In the summer of 1981, a lonely and sad Michael goes out in one of his usual late-night walks, only to cross paths with a girl who might just be his perfect match.
hellooo, this is my first fic here so hopefully someone out there will like it. it’s reeeeeally cheesy though, but it’s cute
Inspired by this quote of him ☹️
“Even at home, I was lonely. I used to sit in my room and cry. It was so hard to make friends... I used to walk the streets at night, just hoping to find someone to talk to. I'd just walk around the neighborhood, hoping to run into someone who didn't know who I was, just so I could have a normal conversation."
Lately, Michael had been feeling especially down. He felt as though he was living the same day on repeat. He spent his days watching Disney movies, reading, practicing his dance moves, hanging out with his animal friends, and crying himself to sleep.
Tonight, Michael decided to go out for a walk in order to clear up his head a bit. He usually went out at these hours, as it was the only time he could go out unnoticed. Michael would walk around his neighborhood hoping he’d meet someone—anyone—who would talk to him.
This time, however, he walked past the gates without any kind of expectations. Michael had officially given up on his ‘ridiculous fantasy’, as he’d call it. He had accepted his strange reality, and the fact that randomly bumping into his person, whatever that meant, wasn’t the kind of dream that ever came true.
He walked out into the cool night, a striking contrast from the hot summer days lately. A small breeze caressed his face, making him feel a little more alive already. Michael began walking down the street, listening to the quietness of the night and admiring the illuminated windows ofthe pretty Encino houses. He thought of the different people who lived there, and how different their lives must be from his. Different families, different friends—not that he had any—and couples in love. Michael wondered what being in love must feel like, and if anyone would ever love him that way.
He kept walking for a few minutes, trying his very best not to focus on the thoughts inside his head, but the scenery remained pretty much the same—pretty house after pretty house after pretty house—until a sound caught his attention. The sound of small wheels against pavement. He looked up and his eyes met a girl on roller skates a few meters ahead. Michael couldn't help the smile that formed on his face—she was absolutely terrible at it.
Oh, he wanted to talk to her… but how? Michael tried to think of any way he could start some kind of conversation, stressing so much he felt like his head was about to implode. Eventually, Michael gave up. He was too shy. Ugh, he just couldn’t believe himself sometimes. Most successful young solo artist they said, yet he couldn’t manage to start a conversation with a cute girl? Pathetic, he thought.
He would have walked right past her and continued his self-loathing stride if she hadn’t lost her balance right in that moment and, with the grace of a sack of potatoes, fallen sideways into someone’s lawn. “Ouch!” she yelped.
“Oh, are you alright?” Michael asked without a second thought. He was about to reach out for her, but his brain stopped him there this time. Instead, he just stood there looking down at her. Why did he have to be so awkward?
“What? Oh yeah, yeah. I’m okay, thank you,” she said quickly, laughing a little. Still not making any effort to get up from the grass. “I had never worn skates before. These are new, actually. Bought them at the toy store earlier today… although I’m sure you had already guessed that because of how ridiculous I must’ve looked trying to move without falling—”
A small smile began to form on Michael’s face as she rambled, relieved that she seemed to be just as awkward as he was. He also realized how pretty she looked, natural—as if she didn’t have the slightest clue how beautiful she really was.
Michael laughed softly at her self-awareness and shook his head. “It’s okay. You need practice, that’s all,” he said gently, a shy smile plastered on his face. “Are you sure you’re not hurt..?”
“Yeah… just a couple of bruises here and there. Didn’t think I’d be so horrible at it.”
“It really isn’t that hard…” Michael chuckled.
She rolled her eyes at him, and she started taking the skates off. “Oh, we have a professional skater here,” she teased him.
“I’m not…” he argued with a laugh. “I’m just sayin’ that, perhaps, learning how to skate on pavement is not a great idea. It’s harder and you’ll just end up bruised.”
“Well, they didn't tell me that at the store!”
“Why would they? It’s common sense,” he said, still smiling like a fool.
“Mmm, not to everyone…”
“True… I’m sorry.” Then, he realized… “do you need help getting up?” Michael asked, stretching out his hands.
“Thanks…” she said, smiling softly as she took his hands and allowed him to pull her up.
The contact wasn’t long, but it was more than enough to leave Michael feeling slightly giddy. He gave her the shyest of smiles as she stood there in front of him, standing in the grass in just her socks. She smiled back.
Then, in a fleeting burst of chivalry, Michael bent down to pick up the skates from the ground, holding them by the laces. “So, uhm… do you live nearby?”
“Yeah, that one over there… I didn’t get very far, you see,” she told him, pointing towards a house at the end of the block.
He chuckled quietly and nodded. Then, Michael just stood there… he wanted to walk her home but couldn’t bring himself to ask her, even though he was already holding the skates for her.
A small smile formed on her face as she watched him. “I’m (name), by the way,” she said suddenly, stretching out her hand for him to shake.
He quickly looked at her, his smile mirroring hers as he took her hand once again. “Pretty name,” he told her. “I’m Michael.”
(Name) laughed, a slight hint of affection washing over her features. “Yeah, I knew that.”
“You did?” Michael asked, taken a little aback.
