If The World Ends Tomorrow | ONGOING

𝓉𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓎 𝓈𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃

𝚝𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝚓𝚞𝚕𝚢 𝟷𝚜𝚝

"Tell me something," I demand before shoving another forkful of waffles into my mouth. Eden had made good on his loss yesterday and now we're at the diner. 

To be fair I didn't need to win a bet to make Eden get me waffles, he's agreed every time I've asked. He always pays too, even when I offer

"Like what?" He takes a sip of his apple juice. I would have taken him for a black coffee type of guy, but no, he's loyal to apple juice and an occasional tea, with 2 sugars. 

"Suprise me." I bring my mug of hot chocolate to my lips.

Yes, it's like 90 degrees out, but hot chocolate is too good to only drink in the winter or on an occasional fall day.

"I dislike cake," he says after a while. 

I can't help the smile that tugs at my lips. "You don't like cake?"

He shakes his head.

"I know we agreed you're not a serial killer and everything, but we might have to revisit the case, it seems the evidence has been tampered with."

His lips turn up into another barely there smile, to someone else it might look like a frown or disinterest, but I know better. 

I'm gonna call it a frile.

"Tampered with?"

I nod. "Yup."

I'd been skimming through his law books whenever I was over at Mrs. Huxley's before we went about to check another thing off our list. Was I using all the words in the wrong context, probably, but it was worth it. 

It gets me a frile.

⋆・○・✮・○・⋆

"You'll like him, I think, he's nice...when he wants to be," I say, as Eden and I walk up to the entrance of the car shop. I'd promised to bring him along last time.

I'm hoping Mikey likes him, he probably won't though. he doesn't like very many people. The garage is open which means he's in there. 

"Got your coffee, old man!" I call out. His head peaks up from one of the cars. 

"About time." He takes the coffee from my hand, taking a long sip. "7 sugars, mighty good." 

That's the closest Mikey would ever get to a thank you, his eyes catch on the figure behind me narrowing slightly.

"This pretty fuck your boyfriend?" He looks Eden up and down before looking at me. "Poor kid having to put up with ya."

"Mikey!" I exclaim. "And no, he's not my boyfriend, he's a good friend."

"Huh, heard that one before." He points to Eden. "You. Boy, come closer." He waves Eden over, Eden steps closer, looking very stiff. "Name?"

"Eden, Sir. It's a pleasure." Eden holds out his hand.

Mikey stares at him before bursting out into laughter, he sounds like a dying animal. "Sir? Who am I, the commander of some fucking army. Heh, you're a funny boy, I like that."

"Thank you." Eden nods, tucking his hand back into his pocket.

"You're a pretty boy, I like that, I was too back in the day, the ladies loved me, who didn't love, I was a fine piece of man, then that crazy land knocked out my tooth, don't get me wrong I was still looker, but the ladies never looked at me the same without my tooth."

"Speaking of Ms. Lane, isn't that her car out front?"  I look over my shoulder at the beat-down car.

"She dropped the fucker off this morning, she ran into a mailbox."

"Again?"

This had to be the 7th time this year, she really did whatever she could to see Mikey. One's gotta appreciate the dedication.

"Oil leak too, so she says, but we all know that woman a damn liar."

"You should have just said no, Mikey," I say.

He gives me a pointed look. "Ya try saying no to the woman, kid, she's like a porcupine, ya know the story, I lost my tooth cause of that woman."

"You did," I agree. 

"I told her it'll be done in 2 weeks, bought myself some time before I have to hear her shrill irritating voice."

"I could always-"

"Yes," he answers off the bat, already knowing what I was about to offer. "I'll hide in behind the tires."

I laugh at that. "It's a plan then."

"This is why I keep you around. Now, you. "He points to Eden. "What ya know about cars pretty boy."

"Not much, I'm afraid."

"Come 'ere I'll teach ya, give you break from whatever this one," he looks at me, "has been putting ya through."