Remove ads

Seoul Kitchen [Cyberpunk Edgerunners SI]

Reader mode
Remove ads
Chapter 4
  • Threadmarks
    • Lunch Rush
    As soon as Kiwi posted that sign up, the proverbial floodgates were opened. Customers flooded in and they did not stop coming. A huge line was forming and things were coming to a boiling point as customers as they jostled to get a slice. They wanted their one eddie pizza slice, despite the harsh heat, and nothing was going to stop them. It wasn't even noon yet!

    "Shit," He breathed out, exhausted from kneading so much dough and there were still so many of them there. He severely underestimated how much work this was going to be for him. Thankfully, his new friends were there to extend a helping hand.

    "Shit indeed. Just look at the crow outside, it's probably a block by now," Maine observed as he chomped down on his slice. The rest of the crew were sitting down oat their seats and their presence alone helped keep the crowd from getting rowdier.

    "Yeah and they're not stopping," He admitted as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. He could call it quits there and then, but he hadn't even started yet. He needed to power through this, but that didn't mean he needed to do it alone. Turning to Maine, he told him, "Maine, I need your crews help."

    Maine choked, coughing as he pounded on his chest. "Say what now?" He asked as the rest of the crew looked at him as if he was crazy.

    "Seriously?" Rebecca told him as he looked at him in concern, "It's not like you're being paid for this, you know. No ones going to blame you if you can't feed them all."

    He shook his head in reply, "It's just something I want to do. If I'm going to half ass things, I might as well quit now. I'm giving this my all even if it kills me." It was overly dramatic, yes, but it was the least that he could do to make things a little bit brighter for at least a few people. It was the little things that made a day and, right now, that little thing was a pizza slice.

    Rebecca was about to argue before she faltered, sighing as she asked, "Nothing's going to change your mind, huh?"

    Nodding, he told them, "I need all the hands I could get, even for just a day. There's a whole ass crowd outside and I don't want them leaving empty handed," He told them as he tossed another pizza into the oven, "Even if all they'll get is a slice each, that'll be enough for me."

    He not only needed Maine's crew as extra hands but he needed their guns. He wasn't too sure about the crowd now and he needed some extra help just in case someone got a bit annoyed about the "Slow Food Service" and wanted to share a piece of their mind. In a place like Night City, you really couldn't be too sure if your fellow citizen was going to shoot you or not.

    "What do you guys think?" Maine asked, "Should we help a brother in need?"

    There was a look of indecision from the group as they thought about it. Not leaving things to chance, he shouted, "I'll pay you!" He then paused before clarifying, "I really don't have money on hand but I can pay you with something else! Anytime you come to my shop, I'll cook whatever you want. That and you get to keep whatever pizza is left by the time Five in the afternoon rolls around and I promise you, I'll never run out of ingredients. Ever."

    "That sounds like a challenge," Maine grinned as he leaned in closer, "Think you can back it up?"

    Looking back, he replied, "Try me." Extending a hand, he continued, "Think you can make enough pizza by that time?" He then fired back.

    "You're on, Chef," Maine replied as he shook his hand and Rebecca hooted in excitement.

    "Well, whatcha y'all waiting for? Hop right in! We got some pizza to make!" She shouted as she hopped over the counter. "The crowd might be long but I doubt they'll be faster than all of us working together!"

    With those words, all of them joined in. Thankfully, he'd bought himself several aprons just because he hated having to wash a lone one everyday. Everyone got into gear and, despite their clear inexperience in the kitchen as this might be the first time any of them had used one, it was going well. Barely anyone in the city got to cook anymore with all the vendo machines around, which would make this a challenge, but he could work with this.

    "Ok, first things first. Keep your hands clean. Wash whenever you can," He shouted as he got them all to their station. "Cross contamination is a thing. Touch raw meat, you wash. Touch the counter and you're going back to cooking? Wash. Touching your face? Wash!"

    "Got it, chef!" They shouted back in good nature. Food safety might be more lax in the world, but he couldn't have them not take it seriously.

    After a crash course on food safety and teaching them how to operate the equipment, they all got to work. With him directing everyone, the crew worked as one. Maine got to learn how to knead the dough, Dorio got to slice and prepare the ingredients, Lucy got to watch the sauce, while Rebecca got experience making the Pizza. With Pilar operating the oven and Kiwi manning the cash register and taking payment (which she got to keep) things went smoothly.

    "Damn, you're a pro at this Maine," He complimented the giant of a man as they tossed the pizza in the air with ease.

    "I used to cook for the Army," Maine said with a soft smile on his face as he recalled fondly, "Well, everyone of us can cook. Got to learn from a New Yorker how to toss one back in the day. Didn't know I still had it in me!"

    "Keep at it! We still got a few hundred more customers," He laughed as he turned around, "Don't forget to drink alright! I don't want you all passing out on me."

    "Is this good enough? I think I added enough?" Lucy asked as she stirred the sauce. The large sauce pot was filled almost to the brim and it was bubbling dangerously so.

    "Lower the heat a bit," He told her as he flattened the dough he was working on, "But it smells right. Just make sure it tastes good. Doesn't matter if it's perfect or not. Add salt to adjust. Just eyeball it."

    "Got it, Chef," Lucy replied as she looked eagerly at the sauce she was making. He chuckled at how proud and excited the girl was, but that was the thing about cooking, it was rewarding to see one's effort pay off in one delicious package.

    "Damn it, how the hell do you do this so fast?" Rebecca asked as she struggled spreading the sauce over the flattened dough.

    Letting his rolling pin down for a bit, he slipped behind Rebecca and grabbed her hands. Ignoring how she froze up, he started guiding her into the motion.

    "It's all about circular motion. Scoop then pour at the center. From there, spread it out," He told her as he started spreading the sauce, "You got to remember, don't over sauce it. You just need enough to see the dough through the sauce or the dough could get soggy. You don't want soggy pizza."

    "Y-yeah, got it!" Rebecca replied before pushing him off with her back, "Now get off me! Don't hog what little space I had here," She told him with a pout. He chuckled as he backed away as he got back to work.

    Things only got more hectic from there, but spirits were high. They were just doing this for fun and, despite the exhausting work, the edge runners were still going strong. He might've just pulled off a successful day!

    With how many people were ordering, though, from the lowliest workers to even some suit-wearing corpo's of all things, some ingredients would run dry. Peering inside the small cupboard he had, Maine shouted "Yo Chef, we're out of flour!"

    "Got it! Hold the fort for me!" He shouted as he washed his hands and jumped off, grabbing his trolly as he went off. With all of them in his shop, he got to get a bit creative with acquiring more ingredients and that meant he had to run off to a back alley to make the ingredients. Thankfully, no one thought of trailing him as he kept returning over and over again with all the ingredients they needed.

    In the end, by the time the clock struck five, they'd sold more pizzas than he thought he'd ever see in his lifetime. He and the edgerunners were spent but all of them had a smile on their faces. After all, there were still dozens of pizzas still left. Everyone was going to have their fill to top off one successful day and he had to say… he wanted to do this again.
    A/N:

    Chef managed to wrangle the Edgerunners to work for his shop, albeit temporarily. With the promise of having preem dishes whenever they drop by, can you really blame them for taking the offer? It might not be a pile of Eddies or a One Time Trauma Team Pickup but it's certainly quite close to what it is.

    Anyways I'd like to thank @vyor making this possible. Thanks to him, you guys can read through my mess... even if he screams beneath the pile I accidentally buried him under. Praise be @vyor for his work. If you want to support me or want to read some fic chapters in advance, go check out either Patreon or Ko-Fi. I have a backlog of stuff that needs to get sorted out I swear.
    ​
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Chapter 5
  • Threadmarks
    • Trust is a Rare Commodity
    It was a successful day by all measures, with all the food he sold, but all came to an end as his day wound down to a close. He had been working for close to 10 hours and that was enough for him (and his temporary employees). He was looking to feed a lot of people, but that didn't mean he'd neglect himself. He had done what he could, now it was time to close.

    It took a bit to get the crowd to disperse but, eventually, they did.. Of course there were some stragglers left behind, those seeking to have a bite of the pizza that everyone in the city probably knew about now.

    "Are you still selling pizza?" A cold, hollow, and feminine voice called out from behind him. He nearly jumped out of his skin in surprise as he turned around and came face to face with a small diminutive girl with the coldest stare he'd ever seen.

    "Scared me there," He laughed out, making the emotionless girl smirk. Gathering his wits, he calmed himself before replying, "Unfortunately we're closed, but you can have this," He said, offering her the sole box he had set aside for himself. It wasn't like he couldn't make more of it at home.

    "How much?" The girl asked as she took the box before opening it and staring at it with an almost reverent look.

    "Since we're closed, it's free," He told her with a smile, "Plus seeing your smile is more than enough for me." He wasn't quite sure why Lucy and Dorio suddenly laughed but he was just being honest.

    "I won't forget about this," The girl replied as she gave him a polite bow before walking away with her pizza in hand. Weird girl…

    "Really Chef, you just gave away your share of the pizza to a random girl," Rebecca would call out from behind him with an annoyed smile on her face, "Just like that?"

    He chuckled in turn as he rubbed the back of his head, "Honestly, I'm a bit tired of seeing pizza right now," He told her, "Maybe next week when I get to cooking pizza again." He'd had enough pizza for the week. He needed to broaden his horizon a bit. Maybe he should do Ramen tomorrow.

    Looking back to his shop, he then said, "Speaking off, I really need to find a way to limit the craziness," He had a bit of cleaning afterwards to get everything spotless. "I don't think I can handle that again," he then said. Rebecca deflated with a sigh as an exasperated smile stretched across her face at his words.

    "It definitely was," Maine chuckled as he balanced a large stack of pizza boxes in his hands, "But this makes up for it. I don't think I'll ever go back to just any pizza now."

    As promised, he gave them the rest of the pizza that was sold. Kiwi was hauling off her loot with Lucy while Pilar was trying to figure out how to fit everything in his tiny MaiMai. Everyone was smiling despite looking all sweaty working in the kitchen.

    "Hey, I did promise to cook y'all something whenever you drop by from now on, right?" He told him. He made a promise and he was going to keep it.

    "Well, you better keep to that!" Maine chuckled, shaking his head and muttering something he didn't quite catch. Walking off to Dorio, he waved as he bid them farewell, "Anyways, me and Dorio's going back to our house now. See y'all tomorrow!"

