My dumb donut.

Once I got off the chat with Nikki, I immediately texted Rebecca.

She responded pretty quickly, but her response reminded me it's Sunday morning.

'im still sleeping you lunatic'

I texted back saying

'My bad, text me when you wake up later.'

But then again, that opened the door from normal people hours like say nine or ten in the morning to probably three in the afternoon.

It's a miracle she wakes up on time to only be half an hour late to work each morning.

So now that it was Sunday morning, and I was done talking to Nikki, what do I do now?

Working through the night you'd think I'd be exhausted but I honestly felt fine.

Oh right. All the work I did.

Let's see what I got here.

Lets dabble and peek into this mess.

Four different versions of Stockholm syndrome, a couple different attempts to be at least six shades of grey, and apparently three or two shades of I don't know what fucking color this is.

Man, I spent all night considering all of the core and none of the soft.

None of this salvageable, I can't turn any of this into something romantic.

Mother fucker. I haven't had an all-nighter like that in a little bit, I was proud of myself for a moment there.

Alright, you know what. Not that big a deal.

These things happens. Not like new ideas and new directions haven't completely control-alt-deleted progress before.

And I can barely call what I did by myself progress.

So what now? More brainstorming?

Honestly, I'll admit, I haven't been up this early on a Sunday morning in a while myself.

I could use a coffee and some breakfast, that sounds good right about now.

Why not Give the chaps at the cafe down the street a holler, it's been a while.

And wouldn't you know it, there's some sweat pants and a jacket right here for me to slip into.

As I was getting dressed, my phone went off.

I dove for it, since part of me hoped it was Nikki.

Okay that's a lie, most of me hoped it was Nikki.

But alas I was as disappointed as I was surprised, it was Rebecca.

'whatever im up now, the fuq do u want'

I started texting back

'I was just wondering if we could talk about the male character for a bit.'

But then I thought about it.

I don't wanna threaten Rebecca's splurging if she just woke up.

I deleted the entire text and tried again.

'I've been thinking about the next project, just really wanted to talk about it.'

That seems more optimistic and less backtrack-y.

Wait, no. She'll just call me some obscure animal and ask why it couldn't wait until work tomorrow.

Delete delete delete delete. Fuck, what now?

How could I get this grouchy Picasso in the mood to not rip my head off when I tell her I need the male character back?

Can it wait until after breakfast? Give me some time to think about it?

Oh god that's the worst option. I wake her up and then make her wait? She'll actually slash my tires.

But man I really want- wait.

Fucking duh!

'Want to get breakfest?'

She responded nearly instantly.

'ye'

"Alright shithead, what is it?"

"You even gonna take a sip of your coffee first?"

"No. Speak."

Well that didn't take long.

She met me at the cafe I used to regular at back when I was writing the other comics.

The two husbands that own the place still remembered my name and my order.

"Alright so, it's actually about the male character."

"No."

"Wha- what do you mean no? I haven't even said anything yet."

She ripped open her breakfast sandwich like a rabid coyote, using her teeth to tear the paper off.

Staring at me dead in the eyes as she took a huge bite out of it.

She chewed four times before spewing most of it back at me trying to insult me with a mouth full of bacon, eggs, and cheese.

"I said no you roach."

"Look gimme a second to expl-"

She raised her finger to hush me.

She wanted to finish her bite first.

"Wha- you were already talking! What's the point of-"

And another finger, except it was the middle one this time.

Already off to a great start.

She swallowed her food and took a big swig of her black coffee.

"Man, shit's good here."

"I know, now look, can I-"

"No."

"Rebecca, come on."

"You let me splurge. We had a deal."

"I know I know, I'm sorry. But I had a revelation about it and I really need to-"

She raised her finger at me again, but then took another bite.

"Dude."

She responded by moaning loudly, overly enjoying her rude sandwich.

"Whatever."

I took the chance to take a sip of my own coffee and start working on my blueberry muffin.

You ever hear that theory about how certain smells help you remember certain things?

