The French Fries and the Caesar Salad
Killian knew one thing the moment he clocked in for his first shift.
Someone had spilled the beans.
Killian was hoping to get this first shift with his new job done without drama or interference from his pair of friends. They were kind and had good intentions, but they tended to get into sticky situations easily.
Like the time they accidentally spent the night in a mall because Mar just had to be the first one to get in line for a huge clothing sale. Or the time they accidentally ordered him a 10 foot boat when they meant to order him a bottled ship.
Needless to say, his friends were definitely interesting.
He wasn't going to keep it a secret for long, just until he got the hang of things, until he got into his boss's good graces. By then, whatever situation they manage to cause, hopefully he'll be well liked enough not to be fired immediately.
At least that was the hope.
But apparently that was impossible; someone had ruined Killian's plans.
Someone had told his best mates about his new gig as a waiter at Brave and True, the new bar that opened around the corner. He knew someone had to have told them because the moment his shift started, he spotted the two planted at the bar, grinning like a pair of idiots right at him.
His money is on Liam.
(But in Liam's defense, he knew how hard it was to keep something from her. She was like a bloodhound when it came to secrets.)
He sighed as he greeted them. "What did you threaten my brother with this time?" He asked with a sigh.
She smirked. "Now why would you ask me something silly like that?" She asked. "Your brother was more than willing to help out." They both knew that she had in fact threatened his Navy brother enough to make him cave, with what, Killian didn't have the slightest clue.
He sighed again. "What can I get you?" He asked, glancing up to see his boss watching him like a hawk. He was trying to appear casual and that he didn't know these two. He'd just wanted to do his job.
Killian's friend smirked. "What, no 'on the house'?" He teased. "We're your best mates, I thought we'd be entitled to some special treatment." Killian rolled his house.
"Robin." The second replied, making Robin groan as she most likely kicked him under the table. "We just want to wish you luck." She said sweetly. "And to try the food, our last place gave me heartburn." She recalled with a frown.
Robin was his roommate the previous year, it had been a slow start, but Robin and Killian had become good friends after a bit, sharing a love of good alcohol and football, the true sport, not the American version. Marian was a whole other story.
Marian is Robin's longtime girlfriend. The first time meeting her, she'd taken one look at him and declared him a friend, making him meals whenever she cooked for Robin, asking about his sleeping and health. She'd even bought him medicine when he was sick. And that was before he'd become Robin's friend.
It was a little awkward at first, Killian not used to that kind of affection from someone who wasn't his brother, but he adjusted. He realized that Marian had a tendency of mother henning her friends. (And Robin)
"We'll start with the cheese fries." Robin said, pointing to one of the favorites and breaking Killian out of his thoughts. "Mar will have a Coke, and I'll have a sprite."
"Robin." Marian chastised.
"Ugg. Marian will have a diet coke; she's on a health kick." He groaned.
"Should I cancel the fries?" He asked, looking at the brunette.
"If you want to lose your hand." She said sweetly.
"Fries it is." He said, leaving them to their bickering, heading to the table besides there's. A young lady their age had sat down.
"Good evening." He greeted. "Welcome to Brave and True, what can I get you to start?"
The girl gazed up at him and then back at her phone, back at the menu and then back at him.
"Do you have anything decaf that doesn't smell like grass?" She asked.
He thought back to the menu. "We have smoothies, and some non-caffeinated sodas as well as a variety of juices." He listed. "Would you like me to list them?"
She nodded.
He listed them just as they'd been told to him. She scrunched her nose at him in annoyance.
"That's it?"
He'd listed at least 10 flavors.
"Aye." He replied.
She sighed in annoyance. "Water with absolutely no lemon." She said crisply. He nodded and went to serve other waiting tables; none were as odd as the lass. Most of them just ordered their drinks and perhaps an appetizer or two, and carried on with their night.
There was one couple with a small child, but Killian won him over with a doggie impression, making the parents laugh.
By the time he'd finished making his rounds, Robin and Marian's fries were ready ad he promptly brought them out. Robin nodded in appreciation, unable to mask his surprise with how good they were. He looked up, noticing Ms. Decaf's companion had yet to arrive, he watched as she just kept looking at her phone with irritation.
He sighed softly.
"What?" Marian asked, because of course she picked up on that. She always does.
"Nothing Mar." He tried. She raised a brow in question, the trademarked, 'you are not getting away with that' look. "I'll be back later." He said, strolling over to the table.