“M-hm,” she hummed, looking far more relaxed than any girl who knew who he was usually acted when they’d interact with him.
That made him feel some kind of way. He wanted to ask her questions. Perhaps she didn’t like his music? Did she hate him? Maybe she was famous too and that’s why she wasn’t impressed? No, he would’ve definitely heard of her before…
“I realized who you were mid-conversation, but it was too late to act surprised,” she admitted with a small chuckle, yet still being so casual about it.
Michael chuckled too, shaking his head. “There’s really nothing to be impressed about.”
(name) rolled her eyes at him, again. “Ah, I’m sure there isn’t…”
“I mean it,” he insisted, his smile coming back. Something about her made him relax…
“M-hm. Whatever you say, Jackson.”
It was his turn to roll his eyes now, and he did. (name) laughed. “Hey, I was just kidding! Don’t be mad.”
“I’m not!”
“I don’t know, you seem pretty mad…” she teased.
At that, Michael just laughed and shook his head. “Let me walk you to your house,” he said softly, but not scared.
An amused smile formed on (name)’s face. “Thought you’d never ask.”
“Wasn’t sure you’d want me to.”
“To ask or to walk me home?”
“Hmm… both. perhaps you wanted me to do it without asking, or perhaps you didn’t even want me to walk with you in the first place…”
(name) chuckled. “You think too much, Michael.”
Michael laughed too, nodding. “Yeah…”
They started walking side by side, quietly for a few seconds. Her in just socks, Michael carrying her skates.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that… I can carry them myself, they’re not that heavy,” (Name) told him, breaking their silence.
“They are pretty heavy.”
“I mean, a little, but you really don’t have to..”
Michael shook his head as he smiled. “It’s okay, I want to. It’s also just one block.”
“Okay, true..” she laughed.
He laughed too, before asking, “…why were you skating so late, anyways?”
“Well, I just bought them this afternoon so it’s not like I could go out any earlier. Also, the heat during the day is unbearable. I don’t even go outside before 7 p.m. anymore.”
“Yeah, me neither…” Then, Michael gestured at the skates. “And… you said you bought these at the toy store?”
(name) grinned. “Ah, yes… I still go there sometimes,” she said, suddenly looking slightly embarrassed.
He noticed, a grin forming on his face as well. “Me too.”
“You do??”
“Yeah… my brothers tell me I’m childish, though.”
“Well, they’re not wrong, I suppose,” she teased. “I don’t have any siblings. Although they would probably say the same thing about me if I did.”
Michael chuckled. “Really?”
“Really what?”
“No siblings? At all..??”
“You seem surprised.”
“I am. You seem… nice.”
(name) burst out laughing. “How does that relate to me being an only child??”
“Sorry..” he said, an embarrassed smile on his face. “It’s just that, in theory, you should be really mean.”
“Ah, that’s stupid!”
“I know, I know..”
(name) gave him a small smile, then quietly said, “I’ve always wanted siblings, you know?”
He looked at her. “Why?”
“I don’t know… being an only child is too boring. Too lonely.”
Michael nodded understandingly. “I know the feeling. It depends on how close you are with your brothers, though… I have lots of them but I’m always on my own anyways.” then, he asked, “You’re alone..? How? You’re so sweet, you must have so many friends”
(Name) chuckled a little, shaking her head. “Not really. I guess not everyone thinks the same as you, Michael.”
Michael laughed softly. “Yeah, I’ve been told that before.”
“…How are you lonely, though? I wouldn’t have thought that,” she asked.
He shrugged. “It’s complicated… people see me differently. They don’t treat me like a normal person, you know?”
(name) nodded, trying her best to understand him. She went quiet for a few seconds as they finally reached her house, then said, “Well… since we’re both lonely this summer, we could hang out sometime… if you want. And I promise I’ll treat you like a normal person.” She said the last part jokingly, but her words were honest. Kind.
A warm, grateful smile formed on Michael’s face at her words. he had given up on the idea of finding someone like her. A nice girl who offered to spend time with him without asking for anything else, just because they were both lonely and needed some company. Although, his mind couldn’t fully comprehend how such a beautiful person could be as lonely as he was.
“I’d love that,” Michael replied softly. “Thank you.”
“Yeah..?” she asked, a smile growing on her face.
“Yeah,” he nodded, smiling back.
“Alright… let me give you my number, then. Wait here,” (name) told him, before practically running towards the front door and entering her house.
Michael just stood there, still holding her skates, and smiling like the teenage boy he was.
She came back holding a pink sticky note with her number and name on it… and a small heart. “Here,” she said, slightly out of breath.
Michael took it, biting his lip in excitement as he saw the small heart. “can I call you tonight?”
(name) chuckled. “Of course.”
“Alright,” he said happily.
“Alright.” Then added, “Hey, Michael..”
“Yeah..?”
“Can I have my skates back?” she teased, chuckling lightly.
Michael’s cheeks turned red. “Right… yes, of course. Here,” he stuttered, and quickly handed them to her.
(name) was still laughing quietly as she took them from him. “Thank you, Mike.”
“Mike..?”
“Oh, too much? You don’t like it?” She looked worried.
“No, no… it’s okay,” he said, his smile growing.
