AN. My first ever Pushing Daisies fic! I love the Olive/Ned/Chuck triangle, don't you?
I do not own Pushing Daisies or any related characters. This was written out of enjoyment of the series, and no profit is being made.
Ships: (One Sided Romance) Olive/Ned. (Friendship) Digby&Everyone! :D
Spoilers: Season 1 - Episode 1: "Pie-lette"
Warnings: None.
Notes: Takes place before the show begins.
The First of the Piemaker's Strange Allergies
The Piemaker really should've been more worried about the case that he and Emerson Cod were working on (a man had died of severe paper cuts while working in the new publishing factory and had mentioned something about a 'union' before his minute was up. Whether it was a work-related thing or some office romance had been left to the detectives). But, as he flipped one more chair up onto a table, all he could worry about was Digby and the dog's constant sneezing fits.
"Hal-lo!" a familiar voice called from the doorway. Olive Snook entered the Pie Hole with Digby the golden retriever wagging his tail at the end of his leash. They wore matching grins. "How's home away from home been while I've been... away from home?"
Ned had to resist rushing forward to scratch his dog's neck. "Home has been homely."
Olive nodded, smiling. Not even a bit homely without me? she was tempted to ask. "Well, the vet said that everything was a-okay. Digby's just allergic."
"Allergic?" Ned asked, his big eyebrows furrowing. "To what?"
The woman pouted slightly, thinking. "The doctor said it must be some sort of chemical that they use in those morgues you're always visiting. She said that as long as you wash your clothes as soon as you come home, Digby will be sneeze-free."
Ned twisted his ankle thoughtfully. "Oh. Well. I'll be sure to do that."
The woman nodded into the awkward silence that followed. Digby's claws clicked as he sat down, panting. The Piemaker spoke again. "Would you mind giving him a hug?"
Olive tilted her head. "Well, sure. I don't see why you can't. I mean, he's not sneezing right now."
"It's not me. I'm... actually allergic to him."
"You're allergic to Digby?"
"Only in physical contact, strictly speaking."
"That's odd. I've never seen you sneeze around him. Unless... Do you get a rash when you react? Because I get the worst itch at the back of my neck after I eat coconut and-"
"Olive? Hug him for me, please?"
"Oh, alright," the woman kneeled, feeling somewhat embarrassed in her short dress, next to the golden on the checkered tiles. She hugged her arms around the dog's caramel neck and squeezed.
It became less awkward when she imagined a very tall human with big eyebrows in her arms.