Reputation - Post Malone

9

Ta-da!" Baby announces as she gets to their table. Charlie has joined them and all three of them look up in confusion. "So Tom showed me everything! He is a very good teacher," she says placing a plate down in front of Austin while Tom places the two in his hands in front of Sadie and Charlie. "Burgers and fries. I double-fried the fries. Oh! I cut them from real potatoes. Tom says frozen fries are gross. The burger patties are made from scratch too and I cooked them. Tom did the mushroom sauce, but I wrote down everything he did. Go on, eat. Eat," Baby blabs on excitedly. Austin shares a cautious look with Sadie and Charlie but they shrug and pick up their burgers.

They had just gone from plotting murder to tasting burgers - what is his life, honestly?

"Holy fuck! This is great. Good on you, Baby," Sadie says with a mouth full of burgers while Charlie nods next to her. Surprised, Austin takes a bite of his Burger. It is good. "Good job, sugar," he says taking another bite because it's that good. "Yay!" Baby shouts and then jumps up and down on the spot as she claps - that gets a lot of wide-eyed stares. People are not this happy around here. Austin smirks and pulls her onto his lap. "Thanks for encouraging me and convincing me not to give up," she says kissing his cheek and stealing a fry as she giggles. It's very affectionate and certainly something Austin would never engage in even in private. But, it's Baby and that soft spot he has for her only grows. "You are welcome, Baby," he whispers then takes the fry she offers him in his teeth. He is letting her feed him and he does not give two fucks, especially when her eyes sparkle like they do.

Both Charlie and Sadie have stopped eating and are staring wide-eyed at them. He can feel the stares of the rest of the bar are still on them too. He ignores everyone and continues to let Baby slather affection all over him. At this point, he is resigned to the understanding that Baby is his weakness and she breaks what she likes. "So, Baby, what's the plans for the future? How long are you staying?" Sadie asks. "Oh...well...um," she fumbles and looks back at Austin. "Tomorrow," he says. Baby grins and kisses his lips softly as she cups his cheek. "Ok," she whispers, rubbing her nose on his before she turns to look at Sadie.

"Sadie, I wanted to ask you where you did your nails. Mine need a makeover and yours look so pretty. I would like to go to the same place you do," she says.

Sadie frowns and looks down at her long sharp black nails that Austin knows she uses as talons when in a fight, besides that knife she carries in her boot, of course. "I do them myself," Sadie says. "Really? They are amazing! You are so talented, can you do mine? Pretty please," Baby begs grabbing her hand and inspecting them. Austin watches as a small smile plays on the corner of Sadie's lips. She has no friends, by choice, her best friend had been killed a few years ago and she had chosen not to get close to anyone like that again. She is violently protective over Austin, Charlie and Harry as a result though. But Austin knows there is a piece of her that would like a friend again - someone to talk shit with that men are not interested in.

"What colour do you want?" Sadie asks her. "Pink! Glitter too. Oh...maybe I should do black,"  she says looking at Austin. He scrunches his nose and shakes his head. "Ok. Pink. I saw a picture of a set of nails I fell in love with the other day. They had candy charms on them," she says digging her phone out of her fluffy bag and then scrolling through pictures of nails with Sadie. Charlie shrugs and gets back to his burger so Austin does the same. He is almost finished when he feels long thin fingers slide over his shoulder and then a woman's lips are in his ear. "You lonely? Wanna fuck?" She asks, loud enough for the whole table to hear. Baby stops talking and looks up at her, tears springing to her eyes almost immediately. Austin is just about to shove the woman away, but Sadie has it under control before he even has a chance to move.

"Oh hell no!" She shouts jumping onto the tabhappen and then launching herself at the woman, pulling her knife from her boot as she sails through the air. She takes the woman down as she slams into her then sits on her and punches the woman. "Oh!" Baby gasps and grabs onto Austin's arm. "Help her," she begs. Her eyes are wide and scared.