Chapter Text
The sun had been shining through the streets of Teeck as many folk enjoyed another peaceful (and somewhat out of timeline) day.
There was one set of footsteps louder than others that day. Marco had finally secured himself a date.
And not just any date, but a date with Rooster, his good pal, his sandsailing buddy.
The signs had always been there. Signs that they had something between them, and now was the chance for Marco to prove himself correct.
All he had to do was to give Rooster the best night of his life and it would be smooth sailing from there.
Maybe Rooster wouldn’t be so jumpy around him after this.
It was going to be easy.
A piece of cake!
He knew all the best places and most certainly could make any date the most spectacular night of anyone's life.
Except something was missing, something that just wouldn't click in his head.
He paced around his workspace once again, like he had been doing for the past hour.
This was Rooster we were talking about.
It had to be something special for the most special person in the world.
Something Rooster would remember forever.
He’d been through a lot from what little snippets Marco had heard. Far more exciting adventures than a simple dinner date could be.
So if Marco wanted to impress Rooster, it would need to be the most perfect date in the history of dates.
Earlier that day, he’d visited Amelia in the funnybone for advice.
If someone knew Rooster well enough for this, Marco assumed it would've been her.
Her words echoed in his head yet again.
‘’I think we all know Rooster enjoys anything with good food, music and booze. If anything I would be surprised if he didn’t have fun. All you have to do is to be yourself and it will go well.’’
She’d paused her thoughts, quickly adding.
‘’Also maybe keep an eye on him… just in case. Time with Rooster is always full of surprises. ’’
It was definitely a good start, but he needed more than that for them to have a truly unique and memorable date.
With some extra dazzle and shine, it would become a grand night. He only had until tomorrow evening to organize everything.
There was much to do, and not enough time left on the clock.
- -
After an awfully eventful day, a certain duo made of one Rooster and Kore arrived near a workshop.
It would be difficult to explain how a quick trip to buy supplies could lead to a fight with a bunch of gnomes, but Rooster was sure Boris would understand.
Arriving at the front, Kore turned toward Rooster with a tired look in his eyes.
‘’I suppose you will sleep at Boris’s workshop again. I will go see if… Amelia has a room free.’’
‘’Oh yeah! I’ll say hi to Boris before heading out.’’
Kore gave him a curious look before asking, ‘’You have plans for tonight?’’
‘’Plans?’’ Rooster stopped for a moment to think ‘’Hmm… noo…. no! I don’t think so. I’ll just be looking around for any parties.’’ Rooster excitedly looked up at Kore with sparkly eyes. ‘’Did you wanna come too!’’
Kore looked between his clothes covered in blood and sand, ‘’I don’t think I’ll ever understand how you can be so energetic all the time. In any case… just make sure to not get in trouble. And maybe don’t touch the alcohol…’’
‘’WHA-’’ Rooster mumbled a bit before he reluctantly responded, ‘’Fine, fine… I’ll try.’’
Rooster saw Kore disappear toward the direction of Funnybone. Rooster stared into the distance until he no longer saw his best friend.
Such a shame.
Guess it was going to be a Rooster solo night.
Or it would have been if not for a familiar voice calling for Rooster.
Rooster felt his heart skip a beat the second he heard the voice of Marco.
But what left him speechless was the sight of a carriage decorated with the most shining jewels and a pair of horses, both white as snow, moving it along.
The sight itself could make someone blind.
The carriage stopped in front of Rooster, who couldn't do more than look eyes wide at the sparkly display. Before he could barely conceive a thought, the door of the carriage opened. Marco stepped out of the carriage with a full suit just as sparkly and dazzling as everything else.
Rooster could feel his face burning.
‘’Rooster! Good evening! I hope you’re ready for the best night of your life.’’
Rooster was as stiff as a stick. The only things that could be heard from him were high pitched squeaks.
He could have exploded in the moment.
‘’Ma-Marco- Wha- uhm… What is… this about?’’
Marco paused for a moment, a bit humored. ‘’I’m taking you to our date of course. Don’t tell me you forgot our plans~’’
To his surprise Rooster looked even more confused.
‘’Date? When did I ever…’’ Rooster stops for a moment.
He… forgot the date?
All this planning and he wasn’t even aware it was happening??
Marco took a closer look at Rooster who seemed to be looking worse than usual. His clothes, full of holes and- is that blood?
‘’Ooh! Yeesss… Now I remember… I completely forgot about that. Must have been the drinks… or something.’’
‘’Rooster… how could you…’’ he added with a miserable yet teasing sigh. ‘’I can’t believe you. It’s like you don’t even pay attention to me.’’
‘’No- no, that’s not it at all! I just-’’
‘’But hey! You know what?’’ Marco gave him a light smirk, ‘’It’s not too late to back down, or what you say?’’
‘’I mean- of course I would love to join- I- uh- You got horses!’’
‘’Pff- yeah, you like them?’’
Rooster shook his head eagerly, ‘’Mhm! Can I ride them?’’
‘’Hah! Love the energy. But um- before we can go… we should probably do something with your clothing situation there buddy.’’
Rooster looked down at his dirty clothes, ‘’What about them?’’
‘’well… we are going somewhere a bit special. And in any case, don’t worry. I have prepared for a situation like this.’’ Marco took something out of his pocket, ‘’Here!’’
In his hand he held a tiny ring with a strange crystal embedded in it.
‘’I-I… You want me to put the ring on?’’
‘’Oh! No- I mean yeah! It’s just a little trinket. Go on try it on.’’
After looking at the ring, Rooster curiously slid it right on to his pinkie.
He felt a strange magical aura coming from it and with a blink of an eye and dazzling sparkles a dark red suit formed on Rooster.
It matched perfectly with his size and the little hints of gold completed the look perfectly.
‘’Woah! That’s awesome! Where did you get this.’’
‘’Just something I keep for special occasions.’’ He shows his own finger with a similar ring attached to it. ‘’It suits you well. How about you keep that one? A gift from me.’’
‘’A gift? Are you sure?’’
‘’Of course! And that’s not even everything.’’
Marco reached for something in the carriage and pulled out a bouquet of yellow flowers and a heart shaped box along with it.
‘’These are one of the rarest flowers in the desert. Golden Orchids. I thought they matched perfectly with your eyes.’’
Marco placed the gifts in Rooster’s hands who could only look at the petals that sparkled bright like the stars in the sky. He opened his mouth, about to say something until a realization hit him.
‘’JESIKA!’’
Rooster almost dropped the gifts to the ground if not for Marco quickly catching them right before they touched the ground.
‘’WE CAN’T LEAVE JESIKA! She needs to come too!’’
‘’Jesika? Yeah of course she will be coming too.’’ Marco puts the gifts nicely back to the carriage and points at the back of it. ‘’She will be right behind us, look.’’
Marco took out a rope made with the fanciest of silks and decorated with a bunch of gemstones like everything else. Made just for Jesika.
‘’Oh my gosh… She will be beautiful.’’ Rooster looked at the rope with sparkly eyes, ‘’I’ll get her! Stay right there, I’ll be right back.’’
Marco watched Rooster ran to the workshop.
Everything was going well so far.
It didn’t matter if things didn’t start as he expected. That’s just the way Rooster was and how could he get upset at a face like that.
This night was going to be perfect, it had to be.