As soon as that toasted and buttery muffin started shooting its fragrant steam into my nose, it brought me back to my days of downing coffee and muffins all day while I typed away furiously on my old laptop i'd bring here.

The sudden burst of happy memories made tolerating Rebecca all that much easier.

She finished her next bite, washed it down with more pure bean water, and slammed it down like a Viking wanting another mead.

"Alright, fine. What?"

"Okay, just hear me out."

"You pay for my breakfast and I will."

"You got it, anyway."

"Anyway."

I took a swig of my own light and sweet coffee.

The barista would steam the cream and sugar together first, making the coffee much warmer and oddly smoother.

It's hard for me to drink coffee otherwise because of how much the extra steps spoiled me.

"I thought about it all day and night long. I thought we were aiming for more of a mindless porn thing, but I realized this whole thing really needs a good story."

"Well no shit Sherlock. What did you think softcore was?"

"I've discovered I had the completely wrong idea."

"Were you looking at porn again?"

"Wha-no! I mean, I never was."

"You never watched porn?"

"No! Well, not…Shutup, that's not the point."

She chuckled at me.

As cocky of a chuckle it was, it's a good sign she was in a good mood.

"You're Such a pug, you know that? Look, what is it? You think I was splurging on some pornstar pretty boy with an eight inch schlong?"

"Not…entirely?"

"Seven inch?"

"No no no, nothing about a big schlong. I'm just so homed in on this new direction, when I told you to splurge I didn't realize I was giving away a lot of it."

"Well I'm not really making a big story for this guy, you know that."

"I get that, I get that."

"It's never been like that before, why are you so worried about it this time?"

"Uhh…"

Something tells me 'the camgirl consultant I've been using this whole time that I don't want any of you knowing about wants to set the narrative so she wants

Input on the design of the male' wouldn't be a great answer.

"Well…uh…."

She threw her empty wrapper at me.

"You suck."

"I know."

She grunted and pulled out her phone.

"Let me show you what I got so far. See if this helps your stupid beetle-brain."

She scrolled a few times and brought up a nearly completed sketch.

A tall dark and burly man with long curly hair and a dark full beard and goatee.

An amazing sketch as always.

But definitely not what I was expecting.

"And then look at this too."

She scrolled once more, and the next sketch was of the same character except he wasn't wearing a shirt.

Pretty muscular, but covered in scars and tattoos.

"What do you think?"

"I mean, it looks good. He looks good, real good."

"So what, he doesn't fit your stupid new direction?"

"I…uh…"

She caught me again.

Just because I knew I was gonna tell a good story doesn't mean I had any idea what that story is.

Looking at tall, dark, and handsome here wasn't gonna immediately change that.

I've been so reliant on Nikki for every step, I haven't even started considering my own ideas.

If I had just a little time I could conjure up something with this big fella no problem.

But I don't have a little time with a warhead artist staring daggers into me.

"Bro. First, you tell me you found a new direction. Then you tell me you don't even have a solid direction?"

"No no, I do have a direction. I swear."

"Cool, you wanna go north. Where's your fucking boat then?"

Huh, that was a good one. I'm gonna write that down.

Before I could clap back, she put the phone back into her pocket.

She interlocked her fingers and rested her mouth into them.

First it was daggers, now she was staring straight up claymores into me.

She muffled her words as she spoke through her fingers.

"If the food wasn't so good, I'd have walked out by now. Because you suck."

"I…I know."

"Something is up, I just can't tell what yet."

"Huh?"

"I'm gonna find out what it is."

"No no, nothing is up. I swear."

"You mutt, stop lying to me."

Damn her insane intuition.

She could sniff out a plot to assassinate the President if in the right place at the right time.

She had this way of seeing through fucking everything, like the claymores had x-ray vision.

Almost like she could deconstruct everyone and everything into the guiding lines she starts her art with.

So the more I kept clamming up, the sooner she'd know I'm some bum virgin consulting with a camgirl.

"Look, Rebecca, I'll be honest. This project has me intimidated a little bit."

"That's the first true thing you said so far."

"So personally, having a little more control over the important characters might make me feel a little better and confident."

