Title: Possible She Wants You Too, There is One Way to Ask Her…
Story summary: Disney about Disney? A 'song' fic that isn't a song fic? Kim and Ron sit down to one of their favorite movies, not realizing how memorable – or educational – a date it will be.

~*~*KP*~*~

Possible She Wants You Too, There is One Way to Ask Her…
by Slipgate

Kim had seen it on the shelf at the store and knew she wanted it. It had been one of her absolutely favorite movies growing up. Even though she was trying to save up enough to either fix up her prom dress or buy one that matched it – when not juggling time on looming finals and a brand-spanking-new boyfriend, she couldn't help but lay down the money for it right away and snatch it up.

Ron observed this carefully when he next saw Kim and she gushed about her new shiny purchase, but said nothing. In the deepest, deepest corners of his own mind, where he was privately dreaming about the future, he reminded himself to put a definite tick-mark next to 'impulsive shopper" on things to remember about his… he wished there was some wood around to knock… possible future.

It had been a great movie, and it had been a while since he last saw it, so he had no objections to making this Ron Night be a night of curling up on the couch with his new girlfriend (of one week!) and watching The Little Mermaid.

~*~*KP*~*~

"Wish I could be… part of your world!" Kim sang out loudly, happily. Ron smiled at her after the song tapered off. At first when she saw his eyes she wasn't sure if she'd gotten too into it but then he hugged her.

"I remember when you went T or T-ing as Ariel," Ron said, grinning as he released her. "In fact, I think those 'fin pants' your mom had to come up with came just before you started going for cargo pants and baggy capris!"

"It wasn't that often I found a red-headed cartoon character I liked!" Kim defended herself.

"And no answer on the great pants conundrum?" Ron challenged.

Eyes narrowed and voice went dry. "I think you have the great pants conundrum, Ron."

His face reddening slightly, he whined, "You know what I mean!"

"Oh my, and Ron is able to be embarrassed!"

Ron looked at her resolutely, and his face took on its paler hue again remarkably quickly.

"Yeah… I don't think I thought about it, but I guess after those 'fin pants' I did end up buying a pair of baggy pants the next time I went clothes shopping."

"Which was what, two days later?"

"Don't make me hurt you."

~*~*KP*~*~

"Percussion. Strings. Winds. Words." the TV cued the red-head, who was eagerly shifting on the sofa with shining eyes.

"There you see her… sitting there across the way," Kim began, in perfect time to Sebastian, making one Ron Stoppable glad they'd had that talent show weirdness last year and given her the confidence to be so… amazing-looking while doing this.

"She don't got a lot to say, but there's something about her," she continued mindless of her boyfriend's train of thought. "And you don't know why, but you're dying to try, you wanna… kiss the girl."

Suddenly Ron remembered the next part of the song, and winced at the memory.

Kim continued to sing heedless of her boyfriend's facial expression, and soon she belted out, "Yes, you want her. Look at her you know you do! Possible she wants you too, there is one way to ask her…" then paused.

Ron was surprised to see Kim had paused the DVD. "Is everything okay?" he asked.

Kim was looking at her boyfriend with huge eyes and her face was trembling at a smile. "Isn't this sweet?" she asked.

"Umm… sure?" he muttered, as Kim's euphoria was pricked with realizing Ron looked uncomfortable.

"What's up, Ron?" she asked, and Ron wasn't happy to see that the smile had slipped from her face in her concern.

Ron wrung his hands together and then scratched his nose. "Nothing… you wanna keep watching?"

"What's bothering you, Ron? Talk to me."

Ron finally relented when Kim's mouth – maybe even unintentionally – started doing something a little bit like her puppy dog pout. "I mean," he began, "what if it's unwelcome?"

"Huh?"

"I mean… what if the girl is involved with someone, or you do that and then she's asking you 'what the heck are you doing?' I mean… would that really be welcome, even – maybe especially – if you can't talk?"

"You're… you're going to have to take this from the top for me, Ron." Kim replied, her face the picture of confuzzlement.

"Well, okay, I don't know… let's say if… I mean, you're walking through the hallway at school, and without even saying anything to you or asking you first or anything, some guy goes for a kiss. Would you have responded well?"

"No," she said, distaste evident on her face and in her voice, "but that's some stranger in the hallway."

Ron raked a hand through his messy hair. "Okay, um… well, would you have responded well if I went for a kiss, no warning, before you met… Eric... sorry I didn't realize I'd be mentioning him," wincing as Ron saw Kim's mouth flatline, "or while you were with him? I mean, on television, the typical sort of reaction would be slapping the guy and saying 'don't do that again!' if the girl was involved with someone else. I mean, are you telling me that really I was just too chicken to act on my feelings, and if I'd gone for a kiss either while we were friends or while you were… seeing another guy, that you'd have been happy?"

"Well, no…" Kim allowed after mulling it over. "I don't think I'd appreciate that from any guy, really."

