Milkshake Hearts

Chapter 54: Should've Listened

A/N: This is another chapter where I need to make it very clear that this is a fictional story about fake characters and is no way reflective of anyone whose likeness it borrows to create a character.

Also, TW: workplace harassment.

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Shayne is in the hot seat next in their TNTL shoot, and Courtney sorts through the props backstage as Olivia and Ian take their turns, eventually finding something that gives her a very specific idea.

"This bit is kind of cheating because it's an inside joke but that's okay," Courtney whispers up towards the backstage camera, copying Shayne's own tactic from many episodes ago as she sets the kids angel halo on her head and grabs a milkshake cup in one hand, walking as casually as she possibly can out on to the stage beside him, quietly glad when he doesn't look at her initially.

"Hey dude," she starts, voice intentionally more casual and laidback than usual - she's going for the skater dude vibe to tone down what she's actually going to say -, "I'm like your guardian angel or whatever, want to get milkshakes on Thursday?"

He spits out the water the second she says the word angel and his eyes flick over her direction. She laughs, breaking character as soon as he spits and quickly pulling the halo off her head.

"Courtney that's not fair!" He whines, although he's laughing as he does, "that was like, three separate inside jokes rolled into one - but yes, let's get milkshakes, a-"

"Ah no!" She cuts him off before he can say the word, hand shooting forward to cover his mouth. He licks the palm of her hand jokingly before she pulls away, but she chooses not to acknowledge it - too much innuendo, and also, she was probably meant to react in disgust and she just kind of forgot to - as she walks backstage, still laughing off her own joke. They move on, thankfully, continuing through a relatively fun rest of Shayne's turn, and then Damien's. The start of Courtney's own turn is fine, too - she even manages to not spit at Shayne - until Ian's up, second-to-last, and she hears him rattling through props as she waits with water in her mouth.

"No, Ian," Shayne laughs from backstage, his tone quickly turning serious and setting off alarm bells in her mind, "Don't, Ian, seriously, no. You can steal the milkshakes and the Thursday but not that."

"Well she heard you say that so now she won't laugh at those, silly," Ian replies, starting to walk out.

"She won't laugh at that either she-" Shayne is cut off by Ian stepping out.

"Oh hey, I think you lost your halo-" he starts, holding out the kids halo from earlier towards her head, "guardian angel-!"

Her reaction is almost violent, shuddering as she spits out her water in disgust and steps off the chair, moving as far away from Ian as possible, off camera.

"No no no no Ian do not count that as a success actually cut this whole bit," Courtney tells him, holding out her hands defensively to stop him moving any closer to her, "you should've listened to Shayne and definitely not said that ugh, no, this is gross"

"What? I was just playing off your bit?" Ian defends, confused, and she sighs.

"That wasn't a bit to be played off. I mean, inside jokes, for one. But dude - I can refer to me however I want to, but if I didn't even let Shayne say that word on camera - why do you think it'd be okay for you to?" She explains, exasperated, arms crossing protectively in front of herself.

"I mean, I don't-" he starts, before shrugging, still defensive. It makes her sigh, turn on her heel and walk towards the studio exit.

"I just need a moment," she mumbles to their producer for the episode as she steps out and moves down the hall to an empty meeting room.