Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Why are we going to a hat shop again?” sighed Marianne as she rubbed her calves.

“Because my bachelorette party is themed, and we need to have a proper hat, silly!” giggled Dawn, not tired despite six hours of shopping.

The sisters walked slowly - or at least Marianne did while lagging behind Dawn for once - down Main Street of the tiny town of Forestville until they found their destination: Sophie's Hat Shop. It was famous for having the largest collection of hats around for any occasion

“Welcome inside, ladies! Have some candy on this lovely Valentine's Day. How may I assist you today?” asked a bubbly woman, holding out a giant bowl of chocolate.

Marianne wanted to grumble about not being reminded of Singles Awareness Day, but when she saw the name tag of Sophie on the greeter, she wisely shut her mouth.

“We're looking for hats to match our costumes. My bachelorette party is next week, and we need to finish our costumes,” explained Dawn, starting to bounce in place with excitement. “I still can't believe I'm getting married in just over two weeks !”

“Congratulations! I'll do everything I can to help. What kind of hats are you two looking for?” asked Sophie, leading the girls toward the aisles and aisles of hats set up on mannequins.

“I need a cowgirl hat, and the bride-to-be needs a jungle exploration hat, preferably a smaller one since her head's a little small,” said Marianne, ready to be left alone after she grabbed the first ten gallon hat she could find.

“That's why I came here. I can never find a hat that fits me well,” pouted Dawn prettily, using the same look that made Sunny give in every time to his fiance. “I'm Dawn, by the way, and this is my sister, Marianne.”

“Never fear, ladies! I've got both of those types of hats. If you go down that last aisle, you'll find half of it devoted to cowboy hats of all sizes, Marianne. Dawn, please follow me.”

Marianne gladly let the two women walk down the nearest aisle. They hadn't gone far before Sophie yelled, “Where are you, yellow? I'm coming for you. Look sharp!”

“Is she talking to a hat?” asked Marianne in befuddlement before heading to her aisle. Shaking her head, she focused on finding a hat and then somewhere to sit. The store seemed to be lacking in places to sit, but she was determined to find one.

“Wow. She wasn't kidding,” muttered Marianne in awe as she took in the hundreds of cowboy hats lining the shelves of every color and size. “Maybe she does have Jessie's hat here, after all.”

Dawn had wanted every girl to dress up as a Disney princess, but none with gigantic dresses as a nod to Marianne’s preferences as party organizer. Marianne had chosen Jessie from Toy Story, and Dawn chose to be Jane from Tarzan, the closest she could get to a big dress.

After rummaging through all the red hats, Marianne found the hat she needed. After trying it on and seeing that it fit, she went in search of a seat. After making a circle inside and not finding any chair, she went back to the cowboy hats as she didn't want to be forced to try on hats by Dawn. Instead, she pretended to be a cowgirl, finding a holster and belt in an accessory bin.

Taking overly wide, hunched-over steps, Marianne stomped down the aisle, fingers in her pockets, as though ready to face down a mustache-twirling villain. Then, she suddenly whirled around to face an aisle of hats, kneeling on the ground and sticking her fingers between hats.

“Stick ‘em up, boys. The jig is up,” she said, drawing out the words before making many pew pew noises.

“I'm so scared,” said a mocking, nearby male voice.

Marianne started to blush at the realization that she had been caught being silly. She hadn't seen anyone there when she started, and she was just a little peeved that someone felt the need to interrupt. She turned, index fingers still extended, but they quickly fell to her side as she looked up…and up...and up some more at a towering giant of a man wearing a black top hat.

“Looks like you need a villain. Here I am,” said the mystery man with a Scottish brogue as he bowed and smirked, hands wide.

“Got a big enough hat?” she replied when she realized that he wanted to join her. “What's your name?”

“No. I'm evil. My middle name is misery,” he crooned, sticking his hands in his pockets and widening his stance.

“Well, Mr. Evil Misery, let me make your day,” she said, backing up and standing, amazed that he was still a head taller than her. “I'm the new sheriff in town, and you're first on my list. Draw.”

She stuck out her index fingers, as did he. For several seconds, both gave each other glares of competition before Marianne suddenly grabbed the etch-a-sketch inside the accessory bin. He stared in puzzlement until she turned her creation, a flag on a flagpole, around to show him. “I finished first. I win,” she said, giving him a smug grin.

“Hey! That's not how they do it in the Old West,” he said, turning red and stepping in front of her directly. “No fair.”

“It never is for villains. Cheaters never prosper,” she said, still grinning as she dropped the etch-a-sketch inside the bin.

“How you turn my world, you precious thing,” he marveled,  conceding defeat to her superior drawing skills.

“As a result, your punishment is as follows: you will tell me your real name and why you're stuck here bored right now like I am.”

He opened and closed his mouth in surprise, not expecting that response. “Friends call me Bog. My best friends know Sophie, the owner, and I was forced to come here to find a proper hat for my mother's birthday party.”

He pointed at his top hat, and she nodded appreciatively. “I'm Marianne. My sister is getting married in about two weeks, and we need costumes for her bachelorette party. She's still looking and has energy somehow.”

“Good. Then you'll be unable to defeat me now,” he said, grabbing a black helmet and lightsaber out of the accessory bin and pointing it at her face. “You need a teacher. I could show you the ways of the Force.”

Marianne was tempted to snort but played along, ready to prove she was just as much as a nerd as he was. “The Force?” she asked before spotting an umbrella against the wall. Reaching for it, she blocked his thrust toward her, he making lightsaber noises as he swung.

The two got hits on one another and knocked over twenty hats in their grand face-off up and down the length of the aisle, lightsaber against umbrella, until Sophie came over and told them to stop causing a ruckus and making so much noise. Both were laughing and leaning against one another as Dawn, Stuff, and Thang gave them buggy-eyed looks.

When all bystanders had left, Marianne turned to her partner in crime. “Want to wreak havoc and try on lots of random hats just because?”

“Sounds like fun. We'll be a costumed pair,” he said, grabbing a black hat for a jailbird costume and putting it on Marianne's head before reaching for a cop's hat. “Your turn to be evil.”

“You'll never catch me!” she cried, proceeding to run about the store, Bog in hot pursuit.

For the next hour, the two drove their friends crazy. Baseball caps, umpire hats, fedoras, cloche hats, and more were worn and tossed around until Dawn finally announced that she was satisfied. Marianne proceeded to lead Bog back to where they had found their current hats. When she stopped and turned in front of where she had found her fancy derby hat, she hadn't realized how close Bog was to her. Suddenly, his chest rammed into hers, both of their hats flying off. His straw hat flew much further than hers, even though he landed on top of her.

