Alexandria was never a very dramatic person. Her fiance, on the other hand, was a very theatrical person. He always pulled the stops out on holidays, even the very silly ones. Stacks of waffles on national waffle day. Tacos and beer and nachos during the SuperBowl, and a haunted house EVERY Halloween. Alexandria on the other hand couldn't ever be bothered with the frivolities. The most festive she was, was making food for the major holidays with her few friends, then quietly escaping back to her cave when no one would notice. Until one day... He showed her that one day a year, even she could be Theatrical.
"Oh my GAWSH! Are ya actually callin' me?" Harley's overly high voice caused a static to go through the receiver.
"Harley, tone it down."
"Sooorry. What's up, Sunshine?" Alexandria took another sip of her spiked coffee, dreading and yet somewhat hopeful of the fellow blondes answer.
"Are you busy tomorrow? Tomorrow night?"
"Naaaw, tomorrow is Jonny's day, we rouges tend to stay away from Halloween. Why?"
"I have plans, and..." a long swig, this time from the whiskey bottle. "Well, do you wanna come along? I need your help with makeup, and your more then welcome to come with."
"Make up? Do ya have a date?!"
"What? No." Alexandria frowned. "Look I kinda need an answer."
"Sure! What are we up to?"
"Six Cinna-Burgers, five rings, one spud." Gary called out before rushing back out front. Today was busy with togo orders. Seemed most of the under belly was anticipating whatever the Scarecrow would pulled and didn't plan on going out. So all day there had been a flood of all seedy sorts of thugs coming in to get food to stock up on. Seemed most didn't know how to cook, which was no skin off Alexandria's back. So she and Marcus stayed rather busy. Soon though, the doors would close for the usual 'lunch break'.
It took a little longer then intended to get the doors closed and the blinds shut, what with the increased business today. her poor boys were gather in the lobby, picking tiredly at fries.
"Marcus, Gary, Kyle."
"Yes boss?" they all answered in unison.
"Go home."
"Did we do something wrong?" Kyle actually looked panicked. Alexandria gave a rare smile.
"No, but tomorrow's gonna be hectic, and I need you good to go after tonight. Go enjoy Halloween." They all smiled back, Kyle's being a little grisly from his missing teeth. they all said their goodbyes, as Alexandria made her way to the office to file some work. Thirty minutes into tax work she heard the bell alarm in her office go off. It was connected to her front door letting her no when someone walked in. It shouldn't be going off however, the boys always made sure to lock the door when they left. And her clientele knew there was always a break before dinner. Alexandria quietly snuck into the kitchen and grabbed a rolling pin off the counter as a weapon. Just in case.
Peaking out the door from the kitchen, she saw a small figure rummaging around the back order counter, but mostly around her cash till.
"The fuck you think you're doing kid?!"
The boy whirled around, and glared at the blonde. Black hair and green eyes that looked like they held all the hate in Gotham. He vaulted over the counter, rushing towards the door, back Alexandria through the rolling pin at his head. It struck, causing the boy to stumble. Stumble enough to allow Alexandria to swoop behind him and grab him into a bear hug. The boy began to thrash his legs, wriggling to break his hold, but Alexandria allowed herself to fall back. The momentum allowed her to wrap her legs around the boys, effectively locking him in her grip.
"Oh hell no, you ain't going no where til you give back what you stole!" the boy thrashed more.
"I Did not steal anything, Woman!"
"Like I fucking believe that!"
"Unhand me!"
"No!" the boy craned his neck to bite her arm, but the pain only made the chef tense more.
"Kid I got burns that hurt more than that!" The boy struggled more and more, until finally he began to loose energy. He gave a tired huff and stopped moving.
"You done?"
"Yes."
"Give me what you stole, I don't want to call the cops."
"I told you, woman, I did not steal from you. I am no thief."
"You're gonna have to prove that."
"I cannot with you holding me." Alexandria could almost hear the smug grin on his face.
"You'll run the second I let go."
"Then why would you ask back your belongings, when you have no way of retrieving them from me?"
"You little smartass." They went back to the 'standoff'.
"I swear on my honor, that I will not run." Alexandria thought it over until she finally loosened her grip. The boy shot out of her grip and straightened his dirt stained hoodie, before emptying his pockets.
"Shoes and socks off kid." The boy actually smiled, seemingly impressed by the idea, but obliged. The only thing he had on him with a couple of small round pellets.
"Smoke bombs?"
"In case you chased me."
"what the hell were you doing in here kid?"
"I came to steal from you." he gave a pathetic look. "I am an orphan." Alexandria snorted, finally pushing herself of the ground to stand up.
"No you ain't." The boy narrowed his eye, suspicious.
"How would you know?"
"You're clothes are dirty, but they don't stink, meaning you haven't had them long or you just got them and rolled around a patch of dirt to make them look dirty. Plus you are way to well spoken to be an orphan." the full on glare from this kid actually began to make the chef uneasy. "My guess, Cobblepott sent you as another way to put me outta business. Relative?"
"Absolutely not."
"Then why the hell are you here." Silence met her.
"Fine you don't want to tell me that's fine, but your still paying for this."
"I told you, Woman. I didn't steal from you!"
"But you are up to something, put me behind on paperwork, AND bit me." She grabbed the back of the boys hoodie and dragged him into the kitchen, surprisingly the boy went along without a struggle. The pushed him into the dish pit.
