mine all mine ~ Henry Danger

[9] Tears of the Jolly Beetle (pt.2)

I stepped out of the man cave and made my way to the ice cream parlor a couple of blocks down, excitement bubbling within me. The parlor was a quaint little place with a retro vibe, its colorful sunshade flapping gently in the breeze. As I approached the store, I spotted Tyler sitting at an outdoor table, already smiling at me.

"Hey!" Tyler greeted, standing up to give me a quick hug.

"Hey, Tyler! Sorry I'm late," I said, returning the hug. "A lot was happening at work."

"No worries," he smiled. He opened the door, holding his hand out. "Ladies first."

"Thank you," I giggled, walking into the parlor.

We both walked to the counter and ordered our ice cream.

"Hi, welcome to Ice Cream Palooza!" a friendly blonde-haired lady greeted us. "What can I get ya?"

"Uhh, I'll just have cookies 'n cream," I said.

"I'll have a Raspberry Swirl."

"Coming right up!" The woman smiled before getting our ice creams. After we got them and Tyler paid, we went outside and found a cozy spot on the patio.

"You look really pretty. Not that you don't look pretty any other day. You look pretty every day." Tyler rambled, nervously scratching the back of his neck.

"Thank you, that's really sweet." I smiled, feeling my cheeks get warm.

"So, how's your day been?" Tyler asked, taking a lick of his ice cream.

"Pretty crazy, actually," I said, shaking my head slightly. "Work is... well, let's just say it's never boring."

"I can imagine," Tyler laughed. "Anything you can share?"

"All I can say is that it involves some very weird experiments," I replied, choosing my words carefully.

"Sounds... hectic," Tyler laughed.

We spent the next few minutes talking about our favorite movies, music, and a lot of other things. Tyler was funny and engaging, making me laugh with his witty observations and stories.

As the evening went on, I realized I couldn't stay for long. I needed to head back to work.

"This was fun," I started, getting up. "But I really should get back to work."

"No problem, I'll walk you."

"Thanks," I smiled.

We strolled down the street, the conversation flowing effortlessly. Tyler reached out and gently took my hand in his, a gesture that felt sort of unnatural. As we walked, Henry's face filled my mind, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.

We continued down the street and passed a store called 'Hey Jean!' Through the window, I saw Jasper, Sidney, and Oliver, all of them wearing ridiculously tight jeans.

"What the..." I whispered to myself.

"Something wrong?" Tyler asked.

"Oh no, it's nothing," I replied, shaking my head in disbelief at their antics.

Tyler walked me all the way to Junk-N-Stuff. As we approached the entrance, he stopped and turned to face me.

"I really had a great time today, Y/N."

"Me too, Tyler. Thanks for the ice cream."

"Anytime," he said, giving me a warm smile. "Let's do this again soon."

"Definitely," I agreed.

He gave me a quick hug and watched as I entered Junk-N-Stuff, the bell above the door jingling softly. I waved at him one last time before heading inside, feeling a mix of contentment and a bit of lingering guilt over Henry.