For several seconds, both just stared, wide-eyed, at each other before Bog snapped out of it.

“I'm so sorry! I didn't realize you had stopped. Are you hurt?” he asked, sincerely worried.

“No, I'm fine. Nothing feels sprained or broken,” she said, testing her ankle. “Legs, shoulders, head, all good. Thank you for asking,” she said as he got up and lent her a hand.

“You're welcome. Why did you stop?” he asked. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No, not at all! My sister did,” she said, looking sad. “I was actually really enjoying this.”

It was actually true. She had lived being silly nerds with Bog, and she was going to miss this. She hadn't enjoyed herself like that in a long time.

“So was I,” he said, stepping away, looking awkward.

“Well, it was nice meeting you, Bog,” she said, not sure what to say or if she would look weird asking for his number.

“Yeah. I hope I find you in here again sometime,” he said, looking hopeful.

“That's doubtful since we live a half hour from here,” she said. “But it looks like my sister is ready to check out. Bye-ee!”

She dashed around a corner and realized how stupid she sounded, so she went back to salvage her dignity and try to get the courage up to ask him out. She became more hopeful when she saw him looking dejected.

“Woah,” she said, making him look up and smile all over again. “Didn't mean to sound so...cute.”

“Cute, ah, actually works for you,” he stammered, blushing as much as she was.

“Oh,” she replied, wringing her hands nervously.

“Just ask each other out already!” said Dawn, Stuff, and Thang from the opposite end of the aisle, all getting tired of their awkwardness.

“It's Valentine's Day. Just do it!” cried Stuff.

“You can do it! You can do it all night long!” yelled Thang, pumping a fist in the air as Bog and Marianne felt a desire to facepalm.

“It’s true love! Just casually tell him that you'd like to marry him and have lots of sex and babies that have his brogue and get it over with already,” said Dawn, tired of her love-hating sister not willing to take a chance on a guy. An embarrassed Marianne was much more likely to tell the truth, even if it was only that she liked Bog and would consider dating him.

“I don't believe in love!” shouted both Marianne and Bog, shocking one another.

“On second thought, we have a lot more in common than I realized,” said Bog, taking Marianne's hand. “Let's get out of here, away from these fools. I know a place that gives deep discounts on food on Valentine's Day, Plum's Restaurant. Let's scam ‘em and make the most of Singles Awareness Day.”

“I like the way you think,” she said, linking arms with him as they waved goodbye, leaving the others to pay for the hats.

“Looks like I'm having dinner out here tonight. I should call Sunny; I bet he'd love to spy on them with me,” said Dawn with an evil grin as she noticed which direction they went.

“Can we join?” asked Stuff and Thang eagerly. “He hasn't been out on a date in years .”

“Let's do it. We can take bets on who's more awkward.”

“Done!”

Chapter Text

“Sunny, I see you just had a text from Dawn. Where is she?” asked Roland ever so casually after appearing out of nowhere.

Sunny thought it odd that he was at the very place that he accused of serving swill, but what did he know? “She's over at Sophie's Hat Shop. Why?” asked Sunny, giving him a confused look.

“Oh nothing. I was thinking I could go surprise Marianne for Valentine's Day. I practiced another song for her,” said Roland, taking the seat in front of Sunny and taking the classic Flashdance pose, ready for water to be dumped on his perfect body and hair.

Sunny cringed and tried yet again to dissuade Roland. “Look, man, a little advice from a successful guy.  I know you like her, but enough is enough. You are trying way too hard, and you’re making a fool of yourself.  You gotta stop before she calls the cops on you.”

“I’m not settling for second best,” said Roland, getting up and knocking Sunny’s drink on him before stomping away. Sunny just shrugged as Roland acted like a spoiled brat; he was used to Roland's selfish ways.

Sensing a problem for the sisters, Sunny called his fiance.  “Dawn?”

“Hi, Sunny! You have great timing. What’s up?”

“I think I screwed up.  I told Roland where you were.”

There was a pause, and then she spoke as though it were just fine. “It’s okay, Sunny; Marianne’s gone actually, out with a guy she just met.  I think it’s meant to be,” whispered Dawn like it was a great, big secret.

“That’s...good,” sighed Sunny, relieved for Marianne’s sake.  “I can’t believe she actually agreed to go out with a guy.”

“It’s only to get cheap food on Valentine’s Day, but I think she secretly likes him.  Come over to the shop, and we can spy on them with some of his friends,” she said. “It’ll be fun!”

That was how Sunny found himself following Roland’s footsteps over to Forestville.

“So what time does this restaurant open up?” asked Marianne as she and Bog left the hat shop.

“In… oh, confound it all, three hours. Slight miscalculation there,” said Bog, cringing at the lack of foresight and stopping. “What would you like to do? Go back?”

“Heck no! There must be something fun to do in this town for three hours, right?” she asked, looking at him hopefully.

“There is one shop I love, and another place that I know I could make interesting, depending if you liked all that swordplay stuff in Sophie's Hat Shop,” he said, looking nervous. “Do you like it?”

“Like what? Playing with swords? Of course! I only know the basics from watching YouTube videos and practicing on my own,” she said, tugging him farther away from the store and Dawn's meddling ways.

“Really? That was pretty good for not knowing much. We should definitely go there, then,” he said before falling silent as he decided what to do with her.

After an awkward silence of her looking at him and expecting more to be explained, Marianne prompted him, “So where are we going first? The shop you love?”

“Oh, yes! We should get you a shirt there,” he said, starting to look excited.

“Why do I need a shirt?” she asked, growing wary and poking him.

“Because you're going to sweat in your current one,” he replied, “and you're going to enjoy it.”

“I knew I liked you for a reason,” she said, grinning. “My ex hated doing anything physical with me. I'm so glad I'm free of him.”

“Is he the reason you hate love and Singles Awareness Day?” he asked, trying not to appear as curious as he was.

Marianne nodded, deciding to tell him, figuring that he would understand rather than pity her.

“Yes. We were engaged and going to get married on Valentine's Day since it was the day we met. Then I found out he was cheating on me the day of the wedding; I found him in bed with another woman.”

“The idiot! Why would he choose someone besides you?” asked Bog, truly insulted and upset.

“Because he’s a douche who only cares about being noticed by every woman. Roland is the scum of the earth. Just don't say his name; it seems to summon him, just like some demon in his stupid, green Corvette-”

As if by magic, a green Corvette sped down the sleepy street and made a quick u-turn when it passed Marianne. She paled and tried to hide behind Bog, but it was too late.