“Very well then…”
Michael nodded.
“Goodnight, Michael. It was a pleasure to meet you.”
He shook his head. “the pleasure was mine. Goodnight, (name).”
She smiled at him warmly. He smiled back. They just stood there for a few seconds, smiling at each other under the stars…
Michael was gathering the courage to compliment her, but just as he was about to open his mouth, (name) leaned in and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. “Bye” she said. His mind went completely blank, completely forgetting what he was about to say before the kiss.
“B-bye” Michael replied weakly, lifting his hand to say goodbye.
(name) chuckled and waved back as she made her way into her house. “Call me, yeah?”
He nodded. “Yeah..”
With one last smile, she entered her house and closed the door. Michael was left there, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
He made his way back home, smiling to himself. He couldn’t stop thinking about (name)… her laugh, her hair, her eyes. She was so beautiful. Michael was crushing hard, and couldn’t do anything to help it. The only thing he wanted was to get back home already, so he could call (name) and listen to her pretty voice again at the end of the line.
A nervous late-night phone call turns into a conversation that leaves a blushing Michael counting down the days until their first date on Friday.
sooo, i wrote a second part to this story! thank you so much to everyone who liked the firsttt 🩷 also, i might’ve gotten a biiit too carried with the dialogues so i suppose there’ll be a third part too. thank you again!!
Hayvenhurst was mostly empty when Michael got home. His brothers were out, and his parents were probably asleep… thank God. The only thing he wanted was to get to his room already and dial the number of the gorgeous girl he had just met.
Michael practically ran up the stairs and, after making sure no one would dare bother him, shut his door behind him.
He kicked off his shoes and jumped onto the bed, quickly reaching for the phone on his nightstand and dialling the number she had written down on the pink sticky note… Michael had protected that piece of paper with his life, making sure it was still inside his pocket every 10 seconds when he was walking back home.
As the phone began to ring on her end, he couldn’t help his excitement. Michael bit his lip anxiously, his chest tight with happy anticipation.
The time it took her to answer was long enough for Michael to start overthinking everything. What if she had given him a wrong number? What if she was just being polite? Did she even want him to call her? Should he have waited until tomorrow..?
Michael was about to hang up when he heard the phone being picked up on the other line. Oh no… He felt the way his heart did a little flip.
“Hello…?” Michael heard her voice through the phone.
“Hi… it’s uhm, it’s Michael” He said softly, sounding scared even.
“Ah Michael, hi! You’ve been calling for too long? I was just getting out of the shower, didn’t think you’d call so soon”
Michael could’ve sighed in relief when he heard the excitement in her voice. Instead, he breathed out a laugh. “No, no… first try. Sorry for calling so soon. I uh, I just wanted to keep talking”
(name) chuckled at his words “No, don’t apologize! I’m so glad you called. I was scared you wouldn’t, actually”
“What? Why wouldn’t I..?” He asked, genuinely having no idea why she would say that.
“Well, you know…”
Michael laughed a little, “No, I really don’t”
“Oh, come on… you’re Michael Jackson,”she whispered. “There’s probably hundreds of girls who wish they were talking to you”
“Well, yes but-“ (name) cut him off, laughing. He smiled and continued “-but I’m sure none of them are like you.”
“Oh, shut up!” She said and rolled her eyes, before realizing he couldn’t see her. “I’m rolling my eyes at you, by the way”
Michael scoffed, a smile all over his face. “I was being serious, but alright…”
“No, you were not!”
“I really was.” He insisted.
“Yeah, right. What would make me so different than other girls, anyways? And how are you so sure about it? You say it like it’s a fact.”
“It is a fact… and, I don’t know”
“What don’t you know?”
“Why you are different”
(name) chuckled again, “oh no, you’re gonna have to elaborate. You can't be saying things like that and not explaining why”
Michael laughed too, flipping around in his bed and laying on his chest. “Fine, uhm… I suppose it’s because of what I was telling you earlier. Because you treated me like a random person, which was nice. You’re also funny and… very pretty” he said the last part very quietly, as if he was hoping she wouldn’t hear it.
But of course she heard it. “awwwww, stop it!”, (name) teased him.
“Shut up…” Michael said, embarrassed now.
(name) laughed a little at his embarrassment. “I’m just messing with you.” Then, sounding more sincere she said “Thank you, Michael”
“M-hm..”
“I wasn’t treating you like a random person though. I was treating you like a boy who I thought was very cute”
Michael felt the way his cheeks started burning at that, and was very grateful that she couldn’t see his face right now. He didn’t even know what to say, he wasn’t used to getting compliments like that. Specially not coming from a girl he liked.
“I will admit something, though. I am kind of blown away about you being who you are, not gonna lie. I was just too embarrassed to act like a fan or something like that..” (name) told him, chuckling a little.
Michael smiled, “you’re so silly..”
“Sorry!”
“It’s okay,”
“Do you still like me?”
“What?”
“Even if I’m a bit of a fan..?”
Michael laughed, “sure. As long as you’re not one of the crazy ones”
“Mmm, if you mean crazy about you… then nah, you’re fine” She teased.
“Ouch.”
