Chapter Eight
“No one better try to fondle Gaston this year!” Chad yelled as he stomped out of the bathroom and into the living room, still half-dressed from his shower.
“No one’s necks as incredibly thick as - “ Jared began to sing but was shut up by Chad shoving what he hoped was a clean sock in his mouth.
“If you don’t shut up right now, Jasmine is going to be missing her prince today.”
Jared pulled the sock out of his mouth. “I don’t think it will be as bad this year. You know, Rosey said he was working secret security this year.”
“I don’t know if that makes me feel better or not.”
“Well, it makes me feel better. Hoping this year no one volunteers to take me to ‘a whole new world’ - ”
“But, Jared, with that long hair, people just don’t know…”
“Shut up, Chad.”
“Or what?”
“Or I will hand out your number.”
“Message received.”
**--**--**
Jensen finished his first shift ever as the loveable Flynn Rider and made his way to the employee lounge. His feet were killing him and his face honestly hurt from the constant smirking he had been doing.
Amanda showed up a few minutes after Jensen and fell into the vacant seat beside him.
“You okay?” He asked her.
“My feet are killing me.”
“Give them.” Jensen motioned with an open palm, wiggling his fingers.
“What?”
Amanda considered it for a moment before slipping off her flip flops and putting her feet in Jensen’s lap. “That’s wonderful, thank you.”
“You killed out there,” Jensen praised.
“So did you.” Amanda rolled her shoulders.
Jensen smirked. “I kinda did.”
“Hey, do you remember that one little girl with her dads?”
“You mean the ones that you couldn’t tell who was more excited to meet us?”
“Yes them! They were so cute!”
“I was expecting the worst today after what Rosey was telling me this morning.”
“Oh you can’t listen to Rosey. Or Tom. Or Chad. Or Danneel, ever.” Amanda slumped further in her spot. “But most importantly, don’t ever stop doing that thing you are doing to the bottom of my foot.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“One more person gropes me and I swear to God,” Christian stomped in and tore off his head.
“I hear you,” Steve collapsed beside him after dropping his own character’s head by the door. “Some jackass tried to put an actual snake in my boot.”
“Tough room.” Amanda sighed, closing her eyes.
“Tough room, my ass,” Christian snorted. “No one’s rubbing my feet.”
“Maybe you can get Tom here too,” Danneel said as she came through the door, wig in hand. “Because Flynn’s hands are already busy.
“Don’t be bitter,” Tom admonished, finding his own chair to fall into for a while.
“Oh, I’m not bitter,” Danneel assured him. “I’m next.”
“Is that right?” Jensen asked not missing a beat as he continued to rub Amanda’s foot. “What makes you so sure?”
“Because you are from Texas like our gigantic friend and he’s a gentleman and, so, you must be too.” Danneel pulled a chair up beside Amanda.
“Lucky guess,” Jensen nodded.
Danneel propped a foot on the leg that Amanda didn’t have hers resting on. “Can you do more than one at a time?”
Jensen quirked an eyebrow in Amanda’s direction. “Do you mind?”
“No, no, the more the merrier,” Amanda answered. “And I know how these shoes kill your feet.”
“Thanks doll,” Danneel patted Amanda’s leg.
“Did you at least get shoe’s that fit today?” Amanda inquired.
“No,” Danneel groaned. “I swear those things are being hoarded with the ‘missing’ costumes.”
“Right?” Amanda agreed. “Maybe you should talk to Rosey about setting a few pairs back?”
“He won’t do it,” Jensen remarked as he took a foot in each hand. “This morning I asked him to hold this costume and he told me there was no way.
Danneel and Amanda looked at each other for a moment before bursting out in peals of laughter.
“What?” Jensen frowned.
“You have a lot to learn, man.” Christian chuckled. “Girls have so many powers we can’t even presume to know.”
“Preach.” Michael said as he walked through the door, “Even though I don’t know why we’re talking about this” he looked over to where Jensen sat.
“Nice, a threesome.”
“I didn’t realize Chad was here.” Danneel huffed.
“I keep hearing about this ‘Chad’ but I have yet to meet him.”
“Call yourself lucky.”
“He’s Jared’s roommate.”
“Still haven’t met him either.”
“Well, today’s your lucky day.” Michael said as a young man dressed as Aladdin came through the door. “That’s Jared.”
“Who? Me?” Jared asked, somehow unaffected by the same heat that was making everyone else almost pass out.
“Yes, our moose-like friend,” Sandy said, going to the refrigerator to get an ice cold water and chug it without stopping. “We were just telling Jensen here that he needed to meet you.”
“Well now he can.” Jared filled one of the two empty seats left at the table. “Hello, Jensen, we seem to just keep missing each other.”
Jensen smiled up at the man. “Nice to meet you man.”
“So, you’re the one replacing Ian. Those are some pretty big shoes to fill. Just, you know, don’t think you have to live up to his reputation and all.”
“You don’t have to worry about me at all.”
“Jared, why didn’t you wait for me?” Sandy dragged through the door. “I could have used a pack animal to carry me today. I swear it was open season on my belly button.”
“Oh, sorry, honey,” Danneel sympathized. “Too bad Jensen only has two hands.”
“Oh, this is not fair!” Sandy flopped in Jared’s lap. “Do me next?” She pleaded with Jensen.
“Sure.”
“Don’t talk to me, Chad,” Sophia was stomping as she came in the door. “I am not even in your world.”
“Oh come on, it was a joke.” Chad clearly didn’t know how to take a hint.
“Well, I don’t think it was a very funny one.”
“Okay, we’ll ask Genny if she thinks it’s funny.”
Genevieve came in the door looking like she was ready to strangle the next person that talked to her. “Don’t ask me anything, Chad, you are kind of on my shit list right now.”
“What did I do?”
“Where do I even start?”
“How about telling people I was a man?” Sophia dared him to tell her the truth.
“He did that to you too?”
“Oh yeah, and it sure was not a tiny bit funny.”
“And were you the one sending men over to ask if I still had your copy of the Kama Sutra?” Genevieve poked him in the chest.
“I…” Chad stammered, falling a bit off balance.
“All right, all right, ladies,” Misha was the last through the door. “The other shift is finally topside and we can take a break and then it’s all over. We can all go home after we debrief a bit and wash all of today off of us. Didn’t seem to have as many incidents as last year, but you were lucky and got the early shift. I suppose as the sun starts to die down and it cools off a bit, there is going to be more activity. So, here’s what I suggest. Get a nice cool bottle of water, relax for upwards of half an hour, return your costumes to the closet and get the hell out of here before it gets too late and you get caught up in the madness.”
There was a collective nod and muttering began about where they were agreeing to meet up once they were away from the park to have a proper discussion about how their days went.
It took a while, but it got agreed on somehow that the lot of them would go to Tom’s apartment as it was the biggest and best one to have a nice quiet post hellday jam session at.
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