"Can I start you off with something?" He asked.
"I'm pretty right?" She asked. He blinked in surprise, but she just rolled her eyes. "Never mind doesn't matter what you think." She snapped. "My friend stood me up."
"I'm sorry." Killian tried.
"I just don't see what he sees in her." She said regretfully. "But whatever, doesn't matter to me" She insisted, looking back at the menu with a bit of disgust. "Is there anything here that isn't soaked in grease?" She asked.
He forced a smile at the obvious dig. "We have a variety of baked foods, as well as salads." He explained. "They are right there on the menu." He said, pointing at the sections.
She made another face.
"Caesar salad." She responded pointedly, not even bothering to look at the menu. He knows she did it on purpose. He can just feel it in her stare. "No croutons."
He smiles and nods. "Coming right out." He says with a nod and practically bolts away into the kitchen to put her order in, hers and the few other orders he has written down. Killian's been a waiter at a multitude at different places, but there's something about the lass there that was just rubbing him the wrong way, but he couldn't place it.
He'd been yelled at by customers, hit on, and sneered at, but this lass was just odd about the way she was acting towards him, he wished he understood-
"Jones!" Called a voice, making him jump slightly.
"Merida." He greeted. "Do you need something? I was just putting in a few orders for Mac here." He said gesturing to the chef who was looking through his tickets.
"I hear you're doing well today, one of my regulars thought you were great." She compliments, slapping him on the shoulder affectionately. "Keep up the good work."
Killian smiled with praise, returning to Robin's table as he waited on them, getting them refills, and looking around to make sure none of his other customers needed anything.
"Jones serving us, I believe that was always a dream of mine." Robin teased.
"Be careful Mar, it looks like I'm his dream guy." Killian responded without missing a beat.
"I always suspected it." Marian said with a knowing nod. "Ever since I found you two in bed together after your birthday."
Mar giggled as Robin sputtered a retort, face pink. "We were drunk!"
Killian nodded. "Can I get you anything else?" he asked, returning to business.
"I don't know, Robin, can Killian do anything for you?" She said with her best attempt at copying his signature eyebrow waggle.
Robin sighed in annoyance. "No, just the check." He responded. He dropped it on the table.
"Remember to leave a big tip." He said.
They just smiled waving at him as he went back up to the kitchen to pick up a few of the ready meals, including one Cesar Salad. He braced himself for it, placing it in front of her.
She looked at it with a frown.
"There's dressing on it." She noted.
"Aye, is that a problem?" He asked, of course she was going to say it was a problem, he'd have to bring it back, as if he'd been wrong and he forgot to tell the cook no dressing, no, she'd forgotten to tell him, but of course he couldn't say-
"No problem." She said swiftly, looking down and stabbing a piece of lettuce with her fork while maintaining eye contact with him.
He smiled. "Let me know if you need anything else."
"Will do." She said, still not looking away from him. He'd swear she was grinning through her salad.
But he did, wanting to get away from her and her snarky responses. He spotted Marian staring daggers at the cesar salad girl. "She's bothering you." Marian realized. "Want me to have a word?" She asked.
"Marian…"Robin warned.
"What? Killian has his uncomfortable face." She insisted.
"I do not have an uncomfortable face." He insisted.
"Yeah you do mate." Robin said. "You had it the forst time Marian made a Baloney sandwich." He reminded him.
"I was being polite!" He retorted.
"By staring at it for a half hour." Marian reminded him. "What's with her? She hitting on you?" She asked.
"Just being an arse of a customer." He said quietly. "I'll see you later you two, enjoy your night." He picked up the check, taking it to the register.
"You two Killian, don't be a stranger!" Robin called.
Killian grinned, he looked back at the table with the lass, she was gone, the salad was barely touched, but way more money than appropriate was left behind. It was at least a 20$ tip.
Killian looked down at the money than up at the door.
He did not understand some people…
Sorry for the delay, my computer deleted this chapter, next chapter and half of last chapter for absolutely no reason. I've had a pretty stressful week, so hopefully posting this will make me feel more productive.
Finally got some people in Killian's life besides Belle and Liam, I want them both to have lives outside of their friendship, because that's what healthy relationships are all about. I'm going with a little more of a spunky Marian, hopefully she's coming off well.
I wanted to have chapters already written here as my life is about to get 10x more complicated, but that obviously didn't happen, hopefully the next chapter will write itself...
~Luna