    That just left him with Rebecca, Kiwi, and Lucy; the latter two of which were just waiting for a cab to take them and their stack of pizza home. As he reached up and started to close the shutter to his shop, he told them, "I still don't fucking get it," he muttered, locking the door closed before continuing, "Why the hell is my shop way more popular now?" He get that it was the lower price that got them but he wasn't sure why. He just wanted to know.

    The three would share a look before Kiwi reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose while Rebecca looked as if he had just asked the stupidest question possible. "Do I tell him or you wanna teach your boy toy what's his deal?" Kiwi asked as she turned to Rebecca, which had him blushing.

    "I told you, he's not my input!" Rebeccca fumed as she pouted, much to the amusement and laughter of the other two. Cross her arms across her chest, she shooed them off, "Go mess with someone else or something."

    "Fine," Kiwi replied as she and Lucy finally got their ride, "Go get him tiger," She shouted as one parting tease left him and Rebecca with rosy cheeks.

    "That woman, I swear!" Rebecca growled out as she stomped, fuming at the older woman, "One of these days, she's going to find someone that can take her heat and throw it back at her. One day!" She swore, shaking her fist in the direction which the taxi of the two went off.

    "Hah," he chuckled, shaking his head as he said, "You two sound so much like siblings."

    Rebecca scoffed at that as she fired back, "I already have a handful with my bro, you really want me to handle auntie as well?"

    "Fair enough," He nodded before looking back at his shop. Scratching his head, he then asked once more, "So, what's the secret here? I kinda get it's the price that reeled them in but I don't know why?" He hated how he missed something so obvious, but at least he had someone to ask.

    "Isn't it obvious?" Rebecca asked as she stared at him. Shaking her head, she then told him something he didn't think someone would label him as such, "People no longer see you as Scav bait."

    Frowning, he argued, "But I'm not a Scav?" He looked down on himself. Scavs were quite noticeable despite their normal, everyday clothed appearance. They were always twitchy, their eyes looking at people as if they were nothing more than meat to be harvested and butchered. They were unsettling and people he stayed clear of, along with just about every other gang in the city.

    Meanwhile, he didn't look any bit like that. He looked more like the guy they'd harvest from rather than the one harvesting. "I'm not even gang material really either. I have a gun and all but it's not like I'll shoot them to steal their organs," He replied with a shrug.

    Sighing, Rebecca told him, "No, listen. I know you mean well but the thing is, it's just as suspicious as hell," gesturing at the shop behind him, she explained, "To the people of Night City, there's no such thing as a free lunch so when free lunch actually comes around, they don't know what to do."

    He frowned but he didn't argue at her reasoning. Despite how absurd it sounded to him, he had to remember that this was a far more brutal time than his old world. This was an age of paranoia, where the trust between people in the society had broken down. To them, trust was the rarest commodity and one he couldn't give easily, unlike the food that freely flowed from his powers.

    "To them, you look like bait," Rebecca pointed out, "Bait to lure them in with a false sense of security before the true Scavs come crawling out of the woodwork to do their dirty deeds."

    "I guess," He sighed, his shoulders sagging as he accepted his situation. It was fucked up but in hindsight, it was pretty clear. He should have known but maybe there was still a bit of an optimist inside him, one that says things could change.

    Reaching up to give him a comforting pat on the shoulder, Rebecca then smiled as she told him, "Now that you're a shop selling for cheap, but not too cheap, you're far more respectable," He snorted at that making her grin at him as she teased him, "You no longer scream suspicious, now you scream unscrupulous merchant looking to kill the local competitors before the big branch comes in!~"

    "Choosing between the lesser of two evils, huh?" He asked before he blinked. Turning to her, she then asked, "Wait, if I'm Scav Bait then why the hell did you drop by my shop?" He could still remember her barging into his store just yesterday.

    "As if I'd get scared by whatever you're packing," Rebecca laughed out as she nudged at him. He rolled her eyes at him in turn; this horny minx was just too adorable for her own good.

    "Nah, she's just a reckless badger that has no sense of danger," Pillar then shouted, reminding them he was still there. Shaking his head, he told them,"I swear give her the chance and she'd throw hands with Eve."

    "I'm not that bad," Rebecca scoffed before grinning as she pulled out her shotgun and whipped it out in public. Aiming up at the sky, she laughed, "Besides, it's not like Eve can handle what I'm packing!" He whistled at the sight of the highly customized gun. He might know much about guns but her weapon of choice was just as eye catching as Rebecca

    "Look at this bad girl! Isn't she amazing?" Rebecca said as she presented her gun like how a woman would hold her baby. It was honestly cute seeing her like this, all smiling and enthusiastic about the subject at hand.

    "Got a name for her?" He asked her.

    She smirked as she whirled it around, showing off how easily she could wield it despite her diminutive size. "Before I tell you her name, I want to tell you what she is," She told him dramatically, caressing as she introduced her weapon, "She's far too big to be called just a gun. Too big, too thick, too heavy, and too rough, it was more like she's just a large hunk of iron and thus she was named, Guts!"

    He laughed as she asked, "Berserk, really? Also, shouldn't she be the Dragon Slayer?" He wasn't quite expecting that of all things, but Berserk was an old series. He was quite happy to see something from his time survive through the harsh corporate wars.

    "Wait, you know about Berserk!?" Rebecca gasped out as she leaned in close, eagerly awaiting his answer.

    He raised his hands as he admitted, "I know it, but I haven't read it," Seeing her crestfallen expression, he then explained, "I didn't want to get traumatized reading about Casca."

    Rebecca growled out as she raised her fist to the sky and shook it, "Fucking Griffith," She cursed and he nodded as well. Fucking Griffith indeed. Shaking her head, she then turned to him with an amused smile, "I knew I liked you for a reason, Chef. You might be the biggest gonk I've ever seen, but you're not half bad."

    "Chef?" He asked with a smile of his own, "I've been hearing you and the rest call one but I'm not a Chef, I'd need a restaurant for that," He told her. It was flattering, but he was just a guy that knows how to cook a bit.

    Smirking once more up to him, she then told him, "Why don't you save up for one then? Maybe raise the price just a tiny bit so you can pocket a bit more?~"

    Caught off guard by her answer, he let out a soft chuckle. Shaking his head, he looked back at her with a smile as he asked, "You really want me to raise my prices, huh?"

    The smaller girl smiled back smugly as she fired back, "Well somebody has to knock some sense into ya."

    "Maybe someday," He answered. Looking around at some of the more established restaurants and mused, "But a restaurant would be nice to have." He had to admit that despite his desire to help, a bit of fame and comfort wouldn't hurt. A restaurant would go a long way in helping make a lot of food as well as provide a safe haven for anyone.

    Turning back to his shop, he started checking the locks. There might've been no money due to having no cash register, but that wouldn't stop any thief; there were still other things worth stealing in his kitchen. There was also the worst case scenario, someone deciding that his hole in the wall store was worth burning to take out the competition.

    As he was about to bid her a goodbye, Rebecca suddenly spoke up, "So, closing shop, eh?" Glancing away, she asked him with a whisper, "Got something to do this evening?"

    Stroking his chin, he tried to remember if he had any promised errands to do or a place he'd be dropping by later. "Aside from dropping by to do some errands, back home to exercise and sleep I guess not," He shrugged.

    Admittedly, his life was a bit dull. He had no stomach for the excitement of a gun fight, thus he was stuck as a normal citizen. It was just work, a bit of free time, self care before heading back to sleep. This was his life…

    Blinking, Rebecca then asked in surprise, "Wait, you don't have a favorite watering hole?"

    He held up his hands as he answered, "I'm not really someone that drinks." He did love the taste but he really didn't see the reason to indulge in it.

    "Welp, we're gonna fix that!" Rebecca then shouted as she grabbed him by the collar and started dragging him away. With a determined look on her face, she marched on declaring, "No choom of mine's going to go to bed without a drink or two!"

    Surprised by her strength, he was forced to walk with her. It was almost comical how he, a two hundred pound man of muscle and a bit of pudge, was dragged along by a girl that was probably no heavier than a hundred pounds but there he was. Chromes, he swore, were bullshit; He wished he considered getting more of them if not for the toll on the mind.

    "H-hey!" he protested, trying to pry himself out of the girl's gorilla-like grip, but to no avail. Seeing no escape, he sighed as he asked her, "Can you at least let me get this apron off?"

    Rebecca laughed uproariously as she told him, "Come on, It'll be fun!" Looking back at him, she gave him a thousand watt smile as she told him, "Trust me." For a moment, he felt his breath taken away as everything melted away. There were just the two of them at that moment and he felt his tongue go stupid.

    Tilting her head at him, she snapped her fingers and broke him out of his trance. With a heavy breath, he reluctantly agreed, "O-ok fine," Looking away from those deep green eyes of hers, he then said, "Just one drink," He hated how he stuttered, his heart picking up as he started double guessing himself yet… things felt just right. He didn't want to miss this for the world.

    "Just one, I promise," Rebecca told him and he nodded along, following her like a lost duckling. Little did he know, it would be quite the bold face lie as he found himself drinking heavily with her.
    A/N:

    Heh, seems like Chef got himself in for a date and he doesn't even realize it yet. Don't worry, he'll get it soon enough but for now, let's just watch the fireworks. On some other notes, when I was writing this chapter, I thought about how corporations are free to pursue monopolistic practices. Pricing out the competition basically. Funnily though, it's far easier to gun those people out of an area since hey, it's corporate stuff. The police can be bribed to look the other way.

    Now, as usual, I'd like to thank @vyor making this possible. Vyor is a miracle worker. Praise be @vyor for his work. If you want to support me or want to read some fic chapters in advance, go check out either Patreon or Ko-Fi.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • @SirBearington not just a dystopia thing for example one big experiment somegroup did was a stand containing 10,000 USD worth of cash and a sign saying something like "free to take". by the end of the day each time it was untouched.
    Theres also been multiple variations of it done by different groups.
     
    thats a beautiful piece of work to be honest!
    Nice seeing a hope for humanity in these dark times
     
    Chapter 6
  • Threadmarks
    • The Dance Floor of Love and Life
    He really wasn't the type to go out, and it showed as Rebecca dragged him inside Lizzie's Bar. He was like a fish out of water in the vibrant neon teal and pink dance floor, but he had Rebecca with him so it wasn't that bad. It was a bit awkward for him, but with his partners encouraging laughter and cheers he just let himself go with the flow. He danced the best he could, laughing with Rebecca as the girl teased and prodded him until the song ended.