“Speak of the devil, and he shall appear,” she said, disgusted. “I'm sorry. I don't want you to be tainted by this lowlife. I have a restraining order on him, but he insists on coming anyway. Give me a second to get rid of him by beating him up.”

As she spoke, the car door opened, and four fully-grown men all with blond hair and gleaming green suits and pink flowers stepped out.  Bog was a little impressed all managed to fit inside the tiny car, along with an accordion and a ukulele. The other triplet pulled a harmonica out of his pocket as the leader twirled his hair before posing like the Statue of Liberty with a rose and a box of chocolates.  

That was when Dawn, Stuff and Thang left the shop, curious how far the two had gone.  Dawn immediately recognized the car. “Twenty bucks says her ex sings, and then Marianne punches him.”

“Twenty-five says BK will punch him as well,” replied Stuff, grinning as Marianne and Bog approached the guy posing.

‘Fifty bucks says Bog’ll pretend to be her boyfriend,” added Thang.    

“You’re on!”

Then, the music started playing as the triplets danced in place, and Roland fell to his knees to offer her his tokens of affection.

“Oh, oh, oh, here I am on my knees again-”

“Oh no, not this nonsense again,” muttered Marianne before saying louder, “Roland, you’re a terrible singer.  Go home and leave me alone. I’m with someone, as you can see,” she said, taking a surprised Bog’s hand.

“That stupidly tall, hideous walking stick? Hardly,” scoffed Roland as he got up and approached Marianne.  When he was within reach, Marianne punched his chin, sending him reeling backwards as his cronies stopped playing and went to help him out.

“Sorry, Bog.  He’s insecure around real men,” said Marianne, noticing that Bog was bothered by Roland’s words.  “You’re not hideous. Personally, I think you’re kind of hot and my type.”

She dashed away to scare Roland off more and to avoid seeing Bog’s gaping reaction to her honest words. She was done with blond men; Bog was tall and thin, with just enough stubble and the perfect shade of dark brown hair. When she was in front of Roland, she noticed a nearby puddle of water and kicked it at him before stomping all over his rose.  “Love is stupid, just like your face and your pathetic attempts to win me back. Go away.”

“I’ll stay if I want to,” said Roland, getting up and puffing out his chest.  “I kind of like it here. Don’t you, boys?”

As they nodded, Bog noticed Roland trying to move closer to Marianne.  Bog moved at the same instant Roland did, trying to catch Marianne in a hug to kiss her.  Unfortunately for Roland, Marianne side-stepped him, and his mouth connected with Bog’s heavy fist. At that, teeth went flying out, and Roland screamed like a little girl.

“You’ll pay for this! Both of you will!” hollered Roland as he was led down the street to get help for the injury.

“That was a great hit.  Very impressive,” she said, giving Bog a once-over.  “Got any more tricks hidden in there?”

“Lots more where that came from,” replied Bog, grinning.  “Later.”

“Before we go further, I see a dollar store in front of us, and opportunity.  Have you ever keyed a car or slashed someone’s tires before?” she asked with a smirk.

“No, but I’ve always wanted to,” he said, waving for Marianne to lead the way into the store.  

“Me, too. Since he can't admit that he was close to me, I can't be blamed for this, either,” stated Marianne, looking smug.

A few minutes later, the two came out with some silly string.  While Marianne wrote on the front and back of Roland’s car that he was tiny everywhere that mattered, Bog slashed the Corvette’s tires.  Then, they took turns keying Roland’s car. Never had either found something to be so cathartic.

“Now that was fun,” said Marianne, high-fiving Bog when they were done.  “I wish I could see his face. At least I can take photos and tag him in it.”

Bog looked on with amusement as Marianne sent the photos to other ladies she knew before posting them on facebook.

“You know, Tough Girl, I don't think I've ever enjoyed doing something with a woman before as much as I have with you today,” he said, sliding an arm around her shoulders.

“I feel the same way about you,” she replied, smiling brilliantly.

With that, the two strolled down the street to the store Bog picked out. “So what bands do you like?” asked Bog as they neared the store.

“My favorite is Electric Light Orchestra, album is Face the Music,” she replied, grinning.  “How about yours?”

“You’re joking, right?” he asked, giving her an odd look.  “I love them, too, and that album. What are the odds?”

“Looking good for us,” she said, nudging him.  “So, any chance this shop has a shirt with that album on it?”

“As a matter of fact, it does since I saw one two weeks ago,” he said, smiling warmly and opening the record store’s door for her.  “Let’s go in and listen to some vinyl. The owners are out right now, so I get free reign.”

As the two nerded out about ELO and decided to rename the song “Evil Woman” to “Evil Roland”, Dawn took more photos of Roland’s car until Sunny warned her to scram.  Then, they recorded Roland’s shock and cries of pain as he witnessed the debasement of Chipper, his dear steed. When the local cop, a big guy named Brutus, refused to believe Roland's claims that hooligans had done it, Roland gave up and called a tow before he and his friends left town, defeated.  An hour later, Bog and Marianne each left, carrying matching tops to wear later.

“Where to next?” she asked.  

“We’re going to where I work, actually,” said Bog, not meeting her eyes.  “It’s a gym. I teach classes about various things like self-defense as well as stunt work with lightsabers and other weapons.  It’s pretty fun.”

“It sounds pretty amazing you mean!” cried Marianne, getting excited.  “I’m just an accountant at my dad’s company. One day I’ll take over, so I’ve been working everywhere, learning all about it.”

“Accounting, you say?” he asked, nodding with respect.  “Lucky. I’m awful with numbers.”

“If you ever need help with your books, let me know,” she said, smiling brightly.  “So, what are we doing at your gym?”

“Whatever you want: working out, karate, self-defense, stunts, or a little of everything,” he replied, getting more comfortable at seeing her excitement.  Most girls thought him too big of a nerd.

“Let’s do everything,” she said. “I want to try it all.”

So they did.  Both got comfortable very quickly with him making small adjustments to her stance and technique so that she had maximum ability to hit, block, or whatever else she needed. All went well, except one maneuver.   He had shown her how to escape someone’s choke-hold, and she had managed to do it, only to accidentally step on his instep. He yelped and fell back, taking her with him. She landed on his chest, their breathing labored and mingling as their eyes locked.  Marianne’s hands were on either side of Bog’s face, and his were cradling her waist, pressing her body against his, their heartbeats racing. As close as their faces were, their noses touched.

“Are you alright, Bog?” she asked, one hand touching the stubble on his long, thin face.  