"Uh…no?"

"Huh?"

"No, that is not how it works."

"How could you be the one to decide that?"

"Bro, it's obvious you have no idea what you are doing. I always thought you were just some squirrelly prude, but I bet you actually still have your v-card."

"My…what?"

"V-card. Flower. Hymen. Innocence. Virginity, you fuck-tard. You're a virgin aren't you?"

"Oh geez, why don't you say that louder so everyone can hear you."

She removed her mouth from her finge- fuck she's actually gonna do it!

"You are a vi-"

I reached over the table and covered her mouth with my hand.

I didn't even know I had instincts like that, it's like I've muffled a million people before.

I quickly muttered

"Shh!"

I looked all around the cafe. As far as I can tell, no one's attention was on us.

I leaned slightly more towards her to whisper.

"I'm so sorry, but can you promise to be quiet, please?"

When I looked at her, I saw something I never saw from her before.

Her eyebrows were shot straight up, she was shocked.

That expression of something happening she thought would never happen.

She let out a muffled grunt, so I slowly released my hand.

I snuck back into my chair, double checking no one was watching.

As I sat back down, I could see Rebecca was still coming off of her surprise.

"Damn bro."

"Rebecca, I'm sorry. I really am, but I just couldn't-"

"You're good, I get it. Didn't think you had it in you."

"You sure?"

"Get the fuck over it already, because I did."

"Okay, okay."

"Just be honest, you a 'you know-what?'"

It feels likes it's been centuries since she's asked such a genuine question.

Even if I wanted to consider lying, it's not like she'd beat it out of me within moments.

I had to take a deep breath, this would be a first.

Admitting it through my mouth and not over a keyboard.

"Yeah. I am."

She sat back, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Why not just say that in the first place?"

"It's not something people go around exclaiming."

"I mean me, dude. I don't mean the boss or those corporate fucks. Why not be honest with me?"

"Uh…I just didn't think you cared or wanted to know."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"What?"

"Why'd you think I didn't care?"

"Oh…uh…"

This was not the direction I thought this conversation would go.

I guess it's better than her laughing and calling me some more weird mammals, but I felt like I was still in some minefield and I had to step super lightly with what I said.

"I just…it's a super personal thing. And it's not like it's…"

"What, you don't tell your friends personal things?"

Whoa whoa, hold up.

Glitch in the system.

What did she just say?

"What did you just call me?"

"Friend?"

"Yeah, that. You think we're friends?"

She tilted her head, and furloughed her brow.

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?"

Yup, stepped on a mine.

"What, you don't?"

"What? No I don't…I mean-"

"Wow bro. Thanks, I feel the love."

"Rebecca please, I just meant that-"

"What else could you have possibly meant by that?"

That being I didn't think Rebecca thought highly enough of anyone to consider them a friend.

She's normally so stand-off-ish to anyone who looks in her direction.

Even at the office, I can count with one hand how many people she talks to and has conversations with.

And those few people she's also constantly calling some form of monkey.

Despite how much we interact to work on a project, I always interpreted as her being Uber dedicated to her work.

She doesn't take lunch, rarely leaves when everyone else does at the end of the day, and doesn't come to any of the office parties.

I mean she'll go, but she'll go to her studio and start drawing again like it was another shift.

We rarely speak about anything else. Anytime I try small talking with her all I get is grunts and 'Shutup, no one cares'.

So her calling me a friend was a shot out of left field, so I just thought my place in her life was a coworker.

"I meant, you."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you. I thought you yourself only thought we were coworkers."

"Dude, How many other coworkers do you have breakfast with on the weekends?"

"None."

"How many do you think I do?"

"…none."

"What do you think I would say if anyone else asked me?"

"…you'd say no?"

"Right. So forgive me for considering you a friend you donkey."

Wow.

Wow, what is this fuzzy feeling?

Does this normally happen when someone calls you a donkey?

"That's…cool Rebecca. I really had no idea, I'm sorry. You don't really talk to anyone else and stuff."

"So why do you think I talk to you?"

"I thought because of work."