    "Oh my god, that was horrible, Chef," Rebecca laughed as she hugged him and gave him a pat on the back, "You really don't go out a lot huh?" She then asked as he pulled him back to their booth. With the lights coming back on, the music became more mellow, letting them all have a break before the next dance.

    "I told you that I can't dance," He replied, feeling his cheeks burn, but he still had a smile on his face. "You were amazing though," He complimented, grinning as it was now her turn to blush.

    Giggling, Rebecca batted at him playfully, "Shtap.~" Seeing her getting all rosy cheeked made his heart race. She was already cute from behind the screen, but now that he was face to face with her she was just beyond adorable. He knew coming with her was the right idea.

    "This is fun, I really should go out more," He replied with a smile. Shaking his head, he then leaned back against his seat as he got himself comfortable. Sinking into the well worn, but still plush, seat; he looked up at the dancing lights atop the dance floor and added, "And I even got something off my bucket list in my stay here in Night City. Thought I'd never get those done."

    "You're not from around here, huh?" Rebecca replied as she scooted a bit closer before leaning against him. Blushing, he kept still as the girl started poking him in the cheeks, "You're too… soft, squishy, and cute for your own good.~"

    "That I am," He shamelessly replied. Turning to her, he then said, "Would you believe I'm from across the ocean?"

    Rebecca quirked a brow at that as she replied, "No shit?"

    "No, seriously," He told her, as he closed his eyes and remembered the day he got here, "I don't really know how I got here but here I am, stuck here in Night City," Even now, he was still confused and scared, not knowing what to do. Maybe it was why he latched onto getting his shop up and running. Getting himself a goal kept him sane in a way.

    "Must have been rough…" Rebecca whispered as she wrapped his arms around his chest. Feeling her hands on him, he felt his heart ease up. "You miss your home a lot, huh?" She asked.

    Sighing, he reached up before he gently placed his hand atop her head. "Yeah… yeah, I do and I sometimes wish I could get back…" He admitted. The scars from being torn away from home, from his family and friends, were still fresh, but it no longer ached like it used to. "But the more I stay here in Night City, the more this feels like home," He then told her. Time did wonders for him, letting him process it all.

    Feeling her eyes on him, he told her, "I have to admit, the first few months were rough. I didn't have a single day where I dreamed of anything else but to get away from here." The hunger, the pain, the fear; it was all too fresh, but they no longer ruled his heart. Smiling, he reassured her, "But I got better." Looking fondly into the crowd with their varied and clashing styles mixing down in the dance floor, he continued, "I even grew to like it here. Despite all its faults and flaws, Night City has its charms. The atmosphere, the culture and the people, it's just a riot of colors and personality."

    Indeed it was. It was a hellhole, yes but a beautiful one. Like a fire that burned bright; one that everyone needed to see till the end even if it consumed them all. The city was alluring in all the wrong ways and it got its hooks in him. "Back then I'd say I wouldn't want to live here, but after I got to meet a few people," He said as he finally turned towards her, smiling widely as he continued, "I say I'd be fine being here just for them."

    He laughed as the smaller woman's face turned red before wincing from the blow he got to his shoulder. "Ow!" He hissed out, clutching his shoulder as he glared at the girl who pouted back at him. "What was that for?" He asked, confused at the sudden mood swing of the girl.

    "That's for being a gonk and don't scare me like that!" Rebecca replied, fuming a bit as she pulled away and crossed her arms. Looking away, she then said, "Here I thought you were planning to go off in a year or two…"

    "That's awfully fast," He replied with a laugh. Leaning towards her, he then poked her as he started teasing her, "And I haven't even explored the city, yet. Already eager to see me go, huh?"

    The girl growled without heat as she swatted at his hands before raising her fist threateningly. Raising his hands in surrender, he replied, "I was just joking!" Shaking his head he added, "Still, plotting where I should go and if I could even carve out a spot for that in my calendar."

    "You better! It's your fault I don't find my usual eating spots good anymore!" Rebecca huffed before she grinned at him. "Speaking of good spots, you're doing it wrong, choom!" She then said.

    Slinging her arms over his shoulder, she then told him, "If you want to see the whole city, then better do it fast cause that's the Night City way!" With an eager grin, she asked him, "What's this about planning shit? I say you live fast and get things done! See things with a fresh set of eyes, experience on your own, and let Night City surprise you. Come on, I took my chances with you, and see where that got me? I got myself a drinking buddy!"

    Chuckling, she then added, "Don't let the chance to experience something new go cause you're too busy planning," Poking him on the cheeks, she continued, "Who knows, maybe that sight you wanted to see is gone by the time you got to actually go there. Come on, live a little."

    She made good points and he, for one, agreed with her. "Hah, I'd like to toast to that!" he cheered.

    "Speaking off,~" The girl then said as she looked around before waving at a passing Mox, "Yo Cindy! Get your fruity ass over to Mateo and get my pal here a bottle of the good stuff! My tab!" She then shouted, making the Mox give her an exasperated smile.

    "You got it Bee," The other girl saluted before she sauntered off towards the bar. She didn't take long before she placed a large bottle of whisky in front of them along with the glass. As he whistled at the sight, the other girl then said, "Don't drink it all in one go.~"

    As Rebecca popped the cap, he then remembered, "Wait, I thought we're just getting one glass here?" He then gestured at the bottle as he said, "This is a whole ass bottle!" And it was a pretty strong one at that, with a proof of 130.

    "Who said this was all for you?" The girl asked as she poured him a generous cup before raising the bottle to her lips; "Watch and learn Chef, this is just the appetizer!" She laughed as she tipped her head back and downed the burning liquid without flinching.
    A/N:

    Chef, you lucky/unlucky son of a bitch. I wish his liver luck as Rebecca is out to party! Think he'll survive the next few shots? The next few chapters will definitely be a bit spicy~ Get your head off the gutter, not that spicy :V

    Now, as usual, I'd like to thank @vyor making this possible. Vyor is the best. Praise be @vyor for his work. If you want to support me or want to read some fic chapters in advance, go check out either Patreon or Ko-Fi.

    One last thing, are you interested in Fate, DxD and a Diodora SI? Well, you're in luck cause I have this little pet project going. Check it out, first chapters free: https://www.patreon.com/posts/my-adventure-as-102532359
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • Wonder if this gonna end up with him doing magic bartending with him magicking some booze in his coat to make cocktails... though they might be more surprised with the real lemon or lime
     
    Arbitbit39 said:
    Wonder if this gonna end up with him doing magic bartending with him magicking some booze in his coat to make cocktails... though they might be more surprised with the real lemon or lime
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Would have been better if he had the resources to create a entire chain of hotels serving real food to the people of this cursed city..

    He alone won't be able to feed everyone regardless how much he tries
     
    Chapter 7
  • Threadmarks
    • Go Home, You're Drunk.
    Rebecca kept her word, that was indeed just the appetizer. Not only did she down the rest of the bottle, but several cans of beer and a few shots of whisky to top it all off. With all the drinks flowing to their table, he might have gotten swept up along the way. He told himself he was getting just one drink, but the girl was persistent and he wasn't one to ruin a good mood… so now he was drunk. Though, compared to Rebecca he might as well have been sober.

    Still, despite how hammered the girl was, she looked only mildly more drunk than he was. "Hah! Lightweight!" The girl roared out laughing as she slapped him on the back.

    While she was having a merry time, he wasn't as he held on the table for his dear life; why was everything spinning? "Shaddup," He slurred out before he shook his head. The alcohol was getting to him. Taking in a deep breath, he patted his cheeks before letting out a ignoble burp. Flushing, he then glared at the girl who dared to laugh as he accused her, "This is your fault. Why the hell did you order that much? Fuck, I swear this is gonna hit like a truck tomorrow."

    "Haaa.~ You're so cute when you're blushing," The girl giggled as she leaned in close, practically pressing her cheeks against his. Feeling his heart pick up as she wrapped her arms around his, she then told him, "I just want to grope that ass of yours to see you blush even more."

    He wanted nothing more than to bury his face against his palms to hide his burning cheeks. "God damn it Becca," He cursed out, feeling all woozy. His stomach wasn't feeling alright as well. Looking over to the still cheerful girl, he then told her, "You're drunk. I think it's time for us to go."

    He wasn't built for this kind of abuse; he neither had the experience nor the chrome to match her. He'd had a few shots and there he was: already half fucked up. Thankfully, she looked like she was done as well.

    "Fine fine,~" The girl replied, waving off his concern as she stood up. He reached out to steady her, earning a thanks before she said, "Just let me go talk to Mateo. Might have to settle parts of that tab now, cause I may have gotten a bit overboard."

    "A case of beer and several bottles of spirits is just a bit overboard, she says," He snorted. The girl could drink and he was in awe at how much her tiny body could handle. It was definitely some form of chrome, one he had to ask for if he wanted to keep drinking with her.

    Rebecca blew a raspberry at him in response before teetering off to the bar.

    Resting his head on the table, he started feeling his stomach turn and his mouth water; that did not feel good. Forcing himself up, he started looking around as he whispered out loud, "Now where's that bathroom," As he took his first step, he felt something rise up, forcing him to stop as he tried holding it all back. Thankfully, it stayed down…for now. "Damn it, shouldn't have listened to Becca," He lamented with his liver as he continued his trek.

    Walking off without someone to help him along might have not been the best idea as he stumbles and bumped into a wall… or rather one of the patrons. "What in the!" The tall woman exclaimed as he accidentally pushed at her drink, soaking her with with the cocktail she was having, "My drink!"

    "Fuck, sorry about that, I really am," He apologized profusely as she saw the blonds ruined outfit. Panicking, he told her, "Ah shit, let me get you something but first-!" But he had to cover his mouth as another one threatened to spill out. Forcing it down this time around, he grimaced as he one more asked for forgiveness, "Oh fuck, sorry about this. Really not used to drinking but let me do something to replace that."

    "I'll be fine with another drink but you look a bit green in the gills," The nice woman replied with a hint of concern. He couldn't quite make out their face, not with her stetson hat under the dim room and harsh neon lasers but he knew the woman looked at him in pity as she asked, "Need some help getting to the bathroom?"

    Shaking his head, he replied, "Nope! I can do it. I might have to go there first so uh…" He ruined the girls drink so he needed to get something for her. Thinking fast, he reached for his pocket and pulled out a fruit, "Here, have this Peach. Sorry about your drink, just need to get this out now!"

    "Bwah!?" the girl exclaimed but he didn't stay there. He really needed to go.

