“The fun has arrived my friend!” The Aussie announced rather obnoxiously after the other chef opened the front door. Sauntering in in a showmanship type way as, currently, he was a little hopped up on sugar. He had been testing a few desserts out and now that translated into energy coursing through his blood.
“I’ve been living here since 2012, so 7 years. And yeah, I feel like the Halloween industry is ridiculous here in the States. I see Halloween stuff coming as soon as July 5th, like at the craft stores. I was buying some sewing stuff at Michaels on July 5th, and they already had some Halloween fabrics in the fabrics section.”
“Then ya can’t really pull the excuse after maybe three years. That’s the max.” It was his take, anyways. “Same with Christmas shit. I know it’s a worldwide phenomenon and everyone eats it up, but Americans really go hard with their holiday celebration. By that I mean Fourth of July, Halloween, and Christmas. The rest is luke warm at best.”
“Oh hey sorry, I didn’t mean to get all sentimental on you. Just speaking the truth though.” Andrew smiled, glad his friend was moved. “Of course you can the more you tell me the more of my paycheck to going to you. But for the food its a fair trade.” There was already reason enough to look forward to December, he remembered the hubbub from last year and was anticipating trying it firsthand himself. “Trust me it will be a wait for me, but excited either way.”
“Oh! Well, in that case, I should send ya direct menu changes at the top of each month. Sucker ya outta all that green that I can.” Snickering laughter carried his words. “All very well earned, though, I promise. Ya know I test my recipes and all that. Everything has to be perfect so I can earn my money right.” It was another aspect he was proud of himself for. “Speakin’ of, when are ya gonna bring a pretty someone to the Den with ya and really impress ‘em?” A roundabout way of really checking up on other aspects of his life.
“That’s because all I wanted to do was rest and get better, and ya kept fuckin with me,” she reminded him, a light chuckle escaping her afterward. While Logan seemed to contemplate over his choices, she finished off her coffee and debated on going for another, which was blocked by the sound of his voice. “As if I don’t do that already. Come on,” she responded with a slight eye-roll. She then hopped off of the counter and in true dramatic Reese form, hunched over and drug her foot to zombify her way back to his bedroom.
“Alright, see if your ungrateful ass gets my gourmet soups, cuddles, or general wonderful presence anytime ya get a sniffle again.” Calling her bluff with ease. Eyes watching her with amusement as she went into exaggerated theatrics that only became more and more common the longer you knew the woman. Setting his cup down and soon breaking that act of her’s be swooping her up to hoist over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. A hand popping over her rear enough to hopefully elicit a startled jump without being painful. Feet taking them the rest of the way back to his bedroom.
“The Boys? Is that the show you mentioned before? Also don’t think you should be using that word in front of our daughter,” she raised her brows at him. “Why do I have to be the rip off and you two get to be a the real things?”
“Yeah with the heroes.” A slip of the little word ‘dick’ was of little consequence to him. Looking to their girl who’s hair he tousled. “Every guy has one, she’s learnin’ anatomy.” His excuse made just to be difficult. “Ya didn’t even want to be in the Justice League in the first place is why~.”
“Oh, how sweet of you,” she rolled her eyes with a smile. “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about myself, to be honest. I was too worried about getting everything they need for Halloween that I forgot about myself.”
“You’re welcome.” He tipped his head as if to give a little bow before shaking it in place. “That’s not a concept I can understand at all. No matter what the fuck is goin’ on, there’s always time for number one.” He pointed at his chest for indication.
“Touche,” she pushed her lips to the side as she formed a smile. “I guess. I’m a single mom with two kids, so I’m just shocked my brain hasn’t exploded yet, in all honesty.”
“Maybe ya need a vacation. Dump the kids on some relatives or a friend and just go be a human bein’ for a while. That’s sure to cut more of that haggard look off your face.” Not that she looked terrible by any means but he was keeping on the original topic at hand.
“No, what you do it the rare or uncommon horror movies. The ones people don’t think they would never see in relation with food. Like, the Exorcist, Frankenstein, maybe Twilight Zone episodes,” she rambled from the top of her head. “It is so stupid. I mean, I’m not a fan of clowns, but it wasn’t as scary as I thought. Now, Chucky is a completely different thing. I hate creepy dolls, and Chucky freaks me out.” Beth shook her head as she took a drink. “Oh, you’re sweet. I feel so special.”
“Just put split pea soup. There’s my menu. Job done. Both are green and hey, it’s the puke used in Exorcist.” Like Logan would let his creativity be so bare minimum. Cracking up when Chucky was brought up. “You’re scared of him? I fuckin’ love that guy. He’s hilarious and if he tries to fuck with ya, a good kick’ll get him away from ya quick. If you’re scared of him, though, I can only imagine how ya feel about Annabelle.”
“It’s still not really a thing in Israel. Maybe amongst American and Canadian expat communities, but that’s it. You can’t really find Halloween candy in stores there. So yeah, the kiddie Halloween themes don’t appeal to me, either. Especially since I don’t have kids yet.”
