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"Plot twist!"

The nineteen year old did a double blink at the voice, only catching the latter end of the words as he'd been mesmerized with the DS beneath the counter that he probably shouldn't have been playing with while on duty but was anyways.

Hey - it showed his love (and somewhat expansive knowledge) of video games, right????? It was like free advertisement!

Eyes glanced up and focused on the new customer...or rather, the Olga Sayle that he hadn't laid sights on in a few months, not since their Outlander marathon weekend. Hot damn, of all the times!

"Hey!"

The DS slid into its makeshift home beneath the register, the game blessedly able to be paused for the welcomed interruption. "Haven't seen you around in a while - find your own way back into time yet?"

Leaning over the counter, he couldn't help but grin as she neared. The DS came sliding out of its hiding place, now that he knew the customer in question wasn't going to judge him (or worse, rat on him) for playing video games on the clock. If there was any soul that was cool, it was one Olga Sayle.

"I started rewatching season one - can't say I'm looking for a Scottish hunk for my arm, but, y'know. Wouldn't mind some of the action. Beats standing around the mall all day, right?"

Mention of his new job had broad shoulders shrugging, blonde hair as messy as it was the last time they'd hung out (though okay, maybe two or three inches longer - he was due in for a haircut before holiday picture season). "A few months now, actually. Started before the summer - figured if I wasn't going to college, may as well make some dough."

That and play all the new video games getting released.

Priorities.

"What have you been up to??"

The thought of school gave Alrik mixed feelings. Sure, yeah, his mom and sister encouraged him to do the whole college thing but with the Negaverse breathing down his back with their expectations... well.

It just made sense to spend his extra time earning money, instead of studying for class, stealing energy and being a pauper. How on earth was he going to afford all of his gaming subscriptions that way???

"Bumming sounds a lot better than burning out on studying," he agreed, forcing his thoughts out from that boring, depressing way of thinking. "I'm sure you'll be graduating before you know it - then even more time for some marathoning on the couch, right?"

At the mention of leaving work, his eyes cast a glance to the computer on his right, eyeing the time in the bottom right corner. "Don't close today - off at three, when my relief comes in." One eye closed as he thought about their snacking options. "Uhhhh - food court, maybe? Easier than driving out anywhere."

Especially when he didn't actually own a car to drive with!

He gave an exaggerated sigh and an eyeroll before grinning at her comment.

"You have no idea." Eyes glanced around as if to double-check and make sure that there weren't any minivan moms in their midsts before he started talking trash about them. "They never know the name of the games their kids want - and when they try to pick things out on their own, they pick the dumbest crap, I swear."

Granted, he prided himself on being pretty accurate when it came to guessing what sort of thing little Jimmy or Susie was into, based on what sort of hobbies and crap the moms would brag about. Age range was also a factor but then again, he was blowing the heads off of zombies at the ripe 'ol age of eight, himself.

"Got a few things people have been putting in reservations for, but the hours are good." Good enough for christmas present fundage, at least.

Wait - crap!

Did girl friends expect presents for Christmas too???


"So what are your plans for the holidays, huh?"

Alrik's face lost some of its smile as the older girl explained her plans for the holidays - or lack thereof, it seemed. Who in the world didn't celebrate Christmas??? It was the greatest excuse to get LOTS of crap, on top of parents being extra nice and the food fantastic - and she wasn't going to get any of those things?

.... and her birthday was only days away from it? Did that mean she got jipped when it came to presents? Did people double up? LAME.

"I mean, that sounds pretty fun," he tried to sound encouraging, though the thought still troubled him. "But I mean, being alone kind of sucks. Would you wanna like, hang out with someone else? Sounds like a great excuse for another couch marathon."

He paused, backtracking. "I mean, unless you already had like, badass birthday plans or whatever."

A casual shrug and an almost equally goofy smile was returned as he tried to play off the offer as No Big Deal, especially since she was implying it wasn't something just anyone would do for her.

Hey, it wasn't her fault that her birthday got lined up next door to Christmas - there wasn't a reason, in Alrik's opinion, that she should go without just because everyone else and their mom tended to get together for family parties.

"Sure, I mean - we've already watched Highlander but I'm open to a repeat... unless you have something new in need of discovering?"

Ed was shuffling his way through the door and Alrik automatically moved to slide his DS into his backpocket. Unlike their few and far between women coworkers, Alrik never bothered with carrying a satchel or purse to work - what did he need to bring with him? Tampons? Pft.

Giving the other boy a curt nod, they exchanged quick hellos and got down to the nitty gritty. Only a handful of comments were passed between each other before the older boy was taking over the post for the blonde teenager, who looked all too ready to slide his way from behind the counter, soon joining his female buddy.

Nodding his head towards the door, he offered his arm, goofy grin still in place. "Still on for a shake, ma'am?"

He preened at her dashing comment, feeling the role of the six foot, one inch gentleman that he was trying to impersonate. It wasn't hard to lead her out and into the mall itself - most people were cordial enough to move to one side or the other, seeing an approaching duo arm-in-arm with each other.

There was a slight nose wrinkle at the suggestion of Christmas movies, however, quickly spoiling the illusion that Alrik was more mature than his nineteen year old age.

"Christmas movies? You mean like that crap they play on Lifetime and Hallmark twenty-four-seven??"

Glancing over towards Olga proved to be a mistake, especially considering she'd pulled out those kinds of eyes. Where did girls learn all this sort of crap?? How come it never worked for HIM?

"....well," He knew it was a losing battle. He might as well throw the towel in but for the sake of his manliness, he fought for a compromise, "Funny ones in there too, okay? Christmas Vacation, Christmas Story, maybe that Adam Sandler one somewhere in between? A guy can't survive off mush for like, ten hours, Sayle."