“Yeah,” he said, his eyes still lost in hers.  

She saw the way his pupils dilated at her touch, and her face bent just a little closer.  They were so close to kissing, and the moment both realized it, they put as much space between them as possible, awkward and determined not to fall in love again. Their next few moves were shaky and reluctant, but they soon got back into it. Marianne wasn't sure what she loved more: learning more moves she could use on Roland, or learning how Master Yoda fought.

Three hours after entering, the two walked out of the gym, sweaty and glowing.  Now in matching shirts, the two walked eagerly to Plum’s Restaurant, ready to eat.  They talked about everything they did, except for that one particular moment that neither could forget, nor could help wondering what might’ve happened had they let things play out naturally.

When they were a block away from the restaurant, Bog warned Marianne, “Plum is a bit of an acquired taste, so let me do the talking. Otherwise she's liable to read too much into us, and you do not want that.”

“Got it,” she said, smiling and willing to follow his lead.

“Whatever you do, don't stare at her,” added Bog as an afterthought. “She loves new people. She won't leave us alone if she sees you.”

“Sure, but Bog, we're not going to that day-glow pink place, right? I hate to think what it looks like inside, or what she looks like if so,” she replied, stopping to stare in horror at the tall, pink monstrosity in front of them.

“Sadly, that's the place,” he said. “I avoid it for this reason normally, even though it has the best food in town.”

All the other buildings around it were painted in shades of white, so the restaurant stuck out like a flamingo in a field of pigeons, the light-reflecting pink paint full of glitter, just like the sign that hung in front. As the pair drew closer, Marianne was horrified to discover that red hearts and cupids covered every inch of the two extra large bay windows on either side of the magenta door.

“Is she playing that one song from Lady and the Tramp ?” asked Bog, straining to pick up on the soft music coming from the speakers.

“You mean ‘Bella Notte’? Hang on,” said Marianne, stopping in front of the door to listen. “Yep, that's the song. You're a guy and know Disney songs. I'm impressed.”

She grinned at him, and he blushed, looking away to hide it.

“You know the name of the song; that's even more incredible. I'm just forced to watch the movies with those two you saw earlier,” he said.

“When you have a sister who adores every movie ever made by Disney, you know every song and all the useless trivia,” she said, grimacing.

“Then you would be really helpful. I do trivia night every month, and we fail at that and other similar categories, despite watching them,” he replied, opening the door for her.

“That sounds like so much fun! I bet you're good at it,” she enthused, standing in the doorway.

“I am,” he said, looking a little smug as he followed behind her into the packed restaurant.

As Bog and Marianne entered the restaurant, Sunny stuck his head out of the store next door to the restaurant, and Dawn stuck her head out above Sunny's. Meanwhile, the two new additions to the mannequins in the store window took off their blankets and hissed, "Are they inside?"

"Yep!" said Dawn, clapping her hands. "Let's go in after them."

"It's about time they showed up. I started sweating and got tired of wearing this thing an hour ago," said Thang. "Where were they?"

"They went to our record store," replied Stuff, who had been paying attention to their new clothes. "I knew we should've checked there."

"But why change clothes?" Sunny asked, motioning for everyone to head inside after giving the couple a few minutes to be seated.

"Who cares?" Stuff replied, getting to the edge of the bay window and stopping suddenly, making Thang ram into her. "Guys, we can't go in there!"

"Why not?" Dawn asked, pouting and not stopping until she saw Marianne still standing. "Oh my."

"Looks like we're pretending to be help," said Thang, going to Plan B. "I didn't think it would be that packed. Good thing Plum knows and trusts me."

"As BK is fond of saying: to the Batmobile!" Stuff said, pointing to the alleyway and back of the restaurant.

The four just barely escaped the notice of the awkward couple who were standing and feeling supremely out of place as they waited for a table. Inside, voices were hushed, as was the music, and all the mood lighting came from candles and a large hearth in the middle of the room. More red hearts were strung from the ceiling like streamers, and random bushes had been carted into the place to give each two person table more privacy. All the bushes were carved into couples dancing or hearts.

The older, black-haired man at the front check-in table had taken Bog's name, and that had been the last time either Bog or Marianne spoke, neither used to this level of ridiculousness. Finally, she muttered, "I thought Roland was bad; I was wrong."

"Confound it, Plum's walking this way. Look at me, and let's pray that that curly-haired guy doesn't call my name when she's within hearing range," he said anxiously, standing closer to Marianne.

Marianne looked up into Bog's eyes and placed a consoling hand on his to help calm him down. It worked, making him breathe deeply and smile softly at her, his whole face and attention focused on her. She wasn't used to that kind of attention from men, but she was quickly discovering that she liked it very much from him.

The longer they stared, the closer they got to one another, both becoming less bashful at the continued contact and lack of negative reaction to the closeness. They got lost in each other's eyes and were that close to kissing again when the man in front called out Bog's name just as Plum was preparing to leave for the kitchen. That night was not their night for getting lucky, for as soon as Plum heard the name, her eyes widened in shock before searching excitedly. She got a gleam in her eye when she spotted a blushing Bog.

"Bog King! It's about time you came back to my restaurant," scolded Plum, going forward and opening her arms for a hug from him.

Bog had never looked as small and desiring to disappear as he did in that moment. Marianne wanted to help, but he had insisted on doing the talking. She felt bad for him, even if it was slightly funny to watch him talk to the tiny woman dressed entirely in pink, other than her purple hair.

"Aunt Plum," said Bog awkwardly as he gestured helplessly, "you outdid yourself in decorating this year."

Marianne coughed at hearing the new name for Plum, even as she followed Bog closer to Plum. Bog's blush only grew.

"Oh, you noticed? Thank you, such a sweetie you are," she said, taking his cheeks and rubbing them. "Bean, what table have you put these two at?"

"Table seventeen, ma'am. Why?"

"They're getting table one since this is a special treat. I can't wait to talk to these two," said Plum, making Bog groan as he put a protective hand on Marianne's shoulder, trying to protect her from Plum.

"I just wanted to give her a quiet, good meal-"

"And you will! After I've talked to her for myself, of course," said Plum, coming forward and smiling sweetly at Marianne. "What's your name, deary?"

"Marianne. Marianne Fairfield," she said, holding out a hand to shake.

"Lovely name. Enjoy the best table in the house! The darkest and most romantic," she replied, leading them toward the table after shaking hands. She was pleased to see Marianne's negative reaction.

"Uh, that's really not necessary-"

"Nonsense! You're just like family already. Bog never dates," said Plum, stopping at their table. "Have fun, lovebirds!"

