A hand slapped upon a boy's back, a laugh escaping the man near him.
"Olaf, my boy!" The boy turned, hearing his name as he smiled awkwardly.
"Mister Oaken?" He rose a skeptic brow, hands occupied by blankets and cloths.
The man known as Mr. Oaken was a hefty guy - both tall and wide - and had a local known beard that every elder over fifty had. His smile was always charming and friendly, making him a likable guy and more the reason for Olaf to be working as a minor shopkeeper. It also helped that both Oaken's family and Olaf's family known each other well and were practically family altogether, was it not by blood.
And although this tall, happy lug seemed like the harmless type, try getting on his bad , he didn't really show that side much, luckily for Olaf.
"Haven't you been keepin' this place just tighty?" Mister Oaken laughter echoed along the small shop. He looked at Olaf from the side, raising his brows with a wide grin.
"Well," Olaf walked over to the winter section of the shop, laying down the sheets and cloths, walking back to pick up a tray of empty jars, "It is what Im supposed to do, isn't it?" he chuckled under his breath, starting to stack up some jars along a shelf.
"Aye! Yes Yes, But oh, you should take a break." He clasped his hands together, gesturing near a small seat by the front desk.
"No No, I gotta finish this, then, eh, Maybe so!" he returned a soft smile, stacking the jars up quickly and nearly dropping a few.
Mister Oaken frowned dramatically, crossing his arms, "Im skeptic, Olaf! You're usually goofing off, talking about the summer skies near the beach! Or warm yearly climate. Funny you talk of such, your as pale as a snowman!" He said, gesturing his hands around as emphases when he spoke.
Olaf sighed, placing one more jar up and turned to Mister Oaken. "Look, Mister Oaken, I've been meaning to ask-"
"Ask away my boy! Mister Oaken hates secrets.." He interrupted, pointing his index finger towards Olaf, making Olaf roll his eyes as he leaned along the wall near the wooden shelf.
"Well, I, um, I've been thinking. All my crazy ideas, y'know?" chuckles, frowning slightly, "I wanna go to a warmer climate like place. I've asked my parents and they said possibly. Possibly. So, i was thinking possibly if i got more money and-"
"You want a raise? Possibly a promotion? Go get supplies from town?" Mister Oaken asked with a shockingly calm expression.
"Uhm, Yes, actually." he poked his own index fingers together, glancing down. He glanced back up, gulping, "Would you have the guts to be such a dear kind manager," he playfully tapped the hefty man's cheek, chuckling awkwardly, "and do such for a small guy like meee?"
There was a unsettling pause between the two as that weak, nervous smile kinda faded away. The look Mister Oaken was giving Olaf was kinda creeping him out.
"..I've been doing my job more-"
"I dont see this as a promotion" Olaf muttered, a kinda plain, blank expression was along his face.
"This is kinda more of an embarrassment, if you ask me"
Clung to his body was a snowman costume, buttons as the coal. He wore a strap on, fake carrot as a nose and wore a top hat. Around his neck was a scarf that was, to be honest, burning him up.
Where Mister Oaken got that fake carrot, god only knows.
"Olaf! You asked for promotion, promotion you got!"
"How much-" a lone customer walked in, "Yoo Hoo, Winter Blowout. Uhm, How much do I get paid again?"
Mister Oaken waved the customer down from behind desk, gesturing him to the winter section. He then smiled wide as usual to Olaf.
"Why, You were paid, hmm ten the last job..hmm"
"Yoo Hoo, Winter Blowout" Olaf muttered with less happiness as another customer walked in.
"Thirteen an hour, plus five if you can be more optimistic!" He clasped his hands together.
"But Mister Oaken! The promotion I heard was twenty-five an hour"
"Olaf, are these whining tones?"
Olaf frowned, awkwardly waddling to the desk near Mister Oaken.
"Don't you get tired going to town every so often to get supplies?"
"Not really, to be honest I dont ever go to town! So it's a fun trip for me!"
Olaf beamed the same blank stare as before, squinting. He opened his mouth but closed it, pausing, "How do you suspect me to be able to-to go to a warmer climate with less money than a hobo gets?!" he nearly growled.
"Work your best! Praying might even do you good!" Oaken smiled big, glancing as a customer walked in.
"Yoo Hoo! Winter Blowout! Checkout the winter section!" Mister Oaken called then paused, now a blank stare upon his features.
"Now minus five for missing out on a Yoo Hoo" he muttered, then the smile freakingly appearing quicker than Olaf's ever seen.
Olaf paused, huffing loudly
"Y'know what?" Olaf pulled the fake carrot, letting it hang around his neck and throwing the top hat to the ground "I quit! I bet i could get half a better job somewhere else!"
Now this is the scary part.
Mister Oaken frowned.
"Oh now, boy?"
"U-Uhm, Yeah?" Olaf had his hands on his hips, took them off quickly and then quickly put them back on as quick as he took them off. He glanced around nervously.
Mister Oaken stood up, his tall frame being visible.
Olaf gulped, "Oh shi-"
Olaf yelled, being thrown out the front of the shop. The door slammed shut as the cold snow flaked around the small boy, snow slipping softly into his jet black hair. He shivered, wanting to take this costume off but not wanting to freeze on his walk home.
"I-I'm glad i'm d-done!" he stammered, shivering as he stood up. He glanced from the shop, then to the little stream. He sighed, waddling off to the direction to his house.