"Well yeah, but not just that. I can actually tolerate you, even when you are acting like a little fucking crawfish. Like now."

"Wow, uh…thanks Rebecca."

Her expression mellowed out, but she kept her arms folded.

She leaned forward, resting on her elbows.

"So, virgin huh? Alright. Alright. That makes sense."

"Yeah, I'm way out of my league here."

"Okay, I won't hold that against you. But that still doesn't explain this need to take the male character."

"It doesn't?"

"Jesus, how can someone so creative be this stupid?"

"I don't-"

"You don't know anything about sex, why the fuck would having the male help you?"

"Well it's mostly…once I can think of him and the female and their designs, I can make a story from them."

"So you really wanna change the physical design of him so badly?"

"No no, not that. The design is fine, it's awesome."

"So why take him?"

"Well, uh…"

" 'Well, uh…' what, asshole? All you've said this whole conversation is 'well, uh…' "

"Well, uh…"

God fucking- this is going south faster than an old couple that just retired together and bought an RV.

"See, I know you aren't this fucking inept so I know you're hiding something else."

"Hmm? No no, I swear. It was just the virgin thing."

"Uh-huh."

She cleared her throat and stood up slowly.

The kind of slow stand up that's followed by a one-liner that reveals she's a member of some mafia family and then she shoots me in the fucking head.

"Dean. I'm gonna go get another sandwich and coffee, that you are also paying for by the way. By the time I come back and sit down, you better give me a convincing thesis as to why you want the male character back."

She walked away and went to the counter.

I could see her speak to the barista before pointing back at me.

I'd gladly pay for her breakfast for an entire year if it got me out of this.

She got me to admit the virgin thing, but honestly I feel like I can handle that.

Ripped off that band-aid pretty quickly.

And considering she doesn't talk to anyone else, I wasn't worried at all she's go around gossiping about me to the rest of the office.

But there is no fucking way I can tell her about Nikki.

It's a miracle she's willing to work with me and my ideas, but the second I tell her she's basically drawing a cam-girl's ideas is the same second she throws me out a window.

Kind of hard to hide drama at that point.

So let's fucking brainstorm here.

I want to design the male, even though I like her design.

I want to control the story, even though I didn't know there would even be a story.

I want to oversee the sex, but I've never had sex before.

God I'm fucking screwed.

Maybe I should just come up with-

"Sup loser."

Fuck, where did she come from so fast?!

"They were already making another one so it worked out nicely."

"Oh…uh…cool. Cool."

"So. Ball is in your court. Why should I give you the male?"

"Look, Rebecca, it's not really-"

"Strike one."

"What?"

"Strike two."

"What are you-"

"Think carefully Dean. If the next words out of your mouth is anything but a good reason, I'm walking out."

She folded her arms over her chest again.

I looked at the steam floating out of her coffee, which brought me back up to her face.

That one single bang she styles her hair in, those insanely vibrant green eyes.

She was serious. She was ready to stand up and leave with her food.

She also wouldn't even say some kind of insult on her way out, she'd be silent.

And that was one of the worst possible things that could happen.

I'd have Hell to pay come tomorrow morning at the office.

I had no choice. I think I had to come clean.

Lesser of two evils, but it's still hellaciously evil.

"I'm…"

Wait.

Hold on.

I'm a writer.

All I do is make shit up.

I have to think of her as a character, not a coworker. Not a genuine threat to my life.

And if I were to say something to get a blunt no-nonsense artist that doesn't think highly of anybody off my back, it's actually pretty simple.

Some good ole' self deprivation.

"I'm a lonely, super frustrated, virgin control freak. If I can't get action in real life, it's making me mad that other people will take over the closest thing to sex I've seen before."

Her arms unfolded. Her eyebrows shot straight up, just like when I muffled her.

Her shoulders jerked, some sort of restrained pig-snort came scratching its way out of her throat.

Was she holding back a laugh?

She snorted again, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth.

From within her fingers, I can see the corners of her lips.

She was grinning, she was actually trying to hold back laughter.

Did I win?