As Plum left, an instrumental version of David Bowie's song “Rebel Rebel” came on, and Marianne glared at Bog a second later when they were alone. "Aunt, huh?"

"Should've mentioned that sooner, I suppose," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "This is why I didn't want her to see us. I promise it's really good food, and half-off."

"It better be. I have a bad feeling about this," said Marianne, feeling a shiver go down her neck, as though she were being watched. "I'm just glad Dawn isn't here like she loves to do."

She would've been furious and unsurprised to find out that even at that moment, Dawn was donning the purple uniform to join the "Plumettes" who served the food. Plum was eternally grateful for more help, and she was trying to add her own spy to the mix by calling her sister.

"Griselda, get over here right now! Bog's here with a girl, and not just any girl! She seems nice and not a gold digger; he seems to actually like her!"

"I'm on my way."

Chapter Text

"So, what do you want to talk about?" asked Marianne after an awkward silence at the minuscule table.

"I'm not sure," said Bog, looking around anxiously for the sixth time. "I keep expecting Plum to appear, or to see your sister now. She hasn't actually spied on you before, right?"

Marianne bit her lower lip. "Um, about that...."

"How many times?" Bog asked, leaning across the tiny table suddenly, making her jump back to avoid them bumping noses.

"Once with every boyfriend I've had, so three times," she replied, counting mentally.

"Did you catch her each time?" he asked worriedly, still leaning in and not daring to raise his voice. "It can't be worse than what happened with my friends the one time."

"How many times has it happened to you?" she asked, now concerned. "What did they do?"

"Once. I'll tell if you do," he insisted, sitting back and glad to have a conversation topic, however atypical it was. Since she didn't seem bothered by discussing it, he saw no point in leaning in.

Meanwhile, a little ways away, Plum was peeking from behind a bush, Dawn inserting herself beside Plum to get her own look to see why Bog was leaning in. At first she thought it was a kiss, but it was a false alarm.

"Why aren't you working?" asked Plum primly when she noticed Dawn.

"I, um, was admiring the general splendor?" Dawn stuttered, smiling prettily.

"Hmm, very well. Look later, after everyone has been served, please," requested Plum, stealing one last look at Bog and sighing. "Why don't you go to table one? They haven't been waited on yet."

"Uh, sure!" cried Dawn, rushing back into the kitchen to grab a notebook, ready to try put her disguise. Armed with red hair (Sunny's idea), an eyepatch (Stuff's idea), and one of the little, pink hats that all Plumettes wore, she waltzed over to the table, determined to act like a sleepy, boring person. "Happy Valentine's Day," she said in a monotone voice before pointing to the name tag she had stolen. "I'm Lovette. What would you like to order? We have wine specials."

Bog barely paid her notice, but Marianne blinked and looked back at her several times, trying to figure out why she seemed familiar. Dawn held back her laughter and drew upon all her acting classes to stay in character.

"Do you like wine? Want an appetizer?" asked Bog curiously, taking Marianne's notice away from Dawn at last.

"Yes to both. I'm starved. How about the spinach dip? I prefer semi-sweet wine; although I'd still rather use the bottle to bash Roland over the head. I've done that once; I highly recommend it," said Marianne, grinning.

"I think I would enjoy doing that," said Bog with a grin before requesting a semi-sweet wine and the appetizer. "I want to hear that story after you tell me what your sister has done to spy on you previously."

Dawn gulped visibly before excusing herself to put in their order. When she got back to Sunny, she shrieked, "They're on to us! Marianne's telling stories of me spying on her. We gotta be extra careful."

When the dip was ready, Dawn was about to deliver it when Sunny got an idea. "Spill it on Bog. See how he reacts."

"He won't like it, but it would make their appetizer free. Aim for his face," suggested Stuff, grinning like a Cheshire Cat and putting in an order for another dip.

Dawn waited for a moment when the two weren't knocking wine out of their glasses from their multiple attempts to drink while laughing. When it didn't happen after five minutes, she sighed, "Oh, Marianne, I hope he's the one."

"Why aren't you serving that?" asked Plum, giving Dawn a dark look. "That dip will go cold. How did you know her name?"

"I'm, ah, Marianne's sister. I just wanted to-"

"Say no more, dear. Good luck, and be ready to tell me all about her when you come back," said Plum, looking gleeful at getting more information about Marianne.

Dawn walked with trepidation over to her sister and proceeded to stand next to Bog. At just the right moment, she tripped, making the dip splash onto Bog's face and pants.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! My bad!"

"It burns! My eyes!" yelled Bog, wiping furiously at his eyes.

"Don't worry, Bog, I'm coming!" cried Marianne, rushing with her napkin over to him as Dawn moved away to watch Marianne lean over him and start wiping his face with care.

"I'll get more napkins. This is not how I imagined my first night here going," said Dawn, rushing off to get towels. "I'll get you another one. Your appetizer is on the house."

"It better be! Be more careful," said Marianne, her attention never leaving Bog.

Pleased with her work, Dawn went for towels and chuckled when she saw Plum and another equally short, slim woman with a similar face laughing at Bog's troubles. "Excellent work, dear. Serves him right for not visiting since his last terrible date," said Plum. "Your sister is very attentive."

"She has a head for numbers and details," replied Dawn, pleased.

While she was away, Marianne wet a napkin to get Bog's eyes first. When they were free of spinach dip, she smiled at him, and he realized just how close she was, her face again mere inches from his. He saw her bring her index finger up to his cheek, and then she swiped away a large glob of dip before sucking it off to taste it.

“Mm, that is good. No wonder you wanted to come back,” she said, her voice husky.

As her tongue dipped out to lick her lips, his eyes tracked every movement of her tongue, irrationally jealous of her mouth. When he looked back up, he discovered that she was watching him carefully.

“You want a little?” she asked, giving him a playful look as she rested her other hand on his knee.

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He had expected her to grab a spoon or something, but she surprised him by taking another fingerful off his chin and offering her finger to him. He knew she was just trying to be nice and make the most of the situation, but his mind went elsewhere. That was how he ended up taking the offered finger into his mouth and enjoying the little extra taste of Marianne along with the dip, and when he released her finger with a pop, both were torn between regret and a desire to do it again. Instead, Marianne grabbed the wetted napkin and got to work on the rest of his face, feeling responsible for the mess somehow.

When she was finished wiping his face, she said, "There, all clean. I'll use your napkin to get your pants."

"There's no need, ah, Marianne, I," he started to say but stopped when she knelt and started rubbing furiously on his right thigh. She was bent over his lap, her face dangerously close to him, and he blushed at how she appeared, embarrassed for her and himself.