“What? Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“Yeah, I suppose.. doesn’t make it any easier to hear, though”
(name) smiled, “look, I’ve seen enough movies to know that, if you meet a famous person, you have to keep it cool”
Michael was laughing, once again. “What are you talking about?”
“You haven’t seen the movies?”
“No, no.. I have. It’s just funny. I guess it worked.”
“See?” (name) said, breathing out a small laugh.
They stayed quiet for a little while, until Michael asked. “…you said you like movies?”
“Oh, I love movies. Do you?”
“Yeah.., me too” He said. “You know, earlier you said we should hang out some time..”
“Ah, yes… oh, we could go to the cinema!”
Michael chuckled, “that would be fun…” he stayed quiet then.
“Hey, what happened? Oh…” She said as she realized he couldn’t go out just like that.
“Yeah.. I’m sorry. Too dangerous”
(name) laughed softly, “nah, don’t apologize. We could watch a movie at one of each other’s places, then. That’d be fun too, right?”
“You’d like that..?” Michael asked, pure happiness in his voice.
“Duhhh. Why wouldn’t I? I don’t follow”
“Uh,.. perhaps it was too much, I don’t know. Don’t ask me”
(name) giggled, and rolled her eyes once again. She kept forgetting he couldn’t see her. “Nah, it’s not too much. I mean kinda, but nah.. it’s not like we have any other choice.”
“That’s true”
“Yep”
“Alright. So…”
“So..?”
“When uh, when can I come over..?” Michael asked shyly.
“Wait, you’d be coming here??”
“I mean, I don’t know. You don’t want me to..?”
“No, it’s not that! It’s just scary- I mean, not scary, just… ugh, I don’t know” she chuckled nervously.
He chuckled too, “No, I get it. But trust me, it would be even scarier if you came over here.”
“Why?”
“Brothers.”
“Ohh..” she said understandingly.
“Yeah… parents too.”
“Hey, I have parents too… well, not that they’re around much”
“They’re not?”
“Not really. Oh, but it’s nothing terrible. Just work. I’m old enough to be by myself, anyways”
Michael smiled, “I suppose. Your place then??” He asked, hoping she’d say yes.
“Fine…” she replied, jokingly annoyed.
“Great!” He wouldn’t even hide his excitement anymore. “When??”
“Uhmm, let me see..”
“I’m free… every single day this week.”
(name) laughed loudly. “Yeah..?”
“M-hm.”
“Okay, well… what about this Friday?”
“Yeah, that sounds nice.” Michael said, even though he had been secretly hoping she would say tomorrow.
“Ah, I can’t wait!”
“No, me neither… Can I call you everyday until Friday?” He asked her, smiling cheekily.
(name) huffed out a laugh, “yes, I’d love that, Michael”
“Great… see you Friday, then. What time?”
“Mmm, I don’t know. Friday night, I suppose. 8 or 9pm, something like that?”
“Yeah, okay. Between those two. Oh, we should eat something… what do you like?”
“Mmm… anything sweet.”
“Alright, I can do that” Michael said, already planning in his head everything he would buy for her.
“Oh, but you don’t have to bring anything”
“I really do.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Yes, I do”
(name) snorted, “the more we talk, the more I realize how stubborn you really are”
“It doesn’t have to be a bad thing”
“Never said it was”
A small laugh came out of Michael’s mouth. They stayed quiet for a while then, both of them lost inside their own heads. Michael was the first to speak again, “Alright, (name)… I should probably let you go already. It’s getting late. Again uhh… I’m sorry for calling”
(name) decided to ignore his apologies this time, realizing there was nothing she could say to make them stop. She smiled instead, “okay… goodnight, Michael. I loved talking to you”
“I loved it too… See you Friday”
“See you Friday.”
“Bye..” He whispered softly.
“Bye” She whispered too.
They both hung up, and Michael stayed in his bed— chuckling quietly as he stared at the ceiling, day-dreaming of her and the little movie date they had just planned. He hoped Friday would come soon, and couldn’t wait to call her again tomorrow.
In which Captain EO is trusted with the rescue of a beautiful princess… and absolutely anything goes as planned.
hellooo so I wrote this captain EO story since there are barely any fics of him out there and I love him way too much not to
I got reaaaally inspired by starwars, which I also love, however you don’t HAVE to be a fan to understand this.. (i stole the planets)
thats it! it’s a really cute enemies-to-lovers thing and i hope ya’ll like it!! 💕 its kinda long but not thaaaat long. also, im sorry if this is insanely cheesy for y’all but I feel like being a bit ridiculous IS the whole essence of captain EO. idk.. read at your own risk
Saving the Supreme Leader’s world had been an unarguable victory for Captain EO and his ragtag crew, helping them prove their worth to the Galactic Intelligence. Though the fear of being drummed out of the corps was still very much there. However, if they kept succeeding in their next missions, their positions should be permanently secured… hopefully.
This time, Commander Bog—against his better judgement—had trusted the Captain with a high-profile royal rescue…
Long story short, the Galactic Intelligence was on the verge of securing an alliance with Coruscant, a planet covered entirely by a massive city, that had an immense political influence. The planet's signature on the treaty would finally bring peace to the Cosmos.