Can I live to see tomorrow?

She lowered her hand, and took a gigantic breath in, staring at the ceiling.

She exhaled it all back out saying

"Hooo."

She began to shake her head back and forth, before clapping her hands very slowly.

Bro, I still don't know.

She could still whip out a pistol and execute me and it'd be an expected reaction.

"Dude."

"Y-yes?"

She leaned over the table again, resting on her forearms.

"Now that I can believe."

"See, was that so hard?"

"Actually yeah."

"Don't be a bitch."

I…think I'm safe?

"Well now you know, we good?"

"I wouldn't say 'good', but yeah."

"What would you say then?"

"Well me and you are good, but the comic isn't. Considering what you just told me."

"Oh, yeah."

"Look, it's all out in the open now. All This honesty and shit should be good for it, right?"

"I guess so?"

"Dean, do you want help with this story?"

"Help?"

"Yes, help."

"Uh…"

Well the obvious answer was yes.

But saying yes blindly would result in a really shitty back and forth scenario perpendicular to a shitty cheating story.

Id be cheating on both Nikki and Rebecca with each other over the story and its details.

Shitty analogy aside, I was not looking forward to that in the slightest.

But saying anything resembling 'No' would result in me getting drawn and quartered so I had to choose my words super carefully.

"I could definitely use it, but I don't wanna bother you with-"

"Come here."

"Huh?"

"Move your chair over here, sit next to me."

"How come?"

"Just do it."

As she shifted slightly over to her left, I moved my chair to sit down to next to her.

She pulled her phone out, and brought up the picture of the male

Character again.

She began speaking softly and lowly, which actually got me nervous.

When the bluntest person you know is actually whispering, you know they are about to say something horrific.

"I can help man, like this. Look at this guy and tell me, what do you see?"

"Uhh, why are we whispering-"

"Because. Now come on, answer it. Take a second."

Oh boy.

I don't know where this is going, but it's a one way street at this point.

I looked back down at her character.

I didn't notice anything different.

"I see his scars and tattoos."

"I don't mean that, I mean, like a scene. What kind of scene do you see?"

"Oh. Uh…"

Well in all honesty, I can see this dude wearing a captains hat and leading a group of scallywags.

Or maybe actually a werewolf-fighting werewolf with those scars?

I took a few moments to conjure this guy in a bunch of different scenarios.

But personally I couldn't see this guy in anything romantic.

"What do you have so far?"

"Nothing that works with romance."

"Nothing, are you fucking serious?"

"Yeah, sorry."

"You suck."

"I know."

She shifted her chair even closer to me, leaning into my shoulder.

"Look, you are looking too much at the surface. I know you see adventures and injuries, but get out that fucking mindset."

"It's the only mindset I have Rebecca."

"Just imagine him naked with a girl. Any girl, literally anything you want. Just put him in that scenario, now what do you see?"

I was ready to make a joke about seeing a big wiener but I could tell it wasn't the time for that.

I did as I was told, and stripped this guy to his bare-ass and plopped a generic blonde female next to him in my mind.

A guy with that size, and a body that marked, I wasn't imagining anything gentle.

I think the only thing gentle about this guy was his shampoo and conditioner.

"Got something?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Cool, what is it?"

"Well he's big and banged up, so I'm thinking he's pretty rough with her."

"Hmm."

"What, am I wrong?"

"I mean, not really. But again, it's surface level. You are making your image based off only what you see."

She started rapidly swiping her phone. She went so far back I started recognizing concept art from The Siren's Call.

She brought up artwork of an eviscerated corpse split down the middle.

I remember that day so well.

We had to incorporate a new trap on the ship, and creativity was running a tad dry and we were burning out faster than a match.

She randomly drew this corpse, and from there I was able to come up with this wicked trap involving a serrated pendulum blade.

"Remember this one?"

"Yeah I do."

"Remember what you came up with?"

"Yeah, the serrated pendulum."

"How?"

"Well in your drawing, the guts were splattered everywhere so that means whatever cut him was moving a bunch."

"Okay."