"The truth is, Kim, I loved the sound of this song but a few of the words always bothered me. I love the movie overall, don't get me wrong."

"The words of this song?"

"Yes, you want her… look at her, you know you do." Ron imitated, then said, "I have to admit maybe it's just an older guy thinking about those lyrics now, but it seems a little off when I follow it with the rest. Possible she wants you too, there is one way to ask her…" Ron then stopped. "I can't help but immediately think there's more than one way to ask her, and you might want to do the other way first."

"That bothers you, Ron?" Kim asked, her hand rubbing an elbow as her eyes crinkled.

"Kim, don't you think it's objectifying women? I mean, 'one way to ask her?' How about communication? Granted in this movie's plot she can't talk but… you know what I mean. I kind of thought that was pretty important, and I got that from growing up with a girl as my best friend."

Kim looked at Ron. He could tell she was mouthing the words of the song silently to herself. He saw her turn to look at the screen. She was staring at the frozen frame of the characters in the boat. Finally, she said, "I think we're coming up against how we're a lot older now than we last watched the movie, Ron. It is odd to me that I never thought about it – I guess I was so caught up in singing the familiar songs but it suddenly hit you. To be honest, sure, I could get ticked off worse than when Granny Crockett's assistant called me 'little missy.'"

Kim looked at Ron again, then back at the TV screen. Ron wondered why he'd even brought this up. Had he just made too big a deal over a single song lyric in a movie just about as old as them?

"Ron," she began, and Ron sat up straighter, "Ron, I'm not sure, but I think you just won Sensitive Guy points… for harshing on a movie I love!"

Ron blinked as he tried to work out whether that was good or bad for him.

"This is… this is… I don't know what this is, but I think I've made a good choice for my boyfriend."

"… Really?" Ron said, nervous. "I wasn't sure what fresh blunder I'd stepped into when we seemed to be arguing about a movie you love."

"Well, I was confused, but when you explained what you meant – sure, I get what you're talking about. I guess it's one of those things that just can't help but be viewed a different way when you go back to it."

"By the way, am I the only one who just realized the awkwierdness of the fact that the redhead is interested in a Prince Eric?"

"No, no, I caught on to that early on and violently forced it out of my mind."

"Good, I thought it was just me. And I have to admit, when I was a kid, now that I'm thinking back, I know I was at least thinking 'it would be nice if he asked' or something like that."

Kim's hand found Ron's, and she smiled at him. "Is it okay if we keep watching?"

"Oh yeah, definitely. Sorry – I love the movie, I guess I was just reminded of that line and it bothered me and then you saw me getting bothered and well I don't need to tell you what happ…"

Ron Stoppable wasn't stopped because he realized he'd said everything he needed to say. No… Ron Stoppable was stopped because Kim Possible realized he'd said everything he needed to say, and found her lips made an excellent cork.

A few seconds later, a grinning Ron took the remote from Kim, and with a flourished 'My Lady?' and an acknowledging head-nod, unpaused the movie.

Almost exactly two minutes later, Ron paused again. "The rest of that wasn't so bad. I guess I got worked up over one lyric and had it magnify into this big thing in my head."

Kim nodded understandingly. "I think that happens with a lot of things we revisit as we grow up. Somehow I don't think the Wicked Queen of Snow White will compare to the freaks I fight every day. And… Remember when the big centerpiece plate used to work as a sled for both of us?"

"I think there's still an impression of me in the wall at the foot of the stairs," Ron huffed, rubbing his nose in remembered pain.

"Anyway, what about his actual attempt at the kiss, when he's going for it?" Kim asked. "I mean, they haven't spoken, still. I'm curious what you think of that, especially since you said the rest isn't so bad."

Ron nodded. "Well, really I was bothered by the 'do this to her' thing. The actual kiss… attempt? That doesn't bother me."

"Really?"

"Well, he's leaning slowly, and he sees she is too. They've both been moved to go for it and they can both see that the other person can see that. It's not like a surprise kiss because he's just leaning in seeing if she's willing and she is. Otherwise it really wouldn't have happened… I mean assuming that it wasn't interrupted, anyway. Boy, I'm glad that kind of stuff doesn't happen to us."

"Me too. It would be so frustrating if someone or something kept interrupting us kissing. I'd want to wring their necks."

"Really?" Ron asked, wide-eyed.

"Uh-huh. You're definitely no slouch, Ron."

"Boo-yah…" Ron whispered, almost to himself. He shook his head in a habit he had to try to get his train of thought back on track and then surprised Kim. "I'd be hypocritical if it bothered me, anyway."

"Hypocritical?" Kim asked, surprised.

"You. Me."

Kim stared at him blankly.