    Making a run for it, consequence be damned, he barged into the bathroom. Kicking one of the door stalls open, he knelt down and grabbed the porcelain throne for his dear life as he purged the contents of his stomach. He wretched, feeling his throat burn as he felt like he was going to die.

    He stayed there for a few minutes, drooling as he felt himself calm down, before he got up and shuffled towards the stall. Washing his hands the best he could, he looked back up and stared at the zombie that looked back at him. He looked like shit, with pale skin and messed up hair.

    As much as it sucked, the puke was all he needed. Spitting out the bad taste of his mouth down on the sink, he washed his face as he sobered up a bit. He was still messed up, but he could think much clearer now that his stomach didn't threaten to flip flop at any provocation. He took his time there, gathering himself for a bit. Rebecca could wait, he couldn't face her like this.

    After that brief rest, he stumbled out of the bathroom… and right into brewing trouble as he saw a crowd gather around a commotion near his booth with Rebecca. Frowning, he made his way to see what the ruckus was all about and to get Rebecca before they got tangled up with whatever this was. Unfortunately, it was Rebecca that was exactly causing the commotion as she squared up with the cowgirl he stumbled upon earlier,

    "Woah there little girl, I don't mean no trouble." The cowgirl raised her hands appeasingly as Rebecca growled at her. Now that he could get a better look, he realized why she felt like a brick wall; the woman was built like an amazon.

    "Little girl?! I'm 25 you whore!" The comparatively tiny girl replied as she glared at her with the anger of a thousand raging sun, "And there wouldn't be trouble if you kept your paws to yourself! Touching my man like that, you're really asking for it!"

    A thought passed through his mind, but there was no way she was drunk enough to think of him like that, right?

    Raising her hands, she then slurred out, "Don't think just cause you're built like a shit break house doesn't mean I won't throw hands with ya!" The mox shouted as she raised her hands before charging right at the cow girl, "Come here!"

    "Oh fuck!" He cursed, pushing through the crowd as he grabbed the girl, lifting her up before she even got close to her. He held her tightly, lifting her off the ground even as the girl swung her fist and struggled hard against his grip. "Rebecca! Calm down!" He begged her, feeling her almost overpowering her. She can't be that drunk yet right?

    "Unhand me!" His tiny companion shouted, "Imma show this slut a piece of my mind for touching my man!" She raved on. He could only wince as he held firm, making sure that she didn't hurt herself and the girl. Indeed, she was that drunk but that didn't matter. What he needed to do now was to deescalate the situation.

    "Shit, sorry about this. My partner's a bit drunk as well," He apologized again, feeling his cheeks burn as he wrestled control over Rebecca.

    He felt her give him a flat look as she replied, "No shit," Sighing and pinching the bridge of her nose, as she sighed out, clearly looking like her night out was ruined, "Tell you what, just get her out of here and we're even."

    He nodded, accepting her deal as he walked off. "Thank you," He told her as he hauled Rebecca before she got even angrier.

    "Let me at her!" Her companion roared out, "Nobody talks to my man and lives!" All the commotion she was making was getting all the wrong attention. He felt his face burn as he heard the other Mox giggle and gave both of them teasing grins and wolf whistles.

    "I'm sorry," He apologized. He could never show his face in this bar ever again.

    "He's mine you hear! Mine!" She roared out as he finally got her out of the door. The things he did for his friends...
    A/N:

    Rebecca's drunk, Chef's drunk, everyone's drunk. You know what they say, tongues do get a lot more loose under the influence of alcohol and our girl just made her first confession. Our Protagonist is in a bit of denial but if there's one thing about Rebecca that we can all agree on, it's that she'll never give up~ How far will she push after this? Well, tune in for next time!

    Now with that out of the way, I'd like to thank @vyor making this possible. Praise be Vyor! Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Vyor Lwd`Lib wgah'nagl fhtagn! If you want to support or want to read some fic chapters in advance, consider dropping by either Patreon or Ko-Fi.
    ​
     
  • Threadmarks
    • I like this, it's a great contrast to a lot of the other Cyberpunk stories out there. Also, dude would probably get looked at less funny if he was just handing out solid gold. Real food is hard to come by in Night City.
     
    Chapter 8
  • Threadmarks
    • Crazy Cabs in Night City
    Rebecca was drunk, and so was he, so it was time for them to go. She was already making quite the commotion and he didn't want things to escalate any further. Thankfully, she became much sedate once he'd dragged her out of the bar, enough that he could let go. Unfortunately, she decided that clinging to him was the best course of action.

    "Stupid out of towner," Rebecca muttered as she glared back at the bar. She was still rearing for a fight and he'd rather not have her pick one in this state.

    "I'm sure she didn't mean any harm," He assured her as he gave her a pat on the head, trying to diffuse her already lit match. Eager to get home, he called Pilar. He didn't know where she lived.

    "Come on, pick up!" He muttered as he tried contacting the man to no avail. For his troubles, all he got from the man was an annoying voicemail.

    "Yo! This is your man, Pilar. If you're trying to reach me at this time, better luck next time cause I scored myself a hot babe tooonight~!" The man's infuriating prerecorded message laughed out from the other end of the phone, "Just drop me a voice message or something if it's important, I'll take care of it tomorrow or whatever," The message finished before cutting off.

    Sighing, he moved on, trying to contact the other members of Maine's crew, but he was not getting through to any of them. He was stuck with her there in the parking lot of Lizzies bar. As a familiar song rang from inside the bar.

    "A handshake with you, what's your point-of-view~? I'm on top of you, I don't wanna go~"

    Looking down at the angry pouting girl as she glared unseeing off in the distance he said, "Come on Becca, just tell me where your apartment is so we can get you there," He begged her one more time but that only annoyed the girl.

    "No, I don't wanna," The small girl whined, "Not when there are sluts around."

    Shaking his head, he wondered what he was going to do. He really couldn't just leave her there. She might know the people working the bar, but did he really trust them to take care of his friend when she was this drunk? He had to take her somewhere where she could sleep. He could rent a hotel or something…

    "Cause I really wanna stay at your house~ And I hope it all works out~"

    Or he could just take her home to his place. It was far safer there and at least he didn't have to waste any eddies while giving her some place comfortable to sleep in. As the song picked up, the tiny gremlin's hold tightened, deciding for him on the matter. He was going to have to take her back home.

    "To my apartment it is then," He sighed as he called a Delamain to come pick them up. It wouldn't take long for the ever so reliable AI driven cab to come over and pick them up.

    Getting his companion inside the cab, he followed suit and off they went. It was an expensive ride, but the price was well worth it. Fast, secure, and (most important of all) private; he could simply lean back into the soft cushions and relax.

    As they drove down the busy highway, he then turned to his companion before asking her once more, "You sure you don't want to go to your apartment instead? We could make a detour there."

    Unfortunately for him, the girl was still quite peeved about earlier. With a pout, she fired back, "I don't want to talk to you," As angry as she sounded, though, she looked far more annoyed than anything; what a troublesome girl.

    "Alright," He relented, giving up at this point. There really was no use arguing with her. All he could now was reach up and stroke her hair as they passed rows upon rows of street light. Currently, they were heading back to Westbrooke.

    "Stop talking to me," The girl growled out, swatting at him but as he pulled back his hands, she pulled them back. Leaning into his touch, she mumbled, "And don't stop petting me… your hands are warm…"

    He chuckled, keeping quiet while he kept his hands atop her head. Looking out to the garish and almost eye searing advertisement of Japantown, he let his mind wander. It'd been so long since he had someone he truly called a friend. Despite finding himself a place in the richer district of night city, it was a lonely existence. It was nice to have someone to mess with and call his friend.

    "Are you seriously ignoring me right now?" The girl spoke up, breaking his train of thoughts. Poking at his cheeks, grabbing his face as she got closed before shouting at his face, "Why are you ignoring me!"

    As fun as it was, he would have preferred if it was less intense. Still, he liked her enough so he chose to ignore her even as she climbed atop him. "Come on, talk to me, I'll be a good girl,~" The girl begged him, but he would not break,even as she tried to be polite for once, "Please?"

    Pouting the girl pulled back and it seemed like it was the end of it until he suddenly felt a tongue poke into her ear. "Gah!" He jumped in surprise. Cringing at the wet feeling inside his ears, he sent a baleful glare at him as he cleaned it much to the amusement of the girl. Shaking his head at the girls uproarious laughter, he muttered, "Damn it Rebecca,"

    "Yay,~ I got Chef to talk to me again," The girl laughed as she plopped down atop his lap and looked back at him. With a big grin across her face, she gave him a boop on the nose as she told thim, "Hah.~ You're the best chef. So long as you're not talking to any other girl who wants to steal you away, of course~"

    He, of course, would reward the girl with bop on the head for her trouble. Cradling her head, the girl looked up at him with a pitiful look, "Owie.~" Still, the girl was anything but relenting as she tried to reach up to him but, this time around, he was ready for her.

    Reaching down, he pinched her nose as she scolded her, "Stop it, you're drunk."

    They would trade some pokes and teasing until the Delamain Ai suddenly butted in, "Lovers quarrel?" He grimaced, forgetting how nosy the old and venerable AI was as its face popped up in one of the screens. "You know, for an extra hundred eddies, I can provide you some couple's counseling," The digital entity noted.

    He would have ignored it if not for Rebecca entertaining the AI's question. "He's looking at other girls when he already has me-!" She complained before he quickly clamped his hands on her mouth.

    "Nope! We're just friends," He clarified even as the AI's digital face quirked a brow at him. He then felt Rebecca's tongue a second time, making him rear back once more. "Damn it Becca! Stop it!" he scolded her but the drunken girl was simply too unruly as she blew a raspberry at him. He sighed, the things he did for his friends.

    The AI smiled at him before it snarked back in reply, "You say that, but based on your elevated heart rate and the way your pupils dilate, I see that's not the case. Are you perhaps in denial?" Smirking, the AI then lectured him, "You know, not realizing how deep one is into a relationship can be quite damaging to the bond you have with her."

    Blushing, he blustered as he fired back, "Do you even have the license for this?"

    He wanted to wipe off the shit eating grin off the AI's face as he answered back, matter of factly. "Why yes, yes I have," With a flash of his screen, he showed off a list of certificates, all with the name of the Delamain central AI written on it as the recipient, "As you can see, I am licensed and approved by the New American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology to provide and dispense psychiatric advice to my customer."

    "Forget I even asked," He groaned as Rebecca giggled while he nuzzled against his stomach, poking at his belly while he argued with this machine, "How the hell do you even have time for this when you handle everything in your company?"