"The wounds weren't clean, they were jagged. So it wasn't a smooth blade."

"Right."

"And the way the body was propped up, it started at his waist and working its way up."

"Okay, good monkey."

She put the phone down on the table.

"Again, that's you looking at the surface. You decide what happened based on the evidence. What you got was fucking gnarly, don't get me wrong. But that won't work here."

She took a sip of Her coffee.

"Can I be honest? Can I tell you what I saw when I drew this guy?"

"Oh yeah ofcourse, go right ahead."

She picked the phone up again, and swiped all the way back to the male character.

"You see muscles and scars. You see a physical strength, right?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Okay, but when I was drawing this guy, I imagined nearly the opposite."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"So what did you see?"

"I imagined this guy holding me close, telling me it's okay."

I had to shoot a glance at her.

I forgot who I was talking to for a second.

"Really? You drew this mountain man imagining him as gentle?"

"Yes. Holding me tightly, reassuring me, and slowly penetrating me."

I was in the middle of a sip of my own coffee before I promptly choked on it.

"Whoa dude, take it easy. What did I say?"

Just as soon as I forgot, I was immediately reminded who I was talking to, and who was now telling me her own sexual fantasies.

I couldn't stop coughing, there was so much liquid caffeine flooding my lungs.

Even though she was still whispering, she then started smacking my back as hard as she fucking could.

"Come on tiger, get it out."

After a few whacks, it somehow worked.

I was able to start catching my breath, but definitely not my composure.

"What was that reaction for?"

"Rebecca, can you warn me before you tell me that something like that?"

"Like what? Penetrating?"

"Yes!"

"Shhh, keep your fucking voice down. What's wrong with penetrating?"

"Not the word, you."

"The word 'you?'"

"No, you know what I mean."

"What?"

"I'd rather not think about you getting… you know."

"I didn't tell you to think about it you perv. I was just saying."

"Yeah right, whatever."

"Alright you skunk. Anyway, yes. Gentle."

"Alright, fine. Can you explain that to me without using yourself as an example?"

"But I am the example."

"Rebecca come on."

"Uhh…okay. Umm…"

"Him, just him. Why is he gentle?"

"Right right. Well, the scars. You see scars, you see some kind of action dude, right?"

"For the most part."

"Alright, now. This isn't action."

"So why the scars?"

"It's how I show experience without words."

"Experience?"

"Yeah. I wanted someone that has been through the wringer, but came out of it."

"Huh."

"Are the wheels starting to turn?"

Wow, they were.

I don't know if I was rubbing off on her or the other way around, but when she said telling a story without words, that stuck with me.

"Yeah actually."

"So. Scars, but gentle. Tell me a story about him."

"Well, considering that, I'm seeing him have being betrayed before. But those muscles and that smile are more resolve, rather than just strength."

"Okay, and?"

"The tattoos are him covering up that past. Not so much to forget it, but to look at it in a more positive note."

"And?"

"And…"

For a split second, I thought back to what Rebecca said.

I did everything I could to not specifically see her, but a generic female.

Being reassured by a gentle giant, being told specifically it's okay.

Why would the giant be the reassuring one?

Wouldn't he be the one that needed to be reassured?

Sure, he is smiling and seemingly comfortable with his past, moving on from it.

But tattoos can only cover so many of his scars, and they just have to constantly remind him at the same time.

I thought I was on a roll, but fuck this is really stumping me.

"I don't know man, I'm trying but I can't tell what else. What else was there?"

She turned the phone off and put it back in her pocket.

"I dunno."

"What do you mean you 'dunno'?"

"I dunno. That's all I have, and that's all you get."

"Aw come on Rebecca."

"Hey man, backstory is your thing."

"You just said you were telling a story!"

"Yeah, and when I told you the story you got grossed out."

She opened up her sandwich and took a big bite.

"Rebecca please, you have no idea how much I need this."

She kept chewing.

"I know you have more ideas than that, if you can give me a little more I should be set."

She swallowed, and took a swig of coffee to wash it down.

She put the sandwich down and faced me.

