Work Text:
---- Boombox pov :] ----
I'm currently sitting in my apartment, quietly listening to music, not doing much. That is, until my phone rings, it looks like Slingshot is calling? I pick up.
"Heya Slingshot, what's up?" I ask, I wonder why he called me.
"Hi Boombox, uhm, so I was just wondering if you could, uhh, like come over to Thevies Rest and fill in for Shuriken? If you don't mind, of course, if you don't want to, I'll just force Skateboard to. Sorry for the extremely short notice." Slingshot responds.
I think for a moment, I wouldn't want to bother Slingshot, "Yeah, I could totally cover for Shuriken! Though, if I may ask, is Shuriken okay?"
Slingshot scoffs on the other end, "Shuriken Is fine, he says hes deathly ill, but I personally think he just wants to go hang out with Skateboard, but I'm too tired to argue with him, hes too stubborn and I'm not dealing with that today." He pauses, "but anyway, thanks for covering for him." Slingshot then hangs up.
Waiting tables can't be that hard! I look at the time. It looks like Slingshot gave me about 30 minutes to prepare, I live quite close to Thevies Rest, so the drive will only be about 5 minutes.
And so, about 25 minutes later, I'm driving towards Thevies Rest. And about 5 minutes later, I'm at Thevies Rest, and now it looks like I'm an employee! Wait, but I don't have a uniform..? Was I supposed to get one? Just as I walk in, before the store officially opens, Slingshot extends his hands, shoving a uniform exactly my size in my hands. "How do you know my size? And why do you even have a uniform, i don't work here?" I say with a small laugh at the end, I don't want him to think I'm being rude.
"Just in case I gotta enslave my friends to work at my beautiful cafe, Shuriken sleeps in a lot. Usually, Skateboard fills in, but he's busy. Still don't think either Shuriken OR Skateboard are actually busy, but what am I supposed to do?" Slingshot says with a sigh. "And I knew your size because I'm awesome like that." Slingshot, without missing a beat, goes into the back, doing cafe preparing stuff, I wouldn't know what exactly.
I get changed (in the bathroom) into my uniform. it's actually pretty comfy! I walk out, we open kinda soon, but I guess I'll talk to Vinestaff! Shes pretty nice after all! I walk over to her, she glances at me nervously. "Heya Vine!" I say with a warm smile.
"Hello... Slingshot's friend.. uhm, I never really catched your name. What was it again?" She says, looking like this is her first interaction in years. Is she okay? I don't want to be mean.
"It's okay, my name is Boombox! Are you okay?" Wait is that to rude to just ask it straight up?
Vinestaff stares at me for a bit, almost like she's buffering. "Uhm yeah, I'm fine? Why do you ask?!" She pauses, realizing she raised her voice, "Ahem, sorry, I'm new to this, uh, sorry."
"New to what?" I ask, trying to be nice.
"Talking to people, I uhm, don't get out often, its fine, the store is about to open." Vinestaff quickly answers. She grabs a note pad from under the front desk thingy. "Write what people say on this." Vinestaff continues to explain the basics on what to do. This seems very simple!
...
About an hour or three into the day, its about 9 in the morning. It's been a pretty peaceful day, this place is rather calm. I walk over to table 7, and theres- Coil! Oh! I forgot he usually goes here! "Coil?" I say, as he looks over at me.
"Boom! Since when did you work here?" He looks at me suspiciously.
"Ah, well, Shuriken got sick and is currently at him home resting, so I covered for him!" I simply respond.
Coil looks at me blankly, "No, he's not bro, he's hanging out with Skateboard, I went here because I didn't feel like third wheeling.." Coil pauses, "Shuriken is NOT sick. If he is, then Skateboard is definitely going to be sick also." Coil rolls his eyes after saying that.
I sigh, "I guess Slingshot was right, aha."
Coil stands up, inches away from me, "honestly, I don't think he was right about getting you to work here. It's very boring without you." He reaches forward and runs a hand through my hair.
"Coil? I'm workingg."
"Yeah, I know. It's called indirect ragebaiting." He whispers while chuckling slightly.
And as if on cue, I hear Slingshot "COIL, stop flirting with my WAITSTAFF!" I laugh awkwardly, I guess this is what he meant, aha.
Coil leans towards me, "What do you mean, Slingy boy, I'm doing nothinggg!" He says in a teasing tone.
Slingshot looks like he's going crazy. He sighs, composing himself, "I'm so glad no one else is here.." he rolls his eyes and walks into the back."
Coil chuckles while he stops leaning on me. "It looks like I won this time, Slingshot: 7, Me: 8"
"Huh? You have a counter against Slingshot. What's that about?" I ask.
"Well, I've been kicked out of here 7 times total, and I've not been kicked out 8 times total. Well, the 8 times being were, I've driven him insane but I wasn't kicked out! I've been here other times, just because Skate or you want to go." He grins like this is a huge victory.
"Coil, you should be a little more nice to Slingshot, just a bit more." I say, knowing that he'll listen to me.
Coil looks at me before pausing, "Okayy, I will, just for youuu."
We keep chatting for a while, even between me waiting for other tables, even though I think Slingshot is a tad bit annoyed. Its okay.
So for the whole day, I'm basically talking to Coil the entire time, I don't think I'm coming back here.. welp... aha