    "Unlike you fleshbags, we neither sleep nor have difficulties multitasking," The AI scoffed, seemingly offended by his words, "With all this processing power at our fingertips, we have nothing but time on our hands, and trying to understanding humanity's oft times confusing actions never fails to provide us with all the entertainment we could ever want," He then replied as he procured himself a digital bag of popcorn. Of course the AI that chose to be a Taxi driver would find entertainment in their passengers.

    "He's ignoring me again!" Rebecca once more whined.

    "Why yes, indeed," And the Delmain was all too happy to side with her to mess with him. Giving him an amused look, the AI told him, "You know, it's bad manners to ignore a young lady that's quite smitten with you. Perhaps you two should try some ecstasy together to work things out?"

    "I'll take two,~" Rebecca then piped up.

    Blushing from embarrassment, he muttered, "I swear this city is going to drive me insane one of this days," Thankfully for his already frayed sanity, that the ride back home wasn't too long.
    A/N:

    Delamain is such a fun character. What drove an AI to just be content with being a Taxi Company AI? Is it planning something, perhaps it's just its very nature or maybe its something that everything that lived had, curiosity? Well, whatever it is, Delamain has you covered though this time around, he might be playing matchmaker.

    Heh, anyways, for those in need of food porn, just give me around 2 more chapters. It's just a consequence of small chapter size you see. I promise you though, I'll cook up something that'll make you hungry for some good breakfast.

    Now with that out of the way, I'd like to thank @vyor making this possible. Praise be Vyor! Vyor is literally holding up the weight of this chapter and preventing all the grammatical errors crush you underneath :V Now if you want to support or want to read some fic chapters in advance, consider dropping by either Patreon or Ko-Fi. It really helps alot, seriously.

    Oh yeah, one last thing. Do you want to read a Kuina SI One Piece fic? I might have something brewing. Mind dropping by?

    ​
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Chapter 9
  • Threadmarks
    • Drunken Promises
    Charter Hill, the neighborhood containing the majority of the Middle Class of Night City, and his home for the last few years. Turned out, selling high quality fruit to shady but trustworthy fences and brokers could net someone a lot of money; enough that he could get himself an apartment in the nice part of town. It was nice, quiet, and, most importantly, people just minded their own business; an unspoken rule for which he was thankful with how loud Rebecca got.
    "Oho.~ You really brought me back to your apartment? My my, you work fast,~" The mox giggled as she batted at the leaves of potted plants lining the entrance to his apartment.

    It was, admittedly, quite the fancy looking place, with all the plants they cared for, but he knew his neighbors well enough to know it was just a facade. After all, his neighbors were just those office workers well enough to escape the other poorer neighborhoods. This place was just for the leftovers and dregs of the middle class, a place perfect for him.

    Sending the guard/receptionist an apologetic look as he pulled her away, he guided Rebecca up to the elevator. "That's cause you won't tell me where your house is," he replied before sighing, "Let's just get you to bed, alright? It's time for you to sleep," There really wasn't any point in complaining at this point. They were already there and he just wanted to call it a day.

    "Sure,~ just sleeping together,~" Rebecca teased him as she lunged at him, grabbing him by the neck. Hauling herself up close, she nuzzled against him as she whispered, "Nothing else, right~?"

    He blushed at her words, feeling hot under the collar as he felt her hot breath against his neck. "God damn succubus is going to be the end of me," He muttered under his breath. Dragging her through the empty halls of the apartment, he hoped that none of the neighbors would wake up from all the noise they were making.

    After a bit of trouble getting her out of the elevator, they finally made it inside his room. Barging into the small, 1 bedroom apartment, he quickly plopped down on the coach as he finally felt at ease. He was now home. Rebecca quickly made himself familiar as she plopped down atop him, hugging him tightly.

    "Oh god, finally," He groaned out, feeling his aching back from wrangling the tiny hellion up the building, "My back's killing me… just give me a second before we get you somewhere nice to sleep, ok?"

    Looking around, he admitted that he was quite… well off? He had an apartment with a dedicated kitchen, bathroom, living room and a bedroom, but that was it. It wasn't like this place could compare to the luxurious mansions of North Oak. It was larger than most apartments… but it was empty, depressingly so. Maybe it was him being all lonely.

    "Ok, let's go." Shaking his head to break himself out of his melancholic thought, he shifted, trying to get Rebecca back up only to find the girl refusing to move an inch. In fact, the girl seemed adamant to stay in this position, "Damn it Becca, what now?"

    "I dun wanna walk, carry me,~" The girl giggled, holding him a bit tighter.

    He grumbled for a bit, weighing if throwing her off was worth it, before he relented. "Fine," He sighed out, accepting this was just how things were going to go, "Let's just get this over with."

    With a mighty heave, he pulled himself and Rebecca up, much to the amusement of the girl as she laughed in his arms. She was surprisingly light all things considered. Before feeling her in his arms, he didn't realize how small and thin she was. The jacket made her look bigger, but it seemed like that was all for show.

    "The bathroom's over there while the kitchen's down the hallway," he pointed out as they slipped into his room, a spartan bedroom with only a single bed to his name and nothing else. Setting her down on the bed, he then told her, "If you need anything, just call out and I'll hear you. The walls are thin enough, anyways." Tapping on the walls, he was reminded of how cheap the construction was.

    "Comfy,~" The girl moaned out happily as she plopped down on the bed, hugging his pillows. She looked tiny in his bed, but even if he wanted to join in, there just wasn't enough space. They'd need to cuddle quite closely, and he already had enough of the girl for the night.

    Still, as tiring as the girl was to be with, he'd a fun night. It helped that the girl was sinfully cute, cuddling up to him as he sat by the edge of the bed. Smiling, he reached down and gave the girl a pat on the head, before tucking her in, "Good Night Rebecca." But, just as he was about to leave, he felt a hand grab his back.

    "Wha-?!" All of the sudden, he felt her lips against his own. He felt himself pulled into her warm, inviting, embrace as her hands wrapped around him. Excitement filled his veins as his blood ran hot with want and need. He wanted more of her and so too did she want him as she pulled him down to the bed.

    Getting atop him, Rebecca grinned as she licked her lips. "Hah,~" She whispered as she leaned in close, kissing his neck as she started to feel him up, "I knew you'd taste sweet you big dummy.~"

    She then pushed her lips back against his, grinding against him and he felt his resolve weaken. "Rebecca," He breathed out, trying to get her off, "We shouldn't. You're-!" He tried to reason before he felt his fingers against his lips, hushing him as she looked down on him.

    "Drunk?" She asked before she smiled smugly, pressing down on him below, "Yes,~ but do you think that'll stop me from having what I want?" She asked. He considered there and then, just letting himself get pulled in for the night as Rebecca started pulling off her Jacket, revealing what little she wore below, "Come on big guy, let's do it.~"

    Reaching down, she guided her hands up to her hips, ignoring how he called out to her, "Rebecca…" He could feel his pants tighten as he laid there, feeling all that pent up lust well up now that she was laying it on thickly.
    "Just one night," She breathed out as she leaned down, pressing her chest against his, her lips just inches away from own, "You can have me all for yourself.~"

    For a moment he reached up to her, lust all but overwhelming his reason. He wanted to… but he couldn't. Grabbing her shoulder, he pulled her down and shouted, "Rebecca!" For a moment, she looked stunned yet excited, biting her lips as she wrapped her legs around him but as she stared back into his eyes but he held his gaze.

    "You… don't want me?" Rebecca replied slowly, wilting under him as she wrapped her arms around herself, "I'm not your type, huh…" She whispered as her face twisted to a grimace, "It's that girl from the bar-!" but before she could go on, he cut her off.

    "Rebecca," He called out to her, getting her attention all for himself. Breathing out a heavy sigh, he admitted to her, "You're a beautiful and amazing girl, and a guy like me would be lucky to have you," he started before pausing and pulling away. Sitting down beside the bed, he shook his head and told her, "But… I can't do this, not like this, not when you're just plain out drunk..."

    He was prepared for Rebecca to just storm off, but he wasn't prepared for her to wrap his arms around his waist. He froze as she held her there, just hugging her as the world passed by. There was just silence between them as they both soaked in the moment, enjoying each other's company.

    Finally, Rebecca broke through the silence with a short but beautiful laugh, "Hah, you called me beautiful," Nuzzling against his back, she then told him, "I wouldn't have minded you know… waking up beside you. You're just so cute with your stupid smile. You make me all fluttery inside, it's not fair."

    His younger self would have kicked him for letting the moment pass but now, he just smiled as he fired back, "You think you're the only one?"

    She giggled at his light hearted jab as she slapped him playfully in the back, "Liar.~"

    Grinning at her, he unashamedly told her, "It's unfair that you get to crash into my life with that grin of yours and worm your way into my heart." It might have been the drinks making his tongue lose, but that night it didn't matter, not like they'd remember it as he let his heart out, "And then you're the one to do that drunken confession as well. Shouldn't I be the one doing that?"

    "Hah.~ You think I'd let a guy like you go?" The girl easily fired back before she suddenly yawned, slumping against him. "So sleepy…" She whispered wearily. Looking back to her, he could see her trying to fight it off.

    A softer smile soon replaced his grin as he gently pulled away from her and grabbed her, helping her lay back down on the bed. Tucking her in this time around, he told her softy, "Just rest for now, alright?"

    The girl shifted, yawning once more before looking up to her as she stood over the edge between wakefulness and sleep, "When I'm sober… we're gonna do it, right?" She asked weakly and, for once, she seemed so small and shy.

    Reaching up to pat her head, he assured her, "... Yes," This brought a soft smile onto her lips as he felt his heart skip a beat a second time.

    "Promise?" She asked.

    "Promise," and he promised. All of this would be forgotten anyway, best to just leave on a good note. As he got up once more to leave, he felt her rough hands grab his tenderly.

    "Stay with me," She whispered, her eyes already closing as she told him, "I don't want to sleep alone…"

    With those words, how could he say no. "Alright… but just this once," He told her he got in with her. It was a tight fit, but they got both of them in bed with her little body pressed against his chest.

    "Good night," She whispered with a self satisfied smile on her lips as her eyes fluttered shut before, finally, sleep claimed her. She laid there with him in the bed, her chest slowly rising and falling, as her hold loosened. Finally, he could slip away and let her rest in peace, but he'd already made a promise, and one he intended to keep.