However, a few days before the signing ceremony, their beloved princess was kidnapped by powerful space mercenaries and bounty hunters. For these, a peaceful galaxy would be bad for business so, by stealing the princess, they hoped to trigger a war between Coruscant and the Galactic Intelligence, in order to keep the galaxy unstable.
In brief, if EO fails, he would be starting a galactic war (and he’d definitely be drummed out of the corps this time).
With the galaxy on the brink of war, Commander Bog assigned EO and his crew the noble mission of rescuing the princess and safely returning her to her home planet. Bog made sure the captain understood the importance of the quest, and that if it had been up to him, they would have been his absolute last choice.
“Okay crew, listen up.. our last mission was a total success, which led to the higher-ups finally noticing us and what we’re capable of. This new assignment is the chance we have to prove ourselves so please, let’s not ruin it. I’m talking to you, Hooter..” EO said, giving the poor elephant-like alien a warning look. The rest of them chuckled.
The captain continued, “The princess is being held captive by a group of very bad guys based somewhere in Tatooine-”
The ship filled with the sounds of complaints at the mention of the desolated, desert planet, “oh, but we hate it there!” they yelled.
EO wanted to roll his eyes, but remained calm instead. “I know, I hate it too.. but we have to go. There’s a princess there who needs our help.” After getting no feedback from his crew-mates at all, he sighed. “Very well, then.. Uh, Major Domo, could you set our course to Tatooine, please?”
Once they’d arrived at the outer rim and were close enough to the sandy planet, the crew dropped out of lightspeed. As the ship began to descend through Tatooine’s atmosphere, the heat and friction made all of the screens turn red. the ship started to shake violently, “What’s going on..!??” EO yelled as he held onto the captain’s chair for dear life.
"We're losing control of the ship, Captain!” The robot yelled back, as he kept pressing buttons that seemed to be useless, "The engines are locking up!”
“What!? I thought we had fixed those after leaving the supreme leader's world!”
Hooter let out a guilty squeak, as he covered his eyes with his ears and shrunk into his seat.
“HOOTER!!” The captain snapped, but didn’t have time to reproach him for it. “Everyone hold on to your seats, this is not going to be a smooth landing!” ..without any engine power to slow them down, the descent was brutal. The ship slammed into the desert with a terrifying speed, leaving the starship dead and buried in the sand, miles away from their destination.
“Is everyone alright..?” EO asked, listening to the sound of sand falling somewhere and metal cooling down. He settled with the weak ‘yeah’s’ he got in response and got up onto his feet, putting on his signature cape “Alright, no time to lose then.”
Captain EO and Hooter began their journey, leaving behind the rest of the crew so they could find a way to repair the ship. It would be a long, long walk… lucky for them, the suns were beginning to set.
They made their way through the harsh desert, the landscape changing from endless dunes to rocky canyons. EO would periodically communicate with the crew, asking for updates on the state of the ship and the repairings… which were going awful.
Hours later, they reached the coordinates of where the bounty-hunters were supposedly located. The captain and his crew-mate settled behind a few rocks, resting and taking their time to analyse the scenery before them.. there it was. The makeshift base they had been looking for. It was a dusty station, just thrown in the middle of nowhere and built out of recycled starships and garbage.. It was even worse than EO imagined. The ships and vehicles of whoever were in there parked around.
Hooter made a disapproving sound at the sight, disgusted and scared of the place.
“I know, Hooter.. I’m sorry but we’re gonna have to go in there.” EO told him, “if we manage to blend in with the others it would be great but..” he paused, looking at the mottled green elephant next to him and realizing that going in there unnoticed was practically impossible (not that his all-white suit and cape helped either), “but, uhm.. i doubt that’s going to be possible,” The captain sighed, “So, we gotta be ready for anything. Remember, we must do everything in our power to keep the princess safe.. understood?” –The elephant nodded– “Alright..” EO gave him a small smile, “..did you bring your synthesizer? –Hooter nodded again– “Okay, good. We might need it.. Let 's go.”
The inside of the station was just as messy as the outside. Dimly lit, smoky and loud.. the walls were made of mismatched pieces of metal, and cables hung from the ceiling. It was packed with the worst kind of scum, bounty-hunters cleaning their rifles or playing cards, and rusty droids walking around.
When EO and Hooter walked in, the chatter in the room stopped, and a heavy silence fell. All heads turned to look at the pristine guy who had just entered, walking side by side with a short green alien. To say they stuck out is an understatement.
They started to walk casually through the crowd, trying their best to ignore the death-stares.. The princess could be spotted immediately, at the far end of the hangar. She was being kept like a trophy, locked inside a glowing energy cage where everyone could see her.
Before the captain could even think of something, a massive mercenary stepped in front of him, blocking their path. More men slowly started to surround them, trapping them in the middle.. They began drawing their blasters, and EO realized they wouldn’t be able to get out of this without a fight. He locked eyes with the princess and shouted at the top of his lungs, “Princess! hold on! we’re here to save you!”
Before anyone could shoot, the captain yelled “Hooter, now!” and stepped forward to channel his light. Hooter slammed his hands onto his synthesizer and an infectious, electronic song began playing.
