"Seconds, Please" A Second Squad AU

[Chapter 1] A Simple Conversation.

Diesel pushes through the gate of the counter, plate raised high along with his chin. He approaches the elderly lady with a nod of his head and small smile,

"Good morning ma'am." Diesel heaves, rather out of breath from recent incidents. "So sorry for the wait, here is your cupcake." He places down the plate delicately in front of the old woman who sat with the same kind expression, even though her eyes were blocked by sunglasses her bright smile was enough to tell how patient she was.

"It was no worries, dearie." She speaks, voice shaky and fragile, "I love this bakery, I would wait a hundred years to get what I want from here. Besides, this bakery is the only one here for the next ten miles." She chuckles, Diesel smiles.

"Ah," he sighs, "glad we have a permanent customer!"

"Oh, I wouldn't say permanent so soon." She jokes, "Would you mind taking a seat?"

"Oh, I uh-.." Diesel looks around to come up with an excuse, but as he looked at the old lady again he hummed. Knowing any excuses he would spit out would be flat out lies. "Sure, I can spare a few minutes."

The grin of the elderly lady grows as Diesel shuffles into the seat across from her.

"I'm surprised you decided to stay, here I thought you would say no. I wouldn't have been surprised, this is my first time having a genuine conversation with a staff member."

Diesel chuckles softly, "Well, even though we're open 24/7 we usually don't get customers until ten in the morning." He explains, "You're one of the early customers."

"Ah well I wouldn't say I'm early. The others are just late as all." Diesel grins, huffing softly.

"I guess you can say that."

"Plus, being here early means fresh goods and fresh conversations." The lady grins smugly, Diesel's eyebrows raise at that implication.

"Fresh.. conversations?" He repeats, unsure if he heard correctly.

"I'm here every morning, did you forget? Ever since you've reopened I've been here every single day, it's just the first time I've offered to have a conversation with you." She reminds, "Every morning before you or anyone else comes bring me the signature butterfly cupcake I would ask for I would hear many, many things." She chuckles, Diesel does too apprehensively.

"O-Oh!" He scratches the back of his head, "A-Are the walls that thin??"

The elder hums, "I wouldn't say the walls are thin." She says, "I'd say you guys are just that loud."

Diesel chokes on the air, coughing and clearing his throat before responding to the old lady, "O-Oh really?? W-Well this place is really old afterall!" He laughs awkwardly. The lady hums in agreement.

"I remember when I was in my golden days this place used to be the worse." She sighs, "Newspapers about how this bakery should be closed down, but it didn't because.. well, the bread here paid well I would assume. I'm glad that the bakery was handed down to much better owners though."

"Ah," Diesel mutters, looking up at the ceiling to see cracked tiles and webs, "this place could use some renovating I guess. We did just get this place about three or four months ago, so we're just trying to get comfortable first."

"Oh take you sweet, sweet time darling." The elder laughs, "As long as you keep throwing out these delicious treats I doubt the customers would care. At least I don't." She remarks.

Diesel smiles, "Well-" A sudden crash from the other side of the wall followed up by muffled voices screaming cuts off the waiter's thoughts, both him and the elderly lady look towards the noise in alarm.

"I think your friends may be in a bit of trouble." She giggles, "I shouldn't hold you back, go help your friends and I'll enjoy my cupcake."

"It was nice chatting with you." Diesel mentions, pushing himself out of the booth. He goes to scurry over to the counter, leaving the elder to eat her dessert.

"It was nice chatting with you too, Diesel."

Her voice was as clear as day, she spoke his name so casually as if she had known him for years. The waiter stops as he's pushing on the gate connected to the counter, he opens his mouth to question but closes it. It wasn't as surprising that she had known his name, after knowing how loud everyone is when it comes to yelling orders and each others names, he might as well roll with it.

Diesel continues on like normal, even entering the decoration room still silent as a ghost until he reaches the kitchen, where the source of chaos always took place.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Diesel shouts as he kicked the door open. In the room laid the others, but Henry had also somehow managed to get in the kitchen without being caught.

"Hey Diesel!" Alex greeted, waving over to the man, face doused with flour and his mixing bowl is dripping with batter yet he's still mixing like nothing.

"Hey gamers.." Henry groaned on the floor, laying over Kwite's back who seemed to be in an equal amount of pain. On Henry's feet, for whatever reason, were roller skates.

Ani and Brandon are laughing their heart out across from them, both of them somehow left clean and unharmed while everyone else was dirty with batter and flour.

"Jesus fucking christ-" Diesel mutters, exasperated, "Where did you even go??? And where did you find roller skates????"

Henry chuckles deliriously as Diesel pulls him to his feet, allowing Kwite to get back up, "I dunno." He answers dumbly.

"Your vest is all messed up now." He shakes his head, "How did you even get in??"

"Oh awesome story-" Henry chuckles, he doesn't say anything else but instead points to the emergency exit door, which was now broken down. That explained the breeze Diesel felt, how did he not notice that?

"What the fuck."

"I know right?" Henry says, "Also, I couldn't find anyone who was willing to help renovate the place, I think we might have to do it ourselves."

"Aw that sucks!" Alex pipes in, mixing bowl now on the side, instead he's attempting to clean off the mixing batter off his face and apron. "We should really get laundry room." He suggests, picking off bits of flour. Almost everyone in the room agreed verbally.

"Or, you know, we could just go home and wash them ourselves." Diesel suggests, dusting off his vest for any excessive batter that got on him.

Everyone hums, as if this was a question to think about, "Nah." They all answer simultaneously.

Diesel pauses, "I-" He heaves a tired sigh and shakes his head in the same manner, "You know what? Fine. Meeting in the decoration room, we're planning our renovation."

With a boisterous cheer, everyone follows Diesel into the other room, hopefully to share their ideas of what this bakery needs.