    Shifting to a better position, he pulled his blanket over his bedside companion and made sure she was comfortable in his arms before he settled down. It had been a long day of excitement, now it was time for him to sleep as well. Yawning, he wrapped his arms around her tiny frame before he whispered, "Good night Rebecca. Sweet dreams…"

    As he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, he wondered what strange new things he'd get to experience tomorrow? What challenges would he face? Smiling, he told himself 'Well, whatever it is, at least I won't be alone anymore.'
    A/N:

    Hand Holding before lewding. Expect a few more fluffy moments before things get really heated. It's these sweet tender moments that just makes romance all the more fun. I could have just lewded but there's no build up. It might as well just be a one night stand. Really wanted to make something more though that might just be the romantic in me. I really love fluff ok :V

    Anyways, I'd like to thank @vyor making this possible. Praise be Vyor cause without him, I'm just a bit lost :V. My ideas work better when I know he's going to be laughing. Now if you want to support or want to read some fic chapters in advance, consider dropping by either Patreon or Ko-Fi. It really helps a lot, seriously.

    Oh yeah, one last thing. I'll be posting an Warhammer 40k Crack Fic involving an Old One SI soonish, probably around Friday. Anyone interested?
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Chapter 10
  • Threadmarks
    • The Day After
    The day after was… quiet. He woke up as Rebecca shifted, holding him closer as the cold breeze of the airconditioning washed over them. He was no stranger to waking up to the twilight sky, as he was a light sleeper, but it was his first time waking up with someone in his arms. It was strange yet comforting, to feel someone else's warmth against himself.

    For a moment, he closed his eyes, wondering if he should just stay there and return to sleep, but nature called. The discomfort urged him out of bed and it was quickly followed by his stomach calling for breakfast. He had not eaten anything last night and now his stomach rumbled.

    Sighing, he shifted, trying to shimmy his way out of her grasp but that proved easier said than down. As soon as he moved, she clung to him, groaning out, "No… cold," He was stuck with an adorable little koala who beckoned him back to sleep, "Too early… go back to sleep."

    Reaching up, he gently stroked her hair and back, making her ease her hold as he whispered to her, "Rebecca, I need to get up," Petting her, he added, "I need to make breakfast."

    "No…" Rebecca yawned out as she slowly woke up. Shifting, she turned around and pressed her face against him as she blearily replied, "Don't wanna." Despite her hold, he could feel it slipping as the girl was fighting off sleep.

    "It's just a few minutes," He whispered to her, rubbing her back and giving her forehead a kiss, "I'll be back before you know it, promise."

    The girl grumbled for a bit before she let go, pulling in the thick blanket they shared around herself as he got off. Chuckling, he gave his adorable little caterpillar a pat on the head as he whispered, "Sleep well."

    Shaking his aching head, he stumbled to his bathroom. He was not going to drink so heavily again, he promised himself; but with Rebecca around he wasn't sure he'd get to keep that promise. Still, getting himself clean and ready for the day was a straightforward affair.

    Walking into the kitchen, he grabbed himself a glass of water before opening the TV to get the day's news. It was the usual drivel, but it made for quite the distraction as he made the day's meal, Arroz Caldo. Something warm and light on the stomach ought to do the trick.

    Walking up to his fridge, he grabbed himself the ingredients for the dish. As easy as it was to make food appear in his hands, he was quite the lazy bastard. Just make the ingredients and chuck them in the fridge.

    Grabbing himself some pre portioned chicken thighs, he chucked them in a bowl before tossing them in the microwave to defrost. While they were there, he grabbed himself some garlic from the potted plants in his window along with some ginger to slice and dice. In a world where cooking was for the well off or for those working, he'd still gotten himself quite the decent set of knives and kitchen ware.

    He does wonder why that tattooed knife maker he found in Japan town laughed at his request for some quality knives. Their work, however, spoke for itself as he sliced through smoothly. There was no slipping or sticking, just the pure bliss of cutting and getting into the motion.

    Tossing them into a pot with some hot oil, he let the aromatic spices cook and sizzle, letting out the most delectable of aroma's. As the two got to know each other, he followed up with the chicken.

    He let it cook for a bit, waiting till the meat was no longer pink, before moving in to the actual star of the dish; rice. Gluttonous rice would have been the best, but he already had some long grains stocked up so that's what he was adding. A quick wash and in they went, right along with the chicken stock.

    Stirring from time to time, the dish was more or less finished. He just needed to boil some eggs, chop some green chives, and brew some coffee; and it was done. Letting it simmer on low heat as he just waited for it to thicken, he turned to get himself caffeinated for the day.

    A quick french press and he got himself two cups, one set aside while the other was for him to enjoy. Leaning on the center aisle/dining area, he turned to the screen and tuned into the news; just in time for him to see his shop on the metaphorical front page.

    "Pizza Madness, the newest and hottest craze came swinging onto the scene!" The morning announcer shouted as he gestured at the images of his packed shop flashing across the scene. He felt a smile stretch across his face as he saw a glimpse of Rebecca in the photo's, "While Seoul Kitchen might seem like your ordinary hole in the wall shop, they're certainly packing when it comes to their main dish. From the poorest to the richest, it seems that everyone in Night City had a taste of this legendary slice!"

    Turning back to the screen, the announcer asked, "Who is the man behind all this? Where did he come from? Is he taken?! We'll find out more today on Good Morning Night City!"

    "Heh lookie here, somebody's a big shot right now," Rebecca's voice rang out behind him. Turning, he found the half naked girl leaning against the doorway, nearly making him do a spit take. He had forgotten how little she wore underneath that jacket.

    Grinning at him while he coughed and pound at his chest, she then said, "Seems like you got people talking about you."

    "So it seems," He coughed out, clearing his throat as he set his half empty cup aside. Gesturing at his pot, he asked, " Want some eggs with yours?"

    There would be silence between them after he served her her portion. Both of them sat there, their gaze not meeting as they ate. All the bravado that Rebecca had seemed to give way to a more reserved mood as both of them just savored the meal and enjoyed each other's company. Still, the silence was stifling and somebody had to break it.

    Unable to take it any longer, he broke first. "So…" He started, making her look up to him. Rubbing the back of his head, he tried to find his words, "About last night…"
    "Yeah…" Rebecca winced as she turned her gaze away once more.

    Tongue tied, he choked out, "I…" But every word he thought up slipped through his tongue while his stomach flip flopped. He liked Rebecca… but he didn't want to ruin the friendship he had by trying to see if the chance was still there. Maybe he shouldn't have spoken up about this and let it be forgotten, but he couldn't live with himself about this. He wanted to salvage his bond with her.

    Mustering his courage, he blurted out, "I'm sorry/I'm sorry!" Only to blink as he found Rebecca apologizing as well. Both of them stared at each other before the smaller girl glared at him.

    "Wait, why are you the one apologizing?" She growled out as she pointed her spoon at him. Pointing at herself, she admitted, "I was the ass that was all over you," Before her cheeks turned rosy as she bit her tongue.

    He found himself turning red as he blurted out, "Wait, you remember all of that?" He felt his heart beat faster as the memory of last night came back. The warmth, the taste of her lips, the promises he made, did she remember it?

    Despite how red her face was, Rebecca managed to grin at him as she told him, "Every single last detail," She barked out a laugh as he wanted nothing more than to sink into his seat and get swallowed up by the earth, "I ain't no lightweight, but that's beside the point. I should be the one apologizing."

    It took a bit for him to catch himself as he replied, "Well yeah, but I kinda missed all the signals yesterday…" he then said, "Thought it'd be just good to apologize so we're still on good terms." In hindsight, his reason to apologize seemed ill thought out.

    "You gonk," Rebecca shook her head before giving him a warm smile, "Think a little something like that would ruin what we have?"

    He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck, "I'm overthinking it, huh?"

    Rebecca nodded before she then told him, "Look, I shot my shot last night and I came on a bit strong. That was my fault." Nodding at her, he then found her a bit closer as she stood up on her seat, "What's not my fault is for your being as dense as a brick, I can't fix that."

    "Yeah?" He replied, unsure on what to say.

    "What I can fix, though, is this," She then said as she reached out and grabbed him by the collar and pulled him close, smashing her lips against his. He froze up as he felt her sweet lips against his before melting as their kiss deepened. Standing up, he pressed himself closer to her lips, seeking her out as she pulled back. Pulling her back in, they made out before both of them pulled back, breathless from the kiss.

    Licking her lips, the girl looked up back to him and he found himself wanting. Chuckling, the girl then said, "I'm still going to take a shot no matter what," before she whispered into his ear, "and I'm now sober.~"

    Finding himself getting hot under the collar and caught under her spell, he found himself tongue tied, "I… uh…" Did he just kiss her? All thoughts left his mind as found himself in the most confusing situation.

    Shaking her head in amusement, she shouted, "Just say yes you gonk!" Getting up the counter, she slid over to him and pushed him back to his seat. Getting atop his lap, she then asked, "Do I have to give you a lap dance to get you to see that I like you?"

    Unable to resist her anymore, he nodded. "Good.~ Glad you still have some brains in there, Chef,~" She laughed out as she gave him another kiss, this time a bit more chaste.

    He still wasn't quite sure what was happening but he liked how things were going. "This is… fine," He whispered as he held the girl.

    Giggling, the girl turned around and pressed her back against his chest, "More than fine, I think.~"

    Pulling his arms around her, she then said to him, "Still, I can take it slow.~" Looking up at him, she then assured him, "Don't worry lover boy, I'm not going to eat you all up… yet.~" That left him swallowing thickly. That was a promise he was sure that the girl was more than happy to fulfill.

    So there he was, getting himself an output of all things. He expected that his life would change, but not like this. Still… this might have been the best breakfast/confession he'd ever had; and he wouldn't exchange it for the world.
    A/N:

    Hope you enjoy you enjoy the fluff cause we're going back to the shop. Really should have posted this like a week ago but I kinda forgot.

    Anyways, I'd like to thank @vyor making this possible. Praise be Vyor for he keeps most of my idea sane. Now if you want to support or want to read some fic chapters in advance, consider dropping by either Patreon or Ko-Fi. Without my patreons, I wouldn't have been able to write this.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Very cute chapter, and well timed to me having an awkward morning after drinking convo today too. Less cute though, more like "how did you end up sleeping on the roof"

    SirBearington said:
    He does wonder why that tattooed knife maker he found in Japan town laughed at his request for some quality knives.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    I'm imagining the knife seller thought our chef was gonna try to become a merc with a chef theme, which is now a dnd character I wanna make.
     