He recited internally all the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies in chronological order of release so as to avoid making things super awkward if she looked down at his pants at the wrong time. The image of her, the most attractive woman he knew, bent over him like that would forever be burned upon his mind.

"Why not?" she asked, looking up when she finished with his right leg.

"Because, ah, of where you're located," he said, pointing his finger between her and his lap.

It took Marianne several moments to make the connection, but as soon as she did, she left his side and rushed back to her seat.

"Do you think anyone noticed?" she asked, looking around nervously.

"Aww, aren't you sweet to your boyfriend," said Dawn, dropping some towels and napkins on the table, secretly impressed her sister would clean Bog up like that. "Not many would do that so publicly."

Marianne wanted to melt into the ground and disappear. “No, that's not it at all. You don't understand-”

“It's fine either way. Show your love however you want,“ said Dawn, sticking the word in again just to watch both of then blanch. Really, what did they expect after almost kissing and Marianne kneeling over him like that? Bog continued cleaning himself up when Dawn added, "Sir, I'm really, really sorry about that. I'm not normally so clumsy-"

"It's fine," he said gruffly, looking up at her briefly before cleaning more. "I'm just expecting another dip soon."

"Of course! Thank you for being so kind and understanding. What do you want for dinner?"

They ordered food before becoming quiet again. Marianne stayed silent until Bog was done cleaning. By then, the chips and dip arrived, and both ate it quickly, albeit silently, until Bog heard something else.

"Oh no, not him."

"What now?" Marianne asked, afraid to ask.

"Imp, my aunt's favorite violinist from the local symphony, sometimes is hired to play here. I hear a violin, and I fear that Aunt Plum will direct him our way."

"Imp?" she asked, narrowing her eyes in disbelief.

"He has a real name, but he's a troublemaker, so his nickname is Imp. Start eating more; maybe he'll avoid us if our mouths are full."

Sure enough, five minutes later, a cheery, older man with white hair and an all-white suit appeared in front of them with his violin. "I understand that you had some dip get spilled on you. The owner of this fine establishment would like to make it up to you," said Imp. "Any requests?"

"Besides go away, Imp?" snarked Bog.

"Afraid I don't know that one. Oh, I know just the song for Valentine's Day," he said, starting to play "Some Enchanted Evening" after learning all the details from Dawn and Plum.

Marianne glared at Bog, and he gave her a helpless look, unsure how to fix the problem. Both ate more dip until Imp began singing.

"Some enchanted evening, you may meet a stranger. You may see a stranger across a crowded room, and somehow you know, you know even then, that somehow you'll see her again and again.”

Bog might have thought that it was a coincidence that the song had been chosen, but he didn't believe in such things when it involved his aunt. Part of him hoped that he did see Marianne again after this strange day.

Imp ended by singing a capella, “Once you have found her, never let her go." Then, he bowed and left the table, smiling mischievously.

in that moment, Bog was inclined to agree with the song: despite the series of weird, unfortunate events, Marianne was still there and enjoying herself. He hadn't scared her off yet somehow. He definitely wanted to see her again, even if he was scared to death of asking her out for real and of falling in love.

“He's actually really good. I can see why your aunt asks him to play,” commented Marianne when Bog's unnerving, unblinking stare became too much for her. “So, as you might recall, the first time Dawn spied on me, she hid behind a statue the whole night. The second time, she watched from a window until the manager asked her to leave.”

“What happened the third time?” he prompted, ready for more of Marianne's stories.

“This is the best one: she got a table on the opposite side of the room, sitting at a seemingly empty table. Turns out that Sunny had been sitting there, and that was how they met. They spied on me with Roland, and then they eventually lost interest as they got to know each other. Now they're going to get married in just over two weeks, and I couldn't be prouder.”

They chatted a little more until Dawn came traipsing out with their dinner. Dawn ensured that everything that Marianne hated was left on the dish, and just when she was about to complain, Bog shushed her with a look and a hand. Marianne fell back, not sure why, and Dawn flitted back to the kitchen, pleased.

“Sunny, go listen to them,” she ordered, handing him a bucket of dirty dishes. “We need more details.”

“I can't do it; I break everything,” said Thang as Stuff nodded, remembering the last time they spied on Bog clearly.

Sunny gulped as Stuff went with him for moral support.

“Bog, I really don't like these foods-”

“I know. You've told me several times, Princess,” he said, pushing the plate toward her. “However, everything here is good. Alone they're awful, but together, perfect. Just give it a chance for me? If not, I'll switch with you. Trust me, you'll like it.”

She eyed him until she finally gave in. “Okay, but only because it's you.”

Stuff made a cooing noise, slightly louder than she should have and immediately hid behind a bush. Both Bog and Marianne glared at Sunny, who had a deer-in-the-headlights look to him.

“Sorry, just looking for dishes!” cried Sunny, dashing away in fear back to Dawn and Plum, who were both very pleased when they heard of the interaction.

Thang watched after that, long enough to see Marianne smile and enjoy both dishes after initially giving Bog a dubious look about the weird food. He crept closer when she finally spoke.

“My eyes have been opened, Bog, thank you. That was really good.”

“You're welcome,” replied Bog, ready to say more until he saw Thang in the uniform and froze. His eyes met Thang's and immediately made a motion for him to go before he went back to Marianne, who was a little annoyed that he was looking away from her. By the time she looked in Thang's direction, he was gone.

Thang ran to Stuff nervously. “He knows it's me. He got angry. How does he always recognize me? I had a great disguise and everything!”

“Who knows? We'll be more careful now,” decided Stuff.

“I'll go see if there's a lasting impact,” said Sunny, going to the bush to peek.

Unfortunately for him, Marianne had grown suspicious that something was up since Bog had suddenly become reticent as he ate. She looked back at the same moment Sunny peeked, and she recognized that pose, as well as realized that it was Sunny, hidden behind a pair of glasses and a goatee. She made a slashing motion with her hand to make him leave, and then she went back to her food.

Sunny ran back in, panicking. “Marianne knows. Dawn should be the only one going out there anymore. I'm too afraid.”

“That's because your hiding spots are terrible. Don't go right there every time,” said Plum, breezing in. “Go behind Bog, as Griselda and I do.”

The problem was that both Bog and Marianne were afraid of more spies being found, and thus were afraid to say anything that might get construed the wrong way. The silence stretched on until they both finished their dinner.

“So… do you want dessert?” asked Bog, deciding to break the ice.

“I shouldn't,” she said, looking toward the door.