The whole room burst out laughing at how ridiculous this all looked.. however, the laughter ended when EO, with a spin, shot a blast of glowing energy to the control panel of the cage and freed the princess. He started kicking and punching to the music’s rhythm, fighting the mercenaries and knocking off their weapons.
They kept fighting, while keeping the princess close, but the crowd was getting too big. While he dodged a blaster bolt, EO began screaming to the crew-mates of the ship through his comlink “Major Domo, tell me the ship is flying already! We have the princess. We need you to come pick us up NOW!”
The captain, the princess and Hooter burst out of the base, running as fast as they could into the open desert while a dozen of very angry men came after them.
They looked up at the sky.. Nothing. The ship wasn’t there yet.
“Wait, where the hell is your ship!!??” The princess cried out, “who are you..!!?”
“It’s uh- It’s coming! Hopefully!” EO shouted back, “And I’m captain EO! Sent from the galactic intelligence to save you, princess-” before he could continue, he had to throw himself to the poor lady to save her from being shot, both of them falling down to the sand “CAREFUL!” He yelled.
Then, a loud roar began echoing from the sky. It was the crew’s ragged starship, descending as the side cargo door slid open. The crew waved at them frantically.
“There they are! Princess, Hooter.. RUN!!” EO said, grabbing the princess by the arm and running with her.
“That thing!!!??” She yelled, not believing these were the guys sent to rescue her. “..why is it smoking!!!???”
“Uhh- It’s a long, long story!” EO chuckled embarrassedly.
The ship didn’t even land, it just hovered a few feet above the moving sand.
Once they were close enough, the captain picked Hooter up and literally threw him inside the moving ship. Then, with a bit more delicacy, helped the princess get in too. EO jumped in later.
The crew received them, helping them get up and closing the doors. The ship rocketed back into the sky, leaving the mercenaries and Tatooine behind..
After the horrible, chaotic experience they’d just lived, the crew was finally able to relax. Nobody was chasing them with blasters anymore. EO sighed, and finally got to get a real look at the princess.. He watched as Fuzzbucket flew around her, helping get the Tatooine dust off of her clothes and hair. That’s when the captain realized how truly beautiful she was. He noticed how the orange lighting of the ship illuminated her features perfectly, and the way her elegance remained unbroken.. even after everything they’d just been through.
Right when EO’s brain was about to short-circuit, Hooter caught him staring like a dummy and gave him a cheeky expression, making a noise similar to a teasing ‘awww’. The captain snapped out of his trance and quickly shushed him, hoping nobody else had noticed the way he’d been gawking at her.
The captain took a step forward and cleared his throat, catching the crew’s attention. “allow me to officially welcome you aboard, your Highness. Rest easy, princess, for you are safe now. Captain EO, at your service..” he said, giving the princess a small bow before continuing. “this is my elite crew, uh-” EO stopped there, noticing the whole crew trying to hold back their laughter at his dramatic presentation.
The captain inhaled deeply, “Alright uhm, well that’s Hooter. Over there we have major and minor Domo, Idy, Ody, and that’s Fuzzbucket..”
“And we’re an absolute mess right now, m’lady” One of them said, and EO pinched the bridge of his nose before arguing, “We’re not an absolute mess. We’re just going through a hard time, that is all”
The princess chuckled lightly, already aware of the disaster these guys were and seeing right through the captain’s act. However, she didn’t seem to be in a great mood. She had been kidnapped, spent days inside a cage, and now this was her rescue?? “Okay…” she began, crossing her arms and looking around at the smoky, broken ship, “So, Captain EO.. if this is such an elite vanguard, should I be expecting the roof of this junk to cave in, or does that only happen on special occasions?”
EO frowned, crossing his arms right back at her. “Well.. for your information, princess, this ‘junk’ just managed to pull off a flawless rescue. A little gratitude wouldn’t hurt.”
She scoffed, “Flawless..? Captain, you knocked me off onto the sand, nobody was there when we needed it, and your ship is falling apart!”
“I was trying to save your life– there were blasters pointing at you!”
The princess simply rolled her eyes, and the captain’s jaw dropped. “I would expect a baseline level of respect from someone whose life I’ve just saved. you’re under my protection, princess-”
“Oh, you can drop the act..” she interrupted, “it doesn’t really match with the smell of burning grease” then, the princess turned to the rest of the crew and gave them a small smile, “As for the rest of you, I do want to thank you for getting me out of there. you’re all very sweet”
It was EO’s turn to roll his eyes now. In fact, the man would’ve kept arguing if, well… the ship weren’t falling apart.
He took a step back and started to discuss the state of the ship with the robot. Lightspeed wasn’t working, and neither were the communicators with the higher-ups.. they would have to travel for at least a few days to reach the nearest planet, where they could stop and repair the damage. EO would also have to deal with the fact that they were about to disappear, with the princess, for days.. but that was a problem he’d deal with in the future.
When it was time to inform the crew about the upcoming events, their reactions were exactly what EO had expected. Nobody liked the news at all, and the room filled with dramatic sighs and groans.
“Days..?” The princess repeated, glaring at the captain as if he had personally broken the ship himself. “You’re telling me I'm gonna be trapped here for days, and nobody in the whole galaxy even knows where we are..!?”