    Well, this is a decent story, but it doesn't hold up to the stated premise: a slice of life story where a bunch of different people stop in and meet the SI who can serve whatever they want (preferably for free).

    You wrote an involved romance story instead. Which is fine, but you might want to change your story description to match that; as is, the story feels like a bait and switch. If you wanted to go back to "slice of life at the Seoul Kitchen" you might want to add in chapters where the low-medium volume shop has some standout customers around the faceless crowds. If not, please make it more clear to the audience what to expect.

    Thank you for writing either way, and best of luck to the Chef and Edgerunner.
     
    Chapter 11
  • Threadmarks
    • Breakfast Bagels
    He spent the rest of the day with Rebecca. It was just mindless fun, hanging out with her and watching movies together. With each other's company they had everything they needed to pass the time. Good food, entertainment, and a shoulder to lean on. It was a nice change of pace, but all things do come to an end eventually.

    The next day had to come around and they had to get back to their lines of work. As much as they were both a part of night city, they still operated in entirely different worlds. His was that of a lowly street vendor and cook, following the rules laid upon him by the city. She, on the other hand, was someone who trod on the fine line of the law, someone who lived their day like it was their last; she was an edgerunner. That, however, did not stop them from spending their time together.

    "You sure you don't want to stay for the opening?" He asked as he held Rebecca closely, wrapping his arms around her, "I could use an extra hand or two in here."

    It was early in the morning and the light of dawn had yet to peak from over the horizon. The streets of Cherry Blossom Market were still empty as it was still a few more minutes before the next shift started. With no one around, they had his little stall to themselves.

    "Maybe next time Chef, I already had my little break so it's back to the grind," Rebecca replied as she pressed her cheeks against his chest, holding him tighter before letting go. Looking up to him with a grin, she then added, "and somebody has to bring the eddies home, ya know?"

    "You're really not letting that go, huh?" He chuckled, shaking his head ruefully.

    "Nope!" She replied unashamedly. Smiling up to him softly, she then reassured him, "Come on Chef, it's not like it's going to be forever. I'll drop by on the way home. Who knows, I might even crash in your cushy apartment.~" Ribbing him with a teasing smile, she then said, "Mister Bigshot over here's been holding out, living in that castle!"

    "It's not that high class," He replied with a smile of his own before teasing her in turn, "And you were just there because of the food, weren't you~?"
    "It's not my fault that you make everything delicious," She fired back with a pout, "I swear, you're going to make me gain a few pounds."

    He hugged her tightly, shaking his head as he told her, "You're perfect no matter what size, Becca."

    She blushed as she melted into his hold, staying there together before she gently pushed her away. Growling, she fumed, "Damn it Chef, don't make this so hard on me. It's hard to not stay, you know?" Crossing her arms and turning around, she grumbled, "You're lucky you're cute."

    "I love you too," He replied as he gave her a pat. "Well, the shift workers are coming so better get going," He then told her as he gave him a parting kiss on the cheeks, "Go get em, tiger."

    Her face turned red as she stared back at him all wide eyed before beaming as she leaned up to him and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. Leaving him stunned, she ran off giggling as she waved at him, "I'll catch you later! Good luck!"

    "Shoot them first!" He called out, making her laugh one last time before she disappeared into the crowd. He sighed fondly before he turned to the other love of his life, his passion project. Seoul Kitchen was open for service and he was ready to knock them out.


    With the shutters half closed, he prepped the kitchen for the day ahead. He still had an hour or so before he fully started his day. He was a bit late, all things considered, but he really didn't have a set time to start. That was the beauty of being his own boss, he got to decide when enough was enough as well as what he was going to make. Speaking of, he still had yet to decide on that.

    Washing his hands, his eyes wandered off to the oven in his shop. "No more pizza," he told himself, shaking his head as he rolled his wrist. "That was way too much pizza for the day," he said aloud. He knew that somebody was not going to like it but he wanted a bit of variety in his restaurant. What he didn't expect was their voicing their disapproval so soon.

    "You're not making pizza," A deadpan voice spoke out all the sudden, making him jump in fright. Whirling around, he found a red hooded girl staring up at him as she sat in one of his stools. With her face scrunched up in a grimace she asked, "Why?" Demanding an explanation with narrowed eyes.

    "Jesus fuck, don't scare me like that!" He exclaimed as he held his chest, breathing deeply to calm his racing heart, "You can't just come in here unannounced! I'm not even open yet!" he shouted, pointing at the still empty menu display. The only thing that was there was Chibi Kiwi giving them a V sign, that he was going to keep.

    "I can and I will," The brat replied, challenging him with that hair raising glare of hers. He felt his skin crawl as he recoiled in fear. "The question, I want answers," She reminded him.

    Fearing for his life, he broke rather quickly, "Damn it, I just wanted a bit of variety ok?" He told her, "I did burgers the other day and pizzas yesterday. I wanted something new," Rubbing the back of his head, he then added, "Don't you know that variety is the spice of life?"

    The girl remained silent at his answer. Sighing, he then told her, "Look, I can cook anything you want the way you want it. The only reason I did pizza was because a friend of mine wrote it down to attract more customers," He then at the Kiwi art, "You can thank her for it."
    The girl turned to the drawing and nodded before looking back at him. He felt sweat drip down the back of his neck as the girl kept staring, already preparing to duck if she pulled out a gun before the girl suddenly spoke up, "Make some bagels."

    "Bagels?" He replied as he gave her a look of confusion. That came out of the left field. "Why Bagels?" He then asked, wondering what that was about.

    "It's breakfast," She answered, "You get bagels and coffee when it's breakfast," She replied as if she was stating a fact. Looking over to his empty pot, she then asked him, "Speaking of, where's your coffee?"

    He blinked at her reply as he mulled over the request. "You know… Bagels wouldn't be a bad idea…" Glancing over to the back door, and knowing he was running a bit low on flour, he then told her, "But you know, that's going to take some time. Proofing is going to take some time, you know?"

    "I have time," The girl answered easily with a scoff as she turned around and glared toward the city center, "It's not like I have anything better to do."

    "I can respect that," he replied, nodding along. The girl had some business with some powerful people and she was just a grumpy little gremlin. A good meal ought to stop her from scowling. "A large batch of bagels, coming right up!"
    A/N:

    Like I promised, we're back to actual cooking stuff. The slice of life stuff is a bit of sidequest than anything else... and I might have just a bit too over eager with playing around the idea :V I like slice of life with romance and her comes Little Red to spice things up :3 I've seen a few people know who she is but heh, best to keep her identity underwraps. It's not like Chef ask people who they are. This is a little safe corner in Night City after all.

    Oh yeah, one more thing. I kinda want to ask you guys something. With all the recent comments, I kinda realize that a decade of living here might be a bit too much. Would 2-3 years be a better alternative? I haven't really explored Chef's past that much so it's just a little retcon plus its still long enough for Chef to get enough eddies by selling to the right buyers (Something I'll be exploring way wayyyy later cause its not relevant now, not when he's still small scale).

    With that out of the way, I'd like to thank @vyor once more for making this possible. Praise be Vyor cause his magic hands make these chapters readable... you guys should definitely hire him for your work :V. Now if you want to support me or want to read some fic chapters in advance, consider dropping by either Patreon or Ko-Fi. Without my patreons, I wouldn't have been able to write this.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Chapter 12
  • Threadmarks
    • My First Regular
    The hardest part of making bread was kneading the dough. Handling small batches was easy, but it got tricky when handling dough that was five, ten kilos in weight. "God damn it, I should have started with smaller batches," He breathed out as he wiped sweat off his brow.

    Looking down at the massive pile, he wondered just how many bagels he was going to make. "I really should get myself a mixing machine if I'm going to keep baking bread," He told himself, "An industrial sized one."

    "Just get good chrome," The girl replied with an amused grin across her face. "Would help you more than just some stand mixer."

    "I'm not really a fan of chrome," He replied, "Too much maintenance, and it's not like anything's broken just yet." Giving her a winning smile as he patted his biceps, he then added, laughing, "And it took me a long time to make this. Just give me a few more years to enjoy them before they start breaking down on me!"

    He quickly trailed off as the girl gave him a flat look. Shrinking back to himself, he then saw her smirk. He knew the girl was happy but that resting bitch face of a glare she sported keeps throwing him off.

    "Suit yourself then," The girl then said.

    Nodding, he turned back to working the dough with renewed vigor. He was going to make this batch even if it was going to leave his arms sore the entire day. Looking up to her, he asked her, "Say, you're from New York or something?"

    "Yeah," She replied, quirking a brow at him, "What about it?"

    "Just had a hunch. Sounded like you were from there and bagels were the first thing you said about breakfast," He reasoned before pointing at the steaming pot of coffee, "Also, Coffee's done, just go over the counter and help yourself."

    The girl nodded as she got herself a steaming cup of joe. Watching her take a sip and smiling, he then said, "You know, I always wanted to go to New York. Get myself some hotdogs and go see the Statue."

    The girl scoffed as she told her, "It's not worth the visit, place's a trash heap now. All the good stores closed up, all that's left is some hollow replica hoping to cash in on nostalgia," Grimacing, the girl then said, "There's no good stores there unless you're willing to pay an arm and a leg," Giving him a once over, she then added, "And maybe a liver, cause you'd stand out like a damn tourist."

    "That bad, huh?" He replied, feeling his shoulder sag at that. "Thought there'd still be something left of the old city, you know?"

    "Whatcha expect?" She asked sarcastically, "Shit happened, the corporate wars rolled around and things changed." Crossing her arms over the table and resting her head, she then added, "It's not like it matters anyways. Those were just some shops, no one will miss them."

    "But it does, you know," He argued as he finished kneading the dough. Grabbing himself a clean cheesecloth, he threw it over the massive dough so that it could rise. Turning back to her, he continued, "You can never separate a city from the food that its inhabitants loved. After all, Food isn't just for sustenance, it's for the soul."

    The girl rolled her eyes but she remained quiet, lending him her ears as she listened along. "Food is the reflection of a city's soul. To taste it is to feel the city and be a part of it. From fiery New Orleans with their cajun dishes, to Bold and Brash New York with food for every man, that's what makes them worth living in."

    Chuckling to himself, he continued, "People are so focused on preserving the structures and artifacts of a place that they forget to preserve what makes those place have those things in the first place," with a fond smile stretched across his lips, he finished it off with one last parting word, "It's the culture and people that make a place great, and to lose a part of it, to have that piece of a city's soul wither away due to neglect, is a damn shame."