"Kim, the prom. We hadn't exactly said a word to each other after you let me understand we'd be going to prom together. I had a whole lot of hoping for what that meant, but the truth is we danced and then kissed without me doing anything like asking you if I could kiss you first. I only felt comfortable doing that because… well, if I tell the truth a large part was because I really wanted to go after what I'd almost lost, but mainly it was because I was at least getting non-verbal cues that I should take a hint. The fact that you were leaning in too, and parting your lips… yeah, I was pretty sure that you at least wouldn't be slapping me there. I think the rest was the first thing I said, though."

Kim grinned at him. "You liked the parted lips? I have to admit, the way your eyes were looking at me, I felt pretty… amenable to slipping you a little reward."

"Um, uh, yeah… my point is that I wasn't surprise-kissing you, we were both clearly moving into a kiss together… and if either of us hadn't, they would've stopped the other."

"Fair enough," Kim agreed, relenting considering her last comment had made Ron Stoppable, the Man Who Does Not Embarrass (supposedly), blush beet-red.

"Anyway, yeah, the actual kiss in the movie is like that. You see enough to know that they can both tell they want to kiss… like ours… it's really just the idea of doing something without knowing it's welcome that bothered me. But that's why it would be hypocritical for me to be harshing on Eric's kiss – I did the same thing not a week ago."

"Hmm, yeah. You can definitely put those Sensitive Guy points in the bank. Remind me of them the next time I'm royally tweaked." Kim said, a grin on her face and her eyes fluttering at him.

"Can I get that in writing?"

Kim laughed. The last of the tension in Ron's frame left at that sound.

Once she got her giggles under control, she smiled and asked, "Movie?"

"Movie." he agreed.

Then they unpaused the movie. It wasn't paused again for the whole rest of the night – though both admittedly paid little attention to the final wedding scene as they were too busy mimicking the on-screen Eric and Ariel by then.

fin

~*~*KP*~*~

Credits / Disclaimers / Peer into the Author's Mind: Neither Kim Possible nor the animated film The Little Mermaid belong to the author of this story. Both are copyright Disney and used without intent or ability to profit. In addition to the series and the animated Disney film, I've borrowed some vocal stylings or plot implications from FFNet author Michael Howard and the movie Superman II. There's also a subtle nod to FFNet author waveform in here – let's see if he picks up on it. Lastly, I must admit I sort of reused an inspired bit of language I once used in another story, specifically because a friend responded with such enthusiasm to it. Agh, and now I just cribbed Forrest Gump!

So, hello again readers. In the words of Megatron from the 1986 Transformers movie – "I still function!" And I still, as always, love any reviews, positive or negative, I get, and I always respond to them. If you liked the story, tell me! If you hated it, tell me! If you were so incredibly indifferent that you'd rather be reading Lo, the Plow Shall Till the Soil of Redemption 300 times over, tell me that too. I can take the criticism and I use it to learn and better myself.

I haven't been as frequently posting a story on the site in 2011 so far as I did in 2010. I'm afraid the attention of some of my earliest readers may have waned as a result, but if you're still out there reading, I'd love to get a private message from you if not a review so we can talk. More than anything else I love the positive and negative critiques, and if you have any of either stripe, I'm always all ears.

A lot of writers here in the Kim Possible section of FFNet respond to reviews in the next chapter they write or the next story they write if it's the last chapter of the current story. I'm realizing the merit to this somewhat, in that you readers get a definite sense that the author is listening to their reviewers. However, it feels less like a conversation with that person to me (especially years after the fact). I am in fact listening to my reviewers, but I have always chosen to actually speak to them via review reply and have had many wonderful on-going conversations (and fewer, but significant, friendships) that way. But I did want to say something about that in case it gives the impression I'm this silent wall only writing stories and not reading reviews or listening to what anyone thinks of my stuff.

Anyway, I have actually had tons of story ideas, and all are in various stages of development. But this year has been a busy year for me so far, with many work, family, and personal obligations dividing my attention. As a result, all of the many, many story ideas I have on slow cook aren't yet ready to publish. Among these are at least one or two ideas I want to keep a surprise in the hopes you really like them, a story that is a little comfort food to anyone who has enjoyed my work to date since April 2010, and – I promise – a continuation of the story Losses. None right now are ready to publish because I want to do them right, and for me that takes time and attention before I'm remotely satisfied. It doesn't help that I appear to be a nocturnal writer since I wake up for work at 6 AM.

I was encouraged to publish this story for three reasons. One – despite it being months since my last published entry I appear to be garnering some new readers and attention at the moment, and I'd like to validate that for them and for myself. Two – it's really been too long since I've published here, and it's getting a little embarrassing to not have new answers to my friends from here who ask me how my writing is going. Three – this story idea suddenly struck me and seemed like a good change of pace from the stories I've been working on to kick-start myself.

Finally: My Kim and Ron can be found in a commission by the talented m-angela on DeviantArt. And yes, that Kim and Ron are the same Kim and Ron as in this story – though that picture is from far in their future. Or this story is from far in their past. Either or.

And yes, I have a worse case of 'stop talking' than Ron Stoppable.