“How long have ya lived in America?” Brows lifted in his wondering state. “I feel like once ya live here, it’s not much of an excuse considerin’ how much they saturate every market with it for the season.”
The look Aviva gave the man could have killed him in a second if they were to kill. She knew that she definitely didn’t have the ego Logan has, even though she was extremely confident. “We’re the same age. If I need one, then you do, too, old man,” she pointed at him, raising a brow. “Kind of liked being the villain, to be honest. Kind of makes me want to be one for this year.”
“Ya know, if ya wanna be a hero and still be a villainous dick, ya could always be someone from The Boys.” It was a recent show that Logan was rather attached to for it’s fresh take on superheroes and such universes. “They have a Wonder Woman rip off ya could be for it.”
What’s something you like to do the old-fashioned way?
“Maybe in the way I ‘play’? I’m a guy who loves to be active, not just sexually, alright. I like goin’ outside mostly. Gettin’ into my water sports, hikin’, even exercisin’, sex, things like that. As a typical Aussie ya could say who was practically raised outside, we were taught the indoors is where all the dull happens, so that’s my take on it most of the time, too. Don’t get me wrong, I’m fuckin’ tech savvy as hell and I can Netflix and Chill but I can get bored of it after a few hours. Gimme physical stimulation.”
“Networking at The Den. The weekends are always busiest and more high profile clientele like to come. It’s a good way to keep up rapport and I always enjoy myself.”
22: Do you want to have kids? How many?
“I got a kid. Soon to be three years old this November.”
23: Do you have piercings? How many?
Answered.
24: What is/are/were your best subject(s)?
“It’s a shorter list if I say what weren’t my best subjects, heh.”
25: Do you miss anyone from your past?
“Nah. I cut people out for reasons so good riddance.”
“Nope. I’ve always said I never do. Ya either succeed or learn.”
05: What is your relationship status?
“It’s complicated. Single.”
07: What did you last eat?
“A pretty good spanakopita.”
11: Do you like someone?
“I tolerate a certain person, ya could say~.”
13: Do you hate anyone at the moment?
“I don’t have time to waste on anyone I dislike enough to hate ‘em.”
17: Ever made out in the bathroom?
“Hi. Have we met?” Definite yes.
19: Would you go back in time if you were given the chance?
“Can I opt to go forward and check out all the cool shit we hopefully advance to, instead?”
23: Do you have piercings? How many?
“Not a one.”
29: Have you made a boyfriend/girlfriend cry?
“I’ve made women I’ve been seein’ cry. Not that any were labeled as girlfriends. They just get into that delusion they can change me despite being upfront with ‘em from the go for decades, now.”
31: Does somebody love you?
“Everyone loves me, mate.”
37: Is it easier to forgive or forget?
“Neither.”
53: What is the last thing you did before you went to bed last night?
“Checked my messages. Kinda borin’.”
59: Do you like the snow?
“I don’t want that unnatural solid water, thank you. Gimme the heat and sun and things to warm my body.”
61: Is it cute when a boy/girl calls you baby?
“Depends on the person.”
67: Who was the last person of the opposite sex you talked to?
“Does my snake count? I told her ‘Good mornin’.’ so there’s that. If not, it was one of my employees at lockup.”
“Yes. I try to forget about that. How you stomached to even look at me, I’ll never know. But I’m glad you did,” she smiled, shaking her head. It was a never-ending cycle. When she traveled, especially out of the country, she always came back with a tickle in her throat. Most of the time it’s nothing, that turns into a whole ordeal because she’s unable to do what she was used to - using her voice to make a living. This particular time it was strep, and she thought the world was ending. Luckily, although Reese told him time and time again that she was fine, the stubborn ways of both personalities battled, and he did take care of her rather well, and got her back to normal - or at least as normal as Reese could be. “So, since it appears that you’re not in a big hurry to get me out of here, did you want me to zombify my way back to bed, or did you have other plans for today?”
“Ya should be. You’re a horrible patient.” Delivered with his blunt way of delivering facts and offset by that bright twinkle in his eyes still gleaming. Remembering that time he played doctor well enough. Shifting his weight in place, he took a few slurps. Back and forthing in his mind upon her question before a decision was made. “Bed. I’ve done enough runnin’ around this past month that I need one of my rare lazy days. Maybe now is one of the times I’ll call in that ‘ya owe me’ card and make ya wait on me hand and foot. Sounds like fun, right?”
“Oh. now that’s just mean,” she pouted at him, shaking her head., “Well, I’m not, but the twins are. They are being Toy Story characters. Briella is gonna be Bo Peep and Declan wants to be Woody. So hey will be going all out.”
“I’m sparin’ ya the embarrassment, here.” he declared before announcing again with all the confidence in the world. “That’s easy! Go as the mom. All ya gotta do is be a giant pair of legs and ya match with minimal effort.”