Tommy's Ultra-Important Keychain

Chapter 25: First dates with a supervillain

After-Hours was fucking slammed. It'd been a long time since the place was as busy as it was that day. Phil was smart enough to figure out why, of course, and it made his blood boil. People crammed through the door, groaning when they couldn't find a table. It didn't deter them, though, and they almost always decided to go with take-out instead.

Wilbur and Techno were in the kitchen doing their best. Phil loved his boys dearly, but they were not the fastest cooks. The actual chefs tolerated them. Anything to get food out faster, but their patience would be weighing thin soon. The entire situation could've been resolved if Phil had the strength to turn away the two high profile people sitting in his corner booth.

It wasn't their first time in his restaurant, but it was their first time out in public since Tommy's debut. After-Hours wasn't exactly famous or anything, but it did have a reputation for tolerance. In this case, a tolerance for vigilantes.

Diamond and Hellspawn were lovely patrons, truly, but they brought a world of trouble with them. Coming to eat immediately after a televised fight in full costume was probably the stupidest move they could've made. The public was clamoring to get a glimpse of them. Phil set a strict rule that he would kick out anyone not there to buy food, but all it had done was overload his kitchen.

The chefs were going to kill him.

"Your barbecue chicken is on its way, I promise," Phil heaved out to an impatient woman. He wanted to beg for mercy, but he couldn't let his actual patrons sense his weakness. Hellspawn and Diamond were so close to finishing. Only a few more minutes.

The door to the bell rang, and he suppressed the dread-filled scream that almost left him. He couldn't look up from the drink he was mixing just yet, but he didn't hear the door's chime again, so he assumed whoever it was didn't feel discouraged by the line.

Phil was always the type to bury himself in his work; Villainy, bartending, and managing a huge company were all things for him to get lost in. He hated stopping to think. His head was far too loud to allow him peace in his off moments, so why have them at all? If he felt like letting his emotions out, he'd kick ass as Midnight. If he felt like getting menial work done, CEO life was for him. Bartending and running his restaurant was arguably supposed to be his most relaxing hobby.

It was so full, the guy half debated calling Tommy. The kid ran a register at a froyo place, he'd probably adjust fast to After-Hours. But that wasn't fair. He was a senior in high school with a part time job and a secret identity, that was enough for a kid.

"Welcome to the After-Hours bar and grill, what can I get started for you," Phil droned for the hundredth time, surprised he was able to have any emotion in his voice still. He glanced up when the customer didn't order and froze.

Standing in front of him was the most beautiful person on the face of the planet. Her long black hair was pulled up in a ponytail, leaving a few strands to fall into her face. Her smile was sincere and bordering on shy. She was in a long black sundress, and Phil had the distinct thought that she was the only one who could pull that off.

Kristin was her name. He would never forget that, obviously. He'd memorized it from the very second they locked eyes that first day at the hero agency. Looking at her made him forget how to speak. Wilbur and Techno were there to help when that happened in the past, but now they were in the kitchen.

It wasn't the only time they'd been in a one-on-one situation. A cruel, or maybe wonderful, turn of fate had let them sit near each other during the debut. Kristin was the best conversationalist, and she never made fun of Phil for tripping over his words. They had a lot in common, actually. Both of them were unmarried, although Kristin didn't have two kids, and had some strong opinions about the heroes.