Rainy Friend

There was shit to do and people to shake down.

Normal's heels clicked on the sidewalk. Devilish and sharp, other buns parted as he strut. Maybe it was who he was. Maybe it was the 'I'll murder you and hide the body' look he was he giving to anyone who dared look at him. He was better than them. They didn't deserve to look at him.

Nothing could stop Normal when he was in a mood like this.

... except.

A few stray droplets hit the toe of his shoe. It gave him pause long enough to glance up. More on his cheek. Normal sighed. He had forgotten it would be rain today.

It looked like it would come sudden and hard, too. Which usually he was into, but this time Normal was just annoyed. It was so hard to fix his hair how he wanted it in his doll form! This was shit! He hadn't even remembered to bring his umbrella. Fuck.

Lest he end up looking like a wet cat, Normal grumbled and ducked under the closest shop awning as he waiting for the storm to pass. Just in time, as no sooner than the tip of his tail flicked under safety did the storm pick up pace. Soaking the ground, Normal inhaled the ozone of the rain and grumbled. He'd just have to wait this out.

Shame this put a real damper (pun intended) on his plans.

There wasn't much to do as he waited. Idly he watched as other buns, also caught in the storm, scrambled to find shelter. It was almost amusing.

A sudden noise from beside his foot.

Normal glanced down to find an Imp using him as cover. It hadn't seem to notice that he was looking at it, thinking itself safe. It was... a Remil, he thought? His visits with Hutch were usually spent trying to get the other on his back rather than listen to him ramble about his interests. Normal had no shame in this.

The thing was dirty and skinny, covered in muck and grime. You couldn't even see what color it's coat was for the mud covering it. It was almost pathetic.

... it was pathetic.

Normal wasn't the type for pity, usually. He didn't have a very high bar for empathy on a good day. But something about this sad, desperate little rat really tugged at heartstrings he didn't know he had. Frowning at himself, Normal tried to ponder at why. Was it the shared space? How it was looking longingly at some abandoned crumbs of some snack on the ground, abandoned in the storm? They were both just creatures trying to avoid getting soaked. Perhaps it had something to do with that.

Normal plucked it from the ground without more of a thought about it. He grimaced at the filth it stained his nice, white gloves with; he had seen far worse, sure, but he didn't enjoy it. The creature squeaked and struggled, scrambling and clawing for purchase and freedom. Normal just tightened his grip and adjusted his hold to keep it locked in place.

"Ballsy little thing." He muttered to himself when it tried, and failed, to bite him. "I'm not going to hurt you." Was followed. It didn't sound convincing. Normal had never been one for comfort.

No, he was one for action.

Across the street was a small cafe. It looked relatively empty, save for whoever had ducked inside to escape the rain. Sighing and steeling himself, Normal stepped from his perfect dry spot and made his way through the rain.

He was soaked to the bone almost instantly. Normal was grateful he was in his doll form and not his bun form at the moment; it would have taken ages to dry out all his fur.

The bell chimed as Normal stepped inside. He sniffed and dripped water on the floor. A few buns glanced over at him lazily, a small woman holding a menu taking a step closer. She glanced at Normal, then down at Normal's new... project. Her smile dropped into an unsure frown.

"You can't bring that in here." She knit her brows, looked unsure even as she said it.

Normal stepped past her like she never spoke at all. She reached out to grab him in shock but he brushed her off. A stop to glower down at her. Unflinching. She blinked, her eyes going owlishly wide before she glanced at the floor, face heating up bright red. That's what Normal thought!

He went into the bathroom like he owned the place.

The sink was turned on to something tepid. His hands, and the Imp, placed under the spray. Normal wasn't a gentle bun by any means. He tried for the sake of the Remil, not wanting to hurt the creature, but his use of the water, the grip, and the provided soap was a little more rough than needed. In the end, he pulled out a pathetic and wet beast. That was bright pink.

"Cute." Was what he decided as he dried it off with one of those rough, brown paper towels bathrooms always had. It just whined pathetically in his hands, apparently running out of juice enough to struggle any longer.

A quick glance at himself in the mirror. Normal sighed and did his best to straighten his hair back up one handed. Well, he tried. Maybe tomorrow he could collect on his debts.

Exiting the bathroom, Normal made himself comfortable in a booth by the window. He stared absently out of it when the woman from before came over. She grimaced at him, clearly trying to hide it, offering a quiet but stock standard greeting before sliding him a menu. Normal cracked it open to give it a glance. He hadn't intended to order anything.

... but then again. He did have a hungry little creature here with him.

"House salad and a slice of carrot cake. A glass of almond milk, too."

Normal didn't even look at her when he ordered. She grumbled out some affirmative that Normal chose to ignore, turning his attention to his new little friend.

Pink... maybe that was why he had been so attracted to the creature? It was one of his favorite colors. The Remil was looking out the window just as wistful as before. Sitting it on the table, Normal caged it in his hands before it got any bright ideas. Then he gently used a finger to pet between it's ears when it glanced up at him warily.

"I meant it when I said I wouldn't hurt you." He said to it again. It probably didn't know what he was saying. With enough petting and handling, and time, it seemed to dry out well enough. While it still didn't seem to trust Normal, it was at least tolerating him enough not to bolt at every given chance. (Just some of them.)

The plates clicked as they were placed on the table.

Normal picked up the Remil by the scruff and dropped it into the bowl of salad.

It blinked up at him, stunned, a piece of lettuce on it's head like a fashionable little hat. Normal just grinned down at it, leaning his cheek on his hand.

"I got it for you. Eat up."

That the Remil seemed to understand, at least! It wasted no time in chowing down on the offered meal. Pieces of turnip and carrot being nibbled on. Normal hummed, pleased with himself, and picked up the fork to cut into his slice of cake.

By the time he was finished the cloudburst seemed to be over. Light shone down through the cracks in the clouds, granting a temporary respite from the rain.

The Remil, stuffed to the gills, at some point had curled up next to his hand and fallen asleep.

Normal sighed.

When he left, he made sure to leave a generous tip.