Bog panicked, not wanting to lose her until after he got her phone number at least. He could work up to a real date eventually.

“Of course we shouldn't, but that's the point of a Hallmark holiday, isn't it?” asked Bog. “You're supposed to go all out and live a little. They have the best cheesecake here.”

“I'm in,” she said, her eyes lighting up as she changed her mind. “Where's Lovette when you need her?”

“I'm back!” squealed Dawn, forgetting about modulating her tone when she heard her name from spying. “Did you save room for dessert?”

“We're sharing a cheesecake,” said Marianne, regarding Dawn carefully. “One piece.”

“Got it!” said Dawn, rushing away in fear that Marianne was catching on to her.

“That was weird,” said Bog, looking at Dawn.

“This whole time in the restaurant has been strange. Fun, but strange,” replied Marianne, afraid to admit that the voice of Lovette was suspiciously like Dawn's. “When I think of taking advantage of the restaurant, this wasn't what I had in mind.”

“Nor mine,” agreed Bog. “I thought we would just be left alone so we could make fun of Valentine's Day and how it has all these people in chains-”

“That bind you,” finished Marianne, shaking her head.

“Yes, that exactly.  Then we got sucked into all this. Sorry,” he said, looking downcast.

“Don't be,” she said, giving him a small smile. “I've loved our time together. I've had so much fun with you, learned a lot, discovered new food, and more. It's the first Valentine's Day I've liked.”

“Mine, too,” he admitted shyly, his eyes meeting hers.

They had a moment, a sweet, wonderful moment as they agreed silently that they loved being around the other, and then it was blown away by Plum.

“Hello, lovebirds! I heard you wanted dessert. It's your favorite, Bog, with lots of caramel and strawberry sauce.”

“Thank you,” both said, looking at her briefly before eyeing the large piece of cheesecake with newfound hunger.

Just as Marianne was about to take her first bite, Plum asked, “So, Marianne, what do you think of my food and this place?”

“This place is-”

She looked at Bog, who was silently pleading with her to be nice. She changed her adjective to describe at the last minute.

“-lovely. It's the food that really amazed me. I love it.”

Plum glowed under the sincere compliment at the end, and Marianne was about to take a bite of cheesecake after watching Bog at her periphery start enjoying his half of the cheesecake. Just as she brought the fork up to her mouth again, Plum said, “Thank you, dear! I'm glad it's been positive despite the less-than-ideal service you've had. Do you think you'll come back?”

“I'm, um, it's hard to say at this point,” stammered Marianne, glancing at a pink Bog who had frozen to the spot, his mouth open with a large piece of cheesecake inside.

Plum peeked at Bog and immediately scrunched up her face in disapproval before lightly slapping his shoulder. “Bog! Didn't my sister teach you better manners than that? Chew like you have a secret! Do you want another date with this girl, or not?”

Bog shut his mouth at once while Marianne chuckled at the two.

“I was really hoping you would get the couple's special of spaghetti tonight since it's so good, and quite romantic,” added Plum, turning to bat her eyes at Marianne, making her spit out the first bite of her cheesecake.

“Oh no! I mean, we couldn't possibly have gotten that,” said Marianne as Bog seemed to try to hide his face in shame. “We're really not that serious-”

“Then all the more reason to do so!” cried Plum, leaning in close to Marianne. “You have to start somewhere with saying your true feelings. You like him, don't you?”

Marianne really should have been more circumspect and thought about her answer before just blurting out the truth, but she had always been one to speak her mind. She was on the fence about wanting to see him again and do more, still holding on to some lingering fear from the past. It took a very special man to make her reconsider her stance on dating and love, but Bog was doing a bang-up job of showing her it could be different and special.

“Yes, I do,” she said, looking at Plum exclusively. Had she looked at her fake-date, she might have noticed Bog choke on a piece of cheesecake. Instead, she saw only Plum and a pleased look.

“Good. Then my work here is done. Have a good night, you two! Ta ta!”

As she walked away, Marianne faced Bog with a small smile as he finally managed to swallow his cheesecake. Plum found Griselda and Dawn and squealed, “She likes him! She admitted it!”

“What, really?” asked Dawn, getting excited. “I'm so proud of her for admitting it out loud.”

“We need to get close to them ASAP,” said Griselda, noticing Bog's face. “I think he wants to admit something, too. Maybe he'll even ask her out!”

The six people quickly made their way to Plum's preferred hiding spot behind some bushes near Bog. All stuck their noses between the gap in the bushes to watch eagerly.

Bog, meanwhile, was secretly forming a desperate resolution to act on his growing interest and attraction to Marianne; now that he knew that she liked him, he wasn't afraid to ask for more. It wouldn't seem like a burden to her, and she might even welcome it. He gave her a few minutes to enjoy a few more bites of her half of the cheesecake before saying, “I like you, too, Marianne. I really like you, actually.”

“Really?” she replied, giving him a surprised, happy look, even as her eyes lit up.

Bog leaned in slightly. The thought that she would even doubt she was likable emboldened Bog further; she needed to see.

“Yeah. I've liked you ever since I saw you pretending to shoot hats, saying pew pew pew. Not many will just do that, or be interested in all the nerdy stunt work I do, or would suggest defacing cars with silly string just because. I've only learned to like and respect you more since then.”

Plum and Griselda looked at Dawn, who nodded and shrugged. Thang gave Stuff a triumphant look about finding out that they had indeed gone to Bog's gym.

Marianne blushed and took one of Bog’s hands, leaning in more as well. “Most men think I'm too much: too strong and masculine, too demanding, or something else silly like that. You've never judged me, and you're an even bigger nerd than me, which I really like. How could I not like you?”

“Because I've put you through hell and back for a cheap meal,” he said, grimacing and looking down, defeated.

That was when Marianne drew in closer over the tiny table and took his chin with her free hand, forcing him to meet her eyes.

“Families are crazy and dysfunctional. I get it. It's not them I'm interested in; it's you,” she said firmly, making his mouth drop open again as he began to hope as he had scarcely ever allowed himself to hope before. “I’ll happily repeat myself to make a point. Despite the strange occurrences here, it's been pretty fun. I don't regret coming here and trying all this great food while getting to know you.”

“Can I see you again?” blurted Bog, asking while he still had nerve to do it. When he saw her shocked look, he wondered if he should have led into it a little better. When she continued to not say anything, his face fell. “Actually, just pretend I didn't-”

“Yes,” she said breathlessly, bringing back all his hope as the hand at his face slid down to where her other was. “I'll admit I'm really afraid to do this-”

“So am I!” he cried, taking the other hand as he leaned in a little more.