What her expression was I couldn't tell.

I've discovered and seen more of Rebecca in the last hour than I have the last few years of working with her.

She took a big breath in, like she was gonna scream the obvious answer to me.

But before she spoke, she quickly grabbed the sandwich and took another big bite.

"Rebecca!"

She started dancing with her shoulders, chewing with bliss.

"Please! Come on, I'll spend the rest of the day thinking about nothing else."

She swallowed again, and went for her coffee.

I put my hand over it, not letting her lift it.

"Rebecca, please."

She shot me a look with one of her eyebrows raised.

"Dean, what do you want? Be specific."

"What more of his story do you have figured out?"

"I told you, nothing else. This is softcore, remember?"

"Whatever, I know you have more."

"Ofcourse I do, but it involves a different hole."

"Oh god-"

I backed away in total disgust.

She chuckled before downing the rest of her coffee.

"You asked."

"Wish I didn't."

"If it helps, it was my mouth."

She took a smaller bite this time.

"Not really."

Once she was done with this bite, she put the sandwich down on the paper.

"Look, when have I ever written out most of the story for you? Like with the corpse, I give you enough to start off with and you go fucking nuts with it after."

"A corpse is a lot easier than sex and romance."

"Eh. I won't disagree with you there."

She started wrapping up the remnants of her sandwich.

"Where you going?"

"Uh…home?"

"But we aren't done."

"Yes we are. That's what work is for, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Rebecca hold on."

"Dude, come on."

"Just a little more. I can't do anything with just what you gave me."

"Why not?"

"I don't know, just please?"

"Oh my god, you suck. I hate you and you suck."

"I know."

She took out her phone and started typing something out.

I could hear my phone go off with my obnoxious text tone of the Wilhelm scream.

I took out my phone, turned off the sound, then looked at the screen.

It was a text from Rebecca sending me more of her concept art for the male.

"I really didn't wanna but there you go. You have everything there. Him sleeping, some hobbies, some different expressions, whatever."

"Oh okay, cool."

"I was worried you'd take it all too literally but if it's the only way to shut you up so I can go home, then whatever. Conjure what you can from that."

"You got it, thanks Rebecca."

"Oh shit, right."

She reached for my phone.

Just instinctively I held it away from her.

"Whoa, what are you doing?"

"Nothing, I just wanna pay for breakfast."

"What, why? You said I had to pay, and why do you need my phone?"

"Yeah, but it was really good, and I wanna tip a bunch. I'm gonna send you what I want you to tip them. So I need your Venmo."

"Okay, but You could have just asked me for it."

"You don't know your username."

"How do you know that?"

"Well do you?"

"….no."

"Then just let me scan your profile thingy so I can pay you, you lemur."

I took out my phone, opened it to venmo, and put it on the table for her.

She hovered over it, trying to scan the code with her camera.

"God my fucking camera sucks."

While she struggled, I took the chance to get some coffee down into my stomach and not my lungs.

She kept struggling, so I started working on my muffin instead.

One bite in, I can feel the table vibrate, followed by her saying

"Huh. Wadd'ya know."

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"What is it?"

"Uhh…"

She shot me a glance out of the corner of her eye.

"Uhh…nothing. Just found out a way to get it to scan easier."

"Oh, okay."

I took another bite. My muffin was Luke cold at this point.

"Cool, money is sent."

She stood up and shoved the half-eaten sandwich in her coat pocket.

"Thanks again Dean, this was cool."

"No problem Rebecca. See you tomorrow."

"See you."

She made her way for the door, so I grabbed my phone again.

"Oh, Dean."

I looked back up at her, she was halfway out of the door.

"Nikki texted you. Her cam-show is done, so she wants to help you with the story again."

"Wha-"

I could see the red notification on the green text icon.

That must have been what vibrated the table.

I quickly clicked on it, a fresh new message from Nikki.

Huh, I wasn't expecting a text from her anytime soon.

I guess she-

Fucking shit!

"Rebecca wait! It's not-"

Before I could even consider catching up with her, I could see the sticker-rolla screech away down the street.