“Hey, it’s not a vacation for me either, your highness” He shot back, turning towards the whole crew again. “But… I haven’t told you the best part yet. Guess where we’re stopping at to get the provisions?”
No response.
The captain continued anyway, “Naboo! You guys like that planet, right..?” EO informed. The change in the room was instant, all of them did love that planet. It was pretty, there was good food, and it was safe.
The princess however, simply crossed her arms tighter. “Ah, terrific.. just a bunch of lakes and grass.”
EO’s eyes narrowed, and his smile faltered. Of course her highness, who came from a whole city planet, wouldn’t like the idea of paradise.
The next few days settled into a slow and strange routine. Since the ship wasn’t very big, and they weren’t used to having guests, EO gave the princess his private quarters. It was the only separate room from the main cabin, where the rest of the crew slept.
The captain’s bedroom wasn’t big or fancy, but it was well-kept and very tidy. A small bed next to the wall, perfectly tucked blankets, a few trinkets here and there he’d probably collected on their missions, and his white cape— perfectly hung in a corner.
“Hm… I thought it would be worse. I was genuinely expecting to sleep over a pile of engine parts” she commented when EO showed her the room, her voice teasing.
“Well I’m glad it meets your royal standards, your highness.” He replied, sarcastically.
The lady rolled her eyes at him as she made her way inside the room, analysing every little detail.. Then, she paused for a second, as if debating whether to say something.. “thank you.” She finally said, quietly, giving him the smallest of smiles before sliding the door shut.
EO stared at the closed door for a long moment, a faint smile forming on his face against his will. He quickly shook his head though, making his way to the main cabin and to the captain chair, where he’d uncomfortably be sleeping for the next few days.
Throughout the journey, the princess quickly started bonding with the crew– everyone besides EO. She would spend hours sitting by the largest window, watching the stars while Fuzzbucket curled next to her. Hooter also stayed near, showing the princess his favorite snacks and toys, making her chuckle.
The captain however, had to watch that from afar. The moment he’d step closer, the sweet and kind princess would disappear, because they just couldn’t stop poking at each other. Every interaction they had was a competition to see who would get the last word, they couldn’t even pass each other in the hallways without exchanging some kind of remark. If she spent too long looking through the window, EO would comment that he hoped the view wasn’t too boring for a big-city girl, and whenever he’d offer her something to eat, the princess would raise her brow disgustedly and ask if it was safe for human consumption. It was exhausting, but secretly, it was the only thing keeping the long days interesting for them.
At the end of the fourth day inside the ship, EO and the princess seemed to be especially irritable. The ship had almost reached Naboo, they could even see the planet through the windows. However, the whole day had passed, and they still weren’t close enough to start landing.
Anyways.. right now, they were immersed in a particularly petty argument about the princess strongly believing she could’ve escaped the mercenaries herself.
“It’s true! I had the lock of the cage figured out already! Instead, you came along and thought that almost killing me with that weird magic of yours was a great idea-”
EO interrupted her with a dramatic groan, “I was NOT trying to kill you, your highness. I was saving your life! Besides, how would’ve you escaped, huh..? A bobby pin from your hair?”
“Well.. maybe!”
“Are you joking? That cell was made of high voltage magnetic locks, a bobby pin would’ve melted the second you touched them!
“It would have not! Those were standard locks!”
“No, they were NOT!” That’s when the captain finally snapped, he just couldn’t believe she was being serious. “You know what, princess? You can’t just get away with being ridiculously difficult and ungrateful just because you have a gorgeous face and some royal-title!” He was yelling.
The princess scoffed loudly at that, getting up from her seat and stepping closer to him. “Oh and you can’t expect everyone to bow down to your ridiculous ego just because you’re a stupidly handsome captain, with an even stupider glowing shirt!” She yelled back.
As soon as the words left her mouth, a suffocating silence fell over the ship. Even the rest of the crew seemed to be shocked. EO blinked, and the princess’s eyes widened. Both of them realizing they’d admitted out loud they thought the other was attractive.
Before any of them could scramble for an excuse, major Domo interrupted from behind the controls, “Uh, Captain..?”
The captain swallowed and turned around, “..y-yeah?”
“We’re ready to start descending the atmosphere. Since the ship isn’t in its best conditions, everyone should go to their designated seats. Please.”
Usually, when those words left the robot’s mouth, everyone would cheerfully start sitting down. Instead, the crew quietly took their places, getting ready for landing without saying a word.
However, EO chuckled to himself as he sat on the captain’s chair. His face plastered with a triumphant smirk that made the princess’s blood boil.
The landing on Naboo went surprisingly well. It was a bit messy, and the ship was clearly struggling, but nothing bad happened.. A total success, in EO’s words.
As they landed, the princess realized they weren’t remotely close to the city, and instead had landed near some sort of town. “Uhh, Captain.. do you even know where we are..? The capital is miles away.”
“Yep, I know that.” He said as he got up from his seat, “Trust me, it’s better here. Besides, I know a guy here who can help us with the ship.. A great friend, with even better prices.” said EO, giving her a confident wink.