Neither was really aware of their growing closeness, as it only encouraged them to whisper and admit their true feelings in the seeming intimacy of the moment. There was only a general sense of nervousness that was slowly being wiped out by the other’s sincere interest in them.

“Oh good! I'm so relieved,” she said, leaning her forehead down until it barely touched his, both letting out a big breath in response.

“Me, too,” he replied softly, moving slightly to look in her eyes. She looked at him with darker eyes than usual, heightened color in her cheeks, and parted lips. All he wanted in that moment was to kiss her and see what he had missed out on earlier that day. “I'm still curious about earlier today,” he said, licking his lips.

Her eyes noticed the movement before holding his gaze steadily, leaning in slightly more to show her willingness. “I've wondered about that, too. It was-”

“Could I-”

Both stopped and blushed until one of Bog's hands ghosted across her chin, making her shiver and close her eyes.

He leaned in and was about to kiss her when both heard a shrill whisper, “They're going to do it! He's going to kiss her!”

“Shh!”

Both froze and glared in the direction of the voices to find six heads piled on top of each other, Sunny at the bottom and Dawn at the top. Thang was right above Sunny, and Stuff above him, followed by Griselda and Plum. Plum had been the one to shush Dawn, but it was too late.

“Oh fiddlesticks,” grumbled Griselda as Dawn squeaked and tripped, sending everyone and a bush flying to the ground.

“What are you doing?” asked an indignant Bog and Marianne, both standing at once. While Marianne just glared at Dawn and Sunny, Bog bent over to help his mother and aunt up dutifully before standing beside Marianne once more, ready to stare menacingly until answers were given.

“I'm sorry. This is all my fault,” said Dawn, looking contrite. “I was curious how you two would get on, and before I knew it, I had Sunny and those two joining me. I'm sure I didn't help matters with your family.”

“Has it ever occurred to you that you meddle and worry too much?” asked Marianne, trying to remain strong and not relent on the spot.

“No. You're my sister; I never worry enough, just like you do about me,” said Dawn, going in for a hug.

Marianne allowed it while Bog looked impatiently at the other four. “Anything you'd like to add?”

“It was my idea for Dawn to spill the dip on your face; I'm sorry,” said Stuff. “I don't regret spying, though.”

“You? You suggested Dawn do - oh,” he said, finally realizing that Dawn had been their server the whole time.

“I'm your mother; I'll never apologize for doing this with your aunt. She and I both worry about your lack of love life too much,” said Griselda, speaking for her and her sister. “You should ask her out for real this time.”

“Not in front of all of you!” he cried, getting embarrassed and rushing off to the kitchen.

“Bog, wait!” shouted Marianne, rushing after him.

Griselda and Dawn started running after Marianne, but Plum held them both back. “Let them go. They need privacy for this moment.”

“But they're liable to kiss!” shrieked Griselda. “I want to see it!”

“That's why I have security video footage we can watch later,” said Plum, winking. “Let's give them ten minutes, and then we'll go check on them.”

Bog was in the back hallway leading to the alley when Marianne finally caught up to him. He seemed unsure where to go next, so she yelled again, “Bog! Wait. Please.”

“Why are you still here?” he asked, looking ashamed. “My family is incorrigible and unable to-”

“Have you seen mine?” she interrupted, putting a hand to his lips to quiet him. “They're just as bad.”

He nodded, so she moved her hand away.

“True, but this isn't the first time my family has done something like this. The last time I came here was also Valentine's Day. There was this seemingly sweet girl who I had brought here, but my aunt and Stuff went and spied on her in the bathroom after Stuff suggested it. They thought something was off about her; it turned out that she was only using me to make a guy jealous.”

Marianne's breath left her, feeling terrible for him.

“She caught them spying on her, though, and then she came out and told me I was a hideous beast, that no one would ever be interested in me.  I've been mad since.”

“And rightfully so!” replied Marianne, taking one of his hands. “Family and friends will do what they feel is right, even if we don't like it. However, girls shouldn't use you like that or say such outright lies about your looks-”

Bog used his free hand to grab Marianne's chin and kiss her, finally taking what they both wanted. Marianne eagerly responded, parting her lips and trying to deepen the kiss at once. As her hands slid up his arms to loop around his neck, his found her hips and easily picked her up until her back was against the wall. When she nipped at his lower lip, he growled and pressed his body against hers, and her legs swung around his waist, ready to straddle him at once. Soon, her hands were sliding up and down his back, trying to find purchase and wanting to touch more of him as one of his hands rested securely at the small of her back, finding the bit of skin exposed between the hem of her shirt and her jeans. His other hand went to her face, angling it for better access.

When the two finally broke apart for air, both were panting.

“Wow. I didn't know it could be like that,” gasped Marianne, her eyes still locked on him.

“Nor did I,” said Bog, voice low and brogue thicker. “But I want to do that again.”

“Let me give you my number, and we can,” she said, eyes sparkling.

He proceeded to slowly place her on the ground before both grabbed their phones and exchanged numbers. That was how Sunny and Dawn found them.

“Oh good! You finally exchanged numbers. I'm so happy for you both,” sighed Dawn, going to Marianne. To her she whispered, “He's a keeper.”

“I know,” said Marianne, glancing up at Bog. “He's worth lifting the ban on love for.”

“Good,” said Dawn as Bog gazed at Marianne proudly, mouthing to her that he felt similarly.

“So, ah, Bog-”

“What?” he grumbled, not liking that Sunny was distracting him from Marianne and preventing him from having another mind-blowing kiss.

“I've gotten to know Thang really well thanks to spying on you, and since you're now dating Marianne, would you like to come to my bachelor party?”

“We're dating now?” asked Bog, getting excited as a smile filled his face. He went to Marianne and interrupted her scolding session to kiss her again. When he broke it off, he told her, “When do you want to go on another date?”

“Tomorrow?” she suggested, looking hesitant.

“Done. No spies this time,” he said, glaring at Dawn. She just shrugged innocently.

“I can't wait,” said Marianne, touching his cheek before dragging Dawn away to warn her about future repercussions.

“Hey, Bog? You want to come to my bachelor party or not?” asked Sunny,  dragging Bog's attention away from Marianne.

“Why not? It sounds like I owe you after all the nonsense you pulled on me tonight,” he said, giving Sunny a smirk.

Sunny gulped. “As long as you don't conspire with Marianne, I think I'll survive.”

“That's a good idea,” said Bog, starting to think of ideas at once and tapping his chin as Sunny paled. “I bet she'd love to do that after all you've done.”

“I'm so doomed.”