I don't own Loonatics Unleashed
Enjoy!
Rev needed a buffer to face Michelle after such a long. Out of all his teammates, the only one that had been available was Slam and Rev felt it was better to have someone than no one. The bakery was extremely busy that Michelle had not been paying attention who came in and left. He watched as she zipped from one area of the bakery to another, brining customers their pastries and coffees that they asked for. Rev couldn't help but think back at the Quick Wrap Sandwich Shack. It was basically the same setting, only she didn't have an annoying boss over her head.
Slam was entranced by the desserts that floated by their table. The aroma was sweet and fulfilling, driving him to the temptation to grab the food out of the plates that passed by. He would have done it if Rev had not been quick enough to stop him. He understood that they needed to pay for it like every other customer here, but what was a hungry Tasmanian devil supposed to do?
Rev quickly peeked over at Slam and the guy was drooling at the food that passed by. "Okay-okay-Slam," Rev said as he tried to get his attention, "I'm-gonna-get-you-some-cakes-later-but-right-now-I-need-you-calm-down-and-focus-I-really-need-your-help-through-this-I-could-have-asked-Ace-or-Lexi-but-they-were-busy-Tech-I'm-sure-doesn't-like-her-and-forget-about-Duck-you're-my-only-hope-for-this."
Eventually, Slam turned his attention to Rev and looked at him with a perplexed expression. He did have much experience in this department, he couldn't help but feel that Rev was exaggerating things. Even if things did not work out, it wasn't like it was the end of the world for him. He let out a garbled speech, ending it with, "…calm down."
"Yeah," Rev let out a sigh of breath when Slam said that. "Calm-down-that's-what-I-need-to-do." He didn't know why he felt so nervous in the first place. Could it be because he hadn't seen her in such a long time? Could it be because he still remembered being labeled as a 'distraction?' No matter how much he had tried to push that thought away from his mind, it always bugged him. Moving on had proven to be hard. It was as if a part of him wanted to know the answer, even if it was one that he didn't want to believe.
In the later afternoon, the bakery seemed to slow down as the last pair of customers left. Slam didn't know how much time had passed before he woke up from the unexpected nap that he had been taken. He looked over at Rev who had placed his head within his hands and was taken a light nap himself. "Uh…Rev?" Slam said as he was about to reach over and give him a pat on the elbow.
"Wow!" Michelle's voice suddenly chirped as she zipped over to their table, startling both Slam and Rev. "I'm-sure-I-had-over-a-thousand-customers-today-but-then-again-who's-couting-I-can't-believe-you-guys-waited-here-until-I-was-done-that-is-so-sweet-of-you.-I-can't-believe-I'm-saying-this-but-man-I-am-exhausted!" she exclaimed as she fell back on a chair and lounged on it for a couple of seconds before she was up on her feet again. "Is-there-anything-I-can-get-you-two?" she asked them.
Rev raised his index finger in the air, "actually-Michelle-I—"
"CAKE!" Slam interrupted Rev as he raised his fist in the air. There was no way he was going to leave this bakery without having something to eat.
Michelle smiled brightly when she noticed the enthusiasm that Slam exuded. "I-have-a-much-better-option-than-some-boring-cake!" she said as she ran over to the counter and came back with a tarte au chocolat.
Slam raised an eyebrow at the dessert. He took a long sniff. At least it smelled nice. He took a dainty bite from it and enjoying the delicious flavor that it had, he finished it in one bite in the blink of an eye. This wasn't anything unusual to Rev when he saw his teammate eat the dessert, but Michelle was caught off guard that she stared at Slam with wide eyes.
It didn't take too long for her to let out a little giggle. "My-he-has-quite-the-appetite," she commented.
"You-should-see-him-when-we-order-pizza.-He-eats-both-the-pies-and-the-box," Rev said. He suddenly shook his head when he heard himself getting off track. "Do-you-have-a-minute?-I-was-hoping-to-talk-to-you."
"Do-you-want-to-go-in-the-backroom?" Michelle asked him.
"Yes-I-mean-no!" Rev quickly corrected himself and facepalmed at the answer that he had just said. He shook his head and gave Michelle a light smile, as if to push away the words that he had just said. "We-can-talk-here-Slam-won't-mind."
Michelle looked over at the Tasmanian devil who was licking off the last crumbs on the plate. She then took her seat in the middle of the table and looked over at Rev. "What's-up?" she asked him.
Here-it-comes Rev thought to himself. "Well," he slowly began, or trying to, "it's-been…who-knows-how-long-since-we-have-last-seen-each-other."
Michelle's eyes traveled over to the ceiling of the bakery as she thought about it. The last time she had seen him, she was at the start of kicking off her bakery. She had taken those first couple of steps in finding the right place, her target audience, and trying to renovate her place. "It's-been-a-while," she answered him, "and-you-never-dropped-by-to-say-hello!"
