Work Text:
You turned the valve to the machine hastily, occasionally stopping and peaking around the corner so you wouldn’t get snuck up on. Why in the world would there be a machine in a closed off section of the pantry, on a diner floor?
Actually scratch that, why were there machines on any of the floors!?
You let out a sigh of relief as the machine’s light switched to an all-too-familiar green that you had come to love.
“GTE!”
Oh, it must be time already. You raced over to the elevator in the main kitchen part of the floor, huffing and panting as you stabilized yourself against a wooden beam. (Autocorrect wanted to say you stabbed yourself against a wooden beam😭)
The elevator opened, the clicking of a timer began to play, and a screen turned on above the now-opened elevator, showing a clock counting down from 35.
You hurried inside despite your lack of stamina, looking outside of the elevator with your hands on your knees and your back bent forward.
Soon enough, Scraps came rushing around the corner, tail stretching out so fast no one could see her as she crashed headfirst into Brightney, knocking her over.
“Ghhg-! Scraps!!”
“Sorry!”
She quickly scrambled off of Brightney, tail lashing back and forth furiously behind her.
“EAE!” Rodger shouted from the other side of the elevator as the other toons caught their breath or shot each other casual or joking remarks aimlessly.
Looey came next, speeding towards the elevator like a bullet as Twisted Toodles and Twisted Poppy chased him.
Rodger looked away quickly, only turning his gaze back as the loud thunk of the elevator door closing sounded.
The lights hummed, and a click sounded as a familiar radio tune could be heard behind you all.
“Welcome back, friends!-” Dandy rose from the open shaft.
“We’re NOT your friends.” Sprout hissed, arms crossed.
Dandy’s eye twitched.
“Care to buy some items? I’ve got only the best!”
Three chocolate bars. Sprout scoffed and turned away. Other toons grimaced or looked away blankly. Some toons just got mad.
Th-three!?
The sweet side of you flared up, your mouth beginning to water.
“NO ONE WANTS THIS DANDY! I HATE YOUR HORRIBLE ITEMS!” Shrimpo was shaking in anger so badly you could’ve thought he was having a seizure.
No, no. You don’t need it. It’s a one time thing, it’s not worth the tapes…
You squeezed your eyes shut, tapping your foot against the ground rapidly, like an angry rabbit.
It was getting harder to maintain your composure. You could feel the sweat on your body, your hands balled into fists, your teeth grit together. When you finally opened your eyes again, Dandy was staring at you, eyes half-lidded and mouth in an almost cat-like grin.
And as the timer reached 5 seconds, you stepped forward and dumped a pile of tapes on the table. How many, you weren’t actually sure. All you knew is that it was over the necessary amount because Dandy’s face brightened and he whispered “Ooh, extra change!”
You didn’t care about the incredulous looks sent your way, you snatched those chocolate bars off the table like they were the last sweets you’d ever get to eat.
You could hear the cracking of the plastic and chocolate beneath your hand as you walked back to your spot, nearly bouncing on your feet.
Your eyes sparkled as you quickly unwrapped one of the chocolate bars and bit a huge chunk of it off.
It cracked beneath your teeth in a satisfying way, and then slowly melted in your mouth. The taste was heavenly, cocoa beans and milk swirling in your mouth.
Your eyes drifted shut, and you heard Dandy chuckle behind you before pulling the lever for his shop and descending beneath the floor with one of his usual goodbye statements.
You couldn’t care about what the other toons were thinking right now, what Dandy was thinking right now.
That seemed to not be the case for the others.
“Seriously?” Came a pixely voice.
“You actually bought his junk?”
Vee stood looking unamused, with one hand on her hip and the other pointing at the sweets you had, although still maintaining “eye” contact.
“It’s practically useless, you know that right?”
You merely shot her a look and turned away, taking another bite of your chocolate with an almost childish huff.
She imitated a groan, the pixels on her face almost certainly morphed into a deadpan.
Bonus:
“Ah, friend! Hello!”
The sound of Dandy’s voice rang through the lobby. Curiously, you turned your head towards the shop and made your way over to the counter.
The smile on his face was so bright and cheery that any fool who didn’t know what he was capable of would have never suspected him of the things he’d done.
“Oh, yes. I’d just like to thank you!”
A mint-green hand gripped your chin, thumb grazing just slightly over your lips. He leaned over the counter to look down at you, his sweet face dissolving into something more sadistic and devilish.
“You are my best customer, after all.”