "Wanna come over to the Lookout? I'm sure we can throw a decent Dinner together."
"I'd love too," Harold said with a smile, but Mayor Humdinger was being insistent.
"No. As Mayor and Harold's guardian, I won't allow you to leave till you tell me what went wrong."
Ryder’s eye twitched as he took some calming breaths. Harold placed a hand on his shoulder. "He's literally asking for it."
With one more breath, Ryder turned to look at Mayor Humdinger.
"You really want to know what went wrong? Fine."
Ryder took a deep breath before talking very fast. "We had no time to talk with each other. There were too many activities too quickly. We were hungry the entire time. There was no privacy and don't start because there's a difference between making sure we don't do something bad and taking note of our every move and word. You were always butting in and rushing us through. You obsessed over making sure we look perfect even though neither of us care. All but the first thing would be better in something other than a tux. And to top it all off, we were forced to hold hands the entire time."
Ryder took a deep breath once he was done, Harold looking at him vaguely impressed.
"So yeah," Ryder said, arms crossed. "Over all bad time even if you didn't summon litteral wolves. Now. I'm going to bring the pups and Harold back to the Lookout where we can eat real food and have an actual good time. Good night."
With those words, they left a stunned Mayor processing what he was told and the pups each climbed aboard their vehicle, Harold catching a ride with Ryder.
Harold and Ryder smiled as they watched the pups cheer on Apollo the Super pup, a plate of Pizza rolls between them.
Harold leaned his head against Ryder’s shoulder. "Now this is what I call a good time."
Ryder smirked. "Would you rather hang out here then the date I had planned?"
Harold shrugged. "I'm down to be here with you and the pups, but it's still Valentine's Day."
Ryder smiled. "Got it. Hanging out here in the morning and going out to eat in the afternoon it is."
Harold smiled up at him. "I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have you."
"I know," Ryder said with a smirk before adding, "I feel the same way."
While they had yet to say, 'I love you,' they both knew it as they snuggled closer.