"You can go once everything is clean."
"You expect me to do menial labor?" He genuinely looked affronted.
"Yep." She tossed him a plastic apron at him and leaned against the wall. Pulling out her cellphone, she shot a picture of his shocked face. "And with this photo, if you run, I can go to the cops and tell them some kid tried to rob me.."
"I thought you did not want to involve the police."
"I don't. Don't force my hand." A chilling glare was aimed at Alexandria before the boy turned and began fumbling with the dishes.
"Here." Alexandria held out an icepack wrapped in paper towels. The boy grabbed it and held it against the back of his head. Alexandria led him to one of the booths, where she put out water glasses, and a tray of baklava.
"What is this?"
"Food, kid. You've been here a while, figured you'd be hungry." He hesitantly slid into the booth, and stared at the chef across from him.
"You gonna try and rob me again?"
"No."
Silence passed between them as Alexandria quietly ate her baklava. Not really paying much attention to the boy.
"When can I leave, woman?"
"When I'm satisfied that you won't be a nuisance again."
"I gave you my word!"
"You still came in after hours to a closed restaurant, and bit me."
"You said that it did not hurt."
"Its the principle. You go into a persons house and shit on their floor. It's rude."
"I hardly defecated on your floor."
"You but you were a little shit, kid."
"My name is not child!"
"My names not Woman." Alexandria answered back coolly. More silence.
"Damian."
"Alexandria." the chef gestured to the plate of food. "Eat." Damian reached for the food, grabbing a piece but not biting into it.
"You have a lot of criminals as patrons." Somehow she was not surprised Damian brought this up. He had to have cased the diner for a while.
"What they do outside of here doesn't concern me."
"How so?"
"As long as they don't cause trouble here, I don't care. I don't care if you're an orphan," at this she looked pointed at Damian, "a criminal, cop, billionaire, Dhali Lama. You come in here, your just another hungry face with a wallet. Pay for your food, eat and leave. That's the way this works. Don't ask, don't tell."
"I did not pay for this."
"You did the dishes, that's the oldest way broke people pay for meals."
"I am hardly poor."
"I figured." Damian looked agitated at his slip up.
"Are you not worried the law will come after you?"
"What for serving people who come in paying cash to eat? I work the kitchen, I don't look to see every single person to come in. I'm not aiding and abetting. I'm not hiding any criminals here. I cook food." Damian watched her closely as she spoke. He nodded, finally taking a bite of the baklava. I that instant, his face melted from the cold, angry intellect, and morphed into a surprised, childlike wonder. Alexandria smiled.
"I know."
"How did you make this?"
"Old recipe I found. Tweaked it a bit to make it more palatable to myself." Damian quickly finished his piece, and reached for another.
"It is delicious."
"Take the rest and get home. Next time I see you in here, better be with a wallet." Alexandria slid out of the booth and made her way back into the office, trusting that Damian would show himself out. As she sat in her chair she heard the door alarm go off.
"I neva thought ya would be into this kinda thing!" Harley was bouncing in the driver seat. Covered in glitter, hair in a short red wig.
"It does seem out of character for someone like you." Ivy sat shotgun, dressed in a beautiful corset dress, hair covered in a long black wig.
"It's not something I advertise. It's a once a year thing, then I go back to being a chef." Alexandria actually felt a flush go through her. "Are you sure no one will recognize you?"
"Ab-sa-loootly! People are all gonna be dressed up, no one will think ta look twice at us!" They pulled into a large parking lot, and began walking to the crowded street. Earing a few catcalls. Alexandria led them down an ally to a backdoor, where a security guard was waiting.
"Pass?" Alexandria flashed hers, before leading the girls in.
"I'm gonna show you to your seats, try not to leave them or they will be stolen.
"Like anyone would steal from us!"
"Go prepare, I'll keep Columbia out of trouble here." Alexandria shot Ivy a meaningful look before going back stage. Harley whipped out her phone and began rapidly texting.
"What are you doing?"
"Sending invites!" Ivy chuckled in her seat. She was true to her word. She wasn't causing trouble here.
"What on Earth?" a group of men stood in front of the Gotham theatre. All in disguises, waiting in line to pay for tickets. "How did Harley convince us to come here? Shouldn't you be planning something for tonight?" Riddler questioned Scarecrow.
"She said this has ta do with the chef. I wanna know what she's up to."
"Upset that you can't figure her out, Doctor?"
"I won't hestitate to gas you, Puzzles."
"My! Everyone seems festive!" Hatter gushed, taking in all the costumed glitter and feathers. Before long, they made their way inside.
"Eddie! Ova' here!" the group recognized the blonde friends voice, making their way towards the front row.
"Why are we here, girl?"
"Sunshines' gonna give us a show tonight!" just as they took their seats, the lights in the theatre dimmed. "OOOH! It's starting!" The men didn't have time for questions before music started and a women with red frizzy hair in a maid dress came out singing. A very familiar women.
"Is that..?" Hatter looked shocked, seeing his Alice with red hair, sinning onstage with a number of people in various revealing outfits.
"What is this?!" The scarecrow demanded Ivy. Mother Nature smirked, held a finger to her lips and replied.
"Rocky Horror Picture Show."
.
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Did any of you see that coming? Any suggestions?