The crew finally stepped off the ship after days of being trapped inside. It was late afternoon in Naboo, and not even the princess could deny how beautiful the planet was.. It was warm, and the soft breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers and fresh water from the lakes and meadows nearby. The town itself was also charming, with stone paths and glowing lanterns.
Everyone was happy. The captain watched as the princess admired the scenery before her, and smiled lightly. “Told you it was better here”, he told her, lightly bumping her in the elbow as he walked past her and guided the crew into the town. She snorted lightly, starting to walk along with the crew..
First, they went to find EO’s contact. It was an old droid who ran a repair shop on the edge of town. Apparently, he was a good friend of the crew.
As they negotiated the repairs, the princess stood back and watched the way EO talked to people. She had only seen him shouting orders and bickering with her, but he seemed entirely different now. The man was kind and polite.. treating everyone with genuine respect and a smile that wouldn’t leave his face.
She felt a strange warmth in her chest as she realized the captain was starting to grow on her.
By the time they were done with the repairs issue, the sun was beginning to set. The crew started complaining to the captain that they were hungry. He chuckled, “Alright, alright.. why don’t we go to that place you guys like, hm?” –everyone cheered– “oh princess, you’re gonna love this place..”
Along the way, Hooter spotted a patch of flowers. With a grin, the little elephant picked up a few and gifted them to the princess. She gasped softly as she knelt down to thank him, “Aw, Hooter. Thank you so much,” While she spoke, Fuzzbucket flew around her and gently tucked a few of the flowers into her hair.
EO chuckled at the scene, a warm smile on his face. “Suits you.”
The princess smiled back, chuckling too. “Thanks”
As they kept walking side by side, the tension between the two began to melt, silently agreeing to stop the fighting for a while. While they were in Naboo, at least.
The captain led them to a cozy, dimly lit diner near the lake. It was a local place they absolutely loved.
The princess was slightly hesitant at first, but as they walked in, EO leaned closer to her and whispered teasingly. “hey, I promise it doesn’t taste like engine grease..”. She chuckled lightly, a tiny grin forming on her face.
The crew found a big table, sitting around it. The princess and the captain sat directly across from each other, and throughout the whole dinner, they couldn’t stop stealing glances from each other and quickly looking away with small smiles… Once the food had disappeared, the conversation at the table naturally flowed into their chaotic days inside the ship and, more specifically, to the constant fights between EO and her majesty. The crew kept teasing them for having fought so much, loudly joking that it was because they both secretly liked each other.
“Oh, please.. I could never!” She laughed, dismissing everything.
“Yeah, definitely not. We’re far too different..” The captain added, shaking his head and looking down with a huge smile.
They both denied it all, but their constant chuckles made the lie even more painfully obvious…
Eventually, the crew began to grow tired, deciding it was time to head back to the ship and get some rest. Everyone was still exhausted from the journey.
“You guys go ahead, we’ll be right there,” EO told them as he stood up and offered his arm to the princess, “I’m sure our lady needs a little fresh air after all that food..?”
She gave him a warm smile before taking his arm and nodding, “Yeah, yeah.. you guys go ahead.”
The captain slowly led her to the edge of town, where a gorgeous lake met the grass. “I’m sorry about the crew’s jokes,” EO said softly, looking down at the path. “they don’t have much of a filter.”
The princess chuckled and shook her head, “no, don’t worry about it. they have all been so sweet to me, i’ve already grown so fond of them”
They had reached the shore, “..wanna sit down?” He asked, taking off his cape and setting it over the grass.
She smiled, teasing him as they sat down next to each other, facing the lake that reflected the moonlight and stars. “wow, you’re acting like such a gentleman tonight”
“Ah, it’s just the Naboo effect. It’ll go away”
The princess affectionately rolled her eyes at him, before focusing her gaze on the water.. “I’ve started to like it, you know?” She admitted quietly, “The mess, the chaos.. the warmth you have all offered. It’s so different from what I’m used to.”
EO smiled warmly, looking at her gorgeous profile. “I’m glad… though I’m sure you’re dying to get back to your fancy planet already” He joked, but the princess didn’t laugh. Instead, she went awfully quiet, a sad expression settling on her face… Then, the wave of reality finally hit him.
Neither of them wanted to accept that after tonight, once the ship and communicators were fixed, their journey together would have to end. The beautiful bubble they were living in would break, and there was nothing either of them could do about it.. She’d have to go back to her royal duties, and the captain would probably get yelled at by commander Bog.
The silence between them grew heavy, charged with everything they hadn’t said. “Hey… don’t be sad.” EO spoke softly, carefully reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, right next to one of the flowers Fuzzbucket had placed there earlier. The captain smiled lightly, “...you’re gorgeous.” He whispered.
His hand lingered on her cheek, and the princess looked up at him. She didn’t pull away, leaning into his touch instead.. They stared into each other eyes for a few seconds, and EO’s gaze dropped to her lips, giving her all the time in the world to pull away if she wanted. She didn’t.
Finally, EO leaned in slowly. His warm hand still held her by the cheek, and the princess’s eyes fluttered shut.. feeling the way EO’s lips gently brushed against hers.
They kissed under the moonlight– softly at first, a sweet admission of everything they’d been hiding behind their bickering, before deepening into something passionate, romantic and entirely breathless.
