Work Text:
“Aaarrrgghh, my love, would you mind going to cash register B?”
The manager said to his husband, as he was tending to the cash register.
“What you want me do?
“Please relocate from the deep fry station to the open cash register that is open.”
Aaarrrgghh nodded in understanding. He made the short trek over to the register, taking care not to hit any of the equipment. Blinky quickly replaced him at the fry station, and swiftly made work of the several baskets with all four of his arms engaging. As approached the register, he heard the tapping of the impatient trolls, waiting for service. So this was why he had been called to replace his husband at the role of cash registers. Crowds tended to make Blinky anxious, and say questionable things. Aaarrrgghh bent down to recall the cash register, and began to take the first customer’s order.
“Hello, welcome to Stone Shack, what you like?”
The troll scrunched their eyes lightly as if to try and scrutinize Aaarrrgghh, “Yes, hello, I’d like to order, a, uhh, junior-windshield wiper…”
“What side order you want?”
“How ‘bout potato skins?”
“Is that all?”
The trolled huffed,” Yes, I think it will be,”
“Your total four ninety-four,”
Many similar interactions happened as the daily lunch rush went. Around 2, the crowd began to thin out. At 3:30 the facility was empty. The troll at the opposing cash register was getting ready to go on break. Aaarrrgghh looked at Blinky, who was finishing up by draining the oil. The other troll gave Aaarrrgghh a nod as they shut the down cash register he was at. As the other troll left the building, only Blinky and Aaarrrgghh were alone. Blinky slinked into the breakroom, trailed not far behind by Aaarrrgghh.
As Aaarrrgghh entered the room, he tried to close the door quietly behind him. Blinky waited impatiently, tapping his foot lightly. Aaarrrgghh let out a short snort in response.
“Aaarrrgghh, you take much too long sometimes. Now, let us assume normal formation.” Aaarrrgghh snorted again, good-naturedly. If Blinky wanted something, Aaarrrgghh was going to make him ask for it directly.
“What you want?”
“All you said was-”
“Not what you said, what you WANT?!”
“Well, my love, I’m simply asking you to get in a position reminiscent of…”
Aaarrrgghh titled his head in exaggerated confusion. Blinky sighed.
“You’re not going to make this easy, are you?” Aaarrrgghh shook his head lightly, the corners of his mouth teasing a smile.
“Well, as beings of flesh and stone-”
“Blinky,”
“I-”
“Blinky.” Aaarrrgghh rolled his eyes at his husband.
“Yes, well, I humbly request, Aarghaumont Galadrigal, a brief respite, whale enjoying
close physical proximity with you in the comfort of your lap…”
Aaarrrgghh smiled. It always took a long time to get Blinky to say what he wanted, but when he did, it made Aaarrrgghh happy.
Aaarrrgghh slowly placed his hind-quarters on the ground and began to sit up against the wall. Blinky quickly ran this little locker in the corner and grabbed a blanket. Just as quickly, he ran to Aaarrrgghh.
He looked at the space between Aaarrrgghh’s open legs. Blinky blushed, and covered his eyes, with his upper two arms. Aaarrrgghh gently tugged at Blinky’s arms. Blinky slowly let his top two arms fall away from his face. He smiled a little crookedly at Aaarrrgghh. Before Blinky could say anything else, Aaarrrgghh grabbed him by the sides, picked him up, spun him around, and placed Blinky in his lap, his back flush against Aaarrrgghh’s stomach. Being supported by the wall made it easier to lay sitting up.
“Aaarrrgghh, my husband, would you mind if we were to move to one of the beanbags?”
Aaarrrgghh wordlessly picked up Blinky and walked over to the beanbags in the corner. He sat down and put Blinky in his lap. Once Blinky had found his palace, Aaarrrgghh reclined on his back, his stomach exposed. Blinky climbed up on his stomach and nestled there as Aaarrrgghh wrapped an arm around him, and with his other arm, he reached around and interlaced his hand with Blinky’s. Aaarrrgghh pulled Blinky underneath his chin, and tilted his head slightly and to nibble on Blinky’s ear. Blinky’s ear twitched and batted Aaarrrgghh’s face away.
As the minutes ticked on, Blinky and Aaarrrgghh breathing fell into somewhat of a pattern. Aaarrrgghh’s chest would rise, Blinky’s would fall. And when Blinky’s would rise, Aaarrrgghh’s would fall.
They both eventually fell into a light sleep, wrapped in one another’s warm embrace. They would stay like this until the other cashier found them, and they were made to relinquish from one another’s embrace, and went back to work. But until then, they’d stay like this. Safe, warm and together. Gathering the energy to finish the day, and face any unruly customer that would come.