Superhero

Chapter 130

A confrontation was going on in the living room when Addison descended the steps.
"Fleurette, honey, I know you're tired after being out so late, but please don't forget to lock the front door," Felicia gently said. "Last night wasn't even the first time you did that."
"Sorry about that," Fleurette said, her deep voice sounding hoarse now. "I... I was tripping. Got a hangover now too... ugh."
"Well, you aren't exactly the only one," Jordan said as he stood beside Felicia, red-eyed and also hoarse. "I should not have had that soju yesterday."
Addison burst into laughter at that. "Soju?! Who were you drinking out with? That Korean boy in our class?"
Jordan turned to her. "Nah. I just thought it seemed good since it was so popular."
"I know this isn't the best time, but was it good?" Fleurette asked, smirking slightly. "Sorry, I kinda wanna know."
Jordan nodded. "It is. Especially the lemon flavour."
Fleurette grinned. "Noted."
Felicia cleared her throat. "Fleurette?"
"Right, right," Fleurette smiled sheepishly as she turned back to Felicia. "Sorry, Felicia. I won't do it again, okay?"
"Alright," Felicia nodded. "Thank you, I will be taking my leave now."
With that, Felicia made her way to the side foyer to feed Freesia and Frida. Addison slipped away behind her to go to the kitchen as well with Jordan at her heels.
And Fleurette at his.
"Ooo coffee..." Fleurette grinned at Giuseppe when she spotted him sipping at his freshly-brewed coffee.
After the amazing coffee he had prepared during Fleurette's welcome party, Felicia got the bright idea of letting him use it, provided that he made extra shots for her and Jake. Symbiosis.
Despite Fleurette's remark, Giuseppe didn't offer her any.
"Is it okay if I drop by at the Sundeer in Alford later?" Fleurette asked.
Jordan pursed his lips as he wondered if it was a good idea to tell her that he actually worked there, but refrained from saying anything.
"It's not open yet," Addison decided to save the day. "They only open at nine."
Fleurette pouted. "Aww, now that's too bad." Then she cheerfully shrugged. "Oh well, I guess I'll just be going now. Buh-bye."
And then she just left.
"She's very... chipper," Giuseppe remarked.
"She is," Jake sighed, drinking a cup of milk at the counter. "Extremely chipper."
"Yeah," Addison sighed. "Well, at least she's nice."
"Yeah, I guess," Jordan shrugged. "But it wouldn't hurt to turn it down a notch, don't you think?"
"Yep," Giuseppe agreed. He finished his coffee and washed his mug before placing it on the drying rack. "I'm ready to leave now. You guys?"
"Just a minute," Addison said, rushing over to the hot water machine to brew herself some tea.

Addison walked in for work after a rather uneventful day at school and spotted Jeff doing his nails behind the counter.
"Hold up, you having a manicure there, bud?" Addison remarked in surprise.
Jeff didn't look up from his nails. "Why, can't a man do a little grooming as well?"
Addison smirked. "Nah, there's nothing wrong with that."
"My nail broke and now it's poking me whenever I touch my face or scratch my arm. Worse still, my hair gets stuck in it when I touch my head."
"Darn," Addison said, going over to the food warmer. "Also, what do you think of the newly added empanadas?"
Jeff lifted his hand and examined his filed nails. "They're quite good."
"Mmm," Addison smirked as she placed two of them into a brown paper bag. "And maybe I'll have the vegetable burrito as well. Ooo, fried chicken..."
"Sounds like you're gonna have a feast."
"Yeah, I am," Addison sighed. "I'm famished."
She came over to the counter after grabbing some milk and placed everything in front of him. Jeff pushed his nail kit aside and started scanning her things. Addison curiously pulled the nail kit over and started scanning that instead. It had nail clippers of two different sizes, a nail file, a buffer, a tool to clip at access cuticle skin, an ear pick, a pair of tiny scissors, and even a pair of tweezers.
"This is handy," Addison said. "Hey, where did you get this?"
"Bought it."
"Then what, you plucked it from a tree?" Addison sighed, so tired of this answer. "Where you bought it?"
"Do-It Shop."
Addison nodded. "Alright. I'll make it a point to go over and get myself a set as well. All I have on me is a nail file. I don't even cut my nails anymore."
Jeff nodded. "I can tell. I shudder to think what your toenails look like."
"Hideous!" Addison even spread her hands to look like claws and made a threatening gesture as if she was raising them to scratch at him.
Jeff actually shuddered then. Addison didn't know if it was a joke or if he was really that unsettled by the imagery, but retrieved her things from the counter after paying and went to the table.
"Also, I saw the Superhero again last night," Addison smirked as she unpacked her vegetable burrito. "This time, I was being chased by a mad biker who didn't even have a bike!"
She started laughing at how she threatened the said mad biker that she would steal his bike, but didn't see any so she started running. Jeff just shook his head as he watched her, looking unimpressed.
"And then the Superhero appeared before me and just... just portalled me home!" Addison was still laughing.
"I think he deserves a payment from you at this point," Jeff sighed. "Seems like he's become your personal unpaid bodyguard."
Addison turned sheepish at that. "Oh, yeah... maybe I should at least get them some food. They seem to like those Itchy-Buns, don't they?"
Jeff shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. That's up to you. Also, you said they instead of he. What's the latest? Seems like I'm a bit outdated here."
Addison told him how she thought it was Fleurette over her burrito.
"She comes in super late," Addison added. "And gives us finger guns sometimes too."
"Well, well," Jeff's face broke into a smile. "So, you could have been on to something, then. The Superhero may as well be a she than a he. That's some interesting plot development."
Addison smiled. "Yeah. And you thought it had been a guy from the start."
Jeff shrugged. "Well, they look quite ambiguous in appearance, so yeah it's hard to tell otherwise." He frowned slightly. "But still, though. You should be a bit careful with Fleurette. You know, because."
"Because what?" Addison asked before taking a bite of her empanada.
"Because she has saved you a lot, if she's the Superhero, and... it wouldn't be a good idea to mess with her while she's unmasked."
Addison nodded. "You know, you're like that guy from that book, Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka."
Jeff smirked. "Hey, you read that book?"
"Yep. And there's this character, whose sole reason is to be the main character's therapist. They even say that he has this face that makes you want to pour everything out to him."
"Well," Jeff looked smug. "I'm kinda used to that role at this point."
Addison smiled. "Yeah. You do good with that role too."