Night On Set ❁ COLIFER

Chapter 2 ❁ Americano with a tiny drop of cream

Jen's POV

Pink bunny guy is looking at me with a smile, and his meal is already in my lap before I can decline.

"Oh, no, you can have it," I say hastily, handing it back to him, "I'll just get something else."

"You won't have your seat when you get back. Take it," he says.

I try again, but he won't take no for an answer. Eventually (and feeling very guilty about it), I lift the lid of the box and the smell of mashed potatoes and turkey comes straight at me.

I take a bite while the guy repositions himself against the wall. I should not be eating his meal. He's the one who's sitting on the floor, plus he looks like he needs it more than I do.

But I take a bite, because I know he won't accept it.

It's weird how someone can be willing to give up something for a total stranger, just because they're nice.

And I don't know this guy, but I know he's nice. I just do.

After I finish my meal, I get up without thinking about it to chuck the empty box in the garbage. Of course someone's taken my seat when I get back.

My chest tightens and then my gaze crosses the one of the bunny guy again, and he's looking at me like he's saying, "I told you so".

I shrug my shoulders, deciding to sit on the floor on the other side of the power outlet.

"Do you mind if I...?" I say when I dig the charger of my laptop out of my bag.

He looks up at me and nods when he sees what I mean. "Sure. But only if you guard my spot while I get something to eat."

"Of course."

Darn. I should've asked him to guard my spot a minute ago.

He gets up, taking a minute to stretch, and I almost snort when he turns around and reveals the pink poof on his butt. But this time, I manage to look away before he catches me looking at him again.

This is probably when I should mention that this never happens to me in a public place. Usually I don't connect with strangers, because more often than not they recognize me and want a picture or an autograph. So far, I've only signed a bunch of papers when I came into the airport four hours ago, and to that guy I'm just a stranger like everyone else here.

That rarely happens.

I keep my bag in his spot until he comes back, and it's not hard to notice when he does; people grin when he passes, probably because of his outfit.

Wait, scrap that. Most definitely because of his outfit.

Which, by the way, I'm pretty sure is some kind of joke or party thing.

"Here you go," he says when he slumps against the wall, and I'm surprised to look up and find him handing me a cup of coffee.

"Oh, I don't—" I start, feeling a blush spread on my cheeks, but he tilts his head.

"Come on, it's Christmas Eve, you can take it." He presses the cup in my hand, a pink and fluffy patch of his suit covering his fingers. "I didn't know what your favorite was, so I got you the same as mine."

"Which is...?"

"Americano with a tiny drop of cream."

"Hm," I say, and then, after taking a sip, I add, "Thank you."

"Wait, that 'hm' wasn't entirely reassuring." He sits down cross-legged, turning his body towards me and away from the wall. "What's your favorite?"