Rev hoped that she wouldn't mention that, but he didn't want to place the full blame upon himself. How was he supposed to react when she had called him a 'distraction.' "Superhero-work-is-busy," he said to her, which wasn't a complete lie.
Michelle gave him a nod of her head. "I-watch-the-news-you-guys-are-on-it-everyday," she smiled brightly, "and-it's-an-honor-to-have-all-of-your-teammates-come-over-to-visit."
If Rev's memory was correct, which he would pride himself in that it was, neither Tech, Duck, or Miranda had visited her bakery and considering the encounter that she had established with Tech and Duck, he would be surprised if they decided to come in. "They-do-like-those-macaroons-especially-Slam," Rev said as he looked over at him, who gave both roadrunners a nod of approval. Ugh-I'm-getting-sidetracked-again! "Actually-I-wanted-to-ask-you-about-something-now-that-you're-finally-adjusted-with-your-bakery."
"Well-not-finally," Michelle said, "I-still-have-to-pay-back-a-large-loan." She let out a sigh and rested her hand on her cheek.
Rev glanced over at Slam. "It's-been-like-what-a-year-now-it's-gonna-take-a-while.-It-took-my-Pa-years-to-pay-off-his-debt-when-he-started-his-business."
Michelle gave him a gentle shrug of her shoulders. "I-just-didn't-want-to-have-a-loan.-I-can't-believe-the-amount-that-I-made-last-year-was-gone-in-an-instant."
Rev thought back about his father's business but during that time, things were probably a little different than they were now. He wanted to ask her of the specifics but decided not to bother her with those questions. "That's-how-business-is," Rev said to her, "you-gotta-know-what-you're-doing."
"On-the-bright-side," Michelle perked up, "I-don't-have-an-annoying-boss-over-my-head."
"And-with-the-customers-that-are-coming-in-you'll-be-able-to-make-up-all-that-money-in-no-time," Rev said to her. "Anyway-what-I-really-wanted-to-talk-to-you-about-was—"
"I-hope-so," Michelle interrupted him, "it-gonna-take-such-a-long-time."
"Michelle—" Rev jumped in before she could.
"I-mean-half-of-my-annual-pay-with-sixteen-percent-interest—" Michelle continued.
Slam looked from one roadrunner to the other as they tried to place their input on, what he considered to be, such a pointless conversation. He lightly slammed his fists on the table and stood up. "Rev," he interrupted her as he looked at Michelle and pointed at Rev, "listen." He then sat back down on the table.
"Oh," Michelle said as she turned her attention to Rev. "Sorry-Rev-you-were-saying?"
Thank-you Rev mouthed over to Slam and then looked at Michelle. "What-I-have-been-trying-to-say-is-a-year-has-passed-and-it-seems-that-you're-doing-a-lot-better-now.-You-have-been-on-my-mind-ever-since.-I-didn't-want-to-come-to-visit-when-you-said-you-didn't-want-any-distractions-but-what-about-now?-I-just-want-to-know.-Would-you-consider-being-my-girlfriend?"
Her life in the bakery had been extremely busy. Even though she found herself exhausted by the end of the day, she was happy that she was finally living her dream. During the past year, with the amount that she had left just to scrape by, she had felt a form of loneliness when she returned to her apartment from work. She had thought of Rev's question when he had proposed it to her that day, and how she had naïvely declined it. She couldn't believe that he had waited for a whole year to ask her again and she felt touched. Michelle knew that he liked her. She had a feeling that he did, even before he asked her to be his girlfriend. She looked over at his expression. Those eyes, filled with hope almost as if he was pleading for her answer and that adorable face of his. "Yes," she finally answered him with a nod of her head.
Rev felt his stomach drop when she answered him then he jumped out of his chair and grabbed her in his arms. "Yes?-Yes!" he shouted as he hugged her tightly against him, "I'm-so-glad!" And-that-I'm-not-a-distraction!
A small chuckle escaped Michelle's beak and looked over at him. He had let go of her and was already planning on dates that he was going to take her to and find some flexibility in his schedule to do so. "Or," Michelle interrupted him, "you-can-always-come-in-here-and-visit-you-know?" she asked him.
"But you'll be working," Rev said to her.
"I'll-close-the-shop-just-for-you," she said as she gave him a gentle tap on his beak causing Rev to blush at her words. She then looked over Rev's shoulder and tried her best not to roll her eyes. She wished she had closed her shop, but that wouldn't stop Fleur from walking inside. "Be-right-back," she said to Rev and then headed over to where Fleur was.
Rev looked after her as she was talking to the woman that had walked in. He then looked over at Slam and gave him a thumbs up. "It-worked-my-friend-thanks-for-all-of-your-help."
Slam was glad to have been of help in this situation. Now he hoped that Rev would stop stressing out about it like he had been doing the past couple of days. One thing that he could say to the roadrunner was, "mission accomplished."
