When Darkness Falls...

Rylie's POV

After four hours, I’m bored. So I decide to bug Randall.

“Ohhh sweetie pie~!” I call in a sing song voice, making sure to be unnecessarily loud.

I hear Randall growl as he turns around and walks over to me, a fake smile plastered on his face but the look in his eyes says he wants to strangle me.

“Yes, Darling. What can I get you?” he says
“Oh, nothing. I just wanted to tell you how great of a boyfriend you are~!” I say, pinching his cheek.
“Thank you, honey.” He says, patting my cheek a little hard. “That means just as much as the other five times you’ve told me.”

I smile fake sweetly as he walks away. I look over at Fungus who can’t decide if he wants to laugh or avoid getting murdered by Randall.

Randall’s POV
I growl and yell at Fungus to get me another door. I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose.
“Man, tough break.” I hear Sully chuckle.

He’s looking at Rylie.

“Yeah, well, what are you gonna do?” I sigh.
“yeah, I guess so.” He says, chuckling again.
“So what, is she good in bed or something?” he asks

I drop my tank of scream and the top busts, letting out all of the scream I had collected. Everyone covers their ears as the lights surge and the screens short out, showing static. I pick up the tank and secure the top.

“What?” I ask.
“Ya’ know.” He says, shrugging. “Why else would you keep her around? No offense, Randall, but she’s annoying and I can tell you know it. It’s almost as if she’s doing it on purpose.”

For some reason I get angry at that. I grimace

“You know what Sullivan? I DO take offense. So why don’t you just shut up and mind your business?”

He held up his hands in a I-meant-no-harm gesture and walks away. I sigh and walk back over to Rylie.
She just smiles sweetly/taunting way and I just shake my head.
The whistle blows and everyone starts to leave the scare floor.

“Is it time to go home already?” Rylie asks, confused.

I laugh, taking her hand in mine.

“No, kid, it’s lunch.” I reply, leading her to the lunch room.

I pull her through line and get her a tray. She looks at the food and scrunches up her nose.

“What is all this stuff?” She whispers.
“Just grab something.” I mutter, choosing my favorites.

I hear Fungus trying to help her by telling her what the equivalent in the human world is to certain foods.

Fungus’ POV
I stop Rylie’s hand as she reaches for the pickled Rhino eel.

“Now, unless you love the taste of cow tongue, I wouldn’t pick that.” I whisper in her ear.
She scrunches her nose and sets the tongs down. I point to the spiked mango beetle.

“now, as gross as that looks, it tastes like pineapple.” I say and she eagerly grabs that.

I point out a couple more things like prickly fish fillet that tastes like salmon and a fruit called madusa’s eye that tastes exactly like a pear. Then I scoop a good amount of serpant’s tail stew and put it on her plate. She looks at me, uncertain.

“Now, trust me. It tastes like chicken.” I say.
“a lot of things you pointed out taste like chicken.” She giggles.

I chuckle.

“well, yes, but I promise you’ll like this.” I say.
“c’mon you two, I don’t have all day.” Randall says imapatiently.

We pay and sit down at an empty table and start eating. Rylie looks nervously at her tray and takes a deep breath before picking up her fork and looking me dead in the eyes.

“If I die from anything you put on my plate, Fungus, I’m going to come back and haunt you for the rest of your life.” She says, grinning.

I blush slightly.

“I assure you, you will like it.” I say.

She nods and takes a small, cautious bite of the mango beetle and chews slowly. I cross my fingers and hope she likes it. Her face brightens and she chews more enthusiastically.

“That does taste like pineapple.” She says, grinning.

She clears her whole plate except for the stew, which she looks at me again nervously.

“Go on, Rylie. I promise you’ll enjoy it. “ I say.
“Alright, Fungus, but remember” she pauses “it’s your head.”

She takes a bite and swallows, laughing.

“It DOES taste like chicken!” she says, giggling.

I grin widely.

“well, everything tastes like chicken, remember?” I say, laughing slightly.

I look over at Randall, who’s glaring at me slightly. I nervously look down at my tray and finish eating. Luckily, Rylie doesn’t notice because she’s sitting next to him.

Rylie’s POV
After lunch, we head back to the Scare floor, me teasing Fungus about him freaking out about me touching him. It’s so cute when his cheeks flush. Even though he’s older than me by four years, I feel like he’s younger, more innocent. It’s adorable.
I sit back down and they get to work. Luckily they only have three more hours left, which fly by. Before I know it, we are heading out the door and to their apartment.
Once there, Randall shuts himself in his room but Fungus stays and talks to me for a while. We talk until well after nightfall, when he decides he needs sleep for work. We say good night and I slowly drift off.