Vamps in Chaos

Chapter Twelve: An Unexpected Blast from the Past

It had been a quiet week since the "garden inspector" incident, and Babe was enjoying the calm while it lasted. With no council summons and the witches surprisingly quiet, Babe had managed to convince Billy to join him on yet another "outing"—this time, a casual café where they could sit back, people-watch, and, as Babe had put it, "blend in."

"Now," Babe said as they entered the cozy café, a warm mix of chatter and the smell of coffee filling the air, "this is the place to learn about the modern art of doing nothing."

Billy looked around, taking in the mismatched furniture and the small groups of people chatting quietly at their tables. "It is... a place for idleness?"

"Exactly," Babe said, grinning as he ordered them each a drink. "You just sit, sip your coffee, maybe scroll through your phone if you want to look busy, and that's it. Simple."

They settled into a booth by the window, and Babe leaned back with his coffee, giving Billy an approving nod as he attempted to mimic Babe's casual posture.

"See?" Babe said, smirking. "You're already fitting right in."

Billy held his coffee cup with a kind of reverence, as if trying to decipher its purpose beyond simple sustenance. "This... latte. It is... quite pleasant."

"Glad you like it," Babe said, chuckling. "But the real trick is in the atmosphere. People come here to be 'busy' without actually doing anything important. It's the beauty of modern life."

They had just begun to settle in when Babe caught sight of a familiar face across the room—a face he hadn't seen in years. She was short, with a wild mane of curly hair and an outfit that looked like it belonged in an 80s disco. And her eyes widened as soon as they locked onto Babe.

"Babe Tanatat?" she called, loud enough for everyone in the café to hear. In a flash, she was across the room and throwing her arms around him. "It is you! I'd recognize that messy hair and smart mouth anywhere."

Babe froze, half in shock, half trying to process her sudden appearance. "D-Darla?"

Billy watched with interest, his gaze flicking between Babe and the unexpected guest. "You... know her?"

"Oh, he knows me, alright," Darla said, leaning back and giving Babe a fond slap on the arm. "Haven't seen you since... what, the early 90s?"

Babe chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, it's been... a while. Darla, this is my, uh, friend, Billy."

Darla turned to Billy, her eyes lighting up with a mischievous glint. "Ooh, 'friend,' huh?" She gave Billy an exaggerated wink, leaning in conspiratorially. "So, you're the one who finally snagged Babe, huh? I gotta say, you've got guts."

Billy looked utterly bewildered, his face flushing slightly. "I... believe you misunderstand our... arrangement."

"Oh, please," Darla said with a laugh, waving her hand dismissively. "It's all over your faces. I know that look. Saw it in the 80s with that rock star you were 'hanging out' with, Babe."

Babe groaned, covering his face. "Darla, that was a long time ago."

Darla only laughed harder, nudging Billy. "Don't worry, hon. I'm sure you've got your hands full with this one, but he's worth it. Underneath all the sass, he's a big ol' softie."

Billy gave her a stiff nod, clearly struggling to follow the conversation. "I... appreciate your assessment."

Babe shot Darla a pleading look, but she ignored it, pulling up a chair and plopping down next to them with a grin. "So, what have you two been up to? Let me guess... causing a bit of mayhem?"

"You could say that," Babe muttered, still red with embarrassment.

Darla's eyes gleamed with excitement. "You've gotta tell me everything. Don't leave out a single detail."

As Babe stammered through an explanation of their recent adventures, Darla kept peppering him with questions, throwing in comments that only made things more embarrassing. When he got to the "garden inspector" incident, she practically doubled over in laughter.

"Oh, Babe," she wheezed, clutching her stomach. "You always did know how to get yourself into the weirdest situations."

Billy, meanwhile, sat quietly, his expression a mixture of confusion and intrigue as he listened to Darla's tales of Babe's past escapades. He leaned over to Babe, whispering, "This... friend of yours appears to know... everything."

Babe sighed, his cheeks still pink. "Yeah, Darla's got a memory like a steel trap. Once she's got something on you, she never forgets."

Darla straightened, eyeing Billy with a curious smile. "You know, I don't think I've ever met one of Babe's 'friends' who lasted this long. You must be something special."

Billy opened his mouth, about to clarify, when Babe quickly cut in. "Darla, he's... a little new to all this. Go easy on him."

"Oh, don't worry, I'll be on my best behavior," she replied, smirking. "But you'd better treat him right, Babe. A guy like this? You don't just find that kind of dignity anywhere."

Billy's face turned a deeper shade of pink, and Babe barely stifled a laugh. "Trust me, Darla, Billy's as dignified as they come."

With that, Darla patted them both on the shoulders, a mischievous glint still in her eyes. "Well, boys, I've gotta run. But don't be strangers. I'll be keeping an eye out for you, Babe."

As she sauntered away, Babe let out a sigh of relief, slumping back in his seat. "That... was Darla."

Billy's expression softened, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "She seems... fond of you."

Babe chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, she's one of a kind. But that was... not the smoothest introduction."

Billy looked at him thoughtfully. "Perhaps it is good for others to see... your softer side."

Babe shot him a playful glare. "Don't get used to it."

They sat in comfortable silence, watching the people around them as the buzz of the café filled the air once more. And as Babe stole a quick glance at Billy, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of ease—like maybe, just maybe, this was the kind of connection he'd been looking for all along.