Life is Funny Like That

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Adrian jumps.

"Don't forget the perfume..." he adds, gently prying the fork out of her fingers.

"The perfume..." Her hand rubs her forehead. "that I don't even know what it smells like! The name was 'Breakfast in Hawaii'. How would that not smell good?" She steals a bite of waffle right before it reaches Adrian's mouth.

He tsks, narrowing his eyes at her.

"These are my waffles. If you're hungry you can just get your own." Her tone is clipped. "Don't you have the free-meal ticket thing cuz you work here?"

Setting his elbows on the table and putting his chin in his hands, Adrian studies Daffy intently. 

"So, this is Daffy in a bad mood?" he mumbles, a playful grin attached.

"Yes," she sulks. "It exists and I think the world is going to end."

"Drama queen..." he simpers. "You know, from the moment I met you, I had a feeling you were the biggest drama queen ever."

"Why?"

"Cuz you're the happiest person I've met. They go hand in hand, I think."

"Figures... Buy one, get one free package."

"Perfect description." Adrian sneaks a glance down at her forgotten fork. Peeking up at her distracted gaze, he steals the fork and quickly snatches a bite before she can stop him.

She crosses her arms, giving a childish glare.

"Seriously? Can't you get them for free or something? You owe me like, a whole new waffle."

Her pouty face makes Adrian pause to stare. He recovers after a moment, the whole ordeal unknown to the girl in the sundress, wallowing in buyer's remorse. She looks so good.

"Adrian," she sighs. "don't let me come near a computer. I'm not strong enough, I don't have enough will-power."

"Hey, if you think you don't have enough, you have no idea what I'm capable of, or I guess incapable."

"What?" she chuckles a bit.

"If you want something, I won't be able to refuse, trust me." His vow is solemn as he finishes off the last bite of waffle.

"Why is that?"

"Cuz I can't refuse the girl I'm helplessly in love with."

"Ha... haha..." she attempts to sound lighthearted but it comes out awkward as her sun-burnt face goes a shade deeper than natural. "But whatever happens, don't buy me jeans, okay? Don't do it."

"No promises, I have less self control than you, remember?"

"We're just a couple of hopeless idiots, aren't we?" Daffy sighs again and leans against Adrian's shoulder.

"Affirmative. And you're a waffle-addict." He nudges her.

"Well, you have a cat."

"Is that meant to be an insult?"

"Yes."

"I want to be offended, but I'm not."

"Dang it, I was hoping to offend you today. It was on my to-do list."

"Well, it's not that hard, I'm by far, the most easily offendable person here." Adrian laughs.

"You know, you should be offended by that statement."

"It doesn't work if I say it, myself."

"I understand that for some reason."

"Weird, huh?"

"Very."

Kimmy's untiring search comes to an end as she sees her silver-haired waiter, sitting with a customer, preforming PDA all over the diner. How disgusting. It's gonna contaminate the food.

With a commanding air, she marches up to the table, brooms in both of her hands.

"Punishment for reckless behavior and payment for the waffle," Kimmy states, making the lovey-dovey couple go stick-straight in their seats and alarmed looks flying up to meet her rocky gaze. "I know you gave that waffle for free."

A shared look passes between the two before they slide out of the booth sheepishly, each grabbing a broom from her.

She nods with approval and makes her way to the inventory room, hoping to scold Levi over something she finds him doing wrong.

"Gotta run a tight ship when it comes to diner business," she mumbles to herself on the way out.

Daffy and Adrian glance at each other, cracking into giggles as they sweep the sun-soaked black and white tiles. 

Perhaps due to the slow and quiet air of the diner, the bell rings abnormally loud as if announcing the most important arrival of the day. The two of them look up with curiosity as a man with wild black curls enters the diner, a bright smile turning his near-black eyes to glitter. The backwards baseball cap makes him look younger than the smile lines around his mouth.

His eyes grow starry as he takes in the expanse of the diner, acting like a proud parent.

"Kimmy, I broke our promise!" the man calls, as if knowing she's in the back, as if knowing she can hear him. He stuffs his hands into his jeans.

Just a few moments pass as wide eyes break through the kitchen doors and Kimmy comes up to the man.

"What are you doing here?!" she says, more surprise than anger. "Why did you come in here during open hours?"

"Is this Ady and Daffy?" The man turns to Daffy and Adrian as they stand like statues, too confused to function. "I've heard so much about you two!" He laughs. "Kimmy, how could I keep ahold of my curiosity for so long? That was a dumb promise anyways. We made that like, what, six years ago?"

"Don't you remember what happened last time they found you?" Her exasperation makes Adrian and Daffy's jaws drop further to the floor. That's the most emotion she's ever permitted them to see.

Who... is this guy?

"Kimmy," the man nudges her elbow. "The kids feel like mushrooms right now."

Kimmy takes a long breath, getting back into her zone. Slowly turning to the two statues, she takes another breath.

"Ady, Daffy.... This is Noel."

"Hiya, kids." The mysterious pie supplier grins.

==============Mar-20-22==============
pub, Jan-15-23

you prolly forgot about Kimmy's secret pie baker. lul that's my fault sorry i'm the worst

we have five chapters left. this makes me very sad