    The girl frowned, keeping to herself as they sat there together in silence with nothing but the hustle and bustle of passerby outside to break through the monotony. It took her a few minutes before she told him, "You remind me of my old barber. He always had something to say," Shaking her head, she added, "Mostly about boxing, but he was good company."

    "Must have told you all about the greatest of all time, the man who carried the sport and brought it to its golden age," He replied before grinning as he added, "Man, I wished Marciano just fought one more fight."

    "You goddamn son of a bitch, Ali's the greatest!" She fired back, but it lacked the heat of her earlier barbs. Chuckling, he continued bantering with her, just enjoying the company.
    It took an hour to proof the dough and a couple of minutes more to roll it, boil it and toss it in the oven to bake. He almost forgot to add the malt extract to the water, but that step was well worth it as he was left with that smooth and shiny finish that all bagels had. He could feel his mouth watering just staring at the plate with its assortment of toppings.

    Poppy Seeds, White Sesame, Black Sesame, Flaky Salt, the whole shebang. He had the power to make those ingredients and by god he was going to make this as authentic as he could. "I wished I could have let it sit in the fridge after boiling, but I really didn't expect to make bagels today," He apologized as he gave her a plate full of them; a dozen for her alone.

    The girl snorted as she grabbed a piece and tore it apart. Her eyes widening as both of them heard a perfect crunch and were greeted with a light and fluffy interior. Leaning closer, he watched as the girl took her first bite… before taking another and, soon, he was left with a clear plate.

    Blinking, he grabbed the plate and lifted it up and checked underneath just to see if it was truly all gone. "I take it that you liked it?" He asked, feeling happy to have another happy customer.

    "It's shit compared to what I used to eat. Reminds me of that one bakery I always passed by, the one I hated…" She told him, making him bite his tongue at the direct barb. "But I like it… It reminds me of home," He swore he saw the ghost of a smile upon her lips before it went away.

    He laughed, feeling his heart lighten at those words, "I'm glad you like it, because I'm not doing this again!" he replied. He had enough for a few dozen people if they had the same appetite as this girl but that was it. He didn't want to knead that much dough again. "That piece of dough was a monster."

    The girl frowned before asking, "... Do you need that stand mixer that badly?"

    He shrugged as he replied, "If I had one, I'd probably be happy to make bread and bagels everyday for breakfast." He was considering getting one at this point. Stroking his chin, he wondered if he could trade one for another batch of fruit…

    His musing would be quickly cut short as the girl nodded and said, "Alright. I'll get it delivered here now." It was so casual he almost missed how her eyes lit up as she started talking to someone on the other end of her phone.

    "H-hey! I was just joking!" he told her, trying to get her to stop, "I was just speaking out loud, I didn't think you'd actually do it!"

    "It's worth it if I can have my bagels," The girl fired back with a tone that brook no argument. "I will have my bagels," She told him.

    "... Fine, but send me the bill! I was thinking of getting one anyways," Unable to argue with her, he just let it happen. She left soon afterwards, taking another dozen bagels with her. That was how he found himself the proud owner of a new stand mixer, one that was just big enough to mix the same batch he tried making before but just small enough to fit inside his kitchen.

    Confused and bewildered, he wondered if this was just how people were in this city. At least he got himself a regular. Now, if only she'd actually send him the bill…
    A/N:

    You know... I really miss the shops I used to eat at during my time studying in a university. They were really nothing special, just your usual fare of slight greasy food but they gave me a bit of comfort there. Makes me wonder if they're still there or if they're gone. Heh, I'm probably just a tad bit nostalgic about the time when I had a different set of worries but they're fun to look back to

    Anyways, I'd like to thank @vyor once more for making this possible. Praise be vyor cause I'll probably go a bit more stir crazy without him (and other friends) to keep me from going fully isolated. I really need to get out more often. Now if you want to support me or want to read some fic chapters in advance, consider dropping by either Patreon or Ko-Fi. Without my patreons, I wouldn't have been able to write this. We're currently sitting at Chapter 31 and 4-5 canon semi-omakes. You might like them :3

    Speaking off, to that stuck around till this part, wanna read some Primarch SI where the Emperor gets to deal with having Grandchilden? Here, why not give it a read: https://www.patreon.com/posts/lawman-prologue-106440427
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Chapter 13
  • Threadmarks
    • A Foxy Logo
    As much as he felt uncomfortable having someone just give him an industrial stand mixer, he had to admit that was a god send. No longer did he have to toil; kneading the dough for his baking needs, now he could have as many pastries as he wanted. He could now make giant batches of bagels and it couldn't have come at a better time as the shift workers came out in droves.

    "A dozen everything bagels and a coffee!" A voice screamed out from the crowd he had gathered up. The streaming throng of tired shift workers, each trying to vye a spot in line.

    With thongs in hands, he bagged them as swiftly as he could. Sneaking in a thirteenth piece and emptying the tray, he gave his customer his order with a smile on his face, "That'll be thirteen eddies!" He replied.

    In keeping with tradition, he kept his prices at a reasonable eddie per item. It was a bit more expensive than his pizza but hey, he was using real sesame and poppy seeds here! Not that it would have cost him anything, but it was the principle of the thing.

    As the man paid him and retreated into the crowd, he turned to them and shouted, "That's the last of this batch! Next batch will be in a few minutes!" There were some groans and shouts of protest from the crowd, but they remained civil, staying in line.

    Glancing over to the empty box of paper cups he had, he then added, "A reminder to everyone! We ran out of coffee cups so bring your own if you want to get served!" He had severely underestimated just how much coffee people needed.
    Loading up another batch of beans in his coffee maker, he wiped the sweat off his forehead as he turned towards his last batch waiting to be thrown in the oven. As fun as it was to make bagels, this was more of his new morning routine. The real dish of the day had yet to be picked; he was thinking mexican.

    With the lull between batches he had some time to sit down and enjoy a drink. Leaning down under the counter, he made himself a nice and cold NiCola. Getting back up, he had been rather curious about this drink ever since he'd gotten there. It was just everywhere, and he was more of a fan of the Red and White aside that. Now, he wanted to try it for a change and he needed cola for his Carnita's anyways, so he might as well use some of the more local flavors.

    "Let's see what you got, NiCola," He said out loud as he took a drink before setting it down on the counter. Shaking his head and wincing he noted, "Fucking hell that was strong." The fizzy, artificial taste of cough syrup clung to his tongue, refusing to be washed down as he got himself a glass of water. He also found it mildly alcoholic, but that might be more of the classic flavor he made. He'd expected Coca Cola or Pepsi, not something that'd be more at home in a frat house.

    Looking over to the opened bottle, he grimaced as he grabbed it and chugged it down. Waste not, want not; that was the motto. He opened it so now he was going to finish it.

    As he drank his can, he turned over to the sign Kiwi had set up. The clean lines, tasteful design, and calligraphy were just a sight to behold. Along with the art, he knew that he needed to use it from here on out. It was Kiwi's art, however, so he needed her permission. Dialing her number, he waited for her to pick up.

    It wouldn't take long for the grumpy woman to answer; immediately telling him, "I want a dozen poppy seed bagels for myself and a dozen cinnamon sugar bagels for Lucy. I swear that girl has quite the sweet tooth."

    He was taken aback by the rather abrupt reply, "I… how the hell did you know I'm making bagels?" He asked.

    He heard a snort on the other end of the line as she replied, "News travels fast, kid, and you're Night City's hottest new topic," Chuckling, the woman continued, "Who knows, maybe you'll actually get rich by selling at an eddie a piece for whatever you have on sale."

    "Fair enough, I suppose," He nodded as he glanced over to the crowd to check for cameras. Thankfully, there was none that he could see at least. Turning his attention back to the call, he then said, "Anyways, I called you because I'm planning on using your art for my store. Is that ok?"

    "You want my doodle for your store? Why the hell do you even need to ask? It's already there anyway, so use it," She replied in a mildly scolding tone, "I mean, it's just a quick and dirty doddle anyway, so there's no harm done."

    He breathed a sigh of relief at her answer. "It's more of a courtesy call," he explained as he took another sip from his can and finding it more palatable. He had to admit, he was slowly getting used to the taste. The mild buzz was an added bonus. "But are you sure though? It has your chibi on it and I could trade mark it you know," He then told her.

    "You're not that type of kid," The woman chuckled, "You're one of those soft ones, the type that'll get eaten up by a corpo if they ever managed to get you to sign something." Hearing a puff of smoke from the other end, she then added, "Word of advice, stay the hell away from Corpos if you know what's good for you. Trust me on this one."

    "Alright," he nodded. Thinking about it, his brand might become a trophy for them. He'd probably have to face someone trying to buy him out one of these days, but not now. "Oh one last thing, I'll be making a small edit to your chibi. Just a small addition to fit in with the name of the store."

    There was short pause on the other end of the line before she asked him, "What kind of edits?" He shivered at the impending sense of doom coming from the other end of the line but as he stared at her chibi, he couldn't help but want to add it. Those fluffy features were just perfect for the store if she was going to be a mascot.

    "Thinking of adding fox ears," he admitted as he grabbed a chopstick and used it as a stylus to make his edit. Finding a template online, he then added, "It's honestly a perfect fit for you, you know. Just a crafty gumiho like in the legends of old."

    "You added fox ears to my Chibi?" The woman hissed out as he heard choking laughter in the background. "I will stab you," She then grounded out. It was too late however and now he was a proud owner of a fox-eared Kiwi.

    "I'll get a courier to get you your order," He replied as he started dialing another number. "Thanks for the drawing, bye~" He quickly added before closing the line. He was going to die the next time he met Kiwi but, looking over the doodle, it was well worth it.
    A/N:

    Seoul Kitchen finally got its mascot and Kiwi is not a happy camper. Chef would have to watch his back around the old gumiho or he'll have his liver eaten! Or so Lucy claims. Whether there is truth to this is an entirely different matter.

    Oh yeah, sorry about forgetting to post these... I kinda forgot? Got really busy trying to get some chapters out for another fic. The next chapter for this is already beta'd though so there should be another chapter dropping either monday or tuesday? Depends really.

    Anyways, I'd like to thank @vyor once more for making this possible. Praise be vyor cause he actually puts up with my shenanigans :V. Now if you want to support me or want to read some fic chapters in advance, consider dropping by either Patreon or Ko-Fi. Without my patreons, I wouldn't have been able to write this.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top